My first thought on the rapscallion was, ooh I want to play one named "George" :evillaugh but I got better.
I like that you gave them Brachiation, and a racial bonus to Climb.
For more balance, I think abilities should equal to a net gain of +0. For example, you could give them a -2 to Intelligence (as their natural curiousity overcomes any logical hesitancy).
Rather than giving them powerful build as a special ability (not that it was a bad choice by any means but it makes sense for a bulkier race such as a half-giant or goliath), you could have given them a prehensile tail which would make them unique. If they were descended from apes, powerful build might be more apropos. Since they are descended from monkeys rather than apes, here is my suggestion.
Prehensile Tail (Ex): Rapscallions have long tails which they can use to pick up objects, effectively doubling their reach. Also, rapscallions can hold their own weight with their tails. By using their tail as a rudder, rapscallions may add a +2 bonus to Balance check. They can use their tails to sweep away their tracks making it difficult for others to track them. On the other hand, they cannot wield weapons with their tails and cannot use any tool more complex than a hammer with their tails. For example, they could open a door with a handle but could not pick the lock.
This is a rough estimation of what a creature with a prehenile tail could do but it gives you the idea.
We are no other than a moving row Of Magic shadow-shapes that come and go Round with the Sun-illumined Lantern hold In Midnight by the Master of the show.
Rapscallions are a race of monkeys that live in the heavy growth of the jungle basin. Rapscallions are descended from much smaller monkeys that were awakened by druids in preparation for a war that never happened. Over the years the monkeys grew and developed, making use of weapons and technologies stolen from the humans to survive and then thrive. Nowadays they live in huge temples and monasteries in the furthest reached of the jungle basin. In these places they have mastered metalworking, alchemy, and the production of cloth. The trade heavily with dwarves for both metals and gems (which they collect almost obsessively), as well as trade with the druids and rangers who share their basin home.
RAPSCALLION RACIAL TRAITS · -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom; Rapscallions are very quick and possess great wisdom, but they are physically weak and their natural curiosity tends to overcome their logical reasoning. · Small; As small creatures, Rapscallions gain a +1 Size bonus to Armor Class, +1 Size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 Size bonus to Hide checks, but their carrying and lifting limits are three-quarters those of medium characters. · Humanoid · 20 Feet · Brachiation 20 feet; Only in terrain with heavy tree growth or many hand holds. · Prehensile Tail (Ex): Rapscallions have long tails which they can use to pick up objects, effectively giving them an extra, though limited, hand. Rapscallions can hold their own weight with their tails. By using their tail as a rudder, rapscallions may add a +2 bonus to Balance check. They can use their tails to sweep away their tracks making it difficult for others to track them. Rapscallions cannot wield weapons with their tails though, and cannot use any tool more complex than a hammer. For example, they could open a door with a handle but could not pick the lock. · Automatic Language: Rapscallion; Bonus Languages: Common and Dwarven · Level Adjustment +1 · +4 Racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Jump checks. Their monkey nature makes these skills almost an art. · Favored Class: Ninja
RAPSCALLION HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Base Height: 2 Ft.' Height Modifier: +2d6 Inches Base Weight: 18 lbs. Weight Modifier: +3d4
RAPSCALLION CHARACTERS I just can't understand how such a focused people can get so excited by the strangest things.
Rapscallions make excellent rogues and ninjas. Monks , Rangers, and Druids are also common. Rapscallion members of other classes are rare at best. Adventuring Race: Rapscallions are naturally very curious and highly inquisitive. They want to see and experience everything life has to offer, so when members of this race don't go on at least one big adventure they are considered oddities. Character Development: Rapscallions have a high dex and high wisdom, so work off this. Concentrate on choosing your class and progressions with this in mind.
