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The Lunarri are an enlightened race of being, born from the celestial spark of the moon goddess. Blessed with a long life and an innate power, they were a peaceful and contemplative, who mastered their dinner strength into powerful supernatural abilities.

I am rather unsure whether this race might have a little too much in terms of number of abilities or if the "Subtle Mirage" ability might be too powerful.

  • Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and either your Dexterity or Charisma score increases by 1.
  • Size: Your size is Medium.
  • Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of yourself as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
  • Enlightenment. Your mind is as sharp as steel, granting you advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed and frightened conditions on yourself.
  • Graceful Leap. Your long jump is up to 25 feet and your high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start. In addition, you have resistance to fall damage.
  • Subtle Mirage. Once per turn, when you miss with an attack against a creature, you can make another attack against a different creature that you can see.
  • Languages. You can speak, read and write common and Lunaes.
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    \$\begingroup\$ Is "Subtle Mirage" intended to allow you to move before making the second attack? It would be good to add the clarification either way. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 7:51
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    \$\begingroup\$ Is "Subtle Mirage" intended to trigger off missed Opportunity Attacks, or only on the character's turns? Once again, it would be good to clarify either way. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 9:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ Is "Subtle Mirage" intendet to trigger for range attacks? \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 15:05
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    \$\begingroup\$ Is their 'dinner strength' similar to hobbits and second breakfasts? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jon Custer
    Mar 15 at 21:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ The intention was that it works on all kinds of attacks on your turn. Unsure if movement should be allowed. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 16 at 3:06

5 Answers 5

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Ability Score Increase - not as flexible as races from MPMM, that allow either +2/+1 or three +1 to different stats, but still pretty standard. If playing without rules from TCoE about customisation - options may be a bit confusing - as I'm not sure - for what you may need increases in both Wisdom and Charisma. Though Dexterity and Wisdom are a good choice for a number of classes.

Darkvision - many races have it, but there are still those, who don't, so it's good feature.

Enlightment - many races have saves to one thing or another. Frightened and Charmed is not as often encountered as poison, but still - advantage on some saves is good.

Graceful Leap - normally jump distance relys on Strength. Regular character with maxed Strength can cover 20 feet with a long jump and 8 feet with high jump with a running start and half of it without. Jumping is not that often used, but being creative players can find many usages for such jumps (like jumping over enemies, as rules for long jump say that you can clear a low obstacle - quarter of long jump distance during long jump with DC10 Strength (Athletics) check. And if you can jump to 25 feet, you can cover obstacles of 6.25 feet high. Which is likely enough to jump over medium enemy)

Subtle Mirrage - a very good one ability, bordering op. Requires clarification over several things.

Initially I've thought it as ability that allows to 'retarget' - as there are some class features that allow such thing (Hordebreaker of Hunter Ranger or Sweeping Attack of Battle Master) - though they usually require to hit first target and are aplicable to melee weapon strikes or require targets to be within 5 feet from each other. If any of such limits would have remained - I would say that it's a good ability, somewhat increasing damaging potential, but not greatly. But without limits, it's almost like having advantage on attack, as long as there are enemies within range, including ability to retarget spells that requite to hit target (Guiding Bolt, Melf's Acid Arrow, etc) - which improves spell slot economy. Such reading makes it bordering OP, especially given current wording, that allows to do it every turn, which means that character of this race can enjoy such benefit on their turn and then, when they'd be making opportunity attack at enemy's turn.

But after some discussion in comments and rereading wording of ability once more, I came to conclusion, that it may be intended to give an extra attack if first attack misses - which needs some extra clarification, but implies that if it's an extra attack, one can switch weapons/method of attack and move between them. It is slightly less OP, since it doesn't mess with spell slots economy and if first attack was a spell and missed - slot is still used and following attack can only be regular weapon attack (since spells, even cantrips, have casting time). But in that case it allows better positioning and choice of target - after missing one target with melee attack, some melee-oriented combatant can move to another one to do extra strike there. Or archer can better position themselves to line a shot to a second target. And it also allows extra attack during enemy turns, meaning eatra AoO, if there are two enemies within weapon reach. In that reading - ability is just very good, but not OP, as it doesn't add to resource economy, but allows some chance for extra damage (gets OP with a rogue, since extra attack means extra chance to land sneak attack if first strike missed, but it's just one class, while casting classes don't benefit much from it, thus just very good)

Languages - the only down side of the race - since Lunaes is race-unique language, speaking it would be useful only in specific campaign incorporating this race.

Summary: Very powerful race. Mostly due to Subtle Mirrage, but even if it would be limited somehow (like allowing to do it a number of times, equal to proficiency, restoring uses at long rest) - the race still would be moderately powerful, compared to others, as abilities contributing directly combat are rare.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ On "Subtle Mirage": It's Advantage on 1 attack, provided another enemy is in reach. So not quite as good as full-on Advantage, but still nice. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 7:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MatthieuM. you've asked a right question whether character is allowed to move between attacks affected by subtle mirrage, plus I've just understood that there is no clarification about types of attack if works with - which means that right not it works with spell attacks and allows to retarget missed rays. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sarge
    Mar 15 at 9:25
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    \$\begingroup\$ Missed ray is not a problem I think (it's just one ray), @PeterDinkley thought of missed Opportunity Attacks which would allow a lot more attacks per round, and probably should be squashed of. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 9:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MatthieuM. you get only one opportunity attack and to be able to reroll it with this race you need to fulfill a number of conditions - you need to have 2 enemies next to you, you need one of them to decide to move away for some reason. Or you need to have some complex build (I think I've seen Echo Knight built around opportunity attacks made through Ehco once, but it's quite exotic, imho). At the same time - there are spells that requre hitting enemy or wasting spell slot (and not only rays - things like 'Melf's Acid Arrow' too) - and spell slots are limited resource. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sarge
    Mar 15 at 11:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ You are correct that it's normally 1 Opportunity Attack per round (due to 1 Reaction per round), however you don't need two enemies next to you necessarily: if you can move, if you can throw a weapon in case you missed, or if you can cast a cantrip/spell in case you missed, ... then the second target may be further away. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 13:23
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Pretty busted in my opinion

