Ramsey
First Post
Hi everyone.
I hope I'm posting this in the right place since I'm still new here and all...
Anyway, if you're up to reading my entire post, then prepare for a rather long read. You have been warned.
Here are several races that I have made and I have been using them for quite sometime now in my campaign. But now that've play-tested them I'm getting the feeling that some of them might be unballanced.
I would really apreciate it if the more experienced people here could give me a hand with making them more ballanced.
It would really help me out a lot.
Oh and like I said before, I use these race for a campaign in a world I made up. So there are a lot of times when gods or languages are mentioned that noone ever heard of.
So just ignore those...
Kirins
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Kirins are a race of agile tricksters who love pranks. They live only for themselves and don’t stop to consider other people’s feelings.
Personality: Kirins love to be in high places where they can look down on the people below, planning on who will become their next victim. While not all kirins play pranks and tricks on others, most of them consider it their duty to make life a little more interesting for everyone around them.
They can be very artistic and make great artist and entertainers, but unfortunaly have an extremely short span of attention. Kirins easily get bored with something and will leave to find other fun things to do. Most kirins only live to have fun and don’t like working.
Physical description: Kirins bear an uncanny resemblance to humans but stand only 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall and are a lot skinnier. Although they prefer to use small weapons they have sharp nails and fangs which they use to defend them if they are somehow unable to get any weapons. They have long, fury tails which helps them in keeping their balance while performing all sorts of acrobatic manoeuvres.
Relations: Kirins can get along just fine with anyone if they want to, except for fungai and dwarves, which are a little too serious for their taste. But because they easily get bored they usually don’t keep friends for very long. Either they get chased away because they did one prank to many or they leave themselves in search of more interesting people.
Alignment: Although a kirin can be of any alignment most of them have a chaotic nature. A lawful kirin is a rare sight, but ones have been known to exist.
Religion: Most kirins worship the first kirin, Shazri, who teaches them a lot of good pranks. Because they’re on the move a lot, kirins have also been known to worship Fharlanghn, the god of roads. A lot of kirins also like the gnomish god Garl Glittergold, because he has a great sense of humour. But because kirins like the simple joys of life and Garl’s like of jewelry, most think he’s a little too snooty for their taste.
Names: Male names: Kimleh, Fago, Talko, Mirmak, Shogo…
Female names: Chiria, Firi, Samlia, Fisali, Amiara,…
Kirins don’t have last names.
Adventures: All kirins are driven by a great wanderlust and travel the world in search of fun things.
Kirin racial traits:
• Str -2, Dex +2, Con -2, Int -2, Cha +2 : Kirins are physically fairly weak, but make up for this with great agility and strong personalities
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, kirins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Kirin base speed is 40 feet.
• Natural attacks (claws): Kirins may use their sharp claws to deal slashing damage instead of subdual damage with an unarmed attack. Attacks made with natural weapons do not provoke attacks of oppurtunity. Because of these claws they also get a +4 bonus on climb checks.
• Racial bonus feat: branchiation. Kirins can use this feat even if they don’t meet all the prerequisites
• Automatic Languages: Home Region. Bonus Languages: Any other region, gnomish, sylvan and undercommon. Kirins fluently speak the language of their home region as well as those of other fun races.
• Favored Class: Rogue or Bastard
Highlanders
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Highlanders are robust humanoids that hail from the northern regions of Naimleth. They enjoy battles and never back down from a challenge.
Personality: Highlanders live for battle and start fights whenever they can, but they are smart enough to know when to step back. Most highlanders are very friendly to outsiders and usually keep their stranger customs to themselves when in the company of non-highlanders. Highlanders also love showing off their strength and will go through a lot of trouble to try and prove this.
Highlanders love the simple joys of life such drinking and feasting. They consider arm wrestling a national sport.
Physical description: Highlanders bear an uncanny resemblance to humans but are much larger and more powerfully built. Most of them stand from 6 to 7 1/2 feet tall. Their jaws are much bigger then those of humans and have ears that are slightly pointed. The most remarkable thing about them is probably their hair growth. Most highlanders are totally covered with hair, except for their face, although that most male highlanders grow beards. Female highlanders have the same kind of hair growth, but no facial hair. A lot of highlanders who move south to the cities shave their body hair off in order to fit in better.
Relations: Highlanders can get along with most people especially those that enjoy combat such as dwarves. They don’t really like the smaller, weaker races such as gnomes and kirins but don’t really have anything against them. Highlanders have a strong hatred towards orcs, which regularly invade their homeland.
Alignment: Highlanders don’t tend to a particular alignment, but most of them are good.
Religion: A lot of highlanders worship the god of strength, Agress because of obvious reasons. The goddess Kashin-mei Zankar has recently begun rising in popularity among highlanders too.
Names: Highlanders are given a name at birth, but these names are childish and unbecoming of a warrior. When they reach puberty they must embark on a quest to prove their adulthood and to chose a name of their own. Males and females can have the same names.
Names: Stron’ms, Hawkay, Tuf, Berrug, Crussa, Killa…
Clan names: Forgemaster, Bladechampion, Flameholder, Bearslayer, Orcrusher,…
Adventures: Most highlanders set out on adventure one day or another to prove how strong they are.
Highlander racial traits:
• Str +2, Dex -2: Highlanders have powerful bodies, but this at the cost of agility
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Highlander base speed is 30 feet.
• Rage (Ex): Once per day a highlander may fly into a bloodthirsty frenzy. This ability is the same to barbarian rage, but only grants a +2 bonus to strength and constitution and no will save bonus.
• Highlanders are proficient with longswords, short swords, handaxes and battleaxes. Because of the dangerous area they live in they are taught how to defend themselves at a very young age.
• Highlanders are taught how to survive on their own in the wild and receive a +2 bonus on wilderness lore checks.
• +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids (goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears): Highlanders are trained in the special combat techniques that allow them to fight their common enemies more effectively.
• Automatic Languages: Home Region. Bonus Languages: Any other region, dwarven, giant, goblin, orcish. Highlanders learn the language of their home region as well as those of potential friends and foes.
• Favored Class: Barbarian
Mando
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The Mando are the secretive, greedy reptilic humanoids that one day appeared on Naimleth. Since that day they have been peacefully trading with the native inhabitants. They are extremely friendly to people with money, but what happens when that money runs out?
