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View Full Version : In The Darkness, Where The Monsters Thrive (D&D 3.5, Low LA Monster Races PEACH, WIP)



Rob Roy
2010-12-22, 12:45 AM
Welcome one and all to the 0 LA monster race thread! I'm well aware of the monster class thread, but I tend to disagree with the roleplaying implications of most monster classes. In addition, I really think that Wizards screwed over most monster races, by saddling them with LA when it would have been easy to write up a stats as a 0 LA race while still being true to the fluff, or making them a really weak LA 1 race. Obviously, it would be extremely hard or impossible to get some monsters at 0 LA, so I'll try and get them at a lower LA than they are in core. I welcome suggestions for monsters, and feel free to post your own.
To do list
Goblinoids
Hobgoblin
Blue
Bugbear
Grey Dwarves
Planetouched Races
Aasimar
Tiefling
Lizardfolk
Half-Giant
Svirfneblin
*****
And now for the first on the list:
Hobgoblin

+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, hobgoblins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
A hobgoblin’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Hobgoblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and hobgoblins can function just fine with no light at all.
Stability: A Hobgoblin gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Automatic Languages: Common, Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Infernal, Giant, Orc.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against elves and dwarves.
+4 racial bonus on Ride checks.
Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass Hobgoblin's fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level adjustment +0.

Rob Roy
2010-12-22, 05:15 PM
Blue

Small Humanoid(Goblinoid, Psionic)
-2 Strength, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
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 ¾ of those of Medium characters.
Blue base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Naturally Psionic: Blues gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level.
Automatic Languages: Common, Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Orc.
Favored Class: Psion.
Level Adjustment: +0.
I've made them pretty much the same, except they get a con penalty and they no longer have racial skills. Should make this awesome race worth playing now.
Bugbear

+2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma,
Medium size.
A bugbear’s base land speed is 30 feet.
+3 natural armor bonus.
Darkvision 60 ft
Automatic Languages: Common, Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Orc.
Favored Class: Barbarian
Level adjustment +0
The bugbear has had more drastic changes done to it. It no longer has humanoid levels, gets penalties to all the mental stats, and has a different favored class. Any Comments, critiques or suggestions?

Mikka
2010-12-22, 07:20 PM
+2 stats, +3 natural armor, scent and darkvision.

Thats LA+1

Rob Roy
2010-12-22, 07:29 PM
+2 stats, +3 natural armor, scent and darkvision.

Thats LA+1
Scents gone, and they now only get +2 to strength.

Iituem
2010-12-22, 08:32 PM
Finally, I can play a bugbear without being saddled with an ECL of 4 that I don't need! Thank you!

Also, I totally have to show my DM this Hobgoblin sheet - we're probably going to get a hobbie cohort soon, and it'd be nice for him to be semi-effective. =D

Rob Roy
2010-12-22, 09:33 PM
Finally, I can play a bugbear without being saddled with an ECL of 4 that I don't need! Thank you!

Also, I totally have to show my DM this Hobgoblin sheet - we're probably going to get a hobbie cohort soon, and it'd be nice for him to be semi-effective. =D
Glad to be of use. Having seen some of your homebrew, I'm honored by your praise. Anyway, I just gave the hobgoblins a bonus to ride checks. Seems to fit with the whole soldier society thing that they have.
*****
Grey Dwarf (Psionic)

+2 Constitution, -4 Charisma
Medium: As Medium creatures, duergar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Duergar base land speed is 20 feet. However, grey dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
+2 racial bonus on saves against spells and spell-like effects.
Stability: Duergar are exceptionally stable on their feet. A duergar receives a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Stonecunning: This ability grants a duergar a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework, traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework.
A grey dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a duergar can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A duergar can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Duergar have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes.
Psi-Like Abilities: A grey dwarf with at least an Intelligence Score of 10 has these psi-like abilities: 1/day—expansion, invisibility. These abilities affect only the duergar and whatever he carries. Manifester level is equal to Hit Dice (minimum 3rd).
Naturally Psionic: Duergar gain 3 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls against Drow.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Duergar are dazzled in sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Grey Dwarves have a +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
Favored Class: Psychic Warrior.
Level Adjustment: +0.

I'm not to sure about the LA for these guys, so I'd like your opinion on it. If you want non psionic grey dwarves just replace the favored class with fighter and make the psi-like abilities spell-like abilities.

Rob Roy
2010-12-23, 01:41 AM
Aasimar

Medium Humanoid(Planar)
-2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
Medium Size
Base land Speed of 30
Low-Light Vision
Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Daylight 1/day
Automatic Languages: Common, Celestial. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan.
Favored Class: Paladin.

Didn't change much besides making them humanoids and giving them a dex penalty.

Tiefling

Medium Humanoid (Planar)
+2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma
Medium Size.
Base land speed of 30.
Tieflings have a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Hide checks.
Spell-like ability: Darkness 1/day.
Automatic Languages: Common, Infernal. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue.
Level adjustment +0.

Made them humanoids and removed the int bonus they had.

Timeless Error
2010-12-23, 11:12 AM
Wait, the Grey Dwarves take a -4 Wisdom penalty and yet have a favored class of Psychic Warrior? But Psychic Warriors derive their psionic powers from Wisdom! Might want to switch the penalty to Charisma.

Other than that, this thread is awesome. I love playing unusual races, and I detest Level Adjustment. I'll definitely be following this project.

Rob Roy
2010-12-23, 11:22 AM
Wait, the Grey Dwarves take a -4 Wisdom penalty and yet have a favored class of Psychic Warrior? But Psychic Warriors derive their psionic powers from Wisdom! Might want to switch the penalty to Charisma.
They do? Could of swore that it went off if int. Fixed.