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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spatzimaus" data-source="post: 1452724" data-attributes="member: 3051">Well, first let's run it through Soldarin's system to double-check the balance side of things:Size: 0.0Hit Dice: 0.0Speed: Well, 30' is 0.0, 40' is +0.2.  Requiring the hands to be free is a significant drawback, so let's call that +0.1.AC: +1 Natural = +0.2Scent: +0.2 (it should probably be worth more than this, Scent can be VERY useful.)Physical stats: +0.2Mental stats: 0.0 (although I'd be careful with any race allowing a bonus to a spellcasting stat)Skills: Survival +4 (+0.2), Spot +2 conditional (+0.05), Listen +2 conditional (+0.05)Wild Empathy: I'd call it a minor bonus (+0.2)Metal allergy: -0.2 (a minor weakness, equivalent to light sensitivity)Total: +1.0, which puts it on the weak end of the ECL+1 scale (you round down).  You could make the 40' move be all the time, and bump the Natural AC to +2, and it'd still be fine as ECL+1.********But enough of the math, let's analyze the race in context.  First, I think you've got the wrong favored class; this race is ideal for a Druid.  They already have something worse than the metal aversion, they'd love a WIS bonus, and the Wild Empathy stacks (which, by the way, I think could be a mistake.  A Druid of this race would end up with Epic-level bonuses.)  Add in a CON bonus, a speed boost, and some basic natural armor and you get a very survivable race for Druids.  Possibly too good, because the weaknesses of your race overlap with the weaknesses of the class, but the benefits stack.Think of it this way; I could be: A> a Human Fighter 1/Druid X (assume it went Druid, Fighter, then Druid X-1), or B> a Wildling Druid X.Hit points?  The Wildling ends up ahead thanks to his higher CON, although it'll take 8 or 9 levels for him to break even.Skill points?  Okay, the human comes out way ahead due to his bonus human points AND his higher INT.  The Wildling gets a few skill bonuses to compensate, but not much.  On the other hand, a Druid gets a decent number of skill points already.But then all you're left with is 2 feats, Fort +2, and BAB+1 on side A, while side B gets Scent, Natural Armor, a speed boost, +2 WIS (giving +1 Will, +1 save DC, bonus spells, and +1 to all those WIS-based skills), low-light vision... definitely an advantage to the Wildling.  The only thing I'd really say here is that many of the Wildling's nice abilities would go away if wildshaped.I'd be really careful with the metal aversion, though, because unlike light sensitivity it isn't a conditional thing.  For a Druid, Monk, Wizard, or Sorcerer it's meaningless, while for many other classes it'll always be on.  Maybe a high-DEX Ranger with a bow and leather armor would be okay, but that's about it; the Ranger/Barbarian that this seems to want to mimic would be in trouble.Or, instead of a Druid, how about a Monk?  The WIS would also give extra AC, the CON gives extra HP, they're not really skill-dependent anyway, and they don't use weapons or armor so the metal allergy means nothing.Anyway, the flavor of the class is okay, it just seems like you're trying to make a race whose abilities severely bias towards one or two classes.  Not that that hasn't been done before, of course.  Personally I'd toss the metal allergy altogether, in which case you could even get this down to an ECL 0 race pretty easily.</blockquote>

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