Medium/Small Homebrew Conundrum

[Extelle]

So I'm working on a homebrew race for my own 3.x/Pf setting. I'm having trouble figuring out what to do for its size category though.

The race is roughly around the height of a dwarf, maybe a few inches taller. They are very slender and weigh much less than most races of their height however. For most races of their height, they weigh around half as much. (Example; 4'7 being 45 lbs or so)

Stats I have for now are -2str,con and +dex,cha

I thought of having a custom thing for their size by stating that they use weapons and armor built for someone medium size, but in all other circumstances, they are treated as small.

Thoughts, suggestions, concerns? (all appreciated)

[Grod_The_Giant]

Yeah, I can see that. It's a pretty minor boost, but it works ok, methinks.

[DracoDei]

Much less powerful than "Powerful Build", especially when you are starting them at Small and with a strength (and constitution) penalty, so they aren't going to make very good fighter-types.

Thus it seems quite reasonable for a +0 or +1 LA race.

[Extelle]

Thanks for the input thus far!

I didn't really state any fluff or other things about the race previously. This is my setting's version of wood elves. They live in very dense and deep woods, where no sunlight reaches past the forest canopy. The only lighting would be from some particularly radiant fungi and any fires created. Picture deep sea where the only light is given off by life itself, but this time in the woods.

Anyways, because of this, I was thinking about giving them the racial option from pathfinder for dwarves called Minesight (this racial trait increases the range of their darkvision to 90 feet; however, they are automatically dazzled in bright light and take a –2 penalty on saving throws against effects with the light descriptor.)

Would that be unreasonable or push them to +1 LA? Or still +0?

[Just to Browse]

Minesight is actually generally a detriment, so you could tack it on them without feeling bad.

I recommend making them medium and then giving them Slight Build (the opposite of Powerful Build--you count as small whenever it would be beneficial) so that they can lift and bull rush and such like a medium creature, but get the +1 AC/AB and maneuverability of someone small. That will basically make them the sorcerer master race, which could be a problem, but -2 Con seems to balance that out.

[DracoDei]

It is the +2 Charisma that perhaps suggests. Sorcerers and bards would do very well as that race, and the -2 Con doesn't hurt them that much in those roles. Some, yes, but at higher levels if your sorcerer is getting hit in the first place you have problems, at least in higher powered games.

Would Minesight be optional for them?

That forest sounds MUCH denser than anything that exists IRL.

[Just to Browse]

It could just be night there all the time. :smallwink:

[Extelle]

The forest in particular was inspired by the parts of the deep sea here on earth where the only light is that which is given off by lifeforms there.

The only way I could see minesight being optional would be if the individual adventurer were born outside the wood or lived outside for quite a few years and adapted. In this setting, this race is very rare outside the wood. They are generally the least warlike and have no standing military or armies. The closest they have to defenders are druids and rangers. This kind of leads to them keeping to themselves for safety, and rarely leaving the wood long enough to adapt to the outside world.

[DracoDei]

Noted, and I was aware of your inspiration when I commented that the canopy would have to be very dense/opaque.

Inspiration and in-game justification are two fairly separate things in many cases, including this one.
There are plants (in tropical rainforests?) that have not-green leaves, because they use a different chemical than most plants, so that they can use what leaks through the taller plants. If you made these oddly colored plants 30+ foot trees rather than shrubs, with the taller trees being about 20 feet taller than them, then that would be a step in the right direction.

[Extelle]

Sorry, I must be tired. I didn't realize I mentioned my inspiration twice across different posts. Please disregard my laziness. Thanks again for the input, by the way. :smallsmile:

[DracoDei]

You are welcome, and a little forgetfulness is not something you need to apologize to me for. I'm often pretty forgetful myself.

[Debihuman]

Why not use the "Slight Build" that Wizards designed for Kobolds from here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a.


Slight Build: The physical stature of kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Debby