D&D 4E Adopting 4E Races into your Homebrew

[Brazenwood]

In my world Gnomes have there own Empire, just like Centaurs, Grey Elves, and Catbeastmen (called Keshzakran in the World of Thandoria, my Homebrew). I also have winged elves, called Hawklin, and a race of Rust-red skinned aliens that migrated down from one of my moons after a great wizard war destroyed their society, called Kalenites. I don't like the look of the Tieflings so I just gave their stats to my red-skinned Kalenites, who are often mistaken as demonspawn anyway. My Grey Elves are like Dark Elves but much different, storywise and history wise. Also I have Dragonborn (Half-Dragons basically) but both the Dragonborn and the Kalenites (My Tieflings) are rare, so I'm only going to allow them as a PC race on a second character.

so of course I had to design some races... Here goes the first one, I'll add the others below.

I'm using Gnomes as in the Monster Manual with one add, Fey Origin....doh! Go figure why they left that off a FeyWild race...

I modeled the Centaur off the Warhorse in the Monster Manual.

Centaur

Avg.Hgt: 5'9"-6'5"
Avg. Wgt: 300-600 lb
Size: Large
Ability Scores: +2 STR +2 CON
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: Low Light (My Centaurs were created by the grey Elves an infusion of Wood Elf and Horse essences in an ancient age.)
Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven. (My Centaurs trade regularly with the neighboring Dwarven kingdom of Borak.)
Skill Bonuses: +2 Perception, +2 Nature

Kick: Can make a hoof attack At-Will: STR vs AC; 1D6+STR MOD Damage.

Charger: +5 racial bonus to damage rolls on charge attacks.

Equine Endurance: +1 racial bonus to Fortitude Defense.

Fey Origin.

Optional Centaur Feat: Trample (Centaur)

Centaurs can spend a feat to learn the fine art of trampling their foes. The Centaur can move up to its speed and enter enemies' spaces. This movement provokes an OA, and the centaur must end its move in an unoccupied space. When it enters the space, the centaur makes a trample attack: +4 vs Reflex; 1D6 Damage +target is knocked prone. (Can't tell if this +4 as listed in the Monster Manual is Str-based or Dex-based, but I guess it should be one or the other, and also improve with level.)

 

[Brazenwood]

Here's the Hawklin

These guys are my winged Elves...They live way up in the mountains.
A lot of fantasy campaigns refer to them as "Avariel"

Hawklin (Winged Elves)

Avg.Hgt: 5'2"-5'11"
Avg. Wgt: 80-130 lb
Size: Medium
Ability Scores: +2 Dex +2 CHA
Speed: 6 squares, Fly 8 squares (hover)
Vision: Low Light
Languages: Common, Elven.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Perception

Elven Weapon Proficiency: Longbow & Shortbow

Fey Origin.

Flyby Attack: Standard Action
Hawklin can fly up to 8 squares and make a melee or ranged attack at any point during the move without provoking an OA.

Aerial Agility: While flying, Hawklin gain a +1 to all Defenses.

 

[generalhenry]

OP, and super OP

 

[Brazenwood]

Here's my Catbeastmen

The Keshzakran are fascinating to me. They live in a tropical climate on the continent of Keshzakra (hence the name)and their culture is very Indian (as in Ghandi India, not native american). They even dye their fur around their foreheads with one of those third eye dots like in Indian culture. The Keshzakran arange their societies in "Prides" like clans, and just like Humans they have many breeds: Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Panther, and Cheetah racial strains.

Keshzakran Catbeastmen (feline humanoids)

Avg.Hgt: 5'6"-6'2"
Avg. Wgt: 130-230 lb
Size: Medium
Ability Scores: +2 Dex +2 WIS
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Low Light
Languages: Common, Keshzakren.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Stealth

Catlike Reflexes: +1 Reflex Defense

Feline Reaction: You grant yourself and all allies within 10 squares a +1 racial bonus to Initiative.

Claws of Fury: At-Will Standard Action
martial, natural weapon melee
Target: one or two creatures
Attack: STR vs AC
Hit: 1D6 +STR MOD Damage per claw.


Keshzakran Feat:

Rend (Keshzakran): If both claw attacks hit the same target, the Keshzakran can rend the target, doing an additional 1D6 +STR MOD Damage.

 

[Brazenwood]

OP, and super OP

What's OP...

 

[Brazenwood]

Here's my Grey Elf

My Grey Elves are the most secretive and magical of all the elven species. (I don't have Dark or Drow Elves, as these guys are my dark elves)
They have skin the color of wet grey clay, and dark eyes with stark white or silver hair.

Grey Elf

Avg.Hgt: 5'8"-6'3"
Avg. Wgt: 140-180 lb
Size: Medium
Ability Scores: +2 INT +2 DEX
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision
Languages: Common, Elven.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 History

Trance: Meditative sleep for four hours.

Arcane Heritage: Select the Pact Initiate feat or Arcane Initiate feat as a racial bonus feat.

Ritual Blood: Gain the Ritual Casting feat as a racial bonus feat. Grey Elves are +1 to perform all Rituals. In addition, they require only half the time to learn a new ritual or copy it into a Ritual Book or Spellbook.

 

[generalhenry]

Over powered

centaurs can do too much damage

and Fly 8 squares (hover) is EPIC

 

[generalhenry]

Your grey elves aren't needed in 4E they've been replaced by eladrin (just change the name and maybe the encounter power)

Oh and again no PC race should be given darkvision, it's OP in 4E

 

[Khaalis]

Oh and again no PC race should be given darkvision, it's OP in 4E

Problem here is that the suggested stats for a Drow PC include Darkvision as their racial vision.

However, I agree it might be more balanced to start with Low Light Vision and give them a racial feat option to improve to darkvision.

 

[generalhenry]

Drow are both an MM race and the exception.

The general trend in 4E is away from darkvision.