Reincarnation

[Bad Paper]

No.

If you reincarnate from some normal race (say, you're a 9th-level elf) to a 9th-level human, I know that from now on you get a bonus skill point per level. But do you get, retroactively, 9 bonus skill points (plus 4 at first level) as if you had always been a human?

Similarly, do you get the human's bonus feat?

Officially, per WotC, you would be correct to grant the extra skill point per level, but that's stupid, because WotC also thinks that your favored class changes, and all that. Stupid stupid stupid stupid. Let's be "realistic," shall we?

You do NOT get the bonus skill point per level from then on, retroactively, or ever. That is a uniquely mental characteristic of humans, who are more flexible and adaptable than the other races. Nor does the elf lose its favored class of wizard, since it grew up in a heavily magical society. It should also keep its knowledge of how to make boots/cloaks of elvenkind.

In order to smooth some of these differences in our groups, we allow a few of the mental tricks to stay with reincarnated characters, for example:
The ex-dwarf (now goblin, heh heh) keeps stonecunning and all that, but loses saving throw bonuses.
The ex-elves (now human and half-orc, respectively) keep +2 vs enchantments, but lose immunity to sleep. Note that the new human does not pick up an extra skill point per level.
The ex-gnome (now half-orc and very angry about it) keeps daily cantrips and +2 on illusions, but loses the other stuff.
The ex-human (now hobgoblin, and loving it) keeps everything.

Yeah, humans get a pretty sweet deal in that they keep their free feat and skill points, but not only did the human lose a level to get there, he also doesn't get the neat tricks that other races get to keep (stonecunning or +2 v enchantments or whatever). The only core race that gets a truly raw deal is the half-orc, but only powergamers would bother to get their panties in a bind over that, and who cares about powergamers anyway?

When our half-orc died, we actually used our single Raise Dead scroll on her, because dammit, we needed that barbarian NOW.

 

[svwilson]

You do NOT get the bonus skill point per level from then on, retroactively, or ever. That is a uniquely mental characteristic of humans, who are more flexible and adaptable than the other races.

But who's to say that your personality doesn't change when you're reincarnated? If a male is reincarnated as a female, would he still be attracted to women? Probably he'd find herself liking men now and feeling very disturbed about it, because that makes for funnier role-playing.

Think, BP: Maybe in a past life you were a non-gamer and too mellow to go around saying things like "stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid".

Thanks for all your answers, everyone.

Shawn

 

[svwilson]

If you don't lose the human bonus feat and skills upon Reincarnation, then why not make an uber-elf or an uber-dwarf, where you begin play as a human and then reincarnate yourself with True Reincarnate until you get the race you really want to play. Congratulations, you've now just purchased a free bonus racial feat and skills with gold.

Perhaps, but the reincarnation spell doesn't promise to improve your character -- except that it makes him alive when he was dead. If you lose some cool abilities or you don't like having scales now -- well, that's your punishment for not knowing when to duck.

 

[Jhulae]

Officially, per WotC, you would be correct to grant the extra skill point per level, but that's stupid, because WotC also thinks that your favored class changes, and all that. Stupid stupid stupid stupid. Let's be "realistic," shall we?

You do NOT get the bonus skill point per level from then on, retroactively, or ever. That is a uniquely mental characteristic of humans, who are more flexible and adaptable than the other races. Nor does the elf lose its favored class of wizard, since it grew up in a heavily magical society. It should also keep its knowledge of how to make boots/cloaks of elvenkind.

In order to smooth some of these differences in our groups, we allow a few of the mental tricks to stay with reincarnated characters, for example:
The ex-dwarf (now goblin, heh heh) keeps stonecunning and all that, but loses saving throw bonuses.
The ex-elves (now human and half-orc, respectively) keep +2 vs enchantments, but lose immunity to sleep. Note that the new human does not pick up an extra skill point per level.
The ex-gnome (now half-orc and very angry about it) keeps daily cantrips and +2 on illusions, but loses the other stuff.
The ex-human (now hobgoblin, and loving it) keeps everything.

Yeah, humans get a pretty sweet deal in that they keep their free feat and skill points, but not only did the human lose a level to get there, he also doesn't get the neat tricks that other races get to keep (stonecunning or +2 v enchantments or whatever). The only core race that gets a truly raw deal is the half-orc, but only powergamers would bother to get their panties in a bind over that, and who cares about powergamers anyway?

When our half-orc died, we actually used our single Raise Dead scroll on her, because dammit, we needed that barbarian NOW.

You know, while the extra skill point may be 'mechanically mental' or something, I'm still going to say that if you're reincarnated as a human, you should get the skill point from then on. Humans have *nothing* else going for them except the skill points and the favored class thing. (The feat doesn't matter, because that's 1st level only, nor do the 'past' skill points.)

If a human was reincarnated to an elf, would they get the low light vision? the immunity to sleep? The ability to detect secret doors? Bonuses to listen, spot, and search?

How about if a human became a dwarf? Would they get the ability to move 20' per move action no matter how encumbered they were, or whatever they were wearing? Darkvision? Stability? Bonuses to saving throws? etc..

If you're going to give bonuses one way (human to whatever), then you have to give bonuses the other way (whatever to human), because othewise it's not fair and it makes being reincarnated from anything else to a human incredibly poor.