Spriggans were the more useable alternative though imho, being able to 'pass' as a gnome, but being able to enlarge to ogre level stature. Lots of great 'hulk' moments, good as a barbarian/rogue to stress their temper. @Anduin what do gnomes think about a Spriggan NPC?
As you are aware, Gnomes are overpowered. Spriggans are even more overpowered. Check the stats...
Also... They would have to solo the game. If you played a spriggan, Gorion would let you out of your cage and tell you to run. You would then eat Imoen and head on up to the Friendly Arm to snack on Jaheria and Khalid... And anybody else you'd meet on the way...
There are a few problems I see with my Ettin idea and some of the other ideas some of us have here. For one, an Ettin, like a lot of these monsters, are very large creatures. Aesthetically, they wouldn't fit in well with a normal sized party of adventurers. They would definitely need a magical item of shrinking to fit into the shops, taverns and inns in the city. If it was role played realistically, you would have some serious trouble getting the city guards to not attack you on site, much less give access to the city gates. Even if you can teach these monsters common language and get through the aforementioned problems, there then exists the issue of power level.
I read that it is a very complicated situation when a PC wants to play a monster character in a game since most of them have level modifiers and exp penalties. Needless to say, even a low level Beholder, Ettin, Hill Giant etc. would do some serious damage compared to their non monster race counterparts. Realistically if I had an Ettin in my party at level 1, none of the early encounters in the game would pose much of a threat whatsoever. All the gnolls, kobolds, skeletons and bandits would just get run over and even the mid leveled encounters would theoretically get crushed by just having one of these monsters in your party.
To me, it sounds like a balancing nightmare. Even though it sounds like a ton of fun to have a sentient monster in your party, it would be hard to bring them down to an even playing field with your other normal party members.
Now if we are talking smaller sized monsters similar to the existing races like those listed in the poll, that would definitely seem feasible. Minotaurs, Kobolds, Aviens (birdmen), Orcs, Undead, those all seem like they could with a little work be implemented into the game.
It really kinda sucks that your imagination in a way has to be constrained to smaller sized monsters when thinking about what would work together well with the existing races in the D&D universe. I am sure there is a kid somewhere that would love to play a dragon in their D&D game. I personally think even the most imaginative and skilled DM would have trouble making that adventure work. Unless of course if they have some magic item that gives them the power to shrink down to size and become a mini dragon. Still though, it seems tough to get around those constraints.
I am enjoying hearing everyone's fantasy recruitable monster NPC ideas. You all have really interesting suggestions. )
I'm going to go with 'Other' and interpret it as 'None', because frankly I think Hexxat is already a bit too 'special, shiny, awesome', and too gratified with the uniqueness of a race to compensate for her lack of personality. Equally, I can only imagine that a Sahuagin NPC would be just that: a Sahuagin that follows you round, rather than eventually shutting up and dying after you've had enough of it's remarks about your odd fleshy appearance and inability to breath underwater.
I much prefer taking the conventions of Forgotten Realm lore and seeing what can be done with them. What is it to be a Human Witch from Rasheman in a Foreign Land? How does an Aglarond half-elf deal with the culture shock of living in another land where half-elves are not regarded as equals? What happens when a Cormyrian knight has a crisis of faith and abandons his duty? All of these concepts which deal in the 'original playable races', if you will, seem much more interesting than "uh... we need something different that makes this new installment look daring and unexpected - maybe a half-dragon water nymph that can shapeshift into a gryphon?
Keep it simple; keep it understood; make it sympathetic.
What a great thief he would be. No need for stealth when you can shapeshift in whatever you like.
This is actually EXACTLY what I was thinking when I cast my vote.
I also think it would make an interesting bard choice, since the character could always "look the part". Maybe you could meet him in a quest involving Biff the Understudy or something.
I'm going to go with 'Other' and interpret it as 'None', because frankly I think Hexxat is already a bit too 'special, shiny, awesome', and too gratified with the uniqueness of a race to compensate for her lack of personality. Equally, I can only imagine that a Sahuagin NPC would be just that: a Sahuagin that follows you round, rather than eventually shutting up and dying after you've had enough of it's remarks about your odd fleshy appearance and inability to breath underwater.
Because that's exactly how Viconia the drow, Haer'Dalis the tiefling and Aerie the avariel turned out?
