New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Fairfield, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    The Many are antlike humanoids, divided into several castes and subcastes. They are all part of a massive hivemind (generated and maintained by the Lux-caste). Most do not have any sense of self and are entirely dependent upon the hivemind for survival.

    The Mil


    The Mil are part of the leader-caste of the Many. They are short, not standing more than about four and a half feet tall at most. Their eyes glow red, blue or green depending on subcaste (Fire Caste, Ice Caste, or Earth Caste, respectively). They are highly intelligent and are psionically capable, though they are an integral part to the hivemind. They have tough chitinous exoskeletons, and some are capable of great feats of strength. They are aware of a sense of self, but are still dependent on and part of the hivemind.

    Mil Player Characters
    • Strength -2, Wisdom +2
    • Small: As Small creatures, Mil-caste gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
    • Monstrous Humanoid: As monstrous humanoids, Mil are immune to spells and effects that specifically target humanoids.
    • Racial Hit Dice: Mil-caste start with one monstrous humanoid racial hit die, essentially making them first-level characters. This grants them 1d8 HP, +1 BAB, +0 Fortitude, +2 Reflex, +2 Will, and skill points equal to (2+Int)x4. Their racial class skills are Autohypnosis, Climb, Craft, Listen, Ride, Spot, and Survival. Unlike most creatures that start with one racial hit die, Mil-caste do not lose this racial hit die when taking class levels.
    • Speed: Mil-caste base land speed is 20 feet.
    • Compound Eyes: Mil-caste have compound eyes, which give an Mil a +2 racial bonus on Spot checks. In addition, these compound eyes grant a Mil darkvision out to 60'.
    • Hive Mind: All Mil within 30' of another Mil, Dant, or Dach are in constant telepathic communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are.
    • Scent: All Mil-caste have the Scent ability.
    • Subcaste: Mil are divided into three subcastes: Fire, Ice, and Earth. Each caste has a separate set of benefits as listed below.
      • Fire Caste:
        • Psi-Like Ability: synesthete - 1/day
        • Sharp Vision: Fire-caste have very sharp vision, and this manifests itself in a greater amount of accuracy with ranged weapons. Fire-caste receive a +1 racial bonus to attacks made with missile weapons.
        • Chitin: Fire-caste have chitinous exoskeletons that are resistant to heat. They receive a +1 bonus to natural armor class and have resistance to fire 5.
        • Naturally Psionic: Fire-caste are naturally psionic and receive two bonus power points.
      • Ice Caste:
        • Psi-Like Ability: mindlink - 1/day
        • Natural Inclination: Unlike most psions, Ice-caste handle the power of the mind with intuition. An Ice-caste may use their Wisdom score as their primary manifesting statistic if it would be advantageous to do so.
        • Chitin: Ice-caste have chitinous exoskeletons that are resistant to cold. They receive a +1 bonus to natural armor class and have resistance to cold 5.
        • Naturally Psionic: Ice-caste are naturally psionic and receive two bonus power points.
      • Earth Caste:
        • Powerful Build: The physical stature of Earth-caste lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger.

          Whenever an Earth-caste is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the Earth-caste is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him.

          An Earth-caste is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. An Earth-caste can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
        • Strong Stature: An Earth-caste determines its carrying capacity as if it were one size larger than it actually is.
        • Chitin: Earth-caste have tough, chitinous exoskeletons. They receive a +2 bonus to natural armor class.
        • Naturally Psionic: Earth-caste are less naturally inclined towards psionics than their Ice-caste and Fire-caste brethren, and only receive one bonus power point.
    • Automatic languages: Common
    • Bonus Languages: Ignan (for Fire caste), Aquan (for Ice caste), or Terran (for Earth caste)
    • Favored Class: Hunter (for Fire caste), Psion (for Ice caste), or Psychic Warrior (for Earth caste)
    Last edited by Fax Celestis; 2008-02-10 at 04:42 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2006

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    It's pretty good. And balanced. Not much else to say really...

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Fairfield, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by GoC View Post
    It's pretty good. And balanced. Not much else to say really...
    I was at least expecting someone to go, "WTF? A small creature with Powerful Build?"

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Titan in the Playground
     
    tyckspoon's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Nifty. Official WotC guidelines would probably insist on giving it an LA.. (OMG NATURAL ARMOR! LA LA LA!elevens)

    The Monstrous Humanoid HD would be replaced by a class level for most characters, wouldn't it? Are the specifics of it just included for completeness?

    The Ice caste's Natural Inclination appears a little odd. It would benefit Wilders, but assuming one goes with the favored (and mechanically superior) class of Psion, they'll be using Intelligence as the casting stat anyway. Seems like something of a wasted feature.
    I was at least expecting someone to go, "WTF? A small creature with Powerful Build?"
    Well, if you insist. Small Powerful Build?!? What's with that??

