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Rennard
2009-12-22, 02:01 PM
Gary Gygax once commented that the purpose of limiting demi-human level advancement in OD&D was to promote a human-dominated world, as was seen in most fantasy literature. Humans were the only race that could advance to any level in any class, and that was intended to be the incentive to play the over the front-loaded powers of the dwarf or (in the extreme case) the elf.

When 3rd edition came along, the limits on the demi-humans were removed, but they were also brought into line with the power level of the human. I think that was a bad move from a fluff standpoint (although it made the game simpler to learn and had more variety of play).

The ancient demi-human races of legend had strange supernatural that made them creatures of wonder to the humans that met them. These were the dwarves that crafted Thor's hammer or turned to stone in sunlight. These were the elves that drew men into strange and unknowable realms, or cast a thousand-year sleep on a helpless king. They should feel supernatural, not just different.

At the same time, as far as my campaign world is concerned, these ancient races ruled in the Days Before Days, the unknowable length of time before the Age of Broken Dreams and the creation of the human race. They were masters of magic and weird technologies, the secrets of which have been lost in the intervening centuries of strife and war. They should feel powerful but fallen, their time forever replaced by the flexible and innovative human race, despite their incredible natural advantages. Their fall from grace should feel like a loss to them as well.

But how to represent them? How to make the demi-humans more powerful, but at the same time keep the world human-dominated, as Gygax originally intended?

The answer is simple: make all the demi-human races have a Level Adjustment of at least +1.

This solves all the problems: A Level Adjustment allows for more front-loading of a supernatural being, while penalizing them by slowing the rate at which they advance in level. It allows human to have greater levels of skill at the same "level," representing their mental flexibility and the ease at which they learn.

This lets my demi-humans have vastly different abilities, while keeping them playable, making them appear more than just "different" humans, and maintaining game balance.

I'm starting the proccess with my dwarves. Tell me what you think. Are they all LA+1? Too powerful? Too weak? Be brutal and fair - I'd expect nothing less. Lastly, can you think of any other clans that might be cool? Galadran is a large place, and any suggestions would be welcome...

History of the Dwarves in Galadran
During the Days Before Days, the dwarven race lived among the Isha, the handmaidens of the Highgod. They were the most beloved race of all the Highgod's children, and enjoyed a preeminent position among all the other races. For the untold length of those unrecorded day, the dwarves lived among the mountains, content to share the land with the gnomes and the fae, dedicated to living their lives in the service of the Highgod as his crafters and protectors of the stone and the underworld.

When humans first arrived, the dwarves paid them no real mind. They were savage and stupid, and did not enjoy the Highgod's favor. The dwarves never understood the threat that mankind could pose, and routinely enslaved them for menial labor or hunted them for sport. These pitiful creations were no match for their skill and might - they served no purpose but as servants or game for the Highgod's favored.

What no one understood was that humans would change everything. The least of races had become desperate to free themselves from the yoke of their diminished position, and the human tribe of Elvah had hatched a plan. Through ways no longer understood in modern times, they trapped the Highgod in the mortal realm. Sealed away from the majority of his divine power, the Great God was still a mighty foe - but he was mortal. With the combined might of three tribes, the humans brought low the Highgod. The warlord of the Elvah consumed the Highgod's heart, while the remaining survivors of the Three Tribes drank the marrow from His bones. Powerful magic coursed through their veins, bestowing them with strange powers. In one act, the Elvah tribes had become the Elves, and the other races were left without a God.

This catastrophe affected the dwarves more than the other races. Their entire sense of worth and self had come from their position with the Highgod. Confused and afraid, they hid among their mountain holds as the Elves and remaining human tribes savaged the gnomes and fae in the world above. For decades they were unwilling to leave their mountain fortresses. Finally, emissaries from the Elves approached them. They used flattery and honeyed words to win the dwarven people. Yes, they had killed the Highgod - and was that not proof of his weakness? The dwarves were strong and faithful, but had given their service to an inferior master. If they would but put their faith in the new God - the God of Murder - they would find an eager master, ready to reward their faith.

The dwarven clans accepted. The Elves taught them sorcery, and infused their bloodlines with arcane energies, transforming them. The dwarven people were more resistant to the transformation, but emerged powerful and savage servants of the New God. For the entirety of the Age of Broken Dreams, the dwarven race served the Elves in their wars against the other races. Finally, sick at their own savagery and desperate for redemption, they turned on their former master, and destroyed him in his moment of victory. They hewed his body to pieces, and used their sorcerous powers to scatter his remains across the world, so he might never again reform. They then began their long climb from the darkness to rejoin the mortal races that had fought against the God of Murder.

