Rune Dwarves and True Elves

[John Q. Mayhem]

These are two new races I just made for an AU/D&D combination. The Rune Dwarf seems a tad overpowered, what say ye? (Sorry about the lack of Fla-Vor-Text)

RUNE DWARVES (-2 Dex, +2 Int)
Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.

1 Lesser Rune, chosen from the following list: Rune of Rest, Rune of Knowledge, Rune of Warding, Rune of Affliction, or Rune of Conjuring. The Rune Dwarf may only have one rune in existence at a time.

Innate Spell-like Ability: Read Magic 1/day

Darkvision
+2 to Knowledge (Runes), +2 to Decipher Script.
Rune Dwarves are more nimble in combat than one would guess, given their general clumsiness. All Rune Dwarves gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus is lost whenever the Rune Dwarf would be denied his Dex bonus to AC.

Rune Dwarf racial levels

Hit Die: 1d8
Skill Points: 4+Int
BAB: 3/4 HD
Ref: poor
Fort: medium
Will: good

Rune Dwarf levels stack with spellcaster levels, but only for determining special abilities, not spell slots per day or spells readied at one time. However, Rune Dwarf levels stack completely with Runethane levels. Thus, an Iron Witch 3/Rune Dwarf 3 would cast spells as a 3rd level Iron Witch, but would have The Sight and an additional manifestation. A Runethane 3/Rune Dwarf 3 would cast spells as a 6rth level Runethane, and would have 6 lesser runes, plus the ones from their racial abilities, Invested Rune, and one Advanced Rune. (Originally I was going to have Rune Dwarf levels only stack with Runethane abilities, then I decided to just say they stack with special abilities, and then I decided that they should have some bonus for being Runethanes, and made the levels stack fully. As Runethanes are a half-spellcasting class, this isn't such a big bonus as it seems.)

Level Attack Fort Ref Will Special

1 +0 +1 +0 +2 +1 Int, additional language

2 +1 +2 +0 +3 Innate Spell-like abilities: Read Magic +2/day (total 3/day), Analyze 1/day

3 +2 +2 +1 +3 Innate Spell-like Ability: Magic Circle 1/day, Empower Rune 1/day. +1 Int, Lesser Rune

Lesser Rune: The Rune Dwarf gains knowledge of another Lesser Rune.


TRUE ELVES (-2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Cha)

Automatic Languages: Elven and Sylvan

Innate Spell-like Ability: Diminished Protection from Elements 1/day (self only)

Low-light Vision
+2 to Spot, Listen, Sneak, and Perform checks
Proficient with all bows.


True Elf racial levels

Hit Die: 1d8
Skill Points: 4+Int
BAB: 3/4 HD
Ref: good
Fort: poor
Will: poor

True Elf racial levels stack with greenbond and other nature-oriented spellcaster levels for determining special abilities, but not spell slots per day or spells readied at one time.

Level Attack Fort Ref Will Special

1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Innate Spell-like Abilities: Scent Bane 3/day, Scent Tracker 1/day, +1 Cha
2 +1 +0 +3 +0 Lifesong 1/day, +1 Dex, Trackless Step

3 +2 +1 +3 +1 Embrace of the Green, +1 Wis

Lifesong: As Wood Witch ability.

Embrace of the Green: The True Elf's type changes to Fey.

 

[Sertimon]

Rune Dwarves
The Rune Dwarf doesn't seem to be way overpowered in my eyes. If the Rune Dwarf lacks all the dwarven racial traits, I would say it's balanced. But it depends on the following actually:

I would also require that the use of read magic requires an Intelligence of at least 10. For the Lesser Rune ability, you should note how many times per day the Rune Dwarf can use it. If he can use it at will, it might be slightly overpowered (but okay in my book). Remove the +1 dodge bonus to AC and I would say that they could use the Lesser Rune ability at will (but can only have one rune in existence, as you have noted).

