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Foolster41
2009-01-10, 03:48 PM
As part of the "Knowledge and secrets" project (Which is partialy on my D20 projects wiki (http://d20toolbox.pbwiki.com/FrontPage).) I've been working on, I thought it'd be neat to have a race to go with it. Any feedback on it is welcome (that's why I'm posting it here after all.)

Janaguhya (Ja-na-goo-high-yah)
• +2 Int, -2 Str
• Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
• Janaguhya base movement speed is 20 feet.
• Big head. The critical strike range of any creature attacking a Jnaguhya is increased by 1.
• +4 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
• +4 bonus on speak language checks.
• +4 racial bonus to sense motive checks
• +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear.
• +2 racial bonus to memory checks to see how long you maintain a bonus from books. (See Book rules in this book.)
• Dark vision 60 ft.
• Favored class: Wizard
Needs replacement for +2 bonus to 3 skills.

This is intended to be a +0 LA base class for players or as a NPC, though right now feels under balanced and is probably a -1 LA (Especially with the increase in crit range that the enemy gets). In terms of appearance it looks basically like the classic "little green/grey men" aliens, about 3'-4' tall with a large head. The name is based on two words from Sanskrit relating to knowledge: Jha (Knowledge) and Guyha (the most confidential). (I don't know Sanskrit, but I liked the sound).

Thanks!

Fredthefighter
2009-01-10, 04:04 PM
Very nice, but there is one problem with it.
You don't make speak language checks, you either know a language or you don't. You learn to speak a language by spending a skill point.
Other than that it is a pretty cool race, although with favoured class Wizard it might be better if you have -2 Str instead of -2 dex, after all, with a good enough score in dex that +1 Dodge bonus to AC is easily overcome, especially when you have the size bonus to AC counteracting the loss of dex.

The Neoclassic
2009-01-10, 05:11 PM
Looks good and fairly balanced. I must admit I am partial to the "Big head" quality, not because I think big heads are particularly interesting (I'm getting a kinda grossly disproportionate mental image from that, actually), but because it's unusual to see races with such unique little penalties. I think it adds a lot of flavor. :smallsmile:

Llama231
2009-01-10, 06:36 PM
I think that -2 dex is good, or +4 int, -2both.

Foolster41
2009-01-11, 02:57 AM
Thanks all.

Fredthefighter: It's an expanded rules for speak language in Knowledge and Secrets. I might not have that part of the rules on the wiki though. I should have made it clearer.

Llama231: -2 both what? Dex and str?

Queenfange: Thanks. "flavor" is a good way of putting what I was going for. I love adding different minor twists to things. Actually, Jnaguyha one could argue are a lost relative of the halfling... :smallsmile:

I think I am going to go with -2 str and remove the +1 AC.
Also having a big head sounds like it'd be hard to move quickly, so maybe I'll reduce the bonuses to Climb, Jump, and Move Silently checks as well and give some other small bonus.
What would be a good substitute?
The one thing I was really concerned about was the balance against having the enemy +1 to crit range, which seems like a fairly major disadvantage to me.

Fredthefighter
2009-01-11, 08:10 AM
The big head thing does seem like a very big disadvantage, but when most monsters don't have a crit range better than "Crit on Natural 20" it isn't so bad. The big head thing wouldn't be much of a disadvantage at early levels (Level 1 to Level 10 maybe) but when the monsters start getting big enough to have higher crit ranges, or when they start getting Class levels or wielding weapons with that crit on an 18, 19 or a 20, that would be when "Big head" becomes a lot bigger as a disadvantage.
Example: An Evil Fighter wields a Keen Falchion (Crit range 15 to 20) and has Improved Critical with Falchions (Crit range is now 12 to 20), it makes a swing at a JanaGuhya, so big head increases Crit range to 11 to 20, thats a 10 Number crit range there, a 50% chance of a crit, now considering that the Falchion does x2 on Crit, that means that overall, the Fighter's attacks do 1.5 times more damage than normal on average, due to the extended crit range. Albeit most of the extension is due to feets and weapon properties, but "Big head is still a factor here.

Draken
2009-01-11, 10:07 AM
Neverwinter Nights lies. Keen and Improved Critical don't stack.

Other than that. Nifty race. Must look pretty funny with the large head.

Llama231
2009-01-11, 10:43 AM
Thanks all.

Llama231: -2 both what? Dex and str?



Yes, both.

Solaris
2009-01-11, 10:47 AM
Neverwinter Nights lies. Keen and Improved Critical don't stack.

Other than that. Nifty race. Must look pretty funny with the large head.
A lot of DMs house-rule that they do IOT make the 'crit-focused' fighter much more viable.