I've tried creating a balanced PC Gnoll race for D&D 5e and built a fighter around it. Could anyone check it out to see if might be unbalanced or something?
And if it is, please offer me your feedback. I've used Detect Balance as guidance through my homebrewing (the link is below) and my score came out to about 24:
Personally, I don't think that this is balanced. The vulnerability does not balance the resistance, especially as one is common and the other is not. I think that it could do with losing the powerful build, and the ba move.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I understand the bonus action being like the gnoll monster stat block's ability, but I don't understand the resistance/vulnerability being there. This is also fairly close to what was done here. You could give advantage on saving throws for poison/disease instead of the resistance (similar to the example's racial feat).
Yeah. If you drop both the vulnerability and resistance, and also drop the Advantage against being poisoned, and made the Bonus Action thing at most 1ce/Short Rest, or probably Long Rest, then it would be fine.
I might also drop the Str bonus to +1 and give them an Int bonus of +1 kinda like the Triton, but that’s just me.
I have dropped the BA attack after killing an enemy, and replaced the perception advantage to overall proficiency. And I also changed the ASI to +1 in STR and Con, and -1 to INT and dropped the radiant vulnerability.
I have dropped the BA attack after killing an enemy, and replaced the perception advantage to overall proficiency. And I also changed the ASI to +1 in STR and Con, and -1 to INT and dropped the radiant vulnerability.
The minus intelligence was NOT suggested, and generally isn't a good idea.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
Ah, so if I were to change it back it would be fine? I don't like removing many of the other things, as they are things that tie in with their race/lore and removing them would make it less gnoll-like.
Negative ASIs are something to avoid. While they can be used, they only appeared in VGtM and Wizards has revised some of those races since then. I’d just cut that part out.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Please check out my homebrew and give me feedback!
Bonuses: Advantage on Saving throws against Poison and Disease
That is my most updated version. This should keep the core race treats in check, and according to Detect Balance I end up with an Integer Point Value of 27 (which falls in the 20 - 30 margin of "balanced").
After reading this... sorry to say but this is pretty under powered and needs some more work. Here's a few things that I can see right off the bat that should be changed/added in my opinion and sorry if I jump around with how the features are listed, that's just how they came to mind;
Needs an additional +1 ASI - the only race that does not have a +3 asi (or higher) is the kobold, I'd suggest giving the +1 to CON back. There are other exceptions, but you do not have a strong enough feature to warrant only a +2.
Carrion Eater - the advantage to disease is fine, but add advantage to the poison condition too and if you wanted, add the poison resistance there too.
Gnoll's Specialization - Drop acrobatics, and replace it with perception instead.
Languages - I wouldn't even of added the flavor snippet about creatures that know abyssal can understand gnoll... I would either remove that snippet or give them abyssal.
Weapon Training - Add Shortsword, maybe flail, then drop shields and the formatting should be changed so it doesn't look as clunky. Take a look how elves and dwarves did this feature.
Aggressive - Scrap this feature and replace it with the actual Rampage feature that's on almost every gnoll. Rampage is too much of a staple to gnolls to not have that as a feature.
After reading this... sorry to say but this is pretty under powered and needs some more work. Here's a few things that I can see right off the bat that should be changed/added in my opinion and sorry if I jump around with how the features are listed, that's just how they came to mind;
Needs an additional +1 ASI - the only race that does not have a +3 asi (or higher) is the kobold, I'd suggest giving the +1 to CON back. There are other exceptions, but you do not have a strong enough feature to warrant only a +2.
Carrion Eater - the advantage to disease is fine, but add advantage to the poison condition too and if you wanted, add the poison resistance there too.
Gnoll's Specialization - Drop acrobatics, and replace it with perception instead.
Languages - I wouldn't even of added the flavor snippet about creatures that know abyssal can understand gnoll... I would either remove that snippet or give them abyssal.
Weapon Training - Add Shortsword, maybe flail, then drop shields and the formatting should be changed so it doesn't look as clunky. Take a look how elves and dwarves did this feature.
Aggressive - Scrap this feature and replace it with the actual Rampage feature that's on almost every gnoll. Rampage is too much of a staple to gnolls to not have that as a feature.
Hey I love this
Some input: The ASI should be wisdom, gnolls are trackers gnolls don't poison things, they don't use poison, they're good against disease because they presumably eat trash and roll around in filth a lot like hyenas do I would replace weapon training all together with popping a bonus to sound on perception checks in keen senses. It's more generalist and fits the MO
And finally I'd do the training in Survival plus one of the others, but yeah replace the acro with perception
That's my take away, it allows for a creature that's focused on gnoll like behaviors where they do ambushes, live in the wild, hide and hunt but doesn't give them undeserved flavor such as poison resist, and doesn't enforce a weapon style which is fine because a level in a class will get them what they need no matter what.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I've tried creating a balanced PC Gnoll race for D&D 5e and built a fighter around it. Could anyone check it out to see if might be unbalanced or something?
