Powerful, Flexable Races

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fatmonkey13
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Powerful, Flexable Races

Post by fatmonkey13 »

Current State of Things as of Oct 24: GNOMES!!!

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:
Smite Giant (Su): As Paladin of character level, once every 10 minutes, but effecting creatures of the giant type rather than evil creatures. Uses agaisnt non-giant targets does not count against uses of this ability.
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:
Pass without Trace Self only and within urban environments.
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.
Elf
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:
Pass Without Trace (Ex): Self only and only within forests and woodland environments.
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.
Drow
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.
Spell Resistance (Su): You have spell resistance equal to your character level + 11. At 5th level this improves to character level + 12. At 10th level this improves to character level + 13.
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.
Orc
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.
Fast Healing 1
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'.
Human:
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 Feat: You gain 1 bonus feat
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.
Tiefling:
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
See in Darkness (Su): You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
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.
Aasimar:
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
Damage Reduction (Su): DR [Character level]/Evil
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.
Original
Hello. I have not posted here before, I did post at the WotC board in the past under this name.

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.
Last edited by fatmonkey13 on Sun Oct 24, 2010 5:05 pm, edited 10 times in total.
Username17
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Post by Username17 »

If you give everyone small selections from large lists of powers, the "race" of the character won't really matter at all. Every character will have individual powers unconnected to any other character in the same campaign of the same race. The net result would be that everyone is "Steve" and no one would care what race anyone is or was.

If you want Race to feel important you need to hand out important and invariant abilities. If all Drow have Deeper Darkness or something you actually care about, then you'll actually care that someone is a Drow. But if all Drow have a unique ability, then whether the abilities are powerful enough for you to care or not you still won't care that someone is specifically a Drow.

-Username17
schpeelah
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Post by schpeelah »

What he said. For instance, if everyone are basically free to pick whatever as their racial attribute bonuses, those aren't racial attribute bonuses, those are bonus stat points you forgot to add in the "generating attributes" section. Not that we need racial attribute modifiers.However, since those are so easy to pick on and I have the time:
101, Darkness: You'll need to define what "per encounter" is here (same for others). Well, you would, if it's duration wasn't 10 minutes per level, making it functionally no different from "at-will, can't cast it again for 1 minute if it gets dispelled".
102, Fiendish Sorcerer: This is too good since you already get +2 to two stats of choice for a total of +2 Con (it will be Con), +4 casting stat, effectively (you care about the latter only as far as casting is concerned)
103, Elf heritage: This is a minor change (unless you interpret the drow option as giving you drow racial stuff) as opposed to much more visible benefits such as those right above. Given I never understood why Tieflings are specifically human, I'd make it an universal option to choose to be treated as whatever humanoid race similar enough to humans (elf, orc) chosen at character creation for purposes of favoured enemies, activating magic items and so on.
104: I think what you should be going for here is "You have no deformities in places that are usually visible and thus appear as whatever race you are descended from (see above)". This is, again, a very minor minor benefit that will rarely be noticed.
105: Wait, how is that different from 101? You really think somebody dispelling your Darkness with Light will happen enough that those two need to be distinct abilities?

I know the below complaints should originally levelled at Paizo. However, since you are already changing those abilities and presenting the whole as your work, you are a valid target as well.
1: Holy shit this is overpowered.
3: Telling us what happens would be nice. Similar complaint applies to all others that you bring up but still require Bastard of Erebus to understand. I do not actually care enough to go steal one of Paizo's adventures.
11, 14 and I suspect 39: Kinda like 101 & 105, except you are encouraging blowing most of your racial ability slots on a single bigger ability (namely "a lot of speed") which is inferior design to letting choose 4 abilities that do different things.
40, 42, 64, 71, 72, 97: I really need to know what those do.

Aasimar
Ablity scores: see Fiendish Sorcerer.
01-06: Are you fucking kidding me? Even going beyond the brokenness of getting +6 Wis on what I assume is a +0 LA race (going by the power of racial qualities thus far), getting a +2 to an attribute is both better from an optimisation standpoint and more boring.
11: Tiefling gets that at-will, what gives?
07-15: You probably need to think a little harder about the relative usefullness of these spells. Hint: Protection form Evil > Bless.
17: Boring, minor.
19: Doubles 09.
22: Overpowered compared to the rest of the options.

