Regional benefits

Are they an interesting addition to a campaign setting? I am evaluating the possibility of introducing some benefit tied to the region of origin of each character, but I am not sure how to make them interesting but still minor (or at least not as important as class and race).

Instead of using benefits like FR's regions, I was thinking about the following possible advantages given by the choice of a region:

1) up to 2 or 3 skills which can be treated as class skill by every class

why? well, skills are always useful, and this could lead to some original PC

2) bonus languages (not automatic)

why? a very minor benefit but with some flavor

3) one extra favored class

why? this depends on how you treat favored classes, IMC there are no multiclassing penalties, and you get +1 skill point/level of your favored class; if this HR is used, the extra favored class is a very minor benefit

4) "early feats", that is up to 3 or 4 feats which can be taken without the prerequisites (or with lowered prerequisites)

why? in brief, this is THE benefit of choosing a region, and the one that deserves careful planning; none of these feats are free, however

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Let's see some examples of what could come out...

Region 1 - "The crimson coast"

A natural region highly populated by pirates, sailors and weapon traders
Class Skills: Climb, Jump and Balance
Languages: Aquan
Fav.classes: Rogue
Early Feats: Weapon Finesse, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (any)*, Dodge, Mobility

*only the BAB req is lifted

Region 2 - "Axia"

A cosmopolitan town renowned for its magic academy and for the magical item crafts.
Class Skills: Spellcraft
Languages: Draconic, Elven, Gnomish, Dwarven
Fav.classes: Wizard
Early Feats: any item creation feat [caster level prereq. is lowered by 1]

Region 3 - "Elves of the Petrified Forest"

A quasi-region for an elven subrace (similar to the Wood Elves) dedicated in archery and protecting ancient nature.
Class Skills: Knowledge (Nature) and Survival
Languages: Sylvan
Fav.classes: Ranger
Early Feats: Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot

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Questions:

- is this idea going to have any appeal to the players?
- would it be better to give actual bonus stuff instead of just the chance to "pay less" for it?
- should I increase the amount of skills/feats?
- should I dare more with feats (I was thinking Weapon Specialization(one specific) for the 1st region, and Shot on the Run for the 3rd)

Definately a good idea. I have used something like this for a long time now.I really think that characters need more development and more mechanical representation of their background and heritage.

I like your samples as well. The bonus languages, regional weapon proficiencies and regional preferred classes are also a good touch.


In my old games - I granted 1 bonus Background, Heritage, Origin, Regional, Racial, or Talent feat (depending on what feat systems you are using - I allow most.
"Background, Heritage, Origin, Regional and Racial feats are defined as any feat specified to be associated to a specific locale, race or heritage (such as those in the Forgotten Realms or Sorcerer Origin feats from Forgotten Heroes-Sorcerer). Talent feats are those that have a Special Restriction that limits them to be taken at first level (such as the Talent feats in Arcana Unearthed and feats such as “Brawny” in Swashbuckling Adventures or Background Feats from AEG’s Feats)).

I also allow the choice of one of the following.
• +2 inherent bonus to two Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skills.
• +2 inherent bonus to one Class skill.
• +1 inherent bonus to two Class skills.
• +1 inherent bonus to one Class skill and choose one appropriate Cross-Class skill to become a Class skill*.
• +1 inherent bonus to one Class skill and swap two Class Skills for appropriate Cross-Class skills*.
• Choose two appropriate Cross-Class skills to become Class skills*.

(*: These skills become class skills regardless of the class currently being trained, thus they remain class skills even if the PC multi-classes after 1st level.)


I also allow the use of the Unearthed Arcana "Traits & Flaws" and "Charater Background" options.

