Dwarf
Type: Medium Humanoid (Dwarf)
Senses Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to CON, -2 to any one ability score. +2 to any other ability score.
Movement 20' (Not slowed when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load)
Special Abilities/Qualities:
+2 racial bonus on saving throws.
+4 bonus on skill checks dealing with stone or metal.
A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
Weapon familiarity: Any weapon with 'dwarven' in the name are martial weapons, not exotic for Dwarves.
Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Choose two from the list below:
Identify (Sp): As spell-like ability, at will, but only with weapons, armour and stone items. This ability takes 10 minutes to cast rather than 1 hour.
Spell Resistance (Su): 11+HD SR
Clad in Magic (Ex): Ignore 30% arcane spell failure and can make the somatic gestures needed for spells with a shield. [Encourages one handed weapons with shields rather than two handed weapons. Also as a personal preference I'd rather have a reduced (possibly to 0%) ASF than a negated one.]
Enduring like the Earth (Ex): Immune to Exhaustion, and has 50% chance to ignore Fatigue
Halfling
Type: Small Humanoid (Halfling)
Senses: Normal
Ability scores: +2 to DEX, -2 to STR. +2 to any ability score.
Movement 20'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
+1 (racial) to all Saving Throws
+2 (racial) to Climb and Move Silently, +4 (racial) to Jump
Three choices from:
Darkstalker: Can use the Hide and Move Silently skills against those with blindsense, blindsight, scent or tremorsense. Using Hide or Move Silently in this way takes a -5 penalty. Taking the feat removes the penalty.
Curious: Each spellcasting level that you choose spells you can learn one more spell of a level lower than the highest spell level you can cast (e.g. A Halfling Sorceror at level 10 can learn an extra 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th level spell, and Halfling Wizards automatically learn 3 spells per level). Wizards have a +3 bonus to learning spells from scrolls or spellbooks.
Nimble: Use Dex instead of Str for Climb, Jump and Swim.
Hide in Plain Sight: Only within crowds of more than 20 people.
Size Does Not Matter: Against any enemy larger than the Halfling, the Halfling can try and enter their space (provoking an AoO). When inside their space the Halfling gets a +4 bonus to trips against that enemy, +2d6 Sneak Attack, a +2 dodge bonus to AC against them and if anyone else is attacking them in melee the Halfling is considered to be flanking that enemy.
Type: Medium Humanoid (Elf)
Senses: Lowlight Vision
Ability scores: +2 to DEX, -2 to any one ability score. +2 to any other ability score.
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Immunity to sleep spells and effects
+2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
Weapon proficiencies: longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow.
Weapon familiarity: Greatbows, composite greatbows, and any weapon with 'elven' in the name are martial weapons, not exotic for Elves.
Choose two from the list below:
Ancient Arcana (Ex): Elven spellcasters get an extra spell slot of their second highest level.
Extreme Archery (Ex):Elves can make Sneak Attacks out to 60ft with a bow and Smite attacks with a bow within 60ft.
Speak With Animals (Sp): spell like ability, at will, but only with woodland animals and birds.
Daylight (Sp): As the spell, as a spell like ability, useable at will.
Type: Medium Humanoid (Elf)
Senses: Darkvision 120'
Ability scores: +2 to DEX, -2 to any one ability score. +2 to any other ability score.
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Light Blindness
Poison Use (Ex): You never risk accidentally poisoning yourself when applying poison to a blade and get a +3 saving bonus against poisons.
+2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A drow who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
Weapon Proficiency: A drow is automatically proficient with the hand crossbow, the rapier, the whip and the short sword.
Choose two from the list below:
Weapon familiarity: The Light Repeating Crossbow, Heavy Repeating Crossbow, and Spiked Chain are martial weapons, not exotic for Drow.
Pass without trace(Ex) (Ex): Self only, and limited to when underground.
Faerie Fire (Sp): As the spell, as a spell like ability, at will.
Darkness (Sp): As the spell, as a spell like ability, at will.
Spider Climb (Sp):As the spell, as a spell like ability, personal range only, at will.