Personality: The Mando are born merchants and are willing to go to any lengths to satisfy a potential customer. They’re also masters at haggling and getting other merchants to lower their prices for them. But when it comes to selling their own products they’ll try to go as high as possible. Although they are extremely sociable, most of this behaviour is just a way to get the locals to like them. Most Mando are actually extremely secretive and will rarely talk about their personal lives to non-Mando. Mando posses great intellects and enjoy talking about fine arts and engineering.
Ever since they have witnessed gnomish inventors constructing all sorts of useful devices many Mando have also started dabbling in inventing and can make complicated machinery that can easily match those of gnomes. But unlike gnomes the Mando have little interest for using their inventions for the good of the world, Mando inventors will usually immediately try to sell their contraptions at ludicrously high prices.
While this is not the case for all Mando, money usually is their greatest motivation and their passion. Many Mando would rather die then to live in poverty.
They have a very complicated language that they’re not keen on sharing with outsiders.
Physical description: The Mando have a scaly skin with colours that vary from dark brown to bright orange. They don’t have any hair, but male Mando have bony crests on the top of their heads that are raised upwards when angered or excited. They have dark, watery eyes and large, bloated lips. Many Mando have the bad habit of constantly moistening their lips with their tongues, usually accompanied by annoying smacking noises.
Most people think that all Mando are overweight because of their potbellies, but this is actually because large parts of their body can store fat and water for many days. Because of this Mando can go on for days without food or water, which suits them just fine, since then they don’t have regularly to interrupt their work to eat.
Relations: Mando love to trade and therefore get along with anyone who has money. Those who don’t have any money are ignored and those that do are treated as nicely as possibly. Their most preferred customers are humans and gnomes, which are both known for buying things they don’t really need. They think dwarves don’t make good customers but see them as valuable suppliers of high quality steelwork, such as weapons and armor. They don’t like fungai and kirins, because they don’t appreciate the value of gold.
Alignment: Because most Mando are self-serving they mostly tend to the neutral alignments.
Religion: Most Mando don’t believe in gods, but when asked they’ll usually say they worship whatever god is most popular in the region their in.
Names: The Mando are given their names at birth. Most Mando are named after gems or other valuable objects. Their last names hint at what their family has been best at selling for the last centuries. You can notice those that aren’t doing good business by humiliating last names.
Male Names: Jemjam, Gwalmo, Wablo, Zabreas, Appelleon,…
Female names: Chickamo, Ferzinna, Fillamente, Telza, Cappernia,…
Last Names: Moullira, Sakkawampa, Pamiziko, Covarompos, Pompo,…
Adventures: Most Mando leave their home in search for a place to start a business of their own or embark on voyages as treasure seekers.
Mando racial traits:
• Int +2, Dex -2: The Mando are very intelligent beings but are hampered in their movement by their food storage pockets.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Mando have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Mando base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Mando can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Hold Breath: Mando are specially adapted to survive underwater. When a Mando goes underwater she can close her nostrils. Because of this a Mando can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to 18 times her constitution. Because of their webbed toes and feet they also recieve a +4 bonus to Swim checks. Wearing boots or gloves lowers this bonus to +2. Wearing both completely negates this bonus.
• All Mando are masters at bartering and receive a +2 racial bonus on bluff and diplomacy checks when trying to buy or sell something.
• Food Storage Packets: Mando can go without food for 6 days (instead of 3) and can go without water for 2 days (instead of 1).
• Automatic Languages: Mandoriba. Bonus Languages: Any. Mando can speak their own language and try to master as many others as possible to be able to trade with many different species.
• Favored class: Rogue
Earthern gnomes
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Deep beneath the earth lives a diabolical people that once where gnomes but now have nothing more in common with their ancestors. They are the earthern gnomes, or eartherns as they preferred to be called, and from inside their majestic subterranean cities they plot the annihilation of the other races on the surface.
Personality: Eartherns are extremely haughty. They believe they are the most perfect beings on Naimleth and all though their banishment to the underground dates back several millennia they still swear to take their revenge for what has been done to them. They are just as intelligent as regular gnomes but are much more unfriendly, although that any earthern encountered on the surface will be very friendly, this is usually just a charade to gain their thrust. Eartherns prefer to wear expensive clothes and jewellery over comfortable clothing. In a society where nobles are the most influential public, every earthern hopes of achieving some of their influence by dressing and acting the way they do. Jus like other gnomes they also deeply love machinery and price their creations as if they where their children. They also enjoy just about anything that challenges their intellect, varying from arguments with other people of their standard, to building complicated weapons of doom. Although that many eartherns aren’t as evil as the above would make you believe, many are forced to be this way by the ruling nobles. Any earthern who claims to want to make peace with the surface dwellers or has any other “radical” ideas is severely punished and sometimes even executed.
Physical description: The earthen gnomes look just the way their cousins from above ground do, except that their skin colour is much paler (in some cases even completely white). They have dark hair and always have red coloured eyes.
Relations: Eartherns pretend to be everyone’s friend but actually loath all other races. Although that nowadays many eartherns are sick of the hateful society in which they live and want to make friends with the outsiders, these are just exceptions.
Alignment: Because of their hateful nature many eartherns are evil. They also tend more towards chaos then law, although exceptions always exist.
Religion: Every earthern that hates the surface dwellers worships Zee Phouff, the first Phouff king. Those that don’t can virtually worship any other deity.
Names: Eartherns are given their names at birth. They sometimes can have ludicrously long last names, because everyone knows that nobles have long names.
Male Names: Jean-Louis, Victor, Jacques, Philipe, François,…
Female names: Adrienne, Sandrine, Simone, Mimi, …
Last Names: Vivaldier, De Poularxionverus sur Verdon, Quatremonts, Camarchevraiment…
Adventures: Since they aren’t allowed to travel in large parties above ground, adventuring is out of the question for most eartherns. Those that do are either runaways or secret agents working for the Royal Phouff Family.
Earthern gnome racial traits:
• Str -2, Con +2, Int +2, Wis -2: Eartherns are tough, but are physically weaker because of their small stature. But what they lack in strength they make up for in intelligence. They are however extremely short tempered and impatient.
• Small: As Small creatures, earthern gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
• Earthern gnome base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Earthern gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Earthern gnomes have a very keen hearing and sense of smell. They receive a +2 racial bonus on alchemy and listen checks.
