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Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)
Changes to race (species?)
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<blockquote data-quote="Kinematics" data-source="post: 8066073" data-attributes="member: 6932123"><p>So, some of the races need additional benefits to balance out the intrinsic things I could pull from the PHB.</p><p></p><p>The following already have resistances and traits that bring them up to 'neutral' levels.</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf: Neutral</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halfling: Neutral. Lucky is strong enough that it absorbs the balance of lacking Darkvision.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dragonborn: Neutral? Breath Weapon is roughly equal to a 1st level spell that scales up with level. Is it enough for trait+Darkvision?</li> </ul><p></p><p>The following need a trait. All of them have Darkvision, so the traits should mostly be 'normal' strength.</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarf: Maybe Dwarven Toughness (+1 HP per level) as universal, instead of only Hill Dwarves?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome: minor trait (resistance for the race is relatively strong)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Half-Elf</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Half-Orc</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tiefling: Infernal Legacy? Since it's described as being a factor of their demonic heritage, may not require training. It's more sorcerer-like.</li> </ul><p></p><p>And humans have no built-in trait, resistance, or Darkvision, so need something that compensates for that.</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human: resistance, trait, darkvision</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p>The problem is, it's hard to come up with additional traits that could be considered intrinsic to the race. At best, you might go the Dragonmarks route, where each person is marked with a Dragonmark at birth, and that gives them benefits such as stat increase and skill proficiencies. However Dragonmarks are large enough packages that they outweigh how much room is allowed for an additional trait. So that would be unbalanced in a different way.</p><p></p><p>That would be part of the reason why races were combined with subraces/cultures, since that gave freedom to add things like extra proficiencies or whatever.</p><p></p><p>I think for humans and half-humans (half-orcs and half-elves), I can add an innate curiosity that can be applied to learning skills. It's an appropriate match to how humans are portrayed relative to other races in fantasy, and matches existing racial bonuses. Variant human gets 1 skill, half-orc gets 1 skill (Intimidation), and half-elf gets 2 skills. Half-elves are considered slightly overtuned, so I'll make that a common +1 skill proficiency each.</p><p></p><p>Of course humans don't get Darkvision, while the other two do, so maybe give humans 1 additional skill proficiency. Or actually... OK, this is just a tentative idea, but maybe allow humans to choose a second Background? Call the trait Wanderlust. It provides more skill options, so replaces the skill curiosity trait.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I'm not sure whether that's all balanced, but I'm fairly comfortable with the differences at the moment. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts.</p><p></p><p>After this, I'll look more into the Backgrounds.</p><p></p><p></p><p>[spoiler=Races]</p><p><strong>Common Races</strong></p><p></p><p>Dwarf*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 350 years. Young until 50</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 4-5 feet tall, 150 lbs, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 25 feet. Speed is not reduced by heavy armor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison, and resistance to poison damage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarven Toughness: +1 HP per level</li> </ul><p></p><p>Elf*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 750 years. Young until 100</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 5-6 feet, slender, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trance: Don't need to sleep. Long rest in 4 hours</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception<br /> </li> </ul><p></p><p>Halfling*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 150 years. Young until 20</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: About 3 feet tall, and 40 pounds. Small</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 25 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: None</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Brave: Advantage against fear</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lucky: Can reroll a nat 1 for attack/ability/save rolls.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Human*?</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 5-6 feet, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: None</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wanderlust: You may choose 1 additional Background. You may only choose equipment from one of the backgrounds.</li> </ul><p></p><p><strong>Uncommon Races</strong></p><p></p><p>Dragonborn*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 80 years. Rapid development, adult at 15</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: Over 6 feet, 250 pounds, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: None</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Breath Weapon: 15 foot cone or 30 foot line, depending on dragon ancestor type</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Damage Resistance: Resistant to the element type of dragon ancestry</li> </ul><p></p><p>Gnome*?</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 350-500 years. Adult at 40</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 3-4 feet, 40 pounds, Small</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 25 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome Cunning: Advantage on Int/Wis/Cha saving throws vs magic</li> </ul><p></p><p>Half-elf*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 180 years. Young until 20</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 5-6 feet, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Half-orc*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: 75 years, Young until 14</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 5-6 feet, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Relentless Endurance: Being reduced to 0 HP instead drops you to 1 HP, once per long rest.