Talk:Arboren (5e Race)
I am curious about "a plus two to one other skill of your choice" in the ability score increase panel. Do you mean ability or skill? If you mean ability, I think that is a little unbalanced and vauge as usually only 3 ability score is given (with the exception of mountain dwarves who think they are so cool with their +2 Str and humans who are jacks of all trades), and where the score is given is usually pretty rigid to describe the race. Just adding 2 to anything does not tell me very much about the Arborens as a race only that they, for some reason or another mutate streanths to suit their needs. If you want to add variability, my suggestion is to add a subrace, so you can further flesh out what kind of race the Arborens are. --Balthazar (talk) 19:02, 8 April 2015 (MDT)
I've got a query too. If they spend all their lives in the forest living with trees, how do they get to be proficient with chakrams and weighted chains? They're made out of metal, so do they have mines, miners, forges and smiths? It doesn't seem to fit. Marasmusine (talk) 01:40, 24 April 2015 (MDT)
If you take into account that Arborens get only three traits instead of the usual four or five that most other races get, it makes some sense to give them an extra ability score increase. This seems particularly true when one of these traits is a less useful version of Mask of the Wild. That said, the answer to the query about the weapon training should probably be fixed by changing their lifestyle. They commune with the trees and nature, but they are born to live like humans and other such races. That might be a good way to explain it. St. Noof 21:12, 07 May 2015 (EDT)
- After conferring with another DM, we've decided on some workarounds. I've gone ahead and made the changes to the main page, and I hope they are acceptable. St. Noof 14:47 09 May 2015 (EDT)
My problem wasn't with the amount of ability scores, it was the fact that the player can choose where to put one of his/her ability scores. Usually this choice is done through subraces and even then it is restricted. Giving them a free point to spend wherever they want isn't much of a game breaker as really, they can fiddle with ability scores at character creation to make any kind of character they want from any race, however, I don't think it makes much sense for the actual story aspect of the race. While humans have been given this treatment before in previous editions because they were a "mailable race" i don't see that applying with Arborens. --Balthazar (talk) 13:32, 10 May 2015 (MDT)
- Understood, but you could say that they have a flexible +1 because of the variety of trees/flowers from which they could originate. That said, if it really doesn't sit well with you, I think a +1 in Constitution would be perfectly acceptable. What do you think of the other changes? St. Noof 16:13 09 May 2015 (EDT)
--I think this is a really cool concept, but I think it should have more tree like features instead of the weapon proficiencies through the dwarven relations thing. I have a few thoughts for these for instance:
1. Flammable- For obvious reasons you have vulnerability to fire damage. 2. Natural Resilience- Your bark like skin and wooden body gives you resistance to poison damage. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and to contracting diseases. 3. Take Root- Due to your woodland ancestry you do not require sleep. Instead you may take 10 mins to sink roots into the ground. This provides you with nutrients and gives you all the benefits provided by sleeping for other races (refreshing your abilities, spellslots, and healing). During this time you are still fully awake and conscious, but you cannot move without taking another 10 mins to uproot yourself. While rooted you also gain tremorsense up to 120ft. You must be able to find a patch ground sufficient to sustain the growth of a tree. If you cannot take root either because you choose not too or because you cannot find a sufficient place, then you must sleep as usual to get the benefits from resting. 4. Self Sustaining- If you took root the night before you attained enough nutrients and moisture from the soil to sustain you. You do not require food, water, or other sustenance for the entire day.
I also had some ideas for Subraces (these would replace the 1 ability point of your choice):
Wise Oak - 1. You were birthed from a wise old oak as your name suggests, his wisdom was passed on to you. Your wisdom score increases by 1. 2. You know the Cantrip Thorn Whip. You can also cast the spell Entangle a number of times per day equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You can also cast Speak With Plants once per day. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Giant Sequoia - 1. You were birthed from the largest and strongest of trees, its strength is your strength. Your strength or constitution increases by 1. 2. Deep Roots- Even the harshest of environments don't deter you. You can use your take root ability in almost any place including but not limited to tundras, rocky or mountainous terrain, and even deserts. Only solid rock, metal, or wood surfaces such as might be found in a cave with a solid rock floor or the wooden floor of a ship can prevent you from using your Take Root ability. 3. Possible size increase maybe.
Let me know what you think or if you have ideas for another subrace. Also maybe you should include some example names.
I like em, it makes me hungry, satisfied and excited in various ways at the same time.
Minor edit report. In the camouflage trait, "Leaves" was spelled as "laves". Error has been fixed. On a side note, I've always been partial to plant or water based races so when I saw this, I couldn't resist clicking on it. Kind of reminds me of Groot from "Guardians of the Galaxy". And who doesn't like the big, verbally limited, guy?--Jacklinkz92 (talk) 17:55, 26 October 2017 (MDT)
I would really appreciate a visual for this.--Beanbird (talk) 20:05, 22 April 2020 (MDT)
Musicus Rating[edit]
ConcealedLight (talk) 03:40, 29 December 2017 (MST)