• Earthern gnomes are extremely skilled at working with metal and have superior knowledge about making machinery that most other races have no understanding of. They receive a +2 racial bonus to all craft checks related to metal. They also gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Technology) checks.
• Automatic Languages: Gnomish and any regional language. Bonus Languages: Any other regional, Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin, Orcish and Phouff. Eartherns speak the same language as regular gnomes (although most eartherns have a strange dialect) and learn the languages of their enemies. They can also master the secret Phouff language which is only understood by other, specially trained eartherns and, although it uses many gnomish words, it makes no sense to outsiders.
• Earthern gnomes with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may cast the 0-level spells (cantrips) dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation, each once per day. These are arcane spells, and as such the gnome suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the gnome as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects dependent on level (range for all three spells and duration for ghost sound).
• Favored class: Rogue
Fungai
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The fungai are a proud and well organised people that originally descended from ordinary mushrooms. They are hard workers and live in gigantic underground city-states.
Personality: Fungai have extremely strong personalities. They take satisfaction in working hard and take a great deal of pride in what they do, no matter how menial the task might seem. Because everyone in the fungai society has their task and the society would collapse if it wasn’t for them. They enjoy eating, something their very good at since fungai teeth can grind almost anything and they have very strong stomachs, and making jokes, as long they find the time for it at least, work always comes first. Fungai do everything together and are extremely social. Within the fungai city-states privacy only exist for high ranking military personnel, high priests and royalty. When a fungai is somehow cut off from other fungai, he will become confused and frightened. Because fungai are used to always being with other of their kind they become uncertain when they are alone or near large groups of non-fungai.
Physical description: Fungai look very alien when compared to other races. They have solid builds and have dark, bark-like skin. Their faces have no lips and instead of normal teeth their mouths have sharp ridges that are a part of their faces. Above their mouth they have a big mushroom-like hat. While most people think this really is a hat it’s actually an intricate part of their body. The hat is covered by strange, moist bumps that usually have a green colour. The way these bumps are placed is different for every fungai; some have straight lines around their head while other have more erratic placements. These bumps are actually the fungai’s eyes and while they can’t distinguish colours with them, because they all around their mushroom-like hat they can see in all directions.
Relations: Fungai are mostly distrusting and careful when it comes to other races. Although they are never aggressive unless they somehow feel threatened. Fungai in groups will mostly be neutral towards members of other races or can be friendly when ordered to do so by a superior. A fungai on his own will feel uneasy and will try to make friends with members of other nearby races, although he will rarely truly be comfortable being around them a fungai prefers anything to solitude.
Alignment: Fungai are usually lawful and are never chaotic. They are mostly neutral and rarely ever evil.
Religion: All fungai worship their creator and protector St. Allfast. Worshipping another deity is unthinkable and is considered blasphemous towards St. Allfast.
Names: Fungai can have the same names as humans and have no last names.
Adventures: Most fungai will never leave their home city-state in their entire life. But some on official missions, like explorers or bodyguards of important priests, may venture to far away lands.
Fungai racial traits:
• Con +2, Int -2: Fungai are very tough but are slightly less intelligent then most members of other species.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Fungai base speed is 25 feet.
• Darkvision (Ex): Fungai can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and fungai can function just fine with no light at all.
• 360° vision (Ex): A fungai’s many eyes make it possible to see everything around him. Fungai can not be caught unaware by attacks from behind. They however are not able to distinguish colours and see in black and white only.
• Partial Plant Immunities (Ex): Because fungai descend from ordinary mushrooms they retain some of their qualities. Fungai are immune to paralysis, stunning and polymorph effects. Because they also have vital organs and brains like ordinary humanoids and also need to sleep, they are still subjected to sleep effects, critical hits and mind influencing attacks.
• Fire Vulnerability: Because fungai still are made out plant-like material they take double damage from fire-based attacks. And when hit by one of these attacks a fungai can also catch fire unless they can succeed a reflex save of DC 15. If they fail they will take 1D4 points of fire damage every turn until the fire is put out. Rolling on the floor will grant a +2 bonus to this Reflex save.
• Isolation Aversion: Fungai don't handle isolation well. Whenever a fungai is left alone for more then 24 hours she needs to make a Will save of DC 15 or suffer 1D6 temporary Wisdom damage. A fungai that is reduced to 0 Wisdom goes permanently insane.
• Xenophobia: Fungai are mostly distrusting towards members of other species. Therefore they recieve a -2 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy or other Charisma based checks made to improve the attitudes of non-fungai. Likewise all charisma-based checks made to improve the attitude of a fungai also suffers a -2 penalty.
• Automatic Languages: Beldonian. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Gnoll and Orcish. While most don’t bother to learn other languages those that might need it on missions are wise to learn the languages of potential friends and foes. In addition, once per day a fungai can use speak with plants as a spell-like ability to speak with a mushroom (this can also be any fungus, toadstool or even mould). This ability is innate to fungai. It has a duration of 1 minute (the fungai is considered a 1st-level caster when he uses this ability, regardless of his actual level).
• Favored class: Fighter
• Level Adjustement: +1
Higher fungai
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The higher fungai are a race of more evolved fungai. Although they’re a lot more intelligent then their cousins, they don’t feel superior and regard regular fungai as a valuable labour force.
Personality: Higher fungai have much in common with regular fungai but are a lot more serious then their hard working brothers. Higher fungai are also hard workers but aren’t as passionate about it as their cousins, they can be very emotionless at times and are rarely amused. They enjoy fine cuisine and make great cooks. Since higher fungai are there to do any work that involves thinking they can also work a lot more autonomously then regular fungai. Because of their superior intelligence higher fungai usually become wizards, engineers, healers, priests or any other job where brains are valued over brawn.
Physical description: In many aspects higher fungai greatly resemble humans. Their skin- and hair colours however are a lot more exotic. Most higher fungai have a soft purple or green skin, although other exotic variants are possible. They usually have green grass-like hair that never grow past a certain length and therefore can’t grow long hair even if they wanted, although that many higher fungai would find this extremely impractical. Their eyes have equally exotic and can be purple, yellow or red, but others are also possible.
Relations: Higher fungai are mostly distrusting and careful when it comes to other races. Although they are never aggressive unless they somehow feel threatened. Higher fungai in groups will mostly be neutral towards members of other races. Although they consider themselves equal to their fungai brothers, most higher fungai have the feeling they are much more highly evolved then most other races and can be quite arrogant at times.
