Erk
2009-01-06, 07:22 PM
Design backgroundMy friend requested this race, based on a race from her old 3e game. I tried to make something fairly original, so I'd like some critique on a lot of the powers, please-and-thank-you. Hope you enjoy!
Erraow (called Cats or Catfolk by most other races) look like cats, only larger and mainly bipedal. No, I am not talking about pretty girls with ears and tails. Furry, whiskered felines that stand a bit hunched and run on all fours. Catfolk look essentially like their fourlegged cousins, but have much more thickly muscled legs and lower bodies, and are generally comfortable walking on their hind legs. Their paws (hand and foot) have opposable thumblike claws.
The Erraow mainly worship Greebo (Grreebau in their own tongue), a god of alleys and dark paths. Greebo is unaligned, and cares little for races other than his chosen catfolk, although occasionally he will accept a halfling or other small-sized creature into his service. Some Erraow in cities have also taken up respect for the gods of the larger races; those that do are viewed with heavy disdain by the more traditional Greebo-worshippers. Greebo's cats, for that matter, view their own god with a smattering of disdain, but of an affectionate sort.
Erraow have few permanent settlements of their own, living mainly in subcommunities among the larger races. They are fairly well accepted by other small species, but find themselves ill-treated by larger civilised creatures. Many Erraow serve as slaves and even pets to humans, and many more live as second-class citizens in slums. Generally, the "alleycat" Erraow are proud, haughty, and do not recognise their lack of status. In only a few cities have the Erraow earned a place of honour and distinction as another civilised race. Most of these places are, coincidentally, areas with high populations of halflings. Erraow and Halflings get along extremely well.
Their fanged mouths and coarse tongues make it very difficult for Erraow to learn Common, a problem tightly related to their mistreatment by other races. Those few that do learn Common find they have much less difficulty integrating into "higher" society.
(Nature DC 15) Traditionally, Erraow were a savage race, living in the wilderness. Though wild, savage Erraow are cunning and deadly, and highly territorial. Weaker tribes learned they could survive living off the scraps of civilisation, and gradually became more accepting of foreign races, until they became integrated into other settlements.
(History DC 20) Rumour has it that the Erraow are a very young species, created through powerful rituals as the servant race of a long-dead wizard. After their creator's death, they spread and reproduced and became much more than simple magical constructs. The Erraow themselves consider this a blasphemous suggestion. At GM's discretion for if this rumour is true, History DC 25: additional sources have suggested that the rumour was started by anti-Erraow sentiment in some communities, to cement their role as a lesser race. While they are certainly a young race, their actual origin is unknown.
(Religion DC 25) The Erraow god, Grreebau, has been around long before the catfolk became common. However, before the catfolk made their presence known, he was merely a minor felinoid nature spirit. Since then, with his worshippers' numbers increasing, he has become far more potent.
RACIAL TRAITS
Average height: 0.8-1.2m (2'8" to 4")
Average weight: 10-25 kg (22-55 lbs)
Ability scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light Vision
Languages: Erraow, choice of one other (NOTE: Most PC Erraow should choose Common.)
Skill bonuses: +2 athletics, +2 acrobatics
Pointy bits: You have retractable claws, which can be used as formidable natural weapons. See claws, below
Nine Lives: At character creation, you may use First Life: Uncanny Avoidance as an encounter power.
Scamper: When running or charging, increase your speed by an additional square.
Claws
Your retractable claws are a natural weapon. At character creation, choose if your claw attacks are Str- or Dex- based. Your claws are considered a Light Blade weapon, with a +3 proficiency bonus and the offhand feature. They deal 1d4 damage. You may make basic attacks using either Str- or Dex, whichever you chose at creation. Bonuses applying to the use of daggers also apply to your claws (for example, rogue weapon talent).
First Life: Uncanny Avoidance
Encounter * Erraow Life
Immediate Interrupt, Personal
Trigger: You take damage from a fall or a trap
Effect: You may negate damage from the trigger, up to your bloodied value.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Racial Feats
Feline Finesse
Prerequisites: Erraow, Dex-based claw weapon
Benefits: You may use your Dex modifier in place of Str on attack rolls for any weapon-based ability, as long as you use your claws as the weapon.
Fourth Life: Staredown (Paragon)
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been raised from the dead at least once, Level 11+
Benefit: You gain the use of the Staredown "Erraow Life" power.
