U54 Preview 2: Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazer

[Steelstar]

The Tabaxi Race and Tabaxi Trailblazer Iconic have been added to the game!


Before we start:

• IMPORTANT NOTE: The short turnaround between Preview 1 and 2 meant most of our time was spent on polish and bugfixing. We have not yet done much in the way of feedback adjustments, but we are planning on some before Live. If you gave feedback suggestions in Preview 1, we ARE still looking at those threads, but feel free to reiterate them here.
• Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazers may still have lingering animation issues. If something doesn't look right, don't assume it is intended or already on our radar - please let us know exactly what you were doing, what kind of weapons you were holding, and whether your character was Male or Female!

Here's a short list of some of the things that are new or changed in this Preview 2 build:

• Female Tabaxi now have hair options!
• Some animations on Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazers have been fixed, including visual animation issues, physics issues (such as climbing ladders), and animation speed scaling issues.
• Several Tabaxi and Trailblazer abilities that were meant to grant feats now actually do, including Deflect Arrows, Lucky Cat, and 9 Lives.
• Moved enhancements around in the Tabaxi and Trailblazer trees for thematic order.
• Attune and Wayfinder's Weapons now properly appears in the Trailblazer tree.
• Stealthy now appears in the base Tabaxi tree, replacing Natural Climber. (This is hopefully temporary - we'd still like to replace this, possibly in both trees, due to feedback.)
• Fixed some icons in Tabaxi and Trailblazer cores.
• Fixed the DC listing in Rank 2 and 3 of Trailblazer's Wide Sweep.
• Fixed the tooltip of Wide Sweep to not specifically reference Improved Trip; it now more accurately lists what it does.
• Wide Sweep no longer trips bosses and other usually-untrippable creatures.
• Fast Sprinter now requires Focused Agility.
• Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazers now have advice text in chargen.
• Handwrap attack timing and sounds should now be correct on Tabaxi, Tabaxi Trailblazers, Shifters, and Razorclaw Shifters.
• Special attacks such as Wide Sweep and Drifting Lotus while using a Staff as a Tabaxi Trailblazer should now deal damage and be timed properly.
• Tabaxi's Escape Artist now properly grants Concealment.
• Tabaxi's Deep Scratches now properly deals damage
• Tabaxi's Cat Scratch ability is now labeled as an AOE (it was already acting as one last preview)
• Icons for the Dexterity and Charisma cores in Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazer have been corrected.
• Tabaxi's Land on Your Feet ability now works as intended.

Tabaxi are a base race that starts in Eberron. Resembling cats, Tabaxi are a dexterous race that are light on their feet. Their innate feat allows them to move quickly for a after spending a short time planning their next move. Tabaxi make good Rogues, Monks, and Bards.

Tabaxi Base Stats:

• +2 DEX
• Starting Feat: Feline Agility: After standing still for 6 seconds, when you move again you gain a +30% Action Boost bonus to Movement Speed for 6 seconds.

Tabaxi Racial Past Lives:

• +1 Tumble
  
• +1 Dexterity
  
• +1 Racial AP

Tabaxi Tree:
Cores:

• Core 1: +1% Dodge, +1 Maximum Dexterity Bonus in Light Armor
• Core 2: Multiselector: +1 DEX / +1 CHA
• Core 3: +1% Dodge, +1 Maximum Dexterity Bonus in Light Armor
• Core 4: Multiselector: +1 DEX / +1 CHA
• Core 5: +1% Dodge and Dodge Cap. +1 Maximum Dexterity Bonus in Light Armor

Tier 1:

• Sharp Claws: +1/2/3 to Attack.
• Cat Scratch: Active: +2[W] AOE Melee Attack. 6 second cooldown.
  
  • This is a custom animation - A wide swipe with the offhand. With THF and SWF, you'll hold the melee weapon in just the mainhand. Uses your main hand weapon for damage unless you have an offhand weapon equipped.
  
  
• Acrobatic: +1/2/3 Balance, Jump, and Tumble. +2/4/6 Armor Class while Tumbling.
• Land On Your Feet: You don't take falling damage.
• Sneaky Strikes: +1 Sneak Attack Die

Tier 2:

• Surprise Claws: +1/2/3 to Attack while Flanking.
• Hunt Down: Your Cat Scratch now Hamstrings opponents for 3 seconds, reducing their movement rate by 50%. Some creatures are immune to the Hamstring effect.
• High Places: After falling for at least 1.5 seconds, when you land you gain +2 Critical Hit Confirmation, +2 Critical Hit Damage, and +25% Armor Piercing for 20 seconds.
• Honed Reflexes: You gain the benefits of the Deflect Arrows feat, knocking aside one incoming projectile that would have struck you every 6 seconds.
• Slip Out of Danger: +2/4/6 Saves vs. Traps. Rank 3: You gain +1 to Reflex Saves.