Alignment: Higher fungai are usually lawful and are never chaotic. They are mostly neutral. Contrary to regular fungai, evil higher fungai are more common.
Religion: All fungai worship their creator and protector St. Allfast. Worshipping another deity is unthinkable and is considered blasphemous towards St. Allfast.
Names: Higher fungai can have the same names as humans and have no last names.
Adventures: Most fungai will never leave their home city-state in their entire life. But some on official missions, like important priests or spokesmen that need to set up trading routes with other species, may venture to far away lands.
Higher fungai racial traits:
• Int +2, Wis+2, Cha -2: Higher fungai posses great intellects and are extremely observant. They are however known to be rather emotionless.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Higher fungai base speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision (Ex): Higher fungai can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and fungai can function just fine with no light at all.
• Partial Plant Immunities (Ex): Because fungai descend from ordinary mushrooms they retain some of their qualities. Fungai are immune to sleep, paralisys, stunning and polymorph effects. Because they also have vital organs and brains like ordinary humanoids, they are however still subjected to critical hits and mind influencing attacks.
• Fire Vunrability: Because fungai still exist out of plant-like material they take double damage from fire-based attacks. They don’t catch fire as easily as their fungai brothers.
• Automatic Languages: Beldonian. Bonus Languages: Any other regional, Dwarven, Goblin, Gnoll and Orcish. It might strange for a race that mostly lives on the continent of Central Flats to speak a language that originates from the Noble West, but St. Allfast, the fungai’s creator was originally from this region and taught the fungai to speak his native language. While most don’t bother to learn other languages those that might need it on missions are wise to learn the languages of potential friends and foes. In addition, once per day a higher fungai can use speak with plants as a spell-like ability to speak with a mushroom (this can also be any fungus, toadstool or even mould). This ability is innate to higher fungai. It has a duration of 1 minute (the higher fungai is considered a 1st-level caster when he uses this ability, regardless of his actual level).
• Higher fungai with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may cast the 0-level spells (cantrips) daze and mage hand, each once per day. These are arcane spells, and as such the higher fungai suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the higher fungai as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects dependent on level (range for all three spells and duration for ghost sound).
• Favored class: Any spell-casting class. Because higher fungai have a natural affinity to magic they may join any class that can cast spells without suffering an XP penalty.
• Level Adjustement: +1
Nin’geko
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The Nin’gekos are a race of small, forest-dwelling, cat-like monstrous humanoids. Contrary to their small stature they are fierce warriors who know who to use their surroundings to their advantage. Because of their great knowledge of nature and instincts they make excellent trackers.
Personality: Nin’gekos live in harmony with nature and generally distrust all “civilised” races. They are known for their shy personalities and usually never leave their birthplace
They are extremely warm and empathic and usually offer help to all those who need it (providing they’re a member of a forest-dwelling race). Yet some Nin’gekos are very adventurous and want to go explore the world, but these are rare.
Physical description: Nin’gekos stand about 2,5 feet to 3 feet tall and are very lightly built to make it easier to perform acrobatic movements. They look like cats but with more humanoid features. They totally covered with fur usually of a brown, with, black or grey colour. They have large ears on top of their heads, which insure keen hearing. They all sport tails. Most wild Nin’gekos prefer to wear no clothing but some tribes that live in colder areas dress themselves in practical, weather-resistant clothes.
Relations: Nin’gekos don’t get along with members of most other races. They see them as out of touch with nature and therefore distrust them. They do get along with other forest-dwellers such as Fey and occasionally also Kirins.
Alignment: Nin’gekos are almost always good and mostly lend towards neutral and in some cases, with the more adventurous one, chaos. Nin’gekos are never lawful.
Religion: Nin’gekos are a deeply spiritual people and believe in all kinds of forest spirits and super-natural creatures. Most Nin’gekos believe in the existence of a great guardian spirit who watched over all of them. Unfortunately the source of power from the great guardian spirit, the hearthstone, has been stolen and the spirit is currently considered dead. So many adventurous Nin’gekos consider it their duty to search for the lost hearthstone to return the great guardian spirit to life.
Names: Male names: Katts’p, L’tisk, At’risk, K’ldon,…
Female names: Nelk’s, Tif’lna, L’rnal’s, Tef’sna,…
Nin’gekos don’t have last names.
Adventures: Most Nin’gekos never leave their birth ground. However those who do, usually go to look for the lost hearthstone of the guardian spirit. In more rare cases some may leave on adventures for more selfish reasons.
Nin’geko racial traits:
• +4 dex, -2 str, -2 int, -2 cha: Nin’gekos are quick and extremely agile but are somewhat less strong because of their small stature and are slightly more primitive. They also very shy.
• Small: As Small creatures, Nin’gekos gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
• Nin’geko base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Nin’gekos can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
• +4 racial bonus to Listen checks: Nin’gekos have very keen ears.
• Meld with surroundings (Su): When a Nin’geko remains absolutely motionless for 4 turns when close to a surface it can shift the colour of it’s fur into the same colour of the surface granting it an +4 bonus on Hide. When the nin'geko moves again she looses this bonus and will have to repeat the same process to regain this bonus.
• Natural attack: Claws. Damage: 1D3 slashing. Critical hit on 20. A Nin’geko can extend and retract their claws as a free action and they are always considered armed.
• Uncivilized: Hailing from forest with no signs of cities for miles, ningekos have little comprehension about the way non-forest dwellers think. Therefore they recieve a -1 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy and Gather Information checks made against non-nin'gekos or non-fey. Likewise they also recieve a -2 penalty on Appraise checks made to identify objects that where made by non-nin'gekos or non-fey and a -2 penalty to Inuit Direction checks made in large comunities such as towns or cities.
• Automatic languages: Nin’geko. Bonus languages: Sylvan, Common, Dactanian, Orc, Goblin, Gnoll. Nin’gekos learn the languages of their friends as well as their most encountered enemies.
• Favored Class: Ranger.
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Many thanks to anyone who would be willing to review my races!
I get the feeling especially the regular fungai are extremely unballanced because of their 360° vision. Does anybody have any advice on how I could make this less powerfull without having to remove it? What wories me the most about this ability is that it makes them immune to sneak attacks and such...
