Author Topic: [Race] Half-Vistani  (Read 4685 times)

Offline Skyrock

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[Race] Half-Vistani
« on: October 17, 2018, 04:56:14 PM »
(Ravenloft 3.5 PHB p. 41ff)


Half-Vistani, also known as Giomorgo, are the offspring of the mysterious Vistani and regular humans (or more rarely, elves).
  • Medium: As Medium creatures, Half-Vistani have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Half-Vistani base land speed is 30 feet.
  • +2 racial bonus to Survival checks. Giomorgo have an especially great affinity for making fire. Provided fuel and some means of igniting a spark, a giomorgo can always light a fire as a standard action even under adverse conditions (pouring rain, gusting winds and so on). When survival depends on being able to start a fire (such as resisting cold), the racial bonus to Survival increases to +4.
  • Diluted Blood: A giomorgo is treated as being a Human for all special abilities and effects that are tied to race unless otherwise noted.
  • Moon Madness: During the three nights of the full moon, a giomorgo has to make Will Save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 his character level each dusk to find sleep, prepare spells and heal naturally. If that Save fails by more than 10 (or if a natural 1 is rolled), he also has to run wild under the night sky until dawn. Fortunately for the giomorgo, the Dark Powers seem to look after their own and save them from random encounters with things that go bump in the night during these bouts, but that is of little help if a monster or even a darklord is already actively searching for them.
  • Conceal the Taint: By succeeding on a Disguise check as if attempting to address minor details, a giomorgo can pass as a pure-blooded human, removing its Outcast Rating until and unless its disguise is penetrated.
  • Languages: As humans of the same domain. Additionally, Half-Vistani have unique access to Patterna, the language of the Vistani.
  • Base Outcast Rating: 2
  • Tribal Heritage: Half-Vistani differ a great deal among each other dependent on their Vistana parent. They have to pick one of the tribal heritages below.
Tribal Heritage: Canjar
The Canjar are aloof and prideful. They are keepers of lore and arcane scholars. It features some of the best seers of the Vistani.
  • +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution
  • +2 racial bonus to Spellcraft checks. Canjar also receive a +2 racial bonus to the caster level for all their spells and spell-like abilities, up to a maximum of their character level.
  • Canjar giomorgos who are prepared arcane spellcasters can leave one spell slot of the next-to-highest level open to spontaneously fill it out with any spell known as a free action. Canjar giomorgos who are spontaneous arcane spellcasters add an additional known spell every time they gain access to a new spell level, chosen from the Wizard spells of the divination school from the next-to-highest level (or lower if they desire). Canjar who gain classes in several arcane spellcasting classes can apply this advantage to each of them individually. (More than a few Canjar pursue the path of the Ultimate Magus to take advantage of this.)
  • Favored Class: Any of Beguiler, Sorcerer, Spellthief or Wizard.
Tribal Heritage: Corvara
The Corvara are a sly, stealthy people, more hostile to outsiders than most. Corvara culture holds giorgio law in contempt, viewing it as an obstacle to be circumvented. Thus they often make their living off such illicit activities as burglary, shell games or fencing, bearing a great part of the responsibility for the bad reputation of Vistani.
  • +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength
  • +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Open Lock checks
  • Neither Chain Nor Shackle (Su): Once per day, the Corvara giomorgo can assume Gaseous Form as per the spell of the same name without requiring any somatic components. This ability only requires a immediate action, but lasts only until the end of the same round.
  • Favored Class: Rogue.
Tribal Heritage: Darkling
Darklings are not a real tribe, but Vistani who have been banished from their tribe for their crimes and cursed to be bound to a single domain. Darklings generally turn bitter and hateful, often gathering a band of human thugs around them and taking up a life of heinous crime and wandering brutality.
  • Poison Use: Darkling giomorgo are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
  • +2 racial bonus to Craft (poison) and Intimidate checks
  • Dooming Eye (Ex): Darkling giomorgos have a weaker form of the Vistani's evil eye. This ability is treated as a gaze attack, save that the giomorgo must take a standard action to employ it, and those merely looking at the giomorgo are unaffected. The target must make Will save against a DC of 10 + 1/2 the character level + the Charisma modifier of the giomorgo. Female Giomorgos add +2 to the DC. On a failure, the target becomes sickened for 1 minute. Beginning on 5th level, the target also becomes shaken. Beginning on 10th level, the target also becomes staggered. The giomorgo can use the Dooming Eye once per day.
  • Favored Class: Any of Ninja, Rogue, Spellthief or Scout.
Tribal Heritage: Equaar
The Equaar are nature-lovers, raised with a reverence for the wilderness, and taught a strong sense of respect for the land and animals. Equaar pride themselves on their knowledge and mastery of horses, but they train other animals as well.
  • +2 Constitution
  • +2 to Handle Animal and Ride checks
  • Wild Empathy: As a druid of the Equaar's character level, but limited to horses.
  • Bonus Feat: Equaar get to choose between Animal Affinity, Endurance, Mounted Combat, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (Handle Animal), Skill Focus (Ride), Skill Focus (Survival) or Track.
  • Favored Class: Any of Druid or Ranger.
Tribal Heritage: Giamarga
Giamarga are not a real tasque, but the very rare result of the rare elf/vistani matings. They are mostly found around Darkon and Sithicus, but that isn't saying much for such a rare breed.
  • +2 Charisma
  • Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
  • Low-Light Vision: A Giamarga can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
  • +1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
  • +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.
  • Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a Giamarga is considered an elf. This replace the Diluted Blood ability. - Giarmarga also have explicitely access to the Half-Elf Paragon class and to Half-Elf ACFs.
  • Languages: Giamarga automatically speak Elven in addition to the other languages they know.
  • Base Outcast Rating increases to 3, due to the rarity of and the nasty rumors surrounding the rare Elf/Vistani mongrels. Hiding minor details only reduces this to 1.
  • Favored Class: Any.
Tribal Heritage: Kamii
Kamii tend to be quiet and reserved, preferring to avoid conflict. Kamii are often skilled craftsmen, particularly tinkers and smiths. Kamii vistani take great pride in their craftsmanship.
  • +2 Strength
  • +2 racial bonus on any metal-based Appraise and Craft checks.
  • Knack for Making Fine Things (Su): For the purpose of crafting magic items and qualifying for crafting feats, Kamii gain a virtual spellcasting level equal to their character level. Moreover, a Kamii can use this supernatural power to create magic items even if he does not know the spells required to make an item. He can substitute a Craft check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.
  • Bonus Feat: Kamii get to choose between Apprentice (Craftsman), Blood Artisan, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Extraordinary Artisan, Gold Dwarf Dweomersmith, Shield Dwarf Warder, Skill Focus (Appraise) and Skill Focus (Craft), without needing to fulfill prerequisites.
  • Favored Class: Any of Factotum, Fighter or Rogue.
Tribal Heritage: Mortu
Mortu are loner Vistani who have purposefully turned their back to their tribe and its nomadic lifestyle and decided to settle down among the giorgio. This makes their offspring much more alike to the humans around them than any other giomorgo.
  • +2 racial bonus to Disguise checks to hide their Vistani heritage.
  • Bonus Feat: As humans.
  • 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
  • Favored Class: Any.
Tribal Heritage: Naiat
The Naiat are flamboyant, and their society tends to favor pleasure and good times. They are among the most outgoing of the Vistani tribes, and often make their livings as entertainers; a well-equipped Naiat caravan can resemble a traveling carnival or circus. The violin holds a special place in Naiat culture, and many Naiat entertainers specialize in that instrument.
  • +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom
  • +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Perform checks, and treat Perform always as a class skill.
  • Base Outcast Rating is 0
  • Favored Class: Bard.
Tribal Heritage: Vatraska
The Vatraska are known as skilled healers and herbalists, often having advanced herbal and medicinal lore. The vatraska are exceptionally reclusive, preferring self-sufficiency to a life of trade.
  • +2 Wisdom, -2 Strength
  • Poison Use: Vatraska giomorgo are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
  • +2 racial bonus to Craft (poison) and Heal checks
  • Quick Remedy (Ex): Spending 1 minute, Vatraska can craft herbal potions, healing 1d4 hit points, +1d4 per every 3 full character levels of the Vatraska (with a minimum of 2d4). Beginning on 8th level, these potions also remove the exhausted, fatigued, nauseated and sickened conditions. These potions stay potent for 24 hours. Vatraska can use this ability a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1x).
  • Favored Class: Any of Cleric or Healer.
Tribal Heritage: Zarovan
The Zarovan are quiet, introspective, and reclusive. They are more hostile to outsiders than any tribe of Vistani. Zarovans are often seen as “not all there,” and seem to have an odd perception of time.
  • +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom
  • +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (Ravenloft) checks.
  • Temporal Slide (Su): The Zarovan can manipulate time as it moves, allowing him to seemingly disappear and reappear elsewhere instantaneously. As a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, the Zarovan moves his current speed (following the normal rules for movement). The Zarovan can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Dexterity modifier (minimum of 0). He can use this ability only once per round.
  • Alternate Timeline (Su): The Zarovan can step back in time a fraction of a second, potentially changing the outcome of one action. The Zarovan can immediately reroll a d20 roll that he just made, but before the outcome of the die roll is determined. The Zarovan takes the better of the two rolls. Using this ability is a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Afterwards, the Zarovan has to make a Will Save against a DC of 12 + 1/2 his character level or be confused for 1 round. The Zarovan can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum of 0).
  • Stepping Out Of Time (Su): As an immediate action, a Zarovan can shunt himself out of the time stream for a short period. In effect, the Zarovan seems to disappear in a shimmer of silver energy, then reappear after the duration of this power expires. The Zarovan reappears in exactly the same orientation and condition as before. From the Zarovan’s point of view, no time has passed at all. The effect ends after 1d4 rounds. The Zarovan can act normally on his next turn after this power ends. If the space from which the Zarovan departed is occupied upon his return to the time stream, he appears in the closest unoccupied space, still in his original orientation. Determine the closest space randomly if necessary. - The Zarovan can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Strength modifier (minimum of 0).
  • Favored Class: Any of Sorcerer or Wizard.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2018, 04:46:41 PM by Skyrock »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2018, 06:01:39 AM »
Couple things -
They don't appear balanced with one another
Free actions are technically only available on your own turn (for Temporal Slide). Not sure if that's supposed to be used during other people's turns as well.
Stepping out of Time you might want to snag the Time Hop power/text instead. It's exactly what the ability is.
Canjar are really good for spont arcane casters.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2018, 03:21:16 PM »
Yes, the tribes are not created equally. That goes all the way back to the AD&D lore, when some tribes were super sorcerers and others... were just good at tinkering or horse-whispering. If anything, the 3.5 caster supremacy has made the difference even more pronounced.

