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Chained Birds
2011-10-31, 11:19 PM
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/288/1/b/shinryaku_ika_musume_4_by_madwulf-d30t6h9.png

Level Adjustment: +0
Type/Subtype: Humanoid/Amphibious
Ability Bonus: -2 Intelligence
- Squidians tend to lack forsight and general reasoning skills but are still able to adapt to almost any setting or activity.
Size: Medium
Movement(s): 30ft land speed, 20ft swim speed
- Squidians use their tentacles to gracefully move through the water. On land they can run just as efficiently as any average humanoid of their size.
Natural Weapon(s): 1 Tentacle Slam (1d4 - 10ft reach)
- Squidians have very strong and risilient tentacles that are often used more than their actual arms and hands.
- [Special] If a tentacle is severed or destroyed in any way, it will regenerate after 1d4 hours.
- [Edit] A Squidian's tentacles are very versitile and can be used to hold and/or manipulate up to 2 objects at any given time. The Squidian suffers a -2 penalty on Strength and Dexterity related checks when using its tentacles to manipulate objects, and suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls for each object held by a tentacle (max -2). The tentacles cannot be used to wield weapons but can be used to load ammunition (as a free hand), deliver touch attacks, or deliver unarmed strikes. A Squidian cannot make a Tentacle Slam, a touch attack, an unarmed attack, or load a weapon using its tentacles if any of its tentacles are holding and/or manipulating an object.
Racial Feature: Improved Grab (ex)
- If a Squidian hits a target with one of its Tentacle Slam attacks, it can initiate a grapple check against the target as a free action that doesn't provoke an AoO.
- [Edit] A Squidian using Improved Grab may affect a creature 2 size catagories smaller than it or less.
Racial Feature: Ink Shot (ex)
- A Squidian can shoot a spray of delicious squid ink at any threatening target within 30ft as a standard action a number of times per day equal to their Constitution Modifier. This is a ranged touch attack that, upon a successful hit, causes the target to be Blind for 1 round if the target fails a (10 + CON Modifier + 1/2HD) Fortitude saving throw.
Racial Skill Bonus: +8 swim checks
- Squidians are natural swimmers that can take 10 on any swim checks, even under hazardous conditions.
Other Racial Bonuses: +2 grapple checks
- When using their Improved Grab (ex) ability, they are given a bonus on grapple checks when initializing a grapple and maintaining a grapple.
Automatic Language(s): Common and Aquan
Favored Class: Druid


So, how does it look? Is it too strong for a LA+0 or should I add more options like a Constrict (ex) ability or increase the damage on their Tentacle Slams?

Edit: had trouble with the image, so I posted a link to one.
Edit2: Better picture
Edit3: Added a new feature to the Squidian's Tentacles.
- Made changes to Improved Grab, Ink Shot, and the Tentacle Slam.
- Have an image now!
Edit4: Changed the duration of the Blindness from Ink Shot from 1d4 rounds to 1 round.
- Changed the Improved Grab to only effect creatures 2 or less size categories.

Silva Stormrage
2011-11-01, 02:53 AM
Interesting race. The picture you linked too doesn't seem very squid like though :smallconfused:.

I think it is decently balanced for a lvl adjustment + 0 race. It is weaker than strongheart halfling and human for sure and probably even dwarfs.

One thing to note though is that improved grapple doesn't have a size that it can grapple. If you don't want to add one thats fine but usually its 1 size larger or smaller.

Chained Birds
2011-11-01, 01:03 PM
Interesting race. The picture you linked too doesn't seem very squid like though :smallconfused:.

I think it is decently balanced for a lvl adjustment + 0 race. It is weaker than strongheart halfling and human for sure and probably even dwarfs.

One thing to note though is that improved grapple doesn't have a size that it can grapple. If you don't want to add one thats fine but usually its 1 size larger or smaller.

The picture and name are somewhat an in-joke.

Concerning Improved Grab, I think having it effect creatures 1 catagory larger than the Squidian and less shouldn't be too bad.
I'm very worried about things like 'balance' and 'broken' so I tend to weaken an idea before improving it.

Any suggestions?

bloodtide
2011-11-01, 02:39 PM
What is the description? You want just 'humans with squid tentacle hair'?


And if they just have 'tentacle hair', that does not seem to be enough to attack and grapple with.

The auto regenerate a tentacle is way, way too powerful. You'd want it to take more then a couple minutes.

Ink shot? Was this to use used on land or just under water? But a 30 squirt of ink every couple minutes with auto blindness is a bit much too.

Prime32
2011-11-02, 03:05 PM
What is the description? You want just 'humans with squid tentacle hair'?


And if they just have 'tentacle hair', that does not seem to be enough to attack and grapple with.Just watch the series. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnFoPnwVNxE) :smalltongue: She can break stone with those things.


