The Tonomode is a Modron-like race my friend and I have been working on for our comedic setting.
Using the rules, here's what we got:
Tonomode
Humanoid (Half-Construct)
Tonomode Racial Traits
+2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom
Small: Tonomodes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack roles, a -1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Slow Speed: Tonomodes have a base speed of 20 feet.
Half-Contruct Traits: As Half-Constructs, Tonomodes have the following traits:
-Tonomodes gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and effects that cause either exhaustion or fatigue.
-Tonomodes cannot be raised or resurrected.
-Tonomodes do not breath, eat, or sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. This means that a Tonomode can drink potions and can sleep in order to regain spells, but neither is required to survive or stay in good health.
Illusion Resistance: Tonomodes get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells and effects.
Swarming: Up to two Tonomodes can share the same space at the same time. If two Tonomodes that are occupying the same space attack the same foe, they are considered to be flanking that foe as if they were in two opposite squares.
Natural Armor: Tonomodes have a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
Languages: Tonomodes begin play speaking Beep Boop. Tonomodes with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Hexadecimal, Binary, Basic, and Common.
Breakdown:
Humanoid (0 RP)
Half-Construct (7 RP)
Small (0 RP)
Slow Speed (-1 RP)
Standard Modifiers (0 RP)
Language: Xenophobic Array (0 RP)
Natural Armor (2 RP)
Illusion Resistance (1 RP)
Swarming (Small, so 1 RP)
Total: 10 RP
What do you think? How does it look as a standard race?
Hmm, what classes do you see as common for this race? Tough Witches/Wizards? Smart Barbarians?
I like the languages :)
We wanted a more versatile race, so we didn't focus on a particular class idea. I would totally play a wizard with this. Barbarians would be great, both for the stats and the comedic setting. While running a modron game, I lifted the alignment restriction and allowed a lawful neutral modron barbarian, it was hilarious. A barbarian would also benefit from the swarming trait. While we're one the swarming trait, a rogue Tonomode would also benefit from the feature, and can use the intelligence bonus.
Also, thanks for liking the languages, guys. We thought they were appropriate for robots.
Mmm, stats don't have to reflect class, but they usually do. It's only natural for dextrous races to prefer ranged/finessed weapons and similar stuff. Certainly stat bonuses are one of the main things I look for when picking race, unless I have a specific concept in mind... I do make my characters a bit metagamey though :p
Of course, you can't make a race that is good at every class. The human is the closest to it, and that's what it's for. But that doesn't mean that a race needs to be made with only one or two classes in mind in order for it to be useful. I'm very roleplaying oriented, and so while I can find races more suited to a specific class, I'd want to play this race on the basis that: 1) its stats are good enough for it to hold its own next to the core races, and 2) it's a fun concept.
Having said that, I'm sticking with the three classes I've mentioned.
A wizard gets the intelligence bonus, the con bonus makes him more durable, and small size with natural armor gives him a cumulative +2 to AC, very helpful to the fragile wizard.
A barbarian gets the con bonus, and while he gets a penalty to combat maneuvers on both the offensive and defensive side due to his size, his size also provides that +1 to attack. The cumulative +2 to AC I mentioned with the wizard is helpful for the light-armor-only barbarian, and if he is working with another Tonomode, swarming provides a means to an easy flanking bonus, even with cornered creatures and creatures that are dangerous to get around due to large size.
A rogue gets that int bonus to increase her skill points, and although con isn't one of the core ability scores for a rogue, who's gonna say they couldn't use more hp? In addition to the attack bonus from size, the rogue will love the killer +4 to stealth, and when working with another of her race, swarming provides another avenue to put in that sneak attack damage. And I'll mention the +2 to AC again, because it's always relevant.
But the reason we're here is to test the Advanced Race Guide, so the ultimate question is, "is this race in any way underpowered or overpowered in comparison with the core races?" I agree with points on other threads about the problems with ability scores, and traits such as Skilled or Hardy, which is why I avoided using anything questioned in those threads. We already know that they're broke.
So, what's in question here is whether the traits used here, especially half-construct, natural armor, and swarming, are priced appropriately.
Personally, I think the rules hold up excellently in this case, and the race here is pretty balanced. Although I think if you absolutely must charge RP for language arrays, xenophobic should be -1 RP, standard should be 0 RP, and linguist should be 1 RP.
Oh I wasn't disagreeing with you at all. I think the race seems quite interesting, and has potential, I was just commenting to fuel discussion :) Seems perfectly fine to me, though I think the Construct and Half-Construct in general need a bit of reworking... But that's been discussed in other threads already.
Languages: Tonomodes begin play speaking Beep Boop.Hot damn this is the most adorable thing I've read all week.
If you like that you'll probably like the other "fluff" involved with this race.
Probably a good time to mention that I'm the co-author.
@Peanuts: If I seemed confrontational, I didn't mean too :) I don't think that it's wrong to focus a race on a certain class-role, but I think it's more fun when a race is versatile, even if that means losing a little to a lack of specialization. But there does have to be a balance. If you make a race just so you have something perfect for such-and-such class, that's egregiously min-maxing, and shame shame. But if you just give the race something for everything, it will be good at nothing.
For example, the race is viable for three very different classes, which helps keep the imagination alive for the race, and the creative juices flowing.
By the way, didn't notice the half-construct thread before. Thanks! I'm about to brush up on the discussion.
Heh, no problem, and no offense taken or anything