My Regional backgrounds are probably more restrictive then you are looking for.
I wanted to weaken humans slightly, so I require that their bonus feat comes from the region, normally a +2 to 2 skills feat, occasionally a skill focus, or other such as blindfighting, or toughness
Each region has 4 skills, which are always treated as class skills, but a humans starting skill bonus must be spent on these.
- halfelves, tieflings and assimar can choose a regional skill to treat as a class skill, and can take a regional feat if they wish.
examples:
Valysia
Background feats: Disciplined, Educated, Mercantile Background, Magic Talent
Background skills : Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (arcane) Spellcraft

Shield Lands
Background feats : Blooded, Bullheaded, Skill F: Ride,Our Enemies Ourselves (+2 ks noblity, +2 ks outer planes, demons)
Background skills : Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility), Ride

Any Farmers
Background feats : Toughness , Survivor, Alertness, Instinctual(+2 init,+2 survival)
Background skills : Knowledge (nature), Handle Animal, Craft (any simple)
Required Skill : Profession (farmer) 4 ranks
- the party druid actually uses Prf (farmer) and has 5 ranks in it. (for synergy)

Li Shenron said:

Are they an interesting addition to a campaign setting? I am evaluating the possibility of introducing some benefit tied to the region of origin of each character, but I am not sure how to make them interesting but still minor (or at least not as important as class and race).



4) "early feats", that is up to 3 or 4 feats which can be taken without the prerequisites (or with lowered prerequisites)

why? in brief, this is THE benefit of choosing a region, and the one that deserves careful planning; none of these feats are free, however

Click to expand...

I kind of like this one, choose a few higher level feats that have nasty prerequisites, and then half the numerical prerequisites for those feats.

A character from an area that is known for specializing in one weapon type could thus get Improved Crit in that weapon at 4 BA instead of 8 BA. Or a character known for their agile fighters could get Spring Attack at 2 BA.

Other feats that are more unique or specialized could have their skill rank numbers reduced as well. It would make it very likely that those powerful feats would be taken by characters, since it would be hard to pass up Improved Crit at 4th level, or Great Cleave or Spring Attack at 2nd level (as long as you were willing to spend the feats to get the prereqs).

I like the idea, I have always had a problem with the fact that non-human races have all of these subraces but humans don't. The humans of one region are just as different from those of another as many of the subraces are from each other. No one has done a good job of this for humans yet, but I think you may have come the closest and I like the ideas, thanks

If you wish, you are all welcome to post your own examples!

Background Feats

Our group also wanted to differentiate humans from different backgrounds (and other races too) without making up whole new subraces.

Several sources use the idea of regional feats. We adapted this idea as follows. It's reqlly quite simple in implementation...though, for the life of me, I'm having difficulty writing it simply here...

First the complicated part.

Each character, based on their history, chooses a "Background"...which in game terms -- will just be a couple additional qualifiers on your chacter sheet.

A Background is selected by choosing an appropriate combination of two of the following.

RACE (or more precisely, subrace)
REGION
STATION/CAREER (can be chosen twice)...

So your half-even fighter might choose -- a Forrest of Darkness(region)/farmer(career) as his background...alternately he could choose Forest of Darkness(region)/western elf(race) instead...

...while the young prince inducted into the magus school could choose aristocrat(station)/magus school(career).

All characters, of course, draw from more than just two elements in their -- however, for game rule purposes, two elements (and only two) must be chosen that most accurately embody the character.

Now the easy part.

You can devise as many different races, sub races, countries, regions, occupations, guilds, social castes or any other background groupings as you can think off. T

he only game rule differentiation is that each background elementincludes a list of 3-5 bonus feats...

Combining the feats from both elements will result in a character-specific list of 6-10 Feats caled "BACKGROUND FEATS"...

Here's how this list is used...

at first level all characters receive a bonus feat from this list.

Furthermore upon selecting three background feats (be they general, bonus or virtual feats)...a character is entitled to a second bonus feat to be chosen upon gaining an additional level. This bonus feat DOES NOT have to be from the background feat list (though, of course, it can). However it is important to note that a full level must pass between filling the requirements and gaining the extra feat.

This process happens again upon choosing six background feats...though no more after that.

