Savage Species: Feral Question

[DarkMan]

If it uses all HD, how could the template possibly be balanced. The feral temp contains the following characteristics, all of which are considered min. +1 LA, according to the 2nd chapter:
Unbalanced ability scores (albiet only by 2)
Fast Healing
Improved Grab
Natural Attacks
+6 Natural Armor

And, if you qualify, Pounce, Rake and Rend! Even WITH using just monster HD, it seems ridiculous to consider a +1 LA... moreso than the half-ogre, even.

 

[Hardhead]

And if you don't want unbalanced, don't use Savage Species

God knows that's true. It's become the standard reference for over-the-top effects in my group, i.e. "Book X has some powerful stuff in it, but it's not like it's Savage Species or anything."

 

[DarkMan]

And if you don't want unbalanced, don't use Savage Species

I think, with a few noticeable exceptions, the book is balanced. The majority of monsters are just ill-suited as player characters.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Of course, there are some pretty underpowered things in there as well.

Have you seen the Anthropomorphic Toad? It's a Small Monstrous Humanoid. It's the size of a kobold or a halfling. It's bipedal.

And it has a speed of five.

How do you even describe something the size of a halfling moving at a speed of 5? And what happens if he wears Medium Armor?

One level of Barbarian triples his movement rate.

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

I think, with a few noticeable exceptions, the book is balanced. The majority of monsters are just ill-suited as player characters.

There are things in that book I just consider cheesy, such as the blindsight spells, fuse arms spell, girralians blessing spell, the basic weapon that gives improved grab, among others.

There is lots of style in there, but in the hands of powergamers, it can be devistating.

Hyp:

Of course, there are some pretty underpowered things in there as well.

Does that really make the book balanced? I think both extreems show a lack of good design.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Does that really make the book balanced?

Never claimed it did

-Hyp.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Bump

 

[spunky_mutters]

I think Savage Species is a great book, but I don't think that it is possible for it to maintain balance while achieving the goal of making any monster available for play. Monsters combine abilities in ways that would never be considered for classes, and I don't think that is picked up on enough by those using SS. It is not really that they make combat monsters ( although they can), but that the selection and combination of abilities in many monsters is such that they skew the dynamics of play in certain ways. I almost think there should be a warning sticker on the cover.

As far as the feral template, I would consider an Elf a 1HD monster. It would get feral abilities as any other 1HD monster. As with anything else in the book, Caveat DM.