Anthropomorphs as Base Race

[Nikroecyst]

Anthropomorphs as base races, any ideas?
Im thinking of wiping out all humanoids and using only Anthropomorphs. This would mean all PCs would use them as base races. Im looking for more than the typical samauri kitty cliche. Any ideas for world builds, cultures, organizations?

 

[SteelDraco]

My homebrew has a region like this, where anyone not magically protected will slowly start gaining animal features, eventually becoming a wyldling. You have to bargain with the Sidhe to get the protection, which is often dangerous. They're in charge of the region, though they didn't create the effect - it's a planar effect from a magical apocalypse.

If you use them as the only base races, it will likely mean every race is somewhat specialized. I would recommend, rather than writing up every single racial package, some kind of table of mechanical benefits, which can then be explained however you want. I'd build it so that some races were LA +0, but you could play something that was +1 or +2, if you wanted Powerful Build, lots of stat bonuses, wings, or something like that. Give everybody a few choices (say, a natural attack form, skill bonuses, and something miscellaneous like Scent or a bit of natural armor. If they want LA +1, they can pick from another table, or get extra choices, or something.

 

[Nikroecyst]

Unfortunetly I have already finished writting up 41 base races including some insects other animals not listed.

However Im intrigued by your idea, it would certainly make character creation along eaiser.

Any ideas for cultural builds?

 

[Doghead Thirteen]

Heh. Felines and canines are the obvious ones. There are a load of fun animals out there, especially if you're down with going with marsupials and extinct animals.
Here's a few thoughts for ya;
Dire Wolf - Plestiocene killing machine the size of a minivan.
Smilodon - Sabre-tooth tiger. Could knock down wooly mammoths.
Tasmanian Wolf - Just plain fun and weird; it's a marsupial mutt thing.
Or for comedy rather than violence, one of the base races in my setting is the humanoid poodle... and they all have Eton accents.

 

[Nikroecyst]

Thats funny, I happen to have a paticular hatred for poodles.

 

[Doghead Thirteen]

That particular race were designed from the ground up to be patently stupid.

 

[drdevoid]

Are you keeping them in animal form and granting intelligence or will they be humanoid-ized with opposable thumbs and bipedal movement?

I played in a game where we mixed Polynesian flavor combined with a lot of Chronicles of Narnia for such a game.

 

[Doghead Thirteen]

For PC base species, opposable thumbs (or a reliable substitute, short-range telekinesis works) are a must. Mostly because players tend to avoid using species that are incapable of using the standard range of gear.

 

[Herobizkit]

... although if NO ONE has access to opposable thumbs, it could make for a damn interesting adventure. I've always thought about trying a "Jungle Book"-esque game where all the PCs were wild animals.

'Course, being able to wield weapons as a mouse is cool, too.

 

[Doghead Thirteen]

... although if NO ONE has access to opposable thumbs, it could make for a damn interesting adventure.

Very true, but I don't think it would make for much of a campaign. It might work as a one-episode 'cure the curse' type plot, but knowing players, they're too fixated on hardware to give up their weapons & armour & enchanted whatsits.