Anthropomorphic Turtles

[Darkxarth]

I'd like everyone's opinions on this, thanks.

Inspired by a thread over on the GitP forums, I've decided to try and stat out the Anthropomorphic Turtle as a race.

Anthropomorphic Turtle

+4 Con, +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dex
Medium Sized
Base Land Speed: 20 ft
Swim Speed: 20 ft
Racial Hit Dice: An Anthropomorphic Turtle begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
Racial Skills: An Anthropomorphic Turtle's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 Ã'" (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Spot and Listen. Anthropomorphic Turtles have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks (+8 in rocky or underground surroundings).  In addition, they have a +8 bonus on Swim checks and have the ability to take 10 on a Swim check at any time.
Racial Feats: An Anthropomorphic Turtleâ,¬,,¢s monstrous humanoid levels give it one feat.
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Turtleâ,¬,,¢s Shell
Favored Class: Monk
Level Adjustment: +2

Turtleâ,¬,,¢s Shell (Ex): An Anthropomorphic Turtle's resilient skin and tough shell give it a +6 natural armor bonus.  However, it cannot wear normal armor, and magic such as Mage Armor spells and Bracers of Armor do not stack with its natural armor bonus.
When fighting defensively an Anthropomorphic Turtle gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus to AC.  When using the Total Defense Action it gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus to AC, bringing the total natural armor bonus up to +12, and has Damage Reduction 3/-.  These bonuses replace the normal dodge bonuses granted from Fighting Defensively or taking the Full Defense Action.



What do you think?  Too much, not enough?  Please, enlighten me.

[Tangential]

LA +2.
Ninja? What abgout favoured class moderator?

[Bill Volk]

I dunno. +12 is a really big natural armor bonus, and DR 5/- is very good as well. The ability scores already warrant a +2 level adjustment on their own, so I'd play it safe and give them a level adjustment of at least +4, even counting the racial hit dice.

Maybe you could turn down the natural armor and give the Anthropomorphic Turtle a bigger AC bonus when he withdraws his head and limbs into his shell.

[Darkxarth]

I dunno. +12 is a really big natural armor bonus, and DR 5/- is very good as well. The ability scores already warrant a +2 level adjustment on their own, so I'd play it safe and give them a level adjustment of at least +4, even counting the racial hit dice.

Maybe you could turn down the natural armor and give the Anthropomorphic Turtle a bigger AC bonus when he withdraws his head and limbs into his shell.

Yeah, I figured I'd be looking at a pretty big LA, but I couldn't figure out how big.

But what if I lowered the AC bonus to +6 and the DR to 3/-, and then said "When fighting defensively an Anthropomorphic Turtle gains an additional +4 natural amror to AC."  And maybe, "When using the Total Defense Action an Anthropomorphic Turtle has a total +16 natural armor bonus to AC, and its DR increases to 5/-"

[Epic Meepo]

But what if I lowered the AC bonus to +6 and the DR to 3/-, and then said "When fighting defensively an Anthropomorphic Turtle gains an additional +4 natural amror to AC."  And maybe, "When using the Total Defense Action an Anthropomorphic Turtle has a total +16 natural armor bonus to AC, and its DR increases to 5/-"

!turtle No, drop the natural armor and DR altogether. Instead, give antropomorphic turtles the equivalent of warforged composite plating, and give them turtle versions of the warforged feats that grant better AC and DR X/adamantine.

!turtle Also, give the turtles a racial Dex penalty. TMNT aside, they're turtles, for crying out loud.

!turtle Also, this thread needs more turtle emotes.

[Túrin]

!turtle !turtle !turtle
!turtle :ninja: !turtle
!turtle !turtle !turtle

It doesn't count as spam when you can't see it...

... crap, now I've given it away, haven't I?

[Bill Volk]

That makes sense. Like warforged, turtles shouldn't be able to wear armor.

If you want to give them bonuses for fighting defensively/total defense, keep in mind that there's an exploitable feat from PHB2 that lets characters make attacks of opportunity while on total defense. It's kind absurd to imagine a turtle popping a single arm out to attack while he's withdrawn.

[Darkxarth]

But what if I lowered the AC bonus to +6 and the DR to 3/-, and then said "When fighting defensively an Anthropomorphic Turtle gains an additional +4 natural amror to AC."  And maybe, "When using the Total Defense Action an Anthropomorphic Turtle has a total +16 natural armor bonus to AC, and its DR increases to 5/-"

!turtle No, drop the natural armor and DR altogether. Instead, give antropomorphic turtles the equivalent of warforged composite plating, and give them turtle versions of the warforged feats that grant better AC and DR X/adamantine.

!turtle Also, give the turtles a racial Dex penalty. TMNT aside, they're turtles, for crying out loud.

!turtle Also, this thread needs more turtle emotes.

I don't have any Warforged info.  Would someone be so kind as to make me a Turtle version of it?

[Bill Volk]

Their composite plating gives them a +2 armor bonus to AC (not a natural armor bonus.) They can't wear armor, and their composite plating doesn't stack with other armor bonuses like Mage Armor or Bracers of Armor. Their plating gives them a 5% arcane spell failure chance, I believe. There are feats they can take at 1st level that change the kind of composite plating they have, if they want to be tougher or cast arcane spells or something.

[Darkxarth]

All right, how about this?

Anthropomorphic Turtle

+4 Con, +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Dex
Medium Sized
Base Land Speed: 20 ft
Swim Speed: 20 ft
Racial Hit Dice: An Anthropomorphic Turtle begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
Racial Skills: An Anthropomorphic Turtle's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 Ã'" (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Spot and Listen. Anthropomorphic Turtles have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks (+8 in rocky or underground surroundings).  In addition, they have a +8 bonus on Swim checks and have the ability to take 10 on a Swim check at any time.
Racial Feats: An Anthropomorphic Turtleâ,¬,,¢s monstrous humanoid levels give it one feat.
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Turtleâ,¬,,¢s Shell
Favored Class: Monk
Level Adjustment: +2

Turtleâ,¬,,¢s Shell (Ex): An Anthropomorphic Turtle's resilient skin and tough shell give it a +6 natural armor bonus.  However, it cannot wear normal armor, and magic such as Mage Armor spells and Bracers of Armor do not stack with its natural armor bonus.
When fighting defensively an Anthropomorphic Turtle gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus to AC.  When using the Total Defense Action it gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus to AC, bringing the total natural armor bonus up to +12, and has Damage Reduction 3/-.  These bonuses replace the normal dodge bonuses granted from Fighting Defensively or taking the Full Defense Action.

[SDragon]

I don't really have much to add to this, but...

I don't have any Warforged info.  Would someone be so kind as to make me a Turtle version of it?

Am I the only one who's thinking of that evil robot turtle when I read this?