Fourth Life: Staredown
You lock unblinking eyes on your opponent. Something in your stare chills them to the bone.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Minor action, ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Int, Wis, or Cha vs. Will (choose one attribute when taking this feat)
Hit: You and the target are both immobilised (save ends). You may end this effect as a free action. The target may not take advantage of any creatures granting it Combat Advantage for as long as it is immobilised, and cannot take actions against creatures on the opposite side of it from you.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Greebo's Opportunism (Channel Divinity)
Prerequisites: Channel Divinity class feature, must worship Greebo
Benefit: You may use the Greebo's Opportunism Channel Divinity power.
Channel Divnity: Greebo's Opportunism
Encounter * Divine, Weapon
Standard Action, Personal
Special: At least one creature must be granting you combat advantage.
Effect: You may use any encounter ability you possess against the creature granting you combat advantage. This use does not count towards "using up" your encounter abilities. If the ability normally targets more than one creature, only allies (if they are normally at risk) and creatures granting you combat advantage are susceptible targets.
Second Life: Scamper
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been dropped to 0HP at least once.
Benefit: You gain the use of the Scamper "Erraow Life" power.
Second Life: Scamper
Quickly sheathing your weapon, you drop to all fours and dart across the battlefield.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Move action, Personal
Effect: You put away any items held in your hands, and move a number of squares equal to your run speed plus your dexterity modifier, without any of the normal penalties of running. You may add your bonus to Acrobatics to your defenses against any one Opportunity Attack you provoke from this movement (declare after the attack roll is made).
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Silent Hunter
Prerequisites: Erraow, Dex 13+
Benefits: +2 feat bonus to Perception, Stealth, and Initiative.
Third Life: Rubber Spine
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been reduced to 0 HP at least twice in the same encounter or raised from the dead once.
Benefit:You gain the use of the Rubber Spine "Erraow Life" power.
Third Life: Rubber Spine
Your body is almost preternaturally flexible. You happily backflip away from attacks.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Immediate interrupt, personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack which targets your reflex defense.
Effect: Any conditions limiting your movement end, and you gain a +4 to your reflex save until the end of your next turn. If the triggering attack now misses you as a result of your increased reflex, you may shift a number of squares equal to your Dex modifier (minimum 2) as a free action.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
(note: other erraow life powers will be paragon and epic tier: 4,5,6 paragon, 7,8,9 epic. I haven't written them yet.)
Feline Facility (Paragon)
Prerequisites: Erraow, level 11+, Dex-based claw weapon
Benefits: You may use your Dex modifier in place of Str on damage for any weapon-based ability, as long as you use your claws as the weapon.
Erraow (called Cats or Catfolk by most other races) look like cats, only larger and mainly bipedal. No, I am not talking about pretty girls with ears and tails. Furry, whiskered felines that stand a bit hunched and run on all fours. Catfolk look essentially like their fourlegged cousins, but have much more thickly muscled legs and lower bodies, and are generally comfortable walking on their hind legs. Their paws (hand and foot) have opposable thumblike claws.
The Erraow mainly worship Greebo (Grreebau in their own tongue), a god of alleys and dark paths. Greebo is unaligned, and cares little for races other than his chosen catfolk, although occasionally he will accept a halfling or other small-sized creature into his service. Some Erraow in cities have also taken up respect for the gods of the larger races; those that do are viewed with heavy disdain by the more traditional Greebo-worshippers. Greebo's cats, for that matter, view their own god with a smattering of disdain, but of an affectionate sort.
Erraow have few permanent settlements of their own, living mainly in subcommunities among the larger races. They are fairly well accepted by other small species, but find themselves ill-treated by larger civilised creatures. Many Erraow serve as slaves and even pets to humans, and many more live as second-class citizens in slums. Generally, the "alleycat" Erraow are proud, haughty, and do not recognise their lack of status. In only a few cities have the Erraow earned a place of honour and distinction as another civilised race. Most of these places are, coincidentally, areas with high populations of halflings. Erraow and Halflings get along extremely well.
Their fanged mouths and coarse tongues make it very difficult for Erraow to learn Common, a problem tightly related to their mistreatment by other races. Those few that do learn Common find they have much less difficulty integrating into "higher" society.
(Nature DC 15) Traditionally, Erraow were a savage race, living in the wilderness. Though wild, savage Erraow are cunning and deadly, and highly territorial. Weaker tribes learned they could survive living off the scraps of civilisation, and gradually became more accepting of foreign races, until they became integrated into other settlements.
(History DC 20) Rumour has it that the Erraow are a very young species, created through powerful rituals as the servant race of a long-dead wizard. After their creator's death, they spread and reproduced and became much more than simple magical constructs. The Erraow themselves consider this a blasphemous suggestion. At GM's discretion for if this rumour is true, History DC 25: additional sources have suggested that the rumour was started by anti-Erraow sentiment in some communities, to cement their role as a lesser race. While they are certainly a young race, their actual origin is unknown.
