Four-Armed Warforged?

[u/gfunk_forever]

I’ve been dming for a few years now but I haven’t really altered a race before and for my next project, one of my players wants to be a warforged (5.5e version) with four arms. My general idea is to give them the Secondary Arms from the Thri-Kreen. I guess my question is how would you do it? Would it be tooooo op? If it is op, what’s the right call to make? Should I give little buffs to my other players so they’re all at the same range? Thanks in advance, friends!

[u/iwishtogetitall]

I don’t think four arms are that much OP to even care about that.

If you want to balance this out, I’ll just suggest remove +1 AC bonus. It’s small change, but sounds a bit more fair that your warforged is trading defense for the sake of utility.

[u/stormscape10x → u/iwishtogetitall]

I like this idea. The other option would be asking them if they'd rather upgrade to four arms in game and seek them out. It's an easy early game upgrade.

[u/BigMacDaddy73 → u/iwishtogetitall]

I think this is fair since giving extra arms is effectively a +2 to +5 AC increase since you can equip a shield in many conditions that are difficult when you only have two hands - multiple light weapons, wands, ammunition property, etc...

I don't think this is broken. You can do most of this with already with weapon juggling but that causes major headaches for tracking what is in hand and looks dumb in my imagination.

[u/Urbanyeti0]

Are you removing another Warforged feature? Or just giving them another benefit?

Yes take the rules for Thri-Kreen, especially about the limitations of those secondary arms

If it’s just an extra boost then yes I’d give the other players a similar useful but not broken ability from another class

[u/menage_a_mallard]

If you're adding something... remove something of equal "weight" and call it good. Alternatively, you could make the "secondary arms" a feat instead, and have them take it at 4th level. (With the added +1 to strength or dexterity as the partial ASI.)

[u/Earthhorn90 → u/menage_a_mallard]

Origin Feature would be just as possible.

Unusual Physique

Choose a species other than your own. You gain one of their traits at the DM's discretion.

Ultimately the DM can always grant this free powerup in the first place, but this way it becomes codified.

[u/Calum_M]

Sure, you can do that, if you agree to a fair trade, your character will get the following Thri Kreen species feature.

• Secondary Arms. You have two slightly smaller secondary arms below your primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

That is it. No special advantage on grapples or whatever, no getting around the crossbow loading feature or any other exploits.

Which Warforged species feature will you trade for it?

[u/GnorleyGight]

I'd just use the thri kreen rules and say the creature was warforged.

[u/Antedodoguemon]

Just re-skin a thri-kreen. No need to homebrew anything.

[u/BigMacDaddy73]

There is at least one class that lets you get [an] extra arm(s) - Biomancy Wizard (I think). Also there are a few classes that have natural weapons of some type that are basically hands free - like Armorer or Parasite Warlock. This can also be flavored as an extra arm holding a weapon or something. Just to give a couple of other options.

[u/Sir_CriticalPanda]

You can just have them use thri-kreen stats and swap the creature type to Humanoid (or whatever Warforged are in 5.5e)

[u/Environmental_Ad6305]

Make them earn it through gameplay.

It’s not an excessive modification, but it’s something that can generate gameplay opportunities.

Furthermore, I believe it offers several advantages:

1) It keeps the Warforged race consistent, without immediate exceptions.

2) It creates a narrative thread that might engage the character—unless they were simply looking for a bonus (in which case, disregard this).

3) If they succeed, the character becomes a unique Warforged, which is far more fun and satisfying than simply starting out that way.

[u/Quick-Bad]

Hello there!

[u/lVlarshmallow → u/Quick-Bad]

Undeserved hate, My goat shall not be slandered and he is shorter than we expected

[u/Meodrome]

Could make them use their origin feat on it. And then use the Thri-kreen rules for the arms. This can make up for the fact they could hold 2 light weapons, a shield, and have a hand free for casting.

[u/mrsnowplow]

i wouldnt

thri kreen exists why take what makes them special away. i struggle with giving features that exist in other forms to people. it feelsl ike giving a fighter sneak attack because they want to be sneaky. gets them what they want without having to make a choice... something 5e lacks anyway

4 arms is 100% going to get abused. maybe not even on purpose. id not let a player do it unless there were rules like thri kreen rules for it. otherwise youll have a character dual wielding great swords or some other crazy combo or some other crazy thing. i think youll regret it if it isnt carefully monitors