Results 61 to 70 of 70
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2018-04-24, 12:50 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2012
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
Probably? I mean, it works as well as anything.
Really appreciate that we know where the thing's penis and testicles are.
Aaracockra are way harder to spec. Where are their breast muscles? Where are their specialized respiratory air sacs that let them maintain aerobic flight? How are they as resilient as other creature when they must have hollow bones?
Admittedly, most of these problems exist for dragons as well.Last edited by strangebloke; 2018-04-24 at 12:51 PM.
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2018-04-24, 01:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2013
- Gender
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
No, it's the exact problem we were discussing earlier - the human torso just doesn't have sufficient volume to accommodate the size of lung you'd need (even if you strip out the other organs, you're still only looking at about 1/5 of the volume you'd need). Hence, the horse body would have to have functional lungs - either in place of the human lungs or in addition to them.
(By the way, I know I'm probably coming across as a pedantic git, but for what it's worth I'm not trying to be. I just find it interesting to consider the internal anatomy of unusual creatures and whether or not it could really work.)
Indeed, though these problems are common to most flying fantasy creatures (in addition to having wings that are far too small in proportion to their bodies).
It's a shame because hollow/fragile bones could make for a pretty interesting weakness for a flying race.
If anything, dragons are even worse - as they're much larger and vastly heavier. Is there anything saying that their movement/flight is aided by magic in some way?
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2018-04-24, 01:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2016
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- Corvallis, OR
- Gender
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
A standing D&D assumption is that lots of things (all things?) are magic, but not all magic is the same. That is, there's an in-universe distinction between those things that require the ambient, all-pervasive magical field to work and those that manipulate it in ways that act like spells or other explicitly magical effects.
That is, dragons are magic, even if they don't do magic. And this innate power isn't patterned like a spell, so it's not affected by AMF (for example) but might be by a dead magic zone (where the field just isn't strong enough).Dawn of Hope: a 5e setting. http://wiki.admiralbenbo.org
Rogue Equivalent Damage calculator, now prettier and more configurable!
5e Monster Data Sheet--vital statistics for all 693 MM, Volo's, and now MToF monsters: Updated!
NIH system 5e fork, very much WIP. Base github repo.
NIH System PDF Up to date main-branch build version.
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2018-04-24, 05:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- NW USA
- Gender
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
The brain/bodymass ratio is still a problem in that model. Here is my solution...
-the lower body is pretty much like a horse, excepting that the connections to the humanish part is distinct
-the upper body’s skeleton and muscular system are comparable to an adult human, excepting that there is more cartilage to support and protect...
-the internal system of the human portion is mostly larger-than-it-appears respiratory and digestive opening; with necessary changes to the voice-box/speaking apparatus to accommodate such a change
-extra brain tissue, perhaps filling much of the human torso or perhaps supplementary elsewhere, exists to coordinate muscle activity in such a large animal that also has manual dexterity and speech motor functions to manage
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2018-04-24, 07:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2013
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
Aaracockra's aren't realistic but extra limbs still takes a much smaller suspension of disbelief than a whole different ribcage, IMO. Like centaurs aren't a horse-like man thing or a man-like horse thing, they're most of a full horse, then most of a full man. Just seems silly.
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2018-04-24, 08:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2016
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
They could have a custom trait in your campaign to give that extra flavour without too much trouble:
Hollow Bones: [creature name] have hollow bones, which allow(ed) flight. As a result, [creature name] are vulnerable to bludgeoning damage when not wearing medium or heavy armor.
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2018-04-25, 02:13 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
Between two sets of lungs, digestive systems, and various organs, it should be possible to cut down a bit on either, and in their place include some nerve centres that can do much of the work of the human-sized brain.
As for lungs, the distance between horse nostrils and horse lungs on one hand, and centaur nostrils and centaur lungs on the other - not that big a difference. Consider that elephants can breathe comfortably through their trunks while swimming.My D&D 5th ed. Druid Handbook
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2018-04-25, 02:14 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2018
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
What kind of niche? Hmmmm.
entire race of hulking hurlers
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2018-05-12, 01:16 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
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- Neither here nor there
- Gender
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
In one setting I did, this is essentially how they came about. Lolth cursed a bunch of wild elven horsemen for their part in defeating the drow, turning them into centaurs. There, they're a nomadic race of dudebros who party hard and raid the elves less than they do everyone else. The wise do not fight a centaur raid, but instead break out the booze - the horsemen would rather party than fight.
In another setting? Love springs, shamelessly ripped off from the Xanth series.My latest homebrew: Majokko base class and Spellcaster Dilettante feats for D&D 3.5 and Races as Classes for PTU.
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2018-05-12, 04:06 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2018
- Location
- West Coast
- Gender
Re: What kind of Niche Would you Give Centaurs in Your Setting?
Centaurs were always like the Mongol Empire, or the Dothraki in my mind. Brutal raiders and talented fighters/archers, who primarily hoard weapons and magical items (what use would they have for gold?) and fight amongst themselves. When they have to, they ally with orcs and ogres, as cavalry and scouts. For me, they are the barbarian-type monsters in the desert or plains, while orcs are in the mountains and goblins are in the forest.
Last edited by Mad Max; 2018-05-12 at 04:06 PM. Reason: Clarification