I hope I'm posting this in the right place since I'm still new here and all...
Anyway, if you're up to reading my entire post, then prepare for a rather long read. You have been warned.
Here are several races that I have made and I have been using them for quite sometime now in my campaign. But now that've play-tested them I'm getting the feeling that some of them might be unballanced.
I would really apreciate it if the more experienced people here could give me a hand with making them more ballanced.
It would really help me out a lot.
Oh and like I said before, I use these race for a campaign in a world I made up. So there are a lot of times when gods or languages are mentioned that noone ever heard of.
So just ignore those...
Kirins
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Kirins are a race of agile tricksters who love pranks. They live only for themselves and don’t stop to consider other people’s feelings.
Personality: Kirins love to be in high places where they can look down on the people below, planning on who will become their next victim. While not all kirins play pranks and tricks on others, most of them consider it their duty to make life a little more interesting for everyone around them.
They can be very artistic and make great artist and entertainers, but unfortunaly have an extremely short span of attention. Kirins easily get bored with something and will leave to find other fun things to do. Most kirins only live to have fun and don’t like working.
Physical description: Kirins bear an uncanny resemblance to humans but stand only 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall and are a lot skinnier. Although they prefer to use small weapons they have sharp nails and fangs which they use to defend them if they are somehow unable to get any weapons. They have long, fury tails which helps them in keeping their balance while performing all sorts of acrobatic manoeuvres.
Relations: Kirins can get along just fine with anyone if they want to, except for fungai and dwarves, which are a little too serious for their taste. But because they easily get bored they usually don’t keep friends for very long. Either they get chased away because they did one prank to many or they leave themselves in search of more interesting people.
Alignment: Although a kirin can be of any alignment most of them have a chaotic nature. A lawful kirin is a rare sight, but ones have been known to exist.
Religion: Most kirins worship the first kirin, Shazri, who teaches them a lot of good pranks. Because they’re on the move a lot, kirins have also been known to worship Fharlanghn, the god of roads. A lot of kirins also like the gnomish god Garl Glittergold, because he has a great sense of humour. But because kirins like the simple joys of life and Garl’s like of jewelry, most think he’s a little too snooty for their taste.
Names: Male names: Kimleh, Fago, Talko, Mirmak, Shogo…
Female names: Chiria, Firi, Samlia, Fisali, Amiara,…
Kirins don’t have last names.
Adventures: All kirins are driven by a great wanderlust and travel the world in search of fun things.
Kirin racial traits:
• Str -2, Dex +2, Con -2, Int -2, Cha +2 : Kirins are physically fairly weak, but make up for this with great agility and strong personalities
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, kirins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Kirin base speed is 40 feet.
• Natural attacks (claws): Kirins may use their sharp claws to deal slashing damage instead of subdual damage with an unarmed attack. Attacks made with natural weapons do not provoke attacks of oppurtunity. Because of these claws they also get a +4 bonus on climb checks.
• Racial bonus feat: branchiation. Kirins can use this feat even if they don’t meet all the prerequisites
• Automatic Languages: Home Region. Bonus Languages: Any other region, gnomish, sylvan and undercommon. Kirins fluently speak the language of their home region as well as those of other fun races.
• Favored Class: Rogue or Bastard
Highlanders
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Highlanders are robust humanoids that hail from the northern regions of Naimleth. They enjoy battles and never back down from a challenge.
Personality: Highlanders live for battle and start fights whenever they can, but they are smart enough to know when to step back. Most highlanders are very friendly to outsiders and usually keep their stranger customs to themselves when in the company of non-highlanders. Highlanders also love showing off their strength and will go through a lot of trouble to try and prove this.
Highlanders love the simple joys of life such drinking and feasting. They consider arm wrestling a national sport.
Physical description: Highlanders bear an uncanny resemblance to humans but are much larger and more powerfully built. Most of them stand from 6 to 7 1/2 feet tall. Their jaws are much bigger then those of humans and have ears that are slightly pointed. The most remarkable thing about them is probably their hair growth. Most highlanders are totally covered with hair, except for their face, although that most male highlanders grow beards. Female highlanders have the same kind of hair growth, but no facial hair. A lot of highlanders who move south to the cities shave their body hair off in order to fit in better.
Relations: Highlanders can get along with most people especially those that enjoy combat such as dwarves. They don’t really like the smaller, weaker races such as gnomes and kirins but don’t really have anything against them. Highlanders have a strong hatred towards orcs, which regularly invade their homeland.
Alignment: Highlanders don’t tend to a particular alignment, but most of them are good.
Religion: A lot of highlanders worship the god of strength, Agress because of obvious reasons. The goddess Kashin-mei Zankar has recently begun rising in popularity among highlanders too.
Names: Highlanders are given a name at birth, but these names are childish and unbecoming of a warrior. When they reach puberty they must embark on a quest to prove their adulthood and to chose a name of their own. Males and females can have the same names.
Names: Stron’ms, Hawkay, Tuf, Berrug, Crussa, Killa…
Clan names: Forgemaster, Bladechampion, Flameholder, Bearslayer, Orcrusher,…
Adventures: Most highlanders set out on adventure one day or another to prove how strong they are.
Highlander racial traits:
• Str +2, Dex -2: Highlanders have powerful bodies, but this at the cost of agility
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Highlander base speed is 30 feet.
• Rage (Ex): Once per day a highlander may fly into a bloodthirsty frenzy. This ability is the same to barbarian rage, but only grants a +2 bonus to strength and constitution and no will save bonus.
• Highlanders are proficient with longswords, short swords, handaxes and battleaxes. Because of the dangerous area they live in they are taught how to defend themselves at a very young age.
• Highlanders are taught how to survive on their own in the wild and receive a +2 bonus on wilderness lore checks.
• +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids (goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears): Highlanders are trained in the special combat techniques that allow them to fight their common enemies more effectively.
• Automatic Languages: Home Region. Bonus Languages: Any other region, dwarven, giant, goblin, orcish. Highlanders learn the language of their home region as well as those of potential friends and foes.
• Favored Class: Barbarian
Mando
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The Mando are the secretive, greedy reptilic humanoids that one day appeared on Naimleth. Since that day they have been peacefully trading with the native inhabitants. They are extremely friendly to people with money, but what happens when that money runs out?
