need evaluation of new froggy race [3.5]

[Phaederkiel]

the Gollup, an reptilian desert creature. Looks like a combination of a slenderman and a frog.

I am afraid I gave to many features to the race
(3 feats, even if they are throwaway feats and the equivalent of a very good fourth, a high land speed, a low burrow speed)

so please help me evaluate it. I can easily remove the con bonus, but I think it is very flavourful.

(edit: i made parts i find debatable red)

The race:

Spoiler

Gollups:
Reptilian
+2 Con, -2 Int
base speed: 50ft
burrow speed: 5 ft (only in sand or soft earth)

+4 to jump for their long and extremely powerful legs
+2 to climb for their apelike arms

Gollups have long legs and are accustomed to wander incredibly long distances in quite short time. They do so by taking very few rests,
and young males who have still to gain the acceptance of their clan pride themselves in taking none at all.
As desert dwellers, gollups are born with quite a degree of heat resistance.

Gollups have the ability to storage great loads of water and food in their 4 stomaches, so they need only to eat every 4 days, but then 4 days worth of food and drink.
The weight of the food and drink they absorbed counts towards their load.


All Gollups have the run feat
All Gollups have the endurance feat
All Gollups have the heat endurance feat

If a Gollup would need to make a check to determine if he becomes fatigued or exhausted, he adds +4 to his result
If a Gollup would become fatigued without making a check, he makes a dc 20 Constitution check instead. (edit: was 22)
If a Gollup would become exhausted without making a check, he makes a dc 24 Constitution check instead. (edit: was 26)

Gollups have long thin arms, which are not nearly as powerful as their legs. That means they have a longer reach than creatures of comparable size (10ft),
but take a -1 penalty on all melee attack rolls.

edit:
Gollups do not like the cold and get increasingly lethargic when freezing.
for each temperature increment below hot (91°f to 110°f) they get a cumulative -2 to dexterity, -1 to hit with melee weapons and -10ft land speed. This effect can be offset to a degree with sufficiently warm clothing.

Thank you in advance.
and may I perhaps direct some of you to my maybe misplace other post about another race (a raptoran - reskinning)? I am afraid that one needs help too.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...3#post14213573

[rockdeworld]

The con bonus is fine. This race could make decent melee characters. And I am surprised to learn from a google search that frogs actually do live in the desert.

What is the logic for 50' base speed? Nothing wrong with it, it's just that it's as fast as most 4-legged animals.

The burrow speed seems fine, and flavorful.

What's the logic for the +4 to climb checks? What do creatures have to climb in the desert?

Note that meals don't have a weight in D&D, so if you want to include that in a racial description you'll have to make it up. Maybe 2 lb per day, decreasing by 2lb per day. Then you'll have to convince the player to keep track of it, when no one else has to.

The run feat seems extraneous - endurance is enough for your description.
Rather than the regional heat endurance feat, why not just say "members of this race have adapted to their environment, and don't need to make fortitude saves versus nonlethal damage at temperatures of 110 or less." Original text on a racial description also helps to add flavor, provided it doesn't directly rip off a feat. Then get rid of the "If a Gollup..." lines.

Also note that almost no Gollup could make a DC26 Fortitude save (much less Constitution check) any of the time, much less consistently. How would they develop that ability as a race?

It's arguable whether 10' reach is worth -1 to hit. Probably it is. I still don't like the -1 to hit as a racial ability. I think a better way to balance powerful abilities is with RHD or LA.

[Phaederkiel]

Thanks for the answer!

The land speed: I wanted to make a desert people which are part reptile and part camel. very long legs, which means they can run really fast. I still ponder if I should make the running speed temperature dependent, but am afraid this is needlessly complicated.

I know run is not a very good feat, this is exactly the reason i gave it to them.
Run, endurance and heat endurance are pretty much inconsequental, while strengthening the flavor. Endurance is the only feat of those which is a prerequisite of anything usable.

On the other hand, the reach /-1 atk is a paraphrasing of inhuman reach, a feat you will find recomended in charop a whole lot. I like the flavor, but am very unsure if it is too good to give.

The climb they have for their long, long arms:)

The constitution dcs are high, but do not forget that they get plus 4 on such throws. I want them to be able to overcome fatique not do it every time.
well, perhaps it is a bit on the high side. The problem is, i do not know what problems arise with a race which could become imune to fatigue.

[tuggyne]

Originally Posted by Phaederkiel

The constitution dcs are high, but do not forget that they get plus 4 on such throws. I want them to be able to overcome fatique not do it every time.
well, perhaps it is a bit on the high side. The problem is, i do not know what problems arise with a race which could become imune to fatigue.

Warforged are outright immune to fatigue (as well as several other conditions) and are LA+0. It's not a major feature of the race, although it is interesting.

[Phaederkiel]

okay, thats a very valid point. I always felt like warforged were a little overpowered, but mainly thanks to their imunity to sleep and not needing to breath. I will change the saving throws to 20 / 24 and consider it good.