Link to character sheet on Beyond: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/31457297/9PuLLV
And if it is, please offer me your feedback. I've used Detect Balance as guidance through my homebrewing (the link is below) and my score came out to about 24:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vq1kz6PRAbw5LHy6amH-bNb4OuB8DBXL1RsZROt03Sc/edit#gid=0
To sum it up, here are the racial feats I gave the Gnoll.
Ability Score Increase: +2 STR, +1 CON
Languages: Common and Gnoll
Skills: Proficient in Intimidation
Resistance: Poison
Vulnerability: Radiant
Movement: 30 ft
Senses: 60ft darkvision
Advantage: Perception checks that rely on smell (must have smelled it in order to gain this bonus)
Natural Weapon: Bite 1d6 + STR (action)
Size: Medium + Powerful Build
Bonuses: Advantage on Saving throws against Poison and Disease
After bringing an enemy down to 0 HP, you can use your BA to move 10 ft and make a Bite attack
Personally, I don't think that this is balanced. The vulnerability does not balance the resistance, especially as one is common and the other is not. I think that it could do with losing the powerful build, and the ba move.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
I understand the bonus action being like the gnoll monster stat block's ability, but I don't understand the resistance/vulnerability being there. This is also fairly close to what was done here. You could give advantage on saving throws for poison/disease instead of the resistance (similar to the example's racial feat).
Yeah. If you drop both the vulnerability and resistance, and also drop the Advantage against being poisoned, and made the Bonus Action thing at most 1ce/Short Rest, or probably Long Rest, then it would be fine.
I might also drop the Str bonus to +1 and give them an Int bonus of +1 kinda like the Triton, but that’s just me.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I have dropped the BA attack after killing an enemy, and replaced the perception advantage to overall proficiency. And I also changed the ASI to +1 in STR and Con, and -1 to INT and dropped the radiant vulnerability.
The minus intelligence was NOT suggested, and generally isn't a good idea.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Ah, so if I were to change it back it would be fine? I don't like removing many of the other things, as they are things that tie in with their race/lore and removing them would make it less gnoll-like.
Negative ASIs are something to avoid. While they can be used, they only appeared in VGtM and Wizards has revised some of those races since then. I’d just cut that part out.
Please check out my homebrew and give me feedback!
Subclasses | Races | Spells | Magic Items | Monsters | Feats | Backgrounds
I said +1 Int, not minus one. They are wily after all.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I could see wisdom though. Imagine a gnoll druid, or ranger. I think it makes more sense (to me.....)
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Ability Score Increase: +1 STR, +1 CON
Languages: Common and Gnoll
Skills: Proficient in Intimidation and Perception
Resistance: Poison
Movement: 30 ft
Senses: 60ft darkvision
Natural Weapon: Bite 1d6 + STR (action)
Size: Medium + Powerful Build
Bonuses: Advantage on Saving throws against Poison and Disease
That is my most updated version. This should keep the core race treats in check, and according to Detect Balance I end up with an Integer Point Value of 27 (which falls in the 20 - 30 margin of "balanced").
I think you should add +1 either to Int/Wis/Dex, either one of it.
I think "Resistance: Poison" and "Bonuses: Advantage on Saving throws against Poison" should be one feature.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/441697-gnoll-race-soul-of-the-hyena
After reading this... sorry to say but this is pretty under powered and needs some more work. Here's a few things that I can see right off the bat that should be changed/added in my opinion and sorry if I jump around with how the features are listed, that's just how they came to mind;
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Homebrewery
To see my more recent homebrew creations, please check out my content on Hombrewery.
Hey I love this
Some input:
The ASI should be wisdom, gnolls are trackers
gnolls don't poison things, they don't use poison, they're good against disease because they presumably eat trash and roll around in filth a lot like hyenas do
I would replace weapon training all together with popping a bonus to sound on perception checks in keen senses. It's more generalist and fits the MO
And finally I'd do the training in Survival plus one of the others, but yeah replace the acro with perception
That's my take away, it allows for a creature that's focused on gnoll like behaviors where they do ambushes, live in the wild, hide and hunt but doesn't give them undeserved flavor such as poison resist, and doesn't enforce a weapon style which is fine because a level in a class will get them what they need no matter what.