Tier 3:

• Stabby Claws: +1/2/3 to Melee Damage.
• Corner: +1/2/3% Dodge Bypass
• Stealthy: +1/+2/+3 Hide and Move Silently. +20%/+35%/+50% movement speed while sneaking. Rank 3: While centered and Sneaking, your passive ki regeneration is increased by 1.
• Focused Agility: Your Feline Agility now only requires you to stand still for 3 seconds, and lasts for 9 seconds.
• Sneaky Strikes: +1 Sneak Attack Die

Tier 4:

• Feline Versatility:
  
  • Lash Out: +5% Offhand Strike Chance if using a Light Melee Weapon or Rapier in both hands.
  • Rapid Scratch: +3% Doublestrike while Single Weapon Fighting
  • Quick Paw: +3% Doubleshot with Thrown Weapons
  • Vigor: Vigor SLA
  
  
• Deep Scratches: Your Cat Scratch now deals Bane damage to targets it hits that are vulnerable to Bleed. This damage is equal to 1d8 damage +1 damage per Character Level, and scales with Melee Power.
• 9 Lives: You gain Rogue's Defensive Roll feat. (While below 20% HP, there's a chance equal to your Reflex save that attacks do half damage and have their effects negated.)
• Fast Sprinter: Your Feline Agility now grants 50% Action Boost Bonus to Movement Speed and lasts for 18 seconds.
• Lucky Cat: (Req: 9 Lives) You gain Evasion.

-------------------------------------------------------
Tabaxi Trailblazers are Iconics that start in Sharn with one level of Monk. Passed down between generations of Tabaxi, the title of Trailblazer represents this Tabaxi's ability to always find a way forward. Like standard Tabaxi, they can gain the ability to negate falling damage and move with quick bursts of speed. Tabaxi Trailblazers can gain True Seeing and can gain defensive bonuses when they dodge and tumble. They also use their expanded Dexterity to excel with Quarterstaves, gaining offensive bonuses with the weapons and the ability to use them to trip all nearby enemies.

Tabaxi Trailblazer Iconic Base Stats:

• +2 DEX
• Base Feat: Feline Agility: After standing still for 6 seconds, when you move again you gain a +30% Action Boost bonus to Movement Speed for 6 seconds.
• Tabaxi Trailblazers use a unique set of Quarterstaff attack animations!

Tabaxi Trailblazer Iconic Past Life Feat:

• Iconic Past Life Stance: +1 to Trip DCs per stack of this Past Life, up to 3.
• Passive Bonus: +1 to Saving Throws vs. Traps per stack of this Past Life, up to 3.
  
  • (Known Issue: The Iconic Past Life is not working yet, nor does it have the correct in-game text.)

Tabaxi Trailblazer Tree:

(Abilities in Orange are the ones that are different from the base Tabaxi.)
Cores:

• Core 1: +1% Dodge, +2% Dodge Bypass
• Core 2: Multiselector: +1 DEX / +1 CHA
• Core 3: +1% Dodge, +2% Dodge Bypass
• Core 4: Multiselector: +1 DEX / +1 CHA
• Core 5: +1% Dodge and Dodge Cap. +2% Dodge Bypass

Tier 1:

• Sharp Claws: +1/2/3 to Attack.
• Low Blows: +1/2/3 Trip DCs. Doubled if you have a Quarterstaff equipped.
• Acrobatic: +1/2/3 Balance, Jump, and Tumble. +2/4/6 Armor Class while Tumbling.
• Land On Your Feet: You don't take falling damage.
• Sneaky Strikes: +1 Sneak Attack Die

Tier 2:

• Surprise Claws: +1/2/3 to Attack while Flanking.
• Wayfinder's Weapons: Wooden Weapons you are wielding are immune to damage.
• High Places: After falling for at least 1.5 seconds, when you land you gain +2 Critical Hit Confirmation, +2 Critical Hit Damage, and +25% Armor Piercing for 20 seconds.
• Deflect Arrows: You gain the benefits of the Deflect Arrows feat, knocking aside one incoming projectile that would have struck you every 6 seconds.
• Slip Out of Danger: +2/4/6 Saves vs. Traps. Rank 3: You gain +1 to Reflex Saves.

