UA: New Race Options, Eladrin and Gith

The Eladrin ability score adjustment needs to be: +2 Charisma, +1 any other.

Charisma and all of its connotations [charm, innate magic, bardic song, etcetera] is what best represents the Fey Elf concept.

Intelligence is an accident of D&D only having Wizard class in the beginning, but it has merit in folklore too.

Dexterity is irrelevant.

Maybe handsized sprites connote Dexterity, but humansized spirits of magic, less so.



Edit.

Elves can work better this way:

Wood Elf: +2 Dexterity
High Elf: +2 Intelligence
Eladrin Elf: +2 Charisma

That is what the Elf feels like.



Edit.

High Elf
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence (!)
Trance
Investigation skill proficiency
Languages: Elven, Sylvan, and Common
Cantrip
Elven Armor (permanent Mage Armor, appears as supple chain armor or as invisible force)
High Elf Weapon Training (longsword proficiency, treat as finesse weapon and spell focus)
(Darkvision too?)



Edit.

Eladrin are a group of elves that are native to the Fey Plane. They feel like a separate race of Elf with their own four subraces. The concept of the Eladrin evolves across the editions, and their association with the four seasons seems to enjoy traction. They consolidate well into four kinds of Eladrin, each one corresponding to a season.

Eladrin Elf
• Spring: +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity (Ghael, Coure)
• Summer: +2 Charisma, +1 Strength (Firre, Bralani)
• Autumn: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence (Tulani)
• Winter: +2 Charisma, +1 Wisdom (Noviere, Shiere)

 

[RSIxidor]

I really like the way they did +1 for the base state and +2 for the sub-race stat on the Gith. While I realize this is basically meaningless from a mechanical standpoint, I feel like this way of doing things gives more flavor to the sub-race than to the main race and I think that's a good thing.

The seasons RP bit is really cool for the Eldadrin. Tying that into a specific racial feature is a nice touch as well.

 

[Yaarel]

Heh, [MENTION=2525]Mistwell[/MENTION]

Note also, in 4e, the Eladrin can gain both +2 Charisma and +2 Intelligence, without a bonus to Dexterity.

 

[DEFCON 1]

References to "psionics" in the race description, and then later release the Psionics class. I smell lots of unnecessary rules questions and quibbling on the horizon...

Ten bucks says that while this playtest is giving the gith spells and calling them "psionics" (probably just to see if people are okay with them having movement based abilities as racial features)... when the gith are released next year in Elminster's Guide To The Planes their racial features will be disciplines instead, directly ported from the Mystic.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I like that they are trying out new ability bonus concepts.

In hindsight some races should have been that way from the beginning. Maybe not. Maybe choice which bonus is +1 and which +2 would have been especially good.
All races have following features:

Race Elf: bonus to dex.
Subrace woodelf: bonus to wisdom.

Race header: your race and subrace typically give you two ability bonuses. You may chose a +2 bonus to one of them and a +1 bonus to the other one. Exceptions are possible.

 

[barasawa]

The Eladrin seasonal trait/flaw table seems like a pain in the assimar and a way to just cause conflict in the party.

 

[cbwjm]

I like the updates to the Eladrin. The four seasons is a great defining trait and works in well with the lore which has some lords of the various seasons. It does mean I'll have to change my bladesinger around a little, no more elven weapon training so I'll have to pick up a relevant weapon from the subclass.

 

[Yaarel]

I like the updates to the Eladrin. The four seasons is a great defining trait and works in well with the lore which has some lords of the various seasons. It does mean I'll have to change my bladesinger around a little, no more elven weapon training so I'll have to pick up a relevant weapon from the subclass.

For Bladesinger, make the sword proficiency available as a spell casting focus, an alternative to the wand.

 

[Yaarel]

With the Gith featuring +2 Strength and +2 Wisdom, I wonder if these correspond to specific Mystic subclass builds.

 

[pukunui]

I have a quibble with the Githzerai, but it's a flaw in the race exactly. They are the only +2 Wisdom race.

Firbolgs have +2 Wis as well.

 

[Jester David]

I like a lot of the personality elements to the eladrin (its so much better than the non-personality they were given in 4e of just being a magical elf rather than a woodsy elf). But I think I'd still prefer them being an elf subrace rather than a distinct race.
-edit-
Oh, it is still a subrace. I'm stupid.