Author Topic: Wolven [Monster]  (Read 3215 times)

Offline Stratovarius

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Wolven [Monster]
« on: August 16, 2018, 09:50:31 AM »
Would anyone want to see this as a playable race? It's intelligent enough to be one, which is why I ask

WOLVEN
Wolven [RUNIC]
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+15
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+10)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d6+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Trip
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, enhanced scent, wolven telepathy, master bond
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2 
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +7, Move Silently +4, Spot +7, Survival +2*
Feats: TrackB, Pack TacticsB, Improved Initiative, Prodigious Nose
Environment: Aboveground
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-8)
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 5–12 HD (Large); 13–18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

Wolven are an offshoot of dire wolves that grew more intelligent over time, and also evolved the ability to communicate telepathically with both themselves and with a chosen master, although whether that is supposed to have come from runic magic or is entirely natural is a completely unknown phenomenon. Regardless of its source, the ability of the wolven to communicate telepathically has been a great boon to certain Athaghoel communities, who have taken advantage of that fact and paired with wolven packs in their local area, each working to support the other.

Wolven grow as tall as 4 feet at the shoulder and weigh more than 900 pounds. As a wolven ages, its muzzle fades from brown to white. 

Wolven understand Common and Dwarven and can communicate telepathically, although they cannot speak aloud except as wolves normally do.

Combat
Bonded wolven are courageous and loyal, and they ably assist their master in combat, especially through use of their pack tactics feat. In the wild, wolven packs hunt much like wolves, harrying and baiting their prey until it is too worn to fight.

Trip (Ex): A wolven that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent (+11 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolven.

Enhanced Scent (Ex): Wolven have some of the best noses in the canine kingdom, and use them to unerringly hunt down their prey. Wolven can detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes within 60 feet. For strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, double the range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. Wolven can pinpoint the location of a scent when within 30 ft. This otherwise functions as per the Scent ability.

Wolven Telepathy (Su): Wolven long ago, whether through breeding or an accident of chance, learned how to communicate telepathically with the rest of their pack. These days, that also includes their master, should they have one. A wolven can communicate telepathically with any other wolven or their master within 120 ft. Language does not matter.

Master Bond (Ex): A wolven, despite their intelligence and ability to communicate, are bred to be bonded with a single dwarven master. When bonded, the wolven and the master can communicate via wolven telepathy, and know each other’s location and health (as per the status spell) within 240 ft. Bonding is a process that takes a month of continual contact and communication between the wolven and the prospective master. The bond, however, is entirely voluntary on the wolven’s part, and mistreatment by the master will result in the severing of the bond and the ostracization of the master by all wolven.

Skills: *A wolven also has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Feats
PACK TACTICS
You can gain an extra advantage when you and your allies can gang up on a foe.
Prerequisites: BAB +3, Dodge
Benefit: You and your allies harass and harry foes, snapping at their heels and always attacking when their back is turned
Surround the Enemy: As long as you and one other ally threaten the same foe, you and all allies who threaten the same foe are considered to be flanking even if there is not an ally in the correct position to flank. In addition, once per round you can declare that a melee attack you make against a flanked enemy is intended to open the enemy's defenses. You must declare this attempt before you roll your attack, and the attempt is wasted for the round if the attack misses. If the attack hits, your allies who are flanking the target gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against that enemy until the start of your next turn.
Harry: As long as you and one other ally threaten the same foe, each successful attack by you and any allies who threaten the same foe reduces the target's movement speed by 5 feet. This cannot reduce their movement speed below half the unmodified value. This penalty lasts for one round each time it is applied, with duration replacing, not stacking. In addition, once per round as an immediate action when an opponent you are flanking moves, you can immediately move to any square adjacent to your foe as soon as the foe stops moving, as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed. Your movement can provoke attacks of opportunity.
Gang Dodge: As long as you and one other ally threaten the same foe, you and all allies who threaten the same foe apply your flanking bonus (if any) as a dodge bonus to armor class, and as a bonus to Reflex saves. These bonuses only apply against the flanked foe. In addition, when a flanked opponent attacks you and misses, you can take a 5 foot step. Your opponent, if they desire, can make a 5 foot step to follow.

PRODIGIOUS NOSE
Born as one of the lucky beings who can detects scents from vast distances, you are the early warning system your pack depends upon
Prerequisites: Enhanced Scent
Benefit: You can use scent to detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes within 120 feet. For strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, double the range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. You can pinpoint the location of a scent when within 60 ft.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2019, 04:30:38 PM by Stratovarius »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2018, 04:43:33 PM »
Wolven

This is a four level racial class that lets players start as a Lesser Wolven.