(Religion DC 25) The Erraow god, Grreebau, has been around long before the catfolk became common. However, before the catfolk made their presence known, he was merely a minor felinoid nature spirit. Since then, with his worshippers' numbers increasing, he has become far more potent.
RACIAL TRAITS
Average height: 0.8-1.2m (2'8" to 4")
Average weight: 10-25 kg (22-55 lbs)
Ability scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light Vision
Languages: Erraow, choice of one other (NOTE: Most PC Erraow should choose Common.)
Skill bonuses: +2 athletics, +2 acrobatics
Pointy bits: You have retractable claws, which can be used as formidable natural weapons. See claws, below
Nine Lives: At character creation, you may use First Life: Uncanny Avoidance as an encounter power.
Scamper: When running or charging, increase your speed by an additional square.
Claws
Your retractable claws are a natural weapon. At character creation, choose if your claw attacks are Str- or Dex- based. Your claws are considered a Light Blade weapon, with a +3 proficiency bonus and the offhand feature. They deal 1d4 damage. You may make basic attacks using either Str- or Dex, whichever you chose at creation. Bonuses applying to the use of daggers also apply to your claws (for example, rogue weapon talent).
First Life: Uncanny Avoidance
Encounter * Erraow Life
Immediate Interrupt, Personal
Trigger: You take damage from a fall or a trap
Effect: You may negate damage from the trigger, up to your bloodied value.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Racial Feats
Feline Finesse
Prerequisites: Erraow, Dex-based claw weapon
Benefits: You may use your Dex modifier in place of Str on attack rolls for any weapon-based ability, as long as you use your claws as the weapon.
Fourth Life: Staredown (Paragon)
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been raised from the dead at least once, Level 11+
Benefit: You gain the use of the Staredown "Erraow Life" power.
Fourth Life: Staredown
You lock unblinking eyes on your opponent. Something in your stare chills them to the bone.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Minor action, ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Int, Wis, or Cha vs. Will (choose one attribute when taking this feat)
Hit: You and the target are both immobilised (save ends). You may end this effect as a free action. The target may not take advantage of any creatures granting it Combat Advantage for as long as it is immobilised, and cannot take actions against creatures on the opposite side of it from you.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Greebo's Opportunism (Channel Divinity)
Prerequisites: Channel Divinity class feature, must worship Greebo
Benefit: You may use the Greebo's Opportunism Channel Divinity power.
Channel Divnity: Greebo's Opportunism
Encounter * Divine, Weapon
Standard Action, Personal
Special: At least one creature must be granting you combat advantage.
Effect: You may use any encounter ability you possess against the creature granting you combat advantage. This use does not count towards "using up" your encounter abilities. If the ability normally targets more than one creature, only allies (if they are normally at risk) and creatures granting you combat advantage are susceptible targets.
Second Life: Scamper
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been dropped to 0HP at least once.
Benefit: You gain the use of the Scamper "Erraow Life" power.
Second Life: Scamper
Quickly sheathing your weapon, you drop to all fours and dart across the battlefield.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Move action, Personal
Effect: You put away any items held in your hands, and move a number of squares equal to your run speed plus your dexterity modifier, without any of the normal penalties of running. You may add your bonus to Acrobatics to your defenses against any one Opportunity Attack you provoke from this movement (declare after the attack roll is made).
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
Silent Hunter
Prerequisites: Erraow, Dex 13+
Benefits: +2 feat bonus to Perception, Stealth, and Initiative.
Third Life: Rubber Spine
Prerequisites: Erraow, must have been reduced to 0 HP at least twice in the same encounter or raised from the dead once.
Benefit:You gain the use of the Rubber Spine "Erraow Life" power.
Third Life: Rubber Spine
Your body is almost preternaturally flexible. You happily backflip away from attacks.
Encounter * Erraow Life
Immediate interrupt, personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack which targets your reflex defense.
Effect: Any conditions limiting your movement end, and you gain a +4 to your reflex save until the end of your next turn. If the triggering attack now misses you as a result of your increased reflex, you may shift a number of squares equal to your Dex modifier (minimum 2) as a free action.
Special: You may only use one "Erraow Life" power per encounter.
(note: other erraow life powers will be paragon and epic tier: 4,5,6 paragon, 7,8,9 epic. I haven't written them yet.)
Feline Facility (Paragon)
Prerequisites: Erraow, level 11+, Dex-based claw weapon
Benefits: You may use your Dex modifier in place of Str on damage for any weapon-based ability, as long as you use your claws as the weapon.