Cheiromancer
Adventurer
Ignoring, for the moment, the background and origins of this race (hint: a picture of a Zt'tir occurs in the BoVD, page 131), I would like a critique of its balance at the various levels.
This race advances as a humanoid until they reach 12 HD. Humanoid is weaker than a PC class progression, so I give a perk at entry level (4 HD), and then again at 7 HD and 12 HD.
Are the perks too powerful? Too weak? Would a Zt'tir character be viable at the 4 HD to 12 HD range?
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The Zt'tir
Zt’tir are distinguished by the utter blackness of their skin and hair and their luminescent green eyes. They have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. Small horns grow from their foreheads, and their legs have a goat-like bend to them. For initial height, weight and age determination, consider a Zt’tir to be a half-elf. Mature Zt’tir are twice as tall, weigh 8 times as much, and live as long as elves. In addition, Zt’tir have the following racial traits:
Bonus Feat: All Zt’tir get a bonus feat due to their human heritage.
Half-ebon: Zt’tir descend from servants of powerful fiends. They all have the half-ebon template (see below).
Racial Hit dice: Zt’tir have 4 humanoid hit dice (with a good will saving throw). Their racial advancement is 5-6 (medium-size), 7-12 (large). After reaching 12 hit dice, they may advance by character class. The first class chosen is henceforth their favored class for determining whether they suffer experience point penalties. Also, racial hit dice never incur experience point penalties.
Racial Proficiencies: The warlike Zt’tir are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with shields, but not with any sort of armor. Zt'tir characters sometimes spend a feat to acquire proficiency with light armor.
Great Leader: A Zt-tir who advances to 12 hit dice gains a +4 increase to Charisma (similar to the increase acquired every 4 levels) and a deflection bonus to armor class equal to the charisma bonus.
LA: +0. The half-ebon template balances the disadvantage of humanoid hit dice at low levels. The increase in size at 7 hit dice balances it for mid levels, and the great leader ability balances it at 12 hit dice.
Half-ebon Template:
The half-ebon template is a diluted form of the Ebon Servitor template-see the black half-orc in the Deluxe Book of Templates, and subtract out half-orc traits to obtain the following:
Ability modifiers: Half-ebons have +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom
Improved Darkvision: Half-ebons can see 60 ft. in darkness, or double the darkvision of the native creature, whichever is better. The half-ebon may make a Will saving throw against the normal spell DC to see 30 ft. in deeper darkness or a similar spell. This vision is black and white.
Natural Armor: Half-ebons have a +1 natural armor bonus.
Detect Good (Sp): 3 times/day a half-ebon can detect good, per the spell, as a cleric of his or her character level.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, the half-ebon may attempt to smite good with a single melee attack. When smiting, it adds its Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per character level and/or Hit Die it has. If a half-ebon accidentally smites a creature that is not of good alignment, the smite has no effect and the ability is used up for that
day. Half-ebons of good alignment retain this ability, though its use may be an alignment infraction.
Resilient: Half-ebons receive +4 to saves against any cold, electricity, or fire attack. Half-ebons take half the normal damage from environmental heat and cold.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal or Infernal (depending on heritage)
Alignment: usually evil
ECL: +1.
This race advances as a humanoid until they reach 12 HD. Humanoid is weaker than a PC class progression, so I give a perk at entry level (4 HD), and then again at 7 HD and 12 HD.
Are the perks too powerful? Too weak? Would a Zt'tir character be viable at the 4 HD to 12 HD range?
-----
The Zt'tir
Zt’tir are distinguished by the utter blackness of their skin and hair and their luminescent green eyes. They have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. Small horns grow from their foreheads, and their legs have a goat-like bend to them. For initial height, weight and age determination, consider a Zt’tir to be a half-elf. Mature Zt’tir are twice as tall, weigh 8 times as much, and live as long as elves. In addition, Zt’tir have the following racial traits:
Bonus Feat: All Zt’tir get a bonus feat due to their human heritage.
Half-ebon: Zt’tir descend from servants of powerful fiends. They all have the half-ebon template (see below).
Racial Hit dice: Zt’tir have 4 humanoid hit dice (with a good will saving throw). Their racial advancement is 5-6 (medium-size), 7-12 (large). After reaching 12 hit dice, they may advance by character class. The first class chosen is henceforth their favored class for determining whether they suffer experience point penalties. Also, racial hit dice never incur experience point penalties.
Racial Proficiencies: The warlike Zt’tir are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with shields, but not with any sort of armor. Zt'tir characters sometimes spend a feat to acquire proficiency with light armor.
Great Leader: A Zt-tir who advances to 12 hit dice gains a +4 increase to Charisma (similar to the increase acquired every 4 levels) and a deflection bonus to armor class equal to the charisma bonus.
LA: +0. The half-ebon template balances the disadvantage of humanoid hit dice at low levels. The increase in size at 7 hit dice balances it for mid levels, and the great leader ability balances it at 12 hit dice.
Half-ebon Template:
The half-ebon template is a diluted form of the Ebon Servitor template-see the black half-orc in the Deluxe Book of Templates, and subtract out half-orc traits to obtain the following:
Ability modifiers: Half-ebons have +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom
Improved Darkvision: Half-ebons can see 60 ft. in darkness, or double the darkvision of the native creature, whichever is better. The half-ebon may make a Will saving throw against the normal spell DC to see 30 ft. in deeper darkness or a similar spell. This vision is black and white.
Natural Armor: Half-ebons have a +1 natural armor bonus.
Detect Good (Sp): 3 times/day a half-ebon can detect good, per the spell, as a cleric of his or her character level.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, the half-ebon may attempt to smite good with a single melee attack. When smiting, it adds its Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per character level and/or Hit Die it has. If a half-ebon accidentally smites a creature that is not of good alignment, the smite has no effect and the ability is used up for that
day. Half-ebons of good alignment retain this ability, though its use may be an alignment infraction.
Resilient: Half-ebons receive +4 to saves against any cold, electricity, or fire attack. Half-ebons take half the normal damage from environmental heat and cold.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal or Infernal (depending on heritage)
Alignment: usually evil
ECL: +1.
