Zeful
2006-03-23, 12:23 AM
I have been kncoking around a few ideas in my head they are the Quasi-dead, and Halflings. The halflings are from a book that I can't find right now and do not replace the ones in the phb, I'm just using the books orginal name for them. Now for the new races.
Quasi-Dead
Quasi-dead are the twisted experiment of Xeikor (deity in a homebrew campaign). Cursed with half life and shriveled limbs they are generally feared by the other races. Most are slaves now, their race driven to madness and causing the War of the Tree, in which they nearly drove the human race to extinction.
Physical Description: Quasi-dead have varying appearances as they were created from all the races, save for pale, almost, ashen skin and some shriveled limbs. This race has one gender even though they not look it. Once every year a Quasi-Dead goes through a process of renewal. During this time a Quasi-dead sheds all organic tissue so it may be replaced by new tissue. It is incredibly painful and the being usually screams until the tongue falls out. Quasi-dead are spawned when ever a Cleric of Xeikor with the Death domain uses the death touch granted ability.
Relations: Quasi-dead are despised by most of the races causing their enslavement to this day.
Alignment: Quasi-dead can be of any alignment. Good Quasi-dead are marked by their more lively faces, and the desire to rid themselves of their curse. Evil Quasi-dead are marked by their desire to finish what was started in the War of the Tree. They also look more like traditional undead giving them a fiendish look.
Lands: There are no Quasi-dead lands known. There are rumors of small colonies far away past the waters of the sea.
Religion: Most Quasi-dead refuse to worship their creator and instead worship any god that would help get them out of this limbo they so mockingly call life.
Language: Quasi-dead have any languages they possessed in true life.
Names: What ever name is appropriate.
Adventurers: Quasi-dead adventurers are generally escaped slaves
Quasi-Dead Racial Traits:
+2 Constitution -2 Dexterity -2 Charisma; Quasi-dead are tough, but are slow and not very forceful in there presence.
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Quasi-dead have no special bonuses or penalties due to there size.
Undead type
Quasi-dead base speed is 20ft
Unlike other intelligent undead, Quasi-dead have a Constitution score.
Unlike other undead, Quasi-dead need to eat, sleep, and breathe.
Immunity to mind-effecting effects
Quasi-dead cannot be turned by a cleric (or high level Paladin) with the same alignment on the good-evil axis. They also receive turn resistance equal to 2+half their character level.
Quasi-dead have an interesting effect toward positive and negative energies based upon their alignment. Good quasi-dead are healed by positive energy and harmed by negative energy. Evil quasi-dead are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. Neutral quasi-dead choose which energy they are harmed and healed by. Quasi-dead that worship a neutral deity (or are neutral themselves worshiping an good or evil god) are considered clerics. Their harmed/healed is aligned by how the gods arbitrate turning undead.
When a quasi-dead reaches maximum age, the tissue regrowth actually regenerates the original body. The quasi-dead changes back into the race that he was when he became a quasi-dead at the age that it was when the change occurs.
Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic) Quasi-dead generally are travel a lot so they must know many languages
Favored Class: Any
Halflings
Beings born of fire and shadow. They are indistinguishable from normal humans. Most halflings don’t even realize what they are. The ones that do, however, are very powerful. All halflings feel the inherent pull toward magic. Those that heed the call eventually learn of their creation. The only difference between halflings and humans is that halflings live for a long time
Halflings being so similar to humans share cultural identity
Halfling Racial Traits
+2 Charisma -1 Strength: Halflings are notoriously force full in their dealings with other races. They are, however, not as strong as humans
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Halflings have no special bonuses or penalties due to there size.
Outsider (Native, Fire) type.
Halfling base speed 30
The fire subtype gives fire resistance 15
Low-light vision: Halflings can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions
Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic.) Halflings have as broad and versatile experience as humans
Halflings with an charisma of 10 or higher can cast Flame Burst (an Acid splash that deals fire damage) and Silent Image once each day. Silent Image can only create shadows. These are arcane spells, and as such the halfling suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the halfling as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects depending on level (range and duration for silent image.) See the spell descriptions for details.
Favored class: Sorcerer. A multi-classing halfling’s sorcerer levels does not count for determining whether he suffers an XP penalty.