Human
02: Probably nearly everyone will be taking this one twice, trust me on that.
03: What does that even do?
05: I'd like to remind you Skill Tricks were always supposed to be worth half a feat, though I don't know if they have even that.
07: OP compared to others. So, ever human takes two bonus feats, the ability increase and this one.
fatmonkey13
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

I should have put a note that the point of balance for the race would be +6 to highest mental stat. Hopefully LA + 2 humanoids could all fit in with that.

I see what you are saying about the attributes. I think that the Aasimar, Tiefling, and Human do suffer from this but the other races (except maybe elves, and half-elves) not as much.

The idea is that everyone gets access to different lists so there are unique powers to each race, some more fluid than others. Race is more important to that character. I can do Y because I am a X, but just because someone is an X does not mean that they can do Y. Think of it as I can cast Fireball because I am a Wizard, but not all Wizards can cast Fireball; they have a list of options to choose from; and not everyone has all of the same lists.
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Post by Judging__Eagle »

That's like saying that not all Frost Giants are cold subtyped.

At that point they're not Frost Giants.

Having non-numeric bonuses; or abilities like "can eat leaves and not starve" hard-coded into a species; will do more to help distinquish one species from an other.

If not you're basically playing a lulrandum game of Star Trek; and any forehead alien will have whatever things their player wanted, even if they don't fit the norm of their species.

=====
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.
Of course not. That's the fucking point. You are not distinguished from other by your species. You are distinguished by your abilities more than you are by your form if you are a D&D adventurer.

If you want a character who is disntinquighable because of their form, you need to use classes that affect the form of the character. Granting them wings, or lazer eyes, or muscles of actual admantine, or murderous dreadlocks.

At higher levels, things like a Frost Giant, or an Oysluth, are what distinguish a creature's "form" and "Species" from other creatures. Since they are operating at a higher than Human tier, and relying on their "untrained" abilities.
Last edited by Judging__Eagle on Tue Oct 19, 2010 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Kaelik
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Post by Kaelik »

fatmonkey13 wrote:The idea is that everyone gets access to different lists so there are unique powers to each race, some more fluid than others. Race is more important to that character. I can do Y because I am a X, but just because someone is an X does not mean that they can do Y. Think of it as I can cast Fireball because I am a Wizard, but not all Wizards can cast Fireball; they have a list of options to choose from; and not everyone has all of the same lists.
The problem is that you have a list of over 100 abilities, and you choose maybe 3 of them.

I can create 33 individuals of the same species with absolutely no overlap of abilities at all. If even a single "Tiefling" ability is similar in effect to a single "Elf" ability, and out of over 100 abilities, that's pretty much guaranteed, then the "difference" between one race and another is even farther defined as having two abilities in overlap, in which case I can make hundreds of Tieflings before any single one of them is closer to any other one than they all are to an elf.

It's not like a Wizard, where some Wizards can cast fireball, and others can't. It's like a Wizard in which every single Wizard gets one spell ever determined randomly out of hundreds of spells, and then they run into another Wizard who has literally nothing in common with them, but then they run into a Sorcerer who is identical to them.

Like Frank said. If you run into a Tiefling and you say "Well, he could have any 3 of over 100 abilities, and we don't know which three." Then it's fucking pointless.
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fatmonkey13
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

I can make hundreds of Tieflings before any single one of them is closer to any other one than they all are to an elf.
For the Tiefling, I do not think that is a problem. A Tiefling is a mixture of one of more evil outsiders, and more than one humanoid. I think that maybe the Tiefling was a bad representative of what I wanted to do.

Anyway version 2. Now not tied to the pathfinder adventure.

