Advanced Race Guide Playtest

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If this book can make a good, balanced LA 0 half-ogre race, it will be a success. That is the only test.

 

[Systole]

I don't think Golden's guide is a panacea, any more than Savage Species was to 3e (and yes, I know that book had a lot of issues). Just like this is a preliminary release, I don't think it is a panacea either.

I don't think Golden's Guide is a panacea, either. However, I do think Golden's values are way closer to good numbers than Paizo's Playtest numbers are. Especially with regard to the paragon cost, which is hugely disappointing. Paragon cost is really a litmus test of how well you're thinking about mechanics, and Paizo does not seem to pass this litmus test. Which is doubly disappointing because there's a readily available fan creation that's been around for quite some time that does.

Now, maybe Paizo knows something I don't. Maybe they just picked a low value in order to iterate to a proper number. It just seems very deeply suspicious to me. Don't get me wrong: on the whole, I am happy with Pathfinder as compared to 3.0/3.5. (Sorry, The Stream of the Sky.) But given how wrong the first draft is, I very much doubt that the final draft is going to be on my bookshelf.

 

[Walking Dad]

http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lcra&source=rss

First off, as we suspected, some of our initial pricing was off. While costing all of the core races at 10 points in the system helped us create a rough baseline for standard races, it also created some problems with individual racial ability and trait costing. Some abilities were too cheap and others were too expensive. Those abilities are being reexamined and the values will be more balanced and intuitive in the final race builder. Second, we learned that we needed to open up some of the prerequisites and expand the options presented the final race builder. Many people pointed out that the Tiny size option being limited to the fey type was far too restrictive. A number of playtesters had some really interesting ideas that required Tiny creatures of types other than fey. My personal favorite was the idea that many of you had to create a race of toy solider constructs. On a related note, we learned that may of you were very eager to make dragon-type races, not just dragon-themed races using the humanoid or monstrous human type. You can expect to see the ability to create dragon-type races in the final document.

Hooray, they listened! I'm very interested to see if they still keep the stance that all core races are equal.
But why didn't they fix it before the test, if they already suspected it?

 

[Systole]

I think they wanted to try making the core races equal, because it looks a little fishy if their races aren't perfectly balanced. Personally, I don't mind if the core races aren't perfectly balanced, as long as it's reasonably close. And by 'reasonably close,' I mean that for a given class, there isn't a single race that clearly and completely outstrips all the others *COUGH*goblin rogues*COUGH*.

Anyway, I'm still incredibly dubious about the quality of the final product. We'll see.

 

[Kaodi]

Just another test race...

Fanpeyri
Pejoratively referred to as " bat men " , the fanpeyri do in truth resemble a merger of a halfling and an albino bat. The are small, covered in fine white fur except on their face, with large pointed ears and significant flaps of skin under their arms; though not so substantial as to allow even gliding in any but the most rare individuals. Instead they are known for their climbing ability, using strong hands and feet.
The fanpeyri live in large communal groups, and when confronted are prone to " swarming " over their enemies, as they are very adept at fighting in close quarters with the aid of their fellows.
Legend has it that the fanpeyri were the original carriers of the vampiric scourge. Supposedly a curse was placed on their race by a forgotten god or powerful fiend, and that eventually its nature changed such that it spread to non-fanpeyri. Though no written records of such a time exist, it is true that the fanpeyri possess a long an abiding hatred for undead, and their name does bear a certain resemblance to " vampire " . It is also said that the fur of a fanpeyri who is afflicted turns from snowy white to jet black.


Fanpeyri
- Humanoid (Fanpeyri) 0
- Small Size 0
- Slow Speed -1
- Standard Modifiers 0 (-2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Wis)
- Standard Array 1 (Common and Batmen)
- Fearless 1
- Climb 1
- Bite 1
- Hatred 1 (Undead)
- Swarming 1
- Stalker 1
- Skill Bonus 2 (Perception +2)
- Darkvision 60 ft. 2
- Lowlight Vision 1
- Light Sensitivity -1
- Total 10

 

[Walking Dad]

.. And by 'reasonably close,' I mean that for a given class, there isn't a single race that clearly and completely outstrips all the others *COUGH*goblin rogues*COUGH*.

Anyway, I'm still incredibly dubious about the quality of the final product. We'll see.

Aasimar also make very good clerics (bonus in both relevant stats, no penalties & resistances).

It is very hard to balance races for different classes. But goblin rogue and aasimar cleric were obvious.

 

[Systole]

I agree about aasimar. They also make good paladins, I believe.

However, +4 to the main stat of a single-ability class is a lot more powerful than a couple of +2's to a MAD class. It's just the way that abilities are built -- it's more expensive to buy one strong ability than 2 mediocre abilities. Therefore, a race that had +4 wisdom would make a better cleric than an aasimar, because if you built to the same Wis and Cha, the first race would have a couple poiunt left over to bump Con, or maybe just to grab a 22 Wis, if the player was a real powergamer.

 

[Walking Dad]

And has lots of Cleric 'attack' powers. If not, Wis 22 is overkill.

 

[Systole]

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