Ok, I admit it. I’m a sucker for new races. Back in the day, I bought whole box sets just for the two or three new races inside (minotaurs? Half-giants? Tortles?!?). Even with my recent purchases of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Oriental Adventures, the new races sections were the ones I flipped to first. But when I heard that Fantasy Flight Games was releasing a whole hardback full of nothing but new races, I was skeptical. Could they really fill a book with races that people would actually want to play? I expected to find the book filled with extra elf subclasses, and then a whole swag of various reptilian and avian humanoids too bizarre to actually find a home in any campaign world I would use; races more at home in the Star Wars cantina scene, not the taverns of my world. So when I browsed a copy of the book at my local gaming store, I was hoping to spot at least one or two races that would justify shelling out my cash to take the whole lot home.
I didn’t have to look very long. Once I saw the Fairy and the Risen Demon, I knew I had a new addition to my library. I handed over my $24.95 and skipped home to check out the rest.
The book itself is hardback, 170 pages, and contains 27 new races. Each race is fleshed out with full details on background, history, names, religion, etc. just like the entries in the players handbook, and each has at least one half page black and white illustration of the race, with most including at least a couple of other illustrations, most of which are very well done. The background information is generic enough to allow the race to be dropped in to an existing campaign. Most of the races are positioned as rare, existing only in a limited area, allowing for them to suddenly appear in a campaign world they didn’t exist in before. Each race includes a prestige class unique to the race, and in the case of a few, some unique feats or spells are included. Most, but not all, of the races include an ECL level. Some don’t have an ECL listed, but I couldn’t tell if that was an oversight or if these were supposed to be 0-level ECL races. I’d personally review the ECL’s of several before allowing them, as they seemed too low or too high.
Overall, yes, the book has a few races that I wouldn’t put in my game world, and a fair number that I wouldn’t personally be interested in playing but would allow others to play if they wanted to. There are at least three or four that I want to roll up and play right away.
Here’s a breakdown of the included races:
Aaleear – peaceful forest dwelling tiny folk with some innate spell-like abilities. Prestige Class is the Aaleear Enchanter, capable of enchanting non-magical items
Anaema – human appearing but insubstantial race who must concentrate to handle corporeal objects. Prestige class is Anaeman Crafter, who craft items that Anaema and humans can both use.
Animen – humanoids with animal heads. Prestige Class is Animan Atavist, able to manifest additional powers of their animal heritage.
Artahi – Race of felinoids. Prestige Class is The Chosen of Ba en Aset, a sort of elite fighter with lots of monk abilities.
Blickish – Halflings who can use the blink spell-like ability. Prestige Class is Blickish Infiltrator, able to improve their blink skills.
Coivalds – peaceful forest dwelling small folk. Prestige Class is Green Mystic
The Curst – a race of fallen humans. Immune to curse and bonuses against similar spells. Prestige Class is The Soulless, with some extra resistance and spell like abilities.
Eleti – Sentient undead skeletons. Prestige Class is Eletum Aemiaun, allowing them to gain additional undead special abilities.
Fairies – Tinkerbell et. al. Prestige Class is Fairy Dreamer, able to use dreams to scry and travel.
Illonis – blind extra-planar performers. Prestige Class is Illonis Doomsinger.
The Luminous – Celestial-like humanoids constructed of positive energy. Prestige Class is Luminous Lightbringer.
Mhuinntirs – jaguar shapechangers. Prestige Class is Claw of the Hunt.
Niomus – winged humanoids. Prestige Class is Niomus Windweaver, elite weather/wind wizards.
Ooloi – humanoids from depths of the sea. Prestige Class is Ooloi Journeyman, ambassadors and peacemakers.
Pevishan – (available as a sneak preview from the Fantasy Flight Games website) magically touched humanoids attuned to one school of magic. Prestige Class is Pevishan Spell Siphon.
Quissians – magically created warrior race. Prestige Class is Quissian Blademaster.
Rezurbeks – wild orcish race. Prestige Class is Rezurbek Buerin, tribal defenders capable of shapeshifting into boars.
Rhonians – long legged avian diplomat race. Prestige Class is Rhonian Emissary.
Rhoode – toadlike subservient race. Prestige Class is Rhoode Recorder.
Risen Demons – The opposite of a fallen Angel, Risen Demons have been cast out of hell and walk on the Prime as mortals, but with some vestiges of their heritage. Prestige Classes are Risen Avenger, seeking to destroy evil to atone for their own past, and Risen Redeemer, who seek to peacefully defend against evil.
Sendasti – nomadic desert race. Prestige class is Sendasti Windmaster, desert survivalist.
Siarrans – four armed humanoid artists. They have access to some additional feats for using the extra arms in combat. Prestige Class is Siarran Bladedancer, who fight with multiple weapons.
Sktak – stout hardy desert race. Prestige Class is Sktak Windrider, with lots of mounted combat abilities
Stonegrunts – large sized stone constructs. Prestige Class is Siege Grunt, with abilities that aid in laying siege.
Tremen – Wooden humanoids. Prestige Class is Forest Shepherd.
Uthuk Y’llan – big, mean, savage. Prestige Class is Uthuk Qi’nok, their clergy/spellcasters.
Vermen – evil creatures sent to infiltrate the Prime, they’re humanoid appearing, but gain insect abilities as they advance. Prestige Class is Verman Corrupter, who have lots of supernatural abilities and bonus spells.