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 list
01: Detect Evil (Sp): As the spell as a spell-like, useable at will.
02: Detect Good (Sp): As the spell as a spell-like, useable at will.
03: Unholy Favor (Su): You gain a +3 luck bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls when attacking good outsiders.
04: Deathwatch (Su): As the spell, as a continuous supernatural ability.
05: Darkness (Sp): As the spell, but with a duration of 1 round per character level, and with an effective spell level of 0, as a spell-like ability, usable at will but with each use ending the duration of the previous use, if it is still in effect.
06: Undead Servant (Sp): You may animate one medium humanoid skeleton, as a spell-like ability, as per Animate Dead. Should the skeleton be destroyed, in 24 hours you gain the ability to animate a new one.
07: Raised As Dead: Should Animate Dead be cast on your corpse it effects instead as though Raise Dead were cast on it.
08: Fiendish Lore (Ex): If you ever need to make a knowledge check relating to an evil aligned plane, evil outsiders, an evil spell, evil magical item, or something equivalent, you may instead make a Fiendish Lore check. Your modifier on this check is your character level, plus your intelligence bonus, plus 5.
09: Forbidden Lore (Ex): If you ever need to make a knowledge check relating to undead, necromancy spells, gods of undead or death, funerary rituals, or something equivalent, you may instead make a Forbidden Lore check. Your modifier on this check is your character level, plus your intelligence bonus, plus 5.
10: All Round Vision (Ex): Like the ability of a Xorn, though not necessarily due to symmetrical eye placement
11: Levitate (Sp): As per the spell, as a spell-like ability, personal range only, and only while carrying a load no greater than light.
12: Strong: +2 STR
13: Dexterous: +2 DEX
14: Great Constitution: +2 CON
15: Intelligent: +2 INT
16: Charismatic: +2 CHA
17: Wise: +2 WIS
18: Breathless (Ex): You need not breathe at all.
19: Semi-Aquatic (Ex): You gain a swim speed equal to your base land speed.
20: Ash Eater (Ex): You need not consume more than dust to get sufficient nourishment.
21: Dry Mouth (Ex): You need not consume any liquids to get sufficient hydration.
22: Fiendish Sorcery (Ex): arcane spellcasting, as well as all spell like abilities, treat your relevant casting attribute as it were two point higher than it actually is.
23: Passing: You physically look like a member of another race, and based on visual examination can pass as a member of that race without any chance of failure. Against a more rigorous examination, you receive a +10 disguise bonus.
24: Prime Heritage: You are part something other than human and fiend, as such you gain an additional humanoid subtype, count as a member of that subtype of the purpose of game effects, and qualify as a member of that race for access to feats, prestige classes, and paragon classes. This may be selected multiple times for highly varied heritages.
25: Large Size: You are larger than normal, standing over 8' tall. Increase your size category to large but do not adjust your ability scores.
26: Small Size: You are smaller than normal, standing 4' tall or under. Decrease your size category to small but do not adjust your ability scores.
27: Claws: Your hands end in strong, long, sharp nails and can be used like claws. When using your hands as claws you gain two claw attacks which do 1d4 slashing damage for a medium creature.
28: Biter: You have sharp teeth, a power jaw, and the will to use them. You gain a bite attack which does 1d4 damage for a medium creature.
29: Spider Climb (Su): You can climb like you are under the effects of a Spider Climb spell.
30: Lithe Runner (Ex): While carrying a load no greater than light, and wearing armor with no check penalty, increase your base speed 20'.
31: Burst of Speed (Ex): Once per 10 minuets, as a swift action, you may increase your base speed by 60'.
32: Undetectable Alignment (Ex): No effect, magical or otherwise can detect your alignment.
33: Flaming Body (Su): Anyone grappling you takes 1d6 points of fire damage each round.
34: Cause Fear (Sp): As per the spell, as a spell-like ability, usable at will.
35: Fog Cloud (Sp): As the spell, but with a duration of 1 round per character level, as a spell-like ability, usable at will but with each use ending the duration of the previous use, if it is still in effect.
36: Telepathy (Su): 10' range per point of Charisma. Useable only with Evil creature and/or creature that speak one of the following languages: Abyssal, Infernal
37: Commune (Sp): As the spell, as a spell-like ability useable once per week. Rather than ask your god or agents of you call upon the knowledge of the fiends you are related to.
38: See in Darkness (Su): You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
39: Oversized Weapons (Ex): You may use weapons for creatures one size category larger than you actually are without penalty.
40: Blindsense (Ex): You gain the Blindsense ability with a 30' range
41: Poison Resistance (Ex): You receive a +5 bonus on saves against poison.
42: See Invisibility (Sp): As per the spell except with a duration of concentration up to 1 minute/level, as a spell-like ability usable at will.
43: X-Ray Vision (Sp): You have the ability to see into and through solid matter. Vision range is 20 feet, with the viewer seeing as if he were looking at something in normal light even if there is no illumination. X-ray vision can penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or up to 3 feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances or a thin sheet of lead blocks the vision. Otherwise this is as the spell Detect Undead. Each use of this ability causes you one point of constitution damage.
44: Fearmonger (Ex): You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls against shaken, frightened, or panicked creatures
45: Madness (Su): Anyone targeting a you with thought detection, or telepathy makes direct contact with your mind and takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage.
46: Demonic Heritage: You gain a subtype of a demon, as well as the chaotic subtype. The following are valid options:, Tanar’ri, Obyrith, Loumara, none. This does not grant any other abilities.
47: Spell Resistance: You gain spell resistance equal to your character level plus 3.
48: Damage Reduction: You gain damage reduction DR (character level) / Silver, or Good aligned, weapons
49: Acid Breath (Su): You gain a breath weapon, usable every 1d4 rSunds, which deals 1d6 acid damage per two character levels (minimum 1d6), in a cone out to your standard reach (5' for medium and small, 10' for large). A successful reflex save halves damage, the save is constitution based.
50: Smells Good (Ex): You gain the Sent ability but only usable against good creatures. Effects that hide alignment hide the “sent of goodness”.
51: Blood Frenzy (Ex): If you take damage in one round of combat you have the option of entering a blood frenzy. While in a Blood Frenzy you gain a +1 bonus to melee attack and melee damage rolls, but take a -2 penalty to Armor class. You may not end a blood frenzy early, the effect ends only should no enemies be detectable.
52: Mock Divinity (Ex): You may use your Charisma score instead of your Wisdom score for the purpose of divine spellcasting.
53: Confuse Alignments (Ex): Good magic items and spells with the good descriptor treat you as though you were good
54: Stinger: You gain a natural attack which deals 1 point piercing damage, and delivers a poison. Fortitude save DC: 10 + ½ your character level + your constitution bonus. Initial and secondary damage 1 point of constitution damage.
55: Regeneration (Su): You gain regeneration 0, with critical hits, silver weapons, holy or blessed weapons, good spells, and good effects bypassing your regeneration. Should you gain immunity to non-lethal damage, non-lethal damage from this ability bypasses any such immunity.
56: Wings (Ex): You have a pair of wings which allow flight at your base land speed with clumsy maneuverability. You may stay aloft for only 1 + constitution bonus rounds before having to rest for at least as long.
57: Devilish Heritage: You gain the lawful subtype as well as the subtype of a devil the following available options: Baatezu, none. This does not grant any other abilities.
58: Yugoloth Heritage: You gain the Yugoloth subtype. This does not grant any other abilities.
59: Produce Flame (Sp): As per the spell, as a spell-like ability, usable at will.
60: Demodand Heriatge: You are considered Demodand for the purpose of all spells and effects.
61: Styx and Stones (Ex): You are immune to all negative effects of the river Styx.
Last edited by fatmonkey13 on Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by ubernoob »

