I got Races of the Wild, you got the questions

[Kae'Yoss]

I was curious if they have anything particularly interesting for halflings.

Well, there's the usual treatment every race gets in the races books - description about halflings, their lifestile, their outlook, their relation with other races, their creation myth, and so on.

What comes to mind first is which classes they have racial substitution levels for (some people don't like them, but I tend to like the flavor),

Rogue, Druid, Monk

and if they have anything that makes the sling more useful.

There's the warsling and skiprocks of course (which you could get with one feat - Improved Weapon Familiarity from Complete Warrior. Or you just include weapon familiarity for all races as a house rule).

Though there aren't no feats that are directly related to the sling, there are a couple of archery-related feats, including one tactical feat, and you can use them with every ranged weapon.

Halflings are supposed to like the sling and I like the flavor of that, but when I look at a +1 to hit with a d3 weapon that takes a move action to load, vs a d6 bow that takes a free action to load, it is tough to give up the bow just for the right flavor.

(For fighters, who have feats to spare, spending two feats on exotic wp warsling and exotic wp skiprock makes things interesting enough to get over the move action to load a sling, but non-fighters are generally better off putting their feats elsewhere.)

I think rapid reload should apply to slings as well.

Anyway, halflings don't just like slings, but also thrown weapons. There's even a PrC (the Whisperknive) for halflings with thrown weapons (knives are implied, but not required)

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Oh, and welcome to the boards!

 

[Khafre]

Thank you KaeYoss, for both the information and the welcome.

I have the book on order, but something that you mentioned intrigued me. I was hoping they might have something for a halfling monk, but the rogue bit surprised me. If you have the time, any chance you (or anyone else) could let me know what the first level or two of that do, so I can get a feel for what they are doing there?

Thanks again! I appreciate it!

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Thank you KaeYoss, for both the information and the welcome.

You're welcome

I was hoping they might have something for a halfling monk, but the rogue bit surprised me.

As has been said by someone else (on this very thread), the substitution levels follow a pattern: One for the favoured class, one for an iconic class, and one for a sub-optimal class.

So rogue was certain from the beginning.

If you have the time, any chance you (or anyone else) could let me know what the first level or two of that do, so I can get a feel for what they are doing there?

Monk: Gets only d6, but 6+ skill points. They can trade flurry of blows for skirmish (which works like the scout class feature and improves over time, to match the flurry's advance), weapon finesse instead of the standard bonus feat at 2nd, and Size Matters Not for wholeness of body. SMN grants bonus on grapple checks and stunning fist DC's if your enemy is much larger than you.

Rogue: can increase ranged sneak attack at the cost of melee sneak attack (this increases sneak attacks with slings and thrown weapons by another 1d6, but reduced melee sneak attack by 1d6), trade trap sense for thief's luck (reroll ref saves one or more times per day) and get sniping mastery instead of the normal special ability at 10th (this greatly improves the sniping option of the hide skill)

 

[Furry]

Going back to the feats. What are the requirements for the archery feats? And are the flying feats limited to Raptorans?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Going back to the feats. What are the requirements for the archery feats?

Able Sniper: Dex 13, Hide 5
Defensive Archery: Point Blank Shot
Plunging Shot: Dex 13, Point Blank Shot
Woodland Archer [Tactical]: Point Blank Shot, BAB +6

And are the flying feats limited to Raptorans?

No. Some of them don't even have any prerequisites (but are useless to characters who cannot fly).

So they're perfectly right for avariel, wizards with spells, and so on (though one or two require a natural fly speed - though there is a feat that can emulate that - or actual wings)

 

[snb1131]

What's the ranger substitution level? What does it do?

 

[Furry]

I have to say that my Drd3/Wiz3/Mystic Theurge1 is going staight to Hierophant for 9th level. The beautiful thing is that I won't lose out on 9th level spells, won't get them until 20th, but that's ok.

Next question is if you can provide any details on the Stormtalon?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

What's the ranger substitution level? What does it do?

Elven ranger: more skill points, fewer hit points. Can get a higher bonus against certain kinds of favoured enemies (the usual racial foes of the elves), can get an elven hound as animal companion, and can exchange his 10th-level favoured enemy stuff for a bonus on will saves against spells/spell-like abilities of drow and driders and on saves against spider poison.

Next question is if you can provide any details on the Stormtalon?

They're the aerial warrior elite of the raptoran race. Fast, good with their foot talons, gets bonus aerial feats.

 

[green slime]

Plunging Shot?!? Sounds like a dreadful name. What's it do?