Personality: The Mando are born merchants and are willing to go to any lengths to satisfy a potential customer. They’re also masters at haggling and getting other merchants to lower their prices for them. But when it comes to selling their own products they’ll try to go as high as possible. Although they are extremely sociable, most of this behaviour is just a way to get the locals to like them. Most Mando are actually extremely secretive and will rarely talk about their personal lives to non-Mando. Mando posses great intellects and enjoy talking about fine arts and engineering.
Ever since they have witnessed gnomish inventors constructing all sorts of useful devices many Mando have also started dabbling in inventing and can make complicated machinery that can easily match those of gnomes. But unlike gnomes the Mando have little interest for using their inventions for the good of the world, Mando inventors will usually immediately try to sell their contraptions at ludicrously high prices.
While this is not the case for all Mando, money usually is their greatest motivation and their passion. Many Mando would rather die then to live in poverty.
They have a very complicated language that they’re not keen on sharing with outsiders.
Physical description: The Mando have a scaly skin with colours that vary from dark brown to bright orange. They don’t have any hair, but male Mando have bony crests on the top of their heads that are raised upwards when angered or excited. They have dark, watery eyes and large, bloated lips. Many Mando have the bad habit of constantly moistening their lips with their tongues, usually accompanied by annoying smacking noises.
Most people think that all Mando are overweight because of their potbellies, but this is actually because large parts of their body can store fat and water for many days. Because of this Mando can go on for days without food or water, which suits them just fine, since then they don’t have regularly to interrupt their work to eat.
Relations: Mando love to trade and therefore get along with anyone who has money. Those who don’t have any money are ignored and those that do are treated as nicely as possibly. Their most preferred customers are humans and gnomes, which are both known for buying things they don’t really need. They think dwarves don’t make good customers but see them as valuable suppliers of high quality steelwork, such as weapons and armor. They don’t like fungai and kirins, because they don’t appreciate the value of gold.
Alignment: Because most Mando are self-serving they mostly tend to the neutral alignments.
Religion: Most Mando don’t believe in gods, but when asked they’ll usually say they worship whatever god is most popular in the region their in.
Names: The Mando are given their names at birth. Most Mando are named after gems or other valuable objects. Their last names hint at what their family has been best at selling for the last centuries. You can notice those that aren’t doing good business by humiliating last names.
Male Names: Jemjam, Gwalmo, Wablo, Zabreas, Appelleon,…
Female names: Chickamo, Ferzinna, Fillamente, Telza, Cappernia,…
Last Names: Moullira, Sakkawampa, Pamiziko, Covarompos, Pompo,…
Adventures: Most Mando leave their home in search for a place to start a business of their own or embark on voyages as treasure seekers.
Mando racial traits:
• Int +2, Dex -2: The Mando are very intelligent beings but are hampered in their movement by their food storage pockets.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Mando have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Mando base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Mando can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Hold Breath: Mando are specially adapted to survive underwater. When a Mando goes underwater she can close her nostrils. Because of this a Mando can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to 18 times her constitution. Because of their webbed toes and feet they also recieve a +4 bonus to Swim checks. Wearing boots or gloves lowers this bonus to +2. Wearing both completely negates this bonus.
• All Mando are masters at bartering and receive a +2 racial bonus on bluff and diplomacy checks when trying to buy or sell something.
• Food Storage Packets: Mando can go without food for 6 days (instead of 3) and can go without water for 2 days (instead of 1).
• Automatic Languages: Mandoriba. Bonus Languages: Any. Mando can speak their own language and try to master as many others as possible to be able to trade with many different species.
• Favored class: Rogue
Earthern gnomes
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Deep beneath the earth lives a diabolical people that once where gnomes but now have nothing more in common with their ancestors. They are the earthern gnomes, or eartherns as they preferred to be called, and from inside their majestic subterranean cities they plot the annihilation of the other races on the surface.
Personality: Eartherns are extremely haughty. They believe they are the most perfect beings on Naimleth and all though their banishment to the underground dates back several millennia they still swear to take their revenge for what has been done to them. They are just as intelligent as regular gnomes but are much more unfriendly, although that any earthern encountered on the surface will be very friendly, this is usually just a charade to gain their thrust. Eartherns prefer to wear expensive clothes and jewellery over comfortable clothing. In a society where nobles are the most influential public, every earthern hopes of achieving some of their influence by dressing and acting the way they do. Jus like other gnomes they also deeply love machinery and price their creations as if they where their children. They also enjoy just about anything that challenges their intellect, varying from arguments with other people of their standard, to building complicated weapons of doom. Although that many eartherns aren’t as evil as the above would make you believe, many are forced to be this way by the ruling nobles. Any earthern who claims to want to make peace with the surface dwellers or has any other “radical” ideas is severely punished and sometimes even executed.
Physical description: The earthen gnomes look just the way their cousins from above ground do, except that their skin colour is much paler (in some cases even completely white). They have dark hair and always have red coloured eyes.
Relations: Eartherns pretend to be everyone’s friend but actually loath all other races. Although that nowadays many eartherns are sick of the hateful society in which they live and want to make friends with the outsiders, these are just exceptions.
Alignment: Because of their hateful nature many eartherns are evil. They also tend more towards chaos then law, although exceptions always exist.
Religion: Every earthern that hates the surface dwellers worships Zee Phouff, the first Phouff king. Those that don’t can virtually worship any other deity.
Names: Eartherns are given their names at birth. They sometimes can have ludicrously long last names, because everyone knows that nobles have long names.
Male Names: Jean-Louis, Victor, Jacques, Philipe, François,…
Female names: Adrienne, Sandrine, Simone, Mimi, …
Last Names: Vivaldier, De Poularxionverus sur Verdon, Quatremonts, Camarchevraiment…
Adventures: Since they aren’t allowed to travel in large parties above ground, adventuring is out of the question for most eartherns. Those that do are either runaways or secret agents working for the Royal Phouff Family.
Earthern gnome racial traits:
• Str -2, Con +2, Int +2, Wis -2: Eartherns are tough, but are physically weaker because of their small stature. But what they lack in strength they make up for in intelligence. They are however extremely short tempered and impatient.
• Small: As Small creatures, earthern gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
• Earthern gnome base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Earthern gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Earthern gnomes have a very keen hearing and sense of smell. They receive a +2 racial bonus on alchemy and listen checks.