Frank is still right. Having +2 dex or whatever is something a player will never know if he sees an enemy. Every single ability should be something that other characters will interact with. This means that large size, detect evil, etc are alright, but stat boosts are absolutely not.

Furthermore, detect evil at will is nowhere close to balanced with large size or any of the subtypes. These abilities are wildly out of line with each other.

Tighten the list to five abilities with pick two options. Make every ability interact with the gameworld. Stop giving stat bonuses at all (or make ALL stat bonuses the same +2 to a stat no matter your race).
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

Hmm...

Well here is revision 3.
I can make hundreds of Tieflings before any single one of them is closer to any other one than they all are to an elf.
For the Tiefling, I do not think that is a problem. A Tiefling is a mixture of one of more evil outsiders, and more than one humanoid. I think that maybe the Tiefling was a bad representative of what I wanted to do.

Anyway version 2. Now not tied to the pathfinder adventure.

Tiefling:
Type: Outsider (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:
Fiend Heritage: Select One of the following
Devil: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][lawful].
Demon: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][chaotic].
Fiend: You gain the following subtype: [evil].
Baatezu: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][lawful][baatezu]. Demodand: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][demodand].
Yugoloth: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][yugoloth].
Tanar’ri: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][chaotic][tanar’ri].
Obyrith: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][chaotic][obyrith].
Loumara: You gain the following subtypes: [evil][chaotic][loumara].
Rakshasa:
Other:
Prime Heritage: Select One of the following:
Human: You gain the following subtype: [human].
Elf: You gain the following subtype: [elf].
Half-Elf: You gain the following subtypes: [elf][human]
Dwarf: You gain the following subtype: [dwarf]
Half-Orc: You gain the following subtype: [human][orc]
Gnome: You gain the following subtype:[gnome]
Halfling: You gain the following subtype:[halfling]
Size: Select one of Small, Medium, or Large. Do not adjust you abilty scores due to size.

