DF - GM Help needed re: Pixies

[Agurpsplayer]

First time GMing DF.

I'm going to be starting a DF Game soon and I think one of my players will want to play a Pixie. With just 1 hp I don't see how they will have a chance of survival. First time an AOE spell hits they are likely to die outright. They will likely play a Pixie Cleric.

In my mind, I'm thinking that (about) 7 hp would be as low as I want to see a PC go. I don't see how to get a Pixie that high in the current rules.

Is there any downside to making a house rule that Pixies can buy extra health?

Am I missing something in the rules? What can I do to make it more fair for a Pixie character?

[Refplace]

Special Exercise Perk costs 1 per level you want to buy an attribute up by.
Also Aerobatic Dodge and Dive For Cover are good options.
I also recommend Hard to Kill.

[Agurpsplayer]

So a Cleric Pixie with ST7 and HT12 with Special Exercises (HP) could buy their HP up to 24?

"For HP and FP, take Special Exercises (HP can exceed FP by 100%)"

And the cost would be [1] per extra level(Special Exercise) per HP added?

Thanks for the other suggestions.

I also thought about suggesting a Cat Familiar (for some great defense options).

[zoncxs]

Honestly, you should not worry about trying to raise the pixies HP but raising its dodge score. Remember, its already hard to hit with SM-6, Bspd 6.75 and a dodge score of 10. spend 5 points and raise Bspd to 7 making dodge 11.

So to rolls to hit the pixie are at -6, and they have a dodge score of 11, 14 with a retreating dodge, 16 with a successful areobatics dodge.

and on the fact that they should be flying at least 5 yards off the floor, this lets them avoid most AoE attacks since all AoE are limited to 4 yards in height.

[evileeyore]

And lastly, just accept that Pixies tend to get fly swatted. It's what they are best at. :P

[martinl]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

Honestly, you should not worry about trying to raise the pixies HP but raising its dodge score. Remember, its already hard to hit with SM-6, Bspd 6.75 and a dodge score of 10. spend 5 points and raise Bspd to 7 making dodge 11.

So to rolls to hit the pixie are at -6, and they have a dodge score of 11, 14 with a retreating dodge, 16 with a successful areobatics dodge.

and on the fact that they should be flying at least 5 yards off the floor, this lets them avoid most AoE attacks since all AoE are limited to 4 yards in height.

The first time these tactics fail and the pix takes 6+ damage it auto-dies. Get a few HP if you can. Get luck and save it for the dodge fails. Consider another career.

Unless the GM is very forgiving, pixies are a trap.

[zoncxs]

Also note, a Cleric pixie should be no where near the front line fighting. They should well out of reach of any danger. If the pixie PC wants to be up in the fight, then they need to realize they should not be playing a pixie.

I have played several pixies, a thief pixie, wizard pixie, and a barbarian pixie (which was awesome, it was twice the size of a normal pixie, with one arm missing, but could hit you as hard as a ST 15 person).

[zuljita]

Heads up: DFRPG doesn't have Pixies (or most of the advantages that make DF/GURPS pixies go). You probably meant to post over in GURPS.

[Agurpsplayer]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

So to rolls to hit the pixie are at -6, and they have a dodge score of 11, 14 with a retreating dodge, 16 with a successful areobatics dodge.

and on the fact that they should be flying at least 5 yards off the floor, this lets them avoid most AoE attacks since all AoE are limited to 4 yards in height.

Thanks. I didn't realize about the AoE Height. Thanks, everyone, for all the other suggestions too. As the DM I don't want to make a player remake a character every time an NPC throws an AoE - that is no fun as a GM (or for the player). I will use a bit of everything suggested.

Someone commented about Pixies in DF - they are in DF3 - The next level.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

and on the fact that they should be flying at least 5 yards off the floor.

Only if the room is that tall. A lot of dungeon areas, particularly passages, are not, unless they need to hold giant creatures (SM+2 humanoids or SM+4 horizontal creatures will find 4 hexes cramped but can probably cope; SM+3/+5 will probably need higher ceilings).

Also, area effects don't need to be on the ground, though they usually are, and that height limit does not apply to explosions.