Dwarven Resilience is not a power. It is an encounter ability sure, but that is not the same thing as a power.
I said that it was effectively the same, because it is. It fulfills the same design purpose, and make no mistake, there is a design purpose for racial encounter powers, to keep race relevant to a character in all encounters by offering an ability with the utility to be so frequently actively used. This is a design feature of 4E races, and violating that design paradigm can be problematic. It's not necessarily problematic in the balance sense but more in the design standard sense, like how the Half-Orc's Swift Charge is problematic in the design standard sense because it's so exclusively useful to certain kinds of characters even though it's certainly not overpowered.
Speaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha
Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further.
Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
Dwarven Resilience has been updated to be an actual racial power in Essentials, even. It has the full powerblock writeup and everything. It still does the same thing though.
Epic Dungeon Master
Want to give your players a kingdom of their own? I made a 4e rule system to make it happen!
You also gain Regeneration 1/3/5 until the encounter ends.
This part of the power is too strong. It negates the need to ever spend any healing surges during a short rest as long as you're bloodied every encounter, because you'll already be at full HP by the time you take any short rest. This is exactly the reason that the Shifter regeneration only functons while the character is bloodied.
Speaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha
Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further.
Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
I thought I may as well post up the other Horde races from the corebook.
WoWarcraft D20 Orc: * +2 Stamina, -2 Intellect * Medium * Base land speed 30 feet * Low-light Vision * Battle Rage: Orcs may Rage as per a Barbarian once per day. If they have a class that grants them the usage of Rage, then they increase the number of times they can rage a day by +1. * +2 Racial Bonus on Handle Animal (Wolf) checks and Intimidate checks. Intimidate is always a class skill for Orcs. * +1 racial bonus on attacks against Humans. * Weapon Familiarity: Orc Claws are Martial weapons for Orcs instead of Exotic weapons.
WoWarcraft D20 Tauren: * +2 Strength, -2 Agility * Medium * Base land speed 30 feet * Natural Weapon (Extraordinary Ability): Horns. Inflicts D8 plus Strength bonus damage when used. * Weapon Familiarity: Tauren Halberds and Tauren Totems are Martial weapons for Tauren instead of Exotic weapons. * +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks. These skills are always class skills for Taurens.
WoWarcraft D20 Tauren Racial Class: Level 1: Base Attack Bonus +0, Fortitude Save +2, Reflex Save +0, Will Save +2, +1 Strength, Tauren Charge - Extraordinary Ability that allows a Tauren to use his/her horns during a charge instead of a melee weapon. In addition to the usual benefits and hazards of a charge, the Tauren delivers a gore attack that inflicts regular Horn damage + 1 1/2 times the Tauren's Strength modifier.
Level 2: Base Attack Bonus +1, Fortitude Save +2, Reflex Save +0, Will Save +2, +2 Spirit, +4 racial bonus on Saves vs Fear, Automatically gain proficiency with either the Tauren Halberd or Tauren Totem
Level 3: Base Attack Bonus +2, Fortitude Save +3, Reflex Save +1, Will Save +3, +1 Strength, Automatically gain proficiency with either the Tauren Halberd or Tauren Totem, Tauren Charge becomes Improved Taurent Charge (Tauren is now considered Large for the purposes of making Tauren Charges and Bull Rushes, Tauren receives a +4 racial bonus on Strength checks for Bull Rushes)
WoWarcraft D20 Forsaken: * +2 Strength, -2 Agility * Medium * Base land speed 30 feet * Darkvision 60 feet * Undead ** No Stamina score and so Forsaken do not gain bonus hit points per Hit Dice ** Immunity to all mind-affecting effects ** Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease and death effects ** Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain ** Immune to damage to Strength and Agility as well as fatigue and exhaustion effects ** Negative energy heals, positive energy harms ** Does not heal naturally ** Immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless the effect also hurts objects or is harmless ** Uses Charisma modifier for Concentration checks ** Not at risk of death from massive damage ** When reduced to 0 hit points, the Forsaken is Disabled (can only take one move or standard action per round) ** At -1 to -9 hit points, the Forsaken is unconscious ** At -10 hit points, the Forsaken is destroyed ** Not affected by Raised Dead or Reincarnation spells or effects. Resurrection and True Resurrection revive the Forsaken as a Forsaken. Wish and Miracle can bring the Forsaken back to true life. ** Does not eat, breath or sleep, but still needs 8 hours of uninterrupted rest to prepare spells
WoWarcraft D20 Forsaken Racial Class: Level 1: Base Attack Bonus +0, Fortitude Save +0, Reflex Save +0, Will Save +2, +1 Natural Armor Bonus to AC, +1 Strength
Level 2: Base Attack Bonus +1, Fortitude Save +1, Reflex Save +0, Will Save +3, +1 Natural Armor Bonus to AC, +1 Strength, Slam as Extraordinary Attack that does 1D6 + Strength modifier damage
Level 3: Base Attack Bonus +2, Fortitude Save +1, Reflex Save +1, Will Save +3, +1 Natural Armor Bonus to AC, +1 Strength, Increased Hit Die (whenever the Forsaken gains a Hit Die, it uses the next largest one up - a Forsaken Arcanist (D6 Hit Die) would instead use a D8 Hit Die when it gains a level, for example - unless it would already use a D12, in which case it gains D12+2 hit points)
Right, so, there are the Forsaken, Tauren and Orc as they would be in Edition 3.5. How might they graduate to the 4th Edition?
