My setting has a particular type of human (the Valhir) with a culture based heavily on the Norse mythology. As an option, I wanted to provide a "subrace" trait, more common in females than males, and rooted in said culture and mythos.
The trait is as follows, is based on the War Blessing from the Warpriest (which isn't used in the game, so gutting it for ideas isn't an issue):
Valkyr (Valhir Racial Subtype)
Choose the Slain (Su) A valkyr can draw the soul from a newly dead body and store it in her weapon (typically a sword or spear). This functions as soul bind, but the dead creature must be willing to have its soul taken. If the creature is unwilling, this ability has no effect. A valkyr may store no more than one soul at a time. After 24 hours, the soul is released to its final resting place. During this 24 hour period, a valkyr may call upon the spirit to grant her a battle blessing, which lasts for 1 minute. Each round at the start of her turn, she can select one of the following bonuses: +10 feet to base land speed, +1 dodge bonus to AC, +1 insight bonus on attack rolls, or a +1 luck bonus on saving throws.
This trait is only an option based on a roll of the dice: 25% chance for females (16 or higher on 1d20), 5% (natural 20) chance for males.
The issue I'm having is one of RP cost. It's very versatile, luck-based to get it, relies on GM arbitration (willingness of the deceased), and usable once every 24 hours. I'm leaning toward 3-4 RP for the "exchange rate" on the trait.
Thoughts?
Bump.
Very interesting, but have you considered making it a feat or class ability?
Very interesting, but have you considered making it a feat or class ability?
I second this. Sounds interesting, and is a neat Viking-esque touch, but really feels like something that would work better as a feat.
Thanks for the responses. I'd actually forgotten about this thread, to tell you the truth. I tend to bump things once or twice and if no interest is shown, let it drop.
I hadn't really given in much (if any) thought about using it as a feat, which it could certainly work as. I am thinking it could still work as the percent chance to gain as a trait (free of charge), but also set up as a racial feat, now that you mention it so that someone could still play the concept.
Thoughts?
Thanks for the responses. I'd actually forgotten about this thread, to tell you the truth. I tend to bump things once or twice and if no interest is shown, let it drop.
I hadn't really given in much (if any) thought about using it as a feat, which it could certainly work as. I am thinking it could still work as the percent chance to gain as a trait (free of charge), but also set up as a racial feat, now that you mention it so that someone could still play the concept.
Thoughts?
They're a human variant, right? Do they still get a bonus feat, like other humans? If so someone who wants to play the concept already has the means to get a feat that reflects it.
If you do want to make it a sub variant of the race, then don't make it based on a percentage roll, just allow it to be choosable option, that replaces one of the other traits (like the bonus feat -essentially accomplishing the same thing as making it into a feat). Do any other races in your setting get a percentage chance to gain extra benefits? If not this one ought not to either.
They're a human variant, right? Do they still get a bonus feat, like other humans? If so someone who wants to play the concept already has the means to get a feat that reflects it.
If you do want to make it a sub variant of the race, then don't make it based on a percentage roll, just allow it to be choosable option, that replaces one of the other traits (like the bonus feat -essentially accomplishing the same thing as making it into a feat). Do any other races in your setting get a percentage chance to gain extra benefits? If not this one ought not to either.
Yeah, they're a human variant and I believe I have some alternate racial traits to reflect it, which are restricted to the particular culture. You've got some good points there that I need to consider.
As far as percentage rolls for other races, almost every race has some form of this. The lolthari, my version of the Drow, have a percent chance to gain a benefit called "widow" which show them as favored of their goddess; think of it as four spider legs erupting from the center of their backs which give them a low climb speed.
Additionally, my lolthari are all albino, and while working on them, I found reference to a subterranean worm which, upon contact with sunlight, can spontaneously adapt, ie their skin changes to black; using this as a basis, lolthari have a 1 in 20 chance on first contact with sunlight of gaining this trait, which reduces their dark vision and removes the light blindness trait. In keeping with the worm-premise, it is only checked for once on first contact.
Hope that explains some of the weirdness of my post.=)
Maybe you should consider changing this ability to a human alternate trait that replaced (skilled) or available as a human exclusive feat (only available at lvl 1 for female humans, or both sexes).
And maybe consider adjusting it to a will save to negate vs unwilling souls (need to overcome Humans HD + WIS)? 1/day. Duration (1/2 souls HD) hours, minimum 0. This prevents farming rat souls.
And traditionally in pathfinder, any creature killed with a death effect cannot have their soul manipulated without a wish or similar spell assisting.
Maybe have a lvl 10 bonus feat. Prereq: Choose the Slain
Cleanse the Slain: A Valkyr may absorb the soul of a creature slain by a death effect (will negates). Lich souls captured this way delay the lich's phylactery from regenerating it by an additional 24 hours.
Souls absorbed this way cannot be further affected by spells until it is released.
It is a neat concept, the percent chance seems unnecessary unless other races have one as well.
Yeah, they're a human variant and I believe I have some alternate racial traits to reflect it, which are restricted to the particular culture. You've got some good points there that I need to consider.As far as percentage rolls for other races, almost every race has some form of this. The lolthari, my version of the Drow, have a percent chance to gain a benefit called "widow" which show them as favored of their goddess; think of it as four spider legs erupting from the center of their backs which give them a low climb speed.
Additionally, my lolthari are all albino, and while working on them, I found reference to a subterranean worm which, upon contact with sunlight, can spontaneously adapt, ie their skin changes to black; using this as a basis, lolthari have a 1 in 20 chance on first contact with sunlight of gaining this trait, which reduces their dark vision and removes the light blindness trait. In keeping with the worm-premise, it is only checked for once on first contact.
Hope that explains some of the weirdness of my post.=)
Oh, well if it's a part of your design philosophy, that's fine then. So long as it's an internally consistent approach, go for it.
I did something similar once, when I designed a race of (basically) snow elves. I wrote that 1 out of every 100 was "witch born", having purple eyes and a natural pass without trace (tundra only) instead of the archery and hunting bonuses that the regular ones got. Instead of having someone roll randomly to see if they could play one, it was available as an option, but had in game restrictions. In their society, witch elves were taken from their parents after birth and trained in the ways of magic, so a player could choose to play one, but had to choose a full caster class to do so. That way, if they wanted to play the concept it was their choice, rather than the whim of the dice.
I really like the save for unwilling bit, Guardian. I think that will definitely work out.
The witch born are a pretty neat idea, too, Scythia. I think I will drop most, if not all of the percentage chances.
I think what I'll do is add it as a racial feat which is selectable via the Race Point progression I use. As part of the level dependent benefits, each character gains "bonus race points" at certain levels which can be used to buy racial feats. The higher the point value of a starting race (a judgment call on practical power level as well) determines how many points they get over the course of their career (slow is 1 at even levels, fast is 1 every level).