Pimp my PC Race #1: Rakasta

[thundershot]

I don't really care for using it as a move action... What if it were a minor action that use you used at the end of the move action? Perhaps move at least 2 squares and make an Athletics (Jump) check. You leap at the foe and land in the square adjacent to him. As a minor action, you may make a basic melee attack with your war claws or any light blade.

So the 2 square minimum move represents you getting a running start. The jump check allows you to make an Athletics check (let's say 12 is average, since the rakasta gets a bonus) which will allow him to leap 2 more squares into the foe. As long as you don't roll too low and end up on the floor, you should be fine. We could even give a bonus to the Athletics check as part of the Pounce ability just so you DON'T land face first in the dirt unless you roll a "1".

It sounds complex, but it's really just a jump check (part of the move) and a minor action (the power that gives you the extra attack).

Then, naturally, the feats can enhance that later. Much easier to use the exisiting rules before making things up (like I was).

If this is what you're saying anyway, then I apoligize for misunderstanding.



Chris

 

[Estlor]

On a slightly different topic, here's something to think about with your Rakasta.

I've been in the process of re-designing the other common Mystata/Savage Coast races for my own campaign (specifically the lupin, rakasta, tortle, and aranea). I didn't want to design a race that replaced anything in the PHB. Those races seem to be clearly designed toward a class (elf - ranger, eladrin - wizard, halfling - rogue, etc). So in my mind I was going to design these races toward roles instead of classes. Aranea have always been very magical so they got drafted into the controller role. A tortle's slow speed and thick shell makes them naturals at front-line tanking so they got pushed toward defender. Lupins are based on wolves and dogs, both are pack animals so leader became their role. Which leaves rakasta - patterned on cats who are natural independent hunters - as the striker.

Giving them bonuses to Dexterity and Wisdom makes them good rangers, but we already have elves who are good rangers. Since my rakasta (which, admittedly, are still rolling around in my head and not on paper) are general strikers, I'd give them a bonus to Dexterity and Charisma. This makes them inclined toward being optimized as:

1. Missile weapon rangers
2. Artful Dodger rogues
3. Fey-pact warlocks

Something else this does is potentially make them respectable bards when the bard class is finally released (assuming, of course, bards are partially keyed off of Charisma). This meshes well with the rakasta of Bellayne who had a tradition of heralds and illusionists. Not so much so with the Myoshima rakasta who rode fellequines and fought with katana and wakisashi... but then again, who says you can't be a two-weapon ranger that just likes using a bow a lot?

So, yeah, I admit this doesn't really help much, just some random thoughts I've had about rakasta and how they'd look to me in 4e terms.

 

[thundershot]

I was trying to decide between Dex and Wis or Dex and Cha. Either one imposed on another race, so I made sure to give them different skill bonuses and not impune on the other racial abilties. Rangers & Rogues are more "Rakasta-like" in my mind, so that's what I steered them toward. Personally, Shaman is the one I'd LOVE to lead them to, but it's not out yet... I'm hoping Shamans use Wisdom as a primary.



Chris

 

[thundershot]

Okay, so, how would the power write-up for Pounce look if it's a Minor action that requires a jump during your move action? I added the light blades in there because even at 1st level, not everyone will necessarily want war claws for flavor reasons. No need to penalize someone for not using a particular weapon.

I definitely think the prone part should be a paragon feat. Looking at other paragon powers, that's where the prone stuff is added in. I'd make the heroic feat the ability to move back 2 squares after your attack.

For epic... I don't know yet. One thing at a time.



Chris

 

[erik_the_guy]

Okay, so, how would the power write-up for Pounce look if it's a Minor action that requires a jump during your move action? I added the light blades in there because even at 1st level, not everyone will necessarily want war claws for flavor reasons. No need to penalize someone for not using a particular weapon.

I definitely think the prone part should be a paragon feat. Looking at other paragon powers, that's where the prone stuff is added in. I'd make the heroic feat the ability to move back 2 squares after your attack.

For epic... I don't know yet. One thing at a time.



Chris

First of all, I agree with prone=paragon, and allowing them to make the attack with any light blade.

For the minor action power, I don't think you should require the character to jump before they use the power (making the power less useful). Instead, let the power give them a jump.

