DrWeird
2010-10-18, 05:27 PM
After a while spent going over my 3rd Edition books once again, browsing page after page of wonderful lore and (some not so) wonderful classes and creatures, I found my way back to some of my favorite books; the Race of series. I looked at them, wondering again why I favored them so much - I had puzzled this many times, folding it over and over in my mind - and the answer came as I was simply browsing through one of them.
Deep, (if a bit predictable) but rich descriptions of the core race's cultures? Some very nice racial prestige classes? Dwarvencraft? The implausible Spellscales?
No, dear friends, t'was the racial substitution levels.
In the week since, I've been breaking down both the racial substitution levels themselves, and the very idea of the RSL itself. The reason I like them so much, I believe, is the same reason we like prestige classes and variants; people love to change things up. They love renewal, and being able to make something unique from what it once was. They often become fixated on molding things to fit them, and the idea of a level designed for their own race often appeals to this sense of stringent customization. These levels allow for the class role spinoff of a variant character class without the dedication to an entirely altered idea, possibly the loss of attractive class features, and the altered specialization of the prestige class without the sacrificing of further class abilities than necessary or the steep costs of their prerequisites. People love being able to change something to their own preference without an investment or intense effort.
The only attributes of the racial substitution levels that disheartened me were the relative...uselessness of some, and how instead of combining racial flavor with practical options in exchange for another class feature or point in something, seemed to be an attempt to weaken the class like it was the first month of 3.5 Core's release. Yet, luckily enough, we can make our own, can't we?
But we don't, for some reason. At least, I haven't seen any on GitP, but there's probably a 50-page thread of compilations somewhere I missed and will have done all of this for naught. Barring this, I present to you, my homebrewed racial substitution levels. I freely admit to some being a straight upgrade, in my mighty rage against crappy racial substitution levels.
_____
Half-Orc
The Half-Orc, the greatest outcast of the humanoid races. Truly a race given to unlucky circumstances, the Half-Orc is a short-lived hulk shunned from both homes either for being monstrous brute, or not being enough of one. Yet, as they say, Adversity breeds Opportunity. Who else has access to the incredible adaptability and ambition of a human, as well as the survivability and raw, terrible strength of the orc? Access to both the civilized lands and cities, where opportunity is born out of ingenuity and subtle greed, & the harsh wastelands, in which only the strong survive - nay, thrive? The Half-Orc, and the Half-Orc alone.
Half-Orc Warlock
Despite the Half-Orc's strike against force of personality, the Half-Orc and the Warlock are two creatures with coterminous stigmas and attitudes. Both the Half-Orc and Warlock are outcasts, shunned for their very being and often forcibly removed from any civilized area - if they do survive, it is merely subsistence within the underbelly of the city. Both are grim creatures, able to comprehend morality as an invention of the weak, and live by their own strength. More often than not, they also both crave success through conquest, and are driven by single-minded determination towards their perceived destinies.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a level of Half-Orc Warlock, a character must be a Half-Orc about to take their 1rst, 2nd, or 4th level of Warlock.
Class Skills
Half-Orc Warlock substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Warlock class, except that Survival is added.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Half-Orc Warlock Substitution Levels
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations Known
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Brutal Eldritch Blast 1d6, invocation (least)|1
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Battle beyond Death|2
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|War-clad Warlock|3 [/table]
Class Features
All the following are features of the Half-Orc Warlock racial substitution levels.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Half-Orc Warlock gains proficiency with all simple and martial weapons and light armor.
Brutal Eldritch Blast (Sp): A Half-Orc Warlock gains the ability Brutal Eldritch Blast at 1rst level, which functions exactly as the standard Warlock Ability Eldritch Blast, except for the following changes:
A Brutal Eldritch Blast gains a bonus to damage equal to half their character level + their strength bonus (rounded down). However, the violent nature of this blast reduces the range by half from 60 ft. to 30 ft. Any ability or invocation which extends the range of a Brutal Eldritch Blast is also stunted by half before adding it to the total range.
