Playable Monster Race abilities

[cdrcjsn]

We've been told that several races in the MM will be playable as PCs.

That probably means that each will have unique racial powers comparable to Elven Precision (reroll attack), Dwarven Resilience (second wind as swift action), etc.

Looking at the excellent monster compilation that ThirdWizard did, I can see some of the potential monster racial abilities.

Goblin - Goblin Tactics (immediate reaction, when a melee attack against the goblin misses;at will) shift away 1 square from the attacker

Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when a hobgoblin suffers an effect that a save can end;encounter) makes an immediate save against the effect

Gnoll - Pack Attack (free action?;at-will?) do an extra 5 damage against a target that has two allies adjacent to it

Kobold - Shifty (Minor;at-will) Shift 1 square

Shadar-Kai - Shadow Jaunt (Move;encounter) teleport 3 squares and become insubstantial until end of turn

 

[MaelStorm]

They said at D&D XP that there'll be 12 playable races in the MM.

EDIT: You can also add Gnome and maybe Bugbear and Yuan-Ti to the list above.

 

[cdrcjsn]

They said at D&D XP that there'll be 12 playable races in the MM.

EDIT: You can also add Gnome and maybe Bugbear and Yuan-Ti to the list above.

I'm not so sure Bugbears will be a playable race. Looking at the compiled monster list that ThirdWizard did, the only ability it has is a recharge power, unlike all the other ones I put in the list.

Also, we don't have any sample of Gnomes or Yuan-Ti to even guess what their racial powers are.

 

[MaelStorm]

It will be hard to deduce all their modifiers, powers, feats, etc. in advance. But I wish you good luck in your endeavor.

Cheers.

 

[A Passing Maniac]

Concerning what was said of the monsters to be included as races at D&D XP: there will be between 12 and 20 playable monster races. So far, we have explicitly confirmed for the MM: Bugbears, Changelings/Doppelgangers (same race), Githyanki, Gnomes, Kobolds, Minotaurs, Orcs, Shadar-Kai, Shifters, and Warforged.

Races & Classes also mentioned Drow and Celestials (renamed Aasimar), which will almost certainly make their debuts in the MM, and the inclusion of Bugbears makes Goblins and Hobgoblins seem very likely to me, at least. As far as I can recall, these are the only races confirmed so far.

 

[1of3]

The abilities shown in the monster entries might not be exactly the same as the abilities for the corresponding player's race. After all the Elf has no Elvish Accuracy and the Dwarf has no Dwarven racial abilities.