Hell, what about Valen Shadowbreath, or Nathyrra, or Deekin Scalesinger? What about Kaelyn the half-celestial, Gannayev the hagspawn, Okku the bear god? Just because a party member has a unique race doesn't automatically make them shallow; and while Hexxat may be underwritten, the problems with her storyline don't stem from the fact that she's a vampire. (She's not even the first vampire you could have had in your party.)
While I love the idea of kobolds (Mostly thanks to Deekin), I think a gnoll would be my ideal monster party member. Of course I'd take any monstrous creatures, but a gnoll would be my first choice.
@shawne I don't genuinely believe that you don't see the obvious distinction between a Drow/Avariel as a subcategory of Elf, or Tiefling as a subcategory or Human, and a Sahuagin or Gnoll. To that extent, I'm sorry that you feel the need to condescend upon what was entirely my own opinion, and in no way an attack upon the creator of this poll.
@shawne I don't genuinely believe that you don't see the obvious distinction between a Drow/Avariel as a subcategory of Elf, or Tiefling as a subcategory or Human, and a Sahuagin or Gnoll. To that extent, I'm sorry that you feel the need to condescend upon what was entirely my own opinion, and in no way an attack upon the creator of this poll.
Last I checked, pointing out facts isn't considered condescending. D&D CRPGs have a long history of "exceptional" party members - and whatever you may think of her today, Viconia would certainly have been considered "special, shiny, awesome" 16 years ago: not only a drow but a surface drow, not only a surface drow but a surface Sharran drow, and one who maintains her racial bonus of 50% magic resistance to boot?
As for the distinction between subcategories: you were the one who equated vampires and sahuagin by arguing that, since Hexxat's vampirism is meant to "compensate for her lack of personality", a sahuagin NPC would be shallow for those very same reasons. Can't have it both ways...
For those arguing that 'cities will freak!!!', we all visited the Mermaid, right? With the ogre bounty hunter?
There was also the Ogre Magi house, the Iron Throne ogres, various kobolds, etc. And Athkatla is vastly more cosmopolitan. You dtill might get discriminated against though, in both cities.
This minotaur as an NPC reminded me of Might and Magic 8. How I wish that game (and other games in that series) could be enhanced...
In that game you could take minotaur characters, troll characters into your party. You could even take a dragon. Not "dragonborn" or "dragon disciple", the dragon itself.
I've just remembered that whenever I play BG1, I always fantasize about what it would be like to have a sirine as a joinable NPC. Not only are they very CHARMing, but they also are skilled archers and seem to be fairly sturdy too.
I wonder, that nobody found the better easter egg in the game till now. When you go down to the sewers in the slums, and walk around a little, you can found a room with some monster and myconids. Now, here comes the trick: cast freedom before you kills anyone, and with this you free the true soul of the Myconid King in the room. After this, if you choose the proper banter options (i don't want to spoil all your fun), the Myconid King will join you, because it's in your debt.
If your first attempt doesn't succeed, don't be afraid, you must cast the spell on a certain point of the room.
A myconoid would certainly have strange abilities... animate dead, potion brewing, great physical stats, telepathy. And spawning new rings of course, you dirty fungus!
I'm gonna say: orog. Says the 2nd ed. Monstrous Manual: "Elite orcs, or orogs, are a race of great orcs, possibly mixed with ogre blood. Orogs range between 6 and 6½ feet tall. They are highly disciplined warriors and have their own standards and banners which they display prominently -- it is usually easy to tell when orogs are present among common orcs... Orogs can be found at the vanguard of large orc armies" and they may "hire themselves out as mercenaries."
A long while back I also toyed with the idea of a hound archon (lesser angel with bestial features) party member. Canonically they sometimes live on the prime disguised as canine pets for good mortals, so it wouldn't be hard to figure out a plot to make him follow a good CHARNAME. The problem is that PnP celestials, even lesser ones are meant to have ridiculous stats which come at the cost of level adjustment. I've given up on the idea of making this work, but I may as well share my initial idea in case someone more talented than me wants to give it a bash.
I had ideas for stats and abilities, but that's as far as it went.