What do you guys think? What could be improved? Are they even balanced?
Quasi-Dead
Quasi-dead are the twisted experiment of Xeikor (deity in a homebrew campaign). Cursed with half life and shriveled limbs they are generally feared by the other races. Most are slaves now, their race driven to madness and causing the War of the Tree, in which they nearly drove the human race to extinction.
Physical Description: Quasi-dead have varying appearances as they were created from all the races, save for pale, almost, ashen skin and some shriveled limbs. This race has one gender even though they not look it. Once every year a Quasi-Dead goes through a process of renewal. During this time a Quasi-dead sheds all organic tissue so it may be replaced by new tissue. It is incredibly painful and the being usually screams until the tongue falls out. Quasi-dead are spawned when ever a Cleric of Xeikor with the Death domain uses the death touch granted ability.
Relations: Quasi-dead are despised by most of the races causing their enslavement to this day.
Alignment: Quasi-dead can be of any alignment. Good Quasi-dead are marked by their more lively faces, and the desire to rid themselves of their curse. Evil Quasi-dead are marked by their desire to finish what was started in the War of the Tree. They also look more like traditional undead giving them a fiendish look.
Lands: There are no Quasi-dead lands known. There are rumors of small colonies far away past the waters of the sea.
Religion: Most Quasi-dead refuse to worship their creator and instead worship any god that would help get them out of this limbo they so mockingly call life.
Language: Quasi-dead have any languages they possessed in true life.
Names: What ever name is appropriate.
Adventurers: Quasi-dead adventurers are generally escaped slaves
Quasi-Dead Racial Traits:
+2 Constitution -2 Dexterity -2 Charisma; Quasi-dead are tough, but are slow and not very forceful in there presence.
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Quasi-dead have no special bonuses or penalties due to there size.
Undead type
Quasi-dead base speed is 20ft
Unlike other intelligent undead, Quasi-dead have a Constitution score.
Unlike other undead, Quasi-dead need to eat, sleep, and breathe.
Immunity to mind-effecting effects
Quasi-dead cannot be turned by a cleric (or high level Paladin) with the same alignment on the good-evil axis. They also receive turn resistance equal to 2+half their character level.
Quasi-dead have an interesting effect toward positive and negative energies based upon their alignment. Good quasi-dead are healed by positive energy and harmed by negative energy. Evil quasi-dead are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. Neutral quasi-dead choose which energy they are harmed and healed by. Quasi-dead that worship a neutral deity (or are neutral themselves worshiping an good or evil god) are considered clerics. Their harmed/healed is aligned by how the gods arbitrate turning undead.
When a quasi-dead reaches maximum age, the tissue regrowth actually regenerates the original body. The quasi-dead changes back into the race that he was when he became a quasi-dead at the age that it was when the change occurs.
Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic) Quasi-dead generally are travel a lot so they must know many languages
Favored Class: Any
Halflings
Beings born of fire and shadow. They are indistinguishable from normal humans. Most halflings don’t even realize what they are. The ones that do, however, are very powerful. All halflings feel the inherent pull toward magic. Those that heed the call eventually learn of their creation. The only difference between halflings and humans is that halflings live for a long time
Halflings being so similar to humans share cultural identity
Halfling Racial Traits
+2 Charisma -1 Strength: Halflings are notoriously force full in their dealings with other races. They are, however, not as strong as humans
Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, Halflings have no special bonuses or penalties due to there size.
Outsider (Native, Fire) type.
Halfling base speed 30
The fire subtype gives fire resistance 15
Low-light vision: Halflings can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions
Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic.) Halflings have as broad and versatile experience as humans
Halflings with an charisma of 10 or higher can cast Flame Burst (an Acid splash that deals fire damage) and Silent Image once each day. Silent Image can only create shadows. These are arcane spells, and as such the halfling suffers spell failure penalties for wearing armor. Treat the halfling as a 1st-level caster for all spell effects depending on level (range and duration for silent image.) See the spell descriptions for details.
Favored class: Sorcerer. A multi-classing halfling’s sorcerer levels does not count for determining whether he suffers an XP penalty.
What do you guys think? What could be improved? Are they even balanced?