Free actions are technically only available on your own turn (for Temporal Slide). Not sure if that's supposed to be used during other people's turns as well.
Stepping out of Time you might want to snag the Time Hop power/text instead. It's exactly what the ability is.
I've stolen most of the text for the Zarovan special abilities from the Temporal Drake.

Temporal slide is only during your turn, so it is fine as a free action.

Time Hop looks like a much more cleanly written and better defined way to express what Temporal Slide should do. I think I will steal its wording.

Quote
Canjar are really good for spont arcane casters.
I should note that divination spells are generally nerfed by the Ravenloft setting rules, especially scrying and spells to suss out alignment or typical Ravenloft monsters like undead. It is a nice feature for spont casters always strapped for known spells, but not as good as in other campaign settings.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2018, 05:40:10 PM »
Creating racial disparity because that's the way it has always been done isn't an excuse unless you genuinely want trap options all over the place (which I personally find to be bad design).

Offline Skyrock

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2018, 06:15:24 PM »
Some ideas for quick-fixes:

Corvara:
Swift Invisibility 1x/day as an Su ability

Equaar:
+2 Con

Kamii:
+2 Str

Giamarga:
Would need to be coupled with an Half-Elf fix to stay consistent, which isn't within the scope of this project, but I might do one anyway. Preferably something simple like +2 Charisma, a bonus feat or the human skill bonus.

The remainder (Canjar, Darkling, Mortu, Naiat, Vatraska, Zarovan) are fine, I assume.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2018, 06:22:06 PM »
I haven't actually looked at any of the stuff yet, I just saw a conversation about game design...

I've yelled at Strat enough times about how just because WotC wrote imbalanced stuff isn't justification for him copying their imbalance that it was instinctual.

Offline SorO_Lost

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2018, 02:33:48 PM »
Some ideas for quick-fixes:
I like Gaseous Form better than Invisiblity, plus it won't overlap with a 2nd level Monk.

Neither Chain Nor Shackle (Su): Once per day, the Corvara giomorgo can assume Gaseous Form as per the spell of the same name without requiring any somatic components. This ability only requires a immediate action, but lasts only until the end of the same round.
...
Temporal Slide (Su): The Zarovan can manipulate time as it moves, allowing him to seemingly disappear and reappear elsewhere instantaneously. As a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, the Zarovan moves his current speed (following the normal rules for movement). The Zarovan can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Dexterity modifier (minimum of 0). He can use this ability only once per round.
Supernatural Abilities don't provoke AoOs or require Somatic Components.

Short gist when deciding between an Sp or Su is if you want people to be able to prevent it or not. Like Spell-Likes provoke an AoO, check SR, and can be Dispelled but Supernaturals cannot.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2018, 03:56:51 PM »
I like Gaseous Form better than Invisiblity, plus it won't overlap with a 2nd level Monk.
Swift Invisibility 1x/day would be in addition to the above abilities. Which I think would make them fit very well into the Rogue-type mold.

Supernatural Abilities don't provoke AoOs or require Somatic Components.
I've learned my crunch writing at the Department of Redundancy Department, which is the place were I have learned to write crunch. I tend to spell out important bits explicitely, even if they are already implied. Just had too many players asking me for clarification on questions that could have been solved by such a simple step as looking up Special Ability types in the SRD.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: [Race] Half-Vistani
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2018, 03:55:49 PM »
Changelog:

Canjar:
Spontaneous arcane casters pick extra divination spells known only from the next-to-highest spell level.

Equaar:
+2 Con

Giarmarga:
+2 Cha
excplicite access to half-elf paragon & ACFs

Kamii:
+2 Str

Zarovan:
Stepping Out Of Time ability wording cleaned up using Time Hop power as a model.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2018, 04:38:00 PM by Skyrock »