[3.5 Subrace] "Pass me that spanner, wouldja?" [Dreavarr]

[Lord_Gareth]

Dreavarrian Elves
"Does the triple-barrel have your attention? Then let's talk fuel prices."

Dreavarr is a world at war with itself; its nation-states labor unwittingly under a curse of strife laid down in ancient times as punishment for a crime only the gods know of. Magic and metal mix together on a constant basis, fueling the bottomless war machines of nations like Drinston, the Free City of Kralis, the Sultanate of Bravina-Havva and others. Various races mix into these nations, each bringing their own unique talents and views on how to wage both life and war on others.

Dreavarrian elves are a lively bunch; anything "natural" on Dreavarr has long since turned into, if it was lucky, a melted slag-heap (and is more likely to be a mutated wasteland), and the elven peoples of the world long ago gave up on any attempt to help Nature fight back against the beings waging war against it. Instead they turned their nimble fingers and fast reflexes to factory work and chimney sweeping, to clock-making and invention. Devoid of their previous connection to the natural world that literally died around them, they bonded with gears and steel, iron and forges, gaining an instinctive understanding of metal that has affected their entire race and culture.

In modern times, elves are in an awkward place when it comes to technological advancement. The fact of the matter is that they lack the creative spark of dwarves or gnomes, but both of those races utterly lack the elven bond with the city and it steel and machinery. There's nothing an elf can't fix if you give him enough time with it, and a lot of times they end up taking someone else's invention and perfecting it - which also leads to dark rumors of stolen research that dog the race wherever they go. Still, the saying goes that an elf makes a solid friend as long as he doesn't owe you money, and they're welcome almost anywhere they go - it's just that a lack of welcome is fatal more often than not.

Appearance: A lot of elves on Dreavarr are dirty, and not necessarily by choice; aside from the fact that many of them work at low-paying jobs that make bathing a luxury, their bond with the city sends them into nooks and crannies that contain soot, ash, grease, and other assorted bits of foulness on a regular basis. Elves that work as inventors or machinists are often streaked with oil or ash, but they always work to keep their ears clean (usually with helmets or bandages) and are often found wearing goggles, if only as a fashion statement. It's extremely rare to find an elf that isn't flying his city's colors. There's the occasional genetic throwback to older elf subraces (such as dark-skinned elves that recall the ancient drow), but aside from being exotic and striking, they're more or less the same as their cousins.

Unlike their cousins on other worlds, elves on Dreavarr tend to have short-cropped hair and tend towards dark-colored eyes and hair, often hidden under a helmet or under a bandanna. Leathers are popular amongst the race (the last remnants of their dead connection to nature) and in recent years long coats have come into the vogue, the better to conceal a multitude of items both legal and otherwise. Because of the high elven poverty rate, they are often found with gnomes, gnolls, and half-orcs, and often adopt their fashions.

Racial Features
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Strength. Elves are quick and cunning, but lack introspection and, often, patience, getting frustrated easily when something doesn't come naturally to them. Elves are naturally frail and don't build muscle easily.

Medium Humanoid: As Medium creatures, elves gain no bonus or penalty for their size.

Base Land Speed: 30 Feet

Low-Light Vision (Ex): See the elf racial feature in the system reference document.

Apprenticeship Training (Ex): Elves all end up training in one trade or another as they grow up, and often pursue their own projects as well; they gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft checks. Additionally, at first level, a Dreavarrian Elf gains eight additional skill points that may only be spent on Craft skills.

Metalbond (Ex): Elves have an instinctive, racial bond with metal; they gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls made with metal weapons and gain an additional +2 armor bonus to armor class when wearing armor made mostly of metal. Additionally, their effective caster level is treated as being one higher whenever they use their infusions on items that are at least 60% metal.

Brawling (Ex): Life as an elf child can be rough in the big city; elves can choose a single bonus feat selected from Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus, Improved Initiative or Quick Draw as bonus feats at first level.

Scavenger's Knack (Ex): Most elves grow up extremely poor, and even the ones that don't have an instinctive bond to the city that makes its tools and resources easier for them to use and access; elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks made in an urban environment. Additionally, they gain an additional +1 racial bonus on skill checks made with masterwork tools. This bonus increases to +2 at seventh level, +3 at thirteenth level, and finally +4 at nineteenth level.

Languages: Common, Gutterspeak. Bonus: Any national, Old Draevarrian, Smuggler's Cant, Brattack Code, Old Orcish, Old Elven, Gnoll.

Favored Class: Artificer. An elf's artificer levels do not count against him when determining multiclassing penalties.

Level Adjustment: +0

[Hyooz]

I dig it. Don't see anything too offensive balance-wise, and its an elf subrace that I actually like. Kudos.

[Solaris]

It's my favorite elven variant, the steampunk elves. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then consider yourself flattered 'cause you've inspired me to go ahead and make my own.

