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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 9524438" data-attributes="member: 1210">CHARACTER ADVANCEMENTLevel --- Features1 --- Starting features, class features,race features2 --- Class features, feat3 --- Class features4 --- Class features, feat5 --- Class features, race features6 --- Class features, feat7 --- Class features8 --- Class features, feat9 --- Class features10 --- Class features, feat, race featureWhat is a "Starting Feature?" These are class-based benefits you get at first character level but NOT first class level. So if you start as a first level fighter, you get the fighter's "Starting Features", but if you instead multiclass into fighter at a higher level, you don't get those features.Why the Term Race (vs. Species, Ancestry, etc)? Basically because at least the beginning of these rules were written before the term went out of vogue. I have nothing against changing the term, I just haven't gotten around to it.Why Still Half-Races (especially the Half-Orc)? I acknowledge the baggage around the traditional treatment of half-orcs. However, my own game doesn't carry the same baggage; while orcs are traditionally viewed as a "bad guy" race in many areas of the campaign, they have also served as a critique of racism on a meta level. There is a culture of orcs who have long struggled to be accepted as a "civilized" race and been looked down on by the traditional human and demihuman races, despite having adopted the prevailing religion. These orcs worked hard to integrate themselves into a longstanding free trade alliance, and the half-orcs that come from their continent and the surrounding lands are no more likely to be the result of rape than any given human child is.So Why Not Full Orcs? They will be coming eventually; I just haven't gotten to them yet. I started with the "basic four" races of human, elf, dwarf, and halfling, and have been slowly filling in the rest. Orcs are, and have long been, a viable pc option in my campaign. The 2024 ruleset's approach of "just choose one parent race and say you're half-something else" leaves me profoundly unsatisfied; half-elves and half-orcs have long had a distinct identity in my campaign and I don't like losing that.What is a Hit Point Kicker? Basically, a race-based bonus to your starting hit points.What is Expertise? Antiquated terminology for a bonus die that is all through my working documents.What is Shifting? A shift is movement that doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.With that out of the way- here are the mechanics for the pc races I have developed so far. I expect to eventually expand this to include quite a few others.DEMISLAADSize: Medium.Speed: 30'Hit Point Kicker: 8Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and the language of your non-slaad heritage. If that heritage is Human, you instead read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and another language of your choice. If your Intelligence is 12 or higher, you also read, write, and speak another language of your choice. If it is 16 or higher, you read, write, and speak another two languages instead.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Choose another pc race option. This is your non-slaad heritage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Variable Resistance. When you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use a reaction to gain resistance to that damage. Once you have done so, you can't do so again until you rest for 10 minutes.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level:    <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Choose one 1st level feature of your non-slaad heritage. You        gain that feature.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can use your Variable Resistance twice before you must rest before using it again.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Choose one 1st or 5th level feature of your non-slaad heritage. You gain that feature.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can use your Variable Resistance three times before you must rest before using it again.</li> </ul></li> </ul>DRAGONBORNSize: Medium.Speed: 30'Hit Point Kicker: 8Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Draconic. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level:    <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Choose a type of dragon with at least one breath weapon that deals damage. This is your draconic ancestry.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain resistance to the damage type of one of its breath weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain the ability to breathe a 15' cone of the breath weapon's energy. Each creature in the cone takes 1d8 points of damage of the appropriate type (save for half; Dex unless your breath deals cold or poison damage, in which case Con). Once you use this feature, you must rest for 1 hour before you can do so again.</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">While you are bloodied, you gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The damage resistance granted by your ancestry becomes immunity.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Your breath weapon's damage increases by 1d8, and you need only rest 10 minutes before it recharges.</li> </ul></li> </ul>DWARFSize: Medium.Speed: 25'Hit Point Kicker: 10Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Dwarvish. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision 60'.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Resistance to poison damage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stonecunning- gain a 1d6 bonus die when you make a check involving stone.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: Dwarven toughness. You spend 15' of movement to gain 10    temporary hit points. Once you do so, you can't use this ability again until you rest for an hour.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Your resistance to poison damage becomes immunity.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Your stonecunning bonus die increases to 1d8.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">When an effect would move you against your will, you gain a 1d6 bonus die to resist it, and it moves you 10' less than it otherwise would.