This ability replaces the standard Warlock ability to use Eldritch Blast.
Battle Beyond Death (Su): A Half-Orc Warlock of 2nd level may utilize any of their invocations or eldritch blast while disabled (or at any time they possess 0 or negative hit points and are not helpless) without risk of damaging themselves and furthering their condition. Any turn in which a Half-Orc Warlock of 2nd level or higher makes a save against massive damage in the same turn he uses an invocation or eldritch blast, he gains a +4 to the save.
This replaces the standard Warlock ability of Read Magic. Alternatively, a Warlock may choose to sacrifice a single point of Will gained at 2nd level instead.
War-clad Warlock:To be a Half-Orc is to live in constant struggle, and for it, you are tempered in mind and body. At 4th level, a Half-Orc Warlock taking the substitution level gains the ability to utilize her invocations and Eldritch Blasts in Medium Armor without arcane spell failure. If she previously took the 1rst level of the racial substitution levels for Half-Orc Warlock, she also gains Proficiency with Medium Armor.
This ability replaces the standard Warlock ability of Deceive Item that she normally would have gained.
Halfling
Possibly the most intrepid of the destined races blessed by large populations, the Halfling is second in adaptability only to humans, but is unparalleled in the art of wandering and are overlooked (har har) as possibly the most acclimated of the races, if not born to, a life of adventuring. Possibly, this is why the fleet and clever little people excel so well at certain talents born to the classes and philosophies they subscribe to with such versatility.
Halfling Paladin
Often overlooked (there's that term again) as a novelty by most, the Halfling Paladin is a strange but brave creature. Unusually involved in worldly concerns, wandering Halflings occasionally find great rejection of evil and deceit in their travels, and this hatred of the despoilers of lighthearted merrymaking and common decency leads some to take up arms in the endless crusade against evil in their adventures. A Halfling Paladin is a fleetfooted knight of good with the loyalty and cunning of a Lightfoot, and one of the most steadfast allies one could have.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a level of Halfling Paladin Racial Substitution Levels, a character must be a Halfling about to take their 1rst, 4th, or 5th level of Paladin.
Class Skills
A Halfling Paladin substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Paladin class, except that they add Climb, Jump, and Move Silently, and remove Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Halfling Paladin Substitution Levels
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells Per Day
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Punish Evil 1/day|-
4nd|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Fleetfooted Bulwark|0
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Special Halfling Paladin Mount|0 & - (see text)[/table]
Class Features
Punish Evil (Su): The natural roguish talent for precision strikes that Halflings possess is not lost even upon the mightiest of their Paladins. A Halfling Paladin may attempt to punish evil with one normal melee attack whenever her target would be denied his dexterity bonus. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1d6 extra points of damage, plus 1d6 per five paladin levels. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect.
This ability replaces the standard Paladin ability of Smite Evil.
Fleetfooted Bulwark: Even in the heaviest of armor, a Halfling Paladin is as agile as as he is courageous. Whenever a Halfling Paladin of at least 4th level wears armor, the maximum dexterity bonus of it is increased by +3, and the armor check penalty is reduced by 3.
This ability replaces the standard Paladin ability of Turn Undead.
Special Halfling Paladin Mount (Sp): Halflings are master outriders, renowned for their skirmishing parties, patrolling their borders against any threats, mounted upon fearless riding dogs. The talent of mounted combat comes natural to Halfling Paladins, and reflects in an innate prowess for fighting while mounted upon their blessed beast. A Special Halfling Paladin Mount functions the same as a standard Paladin Special Mount, except as outlined below.
A Halfling Paladin may select a celestial riding dog, or an equivalent mount for a Small creature such as herself, with the celestial template. In addition, a Halfling Paladin may take a 10 on any Ride check made to attack a Medium or larger creature while riding.