In modern times, several millennia later, dwarves still suffer from the shame of their treachery, and work tirelessly to reestablish their reputation among the other races. Most of the mortal races have forgiven them many times over, but the shame still burns in the dwarven psyche. To this day, they hate and distrust elves (whom they have never forgiven), as well as the humans of Koboronanji, who fought with the elven tribes until the end of the war and remained unrepentant.

Dwarven Clans in Galadran

The Wolf Clan
These are intended to be the "regular" dwarves of the campaign world - the equivilent of Hill dwarves. They have been given enlarge person as a special abilility, but are otherwise like PHB dwarves. They were inspired by the duregar from the Psionics book. I just thought they were neat.

• +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Movement: A wolf clan dwarf’s base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: Wolf clan dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a wolf clan dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A wolf clan dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a wolf clan dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A wolf clan dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
• Weapon Familiarity: Wolf clan dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Stability: A wolf clan 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).
• Racial Bonuses: A wolf clan dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items, and a +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
• Pack Tactics: When the wolf clan dwarf is attacking an opponent that is flanked, he and all those flanking the same opponent gain a +4 competence bonus to hit and damage.
• Spell-like Abilities: A wolf clan dwarf has a small pool of reserve energy. He has three charges at first, and gains an additional one when he reaches 10th and 15th level. As a standard action, a charge may be spent to activate one of the following spell-like abilities: enlarge person (only affects the wolf clan dwarf and any items he is carrying), or cause fear. The wolf clan dwarf may also spend two charges to enhance his enlarge person spell to grow an additional size catagory(+4 size bonus to Strength, a -4 size penalty to Dexterity [to a minimum effective Dexterity score of 1], a -2 size penalty on attack rolls, and a -2 size penalty to Armor Class due to your increased size), or to cast fear. All Caster levels for these abilities equal twice the dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level).
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
•Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1


Razorfin Clan
This clan was invented by a player of mine. He wanted Carribean "water" dwarves that lived in the volcanic islands of the west, so I came up with this.

+2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Cha
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Razorfin dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Razorfin dwarves base land speed is 20 feet. Razorfin dwarves base swim speed is 30 feet.
• Aquatic: Razorfin dwarves are aquatic humanoids, and have the aquatic and human subtypes.
• Amphibious (Ex): Razorfin dwarves can breathe water or air equally well, without limitation.
• Natural Attack: A razorfin dwarf has a natural bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. If fighting without a weapon, a razorfin dwarf uses his bite as a primary attack, adding 1–1/2 times his Strength bonus to damage. If armed with a weapon, he can use his bite or weapon, as he chooses. When making a full attack, a razorfin dwarf normally uses the weapon as his primary attack along with the bite as a natural secondary attack (at –5 attack). If the razorfin dwarf gets extra attacks by virtue of a base attack bonus of +6 or higher, he gets them only with his primary attack. When under the effects of his enlarge person special ability, this attack increases to 1d8 points of damage.
• Echolocation: In the water, a razorfin dwarf can emit a series of whistles, then instinctively pinpoint nearby creatures by hearing the echo. Razorfin dwarves have blindsense out to 120 feet, but the blindsense doesn’t extend beyond the water.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – enlarge person. Caster level equals twice the razorfin dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the razorfin dwarf and any items he is carrying.
• Racial Bonuses: Razorfin dwarves have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. Razorfin dwarves can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1


Great Tusk Clan
This clan was inspired by a game I played where my players attempted to attack a dwarven stronghold. I had laid so many traps and ambushes on them that they commented that this must be different clan than the Wolves. I like the idea, so I kept it. The original idea came from a dwarf varient in Races of Stone, but I forget which one. I've changed it a little, but I wanted to cite the source anyway.

• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, –2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• A great tusk dwarf's base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: Great tusk dwarves can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and great tusk dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Improved Stonecunning: This ability grants a great tusk dwarf a +4 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A great tusk dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a the dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A great tusk dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
• Weapon Familiarity: Great tusk dwarves may treat all repeating crossbows as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Improved Stability: A great tusk dwarf gains a +8 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).
• Racial Bonuses: A great tusk dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking) and Search skill checks.
• Racial Penalties: A great tusk dwarf suffers a -2 penalty on all saving throws versus spells and spell-like abilities that have the Air or Water subtype or generated by creatures with the Air or Water subtype.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – passwall. Caster level equals twice the great tusk dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the great tusk clan dwarf and any items he is carrying.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
•Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1


The Nightwings Clan
This clan just needed to be made. Nocturanal dwarves with bat-like abilities. Too cool, and not what you'd normally think of with dawrves.

