No official PC races with mental ability bonus?

[BigCat]

I'm trying to find races for my new campaign, and would like to have a race that is especially gifted as scholars - but I can't seem to find any races with a bonus to intelligence? I've heard people claim that it's an official design decision that no PC races have positive adjustments to mental ability scores - is that right? Have I overlooked a suitable race? Other ways to make a scholarly race? (caveat: I'm only looking at +0 LA races)

 

[werk]

FRCS Gold Elves.

What do you mean when you say 'official'?

 

[Infiniti2000]

And when you say "scholar" I really think you mean "wizard" or "psion." If you really mean scholar, then I think you're just looking for racial bonuses to knowledge checks, not a boost in Int.

 

[BigCat]

By "official" I really just mean I want to avoid unbalanced third-party creations or similar.

What are the gold elves' adjustments?

There will actually be no wizards (all spontaneous casters) IMC, so I was hoping for just an intelligence bonus. Racial bonus on knowledge checks will be helpful, though.

 

[Gestalt]

I think the gold eleves are mechanically the same as as the grey elf subrace in the MM. If that's the case, they have +2 Int, +2 Dex, -2 Str, -2 Con.

 

[Vorput]

I've heard people claim that it's an official design decision that no PC races have positive adjustments to mental ability scores - is that right?

Is that true? Well... that's... inane.

Vorp.

 

[Klaus]

Yes, it's true that the Core Races were designed without any bonuses to mental socres, to keep a race from being a default spellcaster race.

Bonus to Int has you taking Gray Elves from the Monster Manual (= to elves, but with the addition of -2 Str, +2 Int).

But as far as 'scholar' races go, I'd use the gnomes. Favored Class being Bard, any gnome can take a level of Bard and be able to know bits and pieces of information about pretty much everything using Bardic Knowledge.

 

[glass]

I think the gold eleves are mechanically the same as as the grey elf subrace in the MM. If that's the case, they have +2 Int, +2 Dex, -2 Str, -2 Con.

No, just +2 Int -2 Con.


glass.

 

[frankthedm]

Is that true? Well... that's... inane.

Why is that inane? Every core race character has the option of choosing a starting age granting bonuses to all mental stats. Middle, old and even venerable are all options allowed by the core rules.

The RPGA disallows age based ability score adjustments, but that is another kettle of fish..

 

[Kafkonia]

Is that true? Well... that's... inane.

It's not true. The buomman (from Planar Handbook) have a bonus to wisdom. The spellscales (from Races of the Dragon) have a bonus to charisma. The grey elves (from the MM) have a bonus to intelligence.

That's just off the top of my head.