Races of Destiny is the second book in the Race series from Wizards of the Coast. Written by David Noonan, Eric Cagle and Aaron Rosenberg, Races of Destiny retails for $29.95 and is 192 full color pages. The book follows many of the formats laid down in the previous Races of book so right away, you know if you liked the first one, you’ll enjoy this one.
Editing is fair. Art is handled by a wide variety of people. I see the dreaded clip art of Wayne Reynolds and another artist whose name I don’t know, but whose illustration of a dog in black and white has been in many books, is repeated here, but thankfully, it’s minimized. Instead, I see we have among others, Michael Phillippi. Now that name may not strike a cord right off the bat. Have you see the cover of AEG’s Mercenaries? How about the Assassin’s Handbook by Green Ronin? Yeah, this guy has talent with a capital T and does a fantastic job here.
This isn’t to say that there aren’t some other greats here. Ron Spencer, whose work I’ve enjoyed in several books, returns here, and fan favorite Wayne Reynolds provides holy symbols among other illustrations. If I had to pick a weak point, it would be the artist who does the chapter breaks, Chuck Lukacs. He’s not bad, but the other artists really do a good job in many areas.
The layout is standard D&D style similar to the Player’s Handbook. The main races covered here are the human, half orc and half elf, and the new illumians. Like the previous book, the standard races, human and the half races, aren’t detailed as much as the new one. In this case, the human focus works on why humans are often the default rulers of their world and it boils down to a cities and adaptability. While dwarves from the north and south are likely to be smiths and have clannish functions, humans from those lands would be vastly different.
Half orcs seek to better themselves for themselves while half elves seek to be embraced by both heritages. While a little bit of a simplification, that covers the essence of their struggle. They’re included here because they’re part of the race of destiny, humans, who rule the world.
The new race, the ilumians, isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste. These are humans who’ve undergone a ritual that’s magically transformed them. They’re now magically imbued with power and have runes glowing above their head. It’s an interesting idea, binding language into power, similar in some aspects to the College of Wizardry product for 2nd edition among other variants. The bad news though, is that since the ritual is still around, despite the fact that ilumians can breed true, they should actually be a template race as opposed to an individual race. It’s the same problem I have with the mojh from Monte’s Player’s Handbook variant. A human that undergoes a ritual that changes him is still a human but now with a template.
Anyway, this race is built a little differently than most mechanically. See, those letters they have glowing about their head provide them with benefits that work best when the character multi-classes and this makes them one of the first races to have game mechanic reasons to do so. For example, one of their runes is Krau that provides a +1 bonus to caster level for all spells and spell-like abilities, but only up the to the player’s maximum character level. Only useful if you don’t have full spellcasting progression.
Now people who want fluff for their races, have plenty to work on here. While the general background of the illumians as a race that works behind the scenes is provided and is easy enough to use, there are other bits that the GM can use. For example, I don’t like this race. If a player wanted to play one, I’d have no problem with it. They’re too magical for most standard campaigns but high fantasy ones, like Planescape or a planar-based game, can incorporate them with no problem.
I mentioned that I could use them as a GM. How? In their history, they had a great library that was sacked by the githyanki and this provides me with game hooks. Their capital city is on the plane of shadow, once again providing me with plot hooks. They work against each other under cover of shadow, providing me with ideas on using them as a long-term enemy. There are example maps and characters, so my own involvement if I choose to use them, is reduced to a point where I can just plug and play.
There are details for all the races. These range from special options included in this book, like appropriate feats and PrCs, to how that race fits into each class. How’s a human rogue different than a half-orc rogue? What gods do each race worship and are those gods absolute? What’s the race’s origin? Mythic or historic? Those things are covered.
The Races of series includes an “Other Races” section. These are races that are related ot the theme of the book. In this case, human relations. In the first book, my thumbs up went to the Whisper Gnome, mostly for attitude and coolness. In this book, that thumbs up goes to the half-ogre. Big dumb brutes who’ve been modified so that they’re a +2 ECL with no racial hit dice. Some may not like seeing the aasimar or tielfling here, and to be honest, I wasn’t too crazy about the sea kin or the sharakim, tainted humans that are now orc like, and the mongrelman probably doesn’t belong here. The skulk and doppelganger though are nice touches. The other races chapter is half and half with the half ogre getting my thumbs up.
A huge change I noticed in this book is that there are only seven prestige classes, and they have a lot of detail to them. All of those people clamoring for more details to help lace the new PrCs have got it in spaces. We get quotes, background, how to become a member of the PrC, entry requirements, class features, playing that PrC, how that PrC functions in the world, PrC Lore, how that PrC actually works in the game with example characters and ideas. To me, that’s a lot of detail.