Other Abilities: Select four from list
01: Detect Good (Sp): As the spell as a spell-like, useable at will.
02: Deathwatch (Su): As the spell, as a continuous supernatural ability.
03: Darkness (Sp): As the spell, but with a duration of 1 round per character level, and with an effective spell level of 0, as a spell-like ability, usable at will but with each use ending the duration of the previous use, if it is still in effect.
04: Raised As Dead: Should Animate Dead be cast on your corpse it effects instead as though Raise Dead were cast on it.
05: All Round Vision (Ex): Like the ability of a Xorn, though not necessarily due to symmetrical eye placement
06: Levitate (Sp): As per the spell, as a spell-like ability, personal range only, and only while carrying a load no greater than light.
07: Breathless (Ex): You need not breathe at all.
08: Ash Eater (Ex): You need not consume more than dust to get sufficient nourishment. You need not consume any liquids to get sufficient hydration.
09: Fiendish Sorcery (Ex): arcane spellcasting, as well as all spell like abilities, treat your relevant casting attribute as it were two point higher than it actually is.
10: Passing: You physically look like a member of another race, and based on visual examination can pass as a member of that race without any chance of failure. Against a more rigorous examination, you receive a +10 disguise bonus.
11: Claws: Your hands end in strong, long, sharp nails and can be used like claws. When using your hands as claws you gain two claw attacks which do 1d4 slashing damage for a medium creature.
12: Biter: You have sharp teeth, a power jaw, and the will to use them. You gain a bite attack which does 1d4 damage for a medium creature.
13: Spider Climb (Su): You can climb like you are under the effects of a Spider Climb spell.
14: Lithe Runner (Ex): While carrying a load no greater than light, and wearing armor with no check penalty, increase your base speed 20'.
15: Burst of Speed (Ex): Once per 10 minuets, as a swift action, you may increase your base speed by 60'.
16: Undetectable Alignment (Ex): No effect, magical or otherwise can detect your alignment.
17: Flaming Body (Su): Anyone grappling you takes 1d6 points of fire damage each round.
18: Cause Fear (Sp): As per the spell, as a spell-like ability, usable at will.
19: Fog Cloud (Sp): As the spell, but with a duration of 1 round per character level, as a spell-like ability, usable at will but with each use ending the duration of the previous use, if it is still in effect.
20: Telepathy (Su): 10' range per point of Charisma. Useable only with Evil creature and/or creature that speak one of the following languages: Abyssal, Infernal
21: See in Darkness (Su): You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
22: Oversized Weapons (Ex): You may use weapons for creatures one size category larger than you actually are without penalty.
23: Poison Resistance (Ex): You receive a +5 bonus on saves against poison.
24: X-Ray Vision (Sp): You have the ability to see into and through solid matter. Vision range is 20 feet, with the viewer seeing as if he were looking at something in normal light even if there is no illumination. X-ray vision can penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or up to 3 feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances or a thin sheet of lead blocks the vision. Otherwise this is as the spell Detect Undead. Each use of this ability causes you one point of constitution damage.
25: Fearmonger (Ex): You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls against shaken, frightened, or panicked creatures
26: Madness (Su): Anyone targeting a you with thought detection, or telepathy makes direct contact with your mind and takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage.
27: Acid Breath (Su): You gain a breath weapon, usable every 1d4 rSunds, which deals 1d6 acid damage per two character levels (minimum 1d6), in a cone out to your standard reach (5' for medium and small, 10' for large). A successful reflex save halves damage, the save is constitution based.
28: Smells Good (Ex): You gain the Sent ability but only usable against good creatures. Effects that hide alignment hide the “sent of goodness”.
29: Confuse Alignments (Ex): Good magic items and spells with the good descriptor treat you as though you were good
30: Stinger: You gain a natural attack which deals 1 point piercing damage, and delivers a poison. Fortitude save DC: 10 + ½ your character level + your constitution bonus. Initial and secondary damage 1 point of constitution damage.
31: Wings (Ex): You have a pair of wings which allow flight at your base land speed with clumsy maneuverability. You may stay aloft for only 1 + constitution bonus rounds before having to rest for at least as long.
32: Styx Bred (Ex): You are immune to all negative effects of the river Styx. You gain a swim speed equal to your base land speed.
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Post by Parthenon »

You are not listening. To anyone. If you ask for advice and five out of five people say that there are too many abilities and that the race should mean something by sharing unique abilities and not just ability mods, then cutting it down to 32 is still not good enough.

