Teach me to fish, dammit!

[mkill]

It's not like you need permission from WotC to create your own races. All you need is pen & paper.

But yes, it would be nice to have a book like Unearthed Arcana later that gives guidance on making your own races and classes.

For the 5E DDI (or whatever the online rules database is called) it would be awesome to have a function to publish, share and rate homebrew content. That way, if I want flumphs as PC race, I can check the homebrew section whether somebody already made one, and then enable it for my campaign with a click.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Both 2nd and 3rd edition DMGs had some discussion on the creation of new classes and races. Not a lot of information, but something you could use to start thinking about it. They could cover a little bit more, and I'd love to see that on an eventual 5E DMG.

Cheers,

 

[Flobby]

Don't you more or less have that with 4E already? Races and classes are very standardized. Races, I think are easier to create than previous editions, and with the hybrid rules you can more or less swap out abilities to make your own class.

 

[keterys]

We certainly haven't had what I've described, no. Different races have had different balance points, sometimes wildly so, extensive support _just_ for them and not others, no real guidance for how to go for hybrid races...

I'm really looking for something a _lot_ more modular. I don't expect it, though

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I'll go you one better and make races and classes completely modular -- give the formula for making races and classes in the DMG, then use the core ones as example. For example, a race formula might be:

+2 to an ability score
+1 to two ability/skill checks
Special ability from column A*
Special ability from Column B*
Special ability from Column C* or two from Column D*
Racial language

(Make up Columns of abilities of like powers to choose from).

Heck, with those formulas let players design their own race for their character! I'm a Flumpfen. I get +2 WIS, +1 to Diplomacy and Arcana checks, Low-light Vision, Bouyancy (treat heavy armor as light), Luck (re-roll 1 check per encounter), and speak Flumpfen.

Do the same for classes ...

 

[MichaelSomething]

Well once you look at enough races, you can use them as a base of comparison for your own races, but a race building guide should be made eventually for those who have less analytical ability then I