Rough Outline of a Race Idea: Sizeshifters

[Lubaf]

So, I had an idea for a race, and I'd like to hear if it's worth developing. The idea: Sizeshifters.

The Sizeshifter starts out with two racial abilities: Grow, and Shrink, which do exactly what they sound like.

The racial tree would consist of, in order:

• Sizeshift Regeneration, which governs how frequently you can Grow or Shrink.
• Shrink Mastery, which governs how much benefit you get for being smaller than normal.
• Grow Mastery, which governs how much benefit you get for being larger than normal.
• Size Mastery, which reduces how much penalty you receive for being big or small.

You'd be able to be three sizes:

• Small which gives benefits to speed, accuracy, and dodging, at the cost of whatever Big gives benefits to.
• Medium which gives no benefits, but no penalties either.
• Big which gives benefits to damage, health, and encumbrance, at the cost of whatever Small gives benefits to.

(Maybe current size also effects stat bonuses?)

For the moment, I'm ignoring lore. I'd suggest having them start out in the Thalore area, as a allied race similar to the Ogres.

Is this a good idea and worth developing? Or a bad one that should be thrown away?

Thanks
Luc "Fun Sized" French

[HousePet]

I think that 4 talents for that ability is a bit expensive. Could be worth adding in something else to make it more interesting flavourwise and mechanically.

[Lubaf]

This is only the rough outline. Feel free to make a suggestion for something else they could do, so long as it remains a passive--Grow and Shrink still take up both Racial Active slots.

Thanks
Luc "Subtly Obvious" French

[Radon26]

"two abilities that make you grow or shrink"

or... how about a sustain, that bakes you bigger when activated, and smaller when deactivated.

lvl1 - off -1 on +2
lvl2 - off -1 on +3
lvl3 - off -1 on +3
lvl4 - off -1 on +4
lvl5 - off -2 on +5

just a note "on" doesn't mean +value instead of -value, it is added AFTER the - value.
so, normally, you are 1 size less than "normal", and when you activate in you grow the number of sizes equal to the "on".

although, (not counting undead) there is a tradition of t1=active, so it might be a timed effect instead of a sustain.
also, the duration could scale with physical save.

[Zonk]

I don't like to be negative, but I don't see the 'point' of the race.
They're all about size because...?

I'm not talking (just) about the lack lore, rather I don't get what this would add to the game compared to reworking size mechanics for everyone so it matters more.

Contrast with Ogres, who are big and strong, but aren't *only* that: they have their own background and abilities that aren't just about physical might, such as runes.

[Lubaf]

I don't like to be negative, but I don't see the 'point' of the race.
They're all about size because...?

I'm not talking (just) about the lack lore, rather I don't get what this would add to the game compared to reworking size mechanics for everyone so it matters more.

Contrast with Ogres, who are big and strong, but aren't *only* that: they have their own background and abilities that aren't just about physical might, such as runes.

I don't blame you, so I'll expand on my basic idea. The base idea here is a race that has two wildly different "modes", with maybe a in-between phase. To start with, I suggest Big mode does more damage, but is slower, while Small is faster, but does less damage. I want other differences between the "modes", but I'm starting off with those two, just to see if the idea is any good.

I'm interested in if my base idea is mechanically sound. Once I have reassurance on that, I can turn to justification and lore.

If you have another way of having sharply divided "modes" of being (besides "werewolf" or other "werecreature"), I'd be interested in hearing it; the goal here is to have a race that fills a completely different niche to any existing race.

Thanks
Luc "Mimmoths" French

[Zonk]

I get the mechanical part, I'm saying that I don't think it's especially interesting, at least not enough to justify starting with the mechanics and THEN building the background.

As for shifting characters, there have been suggestions but the ones I remember are for classes/talents rather than races- a Wilder class that can turn to animals, a talent tree to let the Wyrmic transform to a dragon....changing form (and inventory) slots seems way more interesting than just changing size to me, and the idea of a race designed specifically about that feels very artificial to me.
I acknowledge this is a matter of personal preference, though.

[Planetus]

I agree that it needs some kind of backstory, some lore behind it.

I also think it's too wide spread for 4 talents. I'd suggest:
T1 - Size Changing (or whatever) - Creates 2 Active talents (Shrink and Grow) which can be used to change your size +-1 from current. Don't know if they should take a turn or be instant, but they have a shared cooldown which reduces as you invest in it.
T2 - Size Mastery - Combines Shrink and Grow Mastery, gives increased benefits for either being larger or smaller.
T3 - ???
T4 - ???

I'd also suggest avoiding the Speed vs Damage mechanic, because they often end up being basically the same mechanic (damage per game turn). Maybe larger is more offensive and can inflict/clear physical status effects, while smaller is more defensive and stealthy/evasive?

[Micbran]

Truly there should be some sort of incentive to switch sizes besides just stats, so a rogue doesn't stay a small size the whole game because that's what is most beneficial. Maybe for the 3rd and 4th talents, adding onto what Planetus suggested, should be like... a heal/bonus regen effect when switching sizes or some immediate powerful bonus, such as move speed boost for going small and a free status cleanse for going big or something.