STR: 18/90 DEX: 14 CON: 18 INT: 12 WIS: 13 CHA: 18 Class: Paladin Abilities: Elemental resistances, infravision, unlimited shapeshifts to dog (+4 DEX, -2 STR, -8 CHA, increased movement rate and AC)
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Removing the rot from the realms whilst preserving all that is good!
Come on! You all have secretly wished you could bring your Mummy with you on an adventure! As you are aware, Gnomes are overpowered. Spriggans are even more overpowered. Check the stats...
http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/mainlistal.pl?name=Spriggan,_Natural_Form
Okay, 3.5 rules but still!
Also... They would have to solo the game. If you played a spriggan, Gorion would let you out of your cage and tell you to run. You would then eat Imoen and head on up to the Friendly Arm to snack on Jaheria and Khalid... And anybody else you'd meet on the way...
I read that it is a very complicated situation when a PC wants to play a monster character in a game since most of them have level modifiers and exp penalties. Needless to say, even a low level Beholder, Ettin, Hill Giant etc. would do some serious damage compared to their non monster race counterparts. Realistically if I had an Ettin in my party at level 1, none of the early encounters in the game would pose much of a threat whatsoever. All the gnolls, kobolds, skeletons and bandits would just get run over and even the mid leveled encounters would theoretically get crushed by just having one of these monsters in your party.
To me, it sounds like a balancing nightmare. Even though it sounds like a ton of fun to have a sentient monster in your party, it would be hard to bring them down to an even playing field with your other normal party members.
Now if we are talking smaller sized monsters similar to the existing races like those listed in the poll, that would definitely seem feasible. Minotaurs, Kobolds, Aviens (birdmen), Orcs, Undead, those all seem like they could with a little work be implemented into the game.
It really kinda sucks that your imagination in a way has to be constrained to smaller sized monsters when thinking about what would work together well with the existing races in the D&D universe. I am sure there is a kid somewhere that would love to play a dragon in their D&D game. I personally think even the most imaginative and skilled DM would have trouble making that adventure work. Unless of course if they have some magic item that gives them the power to shrink down to size and become a mini dragon. Still though, it seems tough to get around those constraints.
I am enjoying hearing everyone's fantasy recruitable monster NPC ideas. You all have really interesting suggestions.
I much prefer taking the conventions of Forgotten Realm lore and seeing what can be done with them. What is it to be a Human Witch from Rasheman in a Foreign Land? How does an Aglarond half-elf deal with the culture shock of living in another land where half-elves are not regarded as equals? What happens when a Cormyrian knight has a crisis of faith and abandons his duty? All of these concepts which deal in the 'original playable races', if you will, seem much more interesting than "uh... we need something different that makes this new installment look daring and unexpected - maybe a half-dragon water nymph that can shapeshift into a gryphon?
Keep it simple; keep it understood; make it sympathetic.
I also think it would make an interesting bard choice, since the character could always "look the part". Maybe you could meet him in a quest involving Biff the Understudy or something.
As for the distinction between subcategories: you were the one who equated vampires and sahuagin by arguing that, since Hexxat's vampirism is meant to "compensate for her lack of personality", a sahuagin NPC would be shallow for those very same reasons. Can't have it both ways...
There was also the Ogre Magi house, the Iron Throne ogres, various kobolds, etc. And Athkatla is vastly more cosmopolitan. You dtill might get discriminated against though, in both cities.
In that game you could take minotaur characters, troll characters into your party. You could even take a dragon. Not "dragonborn" or "dragon disciple", the dragon itself.
Str - 14
Dext - 18
Con - 12
Int - 14
Wisd - 14
Char - 20
If your first attempt doesn't succeed, don't be afraid, you must cast the spell on a certain point of the room.
This is totally legit, honest. Just keep trying!
A myconoid would certainly have strange abilities... animate dead, potion brewing, great physical stats, telepathy. And spawning new rings of course, you dirty fungus!
COPYRIGHT IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
"Me crush you! CRUSH YOU TO GOO!"
Ladies these days... We should better watch out:)
I had ideas for stats and abilities, but that's as far as it went.
STR: 18/90
DEX: 14
CON: 18
INT: 12
WIS: 13
CHA: 18
Class: Paladin
Abilities: Elemental resistances, infravision, unlimited shapeshifts to dog (+4 DEX, -2 STR, -8 CHA, increased movement rate and AC)
I'm famous?
I leave for a week and this happens!