The only question mark I see is the boost to infusions. I assume it's just for things like duration and other effects, not which ones the elf has access to, yes?

[Lord_Gareth]

Originally Posted by Solaris

The only question mark I see is the boost to infusions. I assume it's just for things like duration and other effects, not which ones the elf has access to, yes?

Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Improved Infusions (Su): An elf's caster level is treated as being one higher for the purposes of using infusions.

Does that answer your question?

I'm glad to see a trend of positive responses, though ^_^

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Does that answer your question?

I'm glad to see a trend of positive responses, though ^_^

I know what you're going for, but I could also interpret it to mean he's basically a one-level-higher artificer (without artificer levels, even).

Did you take the infusions boost off? Are you planning on putting it in their racial paragon class?

[Lord_Gareth]

Folks, the wording I used on that has been used on spellcasters since 3.X came out - it didn't change overnight.

That being said, I did edit the racial features somewhat, so you may want to re-examine them and make new comment on the mechanical changes, including the brand-new Scavenger's Knack.

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Folks, the wording I used on that has been used on spellcasters since 3.X came out - it didn't change overnight.

Which? The stuff I've seen for PrCs has always been a bit more... thorough in its explanations. I don't recall offhand seeing something that gives a caster boost like that as a racial trait, though.

I like how you're incorporating abilities that scale with level. That's something 3.X should've had from the get-go.

[Lord_Gareth]

Originally Posted by Solaris

Which? The stuff I've seen for PrCs has always been a bit more... thorough in its explanations. I don't recall offhand seeing something that gives a caster boost like that as a racial trait, though.

I like how you're incorporating abilities that scale with level. That's something 3.X should've had from the get-go.

Okay, look "caster level is treated as one higher" only refers to raw. Caster. Level. It doesn't affect spells/infusions/powers/maneuvers/invocations/utterances/vestiges/whatever known. It never has. You can see this wording used on the Genasi racial features (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting) as well. I'm sorry if this sounds short, but I'm getting kinda irritated about this particular subject for reasons that are only in part due to you.

And I, too, enjoy abilities that scale to level :D

Thanks for the attention and critique, by the by - I do appreciate it.

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Okay, look "caster level is treated as one higher" only refers to raw. Caster. Level. It doesn't affect spells/infusions/powers/maneuvers/invocations/utterances/vestiges/whatever known. It never has. You can see this wording used on the Genasi racial features (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting) as well. I'm sorry if this sounds short, but I'm getting kinda irritated about this particular subject for reasons that are only in part due to you.

Woosaa. Don't forget, D&D 3E was the game written by lawyers, for lawyers. I've seen people attempting to make that very argument, that treating the character as one level higher for infusions/spells means he's treated as a caster/artificer of one level higher for everything, including spells known, which is why most abilities explain out what's affected and what isn't.
It's pretty much a moot point, though 'cause you took the ability out.

[Lord_Gareth]

Originally Posted by Solaris

Woosaa. Don't forget, D&D 3E was the game written by lawyers, for lawyers. I've seen people attempting to make that very argument, that treating the character as one level higher for infusions/spells means he's treated as a caster/artificer of one level higher for everything, including spells known, which is why most abilities explain out what's affected and what isn't.
It's pretty much a moot point, though 'cause you took the ability out.

Actually, it's still there - but it only affects infusions used on metal objects. See the new and revised Metalbond feature.

[Veyr]

Folks, there's a difference between "caster level" and "spellcasting level". Learn this, it's important. The two sometimes (hell, often) get conflated, but only in discussions, not in rules.

Anyway, I like the race; I like the way they're a bit different from your typical steampunk races (the dwarves and gnomes you mention), and they're greasemonkeys.

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by Veyr

Folks, there's a difference between "caster level" and "spellcasting level". Learn this, it's important. The two sometimes (hell, often) get conflated, but only in discussions, not in rules.

Well, color me maroon. I s'pose I should've known that.

[Lord_Gareth]

Dreavarrian Half-orcs.

In case anyone was interested.

[Lord_Gareth]

Like I said in the other two threads, bumping this for additional critique while I work on unveiling the next race (Gnolls)!

[Cieyrin]

Hmm, the reverse to the Half-Orcs stat-wise and also rather interesting. Makes me think of Jak & Daxter's Keira, actually.

Spoiler

I approve and also look forward to Gnolls balanced with the other LA +0 races.

[Morph Bark]

Hey, someone else with steampunk elves! Nice to see, that. I especially like Apprenticeship Training and Scavenger's Knack, the former of which I've also used (well, a similar ability) for my own elves in a somewhat more advanced setting. I like the fluff.

[Knight13]

Makes me think of Jak & Daxter's Keira, actually.

Ditto, though I immediately pictured Jak myself.

Spoiler

[Mithosaurion]

These Elves intrigue me. Please continue your work.