Making bullywugs a working PC race

[ravenheart]

A new player in our group decided that he wants to play a bullywug - basically, just because they're frogs.

I want to encourage him to play whatever he wants, but bullywugs really pose a problem. Their racial writeup isn't really PC-friendly in any way, and they lack feat support.

So I'm wondering if anyone have any good suggestions for alternative racial powers/features for bullywugs, and perhaps some supporting feats?

While we're at it, why not look at the needs of other troublesome monster racial write-ups, like the kobold or bladeling.

I'll let someone else start off, too tride to o tyep... *zzZZzZzZZZZzz*

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

You may want to check out the WotC boards. There are a LOT of player created races and variants there.

Seems to me what Bullywugs need is a racial power. Looking at their stat blocks either some kind of croaking or hopping ability would seem to be apropos. The croak would be the easiest, it can be pretty closely modeled on Dragon Breath. Minor action, Close blast 3, Stat vs Fort +3/6/9, d6 + MOD poison damage (2d6 at 21st level). Or it could do just stat mod ongoing poison damage.

Hop would be a bit tougher. It could allow a sort of enhanced charge and/or extra mobility used as a move action.

Croak has another advantage, you can easily adapt all the DB feats that buff it up.

 

[Turtlejay]

AbdulAlhazred has it right. Your best bet is to use other races as your guide. This might be a good opportunity to involve the player. What froglike aspects of his PC does he want to espouse? I wouldn't let him loose on designing the specifics, but understanding what he is trying to get at it might give you some direction.

When I think of frogs, I remember trying to catch the buggers as a kid. Man, they were slippery little quick buggers. I'd give it a power that let it escape doom 1/encounter. Throw off slowed or immobilized and a speed boost. If that seems a little weak, then give them somthing innate to compensate. That is something most races have, two or more defining characteristics. Give him a gimme, like a bonus to Endurance checks to hold his breath. A reach attack with his froglike tongue that pulls or slides. Your imagination really is the limit there.

As for other races? I really like Kobolds, and I don't think the race as written needs any boost. Shifty is good, some might say *too* good. Some feats would be nice. 3.5 Kobolds really fleshed out as mini-dragons, with sorcerers and rogues benefiting from racial feats and racial levels. Their current stats don't really support a Sorcerer, so throwing a couple feats out there to sweeten the deal would be cool. With a +2 dex they seem a natural fit for wild mage, but their Draconic nature makes them a better flavor match for Dragon sorcery. Maybe a feat that lets them take aspects of one or both of those to better match their inherent nature. I'd like a feat that emphasizes Shifty, too. Since it is at-will and a minor action, the feat should be weak. . .how about if they use shifty to gain CA they don't provoke for ranged attacks? Not wild about that one.

Goblins have the same stat boosts as Halflings, so I don't think it is terribly overpowered to open up the Halfling racial feats that are thematically appropriate to Goblins.

Jay

 

[malcolm_n]

Okay, here's what I would suggest . It's what I've offered my players should they decide to use the race.

[sblock=Add the following to the Bullywug write-up found in the MM2.]

Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance
Powerful Leap: When jumping, the bullywug always counts as having a running start. It is not limited by speed when jumping.
Forceful Kick: You have the forceful kick power.

FORCEFUL KICK Bullywug Racial Power
You jump off of the enemy like a springboard.
Encounter *
Minor Action Melee 1
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity +2 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + Strength modifier damage. You can make a jump check as a free action and draw no opportunity attack from the target.
Level 11: +4 bonus
Level 21: +6 bonus, 2d8 + Strength modifier damage
Special: At character creation, choose Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity for the attack. This choice cannot later be changed.

Powerful Kick (bullywug)
Tier: Heroic
Prerequisite: Bullywug race
Benefit: When you hit a target with your Forceful Kick power, the target is knocked prone.

Thick-Skinned (bullywug)
Tier: Heroic
Prerequisite: Bullywug
Benefit: You can use your Constitution modifier to determine your AC when not wearing heavy armor.

Noxious Air (bullywug)
Tier:Paragon
Prerequisite: Bullywug race, Constitution 15
Benefit: Subtract your Constitution modifier from any hit points regained by enemies in your rancid air aura. Enemies do not take damage from a negative result.[/sblock][sblock=Add/change the following from the Kobold Write-up in the MM]Vision: Darkvision
Shifty: You can shift 2 squares as a move action.
Careful Actions: You can use the careful actions encounterpower.

CAREFUL ACTIONS Kobold Racial Power
You watch your back with extreme care.
Encounter *
Minor Action Personal
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, your actions do not trigger immediate actions or draw opportunity attacks.

Sorcerous Kobold [kobold]
Prerequisite: Kobold Sorcerer
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Charisma attacks and damage that adds your Charisma modifier.

Dragonkin Kobold [kobold]
Prerequisite: Kobold race
Benefit: Replace your careful actions racial power with the dragonborn's breath weapon racial power. You can also take dragonborn racial feats.

Covert Master [kobold]
Tier: Epic
Prerequisites: Kobold race
Benefit: You can use your careful actions power as an at-will power.[/sblock]

 

[Tilenas]

A new player in our group decided that he wants to play a bullywug - basically, just because they're frogs.

Good for him! I've always liked them as a race, what with their sluggish, ham-fisted nature and their notorious inability to control summoned monsters. They're kind of the laughing stock of every bestiary, but I like them anyway.

I don't know about their 4e incarnation, but the crunch seems to be pretty bad given the amount of heat they take over here. Good luck fixing that!