Advanced Race Guide Playtest

Paizo posted the Advanced Race Guide Playtest to their blog today. Free for download. Feedback goes to the Advanced Race Guide Playtest message board.

This is going to be so much fun. It is one thing I wish 4E and SAGA had done. One of the funnest things, to me anyhow, in a space and fantasy world is to make and detail your own species and roleplay it out. It is one of the things I've always liked in point buy systems like GURPS and HERO. I for one love more options and the stuff in the APG was a good step, but this is just fantastic. Seeing what a race has and then swapping out for equally valued things to make a Gnome or a Dwarf just what you want is cool. I also like the idea of playing as Plants, Rodents and Felines, Insects, Undead and the like. I can't wait.

One thing that I do think will be picked for lots of characters and might be a bit under-costed...

2 points to get a +2 to any 2 scores of your choice. That is nice!

Downloaded, haven't read yet. I'm intrigued, though.

"Greater Paragon Modifiers" is rather ridiculous. +4 in any ability, plus a bonus Race Point, in exchange for -2 to two dump stats? A magnet for powergamers, should any GM build such a race. Isn't this why goblins are houseruled so often?

No Dragon type sadly.

You are limited to 3 power levels: Standard (10 rp, 3), Advanced (20 rp, 4), or Monstrous. (30 rp, 5). Each gives certain number of Race points and limits the number of # s in a racial category. DM determines which is allowed power level.

Each race has 0 RHD (they want you to take class levels). And each is humanoid in shape: 2 arms/ 2 legs/head.
Undead/Constructs require advanced/Monstrous power level or pg 5's special options (1/2 Undead or 1/2 Construct subtypes).

Plants are the most costly (8 rp) (unless Undead 16 rp/Construct 20 rp).

Then there are Size Traits:
Large (7) grants +2 size Str, -2 size Dex. But no Reach (still 5 ft).Normal sixe benefit/penaltys like -1 AC/hit, +1 CMB/CMD
Small (0): grants nothing but size: +1 AC/hit, -1 CMB/CMD.
Tiny (4): Only Fey.

Speed:
Normal (0): 30 ft
Slow: (-2) 20 ft, if Med sized armor/enburance no affect speed (like Dwarf).
So Dwarf got +2 RP points when they chose this.

Ability modifier:
Basically rp cost/bonuses to replicate current races.

Languages: humans used 2 here to speak any language as bons.

Racial abilities:
Advanced and Monstrous can choose ability bonuses here.

Defense: Ancient Foe (3 RP): 1/2 dodge bonus Dwarf's Giant Dodge bonus, but you choose monster type or subtype.
Defensive Training, lesser (1 RP): Dwarf's Giant Dodge bonus, but you choose the type or subtype of the humanoid.
Celestial Resist: 2 RP, Elemental resistances; explaining to me Aasimar's work balance wise.
Defensive Training, Greater (3 RP): +2 Dodge AC (vs all).
Duegar immunities: (4 RP, Dwarf subtype) all those immunities.
Stubborn (1 rp): Amazing.

Magical:
Change Shape (6 rp): Alterself at will (med/small humanoid)
Elven Magic (2 rp)
Pyromaniac: 2 RP

Movement:
Sprinter (1 RP): +10 speed when charging, run, withdraw
Swim (1): swim 30 ft, +8 swim.
Flight (advanced, 4 rp):30 ft clumsy, taken again (2 rp) adds +10 speed and mobility improves 1 step.

Offensive:
Bite (1 rp): 1d3 Med, 1d2 Small; taking again increases size of bite damage.
Ferocity (4 rp)/Orc Ferocity (2 rp)
Hatred (1 rp), Poison Use (1 rp), Sticky Tongue (like Frogs?) 2rp.
Reach (advanced, 1 rp, Large)
Natural Weapon (1 rp): Sadly no tentacle.

