"Unleash the fury of Chaos!" [4e Race]

[Shadow_Elf]

Here's a race I made for a novella I wrote for an English project last year. I was wondering how their natural affinity for chaos and their innate shapechanging powers would work in DnD. My attempt resulted in this:

Mechanical Stats

Chaos Elves

“Elves blessed by the power of Sorcefog, Dragon God of Chaos”

Average Height: 5’6”-6'2”
Average Weight: 160-280

Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity
Size: Medium
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: low-light

Languages: Common, Elven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Endurance

Chaos Incarnate: You can assume your Drake Form once per day.
Overland Glide: You glide a few inches above the ground, rather than walk. You are not affected by powers that only target things touching the ground, unless you land to rest. In addition, you gain +2 to speed while running or charging. You are still affected by difficult terrain, and you obey push, pull, slide and falling rules as normal.

Drake Form Chaos Elf Racial Power
“You assume the likeness of the great Sorcefog, dominating the battlefield with your presence”
Daily
Standard Action Personal
Requirement: You must spend a healing surge to activate this power. Rather than gain hitpoints as normal, you gain temporary hitpoints equal to your healing surge value.
Effect: You assume your drake form. In Drake Form, you have a fly speed of 8, but you have a run speed of 4 (Clumsy Grounded). You cannot use powers that are not associated with your drake form. You gain the following Claw attack as your melee basic attack:
Attack: Dexterity or Constitution vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + dexterity of constitution modifier damage.
Increase to 2d8 at level 21

This race favours the Warlock, Ranger and Swordmage classes.


Racial Feats a Chaos Elf can take

Heroic Tier
Eviscerate (Chaos Elf)
Requirements: Chaos Elf racial power
You can make a double claw attack as an at-will power.

Claw Mastery (Chaos Elf)
Requirements: Chaos Elf Racial Power
You gain a +3 proficiency bonus with Claw attacks. Your claws are treated as either Heavy or Light Blades for the purpose of enchantments and bonuses

Paragon Tier
Chaos Breath (Chaos Elf)
Requirements: Chaos Elf racial power
You gain access to the following Breath Weapon once per encounter while in Drake Form;

Chaos Breath Chaos Elf Racial Power
“You assault the minds of your foes with a breath of pure chaos, leaving them dazed”
Encounter * Illusion, Charm
Standard Action Close Blast 3
Attack: Constitution +4 or Dexterity +4 or Strength +4 vs. Reflex
Increase bonus to +6 at level 21
Hit: The target is dazed (save ends).

Chaos Chance (Chaos Elf)
You can roll twice for initiative at a -2 penalty. You gain a +1 feat bonus to untrained skill checks.

Epic Tier
Primal Charge (Chaos Elf)
Requirement: Constitution 18
When you charge, you gain a bonus to damage equal to your Constitution modifier. This bonus is doubled when you are in Drake Form.

Ferocity (Chaos Elf)
Requirement: Claw Mastery
Increase the damage size of your claw attacks to d12s


Physical Qualities

Chaos Elves stand at about human height, but their massive black scaly wings give them a much greater presence than the typical human or elf. They are physically just a bit taller than a normal elf or an eladrin, but they hover above the ground slightly, making them appear taller. Their eyes are dark and opalescent, ranging from dark shades of green and blue to brighter shades of violet and even coral colours. They have jet black hair, and a very lively complexion. Males’ hair is usually short and straight, while females occasionally grow longer manes, but the race typically keeps their hair short and out of the way. They have little to no facial hair, except for an occasional goatee.
Chaos Elves are brought up in the worship of Sorcefog, the elder dragon god of chaos. They also revere Atmos for his dominion over the skies, but as Sorcefog is their creator, their faith is rather focused. They are typically very imperious and strict, and while they are by no means mean or cold-hearted, they have an uncanny need for an established chain of command and the following or orders. Since chaos is part of their nature, they believe that their goal in life is to learn to overcome this inherent chaos, as Sorcefog did during the War of the Skeletal King. They raise small families, usually no more than two children to a couple. They are also often found adopted by other races, most notably humans, as their harsh mountain environment is believed by some Chaos Elf parents to be ill-fit for the raising of children.
Most chaos elves will see more than two or three centuries of life, but some especially venerable members of the race, especially those of the royal line, can live several more centuries.


PEACH away! I think I shall use these in my (relatively?) upcoming campaign. But I want the playground to have a go at it first!
*Racial Paragon Path and Deity stats for Sorcefog will probably follow. I might even do a whole "how to play a chaos elf" section or something fluff-related like that.

[Rigon]

Does the drake form get overland flight, fly (clumsy) or fly? can it hover?
What is the size of the drake form? Any hit points gained with it?
How long does the drake form lasts? How does the chaos elf transform back into elven form?

[Lappy9000]

Got any fluff?

[Shadow_Elf]

http://fireemblemblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/naesala.jpg
^ Here's an image that looks exactly like them, but they have dragon wings instead of crow wings. (yay Fire Emblem!)
WARNING: IMAGE IS VERY BIG.
I'll try to find a smaller one later, but I haven't got a sec.

Fluff'll come this weekend, when I have a second.

Oops, forgot some stuff, thanks Rigon.

