LA my dark elf.

[AbeTheGnome]

Dark Elf Traits (Ex)

* +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution
* Dark Elf base land speed is 30 ft.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
* Immunity to magic sleep effects.
* +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
* Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds dark elf for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
* Aversion to Daylight: If exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), dark elves take a -4 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
* Blood Drain: A dark elf can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round. On each such successful drain attack, the dark elf gains 5 temporary hit points.
* Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Abyssal. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc.
* Spell-Like Abilities: Dark Elves can use darkness once per day (caster level equal to class levels).
* Favored Class: Warlock (male) or cleric (female).

 

[Darklone]

Oih. Except for the Darkness and the Blood Drain (Con damage is HUGE) it's La +0 like the dwarf.

One more thing for my 4th edition wishlist: No silly daylight rules without having daylight as spell work as daylight...

I'd say it's an LA +1.

 

[javcs]

It's good, but, not great.
I'd peg it at around +1.5. Give 'em free Blind-fight, and I'll call it a weak +2, with the normal elf's secret door ability too, it's a decent, perhaps slightly weak, +2.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

what if i left out the darkness?

 

[javcs]

Dropping darkness . . . drops them from a strong +1 to a moderate +1, perhaps around +1.25.
Giving them more darkness, depending on how often could shift them to a solid +2 (with blind-fight).
Perhaps multiple variants? Some sort of caste structure in their society, that way you'd be able to have some with darkness, some without, and provides more backround and plothooks.

I think I may borrow this.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

I think I may borrow this.

you're welcome to it.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

Dark Elf Traits (Revised)

* +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution
* Medium Size
* Dark Elf base land speed is 30 ft.
* Darkvision up to 60 feet.
* +2 racial bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
* Low-Light Vision: A dark 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.
* Immunity to magic sleep spells and effects.
* +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
* Elven Blood: For all special abilities and effects, a dark elf is considered an elf.
* Outsider: Dark elves are native outsiders.
* Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds dark elf for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
* Blood Drain: A dark elf can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round. On each such successful drain attack, the dark elf gains 5 temporary hit points.
* Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Abyssal. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc.
* Favored Class: Warlock (male) or cleric (female).

 

[AbeTheGnome]

ok, people... i really need some feedback on this. i'm trying to make this an LA+0 race, no more than an LA+1. is there anything else i can do to express their vampirism without the ability damage (which, reading Savage Species, is worth +2 on its own)? is there some kind of melee attack that actually transfers hit points? something like "deal 1d6 damage with your bite attack, gain these as temporary hit points"?

::edit::
on second read, half of the core races should be LA+1 according to Savage Species... :\

 

[Pyrex]

Actually, if you change the vampirism from a benefit to a drawback, it becomes balanced:

Blood Drain: When a Drow Elf pins a creature it deals 1d4 damage by drinking a small portion of it's blood. For every 24hrs a Drow goes without drinking blood it must make a Fort save (DC 14 + Days) or become Fatigued until it drinks blood.

 

[RPG_Tweaker]

Hmmm. Vampiric Drow? ... I dig it.

I like the revised version, but I'd drop the bonus to Bluff, it doesn't seem biological enough to be an inherent trait.

For the blood drain, working off Pyrex's idea, how about something like this?

Vampirism: On a successful grappling pin, the Drow may bite it's victim inflicting 1d4 HP damage. They add the drained hit points to their own, up to their current HP level. The Drow must drink at least 4 HP of blood per day. For every 24hrs a Drow goes without drinking blood it must make a Fort save (DC 14 + Days) or become Fatigued until it drinks blood.