The auto regenerate a tentacle is way, way too powerful. You'd want it to take more then a couple minutes.Um... what? :smallconfused: One, the time is already too long for it to work in-combat, and regardless of how long it takes you'd just wait for them to regrow before you enter combat again. Two, there is no way to sever limbs in 3.5 anyway.

I would add some ability which gives them a -2 penalty on Str- and Dex-based rolls (including attack rolls) not made with their tentacles, and state that their tentacles can hold items but cannot wield weapons. Maybe something which lets you use a tentacle as an unarmed strike. Some abilities (bioluminescence, fin slap, weight control) could become racial feats.

Chained Birds
2011-11-02, 05:26 PM
I would add some ability which gives them a -2 penalty on Str- and Dex-based rolls (including attack rolls) not made with their tentacles, and state that their tentacles can hold items but cannot wield weapons. Maybe something which lets you use a tentacle as an unarmed strike. Some abilities (bioluminescence, fin slap, weight control) could become racial feats.

Hmm, what's a nice way to word this?

- A Squidian's tentacles are very versitile and can be used to hold and manipulate objects. They however suffer a -2 penalty on Strength and Dexterity based skills and ability checks. They cannot be used to wield weapons, but may be used to load ammunition, be used to deliver unarmed strikes, and to deliver touch attacks.

Lateral
2011-11-03, 03:32 PM
Got your image for you. Just keep it spoilered, it's huge.
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/288/1/b/shinryaku_ika_musume_4_by_madwulf-d30t6h9.png


Squidian (http://Madwulf.deviantart.com/art/Shinryaku-Ika-Musume-4-182759949)

Level Adjustment: +0
Type/Subtype: Humanoid/Amphibious
Ability Bonus: -2 Intelligence
- Squidians tend to lack forsight and general reasoning skills but are still able to adapt to almost any setting or activity.
Size: Medium
Movement(s): 30ft land speed, 20ft swim speed
- Squidians use their tentacles to gracefully move through the water. On land they can run just as efficiently as any average humanoid of their size.
Okay, a swim speed and an intelligence bonus. Looks okay so far, although Wisdom seems like a more appropriate stat to penalize.

Natural Weapon(s): 2 Tentacle Slams (1d4 - 10ft reach)
- Squidians have very strong and risilient tentacles that are often used more than their actual arms and hands.
- [Special] If a tentacle is severed or destroyed in any way, it will regenerate after 1d4 minutes.
Natural attacks are very powerful, not to mention that you have two of them and they both have ten foot reach. That's a big deal. Might want to reduce it to just one attack.

Racial Feature: Improved Grab (ex)
- If a Squidian hits a target with one of its Tentacle Slam attacks, it can initiate a grapple check against the target as a free action that doesn't provoke an AoO.
- [Edit] A Squidian using Improved Grab may affect a creature 1 size catagory larger than the it or less.
Okay, this is pretty powerful; it's a better version of normal Improved Grab, which only affects foes of at least one size smaller. We're getting to be pretty near the limit for LA +0.

Racial Feature: Ink Shot (ex)
- A Squidian can shoot a spray of delicious squid ink at any threatening target within 30ft as a standard actions once every 1d4 rounds. This is a ranged touch attack that, upon a successful hit, causes the target to be Blind for 1d4 rounds. The target may take a standard action to remove the ink from their eyes to end the effect immediately.
And now we have a problem. First of all, this needs to grant a saving throw. It really needs to grant a saving throw. Second of all, two ten-foot reach natural attacks, a better version of Improved Grab, and a ranged attack that causes blindness? Yeah, that's far too much to be mitigated by a mere -2 net stat penalty. Cut some of this down- I'd make the tentacle attack only one attack and only reach 5 feet, and remove the ink attack entirely. If you really want that ink attack for some reason, have it usable a limited number of times per day and make this thing

Racial Skill Bonus: +8 swim checks
- Squidians are natural swimmers that can take 10 on any swim checks, even under hazardous conditions.
Other Racial Bonuses: +2 grapple checks
- When using their Improved Grab (ex) ability, they are given a bonus on grapple checks when initializing a grapple and maintaining a grapple.
Favored Class: Druid
This is all normal.

Chained Birds
2011-11-03, 07:04 PM
I'll change the Ink Shot to CON Modifier/day and make a (10 + CON + 1/2 HD) FORT save to negate Blind.

I'll lower the Improved Grab to "1 size catagory smaller" (Don't know what I was thinking).

I'll lower the tentacles to 1 slam, but would like to keep the 10ft reach.

Thanks for the image Lateral! And I appreciate your detailed critic.

Edit: I also added that suggestion by Prime32 to the Tentacle Slam area.