Quote Originally Posted by Quertus View Post
OTOH, if classes are unlocked via some strange civilization skill and tech advancement tree, then they've just got their Humanoid HD... is Survival a Class Skill for a Humanoid HD? If not, then they can take at most 2.0 ranks, and 1/2 your population needs to be dedicated to foraging initially.
If classes aren’t a thing at simulation start, then I think Elves are the zerg-rushers. They start with longbow and shortbow proficiency before class levels or feats. Technically, they also get longsword and rapier proficiency, but good luck putting that to use before unlocking metalworking. Yeah, they take a Constitution penalty, but if enemies have to charge through arrow fire for a few hundred feet just to get close enough to attack and then are still stuck attacking at a -4 penalty because they haven’t gotten themselves any weapon proficiencies yet, it’ll be hard to capitalize on your lower HP. I guess a race with Darkvision could attack you on an overcast, moonless night? Eh, I guess you’ll just have to attack them before they get the chance.

There are also Elves without a Constitution penalty, but I think Jungle Elves might be the best rusher, even though they keep the Con penalty. You’d be stuck with a Shortbow, so -1 average damage compared to a longbow, but you’d have a handaxe. Ideally, your forces would kill any enemies before they got close, but since things don’t always go to plan, proficiency with a melee weapon is good to have as a backup. Jungle Halflings get all the same proficiencies, but I think we can all agree that halflings are lame.



Quote Originally Posted by Quertus View Post
I personally prefer the starting population to be based on CR (proportional to the square of CR, per Deity of Creation logic) rather than equal. It may seem to shoot my wererats in the paw, but I think an equal size “tribe of Dragons” (or “tribe of deities”! ) might be a little too OP.
Under that setup, Aquatic Elves seem primed to dominate the water. They’d outnumber Merfolk by 4 to 1, Locatha by 9 to 1, and Sahuagin by 16 to 1. Actually, wait, there are still Aventi, Shoal Halflings, Shalarin, River Spirit Folk, Sea Spirit Folk, a bunch of Unearthed Arcana races, and anyone with the Amphibious template. Hmm… well unlike most of them, Aquatic Elves can venture onto land to collect wood to make spears. So, I guess it’s Aventi, Shoal Halflings, Spirit Folk, and templated creatures that you still need to worry about. Still less of a battle royale than the land.