New Race: Songtouched (PEACH)

[starwoof]

Songtouched
Much in the way an aasimar is descended from celestials, or a genasi is born from an elemental, a songtouched has an ancestor from the Plane of Music. The Plane of Music exists alongside the astral plane and is what hold all of the myriad planes together, preventing them from drifting off into the Far Realm.

Songtouched vary wildly in their appearance and personality, in the same way that one song differs from another, though they all resemble humans. Some are tall and wild, others are short and reserved. Their appearance reflects the music that is in their soul. Some are dark and evil others are light and good, others dont lean either way, and their music reflects that. Long hair is quite popular among all of them.

They have no countries of their own, usually living in human lands, or traveling abroad spreading their music.

Songtouched can be of any alignment.

• +2 cha.
• Medium Size
• Native Outsider
• Base speed 30 ft
• +2 racial bonus on saves against sonic spells and effects.
• Sonic Resistance 5
• Sound Burst (Sp): Once per day a Songtouched can use sound burst, as the spell. Caster level is equal to the songtouched’s class level. When using this ability a songtouched either screams very loud or plays an instrument.
• Darkvision 60 ft
• Songtouched always treat perform as a class skill, as long as it is with an instrument or singing. The also gain +3 bonuses on perform checks.
• Performance Versatility- After an hour of mental preparation, a songtouched can grant themselves a bonus to a Perform check for which they have no ranks equal to half their Perform ranks in total (for all Perform skills they have), for the next hour.
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any.
• Favored Class: Bard
• LA: +1

So I realize the physial description isnt great, but its hard to describe songs in a humanoid form. Im not sure how I feel about the mechanics aspect yet, though I do like the sound burst. This just doesnt feel as well written up as my other works, but Ill improve on it soon.

So, comment away.

[LordOfNarf]

This isn't anywhere powerful enough to merit a +1 LA, give them a bunch more ability skore bonuses, and some skill bonuses, or make them LA+0

[Orion-the-G]

Agreed, they're definitely not impressive enough for LA +1, but they do teeter on the brink.

Compare them to the assimar or teifling. Sound Burst is more powerful than the Asimar's Daylight spell, but the rest of their abilities are just subpar compared to the planetouched.

[Eldermoon]

Add +2 Dex and I think it'll be good.

[Abd al-Azrad]

I agree with LordOfNarf: while having the Outsider type makes you almost forced to give them a level adjustment of at least +1, otherwise the race is not terribly desirable. As a comparison, see the Planetouched, both of which in the SRD have unbalanced ability scores (up), multiple elemental resistences, a spell-like ability of mediocre power (like yours), and skill bonuses.

Your +1 bonus to saves against sonic attacks doesn't go far enough. If I wanted to make a bard, I get Countersong at first level, which is delayed one level by the racial adjustment here. Countersong allows me to use my Perform check as a Will save. +1 from this race, is exactly equal to the +1 Perform rank I could otherwise take.

I'd give these Songtouched +2 Cha with no penalty, Sonic Resistence of at least 5-10, less flavor focus on "Rocking out" (more of a modern day thing than a medieval fantasy thing), a significant bonus (around +3) to Perform checks, +2 to saves against sonic attacks, and the Sound Burst ability at caster level = total class levels 1/day, for the +1 LA.

[starwoof]

Ok, so yeah, the rocking out thing was kind of a joke. All types of music are represented among them, I think i was giving outt he wrong idea. :D Theyre just as likely to play the piano as a fiddle or something.

Added sonic resistance, perform bonus, changed caster level.


Also I plan on doing a full thing on the Plane of Music and some of its denizens in the near future. Its very important in my campaign's cosmology.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Wait, I just had an idea... Performance Versatility. It rarely comes up, but how about giving the Songtouched the ability to do something like, after an hour of mental preparation, grant themselves a bonus to a Perform check for which they have no ranks equal to half their Perform ranks in total (for all Perform skills they have), for the next hour.

This would allow them to, with preparation, use an unfamiliar instrument or style for a period of time, without having to spend additional ranks to gain multiple different Performances. It's useful, and I don't feel particularly powerful, more just flavorful. Also, it's kinda super-cool for an instrumentalist to be able to just pick up an instrument, fiddle with it, and then play out a masterpiece as if it was nothing. Sign of a true virtuoso.

[starwoof]

Good crap man, thats genious! Really perfect for the race! So do you think it would be good to just add it on or maybe reduce its bonus on perform checks to +2 or something? Im thinking to just add it on, because as you said, its not really powerful, but flavorful.