Other than ability scores, the revenant is already quite close to what a 4E forsaken would be like. Here's a quick adaption, which changes the ability scores, swaps the bonus to Endurance with a bonus to Perception, removes Past Life and Undead and makes the Death's Blessing and Reaper's Resistance feats built-in, and replaces dark reaping with a new power called ardor of death.
Forsaken
Ability Scores: +2 Strength; +2 Intelligence or +2 Charisma Size: Medium Speed: 6 squares Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, choice of on other Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Perception
Death's Blessing: You are an undead creature. You don't need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. You never have to make Endurance checks to resist the effects of starvation, thirst, or suffocation. All other conditions and effects affect you normally, and you still require 6 hours to gain the benefits of an extended rest.
Reaper's Resistance:You have resistance to necrotic damage equal to 5 + one-half your level.
Unnatural Vitality: When you drop to 0 hit points or fewer and are subjected to the dying condition, you can choose to be dazed, instead of falling unconscious. You make death saving throws as normal, and if you fail one, you fall unconscious instead of being dazed.
Ardor of Death: You have the ardor of death power.
Ardor of Death | Forsaken Racial Utility Encounter Free Action Trigger: You are subject to an condition that a save could end. Effect: The triggering condition immediately ends. Special: If you are subject to more than one condition that a save could end, this power can only end one of those conditions.
Feats
Here's a couple of feats which should allow a forsaken character to better emulate the 3E race. I would also allow forsaken to take certain revenant feats that don't require/affect dark reaping or Past Life, such as Death Scorned, Death's Quickening, Eerie Resurgence, Fierce Vitality, Ghostly Vitality, Resilience of Death, and Unnatural Vitality. Reposed Mind Prerequisite: Forsaken Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against charm, fear, illusion, and sleep effects.
Unholy Vigor Prerequisites: Forsaken Benefit: At the end of each extended rest, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 5 + one-half your level.
Average Height: 7' Average Weight: 200 pounds Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution or Wisdom Size: Medium Speed: 6 Vision: Lowlight Languages: Common and Low Common (in a generic 4e game, this would be replaced with Giant, the generic language shared by bestial demihumans such as Orcs, Trolls and Goblins). Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Nature
Troll Healing: Your healing surge value increases to 1/4th your max hp + 3. At level 11 your healing surge value increases to 1/4th your max hp + 6, and to 1/4th your max hp + 9 at level 21.
Crafty Hunter: Targets you have combat advantage against do not benefit from partial cover.
Troll Frenzy: You have the Troll Frenzy racial encounter power.
Troll Frenzy Troll Racial Power "When your body is weakened adrenaline kicks you into overdrive." Racial, Encounter, Healing Immediate Reaction Trigger: You are Bloodied by an attack Effect: You immediately spend a healing surge to regain HP, and may make an at-will attack.
Thank you, Rampant, nb_nmare, those both look like very good 4e races to me. But then again, I'm not exactly an expert at judging this, am I?
Hmm... for the Orc, perhaps +2 to Constitution and +2 to either Wisdom or Strength works? Warcraft Orcs are ferocious melee fighters, but they're also a shamanic race with a culture based around the spirits and proper reverence for them. Racial features escape me, but I was thinking that their racial power would be "Orc Battle Rage", a Stance that gives them a +2/4/6 bonus to Attack Rolls, Damage Rolls and Fortitude Defense at the cost of an equal penalty to Armor Class.
For the Tauren... +2 Strength and +2 to either Wisdom or Constitution is the only stat choice that immediately leaps to mind, but the problem is defining them differently from the Minotaur... unless they should just use the Minotaur statblock?
Blood Fury: While you're bloodied, you gain a +2 racial bonus to damage rolls. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Hardiness: You have a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against effects that daze or stun.
Natural Ferocity: You gain training in the Intimidate skill.
Battle Rage: You have the battle rage power.
Battle Rage | Orc Racial Utility Encounter Minor Action Effect: The next attack you make before the end of your next turn deals 1d6 + your Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom modifier extra damage on a hit. Level 11: 2d6 + your Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom modifier extra damage. Level 21: 3d6 + your Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom modifier extra damage.
Feats
Focused Rage Prerequisite: Orc, battle rage power
Benefit: When you use battle rage, you also gain a +2 bonus to the next attack roll you make before the end of your next turn. Orcish Command Prerequisite: Orc Benefit: Whenever you use a class feature, power, or feat that allows an ally to make an attack, that attack deals 2 extra damage.
Vigorous Rage Prerequisite: Orc, battle rage power Benefit: When you use battle rage, you can spend a healing surge as a free action.
