Birth Guide

[Dandu]

It is not explicit, but it is very likely that exist. The fact that a human and an elf generate a half-elf makes me belive that genetics is real in D&D.

What does a half elf and a human produce?

 

[JonVMD]

What does a half elf and a human produce?

They have a chance of 50% to produce a pure human and 50% to produce a half-elf.

We could use a Half-Race as a individual DNA, there would be more results, but it would be impratical.



Celebrim, your feedback is helping me a lot. I will start the new upgrate soon, and most of your sugestions will be there. I am very grateful.

 

[Dandu]

They have a chance of 50% to produce a pure human and 50% to produce a half-elf.

I don't know how many catgirls died from that sentence.

 

[Lwaxy]

That... made no sense.

 

[Lanefan]

What does a half elf and a human produce?

A 2/8 Elf. Simple genetics.

Lan-"they aren't half-elves and half-orcs here, they're part-elves and part-orcs to the 8ths-level"-efan

 

[Lanefan]

It's interesting how two people can have the same data, and come to completely different conclusions. While it's true that in D&D some mechanism of heritable traits seems to exist, it's almost certain that it is not DNA and the half-elf is a fairly good example of that. As different as elves and humans are in D&D, that they can breed at all suggests that its not something as specific as chromosomes that underlies heredity. More over, not only can they interbreed, but they don't form sterile hybrids like mules. Half-Dragons, Half-Fey, and other more unlikely hybrids are even stronger examples. This implies a more pliant, magical, and perhaps spiritual means of heredity.

This is something I've given loads of thought to over the years.

My end result: yes it's still genetics, only more malleable genetics than the real world has. Thus, the DNA of an Elf CAN mesh with the DNA of a Human to give a 4/8 Elf; ditto Humans and Orcs...but not Orcs and Elves direct, they're too different; Humans are the common link.

A long time ago I made up a huge chart, resembling a really big plate of spaghetti, detailing what can breed with what. Why, you ask? Because it occurred to me that with all this interbreeding going on, people might be "tainted" with all kinds of odd things in their genetic heritage, and each character rolls on the "taint table" during roll-up to see if there's anything there. Sometimes it can be quite beneficial; other times...well, not so much.

Realism is no guide in a world where a dragon can mate successfully with a half-elf. The answers can't be found from reality; they are whatever you want it to be within the setting.

Here I disagree. Realism is the only guide you've got, so use it where you can (rare) and use it as a jumping-off point where you can't (far more common).

I mean I'm imaging myself as a DM in a campaign where one of the PC's is pregnant, and all the consequences that might result from that. For the most part, I'm not worried about the baby being wounded, as I figure most anything that kills a kid while on board will also kill the mother. Indeed, typically it's easier to kill the mother than the kid from things like falls and blows and the like. So for the moment, let's not worry about where a sword thrust hits a mother and how deeply. Called shots like that go against the spirit of D&D anyway.

What I am worried about is things like...

...like the same things I've had to sort out over the years...

...whether magic plate mail fits on a woman that is 6 months pregnant.

Depends on how magical the armour is.

...does the weight of a pregnancy count against encumbrance. How much does a pregnancy weigh?

Never worried about those, but Dexterity takes a hit in the late stages.

...if the mother is the target of a Poison spell, is the child effected as a well?

Yes, if it fails its own (very difficult) saving throw.

...if the mother casts Death Ward on herself, is the child protected as well?

I'd say yes, though this spell doesn't exist in my game.

...Does the infant count as a separate creature if within the radius of a Circle of Death?

No, it's part of the mother.

...If the mother is polymorphed, does the infant change into a fetus of the same type as the mother, and is this dangerous in any way?

Yes it changes, and this can sometimes cause problems. Where I had to worry about this was with a shapeshifting pregnant Nature Cleric (Druid) in my game; going to another mammal was fine but going to a bird was...well, not a good idea.

...Does an unborn infant have an intelligence score of at least 1? (Presumably, yes.) If so, can I detect one with the spell Detect Thoughts?

No, and no; though I allow "Detect Life" to act as a pregnancy test if specifically cast for such.

...Does taking nonlethal damage from a source like starvation, thirst, or heat exhaustion effect the health of the infant? If so, how and how much?

One would think yes, and here's one place where real-life examples would give the answer.

...When an infant is born, what percentage of its adult stats does it have? (I have already ruled on this in my game, but I'm noting I had to rule on this and you haven't.)

I haven't had to worry about what stats a baby has yet, but...

...How are the adult stats of an infant determined?

...this one I have. For the mother and father, average each stat, then roll d% to give variance up or down if any (thus, if Ma's strength is 15 and Pa's strength is 11 then the baseline strength for Junior will be 13; but if I then roll 99% it might be 17 and if I roll 2% it might be 8, with anything between about 40% and 60% leaving it at 13)

...How old does a child need to be before it can gain XP?

Old enough to be able to function in a class and have received the proper training to do so. That said, the class itself will determine the lowest age: stories abound of child Thieves, for example, but a child Cleric or Fighter is extremely unlikely.

...Can a Night Hag send a Nightmare to an unborn infant? Can a mother detect this? Can an unborn infant be possessed by Mind Jar? In general, how does the mother's Will/Will save protect the infant, if at all?

In general I'd say no to all this; for something like a Mind Jar the mother and infant would come as a unit. (this was in fact very relevant in my game; the pregnant Nature Cleric mentioned above was carrying a child of very great interest to some very powerful beings, and they had to wait for her birth before they could steal her - she has since been rescued)

Lan-"I also homebrewed a by-race table for gender of infant, chance of twins/triplets, chance of severe deformity, etc."-efan

 

[JonVMD]

UPDATE!


Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kcz5basyu2p7xq8/D&D 3.5 Birth Guide v1.7.pdf?dl=0


Greetings everyone. Here is another update fo the book. Special thanks to the Celebrim user from the ENworld, he helped me with constructive criticism.



NEW



Armor for Pregnant


Pregnancy Weight Gain


Unborn health, how poison can reach the unborn, a unborn can be a target of spells?, others sources of damage.


Polymorph a pregnanty


Unborn HP


Newborn status


Age to gain XP


Draconomicon.





The next update will have a HUGE change in the extra feats, a total change. Probaly will be the last update.

 

[AnimeSniper]

Well I will review if full your work up to date and give a review on it later but I can see how this could be worked in to a campaign for both PC's and NPC's use or as backstory for why the party must guard the realms pregnant heiress or the heirs progeny for x-months until the birth of their child.

 

[JonVMD]

Birth Guide Final Version

FINAL UPDATE

Hello everyone, here i come with my last update, i will only edit the guide to fix some PDF bugs or improve the grammar.

Link to Download

I hope everyone enjoys this guide, and i will be happy to read your reviews.

Thanks to everyone who made your critics, this helped a lot.

Update

The feats were completely rebuilt, focusing much more on the individuality of each race.

Details about twins, triplets and prematures were included.

Shortcuts have been added to the pdf

 

[Gray Lensman]

Celebrim, your feedback is helping me a lot. I will start the new upgrate soon, and most of your sugestions will be there. I am very grateful.

He usually does, always has well thought-out responses. I learn something from almost every one of his posts. :thumbsup:

I hope everyone enjoys this guide

I really like a couple of the feats, can use them in non pregnancy terms.

Thanks for the time you spent.