And you are making it way too complex. Noone gives a fuck whether that specific Tiefling is from a Devil or Demon. Or for the most part whether from a human, elf or sentient worm. And the abilities are still pretty shit- who cares about Styx? Oversized weapons is like adding 1 point of damage and is pretty meh. Fearmonger is too situational and shitty. Passing is like having a Hat of Disguise. It goes on...

Try reducing the number of abilities to a manageable amount. Like down to 6. Then have the race always grant 2 interesting abilities and be able to choose another 2 from the list of 6. If you are really obsessed with having something from their heritage, allow them to use one of their two optional choices on either their demonic heritage or material plane heritage.

That way you are still flexible and any two Tieflings will have actual similarities, unlike this where the only real mechanical difference between a Tiefling and an Aasimar is that one has an [Evil] tag and one has a [Good] tag.

Something like:
Tiefling:
Type: Outsider (native)(evil)
Senses: Darkvision 60ft
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 to either Int, Wis or Cha, -2 to either Int, Wis or Cha.
Abilities/Qualities:
[*]Darkness as a Spell-Like Ability at will. CL = HD
[*]Something like can ignore side effects of other planes for 1 hour per hitdice (e.g. won't die/explode in negative/positive plane etc).

Choose two from the list below:
  • Damage Reduction: hitdice / Good (DR 1/Good at 1st, DR 5/Good at 5th etc)
  • Add all Inflict spells to any spell lists you have. You don't need a spellbook to prepare them.
  • You gain a pair of demonic wings and can glide, falling 5ft for every 10ft travelled. At 5th level you can fly, with poor maneuverability, at your base speed for up to CON bonus or CHA bonus rounds in a row. At 10th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations.
  • Rage 1/Encounter
  • Smite Good, as Blackguard, but extra damage = HD and does not use up attempt if not Good. Twice per day, increasing to 4 per day at 5th level and 6 per day at 10th level.
  • +1d6 Sneak attack, and can Sneak Attack any Good aligned creatures you would normally be unable to Sneak Attack.
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

Well how about this?

Human:
Type Medium Humanoid (Human)
Senses: Standard
Ability scores: +2 to two scores
Special Abilities/Qualities: Choose three from the list below.
Bonus Feat: You gain 1 bonus feat
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.
Tiefling:
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Evil]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to two scores, -2 to one score which is WIS or CHA.
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
See in Darkness (Su): You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
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 6th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations.
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.
Sneak Attack (Ex): You gain 1d6 sneak attack damage and may sneak attack good creatures that are otherwise immune to sneak attack.
Fiendish Sorcery (Ex): arcane spellcasting, as well as all spell like abilities, treat your relevant casting attribute as it were two point higher than it actually is.
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.
Aasimar:
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Good]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to WIS, +2 to CHA, +2 to any ability score.
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
Damage Reduction (Su): DR [Character level]/Evil
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 6th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations.
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.
Last edited by fatmonkey13 on Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by CatharzGodfoot »

Why the winnowing of abilities from tiefling version 2 to 3?

Also, Fiendish Sorcery isn't an ability, it's a bullshit powerup ('+4 to my casting stat from race? Don't mind if I do!). And telepathy would be a lot more straightforward as 'telepathy 100'; must communicate in infernal or abyssal'.
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Post by ubernoob »

Get rid of Fiendish Sorcery, Sneak Attack, and don't put restrictions on the attribute bonuses. Just give every single race Pick two to get +2 in. It's not even a big deal for tieflings to not get a penalty to charisma.
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

Why the winnowing of abilities from tiefling version 2 to 3?
Most seemed to not like the idea of lots of abilities and said I should focus on a smaller list of abilities.

