Pathfinder 1E Litorians in Pathfinder

[sjmiller]

So, I am thinking of converting my highly modified 3.0 game to Pathfinder. One of the things I will need to do is convert a number of races from Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved to Pathfinder. I figure I will start with the Litorian. Now to be honest, I have not read all of the Pathfinder book yet, so I am going to need a bit of help with this. This is what I have for them from the AE book:

• +2 Dex, -2 Wis
• Medium size
• Low-Light Vision
• +2 Racial Bonus on Intimidate, Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival checks.
• Knowledge (litorians) is a class skill
• And they get racial levels (which I will work on later).

Since they are described as strong, fast, and tough, I thought of adding +2 Str to give them the same racial bonuses as other races in Pathfinder. If you know anything about Litorians, what else would you consider modifying? I know that the skills need conforming, but I am not sure what else should be done.

 

[ruemere]

My suggestion would be to choose one of core races as baseline, and then work out bonuses accordingly. Elves seem to be closest.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[Aus_Snow]

All the races I've seen have +2 to a physical stat, +2 to a mental stat, and -2 to any one other stat (of either kind.) That, or a single floating +2, and no penalties.

So, I'd go for the former, by default. A Charisma bonus would be the classic 'catness' thing, I'm fairly certain. Along with Dex, I mean.

I suppose you could give them claws (that they can use) - because yeah, once you've stripped the skills down, there won't be very much left. Can't think of much else right now.

 

[Set]

Litorian

Litorians are physical adroit, but while their bodies can move with a blur of motion, too often their minds also move in a blur, and they often lack the ability to focus and discipline their perceptions as keenly as other races. They benefit from a +2 racial bonus to Dexterity, but are hampered by a -2 racial penalty to Wisdom.

Bonus Trait: Litorians can choose one of the three Litorian racial characteristics at 1st level. No matter which is chosen, the Litorian can only choose any one of these feats at one single time, but can later learn either or both of the others by expending a HD/level derived Feat to further develop their racial characteristics.

Litorian base speed is 30 feet.

Medium: As Medium creatures, Litorians have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Low-light vision: Litorians can see twice as far as humans in starlight, torchlight, moonlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They also retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Automatic Languages: Common and Litorian.

Bonus Languages: Any.

Despite their impulsive natures, Litorians have adapted well to their wild surroundings. Litorians gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception and Survival checks

Characteristic choices;

Strongfang - The Litorian gains a Bite attack that does 1d6 Piercing +1/2 Str mod damage as a secondary weapon (at -5 to hit) or 1d6 P +1.5 Str mod as a primary attack. Additionally, if the Litorian spends their next level-dependent increase to Attributes on Strength, he gains 2 additional points of Strength instead of 1. Litorians who choose this trait tend to grow thick manes, usually darker than their overall fur color.

Swiftpaws - The Litorian gains a +10 ft. racial bonus to its ground speed. Additionally, if the Litorian spends their next level-dependent increase to Attributes on Dexterity, he gains 2 additional points of Dexterity instead of 1. Litorians who choose this trait are lithe, and may even be thought emaciated.

Longbreath - The Litorian gains the Scent exceptional ability. Additionally, if the Litorian spends their next level-dependent increase to Attributes on Constitution, he gains 2 additional points of Constitution instead of 1. Litorians who choose this trait are broad-chested and have wide noses, as well as broad faces and whiskers.

A Litorian, and only a Litorian, can purchase more than one of these Characteristics using earned Feats, but does not gain the bonus to Ability advancement for Characteristics purchased this way, only the Scent, Bite or increased Speed characteristics. A Litorian can only start with one such ability (being unable to spend his 1st level feat choice on a second such Characteristic), and so cannot gain a second until he gains his next Feat choice, at 3rd level, and the third must wait until at least 5th level, when he gains his third open feat choice.

These Characteristics are (obviously) better than a standard Feat, but are designed to make the racial characteristics of a Litorian with Race levels available to a Litorian using Pathfinder rules, which, at this time, does not support the concept of racial levels.

Because of how 'good' these Characteristics are, the Litorian does not have the usual +2/+2/-2 Ability score adjustment of an Elf, Dwarf, etc. By fourth level, when they gain their first Ability score adjustment by level, they will end up with a bonus point of Strength, Dexterity or Constitution, which helps 'catch them up.'

 

[Qwillion]

I would have to disagree with SET's take as I don't see a need to remove the racial and evolved class levels as they in no way undermine the current class system of the Pathfinder RPG. Though I do understand the desire to do so, giving a character scent at first level can unbalance the game. at that level, especially since PFRPG does not have the scent bane spell.

I think the only major change that would need to be made would be adding an additional plus would be to Charisma.

Its something I have been thinking of doing as a enchantment to our current Litorian project is adding a Pathfinder Rpg conversion, but I have to tread carefully so that our two licences (AE vs. Pathfinder Rpg)don't come into conflict with one another.

 

[Kodyax]

Interesting, I will really be interested if you do something for the sibeccai as well. But I prefer canines over felines. Not to mention ursines.

 

[Robert Ranting]

First of all, I think that one of the things that needs to be made clear when converting between AE and Pathfinder is that the design goals are different. AE races often have penalties that seem to defy their descriptions in flavor text, making them suboptimal at the classes they are supposed to prefer (i.e. giving the race most likely to be Greenbonds (Litorians) a wis penalty, and the race that doesn't see the point in protecting nature (Verrik) a wis bonus.) Thus, in play, you see a lot of Verrik Greenbonds and almost no Litorian ones, because the mechanics favor a choice that goes contrary to the flavortext. Pathfinder races, however, are geared toward certain choices with the double whammy of ability score bonuses and additional powers that make them good at a particular role. Just look at how Dwarves clearly favor fighter classes and clerics, while elves lean heavily toward wizard and rogue. One encourages you to play a certain race/class combo, the other encourages you to play something that is suboptimal for flavor reasons. I'm not saying either is wrong, just that the difference in attitude needs to be considered when moving from one to another.

So let's consider what Litorians are supposed to be like in terms of flavor and work from there. They are a tribal, nomadic culture, with a focus on honor and the hunt, and their racial weapons are a bola (ranged) and a double-ended club. After their racial levels, they have +4 Dex, +1 Con, +1 Str, +10 to their groundspeed, a bite attack, and Scent. In Ptolus, Litorians are presented as an LA+1 race with +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, and favored class Ranger. Now, since Monte was using Ptolus as his setting for years before AU came out, I'm going to assume that those stats are the originals.

This, combined with the fact that Litorians are obvious candidates for Barbarian, Fighter, Druid, Ranger and Rogue classes culturally, leads me to believe that the wisdom penalty should be dropped altogether, and instead actually have a +2 wisdom bonus to make them excel at their "prefered class" as do the other PF races. I suppose you could make a good argument for +2 Cha, but somehow I just don't see Litorians excelling as bards, paladins and sorcerers, not that those wouldn't be cool characters, just that it isn't their usual leaning. Since they are a nomadic culture that seldom builds anything and relies upon an oral tradition to maintain records, it is unlikely that they would be superior craftsmen or wizards, so I think that Int is the ability score penalty least likely to really detract from their flavor.

Litorian
Medium Humanoid
+2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Int
Base Speed: 30 feet
Low light vision
Wild: +2 to Intimidate,and Survival checks
Keen Senses: Litorians enjoy a +2 bonus to all Perception checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Litorians treat all weapons with the word "litorian" in the name as martial weapons.
Racial Levels: Unlike some races, Litorians may take racial levels to improve their physical prowess and instincts for the hunt.
Languages: Common, Litorian
Bonus Languages: Sylvan, Gnoll

Robert "Just My Thoughts on the Matter" Ranting

 

[Set]

I definitely agree with Robert's thoughts on the Wisdom penalty, which is why I threw in that lame attempt at justifying Monte's design decision by saying that their senses were so sharp and yet undisciplined that they distracted them.

 

[Kodyax]

Nice build, if I didn't have my own ideas on certain kinds of races I'd be inclined to borrow some ideas for what I'm doing.

 

[Qwillion]

As a rule I never disagree with Robert when he is right.