A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Ok, I suppose it’s time I start posting some of my own homebrew instead of just stealing everyone else’s. I have done a lot over the years, however very little has been shown to anyone, that which has, has been to one person, only the fluff (not the crunch ) has ever been discussed and only one has ever been play-tested. Also most was originally designed for 2nd Ed. Therefore, please do not be too harsh. Still, I need to know if I’m on the right track so I’ll start with something a little easier. This was based off Puddleglum the marsh-wiggle (I assumed that if “marsh” was specified their had to be another kind) from “The Silver Chair” in “The Chronicles of Narnia”. I hope that you all enjoy it. So is it balanced or do I still have to make a lot of crazy adjustments.
Wiggles
Brief description.
Wiggles are a race of humanoids famous for their paranoia. They are mostly fishermen from small communities in damp, wild areas.
Personality:
Many consider wiggles to be the most paranoid, pessimistic and negative race in existence and they are probably right. It is extremely difficult to earn a wiggle’s trust. Most are convinced that they have earned the animosity of powerful individuals who will stop at nothing to kill them or make them suffer. They also tend to be fatalistic and believe that the odds are stacked against them. To them every situation is a threat, every individual is a potential enemy in disguise, every room is covered in traps. Reassurances are made by liars and the gullible. They want proof that every letter is not a forgery, every individual is not an impostor and every door is not trapped. Guard duty requires two individuals to prevent one from slitting everyone’s throats or being stabbed from behind. The rogue didn’t find any traps because they are that well hidden. Their extreme caution may make one wonder how any could be adventurers, yet their fatalistic attitude discourages attempts to stay in a “safe place” (There is no such thing, a tree will probably fall on me), also many hope that the can have some small effect on whatever is important to them before they die (which will never happen if they don’t put all their effort into it as most believe they will die young anyway. Many wiggles are rangers as paranoid obsession with a group of creatures and living in the wild come naturally to them. Most wiggle cuisine comes from the water and eels are considered a delicacy to them.
Physical Description:
Wiggles are slightly taller than humans due to their long limbs, but also lighter as they are slender with shorter torsos than humans. Their hair is a greenish brown colour and is usually unkempt though some wiggles braid their hair into dreadlocks. Their fingers are webbed and their feet are duck-like negating the ability to wear shoes though they are good swimmers.
Alignment:
Despite their dark outlook on life they do tend towards good (though many believe evil has an unfair advantage), for those who use Kellus’ Funk-Square alignment system, they also tend towards square as it may be fun now, but it will all end in tears when everyone gets accidentally mutilated.
Lands:
Wiggles live in small communities of wigwams in swamps (in which case they are called Marsh-wiggles) and along the coast (in which case they are called sea-wiggles). The individuals in these communities do not interact much as wiggles like their privacy and visits can easily be misinterpreted as attempted robbery/assassination.
Religion:
Despite their inherent mistrust of most things, wiggles still have faith and are very religious. Many believe that the gods are the only ones that they can truly trust as something that is basically the personification of something is unlikely to stop being that. It seems that wiggles do have a racial pantheon, but little is known about it as the wiggles are reluctant to betray their “gods’ secrets”. Wiggles often worship other deities as well though and most wiggle adventuring clerics belong to this group.
Language:
The wiggle language appears to be related to aquan and they use the same script. Few non-wiggles have bothered to study or even learn it however as most rightly believe that most wiggle conversations would be very depressing.
Medium Humanoid (Wiggle)
+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength, -2 Charisma: Wiggles are tougher and more agile than humans but also physically weaker and have very negative attitudes.
[Speed: 30 ft.
Size: Medium
Duck feet (Ex): Wiggles are incapable of using any form of foot gear.
Dampness (Ex): Wiggles are naturally damp and as such gain resistance to fire 2.
Racial Skills: Wiggles have a +2 racial bonus to swim and sense motive checks.
Racial Save Bonus: Wiggles have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
Automatic Languages: Common, Wiggle. Bonus Languages: Any (Wiggles like to learn new languages to uncover the plots that people have against them)
Favored Class:Ranger. A multiclass wiggle's ranger class does not count when determining whether he/she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +0
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
{table=head]Gender|Base Height|Height Mod.|Base Weight|Weight Mod.
Male|4’ 12’
|+2d10
|110 lbs.
|x (2d4) lb.