The fly is normal. They cannot hover (but i'll fix that with an epic feat or something).
Drake form lasts one encounter, or dismissed as a minor action
Drake Form is Large. Perhaps at Epic it'll be Huge? not sure.
I think 25 temporary hitpoints is fair, to reflect their increased beefyness.
The racial Paragon Path will include a lot more bonuses to Drake Form.

[Rigon]

if you give him temporary HP then it could be a little more ... like 15 per tier (heroic 15, paragon 30, epic 45). for a daily that sounds fair.

any tail slap / bite attacks?

[Primal Fury]

When you mention their favored class, it says whatever makes the most of its racial power, but it clearly says that you cannot use powers that aren't associated with your drake form. So... what powers ARE asociated with the drake form??? Looks good though.

And do you plan on providing a pic of a chaos elf in drake form?

[Shadow_Elf]

Okay, I edited a few things.

1. Their favoured classes are now Warlock, Ranger and Swordmage.
2. They gain temporary hitpoints according to healing surge value when they activate drake form.
3. Here's an image of a Chaos Elf in drake form (knowing my luck with image finding, this will probably be screen stretchingly huge.)
http://www.free-computer-wallpapers.com/pictures/albums/Fantasy-wallpaper/Black_Dragon.jpg
4. One minor thing, is that no class to date (that I can think of) has Con and Dex as primary attributes... Which is why I took the easy way out of favoured classes last time.
5. I have time tonight, so expect Physical Qualities, Playing a Chaos Elf and Chaos Elf adventurers soon.

[Alteran]

The picture doesn't work for me.

Overall I like it, but I'd like to see what powers can be used in drake form. Is it just claw?

[Shadow_Elf]

How do I change the name of the thread? (see subject above).
Physical Qualities is up.
Am really tired, and probably should not be posting so late...

Alteran, not sure what is wrong with the image. Works fine for me...

Drake form can only use basic claw attack and fly at first. There is a feat that lets them use double claw, as well as a feat that allows them to enchant claws and gain proficiency. There is another feat which gives them a Chaos Breath Weapon.
When I make the Racial Paragon Path, there'll be plenty of good things to do with Drake Form. Such as auras and additional attack methods, as well as some encounter, utility and daily powers usable only in Drake Form.

[Rigon]

the picture didn't really work for me either... i had to check the sites source to find the black dragon's link (http://www.free-computer-wallpapers.com/pictures/albums/Fantasy-wallpaper/Black_Dragon.jpg). the site seems to fail to load the picture. sometimes it just reverts to the root page... sometimes it shows the file link in text and if you're lucky it shows the picture.

why do the chaos elves have wings in humanoid form? if they can't fly with it then it's pretty much useless (and a possible nuisance too).

[Shadow_Elf]

why do the chaos elves have wings in humanoid form? if they can't fly with it then it's pretty much useless (and a possible nuisance too).


Overland Glide: You glide a few inches above the ground, rather than walk. You are not affected by powers that only target things touching the ground, unless you land to rest. In addition, you gain +2 to speed while running or charging. You are still affected by difficult terrain, and you obey push, pull, slide and falling rules as normal.

This is the text relevant to their out-of dragon form wings. Would it be unfair to give them a fly speed at higher levels? (through feats or the paragon path, of course)

[Rigon]

well i would remove the wings from the level 1 starter pack and give it a paragon path to have a "partial drake transformation" as an encounter power to sprout and draw back wings (first use sprout wings, second use makes wings disappear). which would give them wings... first with overland flight and later a fly(clumsy).
if you agree with this you could also add temporary hit points to the wings, an AC penalty (the wings limit the defensive movements of the arms), +1 to reflex (you can move faster).

[Shadow_Elf]

Thing is, my goal is to make a race that works mechanically based on the race I already have.

1. In the "source material" they always have their wings. The wings are used as shields against projectiles. They favour the longsword in elven form.
2. Their primary opponents when it comes to dominance of the skies were mounted Pteraptor Knights. PKs use boomerang axes from the backs of their flying predatory mounts. So, when confronted with such a threat, chaos elves assume drake form. They make use of chaos breath very well. In the book, it makes things go wrong, for example a boomerang axe hits an ally rather than its intended target. They also have things such as turning invisible and some chaotic innate magic. I know it sounds overpowered, but there aren't many in the whole race, so in the book it sorta evens out.
In DND, maybe not so much.

[Rigon]

well in dnd everyone play as the "last of its race"...

if you make the race a combination of "race and class" then you could even it wihtout changing much from the concept.
so there will be a class which is only taken by chaos elves and chaos elves can take only that class. i assume it will resemble warlocks... so you might wanna mime some warlock powers.

[Shadow_Elf]

well in dnd everyone play as the "last of its race"...

if you make the race a combination of "race and class" then you could even it wihtout changing much from the concept.
so there will be a class which is only taken by chaos elves and chaos elves can take only that class. i assume it will resemble warlocks... so you might wanna mime some warlock powers.

Its a good idea. But a class is a lot of work... I'll just make this my long term project, I guess. Its a going to be a race/class combo that is mandatory to take if you are a chaos elf, but you can still multiclass. I'll get to work on it soon, but homework calls. Thanks for the idea.

[Rigon]

*big smile*

i will be waiting for it. once you complete it i plan to use a "chaos elf" as a reappearing NPC in the module of party.
but i have to collect some low level monsters first... *niagara cryfalls*