Races Remix (PEACH)

[Seharvepernfan]

So, I was toying around with races again, and came up with a very symmetrical set of LA +0 player races. I really dig the standard fantasy races, and I stayed close to D&D norms.



Race
Abilities
Size
Vision
Alignment


Orc
+2 Str, -2 Int
Medium
Low-light Vision
CN


Elf
+2 Dex, -2 Con
Medium
Low-light Vision
CG


Dwarf
+2 Con, -2 Dex
Medium
Darkvision
LG


Gnome
+2 Int, -2 Wis
Small
Low-light Vision
NG


Hobbit
+2 Wis, -2 Str
Small
-
LN


Human
-
Medium
-
N


Kobold
+2 Cha
Small
Darkvision
LE


Goblin
-
Small
Darkvision
NE


Saurian
+2 Con, -2 Cha
Medium
-
CE



Other racial traits:

Orcs: +2 Str, -2 Int, Low-light Vision, bonus skills (as humans), +2 saves vs Disease, +2 Intimidate, +2 Survival, +3 bonus when charging (instead of +2), +1 attacks/skill and ability checks/AC/saves when below 50% hp

Elves: +2 Dex, -2 Con, 35ft speed, low-light vision, Immune to Sleep, +2 saves vs Enchantment, Detect Secret Doors, Ignore 20% of enemy concealment, proficient with longswords/rapiers (or shortswords)/shortbows/longbows, if they are (or become) proficient with any of these from a class they instead gain a +1 racial bonus to attacks with them, +2 listen/search/spot, +2 craft with wood, +2 spellcraft, light sleepers (only -2 penalty when sleeping, 4 hours of trance)


Adult at 25, Middle-aged at 75, Old at 125, Venerable at 175 (+6d20)

Subraces:

high elves: +2 Int, -2 Con, +2 CL checks to bypass spell resistance, no natural proficiency with bows or rapiers, spd 30

free elves: normal

sylvan elves: +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Int, no natural proficiency with swords, wild empathy (+4 if you gain from class), +2 handle animal

wild elves: +2 Dex, -2 Int, natural proficiency with shortbow only, +2 Survival, no detect secret doors, primitive weapon mastery (bolas, club, dart, javelin, longspear, quarterstaff, shortspear, sling, spear, throwing axe), climate tolerant (0-100), illiteracy

dark elves: +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Str, auto proficient handcrossbow/rapiers/shortswords, Darkvision 60ft, +2 Craft Poison instead of wood/bowmaking, +2 Climb
*not sure about dark elves yet*

Dwarves: +2 Con, -2 Dex, 20ft speed, Darkvision, Light Sensitivity, Armored Ease, Stonecunning, Stability, +2 saves vs poison and spells, +2 craft with stone and metal, treat mauls as martial weapons, warhammers and light hammers as simple (can choose picks instead), +1 attacks vs goblins, +2 damage vs orcs, +4 dodge bonus to AC vs giants

Gnomes: +2 Int, -2 Wis, Small, 20ft speed, low-light vision, detect illusions (automatically gets a save to disbelieve an illusion as if studying it if they come within 10ft of one), can use silent image as an SLA 1/day/cha mod (min 1, upgrades to other "image" spells as you level up), +2 saves vs illusion, +2 craft alchemy, +2 open lock, treat light repeating crossbows as simple, heavy as martial, +1 attacks vs reptilian humanoids and goblins

Hobbits: +2 Wis, -2 Str, Small, 20ft speed, +1 racial bonus to saves, +1 attacks with thrown weapons and slings, +2 concentration, a hobbit that consumes twice as much food as required for the day gains a +1 morale bonus to all ability checks, all hobbits treat hide/listen/move silently/spot as class skills and gain 2 extra skill points per level (8 at 1st) to spend on those skills only

Humans: as PHB

Kobolds: +2 Cha, Small, 20ft speed, Darkvision, Light Sensitivity, +1 natural armor (can take improved natural armor, but only at level one), secondary bite (1d3), poison use, +2 craft poison & traps, +2 escape artist, +2 search, +2 disable device, trap sense +1 (stacks), treat nets as martial wepaons

Goblins: Small, 30ft speed, Darkvision, Light Sensitivity, +2 hide/move silently/listen (big pointy ears), +2 saves vs disease, +3 when flanking or aiding another (instead of +2), +1 damage per attack if the target is currently vulnerable to sneak attack damage, +1 dodge bonus to AC

Saurians: +2 Con, -2 Cha, +1 natural armor (can take improved natural armor, but only at level one), 2 claws (1d3), 1 secondary bite (1d4), hold breath (as lizardfolk), +2 balance/swim (from their tail), +2 climb (from their claws)
-basically lizardfolk, but not as bulky, and not limited to swamps and marshes-

One for each alignment, every ability score is represented with both a bonus and a penalty, five medium races and four small ones, 3 with darkvision and 3 with low-light vision and 3 with neither. The three evil races are not as encouraged for player use as the others, but are still available and balanced enough for play (or that's what I'm aiming for anyway).

