Talk:Grizzly Bear (4e Race)

OP: Still a work in progress, please do not tamper with this.

 OP: Having trouble with the racial power, could anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Also would like to add a second one, but don't exactly know how.

in order to add a power, one of the best ways is to copy-paste your already existing power and then modify the new one with the required changes.

OP: Thanks, I'll do that. Also, a tiny bit stuck. After adding the Encounter power, I have no idea what to add to Racial Feats, example adventurers etc. Suggestions are open and highly appreciated. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 91.154.56.239 (talk • contribs) 12:32, 31 March 2014 (MDT). Please sign your posts.

For racial feats and powers, look at the racial traits and see how a feat could improve them. But those traits and powers need altering first, see below. You can also look at the class features of the race's favoured classes, and think of a unique way they can be improved through a Grizzly Bear feat.

Okay, the traits. Bearskin Hide rapidly becomes useless by mid-Heroic tier, as the game maths expects you to be wearing some kind of magical armour. It is of most benefit to cloth-wearers like wizards for the duration of Heroic, but the race does not favour those classes, and again becomes useless by Paragon. It is of only barely marginal use to Hide armor classes like the barbarian, losing 1 AC for the benefit of 1 speed. It is useless to classes that use Chainmail or better armor (Warlord, etc).

My advice is to scrap the AC, and have it grant some resistance to Cold damage and Endurance checks made to endure cold weather. Or you could have it do something with temporary hit points.

On All Fours gives this bite attack that is the equivalent of a short sword, and they give up their normal weapon attack for this. This is only of marginal benefit to classes that are only proficient with simple weapons, again non of which are the grizzly's favoured classes. For any other class, this is a detriment, and again by mid-Heroic the character will be giving up attacks with their magical weapon.

It is difficult making a race that is focused on natural weapons and armor, since the whole 4e game is designed around PCs that use equipped weapons and armor. Marasmusine (talk) 06:24, 28 March 2014 (MDT)

OP: Well, the race isn't supposed to focus primarily on the natural weapons and armor. The On All Fours is mainly to increase speed momentarily, but I admit it could use a little tweaking. Cold resistance does sound moderately good, I have to admit, but what do you mean by temporary hit points? How could they be implemented? By using your second wind you gain some or?

Anyhow, as for feats I've been thinking something to improve a Grizzly's grapples. A bear usually fights through them ,so it would seem natural. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 91.154.56.239 (talk • contribs) 12:32, 31 March 2014 (MDT). Please sign your posts.

Temporary hit points are explained in the Player's Handbook, p. 293. Gaining some on a second wind is a possibility, but you could have it keyed on anything. Maybe something like "You gain 2 temporary hit points when an enemy makes an attack roll against your Fortitude. This increases to 5 at 11th level and 8 at 21st level.", or you can have them gain it when they roll for initiative, or if they get hit by cold damage, stuff like that. Marasmusine (talk) 05:40, 31 March 2014 (MDT)

op: Yeah, I know what temp HP is. But the way you suggested they'd be implemented is... Interesting. I might actually go for the "gain on hit on Fortitude" one, it really feels like it could work well for any of the favoured classes. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 91.154.56.239 (talk • contribs) 12:32, 31 March 2014 (MDT). Please sign your posts.

I've changed bear hug a tiny bit:

• Melee 1, not melee touch
• Attack roll is Strength + 2, increasing to +4 and +6 (it is not a weapon or implement attack, so this is the inherent bonus)
• Grab, not grapple.
• Removed martial and unarmed keywords
• Changed secondary attack to vs Fortitude, this is partly for convinience, so the tiered bonuses don't become a complicated mess (it would be Strength + 4 then +6, +8)
• Owner field = "Race" Marasmusine (talk) 18:00, 1 April 2014 (MDT)

OP: Yeah, I like those tweaks. Although, I would like to keep the Extra part: the race already has an At-Will, so I figured an Encounter might be a bit too much. The idea was to always be able to use the Bear Hug instead of another Encounter power.

Do you mean they can only use the bear hug as an encounter-swap-power, or as well as (because I read it as the latter) Marasmusine (talk) 01:53, 2 April 2014 (MDT)

On All Fours is possible as a trait instead of a power: "When you do not hold anything in your hands, your Speed increases by 2." Sheathing a weapon is already a minor action, so this has the same effect. Marasmusine (talk) 01:57, 2 April 2014 (MDT)

OP: I like the idea of On All Fours being a trait. That way Bear Hug could be a separate power instead of a swap like I intended. I like that. Also perhaps a small tweak on Bear Hug: you are considered to be of size Large for purposes of determining what you may grab.

Size only matters for the grab action; A grab as part of a power disregards size. Marasmusine (talk) 05:39, 2 April 2014 (MDT)

OP: Alright, nevermind in that case. OP: Added sample adventurers. Minor tweaks, added first feats. That accidentally rhymed.

OP: Good tweaks from Marasmusine regarding utility power Expert Survivalist, keeping new changes.

Minor tweaks / first feats / I need to discuss how they speaks.

I'm not sure what the difference is between speaking Common, and fooling people into thinking you are speaking Common? Wouldn't it be better just to let them communicate in Common? Also, "bear" isn't a language, so instead you need another trait that reads "You can communicate with Natural or Fey bears" or similar. Marasmusine (talk) 06:23, 4 April 2014 (MDT)

OP: Good rhyme, +cookie. The difference is that the Bear does not actually speak, but instead acts like it is speaking, and the listener's mind fills in the blanks. The whole concept of Grizzly Bear was inspired by the famous free text about Sir Bearington, I suggest you read it to understand it better.

• greentext, damn you autocorrect.

OP: Well, I cannot think of anything to add here. Possibly racial feats and/or utilities, but as for me I think we're done here. I will keep a close eye on this, so please, do suggest changes here. But anyhow, enjoy your bears folks. See you on my next project: Mime.

I can't tell if this is a joke race or not.

If this is an April fools race then all is well, but I honestly can't tell. If it's a joke then it's all fine. But if this is supposed to be used as a proper race then getting temp HP every time your fortitude is attacked is a little bit much. Honestly not that worried though. --Aitharious (talk) 16:28, 22 July 2016 (MDT)

I think this has to be a April fool's race. No serious campaign would use it. --Redrum 17:57, 12 October 2016 (MDT)