[3.5] Redesigning Dwarves and Elves as Fey (PEACH)

[Jergmo]

I've done a bit of work redesigning racial attributes for a couple races in my campaign, a low-magic affair that embraces the wonder effect that magic and monsters entails rather than adventuring busywork, and I wanted to make dwarves and elves more like the mythological creatures that they originated from. The attributes I have already are rather funky, I suppose, and I hoped the Playgrounders could lend their help. For all I'd like to say that I do well in making things for D&D, I haven't been doing it that long compared to the veterans.

So, without further ado, the lambs for the critical slaughter!

Dwarves
+2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Medium size.
A dwarf's base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Darkvision out to 60 feet, low-light vision. (only reason this is slapped on is because the Fey type has low-light vision by default)
Racial Hit Dice: A dwarf begins with two levels of fey, which provides 2d6 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
Racial Skills: A dwarf's fey levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Appraise, Climb, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(Architecture), Knowledge(Dungeoneering), Knowledge(Nature), Profession(Miner), and Spellcraft.
Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can.
Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons. Dwarves are also proficient in all types of armor and martial weapons.
Stability: Dwarves are exceptionally stable on their feet. A dwarf has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Spell-like Abilities: 1/day—erase, secret page, glyph of warding. Caster level equal to HD.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
+4 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks that are related to stone or metal items.
+2 racial bonus on Profession(Miner) checks.
+2 racial bonus on Spellcraft and Decipher Script checks.
Automatic Languages: Terran. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Draconic, Sylvan.
Favored Class: Cleric
Level Adjustment: +2

Elves
+2 Dex, +2 Wis, +4 Cha
Medium size.
Elf base speed is 30 feet.
Low-light vision.
Racial Hit Dice: An elf begins with two levels of fey, which provides 2d6 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
Racial Skills: An elf's fey levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Hide, Move Silently, Perform, Listen, Search, Spot, Sense Motive and Spellcraft.
Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats.
Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against enchantment (charm) spells cast by elves. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Search and Spot checks.
+2 racial bonus on Perform(Dance) and Perform(Sing) checks.
+2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks.
Spell-like Abilities: 1/day—ethereal jaunt, remove disease. Caster level 1st.
Charm (Su): This power works like the charm person spell (caster level 4th), except that it is not limited to the humanoid type. Those affected must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be charmed for 4 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Elves can use this ability 3 times per day.
Wild Empathy (Ex): This power works like the druid's wild empathy class feature, except that the elf has a +2 racial bonus on the check
Automatic Languages: Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Draconic, Terran.
Favored Class: Bard.
Level Adjustment: +2

[Mando Knight]

RHD and LA? Eeeww.

That said, your Charm SLA on the Elf is functionally identical to Charm Monster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/charmMonster.htm), a 3rd level Bard (4th Sor/Wiz) spell.

[Jergmo]

RHD and LA? Eeeww.

That said, your Charm SLA on the Elf is functionally identical to Charm Monster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/charmMonster.htm), a 3rd level Bard (4th Sor/Wiz) spell.

Yes, but it's also harder to resist.

[Jergmo]

I apologize, I thought it had been implied but my players won't be playing dwarves and elves.

[Ashtagon]

If you have the Eberron supplements, I'd strongly consider making artificer the favoured class for dwarves. Cleric doesn't make nearly as much sense - the gods were traditionally regarded as antithetical to the fey in mythology.

[Jergmo]

If you have the Eberron supplements, I'd strongly consider making artificer the favoured class for dwarves. Cleric doesn't make nearly as much sense - the gods were traditionally regarded as antithetical to the fey in mythology.

Sadly, I do not. However, you don't actually have to worship a deity to be a cleric. Although I was thinking they might get along well with my God of Knowledge, Magic and Ingenuity. Even if they didn't worship a deity, I figured they could just get by as a nontheist cleric with the Knowledge or Artifice domain.

[Analytica]

If you do go by racial hit dice, I would recommend dropping the spell-like abilities and instead giving them natural spellcasting like rakshasas, nymphs or dragons. Say that dwarves function as clerics of their hit die, and elves as sorcerers of their (or some other class). Levels in the appropriate class then stack with this.

[Jergmo]

If you do go by racial hit dice, I would recommend dropping the spell-like abilities and instead giving them natural spellcasting like rakshasas, nymphs or dragons. Say that dwarves function as clerics of their hit die, and elves as sorcerers of their (or some other class). Levels in the appropriate class then stack with this.

Then they wouldn't have access to the abilities I gave them, though; the abilities chosen were chosen because they were fitting for the mythological creatures. Elves could become ethereal, cure disease, and bewitch people, and dwarves had innate ability to use Rune magic. They have racial hit dice because it makes them slightly tougher than a human and they have access to a bunch of skill points, and each individual is rather skilled compared to a human.

[Jergmo]

Bump? Any criticism to be had?