ROLEPLAYING A RAPSCALLION You are very curious and move around a lot. Anything new excites you and makes you jumpy. Anything that surprises you suddenly will make you angry. You like to think things through when planning a course of action, even if your excitement over the coming adventure keeps you bouncing and spouting off advice and suggestions. Personality: You are easily excited by new things. When something makes you angry you will often throw something at it. Behaviors: Hopping about, climbing available surfaces, and generally looking for anything that makes you curious. Language: Rapscallion language is composed largely of hoots and howls, and members of this race who speak other languages such as common often pepper it with curse words in Rapscallion.
RAPSCALLION SOCIETY Rapscallions are very focused and driven individuals, though they appear to be random and highly chaotic. Alignment : Surprisingly most Rapscallions are Lawful in nature. This is from the highly focused training the first Rapscallions received from their Druid creators. Lands : Rapscallions prefer the heavy woods and thick undergrowth of the deep jungle basins. There they build grand temples and monasteries. They like their privacy, but anybody who is able to find their way to the Rapscallion temples is welcome, so long as they are able to sate the Rapscallions vast curiosity. Settlements: Rapscallions don't tend to settle in lands other than their own, preferring to spend as much time as needed to sate their curiosity before moving on to more interesting things. Beliefs: Rapscallions favor lawful gods and gods of the natural world. Many revere a higher principle and moral code rather than dedicate themselves to a god they can neither see nor speak to.
This monster comes from an actual myth, though most of the abilities are my own design.
Mapinguari Large Magical Beast Hit Dice: 20d10+100 (210 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 24 (+3 Dex, +11 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+29 Attack: Claw +30 melee (2d6+9) Full Attack: 2 claws +30 melee (2d6+9) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Animate vines, dread fog, spells, spell-like abilities, stench Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 15/magic, immune to piercing damage, resistance to acid 30, regeneration 4, SR 26 Saves: Fort +19, Ref +15, Will +12 Abilities: Str 29, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 18 Skills: Knowledge (nature) +25, Spot +27, Survival +27, Spellcraft +25 Feats: Ability Focus (dread fog, stench), Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Quicken Spell-like Ability (contagion, magic missile), Weapon Focus (claw) -- Environment: Warm forests Organization: Solitary or entourage (1 plus 1-2 shambling mounds and 2-5 dire jaguars) Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: Standard goods, standard items, no coins Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 21-40 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: --
A mapinguari resembles a 7-foot-tall humanoid covered in long reddish hair. Its chest bears a second mouth, always open. Each hand has long, curved claws, and its arms are immensely powerful. Its strength is equal to that of a frost giant despite its much smaller size; some believe that the mapinguari draws strength from the earth.
The mapinguari is the natural guardian of the rainforest. Those who take only what they need, or use the forest with respect, are not bothered by the mapinguari. Large-scale clearcutting, widespread burning, or similar abuses often provoke a violent response. No sane being wishes to stand in the way of an enraged mapinguari; their wrath is like a tropical cyclone, sweeping all before it. A mapinguari can animate the very plants of the jungle to attack its foes; ordinary weapons have no effect on it, bouncing off its hide harmlessly, and even magical arrows cannot touch the creature.
COMBAT
The mapinguari will not attack without cause, but it is utterly merciless. It prefers to begin combat with its lesser spell-like abilities and perhaps its animate vines ability. If the combat turns against it, it will use its dread fog. If truly pressed, it will generate a fire storm.
Animate Vines (Su): A mapinguari can animate up to three vines within 60 feet of itself. The vines are treated as assassin vines while they are animated. The mapinguari can do this once per day, and the animation lasts 2 hours.
Dread Fog (Sp): Once per day, a mapinguari can create a deadly fog. This fog is similar to the acid fog spell, but it does not affect plants, and it deals 3d6 points of acid damage per round (rather than 2d6).
Spells: A mapinguari can cast spells as a 13th-level druid (spells per day: 6/5/5/4/4/3/2/1). Save DC: 14 + spell level.
Spell-like Abilities: At will - call lightning, darkness, daylight, eagle's splendor, greater magic fang, magic missile, owl's wisdom, shield; 3/day - contagion, poison; 1/day - fire storm. Caster level 13th; save DC 14 + spell level.