Table 1: The Wolven

Level  BAB   Ref   Fort  Will  Abilities                               
-------------------------------–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
1      +1    +2    +2    +0    Bite, Thick Hide, Natural Power
2      +2    +3    +3    +0    Track, Natural Power
3      +3    +3    +3    +1    Pack Tactics, Natural Power
4      +4    +4    +4    +1    Size Increase, Trip, Natural Power


Game Rule Information
Wolven have the following game statistics.

Alignment: Any
Race: Lesser Wolven
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: As Fighter
Starting Age: As Fighter

Class skills
Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, and Swim
Skill Points at 1st level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Wolven.
  • Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Wolven do not have hands, and have to wear barding armor like many other quadrupeds. That said, they are proficient with all types of armor.
  • Bite (Ex): At 1st level, the Wolven gains a bite attack that deals 1d8 damage as a primary natural attack at medium size.
  • Thick Hide (Ex): At 1st level, the Wolven gains a +3 bonus to its natural armor class.
  • Natural Power (Ex): At 1st level, the Wolven increases his Strength by +3, his Constitution by +1, and his Wisdom by +1. At 2nd level, he increases his Strength by +3, his Constitution by +1, and his Wisdom by +1. At 3rd level, he increases his Strength by +4 and his Constitution by +2. At 4th level, he increases his Strength by +4 and his Constitution by +2.
  • Track (Ex): At 2nd level, the Wolven gains Track as a bonus feat.
  • Pack Tactics (Ex): At 3rd level, the Wolven gains Pack Tactics as a bonus feat.
  • Trip (Ex): At 4th level, a wolven that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolven.
  • Size Increase (Ex): At 4th level, the Wolven increases in size. This does not change any statistics. His bite damage increases to 2d6. As Large creatures, the Wovlen has a -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, and lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters. The Wolven takes a 10 ft. long space, and has a 5 ft. reach.
Lesser Wolven Racial Traits
Magical Beast: Wolven are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
Medium.
Wolven base land speed is 50 feet.
Enhanced Scent (Ex): Wolven have some of the best noses in the canine kingdom, and use them to unerringly hunt down their prey. Wolven can detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes within 60 feet. For strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, double the range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. Wolven can pinpoint the location of a scent when within 30 ft. This otherwise functions as per the Scent ability.
Wolven Telepathy (Su): Wolven long ago, whether through breeding or an accident of chance, learned how to communicate telepathically with the rest of their pack. These days, that also includes their master, should they have one. A wolven can communicate telepathically with any other wolven or their master within 120 ft. Language does not matter.
Master Bond (Ex): A wolven, despite their intelligence and ability to communicate, are bred to be bonded with a single dwarven master. When bonded, the wolven and the master can communicate via wolven telepathy, and know each other’s location and health (as per the status spell) within 240 ft. Bonding is a process that takes a month of continual contact and communication between the wolven and the prospective master. The bond, however, is entirely voluntary on the wolven’s part, and mistreatment by the master will result in the severing of the bond and the ostracization of the master by all wolven.
Skills: A wolven has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Low-light Vision: Wolven start with low-light vision.
Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Undercommon, Elven, Sylvan
Favored Class: Fighter.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2018, 10:26:00 AM by Stratovarius »

Offline bhu

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2018, 11:55:55 PM »
What is the RUnic subtype?

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2018, 07:37:27 AM »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2019, 10:32:56 AM »
Minor changes made to correct a few typos, etc.

Offline RobbyPants

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2019, 01:24:59 PM »
How long does the movement penalty from Harry last?
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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2019, 04:29:15 PM »
Forever and a day...

Or one round. Which is what it should say.

Offline RobbyPants

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2019, 08:44:54 AM »
Forever and a day...
:lol

I had to read it twice, because I have a tendency to miss those sorts of things. As often as not, I ask, and the person responds with a quote from the OP, with the relevant section bolded.
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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2019, 09:11:03 AM »
I can't remember if that was an ability I poached from somewhere else in WotC and it didn't mention the duration there, or whether I invented it whole cloth and the duration was just missing. I do a lot of both.

Offline JR

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Re: Wolven [Monster]
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2020, 01:36:24 PM »
I like this.
Thank you.

They'll fit in perfectly in a campaign I'll be starting up that takes place in a relatively wild "North" populated primarily with animal totem tribes.