Illumians: LA +0?! And as an elven subrace for my homebrew

[Angel Tarragon]

I'm looking at modifying Illumians for my homebrew to be an elf-offshoot race called Rune Elves. However, looking over Illumians, it looks ro me like they need at least a +1 LA.

And adding all of the racial features to basic elf, I guess it would be +2. Thoughts?


[sblock=Homebrew Elves]Elves

• +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Elf base land speed is 30 feet. Elf base swim speed is 20 feet.
• Elves can cast detect magic as a spell-like ability at will; caster level is equal to half hit dice.
• Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +3 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
• Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Since magic is an integral part of the elven way of life, Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft are always treated as class skills. Additionally, the elf gains a +2 racial bonus with these skills.
• Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats.
• +3 racial bonus on Listen, Search, Spot and Swim checks. An elf that merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
• Favored Class: Wizard or Sorcerer.

[/sblock]

 

[Quartz]

2x +2 in spellcasting stats, several Skill Focus feats, bonuses in favoured classes, Detect Magic at will? And more. LA +2 seems a good starting point. You can always lower it later. These guys make nasty Ultimate Magi.

 

[Andre]

2x +2 in spellcasting stats, several Skill Focus feats, bonuses in favoured classes, Detect Magic at will? And more. LA +2 seems a good starting point. You can always lower it later. These guys make nasty Ultimate Magi.

Whereas I see them as a high +0, weak +1.

That Con penalty hurts, especially if this character has d4 hit points.

Bonuses to specific skills are nice, but less flexible than Human skill bonus.

Detect magic is useful, but not likely game-breaking.

The problem is that while each bonus is not a big deal individually, there are an awful lot of them.

To make them +0, I would try the following:
+2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Con
Medium size, 30' base speed
Low light vision
Immunity to magical sleep effects
+2 bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft skills
+2 bonus to Spot, Listen, Search.
Favored class: wizard/sorcerer

If you want, include the traditional free search check for concealed/secret doors.

BTW, I stopped giving elves the free weapon proficiencies a long time ago. Those are cultural skills, not racial. What weapons an elf would know how to use depends on how it's raised, not its dna (IMNSHO). Saying every elf knows how to use those weapons is like saying every modern human knows how to use a pistol.

 

[Quartz]

Note that Spellcraft and KS: Arcana are based off Int anyway, so you're effectively getting +3 there. It might be better to say that they're always class skills.

Detect magic is useful, but not likely game-breaking.

I disagree: it's devastatingly useful at all levels. And at low levels, it frees a very important spell slot. Think of the character continuously checking. How about making it something like once per day per 5 levels? Or once per day for one round per level.

The problem is that while each bonus is not a big deal individually, there are an awful lot of them.

Well said!

Unfortunately, at LA +0 it's still far too good to not take this race for a wizard or sorceror. The +2 Int gives the human's extra skill points and much more besides.

How about:

Stats: No modification
Medium size, 30' base speed
Low light vision
Immunity to magical sleep effects
+2 bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft skills; these are always class skills.
+2 bonus to Spot, Listen, Search.
Favored class: wizard/sorcerer

Special: Detect Magic 1 / day for 1 round per character level.

If you want, include the traditional free search check for concealed/secret doors.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I'm not looking to make my Rune Elves LA +0. All I need is advice on how to ped LA by stacking the illumian bonuses on top of my homebrew elf.

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Note that Spellcraft and KS: Arcana are based off Int anyway, so you're effectively getting +3 there. It might be better to say that they're always class skills.

Originally Posted by Frukathka

• Since magic is an integral part of the elven way of life, Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft are always treated as class skills. Additionally, the elf gains a +2 racial bonus with these skills.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

I agree with Andre, +1 LA is more than fair for this race. I would also go with his suggested modifiers except I see no reason not to leave Knowledge (arcane) and Spellcraft as class skills for them.

If you do go with elven cultural weapons for them, I would limit them to, say, rapier and short bow, as they are more interested in magical study than martial.

Why did they have a +3 to Swim anyway?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Why did they have a +3 to Swim anyway?

I used the Atlantean Traits (Twilight of Atlantis, pg 26) to model the elves after. Atlanteans have a base swim speed and a bonus to swim checks.

 

[Xulin]

Saying every elf knows how to use those weapons is like saying every modern human knows how to use a pistol.

You mean there are people who don't?