Originally Posted by
exelsisxax
I had the sudden urge to start a campaign featuring the crushing fight for survival that is basically everything you try to do on Athas. Unfortunately, races are pretty different and need converting.
1: Every race has psionic aptitude(allowing FCB to be used for PP gain)
2: Every race gains wild talent as a bonus feat, because everything is psionic on Athas(including at least 1 species of cactus!)
3: Every race has only their racial language as an automatic language, and spoken and written languages are treated as separate languages. Dark Sun is a high xenophobia and low literacy campaign setting
I've tried using the ARG race builder as a rough guide, but that never actually balanced things so I'm not too concerned about it. Racial languages are in parentheses.
Human (common/human) 8
0 +2 to any ability score
4 feat
4 skilled
Elf (elven) 10
0 2 dex, 2 int, -2 con
4 Quick thief: +2 perception, +2 stealth
1 low-light vision
4 enduranceand fleet bonus feats
1 weapon familiarity
Removed: elf immunities, elven magic
Half-elf (common/human) 11
0 humanoid(human and elf)
0 +2 to any
2 Keen senses: +2 perception
1 low-light vision
4 enduranceand fleet bonus feats
2 skill focus bonus feat
2 multitalented
Removed: elf immunities
Dwarf (dwarf) 8
0 2 con, 2 wis, -2 cha
3 Hardy
-1 slow&steady
1 Weapon familiarity
2 darkvision 60’
3? Focus: dwarves have a specific, meaningful objective to complete at all times. They recieve a +1 circumstance bonus on d20 rolls to directly accomplish that focus, and a +4 racial bonus on will saves against any effects that would change their Focus in any way.
3? Resistance: as an immediate action, a dwarf can expend psionic focus to halve one attack’s damage
Removed: Greed, Stonecunning, Hatred, Defense training
Halfling (halfling) 10
0 2 dex, 2 wis, -2 str
0 small, 20’ speed
2 perception skill bonus +2
1 fearless: +2 racial bonus vs fear
2 lucky: +1 racial bonus to saves(stacks with fearless)
1 Weapon familiarity +slings
4 acrobatics and climb skill bonus
1 carrion sense: scent, but only for corpses and severely wounded creatures
-2? feral: -2 to diplomacy checks due to being uncivilized cannibals
1 cannibal: can only eat meat, does not suffer chance of sickness from eating most races
Mul (common/human) 7
0 humanoid(dwarf and human)
0 2 str, 2 int, -2 cha
2 darkvision 60’
2 endurance
3 hardy
Half-giant (common/human) 10
0 humanoid(giant)
0 2 str, 2 wis, -2 dex
6? powerful build(also intimidate as if larger)
2 toughness
2 +2 survival
Thri-kreen (kreen) 11
3 Monstrous humanoid (60’ darkvision)
0 2 dex, 2 wis, -2 int
3? 2 claw arms, can’t use items but can hold them for easy access
2 +1 natural armor
1 40’ base speed (+4 extra to jump)
1 Leap: add STR bonus if positive to all jump checks, spend 1 pp to have a running start
2 elf immunities(sleep immune, +2 vs enchantment)
-1? nonstandard armor, 1 more ACP and 50% more cost
Pterran (saurian) 7
0 Humanoid (reptilian)
0 2 cha, 2 con, -2 dex
1 natural bite attack 1d3 primary
6? Life paths: each Pterran chooses a life path at maturity. It cannot be changed.
Warrior: gain combat expertise as a bonus feat(ignoring prereqs), and a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. You can treat allies you can see as if they had your teamwork feats. For each other source that provides this effect, designate one of your teamwork feats that you provide to your allies in full. You gain acrobatics, climb, and escape artist as class skills or a +1 to each that is a class skill.
Druid: you gain wild empathy as a druid of your character level. You gain favored enemy [Defilers] with a static +2 bonus, that stacks with other favored enemy effects. You gain survival and K(nature) as class skills, or a +1 bonus to each that is a class skill.
Mind: does not count against the limit for a collective willingly joined. Can use empathy as a manifester of level 1. Gain diplomacy and sense motive as class skills, or a +1 bonus to each that is a class skill. Gain cushion the blow as a bonus feat if you meet the prerequisites.
Aarakocra (auran) 7
3 monstrous humanoid (darkvision 60’)
0 2 dex, 2 cha, -2 con
6 fly 40’ poor
1 talon 1d4 primary natural attack, only while flying but uses feet
2 skill focus(perception) bonus feat
-1 Lightweight: for determining whether a combat maneuver is possible, you are treated as if you were 1 size smaller for using and defending against them
-2? Undersized weapons: wields weapons as if 1 size smaller
-1? nonstandard armor, 1 more ACP and 50% more cost
-1 slow(20)
Humans are, as always, strong and very boring. Not really sure what I can add here, because the crunch is fitting the fluff. Is there a psionic thing humans are really good at?
Elves and halfs are mostly fine, just removed the elf immunities that they don't have on athas and the magic that doesn't really do anything. I'm not sure if fleet and endurance(to replicate elf run) are quite good enough replacements.
Dwarves are less Tolkien. Instead, they are OCD and eat crits for breakfast. My interpretation of focus is mechanically awkward, but I'm not sure how to make it more useful without being +X to everything.
Halflings aren't cute little people. They're cannibalistic savages. Are they savage and cannibalistic enough? Is there a better "eat people" mechanic that already exists that I can steal?
original races:
I don't really know what do to with Mul. They were originally "humans, but way better, but with LA" and LA is unacceptable. So right now they're just strong and boring. I'm thinking about unique ability scores, like +2 Str, +2 other or something similar. Might give them nonlethal damage conversion from wearing armor.
Half-giants just needed a touch-up to replace the psionic features they'd get for free, and the lack of natural psi powers. Might be better to just hand out another +2 con though - i'm not too worried about casters abusing that statline when there's no other benefit, and i'm fine with a fighter or two being strong.
Thri-kreen i'm pretty happy with. Might be uncomfortably strong on melee builds at low levels, but that's their thing. They can use PP inherently, and have a non-insane jump bonus now.
Pterrans. I like the life path thing. I might be valuing it totally wrong. I think the class in a box thing is cool, but dominates quite a bit. They don't really have anything else at the moment.
Aarakocra have too many traits! Flight is really good, does it actually merit a bunch of penalties? How do I make them not obviously the go-to for casters, because they don't suffer from the downsides?
I'd like more races to have ways of actually using their PP, even if they don't pick up a manifester level, I'm just leery of handing out psi-likes. Anyone have ideas?
Re: Dark Sun race conversions
While I am really busy at the moment, your thread made me revert back to second edition psions, when it had it's own private system, for my game, thanks!
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