I strongly suggest that you remove the notion that Rune Dwarf levels stack with those of the Runethane. Because if you don't, why would any Runethane choose another race except the Rune Dwarf? They loose nothing! It's like progressing in both levels (except that you don't gain double HD, BAB, Saves etc). Or you could just add +1 to runethane (spell progression) at 2nd and 3rd level or something similar. Then they would only 'loose' a little rather and wouldn't outshine a runethane that is not a Rune Dwarf. But if you follow this suggestion, I would remove some of the abilities to balance it out: perhaps magic circle, empower rune, or analyze 1/day.

True Elves
I don't know if the rules of Perform differ in AU, but in 3.5 they are all separated (similar to the Knowledge skills). What version are you using? If it’s to all Perfom checks, it might be a little over the edge. Otherwise the race is balanced.

The True Elf racial class seems balanced. Is there a reason why a 2nd level True Elf can use Lifesong 1/day and the Wood Witch can only use it 1/week? And if I am reading this correctly, the Wood Witch cannot select this ability before 5th level.

I usually lower the HD of creatures with Con penalty by one dice, unless I envision them as a warrior race and the racial class grants full BAB. But that's just me.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Thanks, Sertimon. Indeed, the spellcasting was the main overpowered-looking thing in my mind. I had forgotten the Int 10+; I was intending to put that in earlier. RE Lifesong, wood witches use it 1/day/Wis bonus, witches with no bonus use it 1/week, and if they so desire can select it at 1st level. I changed it a bit, it's at the bottom. I did intend to have the Perform bonus be to all checks. Perhaps I should wrap that up with their change to Fey? I won't lower the hit die of True Elves; their -2 Con makes it "effectively" one lower, and I don't want to penalize them twice. I did envision the True Elves as kind of hunter/nature boy type guys, hence the bow proficiency, Scent Bane, Trackless Step, and Scent Tracker. Added some Fla-Vor-Text for both races.


Rune Dwarves (-2 Dex, +2 Int)

Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
1 Lesser Rune, chosen from the following list: Rune of Rest, Rune of Knowledge, Rune of Warding, Rune of Affliction, or Rune of Conjuring. The Rune Dwarf may only have one rune in existence at a time.

Innate Spell-like Ability: Read Magic 1/day (This ability requires Int 10+ to use)

Darkvision
+2 to Knowledge (Runes), +2 to Decipher Script. Rune Dwarves can automatically identify familiar handwriting.

Rune Dwarves are a less martially oriented race of dwarves. They are introspective, but not completely antisocial. Rune Dwarves are known to go to incredible lengths to gain knowledge of ancient secrets. The greatest Rune Dwarf citadels contain immense libraries of forgotten texts, and if an aspiring spellcaster manages to get into one, he may find himself hugely increased in magical knowledge.

Rune Dwarf racial levels

Hit Die: 1d8
Skill Points: 4+Int
BAB: 3/4 HD
Ref: poor
Fort: medium
Will: good

Rune Dwarf levels stack with spellcaster levels, but only for determining special abilities, not spell slots per day or spells readied at one time. Thus, an Iron Witch 3/Rune Dwarf 3 would cast spells as a 3rd level Iron Witch, but would have The Sight and an additional manifestation. A Runethane 3/Rune Dwarf 3 would cast spells as a 5th level Runethane, and would have 6 lesser runes, plus the ones from their racial abilities, Invested Rune, and one Advanced Rune. All of the Rune Dwarf's spell-like abilities require 10+ Int to use.


Level Attack Fort Ref Will Special

1 +0 +1 +0 +2 +1 Int, additional language

2 +1 +2 +0 +3 Innate Spell-like abilities: Read Magic +2/day, Analyze 1/day, +1 Runethane casting.

3 +2 +2 +1 +3 Innate Spell-like Ability: Empower Rune 1/day, +1 Int, Lesser Rune, +1 Runethane casting.



True Elves are chaotic creatures of the wild. They live almost exclusively in small, easily moveable dwellings, camouflaged cleverly. They are not evil, but they demonstrate a chilling lack of care about anything not directly related to their own wellbeing, or that of their homes. True Elves hate Orcs. None but the eldest of the immortal True Elves knows why. In the long ages of Sidereal's prehistory, Orcs were made by manipulation of the essence of the True Elves. This has resulted in a truly hideous hatred between the races.


Lifesong: usable 1/day if Wis 12+, 1/week if less.