New core races or canon half races?

[Ranger REG]

By choosing half-elf instead of human, you give up a feat and a skill point/level in exchange for various benefits. If "elven blood" was a feat, you'd be giving up a feat in exchange for various benefits. Not really that big of a difference.

Yeah, if you choose a human as your base race and pick up "Elf Blood" feat. At least your character still have one vacant feat to fill at your choosing.

But what if you choose a dwarf as your bsae race and pick up the "Orc Blood" feat? You wasted the one feat you have at 1st level.

:\

Or is the racial heritage feats only for humans?

 

[3catcircus]

I Prefer HARP's Treatment

I really like the way HARP handles this - greater and lesser bloodlines for each of them. Makes it very easy to envision the race you want, while emphasizing which race is the dominant one in any given half-race combination.

 

[Hussar]

Wouldn't mind whacking on a +0 LA template for half races. Quick and easy.

Then give us a couple of new PC races. I wants me some lizard folk pc's

 

[Gloombunny]

Yeah, if you choose a human as your base race and pick up "Elf Blood" feat. At least your character still have one vacant feat to fill at your choosing.

But what if you choose a dwarf as your bsae race and pick up the "Orc Blood" feat? You wasted the one feat you have at 1st level.

:\

Or is the racial heritage feats only for humans?

If the feats are well-designed, they'll be worth as much as any other feat you might pick. *shrug*

Personally I don't think dwarf-orc hybrids ought to be possible, but I don't see why the feat concept doesn't work for them.

 

[Aldarc]

Because you're doing it half-assed. You stopped short of promoting the diversity of hybrids. As in the real world, you're shafting bi-racials in D&D, even denying them of their rightful place in the Player's Handbook.

I do not know how I could promote the diversity of hybrids more than with the feat and template tools. But are half-species necessary?

 

[hong]

Because you're doing it half-assed. You stopped short of promoting the diversity of hybrids. As in the real world, you're shafting bi-racials in D&D, even denying them of their rightful place in the Player's Handbook.

 

[Exen Trik]

I'd mix it up a bit. Rather than have a race or template for being half-elf or half-orc (who are each assumed to be half human) or a set of half- templates, have one race of part-human with a number of possible manifestations of mixed ancestry. The ancestry itself can be just flavor text. Natural charisma can stem from Elves or other fey, a stronger than normal human might be descended from orcs, ogres, or even dragons.

Other options can represent other bloodlines, or alternate effects of a bloodline, or of having multiple non human ancestors. You wouldn't even need to declare a particular bloodline, just be something not quite human and leave it at that.

It establishes the theme of humans being the 'intermingling' race without having a dozen alt-humans running around. I would stop short of bundling tieflings in there though, the part-human race would get unwieldy if it applied to planar descendants. Other races could have their own mixed parentage alternates, that would likely have a different set of crossbreeding with different effects.


...Meh, I don't really see it happening, but I'll probably make up something like it after I see the 4e races.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

Good Idea GreatLemur, but lets make losing your free human feat worth it:

Elven Blood

Prerequisites: First level, humanoid race other than elf.

Benefits: Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, +2 on saving throws against enchantment spells. Low-light vision. Considered an elf for the purposes of elven racial feats and magical items. Gain weapon proficiency with one weapon from the following list: longsword, rapier, longbow or shortbow. +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.


Orcish Blood

Prerequisites: First level, humanoid race other than orc.

Benefits: Gain a one-time, permanent +2 bonus to STR. Darkvision 60 ft. Considered an orc for the purposes of orcish racial feats and magical items. -2 racial penalty to all Int- and Cha-based skills except Craft, Handle Animal and Intimidation.

 

[Ranger REG]

I do not know how I could promote the diversity of hybrids more than with the feat and template tools. But are half-species necessary?

Yeah. Because they exist.

 

[Ranger REG]

If the feats are well-designed, they'll be worth as much as any other feat you might pick. *shrug*

Personally I don't think dwarf-orc hybrids ought to be possible, but I don't see why the feat concept doesn't work for them.

Again, if you're a base dwarf race, you have to spend that one and only feat you get at 1st level. Humans have two alloted feats to start with, nonhumans don't. :\