Slight adjustment to core races for homebrew setting

Just tinkering with homebrew setting stuff...

What do you think of the following changes to the core classes?
The changes are based on the roles the races cover in the setting, which in turn developed to suit the favorite views from the players. If they are slightly better than normal it's ok, because the setting otherwise has magic equipment below the average, so a little racial help doesn't hurt

I tried to simply adjust the core races, so that it is not completely different to play these compared to what casual players are used to. Keep these in mind however:

- favored classes are removed because there are no multiclassing penalties
- weapon familiarities still exist but may vary depending on region, therefore they are omitted for the moment
- idem for bonus languages

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The following are the 5 races available for PCs , all of which are very popular in the world and together cover more than 90% of the sentient population.

Humans

Role in the setting: basically the most typical one, young versatile race which at the moment has the largest population in the continent; organized in kingdoms and free cities, mostly on the coasts or inland plains and valleys.

Race details: slightly buffed to compensate for loss of favored class; only generic bonuses to reflect versatility.

1 bonus feat
+1 to any one saving throw
+2 skill points per level
any 1 skill is always treated as a class skill

Half-Elves

Role in the setting: normal elves are relegated in the settings to a near-extinction status and are very powerful (ala Tolkien) so they aren't a default PC race; half-elves are actually mostly humans with elven blood, physically more similar to humans than elves.

Race details: based on the PHB elves, with only 2 changes: a flat bonus with bow instead of free proficiency, and +1 caster level with any arcane class to replace the favored class.

+2 Dex, -2 Con
Low-light vision
+1 attacks with any bow (except crossbows or exotic bows)
+1 arcane caster level
Immunity to Sleep spells and effects (elven trance)
+2 vs Enchantment
+2 Listen, Spot, Search (autosearch for secret doors 5ft)

Dwarves

Role in the setting: one of the three ancient races of the setting (with elves and dragons), and the only one which didn't revel in magic and survived at large. They have the stereotypical attachment with earth and underground skills, but the live in cities aboveground, their kingdom mostly on hills and mountainous terrains.

Race details: combat bonuses apply against dragons (which they fought through the centuries) instead of the standard orcs/goblinoids/giants; the stat penalty is moved from Cha to Dex; the rest is per PHB.

+2 Con, -2 Dex
Reduced speed (20ft, retain in armor)
Darkvision 60ft
+1 attacks vs Dragons
+4 dodge vs Dragons
Stability (+4 vs bull rush or trip)
+2 vs spells and spell-like effects
+2 vs poison
Stonecunning (+2 Search, automatic search 10ft, trapfinding, depth sense)
+2 Appraise, Craft (stone or metal only)

Orcs

Role in the setting: a young and feral race, slightly leaning towards evil (and either law or chaos, depending on groups). They populate one side of the continent but currently not posing a threat to other races. Think of them in a Warcraft fashion, i.e. more similar to D&D half-orcs (which otherwise don't exist). They live aboveground, but could be partly nocturnals.

Race details: very loosely based on PHB half-orcs; the most important addition is the scent ability (mostly used out-of-combat). I'm not very sure about the Spot/Listen penalties however...

+2 Str, -2 Int
Darkvision 60ft
Scent
Combat instinct (half penalty with weapons when nonproficient)
+2 morale vs fear spells and effects
+2 Intimidate, Survival, Handle Animal
-2 Spot, Listen during daytime

Saurians

Role in the setting: another young race (but the oldest of the young races), rumored to be the spawn of dragons, living in wilderness areas and actually quite pacific and in tune with nature, although definitely reclusive and not very keen on other races.

Race details: loosely based on lizardfolk, which they very look alike. I am very unsure about the Int penalty, but I don't think any other penalty would do. The resistance to necromancy is believed to be a bless from their draconic creators. The skill bonuses may be too high, but actually won't come to play very often.

+2 Con, -2 Int
Low-light vision
+2 Initiative
+2 natural armor
+2 vs Necromancy or negative energy-based spells and effects
Hold breath (4x Con)
+4 Climb, Balance, Jump, Swim
+2 Hide, Move Silently (only in natural terrain)

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How do these look? Any comment? To me they sound reasonably balanced, some fine-tuning could help as long as it doesn't change the flavor. Let me know if you can spot something that is too much a clear winner for some classes, but it's ok if a race makes for a better combination... it's more important if every race is still interesting with every class (with the possible exception of Wizards for the 2 wilderness races).

It's an interestiong way to handle your races.

IMC i split Half-Elves into two seperate entites: High-Born and Man-Bred. High-Born have elven mothers while Man-Bred have human mothers. They have different racial ability adjustments and traits.

I also kept the favored class, but took away the xp penalty rules and added some bonus feats (ala the Conan RPG from Mongoose). I grant a bonus feat to characters whenever they gain an odd level in thier favored class (humans must select a region to be from in my game, and each region has a favored class. Thus a Veng Human, or a human born of the veng culture's favored class would be fighter, while a High-Born half-elves favored class would be noble. I also added some feats which can change or add a favored class, as applicable. note that characters with more than one favored class only gain the bonus feat for favored class once).

as for languages, i think it should be a ranked skill like everyhting else. because I know i speak a little bit of hebrew, spanish, german, and russian (and many other languages) but i can't say i am proficianet in thier use. thus i think a ranked skill can represent this. Common languages have lower dc's while exotic languages have higher ones, or you could use opposing speak language checks.

What could be added to the Saurians to represent their reptiloid cold blood? Would a persistent (Ex) Endure Elements effect work?

Li Shenron said:

What could be added to the Saurians to represent their reptiloid cold blood? Would a persistent (Ex) Endure Elements effect work?

Click to expand...

Nah, cold-blooded creatures are more vulnerable to temperature changes than warm-blooded.

Geoff.

But you can give them this:

Sun Speed (Ex): Everyday where the daytime temperature is above 40°C/100°F, a saurian may spend one hour basking in the sun, warming with the solar rays. The saurian then benefits from a permanent haste effect for the rest of the day.

By day, I mean daytime, not "24 hour period". As soon as night, and temperature, fall; the effect is lost.

Creatures like snakes and crocodiles have the ability to sit still for a very long time, then move explosively. So here are two ideas, off the top of my head:

Patient Ambush (Ex): A Saurian may remain very still for extended periods, then attack explosively. If a Saurian remains still for 1 minute or longer, he can then act as if Hasted for a number of rounds equal to his Con bonus (minimum 1). At the end of the Hasted period he is fatigued. This ability may be combined with a barbarian's Rage ability, but if so the barbarian is exhausted at the end of the rage instead of merely fatigued. The ability to act as if Hasted is lost if the Saurian moves without activating it.

Waiting Dream (Ex): When times are hard, a Saurian can wait a very long time for a meal. By making a Concentration check with a DC of 20, the Saurian enters a trance-like state. He may Take 10 or 20 on this roll. During this trance his need for food, water and air is greatly reduced. Divide all time spent in the trance by 10 for purposes of determining need for food and water. Divide the time by 100 for purposes of breathing. A Saurian in a trance is helpless, but is not unconscious or unaware of his surroundings. To awaken, the Saurian must make a DC 20 Will save. He may Take 20 on this roll but may not Take 10.