Ambush (Ex):+2d6 Sneak Attack during the surprise round and can Smite Good with a ranged attack from within 60ft.
Speak with Animals (Sp): self only, limited to underground animals.
Type: Medium Humanoid (Orc)
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +4 to STR, -2 to any one ability score. +2 to any other ability score.
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Light Sensitivity
Powerful Build
+2 to saves against poisons and disease
Weapon familiarity: Any weapon with 'orc' in the name are martial weapons, not exotic for Orcs.
Choose two from the list below.
Rage (Ex): As the Barbarian of 1st level, or your Barbarian level if
that is higher, once every 5 minutes.
Natural Tracker (Ex) You gain Sent and the Track feat.
Pounce If you make a charge, it can follow with a full attack.
Gore You gain a Gore attack which does a base of 1d4 of piercing damage for a medium creature.
Blindsense You gain Blindsense with a range of 20'. At 5th level this improves to 30'. And at 10th level this improves to 60'.
Type Medium Humanoid (Human)
Senses: Standard
Ability scores: +2 to two different scores
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities: Choose three from the list below.
Bonus Skill Points: You gain one addition skill point per level, multiplied by four at 1st level as normal.
Bonus Ability Score: You gain a bonus to an ability score you do not have a racial bonus to.
Trapfinding: As a Rogue.
Lore: As the Bard ability Bardic Lore, based on character level and intelligence.
Retain spell: once per day you can retain a spell slot or prepared spell that you just used in casting a spell.
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Evil]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to two different scores, -2 to one other score.
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
Damage Reduction (Su): DR [Character level]/Good
Wings: You gain a pair of demonic wings and can glide, falling 5ft for every 10ft travelled. At 3rd level you can fly, with poor maneuverability, at your base speed for up to CON bonus or CHA bonus rounds in a row. At 5th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations. At 10th level your speed improves to twice your base speed.
Rage (Ex): As the Barbarian of 1st level, or your Barbarian level if that is higher, once every 5 minutes.
Smite Good (Su): As Blackguard of character level, once every 10 minutes. Uses agaisnt non-good targets does not count against uses of this ability.
Large Size You are large instead of medium size. You gain a +2 bonus to Strength.
Darkness (Sp): As the spell, as a spell-like ability, useable at will. Caster level is equal to character level.
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Good]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to WIS, +2 to CHA, +2 to any other ability score.
Movement 30'
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
Wings: You gain a pair of angelic wings and can glide, falling 5ft for every 10ft travelled. At 3rd level you can fly, with poor maneuverability, at your base speed for up to CON bonus or CHA bonus rounds in a row. At 5th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations. At 10th level speed improved to twice your base speed.
Smite Evil (Su): As Paladin of character level, once every 10 minutes. Uses agaisnt non-evil targets does not count against uses of this ability.
Large Size You are large instead of medium size. You gain a +2 bonus to Strength.
Daylight (Sp): As the spell, as a spell-like ability, useable at will. Caster level is equal to character level.
Healer: You add the Cure series of spells to the spell list of any spell lists you have.
Ghost Killer: You ignore the miss chance of attacking incorporeal creatures with spells and magic weapons.
I have found that race in DnD does not have enough impact on characters, particularly at high levels. So I was thinking increasing the power of races could help this. But at the same time, race selection should not limit a character's advancement in various different classes.
I did the Tiefling first. The abilities in the The Bastard of Erebus really got me going there (so the Tiefling has 106 abilities, while my Aasamar has 23 to choose from). I should probobly name and rewrite all of the ones from the Bastard of Erebus though.
So here is
The Tiefling:
Tiefling
Type: Outsider [Evil](Human)(Native)
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to two scores, one of which is not WIS, -2 to one score which is WIS or CHA.
Abilities/Qualities: Select four from the list presented for variant Tiefling abilities in Council of Thieves: The Bastard of Erebus. (This is a list of 99 variant tiefling abilites), two may instead be human abilities.