So if our half-elf fighter above's list included alterness, dodge, investigative, and weapon focus (short bow)...and the half elf chose alertness at first level, investigative as his bonus background feat, and weapon focus as fighter feat...then he would be entitled to a bonus feat upon reaching second level. If instead he waited until third level to pull three feats off the list...the bonus feat would be gained at fourth level instead.

The one caveat of this system is that feat lists should be generic and slightly underpowered...as a general rule no more than one feat per background element should be explicitly combat related...and class specific feats (like metamagic feats) should also follow this rule unless the background element itself is expressly magic related.

The benefits of this system:

1) Endless variety as backgrounds are defined (mechanically) by little more than their bonus feats...thereby making the creation of a world specific and truly diverse list of elements...relatively easy.

2) A quick and easy way to differentiate characters from different races or regions without too much bookkeeping.

3) By providing a slight mechanical benefit (bonus feat at first level, up to two other bonus feats over time) there is a minor game-related benefit for focussing character development according to the background (good for players who want to roleplay but tend to think metagame as well).

The drawbacks:

1)it is one more thing to keep track of at character creation.

2) If you're not careful this system, and its bonus feats, can be abused by min/maxers.

3) It's also hard to describe in posting to messageboards...but that, currently, is my burden alone...

Are these Additions or Clarifications

Rant on

One of the thing that bothers me about 3E is that every new idea seems to get a new idea and another set of bonuses is given to the player characters. The problem (beyond players too powerful too quickly) is that to maintain balance in the 3E universe monsters and NPC's all have become several orders of magnetude more complex.

Rant off


I like the idea of fleshing out regions by adding some background skill options but what specifically are the limitations. Does a class skill in spellcraft continue to be a class skill into higher levels? Does a player have to give up any bonuses to use this system? Do you expect that creatures need an extra kick at the bonus can to even things up?

???

Sigurd

Sigurd said:

Rant on

One of the thing that bothers me about 3E is that every new idea seems to get a new idea and another set of bonuses is given to the player characters. The problem (beyond players too powerful too quickly) is that to maintain balance in the 3E universe monsters and NPC's all have become several orders of magnetude more complex.

Rant off


I like the idea of fleshing out regions by adding some background skill options but what specifically are the limitations. Does a class skill in spellcraft continue to be a class skill into higher levels? Does a player have to give up any bonuses to use this system? Do you expect that creatures need an extra kick at the bonus can to even things up?

???

Sigurd

Click to expand...

To clarify my previously posted regional rules: only the extra favored class and the extra class skills are actually real bonuses.

Extra favored class eventually equals to more skill points because we are using a HR that there are no multiclassing penalties and instead every level in your favored class gives +1 skill point; if you use the core rule, the extra favored class doesn't give you any bonus, it just lets you multiclass more freely without hard limitations.
Extra class skills are IMHO a nice addition because they will let the players create slightly unusual characters, like a Wizard with good Move Silently or a Fighter with one good Knowledge, but since they are limited to 2-3 they won't unbalance the classes. A regional class skill will always be a class skill for all your classes including PrCls.
These effectively skill bonuses won't unbalance anything... at best the fav.class gives +1 skill point/level and the second doesn't give you more points.

Extra bonus languages is not even worth mentioning .

Early feats are NOT bonus feats! You still have to acquire them as your regular feats at level 1, 3, 6, etc... The advantage is that you can access an early feat a few levels earlier than normal, or without taking another prerequisite feats. Again the point is rather to make unusual characters rather than more powerful (it clearly depends on the fact that you don't design early feats in a bad way!). For example, a character from the Crimson Coast can take Weapon Finesse or Exotic Weapon Prof at 1st level instead of waiting for level 3. I think it's not unbalancing at all...

Also note that in general every region is designed around a theme, which means that incidentally the extra class skills will be already class skills for the favored class of that region and the early feats are often typical of the same class. This can mean that it is even unlikely that you can exploit all the benefits from your region.