New Race, LA questions

[Coredump]

(I wasn't sure whether to put this in House Rules, or D&D Rules. So I compromised, and put it here. )

I was envisioning a race of playable creatures. They would be small in stature, and rely on being quiet and stealthy. This is what I came up with:

+2 Con +2Dex -2Str -2Cha
Small (+1 AC, +1 ToHit, +4 Hide)
Speed 30' (they move fast)
Low Light
DarkVision 60'
+1 against Goblinoids
+4 Dodge AC against Giants
+4 to both Hide and Move Silent
+2 to both listen and Spot
1/day cast Silence (self only), Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Message
Fav: Rogue

Also thinking of making feats for them that will allow them to increase their abilities. (use silence more often, or on others, etc.) But they would be feats.


So, please don't critique the selection of abilities. What I am looking for are opinions of if it requires a LA, and if so, how much.

Thanks

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Well, basically, what you have is a gnome, with the added features of:

(=) +2 Dex, -2 Cha
(+) Higher base speed
(+) Darkvision
(+) +2 to spot
(+) +4 to hide and move silently
(=) different spell-like abilities, but your race's are slightly better.

(=) no Weapon Familiarity (not a big deal)
(-) +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
(-) Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells
(-) +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.

I'm not critiquing the abilities assortment, but what you have here is a race of incredibly stealhty people (+9 to hide, automatic move silently, fast movement, darkvision). I'm not sure it warrants a LA, but any player that wants to play a sneaky rogue will have no (non-flavour) reason to play any other race.

If WotC were to assign LA on your race, they'd probably give it a +1, just because, IMO, Genasi are less powerful than what you've submitted.

AR

(btw this should be in house rules)

 

[TroyXavier]

and we shall call them Whisper Gnomes

No LA is good to me.

 

[shilsen]

No LA sounds about right to me, partly because if the PHB dwarf can have no LA, this race should have none too.