A "Fey" template

[Metallian]

I've been trying to figure out what a "fey" template would look like (Celestial or Fiendish Elves, as described in the MoP, really won't cut it). I'm actually looking for something like this:

http://www.io.com/~jrb/rpg/race-fey.html

But I'd treat Iron Weapons as "Bane" weapons when used against Fey, give them more Spell-Like abilities, and drop the "Nature Form" ability. (also, the way this template handles spells says they cast "like an arcane and divine spellcaster," not really sure what that means...I'd just use spell-like abilities instead) It's close to what I want, but not quite...

The problem is figuring out which spells to allow as spell-like abilities, how many times per day, etc. I want the fey to have a good range of abilities, but I still want them to be playable as PCs. Perhaps I'd make it a "fey blooded" template and that would explain their limited selection of spell-like-abilities.

Also, how would I handle "themed" fey? Like water-types, etc.? Give them a sub-type and a different spell-like-ability selection?

Fey in literature (and other rpgs) often have an aversion to religious ojects and powers. Should I make them turnable? Unable to enter temples (maybe they can do so with magical assisstance, so the PCs can raid old temples)? Repelled by holy symbols (like Vampires)? Are odd weaknesses a good way to balance spell-like abilities, or is that not really they way to go about it?

Basically, I want them to have some "kewl powerz," to have some strange weaknesses, to capture the "feel" of fey in a game like Ars Magica or Castle Falkenstein, and yet to not have such a high ECL as to be unplayable. Any suggestions? Anyone done it yet?

Thanks,

The Metallian

 

[Valorian]

A couple points...at least to my mind, a fey template not the right way to go...the mythology of the fay differs too much...a PC wanting to run a Red Cap, should be quite different from one wanting to run a Sidhe.

If you can define more what you mean by fey, I can probably give more suggestions.

I'd probably make up separate races based on fey type (the Oriental Adventures book has "nature spirit" races, and a shapeshifting race, you might want to look at that book for inspiration).

If you want PC to be able to run one, I'd probably reconsider making iron weapons bane weapons...thats a huge disadvantage at low levels, and the types of things you'd need to balance the race would make them probably way too good if they didn't run into iron weapons.

As to the religious aversions, the standard D&D worldsetting to my mind does not support this, but hey its your game, you put what you want to in concerning the "meta-magic" of your campaign, but it probably should apply to all "fey" - ie those treated as such in the MM as well.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

An easier way to go about this, while still maintaining the feel I think you're aiming at, is to either do what Valorian suggested, or you can follow my suggestion, also known as the Lazy Way.

Flip through the MM and look over the creatures. Ignore the creature types listed there, but instead consider whether or not the creatures are "fey" in the folklore-ish sense. Creatures that would fall into this category include trolls, goblins, hobgoblins, as well as other actually fae-typed creatures such as pixies, brownies, and sprites.

Now simply change these creatures' types to "fae" and allow the players to choose them for PCs, maintaining the usual +ECLs, of course. This allows PCs to either choose +0 ECL creatures like the goblin, or go with more exotic creatures, like perhaps a satyr. It also gives the races a pre-defined set of "cool skillz" to use, and a framework in which to use them.

Hope that helps.

Edit: You mentioned being concerned about high ECLs and how those PCs become unplayable. Starting off with scaled-down powers and working up to full strength may be a way to deal with this...

 

[Raflar]

I am also trying to come up with a 'fey template'. (hopefully by tonight)

In my campaign, my player wants to be half elven & half fey. So far this is what we came up with. (We started using the 'Seelie Fairie' from Mythic Races Book)

*********************************************
Half Seelie Template
+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
-4 Strength, -2 Constitution

Small, As a small creature, half seelies gain a +1 size bonus to AC, and a +1 to attack rolls, and a +4 to hide checks. (and the related info on small weapons (see halflings in Player's Handbook)

Half Seelie move at 30, While they have wings (butterfly or dragonfly type) half seelie cannot fly, they do get a +20 on jump checks (not restricted by height) and have a permanent 'feather fall' due to the wings.

Low Light Vision

+2 saves vs enchantments

Special Abilities

Cast "Faerie Fire" at will, lasts 1d4 minutes

Become "Invisible" for 1d4 rounds (even while attacking). Usable (3+chr mod)/day

Level Equivalent: Class levels +3

*********************************************

that's it so far... although she's called me twice now since I started writing this with more ideas...

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Mmm...that looks really neat. The negative total to stats is a good balance for the special abilities. I'm curious as to whether you expect a problem with giving a PC Improved Invisibility as a spell-like ability (at least) 3/day, though...

 

[Angelsboi]

Here is what Ryan Nock (Ranger Wickett) made for me ...

