Arkhandus
First Post
Agreed, Aust. Bugbears and hobgoblins are weak for their LA, but generally a bit too powerful if the LA is ignored. Hobgoblins are fair with +0 LA if you just take away either the Dex bonus or the Con bonus (preferably the Dex bonus). Or giving them a suitable penalty that covers that Dex bonus, like a -2 Intelligence and Charisma, or just -4 Charisma as I use in my Rhunaria campaign. Just remember that goblinoid PCs should be reacted to as goblinoid scum by most other races. {:^D Otherwise, beef them up somewhat to fit the +1 LA better, like adding +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, and an extra +2 Constitution, maybe. For bugbears, I'd suggest just removing their 3rd racial hit die, and giving them an extra +2 Constitution, that may be more appropriate for their +1 LA.
Below is my Rhunaria homebrew version of hobgoblins, who are pretty strong for LA +0 but on par with most other Rhunarian races. Rhunarian humans get another bonus feat every 9 levels beyond 1st, so they remain viable and desirable for any kind of character (7 of the 9 PCs in my Rhunaria campaign are human!), especially since many other Rhunarian races have a mental penalty or two that make them poor spellcasters. Also below are Rhunarian bugbears, who retain their HD and LA but get extra bennies to be worth it. Since bugbears who choose to become spellcasters effectively lose out on 4 initial caster levels, they get an ability in Rhunaria that compensates moderately for that with certain kinds of magic. To note, I use 3.0, so the bugbears don't get many skill points for their racial HD.
Rhunarian Hobgoblins
Basic Stats: Medium Humanoid; Base Speed (30 feet); +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Charisma (Hobgoblins are rather fit and hardy folk, athletic and well-coordinated. However, their superiority complex and aggressive, domineering attitude makes them genuinely despised or at least disliked by nearly everyone else.); Weapon Focus (free feat at 1st-level, any weapon they start with proficiency in); +2 Hide, +4 Intimidate, +2 Move Silently; Automatic Language (Goblin); Intelligence Bonus Languages (Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gilden, Orcish, Rizan, Tashi, Tribal, Yuan-Ti); Favored Class (Fighter).
Rhunarian Bugbears
Basic Stats: Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid); Base Speed (30 feet); +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma (Bugbears are big, burly humanoids with bulging muscles and thick skin, covered in hair, yet they are also surprisingly agile for such big folk, though their manners and temperment are terrible, often crude and bullying, arrogant and snide.); Darkvision (60 feet); Natural Armor (+3 AC); +4 Hide, +4 Intimidate, +4 Move Silently; Power Attack (racial bonus feat); Sneak Attack (+1d6 damage, functions as per the rogue class ability, stacks with any other Sneak Attack damage dice); Mighty Build (gets a +2 size bonus on any checks, rolls, or DCs where a creature one size larger would have gotten a bonus, and bugbears have the carrying capacities of a creature one size larger than themselves); Subterfuge (adds number of racial hit dice to the DC of any Illusion, Enchantment, or Transmutation spells and abilities they may acquire, also added to their saving throws against such spells and abilities, and also counts towards their caster level with any such spells and abilities they may acquire, but only for purposes of the effects, caster level checks, and dispelling, but Subterfuge does not apply with use of or saves against magic items, and finally any bugbear spellcaster gains three additional spells per day of the highest level they can cast, but can only use these three slots for Illusions, Enchantments, and Transmutations, while these slots are also only applied to one of their highest-level spellcasting classes); Racial Hit Dice (3d8 humanoid hit dice, which count towards character level, gaining +2 base Reflex, 6 + Int mod skill points, and proficiency in simple weapons from their first racial hit die, while gaining another +1 Reflex, +1 BAB, and 1 skill point from their second racial hit die, and gaining +1 Fortitude, +1 Will, a further +1 BAB, and 1 skill point from their third racial hit die, while the class skills for a bugbear's racial hit dice are Climb, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot); Effective Character Level +1 (counts as a character 1 level higher for purposes of XP, starting level, starting wealth, rewards, and challenges); Automatic Language (Goblin); Intelligence Bonus Languages (Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gilden, Orcish, Rizan, Tashi, Tribal); Favored Class (Rogue).
Below is my Rhunaria homebrew version of hobgoblins, who are pretty strong for LA +0 but on par with most other Rhunarian races. Rhunarian humans get another bonus feat every 9 levels beyond 1st, so they remain viable and desirable for any kind of character (7 of the 9 PCs in my Rhunaria campaign are human!), especially since many other Rhunarian races have a mental penalty or two that make them poor spellcasters. Also below are Rhunarian bugbears, who retain their HD and LA but get extra bennies to be worth it. Since bugbears who choose to become spellcasters effectively lose out on 4 initial caster levels, they get an ability in Rhunaria that compensates moderately for that with certain kinds of magic. To note, I use 3.0, so the bugbears don't get many skill points for their racial HD.
Rhunarian Hobgoblins
Basic Stats: Medium Humanoid; Base Speed (30 feet); +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Charisma (Hobgoblins are rather fit and hardy folk, athletic and well-coordinated. However, their superiority complex and aggressive, domineering attitude makes them genuinely despised or at least disliked by nearly everyone else.); Weapon Focus (free feat at 1st-level, any weapon they start with proficiency in); +2 Hide, +4 Intimidate, +2 Move Silently; Automatic Language (Goblin); Intelligence Bonus Languages (Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gilden, Orcish, Rizan, Tashi, Tribal, Yuan-Ti); Favored Class (Fighter).
Rhunarian Bugbears
Basic Stats: Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid); Base Speed (30 feet); +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma (Bugbears are big, burly humanoids with bulging muscles and thick skin, covered in hair, yet they are also surprisingly agile for such big folk, though their manners and temperment are terrible, often crude and bullying, arrogant and snide.); Darkvision (60 feet); Natural Armor (+3 AC); +4 Hide, +4 Intimidate, +4 Move Silently; Power Attack (racial bonus feat); Sneak Attack (+1d6 damage, functions as per the rogue class ability, stacks with any other Sneak Attack damage dice); Mighty Build (gets a +2 size bonus on any checks, rolls, or DCs where a creature one size larger would have gotten a bonus, and bugbears have the carrying capacities of a creature one size larger than themselves); Subterfuge (adds number of racial hit dice to the DC of any Illusion, Enchantment, or Transmutation spells and abilities they may acquire, also added to their saving throws against such spells and abilities, and also counts towards their caster level with any such spells and abilities they may acquire, but only for purposes of the effects, caster level checks, and dispelling, but Subterfuge does not apply with use of or saves against magic items, and finally any bugbear spellcaster gains three additional spells per day of the highest level they can cast, but can only use these three slots for Illusions, Enchantments, and Transmutations, while these slots are also only applied to one of their highest-level spellcasting classes); Racial Hit Dice (3d8 humanoid hit dice, which count towards character level, gaining +2 base Reflex, 6 + Int mod skill points, and proficiency in simple weapons from their first racial hit die, while gaining another +1 Reflex, +1 BAB, and 1 skill point from their second racial hit die, and gaining +1 Fortitude, +1 Will, a further +1 BAB, and 1 skill point from their third racial hit die, while the class skills for a bugbear's racial hit dice are Climb, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot); Effective Character Level +1 (counts as a character 1 level higher for purposes of XP, starting level, starting wealth, rewards, and challenges); Automatic Language (Goblin); Intelligence Bonus Languages (Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gilden, Orcish, Rizan, Tashi, Tribal); Favored Class (Rogue).
