The Onoka (3.5 Template-Race)

[Lix Lorn]

THE ONOKA

The Onokan appear to be members of other, ‘normal’ races when you first see them, although they are their own race entirely. The thing that separates them from other sentient races is their dual nature: Every Onokan alive has a twin, an opposite. They share some very basic things in common-often an aspect of their morality, or an ideal-but in most aspects are totally opposite. If one side is dark haired, pale skinned and a masterful sorceress with an aversion to authority, the other may well be a blonde, dark skinned swordsman who obeys every command he is given. But they might both share a desire to do what is right.

Onokan legend tells that the first Onokan was a powerful arcanist, who split his being into two to improve his abilities in a desperate battle, and found that his children retained the split nature. The population increased quickly when a high fertility rate presented itself, and the newly forming race seemed to breed true with all the races they encountered. Their very nature allowed them to safely breed with each other from the very beginning, and it wasn’t long before a culture and society began to form.

TYPICAL ONOKA
Most pairs of Onoka are as different as night and day, and somehow complement each other. Even if they believe utterly different philosophies, they will get on like the proverbial burning house. Commonly, one will practice some form of magic or psionics, while the other protects them with simple martial skill. They tend to find an equilibrium of ideals: If one hates following orders and the other relies upon them, the former will simply give the orders. If one is a being of evil and the other good, one inevitably overpowers the other.
One of the aspects of the Onoka that seems odd to many other cultures is the regularity in which a pair of Onokan opposites end up falling in love. The differences between them preclude any biological danger from these relationships, and the race as a whole considers it wholly normal. Odd is that while a relationship with your opposite is fine, your other siblings are just as out of bounds as for other species.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
In appearance, Onoka vary wildly. They can have hair and eyes of almost all shades, and their skin tones range from pale white all through to dark skin and black skin. A single Onokan is all but indistinguishable from the race they are descended from, but when a pair of opposites are seen, the total disparity between them leads to the realisation of their true nature.

Relations With Other Races
Onoka tend to be treated just as if they were members of their ‘normal’ race, although some people will be discomforted by the presence of an Onokan pair.

Alignment
Onoka lean towards Neutral on the Good/Evil axis, purely because constant compromise is necessary between a good and evil Onokan pair. More common are the alignments of Chaotic and Lawful Neutral.

Onokan Lands
Most of the Onoka live among their parent races, although some small communities exist. The largest is one within a mountain valley containing a city, the centre of which is the Fortress owned by the Wizard who inadvertently created them several hundred years back.

Religion
Religious views among the Onoka tend to mirror those of their parent race, although rumours of exclusive gods within the pure-Onoka communities are becoming more frequent.

Language
Onoka most regularly speak common.

Common Names
Names among the Onoka tend to match those of the community they live in. In pure Onoka communities, names are often picked seemingly at random from any language or culture that takes the parents fancy. One custom that seems standard is that of giving Onokan pairs matching forenames, beginning with the same letter.

Adventures
Onoka can become adventurers for any number of reasons. To seek out power, to form friendships, to discover knowledge, or simply through boredom.