Half-Fey

Feykind's magical nature allows them to crossbreed with virtually any humanoid creature. This usually occurs after a mortal has been enticed or charmed into the Faerie Realms, where he or she lives in timeless pleasure until the whim of the Fey determines it is time for the outsider to go back to the Mortal Realm. Most half-fey children are born in the Faerie Realm to dryads, nymphs, or other feminine spirits, but sometimes women emerge from the Faerie Realms pregnant with half-Satyr children, or a nymph might remain in the Mortal Realm long enough to bear the child of a handsome Elvish lover.

Half-fey children always appear more exotic and magical than their mortal counterparts, occasionally more fragile, but charged with the enchanting power of their fey blood. Their appearance usually betrays their nature--flawless skin for nymph blood, shaggy legs and subtle horns for the son of a satyr, leaves constantly stuck in the hair of the daughter of a dryad, and almost always very vivid, piercing eyes.

Creating a Half-Fey

"Half-fey" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature type changes to "Fey." It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Special Attacks: A half-fey retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following.

Fey Influence (Sp): To reflect the various heritages of half-fey mortals, choose one of the following spells. The half-fey can use his or her powers in an appropriate form to use that spell once per day as a spell-like ability. Possible spells: cause fear, change self, charm person, sleep, speak with animals, or speak with plants. This spell-like ability functions as though cast by a sorcerer of the character's level, or of 10th level, whichever is lower.

Special Qualities: A half-fey creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.

*Low-light vision.

*Vulnerability to Iron: A half-fey takes 1 extra point of damage whenever he or she takes damage from an iron weapon. If the half-fey has damage reduction, an iron weapon counts as at least +1 enchantment when determining if it can breach the half-fey's resistance.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str -2, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +4.
Skills: Half-fey receive a +2 racial bonus to Animal Empathy, Hide, and Move Silently checks. The half-fey also automatically can speak Sylvan.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature.

Equivalent Character Level: Same as the base creature +1.

 

[jaults]

*bump* since I'm interested...

 

[Metallian]

Fey Influence (Sp): To reflect the various heritages of half-fey mortals, choose one of the following spells. The half-fey can use his or her powers in an appropriate form to use that spell once per day as a spell-like ability. Possible spells: cause fear, change self, charm person, sleep, speak with animals, or speak with plants. This spell-like ability functions as though cast by a sorcerer of the character's level, or of 10th level, whichever is lower.

Maybe this is more what I'm looking for...Half-Fey instead of full Fey, so I don't feel compelled to give them too many powers, and instead of making Iron act as a Bane Weapon, give it a small damage bonus and penetrate damage reduction...thanks for the ideas.

The Metallian

 

[Devon]

I've worked on a Feytouched template

Here is a Feytouched template I made up... it may be a good start for you:

- Devon

Feytouched template

"Feytouched" is a template that can be added to any corporeal humanoid creature of nonevil alignment (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). Feytouched characters or creatures are usually taken away as lovers by fey creatures such as dryads or nymphs, although this template could also be applied to mortals stolen in their infancy by fairies.

A feytouched creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Special Qualities: A feytouched creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following ones:
Low-light vision
Immune to aging: A feytouched in the mortal realms ages half as much as it did as a mortal, and does not age at all when in the fey realms.
Melancholy: A feytouched who has left the fey realm is occasionally prone to fits of melancholy. Every week, it must make a Will save (DC 10 plus the number of levels it has been feytouched) or be struck by ennui for 1d4 days, during which time it is at -1 to Wisdom-related skill rolls.

Spell-like abilities: A feytouched creatures can cast any of the following spell-like abilities, as a sorceror of their hit dice, a number of times per day equal to their hit dice: mage hand, dancing lights, ghost sound. In addition, feytouched with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher possess the following spell-like abilities, using their level as the caster level, as specified in the table below. Unless otherwise indicated, the ability is usable once per day.

Level Abilities
----- ---------
1-2 animal friendship (3/day)
3-4 pass without trace (2/day)
5-6 speak with animals
7-8 speak with plants
9-10 change self
11-12 plant growth

If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.

Saves: Same as the base creature, modified for stat bonuses.

Abilities: Same as the base creature, except that the creature's Dexterity and Charisma scores are increased by +2.

Skills: Same as the base creature, except feytouched get a +1 racial bonus to Hide, Move Silently, Perform and Bluff checks. These bonus stack with other racial bonuses. Feytouched also get a +2 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks in terrain similar to the one wherein they dwelled among the fey (most often, forest).

A feytouched creature can also speak Sylvan.
Feats: Same as the base creature
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Same as the base creature
Challenge Rating:
Up to 3 HD, as base creature
4 HD to 7 HD, as base creature +1
8+ HD, as base creature +2
Treasure: Same as the base creature
Alignment: Always good (any)
Advancement: Same as the base creature