Add the additional options to ability selection:
101: Darkness, as a 1st level spell, as a spell-like ability once per encounter
102: Fiendish Sorcerer: arcane spellcasting, as well as all spell like abilities, treat your relevant casting attribute as it were two point higher than it actually is.
103: You are of Half-Elf heritage and gain the Elf subtype and access to the Elf paragon Alternatively You are of Drow heritage and have the Elf subtype and count as a Drow for any game effect that it would matter. You gain access to Drow and Elf paragon classes but loose access to human paragon classes. [Other options should be apparent...]
104: You deformities make you appear as a member of a specif race, and you gain on +10 disguise checks to pass as a member of that race.
105: Darkness, as a 0th level spell, as a spell-like ability, at will, though the duration of the previously cast one ends with each new casting.
Changes to Bastard of Erebus abilities:
1: Animate Dead, is once per day, and at Character level
3: Every time you are cut
4: Mage Hand: Is usable at will
5: Knowledge: Applies to all knowledge skills not one
11: Speedy: If unencumbered and wearing armor with no penalties to skills, your base speed is 50'
14: Speed: Your base speed is increased by 10'
22: Detect Evil: At will
39: Burst of Speed [Alt]: Once per encounter
40: Or feed 1d6 vampires
41: Spell Resistance 5
42: Raise Dead: Will revive you indefinite amount of times, and still works if you change to undead or a construct
50: Racial bonus to natural armor
54: May select DR/2 bludgeoning
56: Acid spit: Once per 1d4 rounds
62: Deathwatch at will
64: X-ray vision: may do it for CON rounds per day, then taking CON damage, need not be continuous. If you are immune to CON damage, you have limitless use of this ability.
69: Fog: once per 1d4 hours
71: Per corpse not per day
72: You can communicate with a range of 5' per point of charisma
73: At will
81: Rage: once per encounter
83: Every time exposed to at least one point of fire damage
89: Inflict light wounds: Once per encounter
97: CON or CHA rounds
The Aasimar:
Aasimar
Type: Outsider [Good](Human)(Native)
Senses: Darkvision
Ability scores: +2 to WIS, +2 to CHA, +2 to any ability score.
Abilities: Select four from the list, though up to two may instead be from the human ability list.
001: Str +2
002: Con +2
003: Dex +2
004: Int +2
005: Wis +2
006: Cha +2
007: Light, as a 1st level spell, once per encounter
008: Bless, once per encounter
009: Bless Weapon, once per encounter
010: Detect Undead, once per encounter
011: Detect Evil, once per encounter
012: Protection From Evil/Chaos, once per encounter
013: Sanctuary, once per encounter
014: Shield of Faith, once per encounter
015: Light, as a 0th level spell, at will, though which each casting the previous spell ends effect
016: You add the the cure series of spells, up to 3rd level, from the Necromancy(Healing) school(subschool), to the spell list for all spellcasting classes you have.
017: You get a +1 class bonus to all saves
018: Immune to fear
019: Any weapon you wield counts as good
020: You can see ethereal creatures
021: You ignore the miss chance of attacking incorporeal creatures with spells and magic weapons.
022: You gain a pair of angelic wings and can fly, with poor maneuverability, at your base speed for up to CON bonus or CHA bonus rounds in a row.
023: You may teleport a number of feet equal to 10 times you character level per day, as a move action. This move be done in 5' or larger units.
Human:
Type: Humanoid (Human)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30'
Senses: Normal
Ability scores: +2 to two scores
Abilities: Select Four from the list of abilities.
000 Bonus Skill Points: You gain 1 bonus skill point every level, this may be selected twice, its affects stacking.
001 Bonus Feat: You gain 1 bonus feat at 0th level, this may be selected twice.
002 Bonus Ability Score:
You gain a bonus to an ability score you do not have a racial bonus to. This may be selected four times.
003 Lore: Based on level and intelligence.
004 Trapfinding: As a Rogue.
005 Select one Skill Trick, can be selected any number of times.
006 Select one Racial Skill Bonus, can be selected any number of times, each for a different skill.
007 Retain spell: once per day you can retain a spell slot or prepared spell that you just used in casting a spell.