Tier 3:

• Attune: +1 Ki Regeneration on melee attacks, +1 Passive Ki Regeneration
• Great Weapon Aptitude: +5/10/20% Strikethrough (req: Two Handed Fighting)
• Stealthy: +1/+2/+3 Hide and Move Silently. +20%/+35%/+50% movement speed while sneaking. Rank 3: While centered and Sneaking, your passive ki regeneration is increased by 1.
• Focused Agility: Your Feline Agility now only requires you to stand still for 3 seconds, and lasts for 9 seconds.
• Sneaky Strikes: +1 Sneak Attack Die

Tier 4:

• Wide Sweep: Melee Quarterstaff Trip Cleave Attack: +1/3/5[W] to all nearby enemies. Enemies who are hit must make a Balance check (DC 14 + DEX mod + Trip bonuses) or be Tripped for 20 seconds. Shares cooldown with Great Cleave.
• Staff Deflection: While holding a Quarterstaff, when Deflect Arrows triggers you gain a +10% Action Boost bonus to Doublestrike for 6 seconds.
• Cat's Eye: You have True Seeing, which cannot be dispelled from you.
• Fast Sprinter: Your Feline Agility now grants 50% Action Boost Bonus to Movement Speed and lasts for 18 seconds.
• Escape Artist: When you tumble, you gain 25% Incorporeality and 25% Concealment for 20 seconds. This can only trigger once per minute.

[Tianie]

I see no changes to make it good for handwraps, just proves my comments on the last thread.

[Steelstar]

I see no changes to make it good for handwraps, just proves my comments on the last thread.

There are no plans to make it better for Handwraps at this time, sorry.

[KraftLorance]

One of my biggest complaints last preview was that the Eye scar was mandatory. This update has introduced a new character creation slider that gives a bunch of scar options, including having no scar. Thanks for following up with the artists on this, Steelstar!

[salmag]

Only 2 comments, so far.

1. Remove Land On Your Feet from Tier 1. While I agree it is thematic with the class, this is useless. 99.7% (this is just an estimate) of people will have some form of Feather Fall. I would replace it with stealthy from Tier 3. Also, Stealthy should offer "Rank 3: Does not break stealth while using levers, opening doors, etc."

2. Move Cat's Eye to Tier 3, where Stealthy was.

[DYWYPI]

The cosmetic armours in Preview 1 varied quite a bit thus I presume the Tabaxi version wasn't complete at the time (that is the same cosmetic being modelled).

Obviously that Dutch cat Character name managed to slip past the word filters: Stomme poes. ;-)

[Lokeal_The_Flame]

Add skeletal Tabaxis to some of the undead quests
Add Zombie Tabaxis to some of the quests
Make a sarcastic Tabaxi NPC that sarcastically meows at you
Create a quest where Tabaxis are being buttheads in ways that cats are famous for
Catnip jokes

Whatever you do, do not take Tabaxi completely seriously, there is some humor to be had, milk it a little!

[Lokeal_The_Flame]

The cosmetic armours in Preview 1 varied quite a bit thus I presume the Tabaxi version wasn't complete at the time (that is the same cosmetic being modelled).

Obviously that Dutch cat Character name managed to slip past the word filters: Stomme poes. ;-)

[Artos_Fabril]

There are no plans to make it better for Handwraps at this time, sorry.

More importantly, I see nothing that makes it better as a staff-wielding Monk than as a Thief Acrobat, continuing the trend of Iconics being suboptimal to bad at their designated class.

Worse, I see nothing that makes it better better as a staff-wielding Monk in any tree than as a Ninja-spy using any weapon other than Quarterstaff, in which case the non-stacking, tumble-dependent concealment and incorporeality is even less useful that it already was.

[Dandonk]

Special attacks such as Wide Sweep and Drifting Lotus while using a Staff as a Tabaxi Trailblazer should now deal damage and be timed properly.

Wide sweep deals damage now. It does seem to land a couple of moments later than I'd expect, though. Hmm, mostly a problem when moving. (female iconic with her starter qstaff)

[GMtitan]

are tabaxi going to be animals for spells and the like or is that not planned?

[Tilomere]

[*]Escape Artist: When you tumble, you gain 25% Incorporeality and 25% Concealment for 20 seconds.

