D&D 5E Additional Races! (June 7)

[Klaus]

Cross-posted from the general packet thread:

One thing that could help make gnomes, half-elves and half-orcs better would be to include tiny slivers of their "favored class" into the races. For instance:

Dwarves are natural warriors. They get weapon proficiencies, some get more hp, some get armor training.
High elves are natural wizards, and get a free cantrip. Wood elves are natural rangers, and get more speed and better Stealth in natural environments.
Halflings are natural rogues, and can hide more easily.

Forest gnomes are natural illusionists, so they get a fixed cantrip (compare to a high elf that get his choice of any cantrip) and the ability to resist all mental-targetting spells.
Rock gnomes are natural... artificers, I guess? Maybe they could get free proficiency in Thieves' Tools, maybe even Open Locks, and prestidigitation through their tinkerings.

Half-Elves seem to be poised as natural bards and diplomats. Maybe some form of "words of friendship" ability?

Half-Orcs are natural barbarians. Give them extra speed (matching the wood elf), maybe Charge as a bonus feat and the ability to making some form of reckless attack.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Let me tell you a sad tale.

Steve was a forest gnome. He wanted to be a cleric and worship Garl Glittergold. This is a shame, because this washes out the racial benefit of his Natural Illusionist ability -- there are no rules for substation of a cantrip already granted (though admittedly it is a natural enough house rule). Also, weirdly, he will be able to cast illusions both with Intelligence as the magic ability (as Forest gnomes) and with Wisdom (as clerics).

This depresses the Steve the gnome, who instead decide to become a wizard, because he has always been told that gnomes are great illusionists. The frustration continues for him, sadly, since the school of Illusion grants them the ability to cast an illusion cantrip, which (since there is only one?) he can already do.

Because this affects the natural gnome builds for two of the four base classes, I suggest that the change should occur with the racial description. Perhaps Natural Illusionist should instead offer a bonus to the DCs of all illusion spells. Not everyone will benefit from this, granted but it does let the forest gnome worship his god or pursue his most natural wizardly aptitude without penalty.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think Steve needs to point this out to the Survey gods.

Either a second illusion cantrip needs to be created, or Prestidigitation should be moved from Transmutation to Universal and then be allowed to be swapped in as the cantrip Steve gets for being either a Trickster cleric or Illusion wizard.