Let’s look at one of my favorites, the scar enforcer. This is a ‘angry, embittered half-elf’ that hates both parent races. They have to be nongood with a low bab and some rogue appropriate skills. They are spellcasters, gaining spells every other level, as well as a sneak attack and smite enemy ability. They can also disguise themselves and hide in plan sight and at their highest level, they lose their heritage and don’t count as human or elf for bane or boon. Information about advancement in the Scars, as well as what resources they have, how they fit into the world, what NPC’s think of any publicly revealed Scar, details of them through Gather Information skill checks, how to adapt them into campaign settings, and two example members, one bard/scar enforcer, and another ranger-rogue scar enforcer. Heck, they even include the city of origin, Pal Ador, a decadent city that is divided between elves and humans. Now if future products go into these level of detail, I can’t see how people can still cry out that the PrCs are worthless. The company can’t provide any more details and uses for this material and someone unable to use it is really just out to not use it.
The other PrCs range in utility and purpose. The outcast champion is a half-breed who leads by example. The menacing brute is a half-orc whose fighting focuses on intimidating his enemies. The loredelver focuses on being a mage who has a hint of tomb raider. The chameleon is probably the most interesting in terms of game mechanics as they cast spells, have poor saves and medium base attack, but have aptitude focus and other abilities that allow them to mimic another class. They’re not going to outdo the other class, but they can do what the other class can in a pinch. For example, save they pick combat focus. They gain proficiency with all martial weapons and a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls as well as Fortitude saves and that bonus goes up to +4 at 5th level. In some ways, it reminds me a little of the core class, Akashic, from Monte’s alternative PHB.
For skills, new uses for Dechiper Script, Disguise, Gather Information, Knowledge-Nobility, Royalty, and Religion is included, as are Listen and Survival. Want to get along in a urban setting without paying or food or services? That’s a lowly Survival DC 10. Want to prevent yourself from getting lost? It’s a Survival DC 15.
For feats, we have general and racial feats. Racial feats vary. Take channeled rage, it’s a half-orc feat that requires the ability to rage. The character can add his strength bonus on a Will saving throw in exchange for using one rage. How about Heroic Destiny, meant for humans or half-humans. You get to add 1d6 to one roll. Not impressive in a game using action points, but fair for those not using them. The feats have a city focus outside of the racial and will work well in most campaigns.
One thing I wasn’t expecting was Initiate Feats. These feats are meant to represent a deity’s favor for his chosen clerics who take Initiate Feats. They gain bonus spells and an added benefit. For example, Arcane Insight, for Boccob, grants Knowledge (arcane) to the list of cleric class skills, as well as a +2 insight bonus to Spellcraft checks and they get bonus spells for 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th level ranging from True Strike to Moment of Prescience. Initiate ranks are included for Boccob, Hextor, Kord, Fharlanghn, St. Cuthbert, Pelor, Wee Jas, and Vecna. Those who like Tactical Feats have two new options, Crowd Tactics, allowing three different maneuvers, or Roofwalker, which also includes three different abilities.
I like racial substitution levels. While some may complain that they’re too narrow in scope, I find that like regional feats, sometimes you want to play to stereotype. These racial substitution levels can be taken at specific levels for specific classes detailed in the book. For the half-elf fighter, they can take 1st, 2nd, and 6th. First level gives them Blade Focus, giving them a +1 when using longsword and rapier while 2nd level gives them main-gauche ability, treating them as if they have two-weapon fighting, while 6th gives them confusing banter, giving them the ability to use Bluff or Diplomacy as a free action if they fight defensively.
The bad news is that not all race and class combinations are covered and that there are no human or illuminan racial substitution levels. Is there nothing specific that humans do? Still, it’s nice to see some non-standard combinations like the half-orc paladin.
Like other books recently, we have new spells and psionic powers. Spells are arranged by class, level, and for arcane users, by school. Spells range from the Omen of Peril, letting you know how dangerous the future will be, to Bestow Greater Curse where it’s like Bestow Curse, but with more penalties.
Chapter Eight, Campaigns of Destiny, works for me. See, I hate small towns and love cities. Chapter Eight includes a lot of details about running a town, but the details can be easily applied to a city as it provides ten different districts and the things found within them. For those wanting a little something different, there are community attributes that can be positive or negative. These range from being a center of learning to being ravaged by war.
Need sample NPCs? This chapter has you covered. We have everything ranging from the simple human bandit whose a warrior 2, to the sly human noble who clicks in as a aristocrat 6, fighter 9.
Overall I enjoy the book. There are a few areas that could be strengthened. For example, where are the unique magic items of each race? Where are the substitution levels for all the races presented? The selection of races in the other races section is a bit odd. The illumians themselves are a bit odd.
The heavy focus on actual use of the PrCs, the racial substation levels, the strong presence of the city as a game vehicle, and the built in utility of the illumians, save the GM a lot of work if he chooses to use the.
