D&D 5E PC Quicklings (another try)

[Quickleaf]

I think that 40 or 50 f, Bonus Action Dash, disad on OAs vs quickling when dashing, gets the speed at a more reasonable power level than 60ft speed, but OTOH 60ft speed does make them just always twice as fast as the average human.

I’ll think more on it

Yeah, I actually would lean away from Bonus Action Dash for two reasons (1) it overlaps with rogue's Cunning Action, and (2) goblins already do that with Nimble Escape (i.e. goblin PCs bring a bit of roguishness to whatever class they choose). We want quicklings to be distinct.

Instead, I would go with 40 feet speed and create a racial feature with this language: "Quickling's Passage. When you use your action to Dash, increase your speed by +20 feet until the end of your turn."

What this means is that a non-rogue quickling who devoted their turn to Dash + Move would span a total of (40 ft + 20 ft) + (40 ft + 20 ft) = 120 feet, which is their speed in the Monster Manual. This makes it a choice between using an action to attack or using an action to move all out.

Whereas, the rogue quickling could use a bonus action Dash bonus action + Attack action + Move, but due to the wording they would NOT get the bonus speed from Quickling's Passage, so they'd only move 80 feet altogether. Still great, but not moving all out.

Now, if the rogue quickling moves all out, then it gets interesting: Dash action (40 ft + 20 ft) + Dash bonus action (40 ft + 20) + Move (40 ft + 20 ft) = 180 ft.

That might be a really elegant solution.

It does make the Charger feat or other ways to get a bonus action attack really attractive for (non-rogue) quicklings. In other words, it requires some kind of investment – feat or otherwise – in order to be able to kind of mimic the VGtM Quickling and move 120 feet then attack.

EDIT: As a funny story, my old wood elf character "Quickleaf" got his ass kicked by quicklings one time who taunted him for being poorly named. I have an undying ember of disdain toward quicklings and think they're all malicious little freaks who'd be better off sent running into hallucinatory terrain cast over a chasm. So...uh...happy race designing?

 

[R_J_K75]

Yeah I don’t think we could do 60 and bonus action dash, so that would be left to rogues and monks to get to the monster speed.

60ft and disad opportunity attacks, maybe.

What about disad on attacks against them if they have moved at least 30ft this round? Idk

Id think the only way to figure it out is to just make something and playtest it, tweak as needed until you get what you like. Without going too crazy maybe a few different options, slower speed with a dash or higher speed and no dash as a bonus action?

 

[Casimir Liber]

I don't get why you'd not have an STR penalty though - they're tiny. Are we really saying they are as strong as a big burly human?

 

[Kobold Stew]

As someone who would choose to invest heavily in a character to get an increased speed, I would say this is all coming too easily, and so it is too powerful.

If you have a speed of 40', and can use a bonus to dash, you are the fastest PC race, esp. compared to the 25' normal for small races.

A character can still benefit from Barb or Monk bonus speed (good) but not from the Rogue's cunning action (also good; compare goblins). That was your starting point, and I think it's right.

If you want a bonus from being Fey, perhaps cast Longstrider 1/long rest on yourself only, with no material component required.

 

[Mecheon]

I don't get why you'd not have an STR penalty though - they're tiny. Are we really saying they are as strong as a big burly human?

5E doesn't really do penalties for races, and the two races that had penalties have had variants come out that removed the penalties

 

[R_J_K75]

That might be a really elegant solution.

I'd definitely play one of these little freaks.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Okay so any other downsides? Maybe hot-tempered (like someone who is on amphetamines 24/7), impulsive? Some game mechanic that means they really have to resist impulsive thinking or behaviour? requires DC 10 wisdom save in certain fight or flight situations?

As in 1e they were chaotic evil - but diversifying/fleshing that out, making it they are misunderstood - so hot-tempered, territorial and annoyed at Big Folk stumbling around their domains?

 

[Quickleaf]

Okay so any other downsides? Maybe hot-tempered (like someone who is on amphetamines 24/7), impulsive? Some game mechanic that means they really have to resist impulsive thinking or behaviour? requires DC 10 wisdom save in certain fight or flight situations?

As in 1e they were chaotic evil - but diversifying/fleshing that out, making it they are misunderstood - so hot-tempered, territorial and annoyed at Big Folk stumbling around their domains?

Not sure if it fits 5e's design ethos, but something like the Planescape faction The Transcendent Order's flaw might work (faction members couldn't change their mind about their choices in combat). I'm thinking something like "cannot take the Ready action" would be one simpler approach that avoids additional dice rolling.

Lore-wise, the 5th edition lore is that quicklings were once a taller lazier fey race who answered the summons of the Queen of Air and Darkness late one too many times, and were cursed/transformed by her in punishment. So, the "player version" might be rebels against the Queen...or at least have a more complicated relationship than abject servitude.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah, I actually would lean away from Bonus Action Dash for two reasons (1) it overlaps with rogue's Cunning Action, and (2) goblins already do that with Nimble Escape (i.e. goblin PCs bring a bit of roguishness to whatever class they choose). We want quicklings to be distinct.

That’s a fair point.

Instead, I would go with 40 feet speed and create a racial feature with this language: "Quickling's Passage. When you use your action to Dash, increase your speed by +20 feet until the end of your turn."

What this means is that a non-rogue quickling who devoted their turn to Dash + Move would span a total of (40 ft + 20 ft) + (40 ft + 20 ft) = 120 feet, which is their speed in the Monster Manual. This makes it a choice between using an action to attack or using an action to move all out.

Whereas, the rogue quickling could use a bonus action Dash bonus action + Attack action + Move, but due to the wording they would NOT get the bonus speed from Quickling's Passage, so they'd only move 80 feet altogether. Still great, but not moving all out.

That would be interesting, for sure.

Now, if the rogue quickling moves all out, then it gets interesting: Dash action (40 ft + 20 ft) + Dash bonus action (40 ft + 20) + Move (40 ft + 20 ft) = 180 ft.

That might be a really elegant solution.

It does make the Charger feat or other ways to get a bonus action attack really attractive for (non-rogue) quicklings. In other words, it requires some kind of investment – feat or otherwise – in order to be able to kind of mimic the VGtM Quickling and move 120 feet then attack.

EDIT: As a funny story, my old wood elf character "Quickleaf" got his ass kicked by quicklings one time who taunted him for being poorly named. I have an undying ember of disdain toward quicklings and think they're all malicious little freaks who'd be better off sent running into hallucinatory terrain cast over a chasm. So...uh...happy race designing?

LOL yeah they’re brutal when used well.

I don't get why you'd not have an STR penalty though - they're tiny. Are we really saying they are as strong as a big burly human?

Because that isn’t how 5e does races, and penalties just lead to problems in making and playing characters.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Because that isn’t how 5e does races, and penalties just lead to problems in making and playing characters.

okay - umm...why. I presume the way people are posting that there has been a nuanced discussion on this point somewhere (in which case maybe just a link rather than a rehash) as it isn't obvious to me why this is an issue?