Can you type this and other sources of incorporeality and concealment in game so players actually know if they will actually stack to an amount that has any effect at all after a 30-35% reaper penalty?

[ismikes]

First off let me state that the Tabaxi are my favorite PnP 5E race so I was fully prepared to love the DDO version. I am very pleased with the model and graphics but the mechanics need... help. Compared to the other races Tabaxi are quite underpowered. The flavor is there but the substance is lacking. Especially in the higher tiers of the enhancement tree.

[Tilomere]

[*]Great Weapon Aptitude: +5/10/20% Strikethrough (req: Two Handed Fighting)[/COLOR][/LIST]

Can you drop the prerequisite for this enhancement across all the different trees to support TWF rangers, SWF sword and a half artis, and NF bear druids, none of which are "top builds."

[SWCarter]

Thanks for the feedback. Are you sure the Defensive Roll feat granted by Tabaxi is applicable as a prerequisite for TA Improved Defensive Roll? Based on the feedback in this thread on Evasion not counting toward prerequisites, it would be good to validate Defensive Roll before taking a multi-class split like this. And I suppose that benefit could always be removed by SSG later, if it's not expected to count as a prerequisite.

The debuffing benefits of Death Aura would be applicable to any race/class setup, and quarterstaff still requires the use of a lesser weapon (damage-wise) in comparison to other 2H weapons due to its crit profile. Since there is no support for casters in this race tree, it really needs to shine for melee - and yet there is far more to gain from Half-Orc, Aasimar, Shadar-kai, or even Shifter by comparison. Half-Orc damage bonuses alone are huge in comparison to this tree and apply to all weapons; Tabaxi really needed significant damage bonuses to at least some weapon types to make it competitive for melee. The 15% action boost speed available in GMoF or from a bard ballad (if you typically have one in your party) reduces the one primary benefit of Tabaxi, too.

Ideally, each race should have a niche that helps it shine for a competitive build. Quarterstaff was a good option to explore, but there just isn't nearly enough support here. If they would have added dex to hit/damage for more than just finessable weapons, that would have also been a welcome twist.

[Tilomere]

Thanks for the feedback. Are you sure the Defensive Roll feat granted by Tabaxi is applicable as a prerequisite for TA Improved Defensive Roll? Based on the feedback in this thread on Evasion not counting toward prerequisites, it would be good to validate Defensive Roll before taking a multi-class split like this. And I suppose that benefit could always be removed by SSG later, if it's not expected to count as a prerequisite.

The debuffing benefits of Death Aura would be applicable to any race/class setup.

Quarterstaff was a good option to explore, but there just isn't nearly enough support here.

Think of Tabaxi as an upgraded human, where instead of just one bonus feat you get a few (sprint boost = saves ap in falconry, spring attack = 3, deflect = 1 or 6 AP, defensive roll = 1, claw = great cleave = 1, trip = cleave = 1, evasion = 1). You use the AP and feats saved to get damage elsewhere that a HOrc build couldn't afford. For example, a HOrc gets spring attack chain, but Tabaxi gets it with racial AP, so you can get Improved Trip for LD helpless damage. A HOrc has to spend AP in falconry to sprint around, but a tabaxi gets it for racial AP, so it can pick up more EK and TA dps.

I have never seen a GMoF 20 henshin monk apply dust + ooze + vacuum. It can be somewhat done for a short time with a combination of cauldron and darksteel helms, but it's not smooth.

QStaff has poorest animation speed, and also poorest animation arcs, true, but SoS at cap has a solid crit profile, and the AP and feat savings allows making complex builds that will crank out damage, debuffs, and AoE helpless, which is a triple threat. Just level with SoS/ESoS to 30, with 18-19 with a sentient bonecrusher, and overwrite staff animations with bear ones.

[majster67]

Since Tabaxi and Tabaxi Trailblazer are focused(especially iconic)on Quarterstaff swiping and on dex and trips, why isn't there an enhancement in the race tree to use Dex to Trip instead of Str if it's higher? This would be an interesting option for many players advancing a character in dex

[Psiandron]

I'm having trouble with the heroic tabaxi and the monk attack animations. The speed seems pretty far off what it should be on a wraps monk. I 'm hoping that a developer might look into this. It's not uncommon for there to be an issue like this on first release, but it'd be nice if it got taken care of quickly.

I posted about it more extensively here: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/531653-Improved-Nimble-Cat-is-not-giving-Dex-to-Damage


Thanks