Onoka Racial Traits
-2 Constitution: Although the Onoka can draw on their partner’s vitality, alone they are physically weaker than normal members of their race. These abilities are in addition to their standard racial traits.
Size: Onoka retain the same size as the base creature.
Movement Rate: An Onoka retains the same movement rate as the base creature.
Dual Nature: Every Onoka has a partner, an opposite who completes them. Both sides can be played by the same player, though this requires DM permission. They add their hit points together, and share this total. However, if dealt damage or nonlethal damage in excess of the hitpoints they contribute, they are knocked unconscious as normal. If one would be killed by an effect other than hitpoint damage, then, if the effect allowed a save, the other is entitled to a will save with a DC equal to that of the original save. If this save is passed, the effect is negated. If it is failed or no save was allowed, both sides die.
If an Onokan is killed be a method not dealing damage, but not allowing a save-for example, they perform a ritual to attain undeath-the other twin must make a Will save with DC 10+Their character level each hour, or suffer a point of permanant ability drain to all ability scores. If the twin is later returned to life or intelligent unlife, all ability drain taken in this way is healed.
The two sides are almost always of opposite gender, but this is up to the player. In addition, they must remain within one mile of each other per hit die they possess. If they do not, they suffer 1/mile in excess of the limit nonlethal damage per hour for each hit die they possess, with a minimum of 1 point per mile per hit die.
They use the same ability scores, although the scores can be applied to different attributes.
These two sides are rarely if ever the same in outlook. Each side must have a different alignment. However, despite their innate differences, they always share something in common. Because of this, they must share at least one alignment component. For example, if one side is Lawful Good, the other must be any Lawful alignment, or any Good alignment, but not both.
If one component is neutral, then the other component must be any other neutral alignment. If one side is Neutral Good, the other can be any alignment other than Neutral Good, Chaotic Evil, or Lawful Evil. If one side is True Neutral, the other may be of any alignment-even True Neutral.
As befitting creatures with such close bonds, the Onokan twins may communicate telepathically as long as they are within 1 mile/hit die.
The two sides rarely share common interests. Because of this, they may not use the same discipline of class: If one side is a spellcaster, the other must be an initiator, manifester, martial class or any class other than a full spellcaster. For this purpose, Paladins, Rangers and other half-casters are considered martial classes.
In the case of multiclass characters, it becomes slightly more complex. At any given level, the two sides must take classes of different disciplines.

In a game using the Gestalt games, the similarities an Onokan has shows itself. A Gestalt Onokan pair must have one differing class at any given time.
Automatic Languages: Same as base creature.
Bonus Languages: Same as base creature.
Favoured Class – Any: An Onoka’s highest level class does not count when determining if the Onoka takes an experience penalty due to multiclassing. However, the two sides may never have the same favoured class. This is instead of the core race’s standard favoured class.
Level Adjustment/CR: An Onoka has the same Challenge rating or ECL as a non-Onoka creature of it’s type. However, they always come in pairs.

This race is being done in collaboration with Gicko. We plan to combine our ideas together.
His version is here.

[enigmatime]

I find this more workable than Gicko's version. Though his has some rather good points, the whole migration thing would be a little hard.

[Draconi Redfir]

I find this more workable than Gicko's version. Though his has some rather good points, the whole migration thing would be a little hard.

that really just a backstory thing. your charicters dont actually need to do any of that.

[Lix Lorn]

Thank you, though the migration is just flavour, I think.

[Draconi Redfir]

so Lix if we're going to combine our ideas, i think a great start would be the names. for one thing, mine sucks. yours is deffinetly better, im just not so sure how to pronounce it. to me it sounds like "okenawa" wich sounds to me like that tribe from Avatar XD

[The-Mage-King]

So, basically, this was made to have the Sword and Sorcerer set up automatic?

Also, there's a place that says both halves should be played by the same character. I think you mean 'Player'.

[Lix Lorn]

Onoka. On-noh-kah.

Oops. Thanks, TMK.

[The-Mage-King]

No sweat.


Accursed 10 character minimum... I will have revenge!

[Thrice Dead Cat]

You may want to check out the Dragon Compendium, which has a similar race idea but accomplishes it somewhat differently.

[Lix Lorn]

Is there anywhere I can find that for free?

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Is there anywhere I can find that for free?

It is not covered by the OGL, so no. The race is called the "Dvati," though, so you may be able to ask your local gaming group if they know about it as one of them could have the original Dragon magazine in which they first appeared.

[Temotei]

What's the Will save DC?

[Lix Lorn]

Local gaming group, haha, I wish...

Oops. Equal to the original failed save, i'll add that in.

[Milskidasith]

So... it's a straight negative with harsh requirements, just for roleplaying potential?

I don't get the point of it; if your DM won't allow you to play two characters at a time, he won't let you do it while gimping yourself, and if you want to play two guys connected, I don't see why you would intentionally gimp them by taking this template.

[Lix Lorn]

Okay; How would you recommend I make it more positive?

[Milskidasith]

Okay; How would you recommend I make it more positive?

Give it actual positives? I don't know what your design intent is.

[Owrtho]

It doesn't seem to be all negative. While it's true that they get a con penalty and if one dies they both die, they used a combine hp, meaning that it could actually cause them to be stronger at some things. The will save thing could also be useful. Still, perhaps some sort of other ability keyed off their dual nature could be useful.