  • Ability Score Increase: standard and a good choice for some classes.
  • Darkvision. Not all get it so it's a + on power but a little one.
  • Enlightenment. stronger than Fey ancestry because you get advantage on another kind of save.
  • Graceful Leap. this is really good for a mobility build because you can ignore almost all difficult terrain in your turn. You are a better jumper than any normal person with max strength and that all day long. You also get resistance to fall damage witch is really nice to have.
  • Subtle Mirage. this is a bit weaker advantage on your turn if you fight against 2 or more people. But its real strength is when it's not your turn. It also does not specify that you need to use the same weapon. If you have a hand crossbow you don't need two people beside you for it to work. This should be at least "once per round" not "once per turn".
  • Languages a rare language is pretty rarely used so its weaker than normal language proficiency.

Summary

It's a race with some good features but Subtle Mirage makes it busted. If Subtle Mirage would be a once per rest feature it would still be a good race to pick because of its mobility and saves against effects which work good with a Monk or Rogue.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Good point noting that Subtle Mirage allows re-rolling AoO, and this you should probably get reworded to "once on your turn". However, even as currently worded, "once per turn" does NOT give unlimited attacks: if you miss the first AoO, and switch to attacking a second enemy and miss again, it's still the same turn so you don't get to try again. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 7:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ If Subtle Mirage allows switching weapons between attack - then it's not 'retargeting' of the same attack, it's a new attack. Then you can't use cantrip for the second attack, if you've missed AoO - even with War Caster feat - because cantrips have casting time and War Caster allows to use spells only for AoO, not for extra attacks. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sarge
    Mar 15 at 11:10
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It is too strong

The main problem with my opinion is with Subtle Mirage, the way it's currently worded it's basically free advantage on one attack of your choice on your every turn + every opportunity attack (or any other attack that you make with your Reaction on other creature's turn) as long as you're not fighting a single opponent (and single opponent fights tend to be quite rare in standard 5e campaigns). This on its own is extremely strong for a racial feature and your race gets a bunch of other useful stuff on top.

In my opinion this is better than the Lucky feat, which is generally considered to be one of the best feats, while Lucky is a bit more flexible, it's limited to 3 uses per long rest, whereas your ability could potentially be used 2 times every round of every combat. Let's look at Variant Human, the only race that lets you have Lucky as a racial trait, apart from the feat it gets +2 in racial modifiers and a skill proficiency, whereas your race gets +3 and several other features, and that's on top of a feature potentially stronger than a feat.

The other race that gets something comparable is the old Kobold, which has Pack Tactics, look that the kobold also only gets +2 racial increases and it has Sunlight Sensitivity, a moderately strong debuff in most campaigns. I would suggest limiting the use of this to once per short rest OR number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per day, that will bring the power of this race more in line with the official races.

All the other features are ok, they are good but nothing over the top.

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  • Size: Standard.
  • Speed: Standard.
  • Languages. Standard.
  • Darkvision. Pretty standard.
  • Ability Score Increase: Standard. (But to fit with post-Tasha's races, it should be any +2/+1, not set attributes.)
  • Enlightenment. Roughly equal to half-elf.
  • Graceful Leap. Jumping better than Harengon, unlimited times, and resistance to fall damage? Too strong.
  • Subtle Mirage. This is comparable with the 17th level Kensei ability, Unerring Accuracy. Too strong.
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    \$\begingroup\$ The reasoning for your "too strong" comments is off. Just because you can get a 17th-level ability from a specific sub-class does not necessarily mean it's too strong: it has to be judged against the overall package, and in comparison to other races. For example, it's been noted that rerolling 1/turn is slightly weaker than a Variant Human taking one of 3 feats allowing such rerolls -- slightly weaker because Subtle Mirage requires a 2nd foe in sight & close by, making it more circumstantial. This may stilL be too strong, on top of the rest, mind. I am just criticizing the reasoning itself. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 8:01
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    \$\begingroup\$ Subtle Mirage is actually even stronger than Unerring Accuracy as the latter is limited to once per your turn whereas the former is not so it can be also used for opportunity attacks \$\endgroup\$
    – AnnaAG
    Mar 15 at 10:27
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This is about as good as a Variant Human.

Getting to effectively reroll a missed attack 1/turn is about as good as a feat like Sharpshooter or Crossbow Expert or Lucky.

Whether this is fine or not depends on whether or not you think variant human/custom lineage is fine.

The rest of the abilities are pretty inconsequential in comparison and don't meaningfully change the balance point of the race at all.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This race offers a total of +3 to ability scores vs +2 from variant human/custom lineage. \$\endgroup\$
    – Joe
    Mar 15 at 7:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Joe True, but on the other hand the feats mentioned offer more than just rerolling 1 attack/turn, and the race doesn't offer an extra proficiency. So it seems to be roughly in the same ballpark. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 15 at 13:25
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    \$\begingroup\$ -1, the rest of the abilities aren't "pretty inconsequential" at all, darkvision is very useful and variant human doesn't get it, advantage against charm and frightened is also nothing to scoff at, these are conditions that come up often, resistance to fall damage on its own is pretty good and it's something that no other race gets, this is SIGNIFICANTLY better than VHuman \$\endgroup\$
    – AnnaAG
    Mar 16 at 9:06

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