Balanced Race? Judge the 'Perfects'

Technik4 · Jun 23, 2007

The Perfects

The Perfects were magically engineered from human stock during great wars long ago. They were stronger, faster, tougher, smarter, more perceptive, and more strong-willed than a regular human. While at first Perfect Soldiers and Magic-Users died at a similar rate to humans, over time they quickly evolved to survive in desperate situations. Finally the side with perfect commanders began to turn the tide and peace was declared. The first term of the peace treaty was the destruction of all of the perfects. This was adhered to, but many of the perfects were in high-ranking positions and managed to warn their fellow soldiers.

Today few perfect-born exist. They can breed freely with humans (but not elves, orcs, or any other race) but there is a small chance of conceiving a perfect from a mixed human-perfect union (1:8). Still, some human lineages have carried the genes of the perfects and perfects are still born, though as soon as they learn of their nature they usually try to mask it.

Medium-size Humanoid
30 ft. movement speed
+2 to all stats
Bonus feat at fist level
Perfect Health: At first level perfects gain 4 additional hit points.
Favored Class: Any
LA: +1

Moon-Lancer · Jun 23, 2007

seems balanced, if not alittle weak.

do they get +1 skill points a level?

while normally a +12 in stats would be too strong, I think that no stat is stronger then +2 makes it seem balanced. I could be wrong though.

Ry · Jun 23, 2007

When I see debates about LA, replacing it, whatever, the best house rule (the one that seems to get the most people endorsing it) is this:

32 pt buy: +0
25 pt buy: +1
18 pt buy: +2
10 pt buy: +3
00 pt buy: +4

By this rationale I'd pin your race as LA+2, instead of +1.

awayfarer · Jun 23, 2007

rycanada said:
When I see debates about LA, replacing it, whatever, the best house rule (the one that seems to get the most people endorsing it) is this:

32 pt buy: +0
25 pt buy: +1
18 pt buy: +2
10 pt buy: +3
00 pt buy: +4

By this rationale I'd pin your race as LA+2, instead of +1.

Ditto on the +2 LA.

Nifft · Jun 23, 2007

IMHO it's too strong for LA +1, but too weak for LA +2.

-- N

Elephant · Jun 23, 2007

It sounds pretty weak for a +2 LA.

DogBackward · Jun 23, 2007

Assuming that you forgot to mention the bonus skill points, the only reall difference is the +4 HP and stat adjustments. The HP can be considered basically a free Toughness feat. The ability scores aren't nearly as big as everybody seems to think. Really, unless your class has some serious MAD, like the Paladin or Monk, you're not really getting that great a deal. Almost any class you take, half of your abilities aren't really that useful. Especially at later levels, these bonuses are going to get overshadowed by class features and magic items easily. I think +1 is about perfect for it.

A lot of people seem to just slap on an LA, randomly assigning a certain +x to each ability. It doesn't really work that way, you have to take a look at how it will actually work in-game. The classes that will most benefit from this are generally the ones that could use a minor boost anyway. And besides... nobody's going to play a Perfect (Class X) 1 when they could play a Human (CLass X) 3, the abilities aren't nearly worth it. As it is, I'd have a tough choice deciding between the two, unless I specifically wanted the flavor of one race over another.

kinem · Jun 23, 2007

This could easily be a template:

Augmented Creature (inherited template)
+2 to all stats
bonus feats: Toughness, plus one other for which it otherwise qualifies for
LA: +1
CR: as base creature +1

Technik4 · Jun 23, 2007

By this rationale I'd pin your race as LA+2, instead of +1.

But point buy allows more flexibility. With more point buy, you can have a higher stat, or try and max 2 stats (like a wizard pumping his Int and Con, to the detriment of the rest of his scores). With a flat +2 bonus to all stats, most of your 'points' are going to waste.

The absence of +1 skills/level is not a mistake, it was intentionally left out to leave humans some small edge in a comparison.

I can understand why it seems better than +1 LA, especially compared to things like Aasimar or Tieflings. That said, in a campaign with no other +1 LA options, do you think this is balanced with regards to the core +0 LA races?

Nifft · Jun 23, 2007

Technik4 said:
With a flat +2 bonus to all stats, most of your 'points' are going to waste.

The thing is, for LA, you have to pick the class(es) for which the race's bonus(es) will be maximized. So comparing a NewRace Wizard 1 vs. Human Wizard 3 would be the wrong comparison -- Wizards don't much care about Charisma, Wisdom, Strength, etc. relative to class level.

You'd have to pick classes that rely on a lot of different stats -- Cleric and (PHB-II's variant) Shapeshift Druid come to mind, but also classes like Warblade and Crusader, prestige classes like the Chameleon, and multi-class combinations like Bard / Warblade or Paladin / Warblade.

I agree that it's weak for a +2.

For an LA +1, how about this?

Perfect Form: The perfected gain a +2 bonus to three ability scores of their choice (chosen at character creation).

Similar effect for most classes, but less abusable in extreme cases.

Cheers, -- N