• Earthern gnomes are extremely skilled at working with metal and have superior knowledge about making machinery that most other races have no understanding of. They receive a +2 racial bonus to all craft checks related to metal. They also gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Technology) checks.
• Automatic Languages: Gnomish and any regional language. Bonus Languages: Any other regional, Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin, Orcish and Phouff. Eartherns speak the same language as regular gnomes (although most eartherns have a strange dialect) and learn the languages of their enemies. They can also master the secret Phouff language which is only understood by other, specially trained eartherns and, although it uses many gnomish words, it makes no sense to outsiders.
• Earthern gnomes with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may cast the 0-level spells (cantrips) dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation, each once per day. These are arcane spells, and as such the gnome suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the gnome as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects dependent on level (range for all three spells and duration for ghost sound).
• Favored class: Rogue
Fungai
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The fungai are a proud and well organised people that originally descended from ordinary mushrooms. They are hard workers and live in gigantic underground city-states.
Personality: Fungai have extremely strong personalities. They take satisfaction in working hard and take a great deal of pride in what they do, no matter how menial the task might seem. Because everyone in the fungai society has their task and the society would collapse if it wasn’t for them. They enjoy eating, something their very good at since fungai teeth can grind almost anything and they have very strong stomachs, and making jokes, as long they find the time for it at least, work always comes first. Fungai do everything together and are extremely social. Within the fungai city-states privacy only exist for high ranking military personnel, high priests and royalty. When a fungai is somehow cut off from other fungai, he will become confused and frightened. Because fungai are used to always being with other of their kind they become uncertain when they are alone or near large groups of non-fungai.
Physical description: Fungai look very alien when compared to other races. They have solid builds and have dark, bark-like skin. Their faces have no lips and instead of normal teeth their mouths have sharp ridges that are a part of their faces. Above their mouth they have a big mushroom-like hat. While most people think this really is a hat it’s actually an intricate part of their body. The hat is covered by strange, moist bumps that usually have a green colour. The way these bumps are placed is different for every fungai; some have straight lines around their head while other have more erratic placements. These bumps are actually the fungai’s eyes and while they can’t distinguish colours with them, because they all around their mushroom-like hat they can see in all directions.
Relations: Fungai are mostly distrusting and careful when it comes to other races. Although they are never aggressive unless they somehow feel threatened. Fungai in groups will mostly be neutral towards members of other races or can be friendly when ordered to do so by a superior. A fungai on his own will feel uneasy and will try to make friends with members of other nearby races, although he will rarely truly be comfortable being around them a fungai prefers anything to solitude.
Alignment: Fungai are usually lawful and are never chaotic. They are mostly neutral and rarely ever evil.
Religion: All fungai worship their creator and protector St. Allfast. Worshipping another deity is unthinkable and is considered blasphemous towards St. Allfast.
Names: Fungai can have the same names as humans and have no last names.
Adventures: Most fungai will never leave their home city-state in their entire life. But some on official missions, like explorers or bodyguards of important priests, may venture to far away lands.
Fungai racial traits:
• Con +2, Int -2: Fungai are very tough but are slightly less intelligent then most members of other species.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Fungai base speed is 25 feet.
• Darkvision (Ex): Fungai can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and fungai can function just fine with no light at all.
• 360° vision (Ex): A fungai’s many eyes make it possible to see everything around him. Fungai can not be caught unaware by attacks from behind. They however are not able to distinguish colours and see in black and white only.
• Partial Plant Immunities (Ex): Because fungai descend from ordinary mushrooms they retain some of their qualities. Fungai are immune to paralysis, stunning and polymorph effects. Because they also have vital organs and brains like ordinary humanoids and also need to sleep, they are still subjected to sleep effects, critical hits and mind influencing attacks.
• Fire Vulnerability: Because fungai still are made out plant-like material they take double damage from fire-based attacks. And when hit by one of these attacks a fungai can also catch fire unless they can succeed a reflex save of DC 15. If they fail they will take 1D4 points of fire damage every turn until the fire is put out. Rolling on the floor will grant a +2 bonus to this Reflex save.
• Isolation Aversion: Fungai don't handle isolation well. Whenever a fungai is left alone for more then 24 hours she needs to make a Will save of DC 15 or suffer 1D6 temporary Wisdom damage. A fungai that is reduced to 0 Wisdom goes permanently insane.
• Xenophobia: Fungai are mostly distrusting towards members of other species. Therefore they recieve a -2 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy or other Charisma based checks made to improve the attitudes of non-fungai. Likewise all charisma-based checks made to improve the attitude of a fungai also suffers a -2 penalty.
• Automatic Languages: Beldonian. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Gnoll and Orcish. While most don’t bother to learn other languages those that might need it on missions are wise to learn the languages of potential friends and foes. In addition, once per day a fungai can use speak with plants as a spell-like ability to speak with a mushroom (this can also be any fungus, toadstool or even mould). This ability is innate to fungai. It has a duration of 1 minute (the fungai is considered a 1st-level caster when he uses this ability, regardless of his actual level).
• Favored class: Fighter
• Level Adjustement: +1
Higher fungai
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The higher fungai are a race of more evolved fungai. Although they’re a lot more intelligent then their cousins, they don’t feel superior and regard regular fungai as a valuable labour force.
Personality: Higher fungai have much in common with regular fungai but are a lot more serious then their hard working brothers. Higher fungai are also hard workers but aren’t as passionate about it as their cousins, they can be very emotionless at times and are rarely amused. They enjoy fine cuisine and make great cooks. Since higher fungai are there to do any work that involves thinking they can also work a lot more autonomously then regular fungai. Because of their superior intelligence higher fungai usually become wizards, engineers, healers, priests or any other job where brains are valued over brawn.
Physical description: In many aspects higher fungai greatly resemble humans. Their skin- and hair colours however are a lot more exotic. Most higher fungai have a soft purple or green skin, although other exotic variants are possible. They usually have green grass-like hair that never grow past a certain length and therefore can’t grow long hair even if they wanted, although that many higher fungai would find this extremely impractical. Their eyes have equally exotic and can be purple, yellow or red, but others are also possible.
Relations: Higher fungai are mostly distrusting and careful when it comes to other races. Although they are never aggressive unless they somehow feel threatened. Higher fungai in groups will mostly be neutral towards members of other races. Although they consider themselves equal to their fungai brothers, most higher fungai have the feeling they are much more highly evolved then most other races and can be quite arrogant at times.
