Talk:Kantus (4e Race)

concerning the screech ability, the problem is that its more accurate to what happens in the Gears of war games, the origin of the kantus. Granted, the stunning effect is overpowered for a 1st level character to have, so I can see that happening. Ill edit it to do 1d6+charisma modifier.Jeru Roku

Thanks for looking into it. If inaccuracy is a key theme of the power, then a penalty to hit is OK as long as it keeps with the curve. You might make it +0 at 1st level, +2 at Paragon, +4 at Epic. When official powers have an attack penalty, it's to make a tradeoff in some other area. For example, level 1 Fighter encounter power "Lunging Strike" is -1 to hit, but +1 reach. You've got the critical effect there, perhaps that balances it. Do this and scrap the Miss effect and I think you've got yourself a balanced power!Marasmusine 11:58, 3 January 2012 (MST)

Another thing, there is an at will fighter power that has a miss effect, and After looking up more details in the handbook, there is an encounter power or two that have a miss effect, but i can remove miss. Jeru Roku 9:13 AM, 4 January 2012 (EST)

Yes, there's Reaping Strike, which is sort of the exception that proofs the rule. If you can tell me which the others are, I'm interested to see how they keep things balanced - I admit I might be wrong. Marasmusine 07:39, 4 January 2012 (MST)

Ill have to get back to you. I am currently in Graphics class, and I wont be able to check until after. I am the DM for my schools D&D club, so ill give you an answer around 3:30

Couldn't find any encounter powers that do that, the only reason I still think it should have the miss effect is because of its origin. In Gears of War, the Kantus's screech could rupture eardrums to those not adapted to the sound of it, which explains the deafening until the end of the encounter. The miss should exist solely because of feel, its more like a Kantus would be if the miss still has effect. As a balance to that, I could make it close burst 2 instead of close burst 3 Jeru Roku 9:22 AM, 6 January 2012 (EST)

What you are describing is a Daily power. Marasmusine 14:14, 6 January 2012 (MST)

The other problem with making it a daily power is that in-game, they use it 3 to 4 times and stun you each time you get too close. If you think that it needs to be a daily, then solely for balance, I can change it Jeru Roku

It's been a while since I played GoW - was the Kantus just an enemy, or could a player be one in multiplayer? I ask because monster design is different to player design (for example there are lots of 4e monster at-will powers that deal ongoing damage, for example)

Actually, I'll show you something I've been working on - Ettercap_(4e_Race). The "monster" ettercap has a bite attack that can cause a nasty ongoing condition, and would be quite overpowered for a player. For the player, I took the Spider Bite down to a baseline attack but allow it to be improved through feats and powers - a feat allows the bite to be used twice, and adds a stun condition - A utility power (Virulent Poison, a daily) that triggers when the bite hits and causes ongoing damage.

You might consider this kind of method for the Kantus screech - a baseline encounter power that the player can customize into more effective varieties. What do you think? Marasmusine 15:02, 23 January 2012 (MST)

Wow, its been a while since i was editing this. The Kantus was an enemy starting in Gears of War 2, and had a screech ability since the first encounter. While in beast mode (a multiplayer variant where you play as various locust, such as the beserkers, serapedes and more) the screech was removed to make the class focus on a support role, instead being given the power to heal and revive teammates in various states of injury. I could add feats that allow you to get a second encounter power that gives you a teammate heal ability, but functions like you used the other one, meaning you can only use one or the other once per encounter, unless renewed upon being bloodied. I could also add a paragon tier feat that adds stunning to it, and an epic tier feat that converts it to an at will? Also, Tell me if I need to make any further changes to the rest of the page's info Jeru Roku 12:28 PM, 10 December 2012 (EST)

We are encroaching on class roles. Do you have any thoughts on how this race intersects with class? That is, can you envisage a Kantus taking any of the classes in the PHB? Or is the Kantus itself actually a class role for the Locust? (This appears to be the case, looking at [1]). In which case, Screech would be a class feature or class power (for a Locust Cleric or Monk). Marasmusine (talk) 12:35, 10 December 2012 (MST)