Fiendish Sorcery is pretty much that. Is +4 vs +2 that big of an issue? The Aasimar can get +4 Wis, and the human can get +2 w/ Retain spell.
Last edited by fatmonkey13 on Wed Oct 20, 2010 3:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by ubernoob »

fatmonkey13 wrote:Most seemed to not like the idea of lots of abilities and said I should focus on a smaller list of abilities.

Fiendish Sorcery is pretty much that. Is +4 vs +2 that big of an issue? The Aasimar can get +4 Wis, and the human can get +2 w/ Retain spell.
The Aasimar should not be able to get +4. There is a problem when every cleric ever is an aasimar.
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Post by CatharzGodfoot »

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that hunters of evil are encouraged to be tieflings (for DR/Good) rather than aasimar?
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Post by Blicero »

CatharzGodfoot wrote:Am I the only one who finds it ironic that hunters of evil are encouraged to be tieflings (for DR/Good) rather than aasimar?
Not at all. It's very much a "fight fire with fire" sorta situation.
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

ubernoob wrote:The Aasimar should not be able to get +4. There is a problem when every cleric ever is an aasimar.
Now both the Tiefling and Aasimar can get +4 to thier casting stat. The question is +2 and Retain spell about equal +4?
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Post by ubernoob »

fatmonkey13 wrote:
ubernoob wrote:The Aasimar should not be able to get +4. There is a problem when every cleric ever is an aasimar.
Now both the Tiefling and Aasimar can get +4 to thier casting stat. The question is +2 and Retain spell about equal +4?
Retain spell is an actual ability. It has zero relevance to a discussion of stat inflation. So, retain spell and +2 is equal to a racial ability and +2.
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

Well than, I guess that this is the current shape of things (mental +2 max)

Human:
Type Medium Humanoid (Human)
Senses: Standard
Ability scores: +2 to any two ability scores
Special Abilities/Qualities: Choose four from the list below.
Bonus Feat: You gain 1 bonus feat, this may be selected up to two times.
Bonus Skill Points: You gain one addition skill point per level, multiplied by four at 1st level as normal. This may be selected up to two times.
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.
Tiefling:
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Evil]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to any two ability scores, -2 to one ability score.
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
See in Darkness (Su): You can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
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 6th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations.
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.
Aasimar:
Type: Medium Outsider (Native)[Good]
Senses: Darkvision 60'
Ability scores: +2 to WIS, +2 to CHA, +2 to any other ability score.
Special Abilities/Qualities:
Resistance 5 to three elemental damage types.
Select three from list
Damage Reduction (Su): DR [Character level]/Evil
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 6th level this changes to flight at Good maneuverability with no limitations.
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.
Drow, keep as is in 3.5e MM and SRD but w/ LA +0
Githyanki, keep as is in 3.5e MM but w/ LA +0
Githzerai, keep as is in 3.5e MM but w/ LA +0

What to do for PHB races to make them more equal w/ LA+2 and LA+1 races?
Last edited by fatmonkey13 on Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Blicero »

Are you assuming the 3.5 PHB rage for tieflings or the Tome version? Because Tome lasts for essentially one encounter, which sorta makes the "once every five minutes" restriction pretty much meaningless.

It seems like it would be a lot easier just to make the smites 1/encounter as well. I'm really not a big fan of arbitrary use limits for things like this.
Last edited by Blicero on Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Kaelik »

Blicero wrote:Are you assuming the 3.5 PHB rage for tieflings or the Tome version? Because Tome lasts for essentially one encounter, which sorta makes the "once every five minutes" restriction pretty much meaningless.

It seems like it would be a lot easier just to make the smites 1/encounter as well. I'm really not a big fan of arbitrary use limits for things like this.
Um... 1/encounter is actually arbitrary.

1 per 10 minutes (or at least, must wait ten minutes between each smite) is a real time limit, and thus, not as arbitrary.

Can people stop thinking that "1/encounter" is a real thing? It's fucking meaningless garbage wording that actually makes playing the class impossible, and is probably itself about 1/3rd the reason the factotum is a shit class.

