pick your favorite race for...

[Diirk]

The reason I didn't like Catfolk was because they just didn't seem to be a very good deal for +1 LA. The natural armor bonus is a non-ability; once you're around level 7ish, getting an item of +1 natural armor is simple, and getting a +2 natural armor item is not that bad - thus negating this bonus entirely. I'd rather have seen a class with a little bit less for +0 LA. The rogue's propensity for bluff and use magic device was something I had forgotten, however. And I didn't realize they get 40' movement.

Catfolk get natural armour. Amulets of Natural Armour give natural armour enhancement bonuses. They stack. Also if you really care about AC, having natural armour allows you to take the Improved Natural Armour feat for +1 each time (probably more useful than dodge!)

Races of [Stone/Wild/Destiny/Dragon] etc are all 3.5.

 

[Particle_Man]

Half-Orc (Hexblade or Barbarian). just the thing when you want to Intimidate someone. And Curse them, if a Hexblade. And beat them with a stick that has nails in it.

Half-orcs have a charisma penalty which is lousy for Hexblades, since their curse (and spell save DCs) depend on charisma.

Oh, I should add a good one:

Warforged Psion. You can get adamantine body (+8 AC, DR 2/adamantine) at 1st level! Forget the psi-forged body - it is not worth it. The con bonus helps the d4 hp. Lots to love there.

 

[Destil]

The reason I didn't like Catfolk was because they just didn't seem to be a very good deal for +1 LA. The natural armor bonus is a non-ability; once you're around level 7ish, getting an item of +1 natural armor is simple, and getting a +2 natural armor item is not that bad - thus negating this bonus entirely.

(Also, a dwarf's natural poison saves are wasted on a monk once you reach level 11, and on a druid once you hit level 9. The dwarf's Con bonus isn't as useful to a wildshaper, either.)

Spells like barkskin improve natural armor bonuses, they don't replace them.

Hit points don't change when you wildshape (I think, who knows what version of pollymorph is running around these days), and HP is what having a high Con is about.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

"Favorite"? If I broke down the classes I've played characters of and the races of each then #1 across the board would be Human for anything and everything except where expressly forbidden.

#2 preferences for...

Wizards - Elves
Fighters - Dwarves, (and then Elves equally split as archers/melee types)
Rogues - Halflings. (might be close to being a tie with Humans, but...)

Otherwise, my favorite for ANYTHING is almost invariably what I'm currently playing and I don't care what that combination is particularly. If I'm currently playing a Human Druid or a hyperintelligent shade of the color Blue Prism Warrior/Chef 4/7 that's my favorite combination. Until it isn't.

 

[wildstarsreach]

Half-orcs have a charisma penalty which is lousy for Hexblades, since their curse (and spell save DCs) depend on charisma.

Oh, I should add a good one:

Warforged Psion. You can get adamantine body (+8 AC, DR 2/adamantine) at 1st level! Forget the psi-forged body - it is not worth it. The con bonus helps the d4 hp. Lots to love there.

It may not be worth it but if you are playing a concept, then you should take it. I could have power gamed my psiforged but didn't.

 

[Particle_Man]

It may not be worth it but if you are playing a concept, then you should take it. I could have power gamed my psiforged but didn't.

I chose to roleplay a different concept: A prototype Warforged that was designed with the then new "psionics" module. Because it was so new, they still used an old adamantine body chassis because they had not yet invented the psi-forged body type. Then, when they did invent that body type, the prototype (my character) was effectively dumped on the market.

Luckily this roleplaying concept just happens to *kick butt and take names!*

 

[Stormrunner]

I agree, Catfolk are a little weak for +1 LA. As a houserule, I gave them a pair of primary natural claw attacks for 1d4.
Improved Natural Armor may be better than Dodge, but it doesn't qualify you for Spring Attack et al. I like Expeditious Dodge - you get a +1 dodge bonus to AC in any round you move 40' or more. What's the base move for Catfolk again? That's right, 40'. And ExpDodge counts as Dodge for feat qualifying purposes. Combine with Scout for more move synergy.

I love Centaurs, but it's often frustrating to play one. Sure, you get great stats, but you're significantly behind on feats, skill points, and even hitpoints (due to the LA). In some ways Barbarian can be better than Ranger - the Con boost when raging helps your HP, and the Str boost raises an already-high stat to even-more-awesome levels.

 

[wildstarsreach]

I chose to roleplay a different concept: A prototype Warforged that was designed with the then new "psionics" module. Because it was so new, they still used an old adamantine body chassis because they had not yet invented the psi-forged body type. Then, when they did invent that body type, the prototype (my character) was effectively dumped on the market.

Luckily this roleplaying concept just happens to *kick butt and take names!*

That's a good concept then. Part of mine was that he had been discovered in Xendrick and was part of the original creations that were for the Quori even though to day the character doesn't know that.

 

[evilbob]

I agree, Catfolk are a little weak for +1 LA. As a houserule, I gave them a pair of primary natural claw attacks for 1d4.
Improved Natural Armor may be better than Dodge, but it doesn't qualify you for Spring Attack et al. I like Expeditious Dodge - you get a +1 dodge bonus to AC in any round you move 40' or more. What's the base move for Catfolk again? That's right, 40'. And ExpDodge counts as Dodge for feat qualifying purposes. Combine with Scout for more move synergy.

Wow, that's something I hadn't even thought of - a catfolk scout. Seems very impressive at least at first glance... And I like the claw attack HR. Rounds them out well without increasing power very much at all - although it does make them "always armed" and increases their flankability and AoO chances.

Overall I will admit that I've underestimated the catfolk. It's closer to a +1 than I'd thought and certainly good for a rogue. And while the +2 Cha doesn't help a ranger, it's not half bad for that class, either.

I love Centaurs, but it's often frustrating to play one. Sure, you get great stats, but you're significantly behind on feats, skill points, and even hitpoints (due to the LA). In some ways Barbarian can be better than Ranger - the Con boost when raging helps your HP, and the Str boost raises an already-high stat to even-more-awesome levels.

But being a large barbarian without a 10' reach is just so... sad. I'd still say be an ogre instead: you get reach for the same ECL.

Or, as I've now seen: a racially-substituted goliath. Gees these guys seem broken...

 

[Machiavelli]

Yeah, Goliaths are a barbarian munchkin wet-dream realized.