Let's Build a Fey

[Greenfield]

Inspired by one of the players in my game, I thought I'd try a group-development of a Fey racial option for D&D 3.*.

The idea here is for a +0 ECL package, with options.

We'll call him/her a Goodfellow. Goodfellows are Fey of mixed heritage, not purely any single Fey race. Because it's a general category, rather than a specific racial mix, no two need be alike. All Goodfellows are Small or Tiny in size, with corresponding adjustments to Strength and Dex.

The basic stat adjustments would be the same as an Elf (Elven variants possible).

For Forest type Fey: Low Light Vision, +2 Dex and -2 Con.
Optional add on: +2 Int, -2 Str (as Gray Elf).
Optional add on: +2 Cha, -2 Wis

For Earth type Fey: +2 Con, -2 Dex
Optional add on: +2 Str, -2 Cha

Now come the menu choices. We'll allow up to three selections from the following list. One additional selection may be added, if a corresponding limitation is accepted. Some of these count as two slots/choices.

Option Limitation
Dark Vision 60 ft. .......................................................... Daylight Sensitive
Dark Vision 90 ft. (Counts two slots) ................................ Daylight Blind
Flight 40 - Good (Tiny Fey only) ...................................... ???
Flight 60 - Good (Tiny only, counts as two slots) ................ ???
Swim 40 - w/Water Breathing .......................................... ???
Supernatural Ability - Speak with burrowing animals ............. ???
Spell Like ability - Prestidigitation 3/day ............................ -2 Wisdom
Natural Camoflage (+5 hide checks) .................................. -5 ft movement
Alternate Form (as Alter Self, single form only) ................... ???
Dr 5/Cold Iron ............................................................... -2 Strength
Spell Like Ability - Detect Magic at will .............................. ???
Spell Like ABility - Detect Evil at Will ................................. Must be Good aligned
Spell Like Ability - Ghost Sound at Will ............................... ???
Spell Like Ability - Silent Image 3/day ................................ ???

We can, and should add to and perhaps alter this list. Perhaps add some limitations to pay for the options. Some of these I copied from the Gnome racial package, some from other places.

Land speed should start at 20 or 25 for Small. 15 or 20 for Tiny.

Final creature Type will be Fey. We should also add some racial skill adjustments.

So add your comments and suggestions. Remember, when we're through it should be a +0 ECL template.

 

[Greenfield]

Okay, let's consider the "racial skill packages" part of a build.

Specifically, let's make them options.

+2 to any 2 skills
Add any 1 skill to your "In Class" list.

Let's take those "Uses two slot" options and reword them. Instead, make the lesser version a rerequisite.

So "Darkvision 90 ft (Required Darkvision 60 ft.)
and "Flight 60 ft good" becomes "Winged flight 60 ft (Good), requires Winged Flight 40 ft."

And let's add something like Cold or Fire resistance (10 points), with the limitation of being susceptible to the opposite element.

Elf variants, which I'm using as a base, give Listen and Spot bonuses, as well as automatic weapon proficiencies. By making those optional slots, we weaken our Fey race, and help keep it within the +0 ECL range.

 

[Greenfield]

Okay, let's reformulate this.

There are four type of Goodfellow Fey: Earth types (underground dwellers, like the Grig), Forest types like the Brownie, Air types like Pixies and Water types.

Or maybe not.

I was thinking about giving each a separte set of options. On the other hand, you could let the options define the type.

A Burrow speed suggests an Earth type. Flight implis Air. Camoflage implies Forest. Wather Breathing/Swimming implies water.

Should we make some of these mutually exclusive? I don't know, what happens when a Petal and a Grig drink from the same Love spring? And woud a Petal qualify as Air or Forest?

It's late, my head hurts. Maybe inspiration tomorrow.

Again, contributions from others would help.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

To point out a detail you mentioned and seem to gloss over, if Tiny size is an option, that would be a fantastic advantage. All other racial features aside, I'd take a tiny sized LA+0 race any day.

...and then play a Rogue, Warlock or Dragon Fire Adept.

The only Tiny sized LA+0 race I'm aware of is Tibbit, and you give up the ability to speak and have hands for it. If you change your form back to a small-sized humanoid, you need to wait an hour to resume the tiny size cat form.

As you are deciding racial features and balancing against weaknesses for those features, consider size in mind.

 

[Greenfield]

Good point. Perhaps Small is the default size with Tiny as one of the options, and includes a +1ECL.

 

[Jackinthegreen]

You might want to look at http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1281.0 and http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=342.0 to compare ideas and stats for small and tiny creatures.