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(I'm basing this all off the playtest version, but I'll be sure to update it once the real thing is released)
Anyway, I want to recreate the lovable Morte from 'Planescape: Torment'. For those who don't know, Morte is a fast-talking floating skull who taunts his enemies into attacking him by swearing. Then he bites them. The Advanced Race Guide is great, but it has it limits, and homebrew needs to fill them. So far I have:
Undead (16 points)
Tiny (4 points) (Technically only allowed for Fey, but we're bending the rules here a bit)
Greater Weakness Modifiers (-3 points) (+2 Str -2 Dex -4 Consitution)
Standard Language Array (1 point) (Heard this has been changed to 0 in new version, but oh well)
Flight (8 points) (30 feet, average maneuverability)
Bite (2 points) (Pumping his only way of attacking)
Total: 28 points
There's a few more things I'd like to add if I had the spare points, but this is basically everything that I want. The thing is, Morte won't have any arms. That's going be a huge penalty, since he can't hold weapons or cast spells. What I'm wondering, it how many extra points should I get for removing the arms? Adding two arms costs 4 points, but I feel like the points for removing arms should be somewhere between 4 and 12.
Anyone have any idea how many points I should get back for removing the arms?
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I think you should not get anything from Greater Weakness Modifiers. Undead have no constitution, so "losing" 4 more points is of no consequence for them.
Or, for an undead, Greater Weakness Modifiers should give "+2 Str -2 Dex -4 charisma".
Good point. I'll change that once I figure out how much no arms is worth. Greater Weakness is more of a placeholder right now.
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To recreate Morte stats I think you should use:
Mixed Weakness Modifiers (–2 RP): Pick either mental
or physical ability scores. Members of this race gain a +2
bonus to one score and a –2 penalty to another ability score
of that type. They also gain a +2 bonus to one score and a –4
penalty to another ability score of the other type.
-2 strength, +2 dexterity, +2 charisma, -4 wisdom
seem a valid way to reflect his character and abilities. (I don't recall his bite as particularly powerful).
He can attack with a bash too (head butt).
"The first difference is that each race type assumes members of the
race are roughly humanoid in shape and have two arms, two legs, a torso, and a head."
I would say that missing torso, arms and legs is a large penalty, probably giving back something in the order of 12 points.
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Here's his old 2nd edition stats. http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/planescapetorment/companions/image s/mortestats.jpg
Looks like you hit the nail on the head. I figure Charisma is going to have to stand-in for his 2nd edition constitution, since undead don't have constitution. Plus I want to use the taunt feat to do his insult ability, and that's charisma based.
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12 points and the new stats puts the total at 17. I'm going to add Skeletal Damage Reduction (DR 5/Bludgeoning, 2 points) and Spell Resistance, lesser (Spell resistance 6+level, 2 points) Morte had some crazy good cold resistance, but you can only get elemental resistance if you're from that plane. Oh well. I'm removing the language penalty, and Morte is looking good at an even 20 points!
EDIT: Just realized that RAW Morte's bite deals only 1d2 (Tiny). He's got a medium sized mouth though, I'll try to get my GM to houserule it to 1d4.
EDIT2: Buying armor is fun. I don't even understand how you can wear an agile breastplate as a floating skull. Ah, more stuff for my GM to figure out. Also it seems like armor should be pretty cheap given I'm just wearing a helmet.
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I think the only items he can wear are enchanted teeth, some headgear and a helmet.
As a GM I would be more favourable to allow him as a special familiar than a PC, as his limitations make him hardly suitable as a permanent character. Maybe you can change him and make him a spellcaster instead of a fighter. Morte as a cackling witch :)
I always considered Morte a sapient/awakened version of severed head. I think that screaming variant would be ok, reflavoring the scream to cackle/taunting.