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Tiefling*</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Size: 5-6 feet, Medium</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speed: 30 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision: 60 feet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hellish Resistance: Resistance to fire damage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Infernal Legacy: Thaumaturgy cantrip, Hellish Rebuke at level 3, Darkness at level 5</li> </ul><p>[/spoiler]</p><p></p><p>Edit: Added Keen Senses to Elf.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Kinematics, post: 8066073, member: 6932123"] So, some of the races need additional benefits to balance out the intrinsic things I could pull from the PHB. The following already have resistances and traits that bring them up to 'neutral' levels. [LIST] [*]Elf: Neutral [*]Halfling: Neutral. Lucky is strong enough that it absorbs the balance of lacking Darkvision. [*]Dragonborn: Neutral? Breath Weapon is roughly equal to a 1st level spell that scales up with level. Is it enough for trait+Darkvision? [/LIST] The following need a trait. All of them have Darkvision, so the traits should mostly be 'normal' strength. [LIST] [*]Dwarf: Maybe Dwarven Toughness (+1 HP per level) as universal, instead of only Hill Dwarves? [*]Gnome: minor trait (resistance for the race is relatively strong) [*]Half-Elf [*]Half-Orc [*]Tiefling: Infernal Legacy? Since it's described as being a factor of their demonic heritage, may not require training. It's more sorcerer-like. [/LIST] And humans have no built-in trait, resistance, or Darkvision, so need something that compensates for that. [LIST] [*]Human: resistance, trait, darkvision [/LIST] The problem is, it's hard to come up with additional traits that could be considered intrinsic to the race. At best, you might go the Dragonmarks route, where each person is marked with a Dragonmark at birth, and that gives them benefits such as stat increase and skill proficiencies. However Dragonmarks are large enough packages that they outweigh how much room is allowed for an additional trait. So that would be unbalanced in a different way. That would be part of the reason why races were combined with subraces/cultures, since that gave freedom to add things like extra proficiencies or whatever. I think for humans and half-humans (half-orcs and half-elves), I can add an innate curiosity that can be applied to learning skills. It's an appropriate match to how humans are portrayed relative to other races in fantasy, and matches existing racial bonuses. Variant human gets 1 skill, half-orc gets 1 skill (Intimidation), and half-elf gets 2 skills. Half-elves are considered slightly overtuned, so I'll make that a common +1 skill proficiency each. Of course humans don't get Darkvision, while the other two do, so maybe give humans 1 additional skill proficiency. Or actually... OK, this is just a tentative idea, but maybe allow humans to choose a second Background? Call the trait Wanderlust. It provides more skill options, so replaces the skill curiosity trait. I'm not sure whether that's all balanced, but I'm fairly comfortable with the differences at the moment. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts. After this, I'll look more into the Backgrounds. [spoiler=Races] [B]Common Races[/B] Dwarf* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 350 years. Young until 50 [*]Size: 4-5 feet tall, 150 lbs, Medium [*]Speed: 25 feet. Speed is not reduced by heavy armor. [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison, and resistance to poison damage [*]Dwarven Toughness: +1 HP per level [/LIST] Elf* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 750 years. Young until 100 [*]Size: 5-6 feet, slender, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept [*]Trance: Don't need to sleep. Long rest in 4 hours [*]Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception [/LIST] Halfling* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 150 years. Young until 20 [*]Size: About 3 feet tall, and 40 pounds. Small [*]Speed: 25 feet [*]Darkvision: None [*]Brave: Advantage against fear [*]Lucky: Can reroll a nat 1 for attack/ability/save rolls. [/LIST] Human*? [LIST] [*]Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens [*]Size: 5-6 feet, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: None [*]Wanderlust: You may choose 1 additional Background. You may only choose equipment from one of the backgrounds. [/LIST] [B]Uncommon Races[/B] Dragonborn* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 80 years. Rapid development, adult at 15 [*]Size: Over 6 feet, 250 pounds, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: None [*]Breath Weapon: 15 foot cone or 30 foot line, depending on dragon ancestor type [*]Damage Resistance: Resistant to the element type of dragon ancestry [/LIST] Gnome*? [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 350-500 years. Adult at 40 [*]Size: 3-4 feet, 40 pounds, Small [*]Speed: 25 feet [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Gnome Cunning: Advantage on Int/Wis/Cha saving throws vs magic [/LIST] Half-elf* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 180 years. Young until 20 [*]Size: 5-6 feet, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept [*]Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency. [/LIST] Half-orc* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: 75 years, Young until 14 [*]Size: 5-6 feet, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Relentless Endurance: Being reduced to 0 HP instead drops you to 1 HP, once per long rest. [*]Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency. [/LIST] Tiefling* [LIST] [*]Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens [*]Size: 5-6 feet, Medium [*]Speed: 30 feet [*]Darkvision: 60 feet [*]Hellish Resistance: Resistance to fire damage [*]Infernal Legacy: Thaumaturgy cantrip, Hellish Rebuke at level 3, Darkness at level 5 [/LIST] [/spoiler] Edit: Added Keen Senses to Elf. [/QUOTE]
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