As for the Dvati, I'm not sure how useful it would be for this idea. While they are another character type that comes in pairs, in their case they are identical, as it is actually a single being with two bodies. As such they have matching scores, must take the same classes, feats, skills, etc. every level, and otherwise are alike. They also have no range limit and unlimited telepathy between their twin.

Also, while you recommend that one player play both Onoka, it seems like it would be rather fun to have them played by different ones, due to the differing personalities.

Owrtho

[Lix Lorn]

Well, you could have two people playing them, it';s open to interpretation. (Shrugs)

I think gicko's version has a +2 Wisdom bonus, as they can rely on the strength of each others minds a little. Possibly some sort of empathic bond. They can't talk to each other, but they know when something's wrong...

[enigmatime]

Adventures
Onoka can become adventurers for any number of reasons. To seek out power, to form friendships, to discover knowledge, or simply through boredom.

For adventuring, would they have be together in the party or would they be able to be in separate groups?

[Lix Lorn]

They could be separate, but they need to be within 1 mile/hit die.

[DracoDei]

For adventuring, would they have be together in the party or would they be able to be in separate groups?

One mile range limit puts a significant damper on that.


Lix Lore: Which brings up the question of what the effects are if they are forced out of that range. Also, it seems a bit hard deal with without some means of knowing when they are getting close to the boundary, gives at least a crude method of locating the other.

I really like this from a flavor perspective, and as long as the GM is OK with a player running to characters, and the other players are fine with one player getting double wealth I think it could work out great.

I haven't got the energy to look at the other version right now.

Incidently: Dvati are pretty gimped in my book, for one simple reason that ruins most of the point of twin bodied characters: They share a single action pool. I can understand that as far as not breaking action economy, but... yours is better, just really two characters, rather than one.

[Owrtho]

Incidently: Dvati are pretty gimped in my book, for one simple reason that ruins most of the point of twin bodied characters: They share a single action pool. I can understand that as far as not breaking action economy, but... yours is better, just really two characters, rather than one.

Actually, aside from casting spells, they have separate actions, thus a Dvati rogue could flank an opponent and take 2 full attacks with sneak attacks on each.

Owrtho

[Lix Lorn]

[QUOTE=DracoDei;8613591]One mile range limit puts a significant damper on that.
Per Hit Die. Though, I may change it to wisdom bonus.

Lix Lore: Which brings up the question of what the effects are if they are forced out of that range. Also, it seems a bit hard deal with without some means of knowing when they are getting close to the boundary, gives at least a crude method of locating the other.
I was thinking an empathic bond earlier. Maybe they take nonlethal damage while apart?

I really like this from a flavor perspective, and as long as the GM is OK with a player running to characters, and the other players are fine with one player getting double wealth I think it could work out great.
Thank you.

[DracoDei]

Actually, aside from casting spells, they have separate actions, thus a Dvati rogue could flank an opponent and take 2 full attacks with sneak attacks on each.

Owrtho

Oh... I withdraw my dislike for the concept then.



HERE is a feat you might want to allow them with reduced requirements since it is so thematic. In fact the whole reason I have even heard of Dvati in the first place is that someone mentioned them in relation to that feat.

[Lix Lorn]

What part exactly of the prerequisites would I ignore?

[DracoDei]

Well, at least the part about "Sneak Attack +2d6 OR Skirmish +1d6/+1 OR BAB +6" and maybe drop the requirement for "Ride-by Attack OR Fly-by Attack OR Spring Attack, OR Swim-by Attack" if you want to be especially generous.

[Lix Lorn]

Probably the latter. XD

[enigmatime]

By the way... SNATCH-STEAL! *runs away with idea*

[Lix Lorn]

Pffft. You could just ask. XD

[Saint Nil]

First off, very original and interesting idea. Your flavor is amazing, and actually reads easier than some sourcebooks I've looked over.

I like the whole "opposites" idea, but do you think that giving a player tow characters might cause problems in some groups?Some of my points might have already been made, but they are still important. While it would be very fun to roleplay, some DMs might not like giving some players two actions while others only get one, and that one player would get a higher percentage of loot than others, seeing as they have tow characters.

Most DMs I know would probably ban me from playing this (which is a shame because it seems like a great way to add a little variety)

Perhaps you could add an exception clause that allows two players to play the separate halfs. I like your idea, just wanted to add some critique.