Stench (Ex): When a mapinguari is in combat, its second mouth opens and emits a cloud of noxious gas. Creatures within 20 feet of the mapinguari must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or be sickened for 4d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
This is what I have so far, I will be coming back later to finish it off.
ROUGHNECK
Who am I to question the natural order?
Roughnecks are the result of apes that were awakened by druids centuries ago. Originally awakened to be guardian and protectors of the natural world. Much like the Rapscallions, the roughnecks changed and began using tools and eventually magic.
Nowadays the roughnecks keep hidden villages in the deepest parts of the jungle. From these clandestine hideouts they patrol the jungles, acting as the guardian of the natural order and guides for the natural world.
ROUGHNECK RACIAL TRAITS · +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma; Roughnecks are strong and hearty, but they tend to be a little cumbersome and are not particularly friendly. · Medium; As medium creatures Roughnecks have no bonuses or penalties. · Humanoid · Base Speed 30 ft. · Brachiation 30 ft; Only in terrain with heavy tree growth or many hand holds. · Powerful Build; The physical stature of roughnecks lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a roughneck 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 roughneck is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A roughneck 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. A roughneck 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. · Roughnecks gain a +2 Racial bonus on all Climb, Hide, and Intimidate checks. · Automatic Languages: Roughneck Bonus languages: Common · Level Adjustment: +1 · Favored Class: Druid
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Base Height: 5 ft. Height Modifier: +1d10 Base Weight: 300 lbs. Weight Modifier: +10d10
ROUGHNECK CHARACTERS Quick generalization of what this race is good for as far as characters go.. Adventuring Race: Character Development: Give suggestions for making a character with this race. Character Names:
ROLEPLAYING A ROUGHNECK Quick generalization about playing a member of this race. Personality: Behaviors: Typical behaviors for a member of this race.. Language:
ROUGHNECK SOCIETY Description of this races society, culture, and civilization. Alignment : Lands : Where do they normally live. Settlements : Where do they normally live when not in their homelands. Beliefs : Relations: How do they relate to other races.
Those are very good ideas. I wanted to do a prehensile tail, but I was not sure how. I like your idea for it, consider it ganked.
With the -2 Int and the loss of powerful build I think these work out to a strong LA 0. What do you all think?
As for a character named George, I say go for it. My little brother looked over the race as I was writing it out and decided he wanted to play one.
Perhaps I will do a great ape race next...
Glad you liked my suggestions. I'm really lousy at assessing LA but considering that it's abilities won't overpower it and having a tail is definitely less powerful than powerful build, it sounds about right.
Just keep an eye on how many extra skill bonuses it gets. That could be unbalancing.
Finally, I would recommend not giving the rapscallions any bonus feats. It would be okay for a monster but not a player character race since it steps on the toes of humans getting a bonus feat.
Oh it doesn't have any bonus feats, that space is for racial feats players can take in place of regular feats. I was thinking of making a progression that would allow the tail to be used for more advanced things such as wielding a weapon, or performing grapples, possibly act as a third hand eventually. I just suck at making feats though.
Rapscallions are cool!! They would make a great druid.
I do have a suggestion, though. Lose the Brachiation, and give them a climb speed. Give them the Brachiation Feat as a bonus feat. I have seen monkeys at zoo's and in the wild and in captivity, and those guys can climb ANYTHING. If there is even the remotest chance of getting a finger or tow hold, they are up it in a flash, no problems.
Just remember they also get a skill bonus for climb with a climb speed.
Also, why is Ninja the favored class? It seems more likely that Druid or Ranger would be the class for them... Or better yet, Scout. When a monkey fights, it is moving, man, and is it hard to hit (catch in my case, actually), just like the Skirmish ability. Also it fits the motif better, I think. To me, the Scout is a wilderness rogue.
Can't wait to see the Ape Men. Powerful Build is certianly more appropriate with this race!!
Gotta say, you have some nice critters here! I can only guess this is going to be a great game!
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