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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jaerom Darkwind" data-source="post: 1608790" data-attributes="member: 20059">Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and HalflingsHalf-elves were done much better that half-orcs, both in their race than their racial paragon. Changes in this class were minor. I decided to limit half-elven spellcasting to wizard levels, to reflect their elven side, just as half-orcs get barbarian abilities from their orc blood. At higher levels, I gave them a few more elven abilities to round things off. HALF-ELF PARAGON (Half-elf)Alignment: Any.HD: d8.[code][b]          Fort  Ref   Will[u]Lvl  BAB  Save  Save  Save  Special                        Spells Per Day    [/u][/b]1st  +0    +0    +2    +1   Bonus feat, elven vision,      --                              unified ancestry2nd  +1    +0    +3    +2   persuasion                     +1 level of wizard3rd  +2    +1    +3    +2   Ability boost (+2)             +1 level of wizard4th  +3    +1    +4    +2   Elfsight, resist enchantment   --5th  +3    +1    +4    +3   Ability boost (+2)             +1 level of wizard[/code] Class SkillsThe elf paragon’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Higher Levels: 4 + Int modifier.Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the elf paragon.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Half-elf paragons are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor.Spells Per Day: At 2nd and 4th level, a half-elf paragon gains new spells per day (and spells known is applicable) as if she had gained a level in wizard. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds these levels of half-elf paragon to her levels in wizard, and then determines her known spells and spells per day accordingly. However, the half-elf paragon adds her entire class level to her levels in the spellcasting class to determine her caster level. For example, a wiz4/half-elf3 would have the spell per day of a 5th-level wizard, but would resolve the effects of these spells as a 7th-level caster. A half-elf5 would have the spells per day of a 2nd-level wizard, but would cast these spells as a 5th-level caster. If the half-elf paragon has no levels in wizard, she may begin gaining spellcasting ability from that class (she is considered to have a class level of 0, to which she adds these bonus levels). A half-elf paragon must meet any campaign-specific prerequisites for entering and advancing in the wizard class normally. Bonus feat: At 1st level, a half-elf paragon gains a bonus feat. She must meet the feat's prerequisites normally in order to take it.Elven Vision (Ex): At 1st level, a half-elf paragon's visual acuity improves to match that of an elf. The half-elf's racial bonus on Search and Spot checks increases to +2.Unified Ancestry (Ex): A half-elf paragon has reconciled her elven blood with her human nature, and is no longer subject to effects that affect on humans or only elves. Thus, a 1st level half-elf paragon would not be subject to the extra damage from a humanoid (elf)-bane longsword, but would still be susceptible to a charm person spell, since it affects all humanoids regardless of race.Persuasion (Ex): At 2nd level, a half-elf paragon gains a +2 racial bonus to all Charisma-based skills (if she already has a racial bonus to a Charisma-based skill, in increases by +2).Ability Boost: At 3rd level, and again at 5th level, a half-elf paragon gains a +2 racial bonus to an ability score of her choice.Elfsight (Ex): At 4th level, a half-elf paragon’s visual acuity increases. Her racial bonus on Search and Spot checks increase to +4. In addition, the half-elf paragon’s low-light vision increases in range, allowing her to see three times as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination.Resist Enchantments (Ex): A 4th level half-elf paragon’s racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects increases by +2.Half-Elven Prestige: A 5th-level half-elf paragon may qualify to enter certain prestige classes even if she doesn't meet all of the prerequisites. She qualifies as though her base attack bonus were two points higher, as though she had two additional ranks in any Charisma-based skill, and as though she could cast spells one level higher than her highest-level spell.____________________Half-orcs under the core rules are all kinds of wrong. They have no racial abilities to speak of, a net deficit in ability points (I don't know who told WotC that Str is better than both Int and Cha combined, nor do I know why they believed him), and end up more like 9/10-orcs than half-orcs. A comparison to the half-elf is unfavorable in the extreme, since half-elves truly do mix human and elf equally. The only thing a half-orc gets from her human blood is watered-down ability score adjustments. On the best race-calc I've ever seen, where all core races ranked between ECL -0.1 and ECL 0.3, the half-orc was an ECL -0.7. This pretty much indicated that a half-orc one level higher than the rest of the party would be balanced. 3.5, which fixed problems with many of the other races, neglected half-orcs completely. So before I could write up a half-orc paragon, I needed to fix the race itself. I used the half-elf for inspiration, added some racial abilities from their orc heritage, and came out with this: HALF-ORCS - +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence. A half-orc's Intelligence is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character's score to 1 or 2, her score is nevertheless 3. - Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to size. - Half-orc land speed is 30 feet. - Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all. - +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells and effects. - +1 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) and Listen checks. - +1 racial bonus on Intimidate checks. - +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks. - Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc. - Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). - Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-orc takes an experience point penalty, her highest level class does not count.Once I had the race complete, I began work on the class. The half-orc paragon seemed to follow the same general pattern as the race itself: 9/10-orc grunt. So while I have used a few of its abilities, my final product is based once again on the half-elf paragon. In both cases, I scrapped the Divided Ancestry feature, since it flatly contradicts the flavor text (which says that they've reconciled both of their halves, not that they have to choose one to emphasize). HALF-ORC PARAGON (Half-orc)Alignment: Any.HD: d8.