Jacob the Impaler
First Post
I read Watership Down and decided that it would be pretty cool to have a serious, playable race of rabbits. Yes, I stole a lot of it from the book. 
Tell me if it's balanced or not and give me suggestions.
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LAPINES
Lapines are an often misunderstood race. They are essentially large, intelligent rabbits who maintain many traits of their smaller cousins. According to legend, they were formed during the last part of the Age of Creation to humble the Old Giants. The Old Giants grew great amounts of oversized food and prospered, spreading across the lands. A creator, out of spite, mischief or a genuine effort to maintain balance, created Lapines to destroy their crops. They were very successful and multiplied like, well, rabbits.
In more recent years, their numbers have been dwindling due to human expansion into pastures and hill land. More often than not, Lapines tend to be stoic and accepting, remembering the legend of how El-ahrairah, the first lapine, was promised that his children would never be destroyed.
Description: Lapines are very much like rabbits, except they stand upright, anywhere from 4½’-5½’ tall, and can manipulate with their front paws. Their fur can be any color, from arctic white to pitch black. Most are inclined to be gray or brown. Their eyes are always dark. Females are usually taller than males, but males tend to weigh more. Males weigh 75-110 lbs while females weigh 50-80 lbs. Their clothing, if they choose to wear any, are usually human or elvish styles from the area.
Personality: Lapines are often called cowards by outsiders. Although they do prefer to avoid trouble if necessary, they can be fierce opponents if cornered or their homes are threatened. Lapines are easy-going and friendly, although they are always cautious around newcomers, especially strange-looking or monstrous ones. They have a strong sense of community and care for each other, not expecting anything in return. Despite their jumpiness, they always love a good time. Dancing, song, storytelling and races or other feats of agility are common forms of entertainment. At the first sign of danger, they usually flee for safer ground, where they have a better chance of defending themselves. They take threats seriously, and do not consider possibilities of false alarms.
Relations: Lapines are an accepting people and often live in human or elvish lands in warrens with their own kind. They get along especially well with Halflings and gnomes. They do not usually live near dwarves, and are often unsure about their mannerisms. Half-orcs are viewed with utmost suspicion, as are other monstrous beings.
Alignment: Lapines are often neutral, with chaotic or good tendencies. There are very few evil lapines.
Lapine lands: Lapines once dominated the countryside with healthy warrens, although now they usually have to share land with growing populations of humans or elves. They prefer fertile meadows with rolling hills, where they can take care of vast vegetable gardens and dig warm burrows. Depending on the area, lapines live in warrens ranging in population from twenty to several hundred. Elders are usually elected as warren leaders, mainly because they’re too old to do anything else.
Religion: Lapines usually revere Obad-Hai, although there are few clerics among them. They have their own legendary figure that they admire far more – El’ahrairah. He was the first and greatest Lapine, raised up from the humble rabbit and promised that his children would never die out.
Language: Lapines have their own language, Lapine. It uses soft syllables and uses simple structures. It uses the common script, although lapines seldom find the need to write anything down.
RACIAL TRAITS:
+2 dexterity, -2 wisdom: Lapines are agile and fast, but they are hasty and seldom think things out
Medium-sized
Base speed: 40
Bite attack: 1d3 damage + 1/2 strength bonus
+2 racial bonus to listen and spot checks
+2 racial bonus to hide and move silently checks when in wilderness
-2 to swim checks: Lapine fur makes swimming uncomfortable at best
+4 racial bonus to jump checks
Lapine leap (Ex): Jump distance is not limited by height, running leap requires only 10 feet
Low light vision
-1 on all saves related to fear: Lapines are easily frightened
Other: Lapines are strict vegetarians. They will eat grass or clover, but prefer leafy greens and roots, especially carrots.
Languages: Common and Lapine
Favored class: Rogue
Age:
Adulthood: 10
Middle age: 25
Old: 40
Venerable: 55
Maximum age: +3d4 years
Tell me if it's balanced or not and give me suggestions.
---
LAPINES
Lapines are an often misunderstood race. They are essentially large, intelligent rabbits who maintain many traits of their smaller cousins. According to legend, they were formed during the last part of the Age of Creation to humble the Old Giants. The Old Giants grew great amounts of oversized food and prospered, spreading across the lands. A creator, out of spite, mischief or a genuine effort to maintain balance, created Lapines to destroy their crops. They were very successful and multiplied like, well, rabbits.
In more recent years, their numbers have been dwindling due to human expansion into pastures and hill land. More often than not, Lapines tend to be stoic and accepting, remembering the legend of how El-ahrairah, the first lapine, was promised that his children would never be destroyed.
Description: Lapines are very much like rabbits, except they stand upright, anywhere from 4½’-5½’ tall, and can manipulate with their front paws. Their fur can be any color, from arctic white to pitch black. Most are inclined to be gray or brown. Their eyes are always dark. Females are usually taller than males, but males tend to weigh more. Males weigh 75-110 lbs while females weigh 50-80 lbs. Their clothing, if they choose to wear any, are usually human or elvish styles from the area.
Personality: Lapines are often called cowards by outsiders. Although they do prefer to avoid trouble if necessary, they can be fierce opponents if cornered or their homes are threatened. Lapines are easy-going and friendly, although they are always cautious around newcomers, especially strange-looking or monstrous ones. They have a strong sense of community and care for each other, not expecting anything in return. Despite their jumpiness, they always love a good time. Dancing, song, storytelling and races or other feats of agility are common forms of entertainment. At the first sign of danger, they usually flee for safer ground, where they have a better chance of defending themselves. They take threats seriously, and do not consider possibilities of false alarms.
Relations: Lapines are an accepting people and often live in human or elvish lands in warrens with their own kind. They get along especially well with Halflings and gnomes. They do not usually live near dwarves, and are often unsure about their mannerisms. Half-orcs are viewed with utmost suspicion, as are other monstrous beings.
Alignment: Lapines are often neutral, with chaotic or good tendencies. There are very few evil lapines.
Lapine lands: Lapines once dominated the countryside with healthy warrens, although now they usually have to share land with growing populations of humans or elves. They prefer fertile meadows with rolling hills, where they can take care of vast vegetable gardens and dig warm burrows. Depending on the area, lapines live in warrens ranging in population from twenty to several hundred. Elders are usually elected as warren leaders, mainly because they’re too old to do anything else.
Religion: Lapines usually revere Obad-Hai, although there are few clerics among them. They have their own legendary figure that they admire far more – El’ahrairah. He was the first and greatest Lapine, raised up from the humble rabbit and promised that his children would never die out.
Language: Lapines have their own language, Lapine. It uses soft syllables and uses simple structures. It uses the common script, although lapines seldom find the need to write anything down.
RACIAL TRAITS:
+2 dexterity, -2 wisdom: Lapines are agile and fast, but they are hasty and seldom think things out
Medium-sized
Base speed: 40
Bite attack: 1d3 damage + 1/2 strength bonus
+2 racial bonus to listen and spot checks
+2 racial bonus to hide and move silently checks when in wilderness
-2 to swim checks: Lapine fur makes swimming uncomfortable at best
+4 racial bonus to jump checks
Lapine leap (Ex): Jump distance is not limited by height, running leap requires only 10 feet
Low light vision
-1 on all saves related to fear: Lapines are easily frightened
Other: Lapines are strict vegetarians. They will eat grass or clover, but prefer leafy greens and roots, especially carrots.
Languages: Common and Lapine
Favored class: Rogue
Age:
Adulthood: 10
Middle age: 25
Old: 40
Venerable: 55
Maximum age: +3d4 years
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