While creating a tortle PC I locked in on the idea of modeling it after a leatherback sea turtle, however some of the physical characteristics didn't quite match a straight tortle. Leatherbacks can't withdraw into their shell, for example. So I've created a homebrew variant of a tortle (https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/597747-leatherback-sea-tortle) and am interested in hearing thoughts on whether it is properly balanced versus the standard release tortle.
Heya! Just looked over this, and this looks really good.
I think balance wise, your creation is very fair and not going to overpower anyone at a table. My one caveat is, I actually don't think it goes far enough.
Most races/lineages in D&D offer a thing you do, if that makes sense. For the Tortle, Shell Defense allows the player to make a choice to gain a benefit. Half-Orcs activate a feature when they would normally get downed. The only thing close to this is that the creature can now hold their breath for a long time, which is nice, but not on the same level.
The Leatherback here, while I honestly really like it, doesn't offer something like this. All of the bonuses are passive, so having something that can be activated would be really neat.
I'm not sure what you could add here, as I'm not super familiar with Leatherback Turtles! But I would say add one thing you can do, and either replace the resistance to cold, or keep it and just add one more feature.
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I'd increase the Swim speed to 30, add something along the lines of Emissary of the Sea from the Triton race -
Emissary of the Sea
Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that live in the water. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.
and add a spell or two - again, take a look at the Triton race for inspiration.
I've been thinking of a Snapping Turtle variant, so I'll be curious to see what you come up with.
I would change the swim speed to 30 feet. I would also change Aquatic Resilience from having advantage on saves against cold to just resistance. I'm pretty sure the weather stuff says that creatures resistant to cold automatically save. I would increase the holding breath to be amphibious (can breathe air and water) or base it off of con mod somehow.
I nerfed it to 25' as a way of trying to balance the race because I was worried maybe I'd made it too good. It also tracks with IRL turtles being slow on land and aren't actually very fast swimmers, I don't think. This is a fantasy game though, so I'm obviously not making a turtle simulator - some things can be ignored. :D
I'll have to look into the auto-save with resistance thing. I'd think you'd still need to roll a save in cases where the damage is negated with a success, right? I modeled it after Dwarven Resilience, FWIW. Just resistance would be in line with triton's racial, so reducing this ability might better balance things if need be.
Regarding the breathing water based on con mod, I like the idea. Actual leatherback sea turtles don't actually breath water, so that's why I carried over the Hold Breath ability but extended it. Maybe something like "can hold your breath for one hour plus one per con modifier".
hours = 1 + con mod aligns with the normal rules of minutes = 1 + con mod pretty well. As for the cold effect, I was talking about environmental effects like the ones at the end of Tasha's and in Icewind Dale. If you want it to affect spells like ice storm you could have it say "you gain resistance to cold damage and have advantage on saving throws against spells and effects that deal cold damage." Of course, it would leave out sleet storm because it doesn't deal damage. Saves against cold is very general, but that can be a problem. If its just you (or a friend) using it, saves against "cold" is fine.
While creating a tortle PC I locked in on the idea of modeling it after a leatherback sea turtle, however some of the physical characteristics didn't quite match a straight tortle. Leatherbacks can't withdraw into their shell, for example. So I've created a homebrew variant of a tortle (https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/597747-leatherback-sea-tortle) and am interested in hearing thoughts on whether it is properly balanced versus the standard release tortle.
Thanks in advance
Heya! Just looked over this, and this looks really good.
I think balance wise, your creation is very fair and not going to overpower anyone at a table. My one caveat is, I actually don't think it goes far enough.
Most races/lineages in D&D offer a thing you do, if that makes sense. For the Tortle, Shell Defense allows the player to make a choice to gain a benefit. Half-Orcs activate a feature when they would normally get downed. The only thing close to this is that the creature can now hold their breath for a long time, which is nice, but not on the same level.
The Leatherback here, while I honestly really like it, doesn't offer something like this. All of the bonuses are passive, so having something that can be activated would be really neat.
I'm not sure what you could add here, as I'm not super familiar with Leatherback Turtles! But I would say add one thing you can do, and either replace the resistance to cold, or keep it and just add one more feature.
Thank you, GGeckos. That's a great point about an activated ability. I'll be giving it some consideration, for sure!
I'd increase the Swim speed to 30, add something along the lines of Emissary of the Sea from the Triton race -
Emissary of the Sea
Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that live in the water. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.
and add a spell or two - again, take a look at the Triton race for inspiration.
I've been thinking of a Snapping Turtle variant, so I'll be curious to see what you come up with.
I would change the swim speed to 30 feet. I would also change Aquatic Resilience from having advantage on saves against cold to just resistance. I'm pretty sure the weather stuff says that creatures resistant to cold automatically save. I would increase the holding breath to be amphibious (can breathe air and water) or base it off of con mod somehow.
Thanks, ClickForRandomName.
I nerfed it to 25' as a way of trying to balance the race because I was worried maybe I'd made it too good. It also tracks with IRL turtles being slow on land and aren't actually very fast swimmers, I don't think. This is a fantasy game though, so I'm obviously not making a turtle simulator - some things can be ignored. :D
I'll have to look into the auto-save with resistance thing. I'd think you'd still need to roll a save in cases where the damage is negated with a success, right? I modeled it after Dwarven Resilience, FWIW. Just resistance would be in line with triton's racial, so reducing this ability might better balance things if need be.
Regarding the breathing water based on con mod, I like the idea. Actual leatherback sea turtles don't actually breath water, so that's why I carried over the Hold Breath ability but extended it. Maybe something like "can hold your breath for one hour plus one per con modifier".
Food for thought. Thanks again!
Thanks, Bishop69. I'll consider something like that, for sure.
hours = 1 + con mod aligns with the normal rules of minutes = 1 + con mod pretty well. As for the cold effect, I was talking about environmental effects like the ones at the end of Tasha's and in Icewind Dale. If you want it to affect spells like ice storm you could have it say "you gain resistance to cold damage and have advantage on saving throws against spells and effects that deal cold damage." Of course, it would leave out sleet storm because it doesn't deal damage. Saves against cold is very general, but that can be a problem. If its just you (or a friend) using it, saves against "cold" is fine.
ClickForRandomName, gotcha. Thank you for clarifying.