[DF] Stating up Centaurs

[chandley]

Edit: I have put a release candidate out in this thread here.

Okay, I wasnt satisfied with the Centaur in Banestorm, not because its a bad template, but because it assigns a ST of 18 to the whole Centaur, making its horse side a little light on ST, and its human side really strong.

Not that I have a problem with really strong human side Centaur, except that Id prefer it come from the Barbarian template, rather than the racial template.

Anyway. I had an idea to stat em out like this. Let me know if this flies in your opinion, or if you have a better way.


Attribute Modifiers: ST +1 [9]*.
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Move +1 [5].
Advantages: Claws (Hooves) [3]; Enhanced Move (Ground) x2 [20]; Extra Legs (4 legs) [5]; ST +10 (Size -10%; NFM -40%) [50];
Disadvantages: Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10]; Extra Vitals (Horse Torso) [-5];
Quirks: Compulsive Carousing; Finds the trappings of domesticated horses (saddles, harness, stables) offensive [-2].
Features: SM +1 (2 hexes); Only human head, neck, arm, and torso armor is interchangeable with other humanoids (and armor is bought at SM 0). Horse armor is interchangeable with other horse armor (though their caprisons will not protect a normal horses neck, and a normal horses caprison will have to be folded back a bit. Horse armor is already sized for SM +1). ST is split, the +10 ST with No Fine Manipulators applies to encumbrance, kicking, slam damage, and any other action they could do primarily with their horse body. Their normal ST applies to their human torso, including its arms (and the arms crippling threshold), and would be used for weapon min ST and damage, punching, wrestling with their arms, etc. Centaurs require 2x the rations of a human.

* -10% for SM +1

Power Ups:
Stats: Increase ST as human torso ST (to +1 over any class limit), horse ST is always +10 over that.


Note: Their caprison weighs 450% instead of 500%, as it doesnt include the Neck coverage a normal horse caprison would. I have some background text that I have written up, Ill include it in the full write up when I have something I like.

So the idea here is that their human torso is ST 11 by default, and their human arms swing with ST 11, and take 6 HPs to cripple. Meanwhile, their horse body is ST 21, they carry loads like they are ST 21, Slam as HP 21, legs take 11 hps to cripple, etc. Thats the effect I want anyway, but Ill admit putting NFM -40% on only part of their ST is eyebrow raising. I did something similar with Elephants though, as I am really not a fan of the Weak Arm limitation, especially when applied to your "original arms", rather than just making a third arm somewhat cheaper. You pay full price for your ST, but can only exert 1/4 or 1/2 of it with a manipulator, and you get all of 5 points back for that? No thanks.

Another option, though, might be to buy ST up to 21 normally (no NFM), and then buy down Arm ST at -5 points per level. Arm ST doesnt NORMALLY modify HPs to cripple, but per RPK's analysis, its priced as if it should, so it would make it a feature to do so here. So thats another possibility, and is cheaper (in this instance) to boot.

There a third way? Thoughts?

Thanks.