Pounce
flavor text
Minor action, encounter
Effect: Move a number of squares up to your movement, but no less than 2. This movement is in a straight line and can be a jump (no check required). If you land next to any enemies you can mark one of them and you are considered to be charging against it for the rest of your turn. If you wield a light blade you may make a melee basic attack against the target.

Notes:
-The action does not force you to jump, pounce can be a sudden running lunge at an opponent or a leap over a chasm.
-I modified it slightly so that you do not need to attack someone, you can use leap to clear a cliff or some other obstacle outside combat
-Even though the power now works with all light blades (as you suggested) the character is still encouraged to use war claws (for the dex bonus on melee basic attacks) but they are not forced (this is good for flavor)
-The power now marks the target, to show that pouncing on an enemy distracts them
-Since it is a minor action, it only allows you to move one times your movement, so a character can move up to three times there movement once per encounter (as opposed to two times their movement on any other turn)

Some possible heroic tier feats

- Movement from your "leap" power does not provoke opportunity attacks (my personal favorite for strikers) (my fav)

- If you hit with the melee basic attack, the opponent grants you combat advantage for a turn (you might not use this since it is so similar to knocking someone prone, I'm mostly thinking about rogues here)

paragon teir

-knocking prone if you hit with melee basic attack (my fav)

-spend a healing surge if you hit with melee basic attack

epic teir

-when you pounce, you get melee basic attacks and marks against any number of targets you land adjacent to (my fav)

- move up to twice your speed when you pounce


I have a suggestion for a heroic racial feat

Quadruped
While on all fours you move with amazing speed.
You gain a +2 racial bonus to speed while on all fours. You cannot move on all fours if you are carrying a heavy load, wearing heavy armor, or if you are holding anything in your hands. You can wield war claws in this position as an exception. If you use the pounce power while on all fours you benefit from the bonus speed, but can only attack using war claws or unarmed attacks. Since being a quadruped comes naturally to you, this does not incur any penalties in combat.

A rakasta rogue with dual war claws could be a lot of fun, I might have to try one in my campaign sometime .

 

[thundershot]

I'll update and reply after I get home from work... no time right now... Thanks!!



Chris

 

[thundershot]

Pounce
flavor text
Minor action, encounter
Effect: Move a number of squares up to your movement, but no less than 2. This movement is in a straight line and can be a jump (no check required). If you land next to any enemies you can mark one of them and you are considered to be charging against it for the rest of your turn. If you wield a light blade you may make a melee basic attack against the target.

Notes:
-The action does not force you to jump, pounce can be a sudden running lunge at an opponent or a leap over a chasm.
-I modified it slightly so that you do not need to attack someone, you can use leap to clear a cliff or some other obstacle outside combat
-Even though the power now works with all light blades (as you suggested) the character is still encouraged to use war claws (for the dex bonus on melee basic attacks) but they are not forced (this is good for flavor)
-The power now marks the target, to show that pouncing on an enemy distracts them
-Since it is a minor action, it only allows you to move one times your movement, so a character can move up to three times there movement once per encounter (as opposed to two times their movement on any other turn)

I think that making it a charge AND marking AND doing damage is a bit much, especially since Rakasta do have other halfway decent racial abilities. I'd say drop the charging and leave the marking.

I also like the three feats. We need to clean them up a little bit, but in general, I think they'd work fine.



Chris (I'm still working on the rest of the character entry... we should get The Jester in here to write up some monster stat blocks for some Rakasta. )

 

[Remathilis]

Interesting, you're going along the same route I was with my cat-folk/rakasta race. I was building off the dex/wis route (since there are two races that already have dex/cha; drow and halfling) and my two skills were acrobatics/stealth (halfling)?

I'm interested in seeing what you do with pounce (since that was my idea) however I was considering adding dex to the damage from a successful charge (as well as str).

consider this bookmarked.

 

[Cwheeler]

I must admit that I was always a fan of the Rakasta as the scheming, sorcerer-type race, with a connection to ancient, magical powers.

In this vein, I'd probably give them a bonus to Int or Cha, with a racial power that reflects their innate sorcery (possibly a ranged attack, or something allowing them to add extra magical damage to a normal strike).

Not the path that you guys are taking, but I thought I'd
chuck in my two coppers anyway .

 

[thundershot]

I don't remember anything with sorcery, but then again, I'm combining things from their first appearance in Isle of Dread (with shamans and/or witch doctors, can't remember) and the Dragon article that had variations of Rakasta.


Thanks
Chris