[code][b]          Fort  Ref   Will[u]Lvl  BAB  Save  Save  Save  Special                                 [/u][/b]1st  +1   +2   +0   +1   Bonus feat, orcish senses, unified ancestry2nd  +2   +3   +0   +2   Rage 1/day, wilderness lore3rd  +3   +3   +1   +2   Ability boost (+2)4th  +4   +4   +1   +2   Natural armor bonus, scent5th  +5   +4   +1   +3   Ability boost (+2)[/code] Class SkillsThe half-orc paragon’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Higher Levels: 4 + Int modifier.Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the half-orc paragon.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Half-orc paragons are proficient with all simple and martial weapons; with light and medium armor; and with shields (except tower shields).Bonus feat: At 1st level, a half-orc paragon gains a bonus feat. She must meet the feat's prerequisites normally in order to take it.Orcish Senses (Ex): At 1st level, a half-orc paragon's senses sharpen to match those of an orc. Her racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) and Listen checks increases to +2.Unified Ancestry (Ex): A half-orc paragon has reconciled her orc blood with her human nature, and is no longer subject to effects that affect only humans or only orcs. Thus a 1st level half-orc paragon would not be subject to the extra damage from a humanoid (orc)-bane longsword, but would still be susceptible to a charm person spell, since it affects all humanoids regardless of race.Rage (Ex): At 2nd level, a half-orc paragon learns to harness the natural ferocity that courses through her blood, and gains the ability to fly into a fiery battle rage once per day. This is identical to a barbarian's rage (see the Player's Handbook). If the half-orc paragon has improved rage abilities (such as the barbarian's class features of greater rage, tireless rage, indomitable will, or mighty rage), these improvements apply to the rage ability granted by the half-orc paragon class as well.Wilderness Lore (Ex): At 2nd level, a half-orc's racial bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks increases to +4. In addition, she gains a +2 racial bonus on Heal and Ride checks.Ability Boost: At 3rd level, and again at 5th level, a half-orc paragon gains a +2 racial bonus to an ability score of her choice.Natural Armor Bonus: At 4th level, a half-orc paragon's natural armor bonus increases by +1. If half-orc does not already have a natural armor bonus, she is considered to have an initial natural armor bonus on +0 for the purpose of this ability, and would thus gain a natural armor bonus of +1.Scent (Ex): At 4th level, a half-orc paragon's senses sharpen, and she gains the scent ability.Half-Orc Prestige: A 5th-level half-orc paragon may qualify for certain prestige classes even if she doesn't meet all of the prerequisites. She qualifies as though her base attack bonus were two points higher; as though she had two additional ranks in Handle animal, Intimidate, Listen, or Survival; and as though she could rage one additional time per day.____________________Halflings. Okay, no one really likes them that much, but for completeness… The Halfling didn’t suffer from any serious flaws (a pity that the only race they did very well is among the least used). The first level was good, it scaled nicely, etc. I wasn’t sure what to give at 5th level, since the Halfling “archetype” (if we can imagine such as thing) is fairly limited. I dumped Dex at 3rd and moved it to 5th, and then I added Cha at 3rd (since it was really the only other ability score I could see raising). HALFLING PARAGON (Halfling)Alignment: Any.HD: d8.[code][b]          Fort  Ref   Will[u]Lvl  BAB  Save  Save  Save  Special                     [/u][/b]1st  +0    +1    +2    +0   Athletic prowess, save bonus2nd  +1    +2    +3    +0   Thrown weapon mastery3rd  +2    +2    +3    +1   Ability boost (Cha +2)4th  +3    +2    +4    +1   Fast movement, fearless5th  +3    +3    +4    +1   Ability boost (Dex +2)[/code] Class SkillsThe halfling paragon’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Slight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.Skill Points at Higher Levels: 4 + Int modifier.Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the halfling paragon.Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Halfling paragons are proficient with all simple weapons, with Halfling skiprocks, and with light armor.Athletic Prowess(Ex): At 1st level, a halfling paragon’s racial bonus to Climb, Jump, and Move Silently increases to +4.Save bonus: A 1st-level halfling paragon’s racial bonus on all saving throws increases by +1.Thrown Weapon Mastery (Ex): At 2nd level, a halfling paragon gains a +2 bonus to attacks and damage with thrown weapons and slings.Ability Boost: At 3rd level, a halfling paragon gains a +2 racial bonus to Charisma. At 5th level, a halfling paragon’s racial bonus to Dexterity increases by +2.Fast Movement (Ex): At 4th level, a halfling paragon’s land speed increases by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when she is wearing light or no armor, and not carrying a medium or heavy load.Fearless (Ex): At 4th level, a halfling paragon gains immunity to fear (magical or otherwise).Halfling Prestige: [Forthcoming]</blockquote>

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