"Racial Variant Feats" -- Tiefling Rogues and Dwarven Warlords

[comrade raoul]

Some of these are fine, some are broken.

Thanks a lot for this--it's very helpful.

Dwarf: So it's basically pretty unanimous. I guess dwarf warlords have a lot to gain from their Con as it is.

Halfling: I didn't pick up on the basic attacks element, which makes a big difference. Maybe halfling clerics? (Cha for Wis?)

Elf: The reason I thought I might be able to get away with this is that I didn't see Strength and Wisdom as really complementing each other for clerics--like you could either be a Str cleric or a Wis cleric, and you were best off specializing in one or the other. So it wasn't like elven clerics would be any more powerful than they were--you could just be a different (and, I hope, interesting) type of elven cleric than otherwise. But maybe that's not the case?

The Int -> Dex elf warlord is a pretty cool idea though.

I should note, for the sake of total disclosure, that I really like the idea of playing a high-Dex eladrin swordmage. I know, I know. I am not proud.

 

[Nur-ab-sal]

Maybe halfling clerics? (Cha for Wis?)

Halfling Evangelist?

 

[Nifft]

Thanks a lot for this--it's very helpful.

No worries.

Halfling: I didn't pick up on the basic attacks element, which makes a big difference. Maybe halfling clerics? (Cha for Wis?)

Halfling Warlocks (Dex -> Int) might be interesting. Clerics already get a lot of benefit from Charisma.

Elf: The reason I thought I might be able to get away with this is that I didn't see Strength and Wisdom as really complementing each other for clerics--like you could either be a Str cleric or a Wis cleric, and you were best off specializing in one or the other.

That's only true because it's hard to pull off a so-called Balanced Cleric. It's better to be good at both ranged and melee than to be stuck doing only one or the other. Elves already make great ranged Clerics, and their Dexterity allows them easy access to Astral Fire (which few other Cleric-happy races can muster).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Appleseeth]

Ok, so I finally came up with those feats (I've been working on other things as well in the meantime, such as those races). Anyway here they are, as well as my take on some of the others (I left the half-elf the same):


Dwarven Commander [Racial Variant]

Prerequisite: Dwarf, warlord
Benefit: Choose Intelligence or Charisma. You can substitute your Wisdom in place of the chosen ability score for warlord powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the warlord class as a requirement.

Elven Mage [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Elf, wizard
Benefit: You can substitute your Wisdom in place of your Intelligence for wizard powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the wizard class as a requirement.


Halfling Bravado [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Halfling, fighter
Benefit: You can substitute your Charisma in place of your Constitution for fighter powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the fighter class as a requirement.
Special: This feat does not replace your Constitution for purposes of determining your hit points or number of healing surges.


Orc Adept [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Orc, cleric
Benefit: You can substitute your Constitution in place of your Charisma for cleric powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the cleric class as a requirement.
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
Shau’rai Moon-touched [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Shau’rai, warlock
Benefit: You can substitute your Intelligence in place of your Charisma for warlock powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the warlock class as a requirement.


Yuan-ti Warcaster [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Yuan-ti, wizard
[FONT=&quot]Benefit:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] You can substitute your Charisma in place of your Intelligence for wizard powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the wizard class as a requirement.[/FONT]

Yes, I do realize I have two wizard ones in there, but my yaun-ti are actually good for most of the other classes, and as we realized earlier, messing with dexterity and strength should not be done.

As well comrade raoul, I'm putting together a PDF of feats for my campaign, and just wondering how I should credit you for this idea.

 

[Nifft]

Elven Mage [Racial Variant]

Prerequisites: Elf, wizard
Benefit: You can substitute your Wisdom in place of your Intelligence for wizard powers or class features, or powers or features from paragon paths or epic destinies that include the wizard class as a requirement.

I stopped reading here. This is not good. Elves make excellent Wizards already, because Wisdom is already generously rewarded.

Elves need nothing extra to be great Wizards. This is just ... wow. It would be game-breaking.

"Just Say No", -- N

 

[ff6shadow]

Yeah, definetly don't want wizards based on Wisdom. Would make the orb implment, Thunderwave, and Cloud of Daggers way to awesome.

 

[Appleseeth]

My reasoning behind the few double boost feats was simply that I don't see any reason why anyone would play an Elf Wizard when they could instead play something with a direct Int boost instead, which is much more powerful.

I'll also give you my reasoning behind it, flavour wise: In my campaign, elves are generally Wizards, Rangers and Druids (carried over from favoured classes). In 4e they make superior Rangers with both Dex and Wis boosts, and there is no Druid yet (except for the ones on these forums), but there's no catch for them to be Wizards.

If you guys have another version that might encourage an Elf Wizard, I'm all ears/eyes.

 

[Dedric001]

the whole point of races is that 1 race is generally better at something than another, and you can still take your tiefling rogue and play it well if you "roleplay" it out.

A Halfling will never be a good a fighter as a Human or Dragonborne, they simply so not have the genetics to do so.

 

[Nifft]

My reasoning behind the few double boost feats was simply that I don't see any reason why anyone would play an Elf Wizard when they could instead play something with a direct Int boost instead, which is much more powerful.
(...)
If you guys have another version that might encourage an Elf Wizard, I'm all ears/eyes.

Elf is already one of the best races for Wizard, without any additional bonuses or adjustments.

If you want to know why in detail, I recommend looking through some of the discussions over on the WotC CharOpt boards.

For the short version: Orb (!!!), Cloud of Daggers, and Elven Precision.

Cheers, -- N

 

[comrade raoul]

Basically I really like Dwarven Commander and Halfling Bravado (I think they're straightforward improvements on my versions), agree with earlier commenters on Elf Mage, worry about Con -> Cha orc warlords for the same reason I worry about Con -> Cha dwarf warlords, and can't speak to the other races.