[redwizard007]

check out the PF site before you get to far into this. they have done some good work on this.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races

[redwizard007]

Orcs: +2 Str, -2 Int, Darkvision, Light sensitivity, bonus skills (as humans), +2 saves vs Disease, +2 Intimidate, +2 Survival, +3 bonus when charging (instead of +2), +1 attacks/skill and ability checks/AC/saves when below 50% hp

the below 50% thing feels like unnecessary book keeping. like the charge idea.


Elves: +2 Dex, -2 Con, 35ft speed, low-light vision, Immune to Sleep, +2 saves vs Enchantment, Detect Secret Doors, Ignore 20% of enemy concealment, lessen range penalties by 2, proficient with longswords/rapiers/shortbows/longbows, if they are proficient with any of these from a class they instead gain a +1 racial bonus to attacks with them, +2 listen/search/spot, +2 craft with wood, light sleepers (only -2 penalty when sleeping)

See primary complaint below but double it. ELVES GET TO MUCH STUFF.


Dwarves: +2 Con, -2 Dex, 20ft speed, Darkvision, Armored Ease, Stonecunning, Stability, +2 saves vs poison and spells, +2 craft with stone and metal, treat mauls as martial weapons, warhammers and light hammers as simple (can choose picks instead), +1 attacks vs goblins, +2 damage vs orcs, +4 dodge bonus to AC vs giants

See primary complaint below. pretty standard except for the weapon profs


Gnomes: +2 Int, -2 Wis, Small, 20ft speed, low-light vision, detect illusions (automatically gets a save to disbelieve an illusion as if studying it if they come within 10ft of one), +2 saves vs illusion, +1 DC or CL with illusion spells, +2 craft alchemy, +2 open lock, treat light repeating crossbows as simple, heavy as martial, +1 attacks vs reptilian humanoids and goblins, +4 dodge bonus to AC vs giants

Do they still get to talk to animals too? repeating crossbow familiarity!?!?! the illusion stuff is to much.


Hobbits: +2 Wis, -2 Str, Small, 20ft speed, +1 racial bonus to saves, +1 attacks with thrown weapons and slings, +2 concentration, a hobbit that consumes twice as much food as required for the day gains a +1 morale bonus to all skill and ability checks, all hobbits treat hide/listen/move silently/spot as class skills and gain 2 extra skill points per level (8 at 1st) to spend on those skills only

bonus based on food eaten? no.


Humans: as PHB

eh.


Kobolds: +2 Cha, -2 Con, Small, 20ft speed, Darkvision, +1 natural armor (can take improved natural armor, but only at level one), poison use, +2 craft poison, +2 craft traps, +2 escape artist, +2 search, trap sense +1 (stacks), +2 saves vs necromancy, +1 DC or CL with necromancy spells

saves vs a single school? book keeping issues...


Goblins: Small, 30ft speed, low-light vision, climb speed equal to half land speed, +2 hide/move silently/climb/listen (big pointy ears), +2 saves vs disease, treat nets as martial weapons, +3 when flanking or aiding another (instead of +2), +1 damage per attack if the target is currently vulnerable to sneak attack damage, +1 dodge bonus to AC

I really like the flank/aid another. you gave them a climb speed... thats pretty big


Saurians: +2 Con, -2 Cha, +1 natural armor (can take improved natural armor, but only at level one), 2 claws (1d3), 1 secondary bite (1d4), hold breath (as lizardfolk), +2 balance/swim (from their tail), +2 climb (from their claws)
-basically lizardfolk, but not as bulky, and not limited to swamps and marshes-

im not a fan of the balance bonus (theyd just be clumsy without the tail.) if they can hold their breath then what about a swim speed?


Ok. so the big 3 (elf, dwarf, gnome) have a lot going on while most of the other races are more +this, +that. Spread the love flavor-wise. If kobolds have a knack for poison then play it up, let them identify it easier, or let them mine more quickly than dwarves (but with less quality.) That kind of stuff.

Personally I'm a fan of "Race X gets +a, -b, blah vision and these physical traits" Then using bonus feats or ACFs to add more depth and customization. For example an Elf might get +2 dex,-2 con and low light vision. He might then choose +1 to attacks (or free proficiency) with either long bow, short bow, rapier, longsword, or spear (any,) or ranged touch attacks. In addition he chooses two of the following skills to gain a +2 racial bonus with: profession, craft, perform, listen, spot, hide, move silently. It allows more choices while preventing races from affecting a character's tier.

... Having said all that... If it works for you then run with it.