Skills/Feats:
Bonus feat (4 RP), Skilled (4 RP), Stonecunning (1rp)
Nimble (advanced, 2): Weapon Finesse as bonus feat
Quick Reactions (Advanced, 2 rp): Improved Init

Senses:
Darkvision 60 (2 rp), Darkvision 120 (3 rp), Lowlight (1 rp)
See in Darkness (advanced, 4 rp) see in darkness, even magical like Deeper Darkness.
Scent: (Advanced, 4 rp)

Weakness (for extra points)
Light Blindness (-2 rp)/ Light sensitivity (-1 rp)

Then they show example races.
According to them:
Aasimars are 13 Rp (we can get that under by taking away Skill focuses).
Tieflings are 11 rp (we can get that under by taking away Skill focus).
Drow are 14 (we can lower Darkvision to 60 ft and take away skill focus/poison use for 10)
Drow Noble/Svirfneblin is 22 rp (no idea how to get down).
Duergar/Hobgoblin/are underpowered (9 rp)
Ifrit/Orc/Slyph/Undine/gnolls are serious underpowered (6 rp)
Kobold are sad (4 rp)
Tengu is 13 (we can take away skill focuses?)

1Mac said:

Downloaded, haven't read yet. I'm intrigued, though.

"Greater Paragon Modifiers" is rather ridiculous. +4 in any ability, plus a bonus Race Point, in exchange for -2 to two dump stats? A magnet for powergamers, should any GM build such a race. Isn't this why goblins are houseruled so often?

Click to expand...

Agreed. I've said this before. Goblins are broken. Oh, and not to mention the racial +stealth and the size +stealth. A first level goblin is probably running a +15-17 stealth. (1 rank, 3 class skill, 3-5 dex, 4 racial, 4 size)

Golden's Guide is better than this so far, although I'm not going to crap all over it quite yet since it is technically just a playtest. Still, I don't hold much hope for improvement.

+4 Racial stealth as sneaky is underpowered and not worth 4 points, if the human's bonus feat is considered 4 points. Particularly when the half elf skill focus ability, Adaptability, is only valued at 1 point and Skill Focus (Stealth) would give another +2 more than Stealth. Just first impressions. I mean, by the rules you can have a Hobgoblin at 5 points, +2 for Flexible Stats, +2 for Darkvision, +1 for a Skill Focus (Adaptability). Adaptability is way better than Stealthy, I'd say.

What if you'd like the Hobgoblin to be great with magic, at least their version of it, as an Alchemist, and take Skill Focus (Use Magic Device)? You can't. A hobgoblin is always stealthy. Always.

I'd say that some of the core races are undercosted because they don't want to have some say, oops, this was 7 and this was 11, etc.

To be fair, you can easily do Paragon stat adjustments in Golden's guide as well, though I do agree that Golden's stat adjustments are far more flexible and, with the exception of some awkward wording, better designed.

Osagasu said:

To be fair, you can easily do Paragon stat adjustments in Golden's guide as well, though I do agree that Golden's stat adjustments are far more flexible and, with the exception of some awkward wording, better designed.

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I don't mind the idea of paragon ability scores. The issue that I have is that Paizo waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay undervalues them. In Golden's Guide, paragon scores are a 10 pt adjustment. Paizo says they're a 1 point adjustment. I'm with Golden on this.

There is no way it worth 10, with Flexible being worth 2. You take +4 to one stat and -2 on others if it costs 10. Meanwhile, you can pretty much make an analog of almost any core race with goodness to spare off those 8 points. Madness to think Paragon is worth 10. I don't know what a good point base is without playtesting, but it is certainly not 1 or 10. Maybe 4 or 5.

Edit: Some stuff that just kind of made me think... "Yep, I want it."

Fast. 10 foot UNTYPED bonus to speed, no prerequisites, for 1 point? Oh Hell yeah gimme that.

The Dwarven racial trait Hardy, the +2 to saves on poison, spells and spell like abilities if the race has a bonus to Constitution. One of the hottest things in the game for 1 point.

Weapon Familiarity yourself 2 of the best weapons, doesn't specifiy non-exotic, for 1 point. Two EWP feats for 1 point.
Falcatas huzzuh!

Stubborn is good, really good. +2 to almost all will saves and a once a day re-roll for 1 point. Hardy and Stubborn Fighters, Barbarians and Rangers, could we be seeing them soon? Yep.

More expensive stuff at 4 that could, COULD BE worth it at 4 points

+2 Racial bonuses to all saves
All around vision.

Just quick thoughts.

+4/+2/-2 is certainly worth 10 (compared to +2/+2/-2) if a feat is worth 8.

Yes, you can dump some additional dump stats to offset the cost, but a character with a +4 racial in its main stat is inherently better than a character with a +2 racial in its mainstat. It's a big jump in power, and it should be weighed accordingly.