Rhodin Characters for Arcana Evolved

phindar

First Post
Racial bonuses aren't really spelled out for these guys. Their stats seem to imply a +2 to Str and a -2 to Wis, but I'm wondering if this was listed somewhere. Also, I noticed that while the text didn't change from the Diamond Throne book to the AE description, the artwork did; in the DT book they had heads like goats, whereas in the AE book they look more like demonic satyrs. (This is just a minor flavor point, but I liked the goat-heads better.)

But is that what they'd be: +2 Str/-2 Wis, Darkvision and Low-Light? Has anyone really bothered with Rhodin as player-characters?
 

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Based on the stats of the Rhodin warrior on page 408 of AE, I'd put them at +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligece, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Darkvision, and a racial natural attack (headbutt). No racial HD, no LA. While the mental penalties are steep, it does balance out to +6/-6 overall, so I see no problem with allowing them, so long as it's pretty well understood that Rhodin characters are almost universally going to be big dumb fighters who are attractive to people who just gotta have that +1 more to hit and damage.

Looking over their cultural information, I gotta say that the triple mental penalty makes a lot of sense. They have no culture, no appreciation for their environment or for greater powers, no technology beyond what they have stolen, and are pretty much useless unless they are led by a Skurg. They're actually a step down from Orcs, who have arts (Cha), crafts (Int), tactics (Int) and some form of religion or spirituality (Wis). If you ask me, they're getting off lightly with a -2 compared to their flavortext.

Generally, any Rhodin PC is probably going to be an ex-slave, mercenary, or tribal exile, who tried to fit into the Diamond Throne's culture (or whatever setting your using). In my own homebrew, Rhodin are generally mercenaries serving with invading armies, rebel groups, pirate crews, and mafia families, all of whom can make use of big, dumb monsters who can tear people's arms out of their sockets. Your mileage may vary.

Robert "Warhammmer Beast-men for D20" Ranting
 

I was actually thinking of using three types; goatfolk from the MM3, rhodin from AE, and khemru from Wargods, statted for d20. Superficially, they're all pretty similar in that they're goat people. Mechanically, goatfolk are 3HD Monstrous Humanoids with a +1 LA, rhodin are a +0 LA with no racial HD, and khemru I homebrewed as a starting pc race. Fluff-wise, goatfolk and rhodin are pretty similar (with rhodin being less powerful and dumber) and khemru are a complete polar opposite. They are noted for being a soft-spoken and peaceful race. (I gave khemru a +2 Wis, -2 Int, and some racial bonuses to a few skills.)
 

I really like the idea of a LA +0 goatfolk race for my AE campaign, actually. I'm not sure about the +4 to Strength - I'm comfortable without it. In fact, if they had +2 Str, and -2 to two mental stats (Int and Wis?) they'd be just as viable.

I also like kenku, although their "great ally" class feature and the ibixian's bonuses with others of its kind seem too much alike for the two races to be in the same setting as player races. I think that you could give the goatfolk the kenku's great ally (+3 for aid another checks, and +4 on flanking), the horns, and some selected racial skill bonuses, and the results would be pretty neat.

Cheers,
Cam
 


I haven't been able to find any rhodin content over at diamondthrone.com. Any chance you'd reprint some of that stuff here?
 


Very cool. I always thought rhodin racial levels should lead to skurges (I did something similiar with Beloved of Sebeks and sebeki for my Wargods conversion). Much appreciated.
 

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