Yes, this book is cool. The prestige classes and background information really add to the value of the races. I often found myself skimming the racial abilities and descriptions thinking “he’s interesting, but I can’t really see using him” but after reading the additional information began to think “Aha! These guys will make great …”
Overall, if you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary for your campaign, you’ll find it in this book. Players who want to try something totally different, or DM’s who want to introduce an NPC that’ll surprise their players can both find something satisfying here.
I didn’t have to look very long. Once I saw the Fairy and the Risen Demon, I knew I had a new addition to my library. I handed over my $24.95 and skipped home to check out the rest.
The book itself is hardback, 170 pages, and contains 27 new races. Each race is fleshed out with full details on background, history, names, religion, etc. just like the entries in the players handbook, and each has at least one half page black and white illustration of the race, with most including at least a couple of other illustrations, most of which are very well done. The background information is generic enough to allow the race to be dropped in to an existing campaign. Most of the races are positioned as rare, existing only in a limited area, allowing for them to suddenly appear in a campaign world they didn’t exist in before. Each race includes a prestige class unique to the race, and in the case of a few, some unique feats or spells are included. Most, but not all, of the races include an ECL level. Some don’t have an ECL listed, but I couldn’t tell if that was an oversight or if these were supposed to be 0-level ECL races. I’d personally review the ECL’s of several before allowing them, as they seemed too low or too high.
Overall, yes, the book has a few races that I wouldn’t put in my game world, and a fair number that I wouldn’t personally be interested in playing but would allow others to play if they wanted to. There are at least three or four that I want to roll up and play right away.
Here’s a breakdown of the included races:
Aaleear – peaceful forest dwelling tiny folk with some innate spell-like abilities. Prestige Class is the Aaleear Enchanter, capable of enchanting non-magical items
Anaema – human appearing but insubstantial race who must concentrate to handle corporeal objects. Prestige class is Anaeman Crafter, who craft items that Anaema and humans can both use.
Animen – humanoids with animal heads. Prestige Class is Animan Atavist, able to manifest additional powers of their animal heritage.
Artahi – Race of felinoids. Prestige Class is The Chosen of Ba en Aset, a sort of elite fighter with lots of monk abilities.
Blickish – Halflings who can use the blink spell-like ability. Prestige Class is Blickish Infiltrator, able to improve their blink skills.
Coivalds – peaceful forest dwelling small folk. Prestige Class is Green Mystic
The Curst – a race of fallen humans. Immune to curse and bonuses against similar spells. Prestige Class is The Soulless, with some extra resistance and spell like abilities.
Eleti – Sentient undead skeletons. Prestige Class is Eletum Aemiaun, allowing them to gain additional undead special abilities.
Fairies – Tinkerbell et. al. Prestige Class is Fairy Dreamer, able to use dreams to scry and travel.
Illonis – blind extra-planar performers. Prestige Class is Illonis Doomsinger.
The Luminous – Celestial-like humanoids constructed of positive energy. Prestige Class is Luminous Lightbringer.
Mhuinntirs – jaguar shapechangers. Prestige Class is Claw of the Hunt.
Niomus – winged humanoids. Prestige Class is Niomus Windweaver, elite weather/wind wizards.
Ooloi – humanoids from depths of the sea. Prestige Class is Ooloi Journeyman, ambassadors and peacemakers.
Pevishan – (available as a sneak preview from the Fantasy Flight Games website) magically touched humanoids attuned to one school of magic. Prestige Class is Pevishan Spell Siphon.
Quissians – magically created warrior race. Prestige Class is Quissian Blademaster.
Rezurbeks – wild orcish race. Prestige Class is Rezurbek Buerin, tribal defenders capable of shapeshifting into boars.
Rhonians – long legged avian diplomat race. Prestige Class is Rhonian Emissary.
Rhoode – toadlike subservient race. Prestige Class is Rhoode Recorder.
Risen Demons – The opposite of a fallen Angel, Risen Demons have been cast out of hell and walk on the Prime as mortals, but with some vestiges of their heritage. Prestige Classes are Risen Avenger, seeking to destroy evil to atone for their own past, and Risen Redeemer, who seek to peacefully defend against evil.
Sendasti – nomadic desert race. Prestige class is Sendasti Windmaster, desert survivalist.
Siarrans – four armed humanoid artists. They have access to some additional feats for using the extra arms in combat. Prestige Class is Siarran Bladedancer, who fight with multiple weapons.
Sktak – stout hardy desert race. Prestige Class is Sktak Windrider, with lots of mounted combat abilities
Stonegrunts – large sized stone constructs. Prestige Class is Siege Grunt, with abilities that aid in laying siege.
Tremen – Wooden humanoids. Prestige Class is Forest Shepherd.
Uthuk Y’llan – big, mean, savage. Prestige Class is Uthuk Qi’nok, their clergy/spellcasters.
Vermen – evil creatures sent to infiltrate the Prime, they’re humanoid appearing, but gain insect abilities as they advance. Prestige Class is Verman Corrupter, who have lots of supernatural abilities and bonus spells.
Yes, this book is cool. The prestige classes and background information really add to the value of the races. I often found myself skimming the racial abilities and descriptions thinking “he’s interesting, but I can’t really see using him” but after reading the additional information began to think “Aha! These guys will make great …”
Overall, if you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary for your campaign, you’ll find it in this book. Players who want to try something totally different, or DM’s who want to introduce an NPC that’ll surprise their players can both find something satisfying here.
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