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Extra arms is something a number of people want. We all know that that's going to be a hell of a thing to balance if they're just slapped on a new race, but that's no excuse to just give up on it.
How many ways could this theme be approached to make it reasonably pricable for even Standard Races?
I've been bouncing loose ideas around my head off and on but I haven't had any real free time to sit down with them, but:
A. Extra arms fuction like normal arms - Probably costs a lot and probably out of the reach of Standard races.
B. Extra arms are some flat amount or percentage weaker than the primary arms - This may work especially well if there's some ability to make a race's primary arms weaponized or otherwise useless for normal function. The secondary arms take care of tool manipulation and aren't much good for combat use. (full disclosure, one of my homebrew races that I've been banging my head against the wall trying to build works like this: Crab pincers on the normally/over-developed arms, relatively normal hands on the underdeveloped arms)
C. Current arms are considered divided into two pairs at close to half-strength - Races with this would have multiple arms that are fully functional for tool manipulation, but it takes two working in tandem to accomplish what one arm on another race could do in combat or heavy labor. Maybe individual arms work at far less effectiveness than normal arms(perhaps it treats weapons as one or more size categories larger unless two arms are used on top of a STR and Attack Roll penalty)? Or perhaps (full disclosure, this is the closest fix I can think of for my primary homebrew race, who are really hurting for options right now)
Anyone else have any other ideas that could actually have a shot at making it into the rules, particularly for the six-and-up crowd? How much should B and C probably cost, and what would be the best way to set them down in actual rules?
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In the latest Psionics Expanded, they have a three step set up for additional arms (for the Aegis psionic battlesuit class).
Step one is the arms can h old stuff but not wield it.
Step 2: arms can wield light stuff
Step 3: arms are fully utilisable.
Something along those lines would probably be the way to go. Also, I don't think multiple arms should be a 'standard' race as the extra ttacks or shields granted, or even just the bonus to damage from wielding two two-handed weapons probably pushes them into 'Advanced' power.
Besides that Standard is for mostly normal characters. Four-arms does not fall into that category.
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Normal is pretty subjective across different settings, especially for those of us shooting for Thri-kreen types or other sorts of races with multiple limbs as standard player options.
There has to be some possible balancing factor to curb the issues you listed, rather than simply writing the option off.
Vestigial Arm (Ex)
Benefit: The alchemist gains a new arm (left or right) on his torso. The arm is fully under his control and cannot be concealed except with magic or bulky clothing. The arm does not give the alchemist any extra attacks or actions per round, though the arm can wield a weapon and make attacks as part of the alchemist’s attack routine (using two-weapon fighting). The arm can manipulate or hold items as well as the alchemist’s original arms (for example, allowing the alchemist to use one hand to wield a weapon, another hand to hold a potion, and the third hand to throw a bomb). The arm has its own “hand” and “ring” magic item slots (though the alchemist can still only wear two rings and two hand magic items at a time).
Special: An alchemist may take this discovery up to two times.
And alchemist can get this at level 2, and a second one at level 3 with the Extra Discovery feat. Just have extra arms work like these arms and make it cost roughly the same as a human bonus feat.
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And alchemist can get this at level 2, and a second one at level 3 with the Extra Discovery feat. Just have extra arms work like these arms and make it cost roughly the same as a human bonus feat.Vestigial Arm (Ex)
Benefit: The alchemist gains a new arm (left or right) on his torso. The arm is fully under his control and cannot be concealed except with magic or bulky clothing. The arm does not give the alchemist any extra attacks or actions per round, though the arm can wield a weapon and make attacks as part of the alchemist’s attack routine (using two-weapon fighting). The arm can manipulate or hold items as well as the alchemist’s original arms (for example, allowing the alchemist to use one hand to wield a weapon, another hand to hold a potion, and the third hand to throw a bomb). The arm has its own “hand” and “ring” magic item slots (though the alchemist can still only wear two rings and two hand magic items at a time).
Special: An alchemist may take this discovery up to two times.
Nice! I wonder how that would be priced if the mechanical equivalent was ported over as a racial ability though, since they're tool-only limbs. Or if they would be packaged singularly or in pairs...
That would help both of my problem races up above out actually.
After years of glorious Thri-Kreen abuse, I've grown fond of 4e's solution to Two-(Multi-)Weapon Fighting and extra limbs. You don't gain extra attacks, you gain modest bonuses to damage and to AC if you've invested in learning to fight with two weapons. Functionally, this is much closer to how fighting with two weapons works in real life and it's still awesome.
Go nuts. Give a bonus to climbing and grappling checks, too.
Extra arms should give you access to the Multiweapon/Multiattack feat lines, but otherwise only allow you to hold more items than normal at once.
(If you have four arms but no Multi feat: you can use as many as two weapons in an attack just as if you had the ordinary two arms, but you can hold four different weapons and choose from round to round which weapon is your primary and which secondary. Seem rational?)
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After years of glorious Thri-Kreen abuse, I've grown fond of 4e's solution to Two-(Multi-)Weapon Fighting and extra limbs. You don't gain extra attacks, you gain modest bonuses to damage and to AC if you've invested in learning to fight with two weapons. Functionally, this is much closer to how fighting with two weapons works in real life and it's still awesome.
Go nuts. Give a bonus to climbing and grappling checks, too.
That works as a super-abstract approach. Race gets its flavor AND a subtle mechanical effect to back it up that isn't overwhelming.
But how to scale and price it...
Extra arms should give you access to the Multiweapon/Multiattack feat lines, but otherwise only allow you to hold more items than normal at once.
(If you have four arms but no Multi feat: you can use as many as two weapons in an attack just as if you had the ordinary two arms, but you can hold four different weapons and choose from round to round which weapon is your primary and which secondary. Seem rational?)
Yeah actually. Eventual Multiattack still makes me feel antsy, but the swtich-hitting approach has some real appeal. Also kind of gives a nod to the idea that some of these races might suffer from a "my arms keep getting in my other arms' way" problem, keeping them from being able to use them all at maximum effectiveness without extensive training.