New Race: The Aerlhún

[Sylvaroth]

Light Bones
I changed the entry like this:
Light Bones: The Aerlhún have lightweight bones, many of which are hollow like those of a bird, so they are more vulnerable to physical attacks. Therefore, whenever they are hit by a bludgeoning weapon the damage dealt increases by one half.

Fly
In addition I would like to have some comments on this entry for the Fly supernatural ability I would ike to include :
Fly [Su]: Inside the boundaries of Nénvelya the Aerlhún have the ability to fly at a speed of 30 feet (even if wearing medium or heavy armor, or if carrying a medium or heavy load, but they cannot carry aloft weight that would exceed their maximum load.) with average maneuverability.
Flying requires only as much concentration as walking, so they can attack or cast spells as normally. While airborne an Aerlhún can make dive attacks. A dive attack works just like a charge, but the Aerlhún must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. Attacks performed while diving deal double damage. An Aerlhún can use the run action while flying, provided he flies in a straight line.
Outside of their realm Aerlhún are able to fly only by undergoing an intensive mental training of their innate magical abilities (represented by a chain of regional feats).

Regional Feats
Those regional feats are the next point on my list. The last feat on the chain should enable the Aerlhún to use his Fly supernatural ability the same way as it works in their home realm (maybe with some restrictions) after they achieved a level it would not appear that unbalancing anymore.
Any suggestions?

 

[Sylvaroth]

Dideldidum!

 

[Trencher]

Re: light bones

I think +1/2 dam for blunt atacks is a little harsh.
Take a cloud gigant forecsample one crit from it could easely do 96 point of damage.

 

[Sylvaroth]

So what is your suggestion?

 

[Cheiromancer]

I think that wingless flight (and wild empathy) makes them a little too strong while adventuring in Nénvelya, and the hollow bones penalty makes them a little weak outside Nénvelya.

Maybe give them a height limitation: they only fly 5 feet off the ground or something. That should add flavor and a significant benefit (no problem with marshy ground or pits) but makes them vulnerable to ground-based melee attacks. And of course they can move faster while walking than flying.

Aerlhún outside of Nénvelya can fly only short distances: how far is based on their jump check and their base ground speed (calculate the distance normally, then double it). Aerlhún ignore the height limitation on distance jumped. Unlike jumps by normal characters, Aerlhún sail slowly through the air for one or more rounds at their flying speed of 20. Modifiers affecting jumping distance (like taking a running start) also affect the distance they can fly. Due to their magical heritage and their hollow bones, Aerlhún, even outside of Nénvelya, take only 1/2 normal falling damage. Furthermore, Fly spells (and similar magic effects) affecting Aerlhún are automatically extended, as per the metamagic feat.

I don't know if I would give them a feat chain to duplicate their homeland abilities. It seems to me that if the magic comes from the land, then nothing they personally do could change improve it.

 

[Sylvaroth]

Thanks for the suggestions Cheiromancer.

I think that wingless flight (and wild empathy) makes them a little too strong while adventuring in Nénvelya, and the hollow bones penalty makes them a little weak outside Nénvelya.

Well, they are intended to be quite strong in their own realm, but so are all other races in their home lands. For example a mountain dwarf in a dwarven realm would most of the time be backed up by others of his clan if he was going on a mission or something, not to mention the equipment he is likely be fitted out with by his clan leader and the lilke.

Maybe give them a height limitation: they only fly 5 feet off the ground or something. That should add flavor and a significant benefit (no problem with marshy ground or pits) but makes them vulnerable to ground-based melee attacks. And of course they can move faster while walking than flying.

That was discussed before (at WotC), but I created the Aerlhún with that ability in mind so they are not likely to fly slower or just hover above the ground. As I stated before they are intended to be LA += in the end, but I would be happy with +1 if that was not possible at all.

Aerlhún outside of Nénvelya can fly only short distances: how far is based on their jump check and their base ground speed (calculate the distance normally, then double it). Aerlhún ignore the height limitation on distance jumped. Unlike jumps by normal characters, Aerlhún sail slowly through the air for one or more rounds at their flying speed of 20. Modifiers affecting jumping distance (like taking a running start) also affect the distance they can fly. Due to their magical heritage and their hollow bones, Aerlhún, even outside of Nénvelya, take only 1/2 normal falling damage. Furthermore, Fly spells (and similar magic effects) affecting Aerlhún are automatically extended, as per the metamagic feat.

Those are some ideas I will give a thought, but I think (except for the falling damage and similar) some of those should be only available by racial feats.

I don't know if I would give them a feat chain to duplicate their homeland abilities. It seems to me that if the magic comes from the land, then nothing they personally do could change improve it.

Their abilities do not come from the land (at least not exclusively), but are inborn or granted to them by their god. The land does only "extend" their innate abilities and those granted by Tjellthalas. Maybe this makes more clearly to you why they should be able to train and improve those abilities (that is to say through a chain of feats).

 

[Trencher]

I Suggest that all blunt attacks do +1 dam, or maybe +2,+3 etc...
If you intend this to be a player race then remember that they will take a lot more crits than an average npc warrior. Give them -2 in str to simulate their lighter build if you want to give them no level modification.

 

[Sylvaroth]

Trencher what do you think about this:

Light Bones: The Aerlhún have lightweight bones, many of which are hollow like those of a bird, so they are more vulnerable to physical attacks. Therefore, whenever they are hit by a bludgeoning weapon they take extra damage (+1 from light, +2 from one-handed, and +4 from two-handed weapons).

Since the Aerlhún are quite strong and athletic in build I do not think a -2 STR is fitting for them. In addition I would like to change them along the way they are presented above so I won't delete stats, but change them a bit to reach my goal: "LA+0, check!"

 

[Trencher]

double post

 

[Trencher]

Hmm it seems a little difficult to remember. How about this: +1 per size class of weapon +1 for each?

If you do not want to make them weaker of arm then how about giving them a vulnerability to earth based attacks?'
You have to give them a serious limitation to counter wingless flight which is an awesome power to have