This ability replaces both the standard Special Mount ability, and the bonus spell per day that a Paladin would usually gain at level 6. The Paladin is effectively one level lower for determining the number of bonus spells per day gained.
-future installments to come soon-
Feel free to contribute, or point out where things like this are already around.
Deep, (if a bit predictable) but rich descriptions of the core race's cultures? Some very nice racial prestige classes? Dwarvencraft? The implausible Spellscales?
No, dear friends, t'was the racial substitution levels.
In the week since, I've been breaking down both the racial substitution levels themselves, and the very idea of the RSL itself. The reason I like them so much, I believe, is the same reason we like prestige classes and variants; people love to change things up. They love renewal, and being able to make something unique from what it once was. They often become fixated on molding things to fit them, and the idea of a level designed for their own race often appeals to this sense of stringent customization. These levels allow for the class role spinoff of a variant character class without the dedication to an entirely altered idea, possibly the loss of attractive class features, and the altered specialization of the prestige class without the sacrificing of further class abilities than necessary or the steep costs of their prerequisites. People love being able to change something to their own preference without an investment or intense effort.
The only attributes of the racial substitution levels that disheartened me were the relative...uselessness of some, and how instead of combining racial flavor with practical options in exchange for another class feature or point in something, seemed to be an attempt to weaken the class like it was the first month of 3.5 Core's release. Yet, luckily enough, we can make our own, can't we?
But we don't, for some reason. At least, I haven't seen any on GitP, but there's probably a 50-page thread of compilations somewhere I missed and will have done all of this for naught. Barring this, I present to you, my homebrewed racial substitution levels. I freely admit to some being a straight upgrade, in my mighty rage against crappy racial substitution levels.
_____
Half-Orc
The Half-Orc, the greatest outcast of the humanoid races. Truly a race given to unlucky circumstances, the Half-Orc is a short-lived hulk shunned from both homes either for being monstrous brute, or not being enough of one. Yet, as they say, Adversity breeds Opportunity. Who else has access to the incredible adaptability and ambition of a human, as well as the survivability and raw, terrible strength of the orc? Access to both the civilized lands and cities, where opportunity is born out of ingenuity and subtle greed, & the harsh wastelands, in which only the strong survive - nay, thrive? The Half-Orc, and the Half-Orc alone.
Half-Orc Warlock
Despite the Half-Orc's strike against force of personality, the Half-Orc and the Warlock are two creatures with coterminous stigmas and attitudes. Both the Half-Orc and Warlock are outcasts, shunned for their very being and often forcibly removed from any civilized area - if they do survive, it is merely subsistence within the underbelly of the city. Both are grim creatures, able to comprehend morality as an invention of the weak, and live by their own strength. More often than not, they also both crave success through conquest, and are driven by single-minded determination towards their perceived destinies.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a level of Half-Orc Warlock, a character must be a Half-Orc about to take their 1rst, 2nd, or 4th level of Warlock.
Class Skills
Half-Orc Warlock substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Warlock class, except that Survival is added.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Half-Orc Warlock Substitution Levels
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations Known
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Brutal Eldritch Blast 1d6, invocation (least)|1
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Battle beyond Death|2
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|War-clad Warlock|3 [/table]
Class Features
All the following are features of the Half-Orc Warlock racial substitution levels.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Half-Orc Warlock gains proficiency with all simple and martial weapons and light armor.
Brutal Eldritch Blast (Sp): A Half-Orc Warlock gains the ability Brutal Eldritch Blast at 1rst level, which functions exactly as the standard Warlock Ability Eldritch Blast, except for the following changes:
A Brutal Eldritch Blast gains a bonus to damage equal to half their character level + their strength bonus (rounded down). However, the violent nature of this blast reduces the range by half from 60 ft. to 30 ft. Any ability or invocation which extends the range of a Brutal Eldritch Blast is also stunted by half before adding it to the total range.
This ability replaces the standard Warlock ability to use Eldritch Blast.
