ECL 0 Shade...for my homebrew

[Gundark]

Appearance: For the most part Shades appear human. They usually have black or dark brown hair. Light shadows always seem to fall around them even in a lighted room. Shades are not quiet and reserved, mostly keeping to themselves. They don’t have the best of reputations as they make excellent spies, thieves and assassins.

Shade racial traits

•+2 dexterity, -2 charisma. Shades are nimble but quiet and reserved.
•Medium creature
•Darkvision : Shades can see up to 60 feet in the dark. This vision is black and White only but otherwise like normal. Shades see like normal in regular light.
•+2 racial bonus to hide and move silently checks when in low light conditions.
•Shadowblend: This ability works when the character is in low light or shadowy conditions, (neither bright light nor total darkness). When in these conditions the character gains the benefit of total concealment (50% miss chance). If opponents fighting the shade have darkvision or is able to light the area up (sunrod, lantern, daylight spell etc.) then this effect is negated.
•+2 dodge bonus to AC when in low light or total darkness.
•+5 feet of extra movement as shades are faster than normal. An unencumbered shade moves 35 ft (7 squares).
•Light sensitivity. While in daylight conditions or when exposed to sudden light sources the Shade is -1 to attack, spot and search checks.
•Hide is always considered a class skill
•Favoured class is Rogue.

Comments?

 

[sirwmholder]

I really like this... may I ask what was the inspiration? It seems to be as balanced as anything in the core.

Thank you for your time,
Wm. Holder

 

[smootrk]

I would change the darkvision to low-light vision, as it seems more appropriate.

Also, consider making them have bonuses while using Shadow magic type spells - making the race a reasonable choice for a spellcaster who uses illusion/shadow magic.

My only grievance, is that they are 'too' suited for theivery. While this may seem appropriate, no culture or group could survive with only a narrow focus like that. Give them features that can help in a variety of roles. Halflings are well suited for theivery, but they have features that defy that as well (thrown weapons, saves). Dwarves are well suited for fighting in armor, but have features that go beyond this (stonecunning, directional sense underground, etc).

Just add some features that break that up. The speed function is nice (and is something like I am talking about), but I would make it a full 10' so that it can divided easily under special circumstances (spell effects, terrain problems, etc.).

 

[GreatLemur]

Yeah, good point, that. I've always disliked how many races are clearly built with specific, narrow sets of classes in mind.

 

[Quartz]

Lots of goodies. Bonus to the favoured class's prime stat. Cha is often a dump stat and -1 to a few skills feels a bit weak. I'd like to see bigger negatives. The total concealment ability is huge.

BTW this reads more like a template than a race.

 

[jeffh]

A 50% miss chance that applies, realistically, almost all the time? That's not even remotely an ECL 0 race.

 

[Shade]

I'm nowhere near ECL 0.

 

[smootrk]

A 50% miss chance that applies, realistically, almost all the time? That's not even remotely an ECL 0 race.

Yes, this is off-balance. I would suggest dropping this ability altogether, as there is also the +2 dodge bonus there. It might leave you a little room to add a non-roguish ability related to shadow for variety.

 

[Pyrex]

A 50% miss chance that applies, realistically, almost all the time? That's not even remotely an ECL 0 race.

Agreed. At the very least both Shadowblend and the +2 Dodge bonus have to go to be LA+0.

Actually, what you *could* do is remove the Dodge bonus, and give them a flat +10% to concealment due to Shadowy conditions. (i.e. 20% becomed 30%, not 50%)

 

[Nifft]

•+2 dexterity, -2 charisma. Shades are nimble but quiet and reserved.
•Medium creature
•Darkvision : Shades can see up to 60 feet in the dark. This vision is black and White only but otherwise like normal. Shades see like normal in regular light.
•+2 racial bonus to hide and move silently checks when in low light conditions.
•Shadowblend: This ability works when the character is in low light or shadowy conditions, (neither bright light nor total darkness). When in these conditions the character gains the benefit of total concealment (50% miss chance). If opponents fighting the shade have darkvision or is able to light the area up (sunrod, lantern, daylight spell etc.) then this effect is negated.
•+2 dodge bonus to AC when in low light or total darkness.
•+5 feet of extra movement as shades are faster than normal. An unencumbered shade moves 35 ft (7 squares).
•Light sensitivity. While in daylight conditions or when exposed to sudden light sources the Shade is -1 to attack, spot and search checks.
•Hide is always considered a class skill
•Favoured class is Rogue.

Toooooo strong! (As others have mentioned.)

Here's what I'd consider giving for ECL +0:

• Shade
• +2 Dex, -2 Str
• Low-light vision
• +1 Dodge bonus to AC
• +2 to Hide, Move Silently and Escape Artist checks
• +1 to the save DC of any Illusion, and +1 to the save DC of any spell with the [Shadow] descriptor (and they stack)
• Burst 3/day (+10 ft. bonus to speed as a Swift action)

That's still pretty strong -- especially for Wizards, Bards, Rogues, Assassins and Arcane Tricksters -- but those are exactly the roles I foresee them arch-type-cast into. (But I don't think it's stronger than what Gnomes or Dwarves get.)

Cheers, -- N