Must wait five minutes after rage ends to enter second rage is elevendy billion percent better than 1/encounter.
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Post by fatmonkey13 »

Blicero wrote:Are you assuming the 3.5 PHB rage for tieflings or the Tome version? Because Tome lasts for essentially one encounter, which sorta makes the "once every five minutes" restriction pretty much meaningless.
In the games I paly I have not seen a BHP barb need more than one range in any encounter, so even there it is pretty much not a limitation. The limitation is that rage has limitations, and the character is not built around the mechanic. I have not seen a tome barbarian in play but I doubt he would be less effective.
Blicero wrote: It seems like it would be a lot easier just to make the smites 1/encounter as well. I'm really not a big fan of arbitrary use limits for things like this.
1/encounter is once per 5 or 10 min. just more explicit so that people who do not like the x/encounter know what it is, and those who like x/encounter do not need to go looking up what that actaully means.

Now what options do I give the orc so that he is attractive when you can be Drow, Githyanki, Githzera, Aasimar, Tiefling, or my new Human?
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Post by CatharzGodfoot »

Orc options could include large size, blindsense or scent+track, rage, natural armor, natural attack (gore), pounce, and possibly free Survival ranks.


[Edit] The Tome barbarian's rage is usable as an immediate action when you take or deal damage, and lasts until you haven't taken or dealt damage for three rounds, or take a full-round action to end it. Hence 'essentially 1/encounter' if you put a 1/10 minutes limit on it.
Last edited by CatharzGodfoot on Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Parthenon »

I suggested the Wings grant actual flight at level 5 because thats when the spell Fly kicks in and unlimited flight at 10th because thats around where Overland Flight happens. Whats your reasoning behind flight at 3rd and unlimited flight at 6th?

Other thoughts are that I don't personally like the Large size for Aasimar or Tiefling, and I still think you should have one more definite ability and one less choice, but whatever.

But why does the Tiefling get +4 and -2 while the Aasimar gets +6 overall? I'd change the Aasimar to have +4 and -2 as well.

For the Orc, I'd go with:
+4 Str, +2 choice, -2 choice.
Light Sensitivity, Darkvision 60ft, Powerful Build and +2 with saves against poisons and diseases.
Two choices from:
[*]Rage as Barb at will. You can never be immune to Fatigue or Exhaustion.
[*]Immunity to being Nauseated (anything that would make you Nauseated makes you Sickened).
[*]Fast Healing 1
[*]+2 Natural Armour, increasing to +4 at level 7.
[*]Scent within 30ft.
Fast Healing 1 is possibly better than any of the others, but whatever. I can't think of any thematic abilities that would help spellcasting. Rage at will should be fine because if you use rage you... become fatigued which takes 8 hours of rest to wear off...

I ... had never noticed that. If you continue dungeoneering after a fight and rage again you become exhausted... Wow, Barbarians are shit- they automatically have a 5+Con round workday. Unless the SRD is wrong (it probably is). Possibly change it to at will but if you use it again within 5 minutes you become fatigued and if again while fatigued you become wearied and if again before being rested you become exhausted. (yes, I did just make up a status condition)

And change it so fatigue takes 20 minutes of rest while wearied takes 1-2 hours of rest and exhausted takes 8 hours of rest.

Halfling:
+2 Dex, -2 Str, +2 Choice (including Dex and Str)
Small size, 20ft movement.
+1 (racial) to all Saving Throws
+2 (racial) to Climb and Move Silently, +4 (racial) to Jump
Two (maybe three) choices from:
[*]Pass without Trace, but self only and within urban environments.
[*]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.
[*]Use Dex instead of Str for Climb, Jump and Swim.
[*]Hide in Plain Sight, but only within large crowds of more than 20 people.
[*]Right in the 'nads: 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.
Dex replacing Str is pretty shitty in comparison to an extra spell choice per level for a Sorceror, but I can't think of much else right now. One might be too good and the other too bad.

Elf
+2 Dex, +2 choice, -2 choice
Immunity to sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
Low Light Vision
+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.
Two Choices from:
[*]Pass Without Trace, but self only and within forests and woodland environments.
[*]Ancient Arcana: Elven spellcasters get an extra spell slot of their second highest level.
[*]XXXtreme Archery: can make Sneak Attacks out to 60ft with a bow and Smite attacks with a bow within 60ft.
[*]Speak With Animals: spell like ability, at will, but only with woodland animals and birds.
[*]Natural bond any animal companion is treated as 3 levels higher.
Ancient Arcana is probably too good, and speak with animals too bad.
Last edited by Parthenon on Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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