Female|4’ 8’
|+2d10
|80 lbs.
|x (2d4) lb.
[/table]
AGING EFFECTS
{table=head]Adulthood|Middle Age|Old.|Venerable|Maximum Age
20|50
|75
|100
|+5d20
[/table]
RANDOM STARTING AGES
{table=head]Barbarian Rogue Sorcerer etc. |Bard Fighter Paladin Ranger etc.|Cleric Druid Monk Wizard etc.
+2d4|=3d6
|=4d6
[/table]
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Puddleglum is the greatest character in all of Narnia. :smallcool:
The race looks slightly underwhelming, but I'm not sure what to change. I did have one small suggestion. Fire Resist 2, while somewhat true to the details of the book, is pretty worthless and annoying to keep track of. I would change it to +2 Saves vs. fire effects, like Half-Giants in the SRD have.
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Why not just give them a swim speed? Include it as part of the duck feet feature, a swim speed of 20 or something would be a good reason to take the race.
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sereg
Medium Humanoid (Wiggle)
+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength, -2 Charisma: Wiggles are tougher and more agile than humans but also physically weaker and have very negative attitudes.
[Speed: 30 ft.
Size: Medium
Duck feet (Ex): Wiggles are incapable of using any form of foot gear.
Dampness (Ex): Wiggles are naturally damp and as such gain resistance to fire 2.
Racial Skills: Wiggles have a +2 racial bonus to swim and sense motive checks.
Racial Save Bonus: Wiggles have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
Automatic Languages: Common, Wiggle. Bonus Languages: Any (Wiggles like to learn new languages to uncover the plots that people have against them)
Favored Class:Ranger. A multiclass wiggle's ranger class does not count when determining whether he/she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +0
Well, this may be personal preference, but I've always had a problem with +2 +2 -2 -2 ability bonuses. As they currently stand, with penalties to both Strength and Constitution, a wiggle would actually be worse than a human at holding his breath, and just as good as a human at swimming. The thing about ability scores, is that they include everything that the ability affects.
For example, a -2 in Strength doesn't just mean that they're physically scwrany, but also affects some attack rolls, swimming, carrying capacity, jumping, and breaking things. If you still want to keep things balanced, you could, instead of a -2 Charisma, give them a penalty to Diplomacy or some other Charisma-dependent skill.
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lappy9000
As they currently stand, with penalties to both Strength and Constitution, a wiggle would actually be worse than a human at holding his breath, and just as good as a human at swimming.
I think this is quite a good point. However, it could be remedied by giving a specific bonus (+4 or +5 maybe) to Constitution checks made to hold one's breath. It would fit better and shouldn't unbalance everything.
Overall though, I like this race! With the adjustments I see you made thanks to others' comments, it looks pretty balanced to me.
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Queenfange
I think this is quite a good point. However, it could be remedied by giving a specific bonus (+4 or +5 maybe) to Constitution checks made to hold one's breath. It would fit better and shouldn't unbalance everything.
Overall though, I like this race! With the adjustments I see you made thanks to others' comments, it looks pretty balanced to me.
I agree with that. Overall, I love the fluff of the race, but the crunch is just a little bland.
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Thank you all for your feedback. It is vary encouraging.
To be honest I nerffed them a little from my original design as I was worried they would be overpowered and require a level adjustment. I like most of these suggestions and will do a bit of editting either today or tomorrow.
EDIT: Ok, I've made a few changes. How are they now?
Re: A Narnia Based Race [3.X, PEACH]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sereg
To be honest I nerffed them a little from my original design as I was worried they would be overpowered and require a level adjustment.
Spokesman for the Wiggle Race: Sereg lies! He wishes to weaken us to allow our enemies to wipe us out! And that's not even his real name!
Sereg: :smallconfused: I'm trying to add you to other campaign worlds.
Spokesman for the Wiggle Race: That's what you want us to believe! You there, back me up!
Random Wiggle: Why? What's your angle?
Sereg:...and of course I'm not using my real name. It's an internet forum, hardly anyone uses their real name though if someone asked me I would tell them.
Spokesman for the Wiggle Race: It's a conspiracy!
Sereg:...:smallmad: Wiggles! Sometimes you want to strangle them!
Spokesman for the Wiggle Race: I knew it!