Alignment: Higher fungai are usually lawful and are never chaotic. They are mostly neutral. Contrary to regular fungai, evil higher fungai are more common.
Religion: All fungai worship their creator and protector St. Allfast. Worshipping another deity is unthinkable and is considered blasphemous towards St. Allfast.
Names: Higher fungai can have the same names as humans and have no last names.
Adventures: Most fungai will never leave their home city-state in their entire life. But some on official missions, like important priests or spokesmen that need to set up trading routes with other species, may venture to far away lands.
Higher fungai racial traits:
• Int +2, Wis+2, Cha -2: Higher fungai posses great intellects and are extremely observant. They are however known to be rather emotionless.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, highlanders have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Higher fungai base speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision (Ex): Higher fungai can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and fungai can function just fine with no light at all.
• Partial Plant Immunities (Ex): Because fungai descend from ordinary mushrooms they retain some of their qualities. Fungai are immune to sleep, paralisys, stunning and polymorph effects. Because they also have vital organs and brains like ordinary humanoids, they are however still subjected to critical hits and mind influencing attacks.
• Fire Vunrability: Because fungai still exist out of plant-like material they take double damage from fire-based attacks. They don’t catch fire as easily as their fungai brothers.
• Automatic Languages: Beldonian. Bonus Languages: Any other regional, Dwarven, Goblin, Gnoll and Orcish. It might strange for a race that mostly lives on the continent of Central Flats to speak a language that originates from the Noble West, but St. Allfast, the fungai’s creator was originally from this region and taught the fungai to speak his native language. While most don’t bother to learn other languages those that might need it on missions are wise to learn the languages of potential friends and foes. In addition, once per day a higher fungai can use speak with plants as a spell-like ability to speak with a mushroom (this can also be any fungus, toadstool or even mould). This ability is innate to higher fungai. It has a duration of 1 minute (the higher fungai is considered a 1st-level caster when he uses this ability, regardless of his actual level).
• Higher fungai with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may cast the 0-level spells (cantrips) daze and mage hand, each once per day. These are arcane spells, and as such the higher fungai suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the higher fungai as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects dependent on level (range for all three spells and duration for ghost sound).
• Favored class: Any spell-casting class. Because higher fungai have a natural affinity to magic they may join any class that can cast spells without suffering an XP penalty.
• Level Adjustement: +1
Nin’geko
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The Nin’gekos are a race of small, forest-dwelling, cat-like monstrous humanoids. Contrary to their small stature they are fierce warriors who know who to use their surroundings to their advantage. Because of their great knowledge of nature and instincts they make excellent trackers.
Personality: Nin’gekos live in harmony with nature and generally distrust all “civilised” races. They are known for their shy personalities and usually never leave their birthplace
They are extremely warm and empathic and usually offer help to all those who need it (providing they’re a member of a forest-dwelling race). Yet some Nin’gekos are very adventurous and want to go explore the world, but these are rare.
Physical description: Nin’gekos stand about 2,5 feet to 3 feet tall and are very lightly built to make it easier to perform acrobatic movements. They look like cats but with more humanoid features. They totally covered with fur usually of a brown, with, black or grey colour. They have large ears on top of their heads, which insure keen hearing. They all sport tails. Most wild Nin’gekos prefer to wear no clothing but some tribes that live in colder areas dress themselves in practical, weather-resistant clothes.
Relations: Nin’gekos don’t get along with members of most other races. They see them as out of touch with nature and therefore distrust them. They do get along with other forest-dwellers such as Fey and occasionally also Kirins.
Alignment: Nin’gekos are almost always good and mostly lend towards neutral and in some cases, with the more adventurous one, chaos. Nin’gekos are never lawful.
Religion: Nin’gekos are a deeply spiritual people and believe in all kinds of forest spirits and super-natural creatures. Most Nin’gekos believe in the existence of a great guardian spirit who watched over all of them. Unfortunately the source of power from the great guardian spirit, the hearthstone, has been stolen and the spirit is currently considered dead. So many adventurous Nin’gekos consider it their duty to search for the lost hearthstone to return the great guardian spirit to life.
Names: Male names: Katts’p, L’tisk, At’risk, K’ldon,…
Female names: Nelk’s, Tif’lna, L’rnal’s, Tef’sna,…
Nin’gekos don’t have last names.
Adventures: Most Nin’gekos never leave their birth ground. However those who do, usually go to look for the lost hearthstone of the guardian spirit. In more rare cases some may leave on adventures for more selfish reasons.
Nin’geko racial traits:
• +4 dex, -2 str, -2 int, -2 cha: Nin’gekos are quick and extremely agile but are somewhat less strong because of their small stature and are slightly more primitive. They also very shy.
• Small: As Small creatures, Nin’gekos gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
• Nin’geko base speed is 20 feet.
• Low-light Vision: Nin’gekos can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
• +4 racial bonus to Listen checks: Nin’gekos have very keen ears.
• Meld with surroundings (Su): When a Nin’geko remains absolutely motionless for 4 turns when close to a surface it can shift the colour of it’s fur into the same colour of the surface granting it an +4 bonus on Hide. When the nin'geko moves again she looses this bonus and will have to repeat the same process to regain this bonus.
• Natural attack: Claws. Damage: 1D3 slashing. Critical hit on 20. A Nin’geko can extend and retract their claws as a free action and they are always considered armed.
• Uncivilized: Hailing from forest with no signs of cities for miles, ningekos have little comprehension about the way non-forest dwellers think. Therefore they recieve a -1 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy and Gather Information checks made against non-nin'gekos or non-fey. Likewise they also recieve a -2 penalty on Appraise checks made to identify objects that where made by non-nin'gekos or non-fey and a -2 penalty to Inuit Direction checks made in large comunities such as towns or cities.
• Automatic languages: Nin’geko. Bonus languages: Sylvan, Common, Dactanian, Orc, Goblin, Gnoll. Nin’gekos learn the languages of their friends as well as their most encountered enemies.
• Favored Class: Ranger.
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Many thanks to anyone who would be willing to review my races!
I get the feeling especially the regular fungai are extremely unballanced because of their 360° vision. Does anybody have any advice on how I could make this less powerfull without having to remove it? What wories me the most about this ability is that it makes them immune to sneak attacks and such...
