Dragonlance Fans - Modified version of Hangfire's Kender MOD

[Viz]

Would you be kind enough to check this race out for balance - its the Kender race from Krynn <Dragonlance> modified from Hangfire's plugin since I felt some of it was unbalancing. Thanks!
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Name: Kender
Base Attributes:

Male:
Str - 30
Int - 35
Wil - 40
Agi - 50
Spd - 45
End - 35
Per - 30
Luck -45

Female - same, but -5 endurance, +5 intelligence
(I didn't push any luck any higher because 5 seems enough since they are luckier than other races but +10 might have been unbalancing. I doubt +5 is.)

Total = 310, same as all other races.

Skill racial bonus:

Sneak - +10
Security - +10
Marksman - +5 (from hoopak abilities)
Short Blade - +5
Blunt Weapon - +5 (from skill with hoopak)
Speechcraft - +5 (ability to annoy to such a degree that he may sometimes get his way?)

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Racial abilities:

Natural Slyness (Power)- 60 seconds +15 sneak, once per day
Taunt (Power)- Duration 50, Magnitude 100, once per day
Makeshift Lockpock (Power)- Touch, 50 (same as tower sign)

Immunity to Fear (Ability) - Rally Humanoid, Magnitude 100
Kender Magical Curse (Ability) - Drain Magica, Magnitide 50
i.e. only has half natural magica pool.

(RP Story is that the magical item that teleported the kender imbued him with a temporary magical ability while he is in these lands. However it is not much, thus his small magica pool.)

Height 0.75
Weight 0.85

As I said before, very well suited as natural thieves but difficult to play as a fighter class and very difficult as a mage. The Immunity to Fear ability is just a novelty since flee type spells are not often used by opponents. The three powers are all useful though in certain situations.

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Okay what do you guys think? Basically a very thief orientated race weaker at combat and even worse at magic. Khajits alternatively make more 'tougher' thieves, both in combat and magic versatility, but pure thief is Kender all the way.

P.S If you are a Dragonlance fan and like kenders, do check the models out on this plugin. One or two of the faces ont he model plus topknot look amazingly like a kender - don't think the devs could have done better if they had sought out to make the model themselves

[fable]

To me, the Intelligence seems high--I'd suggest knocking 10 or even 15 off it. Again, and just IMO, *no* race should have an inate spell that opens door or chests (let alone at 50). You've already given 'em +10 to Sneak; a +50 open spell is like free access to tons of cookie jars.

I could *possibly* see a journeyman's lockpick being hidden in their hair upon arrival--that's it. I'd also suggest removing that Slyness power, which actually adds an enormous bonus to Sneak (+15) on top of the +10 bonus they already receive all the time. Unless, of course, you really want to heavily handicap 'em in some other way--a constant drain on fatigue, a 15 Personality (to account for the lousy, suspicious rep of Kenders). Just my POV.

[Viz]

-About the intelligence, you want me to knock 10 or even 15 off a base stat of 35? These are kenders we are talking about right, not some kind of slow orc?

I believe kender were never stupid, actually easily as intelligent as humans (simple friendly people.. don't tell me you thought Caramon was more intelligent than Tas ) but never able to grasp magic in Dragonlance. This is why I placed their int at 35 - with a 50% reduction to their magica pool and with such a low int, he is going to have very little magica anyway (relatively speaking to a good mage race or even a half decent one)?

If I took even 10 of it, it would mean the kender would be more stupid than an orc? :/

Also the total stat number is the same as all the other races so Im not sure why to reduce one of them, especially the stat that is going to be affected heavily by the Kender Magical Curse power?

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About the plus 50 pick lock, I wanted to gauge opinions from as many people as possible so I posted them on other boards. The opinion I got was that 50 pts open is the same as the tower starsign and later on, plus 50 is not going to be anywhere near as good enough to open good locks which is where the security skill comes in. Until then, once per day, he has the equivelent of just the picklock part of the Tower starsign.

I think you misundertood me - its not a spell, but a power. Once per day only right? Still think thats overpowered.. to use a section of a starsign as a racial power?

Also I have mislead you - its open 50 pts on target, not +50. Which means it does not stack with my security skill - it opens for 50 points on target once per day and if the lock is above 50 (as most good are) it simply won't open.

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Slyness is only once per day for 60 secs which will help with movement and pickpocket only, not like camo since activies will break the sneak except pickpocket. I can change it to +10 though for 30 secs...

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The way the kender skills are done is that they give boosts to thief abilities only - The heavy penalty is that he can barely use natural magics due to poor magica pool, is a poor fighter due to his low strength and endurance too. So he will have a tough time in the lands <theres only so far you can go as a good thief but a poor fighter and mage>.

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What do you think? BTW I really appreciate your opinion, grin whats why I posted.. don't want to play with a race people think may be overpowered

So thus, what about if I changed:

Natural Slyness to +10 sneak for 30 seconds? (+5 hardly seems anything but time has been halved)

[fable]

If I took even 10 of it, it would mean the kender would be more stupid than an orc? :/

My main concern is for balance, not AD&Dship. I'd certainly be interested in playing a race that's made for pickpocketing, but not if they also possess average intelligence, a fantastic opening spell, and enough inate sneak-ability to get anywhere. Again, this is *just* my opinion, but you were seeking 'em, so you've got--for what little it's worth.

[smass]

I agree with fable regarding the 50 open spell. You could get that spell simply by choosing the Tower birthsign - it probably shouldn't be a racial bonus.

On the subject of intelligence - I have no problem with your racial defaults. Your total points to all stats is the same as any other race - they are very similar to that of a wood elf overall.