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    puppyavenger's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    GMT-5
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by tyckspoon View Post

    Well, if you insist. Small Powerful Build?!? What's with that??
    it's what dwarves should have.
    Spoiler
    Show

    played the Space Pope in Total War 2125
    ..and the Papal States of Luna in Total War 2260


    Playing
    The Gears Chosen in Total Way: Broken City

    The Spindleshanks Crusade in Total War: 40K

    Dragon Avatar by Serp

    Darkness Fell, and with it Light

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    ElfRangerGuy

    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    BROOKLYN!!
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Good and Balanced but no Sky caste?
    Gitp's No. 1 Cake hater
    On Vacation until Aug 7th.
    Spell currently researching: Explosive Pie.
    Weapon currently crafting: +1 cakebane kris

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Demented's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    In search of cheese

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    I take it these are not the Many that had me running through fleshy corridors hacking at synaptic nodes to open up sphincters so that I can get blasted at by floating psionic weapons?

    Not the Many that possessed a semi-intelligent AI in order to fight, and lose against, a very intelligent and megalomaniacal AI that had originally created them as a doomsday device against humanity?

    Not the Many that– *slap* Oh, right.

    So these are, like, elemental formians?
    Belkar's Bad to the Bone.
    Dispossible a fetter hein and bemay kine a sinder's tock.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    mikeejimbo's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2006

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Cool. I love insects and insect-like things. I can't wait to see the other castes. If you weren't planning on making them, too bad. Get to it!

    It's always difficult, I think, to make something with a hive mind appropriate for a PC. I take it that just the more individual ones will be used for PCs?
    Thanks to zegma for my awesome avatar.
    Proudly the founder of the Mr. Scruffy fanclub.
    We will not let Nessie down! http://www.petitiononline.com/PLEAOSAR/
    My DMs' Guild Stuff

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TK-Squared's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Jersey
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    You may want to change the Hunter link to http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48591 instead of linking to "The Rogue".

    Last edited by TK-Squared; 2008-02-09 at 11:05 PM.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Fairfield, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by tyckspoon View Post
    Nifty. Official WotC guidelines would probably insist on giving it an LA.. (OMG NATURAL ARMOR! LA LA LA!elevens)

    The Monstrous Humanoid HD would be replaced by a class level for most characters, wouldn't it? Are the specifics of it just included for completeness?
    No, actually. That only happens with Humanoids, not Monstrous Humanoids.

    The Ice caste's Natural Inclination appears a little odd. It would benefit Wilders, but assuming one goes with the favored (and mechanically superior) class of Psion, they'll be using Intelligence as the casting stat anyway. Seems like something of a wasted feature.
    Yeah, I was thinking about making it for "any psionic class" rather than just the Charisma manifesters, but I thought that might be a bit strong.

    Well, if you insist. Small Powerful Build?!? What's with that??
    Well, they're ants...

    Quote Originally Posted by Orzel View Post
    Good and Balanced but no Sky caste?
    Sky, Star, and Storm castes are for the Dant-caste, which are like these guys but winged. I'm working on them next.

    Quote Originally Posted by Demented View Post
    I take it these are not the Many that had me running through fleshy corridors hacking at synaptic nodes to open up sphincters so that I can get blasted at by floating psionic weapons?

    Not the Many that possessed a semi-intelligent AI in order to fight, and lose against, a very intelligent and megalomaniacal AI that had originally created them as a doomsday device against humanity?

    Not the Many that– *slap* Oh, right.

    So these are, like, elemental formians?
    No, not that "The Many". But similar. They're essentially a gigantic hivemind of antlike creatures.

    Quote Originally Posted by mikeejimbo View Post
    Cool. I love insects and insect-like things. I can't wait to see the other castes. If you weren't planning on making them, too bad. Get to it!

    It's always difficult, I think, to make something with a hive mind appropriate for a PC. I take it that just the more individual ones will be used for PCs?
    Yeah. The more "dependent" castes (like the worker-caste Caud) will come with a template that will make them aware and thereby more suitable for PCs. Of course, this will lessen their dependency upon the hivemind and therefore weaken their links to it.
    Quote Originally Posted by TK-Squared View Post
    You may want to change the Hunter link to http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48591 instead of linking to "The Rogue".

    Thanks. Fixed.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Zenos's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bærum, Norway
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Does powerful build do anything about carrying capacity of Earth Caste?
    Avatar by Arokh.

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Fairfield, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by Zenos View Post
    Does powerful build do anything about carrying capacity of Earth Caste?
    No, actually. Which is odd. I thought that was one of the things explicitly stated in the ability description (which I pretty much copied right off the half-giant; go go OGL!). I'll fix that.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Library Lovers Contest Winner
     
    GryffonDurime's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by Fax_Celestis View Post
    No, actually. That only happens with Humanoids, not Monstrous Humanoids.
    Shenanigans.

    Quote Originally Posted by SRD
    Creatures with 1 or less HD replace their monster levels with their character levels. The monster loses the attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skills, and feats granted by its 1 monster HD and gains the attack bonus, save bonuses, skills, feats, and other class abilities of a 1st-level character of the appropriate class.
    I don't see any exemptions by type--Pixies are fey with one racial hit die, but they replace that with their first class level.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Fairfield, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [Race] One Of Many: The Mil-Caste

    Quote Originally Posted by GryffonDurime View Post
    Shenanigans.



    I don't see any exemptions by type--Pixies are fey with one racial hit die, but they replace that with their first class level.
    Huh. I forget where I saw that. Well, that's an easy enough fix.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •