Arkhandus
First Post
Something to keep in mind: each additional point of Level Adjustment beyond the first kinda hurts a bit more, because anything more than +1 LA means giving up several hit dice, attack and save bonus increases, skill point increases, etc., and means much later acquisition of new feats, class features, and ability increases.
Humans
LA+1: Add +2 to any ability score of the character's choice. Also, provide the choice of either +1 on attack rolls and Initiative, or +1 effective caster level for the first spellcasting class he or she enters. The latter option does not affect familiar abilities or other class features, but fully affects caster level, spells known, spells per day, etc.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, add +2 to a second, different ability score of the character's choice, and double the earlier bonus to attacks/Initiative or effective caster level. In addition, add another bonus feat.
Notes: This maintains humans' versatility without overshadowing other races in terms of ability scores.
Elves
LA+1: Add +2 Intelligence and Charisma. Also add +1 on attack rolls, Reflex saves, and Spellcraft checks.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the elven Constitution penalty, and increase base movement speed to 40 feet. Double the elven racial bonuses on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Provide spellcasting ability equivalent to a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, wizard, or specialist wizard, as chosen by the character, and this stacks with any actual levels taken in the chosen class. If bard is selected for this purpose, then the elf also gains 1 effective level of bard for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge, which allows him or her to use these class features even if they do not actually acquire the bard class. As with the spellcasting, this stacks with any actual levels in the bard class.
Notes: This maintains elven viability as capable arcane spellcasters, and also works fine for elven swashbucklers, arcane archers, duelists, paladins, rangers, and such. Emphasizes elven agility and natural arcane talent.
Half-Elves
LA+1: Add +2 Dexterity. Grant 4 extra skill points at 1st-level, not multiplied like other skill points, but do not grant the extra skill point per level of a human. Also, provide the choice of either +1 on attack rolls and Initiative, or +1 effective caster level for the first spellcasting class he or she enters. The latter option does not affect familiar abilities or other class features, but fully affects caster level, spells known, spells per day, etc.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, double all of the half-elven racial bonuses on skill checks. Double the earlier bonus to attacks/Initiative or effective caster level. Furthermore, add +1 to the half-elf's caster level checks and dispel checks, as well as providing Dodge as a racial bonus feat.
Notes: Blends the elven talents with human versatility, but without treading too significantly on either's specialties. Half-elves will learn more quickly like humans when young, but develop a more elf-like aloofness by the time they reach adulthood.
Half-Orcs
LA+1: Increase the Strength bonus to +4, and add +2 Constitution. Grant one copy of the Toughness feat as a racial bonus feat. Finally, grant a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the half-orc Intelligence penalty. Also grant +1 on melee attack rolls and damage, as well as +1 on grapple checks. Provide a +2 racial bonus to the DCs of saving throws against the half-orc's spells, if any. Make Intimidate a permanent class skill for the half-orc, and double the racial bonus on Intimidate checks. Provide a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks, as well. Lastly, grant Diehard as a racial bonus feat, regardless of prerequisites.
Notes: The half-orc becomes a real combat brute, and is tough enough to make a decent rogue or spellcaster despite lacking one or two caster levels. He or she may cast slightly-weaker spells, but the half-orc's battle magic and witchcraft are tough to resist. If they bother to learn any. Half-orcs also know how to survive, whether in the wild, or on the mean streets.
Dwarves
LA+1: Increase the Constitution bonus to +4. Grant a bonus copy of the Toughness feat. Also double the racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids and such.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, add +2 Strength and +2 Wisdom. Also, grant another bonus copy of the Toughness feat, and provide +2 on caster level checks and dispel checks.
Notes: Dwarves are freakin' tough dudes. They'll fight on until the fat lady's lost her voice from singin' for so long. Also, dwarves are quite muscular for their stature, although kinda fat for that stature too. Dwarves really hate them stinkin' gobbos and pigfaces. Really, they smell. But dwarves are fairly practical and canny folks, when it comes to not doing gods-awful foolish things what aught not be done in no dungeon. And they're pretty willful too, plus they're reasonably pious, if kinda anti-talented in magic. Still, just as they can shrug off a fireball or hold person, they can plow through an enemy's spell resistance or eldritch wards too with that good ole' dwarven tenacity.
Gnomes
LA+1: Add +2 Intelligence or Charisma, character's choice. Provide spellcasting ability equivalent to a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, wizard, or specialist wizard, as chosen by the character, and this stacks with any actual levels taken in the chosen class. If bard is selected for this purpose, then the gnome also gains 1 effective level of bard for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge, which allows him or her to use these class features even if they do not actually acquire the bard class. As with the spellcasting, this stacks with any actual levels in the bard class.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the gnomish Strength penalty and double the effective caster level from the LA+1 benefits. If bard was chosen for that, double the effective bard level granted for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge as well. Also give one copy of Toughness as a racial bonus feat. Lastly, grant +4 on attack rolls made to confirm critical threats.
Notes: Gnomes are clever and sneaky folks, though not as physically sneaky as halflings or elves. They're arcanely talented, sociable, and a bit stronger than most folk their size. When a gnome gets the opportunity for a crippling strike in battle, he's more than likely to take that opportunity and make it count.
Halflings
LA+1: Add +2 Wisdom. Double the halfling's racial bonus on throwing attacks, and double all of the racial bonuses on saving throws.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, increase the halfling's Dexterity bonus to +4. Also grant the character his or her choice of either Spring Attack, Ride-By Attack, or Shot On The Run as a racial bonus feat, regardless of prerequisites. Double the racial bonus on Move Silently skill checks. Furthermore, grant +1 on attack rolls against larger creatures. And lastly, add +1 to the halfling's effective caster level in all classes he or she gains spellcasting from, for the sole purposes of determining spell effects, caster level checks, dispel checks, and dispel check DCs. It does not affect spells known, spells per day, or other class features.
Notes: Halflings are canny and practical when they need to be, and can be decent champions of Yondalla or other deities of halfling ideals. They're also incredibly sneaky and nimble. Halflings are good at fighting on the move, and taking down enemies bigger than themselves. If a halfling chooses to pursue arcane magic, at least he or she won't be too inferior in spell power, compared to most other folk. It's still not their strong suit, though.
Humans
LA+1: Add +2 to any ability score of the character's choice. Also, provide the choice of either +1 on attack rolls and Initiative, or +1 effective caster level for the first spellcasting class he or she enters. The latter option does not affect familiar abilities or other class features, but fully affects caster level, spells known, spells per day, etc.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, add +2 to a second, different ability score of the character's choice, and double the earlier bonus to attacks/Initiative or effective caster level. In addition, add another bonus feat.
Notes: This maintains humans' versatility without overshadowing other races in terms of ability scores.
Elves
LA+1: Add +2 Intelligence and Charisma. Also add +1 on attack rolls, Reflex saves, and Spellcraft checks.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the elven Constitution penalty, and increase base movement speed to 40 feet. Double the elven racial bonuses on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Provide spellcasting ability equivalent to a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, wizard, or specialist wizard, as chosen by the character, and this stacks with any actual levels taken in the chosen class. If bard is selected for this purpose, then the elf also gains 1 effective level of bard for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge, which allows him or her to use these class features even if they do not actually acquire the bard class. As with the spellcasting, this stacks with any actual levels in the bard class.
Notes: This maintains elven viability as capable arcane spellcasters, and also works fine for elven swashbucklers, arcane archers, duelists, paladins, rangers, and such. Emphasizes elven agility and natural arcane talent.
Half-Elves
LA+1: Add +2 Dexterity. Grant 4 extra skill points at 1st-level, not multiplied like other skill points, but do not grant the extra skill point per level of a human. Also, provide the choice of either +1 on attack rolls and Initiative, or +1 effective caster level for the first spellcasting class he or she enters. The latter option does not affect familiar abilities or other class features, but fully affects caster level, spells known, spells per day, etc.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, double all of the half-elven racial bonuses on skill checks. Double the earlier bonus to attacks/Initiative or effective caster level. Furthermore, add +1 to the half-elf's caster level checks and dispel checks, as well as providing Dodge as a racial bonus feat.
Notes: Blends the elven talents with human versatility, but without treading too significantly on either's specialties. Half-elves will learn more quickly like humans when young, but develop a more elf-like aloofness by the time they reach adulthood.
Half-Orcs
LA+1: Increase the Strength bonus to +4, and add +2 Constitution. Grant one copy of the Toughness feat as a racial bonus feat. Finally, grant a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the half-orc Intelligence penalty. Also grant +1 on melee attack rolls and damage, as well as +1 on grapple checks. Provide a +2 racial bonus to the DCs of saving throws against the half-orc's spells, if any. Make Intimidate a permanent class skill for the half-orc, and double the racial bonus on Intimidate checks. Provide a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks, as well. Lastly, grant Diehard as a racial bonus feat, regardless of prerequisites.
Notes: The half-orc becomes a real combat brute, and is tough enough to make a decent rogue or spellcaster despite lacking one or two caster levels. He or she may cast slightly-weaker spells, but the half-orc's battle magic and witchcraft are tough to resist. If they bother to learn any. Half-orcs also know how to survive, whether in the wild, or on the mean streets.
Dwarves
LA+1: Increase the Constitution bonus to +4. Grant a bonus copy of the Toughness feat. Also double the racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids and such.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, add +2 Strength and +2 Wisdom. Also, grant another bonus copy of the Toughness feat, and provide +2 on caster level checks and dispel checks.
Notes: Dwarves are freakin' tough dudes. They'll fight on until the fat lady's lost her voice from singin' for so long. Also, dwarves are quite muscular for their stature, although kinda fat for that stature too. Dwarves really hate them stinkin' gobbos and pigfaces. Really, they smell. But dwarves are fairly practical and canny folks, when it comes to not doing gods-awful foolish things what aught not be done in no dungeon. And they're pretty willful too, plus they're reasonably pious, if kinda anti-talented in magic. Still, just as they can shrug off a fireball or hold person, they can plow through an enemy's spell resistance or eldritch wards too with that good ole' dwarven tenacity.
Gnomes
LA+1: Add +2 Intelligence or Charisma, character's choice. Provide spellcasting ability equivalent to a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, wizard, or specialist wizard, as chosen by the character, and this stacks with any actual levels taken in the chosen class. If bard is selected for this purpose, then the gnome also gains 1 effective level of bard for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge, which allows him or her to use these class features even if they do not actually acquire the bard class. As with the spellcasting, this stacks with any actual levels in the bard class.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, remove the gnomish Strength penalty and double the effective caster level from the LA+1 benefits. If bard was chosen for that, double the effective bard level granted for purposes of bardic music and bardic knowledge as well. Also give one copy of Toughness as a racial bonus feat. Lastly, grant +4 on attack rolls made to confirm critical threats.
Notes: Gnomes are clever and sneaky folks, though not as physically sneaky as halflings or elves. They're arcanely talented, sociable, and a bit stronger than most folk their size. When a gnome gets the opportunity for a crippling strike in battle, he's more than likely to take that opportunity and make it count.
Halflings
LA+1: Add +2 Wisdom. Double the halfling's racial bonus on throwing attacks, and double all of the racial bonuses on saving throws.
LA+2: On top of the LA+1 benefits, increase the halfling's Dexterity bonus to +4. Also grant the character his or her choice of either Spring Attack, Ride-By Attack, or Shot On The Run as a racial bonus feat, regardless of prerequisites. Double the racial bonus on Move Silently skill checks. Furthermore, grant +1 on attack rolls against larger creatures. And lastly, add +1 to the halfling's effective caster level in all classes he or she gains spellcasting from, for the sole purposes of determining spell effects, caster level checks, dispel checks, and dispel check DCs. It does not affect spells known, spells per day, or other class features.
Notes: Halflings are canny and practical when they need to be, and can be decent champions of Yondalla or other deities of halfling ideals. They're also incredibly sneaky and nimble. Halflings are good at fighting on the move, and taking down enemies bigger than themselves. If a halfling chooses to pursue arcane magic, at least he or she won't be too inferior in spell power, compared to most other folk. It's still not their strong suit, though.
