Alternate Planetouched

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Having been somewhat disappointed by the 3e/3.5 handling of the planetouched, and needing to adjust them for balance due to changes in my Incorporating the Gestalt Rules thread, I've made some small changes to the planetouched. These changes consist entirely of changes to their ability score adjustments.

I've removed all Charisma penalties for Planetouched, since I found them to be somewhat illogical (except for, perhaps, the Genasi). In particular, the Charisma penalty to Tiefling was downright galling. The following ability score adjustments are now in place in my campaigns:

• Aasimar: +2 Str, +2 Wis, +2 Cha
• Tiefling: +2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Cha
• Zenthryi: +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Wis
• Chaond: +4 Dex, +2 Con

The slightly better physical bonuses on the Law and Chaos planetouched are deliberate, to balance their lack of Charisma bonus. (In my campaign, their Favored Gestalts include Favored Soul, a class that uses Charisma for spellcasting.)

The Chaond's ability to choose a single Favored Class at character creation has been replaced with FC: Barbarian.

The Genasi have been similarly altered, though they have fewer ability bonuses. The biggest change is replacing their Favored Class of Fighter with an FC based on their elemental heritage. (In my Gestalt variant, they combine this new Favored Class with Shugenja to determine their Favored Gestalt.)

• Air Genasi: +2 Dex, +2 Int, Favored Class: Rogue
• Earth Genasi: +2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, Favored Class: Fighter
• Fire Genasi: +2 Int, +2 Cha, Favored Class: Bard (in my Gestalt variant, they use Barbarian/Shugenja instead, with Perform added to both class skill lists.)
• Water Genasi: +2 Con, +2 Wis, Favored Class: Monk

 

[Azakiel]

Where did you get the original rules for these two planetouched races?

• Zenthryi
• Chaond

Thanks

 

[Arkhandus]

Those two are in the Monster Manual II. Chaonds are chaotic-based planetouched with a bit of slaad heritage, while Zenythri are some kind of lawful-based planetouched with unknown heritage. Chaonds are somewhat misshapen generally, and Zenythri look pretty much human but with purplish skin and different hair or eye color, IIRC. The MM II has some neat stuff in it, like these and gem dragons, thri-kreen, yugoloths, elemental wierds, and templates like the chimeric and half-golem; I'm glad I bought it. It's 3E though, not 3.5, just FYI.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Here's what I did for tieflings in a high-powered campaign that I run. I don't have a hang-up about using +1 or -1 to ability scores, it all comes out in the wash with other adjustments and with increases every 4 levels. Besides, I use point buy. Anyway, here's what's in my house rule book of rules.

Any two tieflings might have different ability score modifiers. Choose from among the following options:

• +2 Str AND (-2 Dex and -2 to one mental stat; OR -2 Con and -2 to one mental stat; OR -1 to all three mental stats)

• +2 Dex AND (-2 Str or -2 Con; OR -1 Con, -1 to one mental stat; OR -1 Str, -1 to one mental stat

• +2 Con AND (-2 Str or -2 Dex; OR -1 Dex, -1 to one mental stat; OR -1 Str, -1 to one mental stat; OR -2 to two mental stats; OR -1 to all three mental stats)

• +2 Int AND (-2 to any other score; OR -1 to any two scores)

• +2 Wis AND (-2 to any other score; OR -1 to any two scores)

• +2 Cha AND (-2 to any other score; OR -1 to any two scores)

 

[index]

ability scores

Vrecknidj wrote:

> Here's what I did for tieflings in a high-powered campaign that I
> run. I don't have a hang-up about using +1 or -1 to ability scores,
> it all comes out in the wash with other adjustments and with
> increases every 4 levels. Besides, I use point buy. Anyway, here's
> what's in my house rule book of rules.

I've never understood the big deal about racial +1/-1 to
ability scores either. Sure, it very similar to +2/-0 at
1st level if there are a huge variety of PC races, but
arranging your ability scores that way makes later
improvement more difficult.

Picking race BEFORE rolling ability scores, keep them where
you roll them, would eliminate all game balance arguments
about +1/-1 races, IMO. Rolling before picking race ensures
that 90% of PCs will be exaggerated racial stereotypes.

> Any two tieflings might have different ability score modifiers.
> Choose from among the following options:

Choice is good. I've often thought that all plane-touched
should be a single race, mechanically, with different
choices available to the character.

> +2 Str AND (-2 Dex and -2 to one mental stat; OR -2 Con and -2 to
> one mental stat; OR -1 to all three mental stats)

This, I have often had a beef with. The idea that STR is
the most valuable ability score. No way. It is WAY too
easy to buff any of the physical ability scores with
polymorph at mid to high levels. If orcs are supposedly
balanced with +4 STR, -2 INT, -2 WIS, and -2 CHA, where are
all the +0 LA -4 STR, +2 INT, +2 WIS, +2 CHA races I'd like
to play?

STR is only that valuable in a game with a stingy DM who is
going to still have you at 6th level after two years of real
time, and won't let you trade any of the dozens of looted +1
scimitars for useful equipment.

IMO, INT is most valuable to a 1st level character (class
allowing), because unlike every other ability score
modifier, the skill points for increased INT are never
retroactive.

--index, who REALLY should go to bed now