[Viz]

Okay thanks for your help guys. Hey Fable, come on +10 sneak for 30 secs? Its not that much of a boost grin. i was thinking its a small edge for when you want to go somewhere or pickpocket something but not much more? Is it really that overpowered?

But about the makeshift lockpick, nod, Ill have to think on this then

I did tone down the taunt skill though.. you guys didn't touch on it but 100 mag taunt? That will never fail which I think is very powerful if you find a person you want dead in a city for whatever reason near a guard - he will autmoatically attack you and get killed? Changed it down to 75 mag (heck 7.5 out of 10 are likely not to be able to have the willpower to control themselves during a kender onslaughty but hopefully 2.5 out of 10 will. Maybe I am being too optimistic but oh well At least this way, some of the really difficult taunters will resist). Changed name to 'Well Intentioned Opinions' hehe, 75 taunt, 30 secs on target.

Added ability called Inflammable Topknot - 50% weakness to fire and removed +5 to speechcraft. Now I just need to work on a minor skill instead of the makeshift lockpick.

Again thanks, and if you have any ideas do feel free to throw em my way concerning this lovable race

[Viz]

Okay how about this - Makeshift Lockpick is once per day power in the form of a weaker than normal wild fortify security
( random +0 to +15 security, 30 secs, once per day).

Remove +5 speechcraft, changed security from +10 to +15 (all other races have +45 total to skills and so does this kender now).

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Anyway here is the new full profile now, toss me your opinions on balance, really appreciate it (And I really think this is now.. good thief vs bad everything else)

Race: Kender
Attributes:

Male:

Str: 30
Int: 35
Wil: 40
Agi: 50
Spd: 45
End: 35
Per: 30
Luc: 45

Female is -5 willpower, +5 personality

Total = 310, same as all other races

Racial Skill bonuses:

Security +15
Sneak +10
Marksman +5
Blunt Weapon +5
Short Blade +5
Light Armour +5

Total = 45, same as all other races

Racial Abilities/Powers:

Powers (all once per day):

- Makeshift Lockpick - Weak wild fortify security, Random +0 to +15 security for 30 secs

- Natural Slyness - +10 sneak for 40 secs

- Well Intentioned Opinions - 75 magnitude taunt, 60 secs

Ablities (permanent):

- Immune to Fear - self Rally Humanoid, mag 100
i.e. cannot be forced to flee only.

- Kender Magical Curse:
drain magica magnitude 50

- Inflammible Topknot:
weakness to fire, magnitude 50 i.e. 50% weakness to fire

Height - 0.75
Weight - 0.85


Remember, he is a decent thief but not very good at anything else. So I needed to make hima good thief to keep it balanced. And his powers are weak utility generally.

[smass]

Sounds good - you obviously put a lot of thought into this character. It is not overpowered or unbalanced in my opinion - there are a ton of ways to unbalance the game through various cheese tactics that you can find on this very board. IMHO the most important part is to roleplay and have fun. That is why I refuse to power level my abilities or strive to create the uber constant effect item. I have much more fun exploring and playing the game without these pseudo cheese methods - just MHO.

I play a wood elf thief and have had a great time sneaking, stealing, and sniping. Granted, there are a lot of mobs that can kick my **s one on one - but I avoid these situations and resort to tactical solutions to combat. Sounds like your Kender will be a similar kind of character - have fun.

[Viz]

More thought than is healthy grin I learned that I couldn't give him a 50% penalty to his magica pool sigh, tweaked around with a lot of things but finally found out that damage magica mag 1 1 drains him completely of his magica.

With that in mind, that kenders can't use magic anyway except magical enchanted items and potions just like in Dragonlance, I ammended it all once last final time. Check it out

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Race: Kender
Attributes:


Str: 30
Int: 35
Wil: 40
Agi: 50
Spd: 45
End: 30
Per: 30
Luc: 50


Total = 310, same as all other races

Racial Skill bonuses:

Security +15
Sneak +10
Marksman +5
Blunt Weapon +5
Short Blade +5
Light Armour +5

Total = 45, same as all other races

Racial Abilities/Powers:

Powers (all once per day):

- Nimble Fingers - Weak wild fortify security, random between +5 to +15 security- 45 secs

- Natural Slyness - +15 sneak for 45 secs

- Well Intentioned Opinions - 100 magnitude taunt, 60 secs

Ablities (permanent):

- Immune to Fear - self Rally Humanoid, mag 100 i.e. cannot be forced to flee only.

- Kender Magical Curse - damage magica mag 1 1
And This results in no magica pool whatsoever. Kenders simply cannot use magic unless
its an enchanted item or a potion.

- Inflammible Topknot - weakness to fire, mag 50 i.e. 50% weakness to fire

- Delicate Frame - weakness to normal weapons mag 20 i.e. 20% weakness normal weapons

Height - 0.75
Weight - 0.85
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Basically Nimble Fingers and Natural Slyness, especially used together are very powerful from the get go giving great pickpocketing and lockpicking abilities. To counter this he is weak against fire 50%, weak against normal weapons 20% and cannot use magica spells directly.

I think it means he will get into places and grab nice objects faster than most characters but will face a much tougher time fighting and surviving even with the items due to above penalities AND 30/30 str/end. It will definitely be a challenge, but a fun one

Thanks for all your help guys, Ive submitted this to Morrowind Summit Plugins for those that want a kender challenge. *bow*!

Im definitely going to roleplay him to the full, just wanted a balanced char true to Dragonlance and while every has different opinions wanted as nice general survey Think I am going to lay this to rest now and just plug him in and go