Battle Beyond Death (Su): A Half-Orc Warlock of 2nd level may utilize any of their invocations or eldritch blast while disabled (or at any time they possess 0 or negative hit points and are not helpless) without risk of damaging themselves and furthering their condition. Any turn in which a Half-Orc Warlock of 2nd level or higher makes a save against massive damage in the same turn he uses an invocation or eldritch blast, he gains a +4 to the save.
This replaces the standard Warlock ability of Read Magic. Alternatively, a Warlock may choose to sacrifice a single point of Will gained at 2nd level instead.
War-clad Warlock:To be a Half-Orc is to live in constant struggle, and for it, you are tempered in mind and body. At 4th level, a Half-Orc Warlock taking the substitution level gains the ability to utilize her invocations and Eldritch Blasts in Medium Armor without arcane spell failure. If she previously took the 1rst level of the racial substitution levels for Half-Orc Warlock, she also gains Proficiency with Medium Armor.
This ability replaces the standard Warlock ability of Deceive Item that she normally would have gained.
Halfling
Possibly the most intrepid of the destined races blessed by large populations, the Halfling is second in adaptability only to humans, but is unparalleled in the art of wandering and are overlooked (har har) as possibly the most acclimated of the races, if not born to, a life of adventuring. Possibly, this is why the fleet and clever little people excel so well at certain talents born to the classes and philosophies they subscribe to with such versatility.
Halfling Paladin
Often overlooked (there's that term again) as a novelty by most, the Halfling Paladin is a strange but brave creature. Unusually involved in worldly concerns, wandering Halflings occasionally find great rejection of evil and deceit in their travels, and this hatred of the despoilers of lighthearted merrymaking and common decency leads some to take up arms in the endless crusade against evil in their adventures. A Halfling Paladin is a fleetfooted knight of good with the loyalty and cunning of a Lightfoot, and one of the most steadfast allies one could have.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a level of Halfling Paladin Racial Substitution Levels, a character must be a Halfling about to take their 1rst, 4th, or 5th level of Paladin.
Class Skills
A Halfling Paladin substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Paladin class, except that they add Climb, Jump, and Move Silently, and remove Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Halfling Paladin Substitution Levels
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells Per Day
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Punish Evil 1/day|-
4nd|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Fleetfooted Bulwark|0
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Special Halfling Paladin Mount|0 & - (see text)[/table]
Class Features
Punish Evil (Su): The natural roguish talent for precision strikes that Halflings possess is not lost even upon the mightiest of their Paladins. A Halfling Paladin may attempt to punish evil with one normal melee attack whenever her target would be denied his dexterity bonus. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1d6 extra points of damage, plus 1d6 per five paladin levels. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect.
This ability replaces the standard Paladin ability of Smite Evil.
Fleetfooted Bulwark: Even in the heaviest of armor, a Halfling Paladin is as agile as as he is courageous. Whenever a Halfling Paladin of at least 4th level wears armor, the maximum dexterity bonus of it is increased by +3, and the armor check penalty is reduced by 3.
This ability replaces the standard Paladin ability of Turn Undead.
Special Halfling Paladin Mount (Sp): Halflings are master outriders, renowned for their skirmishing parties, patrolling their borders against any threats, mounted upon fearless riding dogs. The talent of mounted combat comes natural to Halfling Paladins, and reflects in an innate prowess for fighting while mounted upon their blessed beast. A Special Halfling Paladin Mount functions the same as a standard Paladin Special Mount, except as outlined below.
A Halfling Paladin may select a celestial riding dog, or an equivalent mount for a Small creature such as herself, with the celestial template. In addition, a Halfling Paladin may take a 10 on any Ride check made to attack a Medium or larger creature while riding.
This ability replaces both the standard Special Mount ability, and the bonus spell per day that a Paladin would usually gain at level 6. The Paladin is effectively one level lower for determining the number of bonus spells per day gained.
-future installments to come soon-
Feel free to contribute, or point out where things like this are already around.