Pimp my PC Race #1: Rakasta

[thundershot]

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RAKASTA

RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 5’ 2” – 5’ 10”
Average Weight: 110 – 150 lbs

Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Wis
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: low-light vision

Languages: Common
Skill bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Athletics
Cat's Grace: You have an amazing reaction time, and receive a +1 racial bonus to Reflex defense.
Land on your feet: You have excellent balance. When you would be knocked prone by an attack or from falling, you may make an immediate saving throw to avoid the effect. Additionally, you gain a +4 racial bonus to Acrobatics checks made to reduce falling damage.
Rakasta Weapon Proficiency: War Claws
Precise Strike: As a special ability, Rakasta may use their Dex bonus with light blades instead of the Str bonus.

Pounce * Rakasta Racial Power
You leap at your foe, slicing away at him with ferocity.
Encounter * Martial
Minor Action * Personal
Effect: When you make a Charge action using a light blade, you may deal an additional 1d6 points of damage.

War Claws
Prof +3 - Dmg 1d6 - Price 15 gp - Weight 1 lb. - Group Lt. Blade - Property Off Hand

The Rakasta, or Catfolk to the uneducated, are a race of nomadic cat-like people. They once had a sprawling empire, but it was destroyed in a great cataclysm, and is now long forgotten. They now travel in small tribes, trying to avoid contact with most other races. They are untrusting and reclusive.

Play a Rakasta if you want...

* to look like a feline.
* to be reclusive and mysterious.
* to be able to perform magnificent acrobatic stunts.
* to play a race that favors the Ranger, Rogue, and Cleric classes.


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Rakasta are a race of humanoid felines. They tend to be shorter than humans, and their entire body is covered in fur. Their ears are atop their heads, and they have long non-prehensile tails. Rakasta fur colors vary as much as ordinary house cats. Most Rakasta tend to be white, gray, brown, black, or tawny. Most have short hair, but some have longer, less manageable hair. Rakasta eyes are shaped like those of a feline, and are most often green, golden, or orange.

Rakasta age at about the same rate as humans, and usually live to around 90 years.

[MORE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS COMING SOON]

PLAYING A RAKASTA

[COMING SOON]

Rakasta characteristics:

Male names: Roul, Katche

Female names: Katara

RAKASTA ADVENTURERS

[COMING SOON]

FEATS:

Heroic Pounce (not final name) [Rakasta]: You do not incur opportunity attacks when making your charge attack to Pounce.
Heroic Pounce 2 (not final name) [Rakasta]: When you use Pounce, you may choose to push the foe back one square and take its’ place.
Paragon Pounce (not final name) [Rakasta]: Pounce knocks target prone.
Paragon Pounce 2 (not final name) [Rakasta]: Increase Pounce damage die to d10.
Epic Pounce (not final name) [Rakasta]: Attack all enemies adjacent to target.


MONSTER MANUAL ENTRIES

[COMING SOON]

Types:
Simbasta (lion)
Sherkasta (tiger)
Jakar (jaguar)
Fast Runner (cheetah)
Pardasta (leopard)
among others from Dragon #247

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[3d6+15]

Just a note... nothing particularly helpful to you.

So far the only difference you have from a "Shifter, Razorclaw" in the MM is the Athletics bonus instead of Stealth. And of course a racial power which you do not have yet.

I bring this up because my wife was playing a Catfolk in 3.5 and when we rebuilt for 4th we just used Razorclaw Shifter for her. It seemed a nice fit.

That said, when you get Rakasta in shape, I'm inclined to show her as it may be a better fit.

 

[thundershot]

You know, I never looked at the guys in the back of the monster manual. I was trying to compare with the PHB PC races... Hmm....

So I need some kind of flavorful PC abilities.

I edited my original post to include a couple of ideas.. again, I'm not very good at it. Any ideas are welcome!



Chris

 

[guybrush]

I see where you're going with pounce, but I think it would be better if a cat person had a power allowing you to make a sudden movement to attack - just like a pouncing cat. Sort of like the old Spring Attack feat. Maybe instead of the encounter power you have there, it could be a racial feature like this:

Pounce: Once per turn, if an opponent against whom you have combat advantage performs a standard action within 2 squares of you which could provoke an attack of opportunity if you were adjacent, you may immediately shift 1 square into melee range and make an basic melee attack against that opponent. This counts as your attack of opportunity for the turn.

I need to simplify the wording, but the effect is basically threatening reach 2, though only when you have combat advantage, and you have to leap the one square into melee range. Is this too powerful? I think the combat advantage and standard action only clauses makes it reasonable, and also add to the flavour - like a cat, you wait for a creature to come near, then when its still and distracted - you pounce!

Feedback greatly appreciated.

 

[thundershot]

That's the flavor I'm heading for... a cat pounce.

I was comparing to the other core PC races, and if Dragonborn get a close burst attack, I didn't think it was unreasonable for someone else to have some attack.

However, I do like your idea better. It also lends to having a feat that allows them to leap an extra square or two.

Also, what about the War Claws? They're basically metal claws affixed to the claws of the Rakasta. They function as a light blade, and can also be used as two weapons for purposes of Ranger powers.

The other thing I was going to give them is "Cat's Grace: Rakasta have excellent reaction time, and get a +1 racial bonus to Reflex defense."


I'll update the first post after I get home from work tonight... Additional feedback is welcome!


Thanks
Chris

 

[thundershot]

After looking at it more, giving combat advantage AND provoking an opportunity attack seem to be pretty rare...

How about maybe making it an encounter power, but giving them a 2 square jump to make an immediate opportunity attack against a foe...


Hmmmm... Looking in the monster manual, pounce seems to knock people prone. Maybe we can combine the ideas....



Chris

 

[Estlor]

How about something like this:

Pounce (Rakasta Racial Power)
You leap suddenly, swatting your foe off balance.
Encounter * Weapon
Immediate Reaction Melee Weapon
Trigger: An adjacent enemy shifts
Attack: You can shift into the square the enemy vacated and make a Strength vs. AC attack.
Hit: The enemy is knocked prone.

So if you're a Rakasta and in melee against an enemy that attempts to withdraw, you jump forward and make an attack that deals no damage but knocks them over.

 

[thundershot]

How about something like this:

Pounce (Rakasta Racial Power)
You leap suddenly, swatting your foe off balance.
Encounter * Weapon
Immediate Reaction Melee Weapon
Trigger: An adjacent enemy shifts
Attack: You can shift into the square the enemy vacated and make a Strength vs. AC attack.
Hit: The enemy is knocked prone.

So if you're a Rakasta and in melee against an enemy that attempts to withdraw, you jump forward and make an attack that deals no damage but knocks them over.

Okay, now I'm once again comparing to the other core PC races. Does anyone think that knocking someone prone is too powerful?

Also, maybe we shouldn't penalize someone for shifting... maybe instead, they can use the Pounce encounter power in place of an Opportunity Attack, and if they succeed, the enemy is stopped in their tracks?

This is fun.. I love seeing everyone's input.



Chris

 

[thundershot]

Maybe the Pounce ability should be changed to a feat... Hmm... Still thinking out loud with my fingers



Chris

 

[erik_the_guy]

Land on your feet: You have excellent balance, and when faced with an attack that would knock you prone, you may make an immediate saving

Change to "When you would be knocked prone by an attack or falling damage, you may make an immediate save to avoid this. You gain a +4 racial bonus to acrobatics checks made to prevent falling damage."