</li> </ul></li> </ul>ELFSize: Medium.Speed: 35'Hit Point Kicker: 6Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Elvish. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Low-light vision.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die to resist effects that charm you or put you to sleep.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die when you make a check to notice, search for, or find something.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: Elven accuracy. You spend 10' of movement to gain a 1d8    bonus die to a ranged attack. Once you hit with this ability, you can't use it again until you rest for an hour.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain two cantrip slots and one first level spell slot.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You learn two wizard cantrips and one first level wizard spell of your choice.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can spend 15' of movement to teleport up to 60' to a space you can see. Once you do so, you can't use this ability again until you rest for an hour.</li> </ul></li> </ul>GNOMESize: Small.Speed: 25'Hit Point Kicker: 6Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Gnomish. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Low-light vision.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can speak with and understand Small Beasts with the Mammal tag that have a burrowing speed, as well as those that make their lairs or spend a significant portion of their time underground.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die to checks that rely on smell or that deal with machinery.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn    invisible and shift up to 15'. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, cast a spell, or deal damage. Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you rest for an hour.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: You gain a 1d6 bonus die on Int, Wis, and Cha saves.</li> </ul>HALF-ELFSize: Medium.Speed: 30'Hit Point Kicker: 7Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Elvish. If your Intelligence is 12 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice. If it is 16 or higher, you read, write, and speak another two languages instead.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Low-light vision.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Expertise +1d6 in Charisma.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die to resist effects that charm you or put you to sleep.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Half-Elf Versatility. Choose one of the following options.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain two cantrip slots and learn one cantrip of your choice.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Choose one melee or unarmed weapon and one ranged weapon. You gain a +1 bonus to attacks with those weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Add 1d6 advancement points to each ability score. Whenever you add advancement points to an ability score in the future, you get +2 to the roll.    </li> </ul></li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">When an ally that can see or hear you within 30' fails an attack, save, or check, you can use a reaction to increase the attack roll or the ability score the check or save is made against by 1d4. (This isn't a bonus die.)</li> </ul></li> </ul>HALFLINGSize: Small.Speed: 25'Hit Point Kicker: 6Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue andHalfling. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Low-light vision.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die to checks made to sneak, hide, or otherwise be stealthy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain a 1d6 bonus die to attacks with slings and thrown weapons.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: Large and bigger creatures take a 1d6 penalty die on attacks against you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: You can freely move through other creatures' spaces.</li> </ul>HALF-ORCSize: Medium.Speed: 30'Hit Point Kicker: 10Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and Orcish. If your Intelligence is 15 or higher, you also read, write,and speak another language of your choice.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Darkvision 60'.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you end your movement within 15' of an enemy, you can use a reaction to shift to the closest unoccupied space adjacent to that enemy. Once you have used this feature, you must rest for 1 minute before you can do so again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Half-Orc Perseverance. If you fall to 0 or fewer hit points but don't die, you can use a reaction to instead fall to 1 hit point. Once you use this feature, you must rest for 1 hour before you can do so again.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: When you hit with a melee attack, you can do an extra 1d8    points of damage with that attack. Once you use this feature, you    must rest for 1 minute before you can do so again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: If a creature makes an opportunity attack against you, you can use a reaction to make a melee attack against that creature.</li> </ul>HUMANSize: Medium.Speed: 30'Hit Point Kicker: 8Starting Languages: You read, write, and speak your local Common tongue and another language of your choice. If your Intelligence is 12 or higher, you also read, write, and speak another language of your choice. If it is 16 or higher, you read, write, and speak another two languages instead.Features:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st level: Expertise +1d6 in two ability scores.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level: Human Perseverance: When you miss with an attack or fail a save, you can roll 1d6 and add it to the result of your attack or to your effective ability score for the save. (This is NOT a bonus die.) Once you do so, you can't use this ability again until you rest for an hour.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">10th level: Gain a bonus feat.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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