+2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Int, -2 Cha
• Medium: As Medium creatures, nightwings dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Nightwings dwarves base land speed is 20 feet. They may move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
• Blindsight: Nightwings dwarves have blindsight out to 60 feet.
• Racial Bonuses: A nightwings dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +3 racial bonus on Jump, Climb, and Move Silently skill checks. In addition, Jump is always a class skill for nightwings dwarves.
• Poison Use (Ex): Nightwings dwarves gain the Poison Use feat as a bonus feat.
• Sneak Attack (Ex): Any time a nightwings dwarf’s opponent is denied his Dexterity bonus, or if the nightwings dwarf flanks his opponent, he deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This ability is just like the rogue’s sneak attack ability, is subject to the same limitations, and stacks with that ability.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – jump. Caster level equals twice the nightwings dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability may only be used on the nightwings dwarf.
Favored Class: Rogue.
Level Adjustment: +1


Silverback Clan
The inspiration for this class came from the movie The Rundown. Specifically, this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU7poLCRbg8). My friend explained to me that THAT is what jungle dwarves would look like fighting a human adventurer. It convinced me (until that time, I thought "jungle dwarves" sounded dumb). This is what I came up with.


• +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Movement: A silverback dwarf’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: Silverback dwarves have low-light vision: they can see twice as far as normal in dim light. Low-light vision is color vision. A spellcaster with low-light vision can read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to her as a source of light.
• Bonus Feat: Silverback dwarves gain the Improved Grapple feat for free.
• Momentum: If a silverback dwarf ends a Jump occupying the same space as an opponent, he may immediately perform a bull rush with a +2 to the result for every 5 feet he jumped that turn. If the opponent is pushed more than 10 feet as a result of this bull rush, he is dazed for one round. This special attack provokes an Attack of Opportunity as normal, unless the silverback dwarf has the Improved Bull Rush feat.
• Powerful Build: Whenever a silverback dwarf is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), he is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A silverback dwarf is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him.
• Racial Bonuses: A silverback dwarf gains a +3 racial bonus on saving throws against poison. He also gains a +2 racial bonus on Climb and Jump skill checks, as well as Grapple checks. In addition, Climb is always a class skill for a silverback dwarf.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – enlarge person. Caster level equals twice the silverback dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the silverback dwarf and the equipment he is carrying.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
•Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-22, 02:38 PM
When 3rd edition came along, the limits on the demi-humans were removed, but they were also brought into line with the power level of the human. I think that was a bad move from a fluff standpoint (although it made the game simpler to learn and had more variety of play).

There are other ways to justify why Humans are top dog. Maybe they're special? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumansAreSpecial)


The ancient demi-human races of legend had strange supernatural that made them creatures of wonder to the humans that met them. These were the dwarves that crafted Thor's hammer or turned to stone in sunlight. These were the elves that drew men into strange and unknowable realms, or cast a thousand-year sleep on a helpless king. They should feel supernatural, not just different.

Yet, this is not the case for the vast majority of the +0LA demi-humans. They have a few abilities, but, not much else. To get anything like the above would take class levels to accomplish.


The answer is simple: make all the demi-human races have a Level Adjustment of at least +1.

This solves all the problems: A Level Adjustment allows for more front-loading of a supernatural being, while penalizing them by slowing the rate at which they advance in level. It allows human to have greater levels of skill at the same "level," representing their mental flexibility and the ease at which they learn.

LA, is, generally, not worth it. Getting a few SLAs in exchange for forever being behind? Yeah, no, if I want spells, I'll play me a caster instead.



The Wolf Clan
These are intended to be the "regular" dwarves of the campaign world - the equivilent of Hill dwarves. They have been given enlarge person as a special abilility, but are otherwise like PHB dwarves. They were inspired by the duregar from the Psionics book. I just thought they were neat.
[Spoiler]
• +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Movement: A wolf clan dwarf’s base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: Wolf clan dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. 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: Wolf clan dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Stability: A wolf clan 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).
• Racial Bonuses: A wolf clan dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items, and a +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – enlarge person. Caster level equals twice the dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the wolf clan dwarf and any items he is carrying.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
•Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1
Enlarge Person, even 3/day, is not worth the LA. Players could gain the same from grabbing one level of specialist wizard, netting some skill points and HP along with it.


Razorfin Clan
+2 Con, -2 Cha
• Medium: As Medium creatures, Razorfin dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Razorfin dwarves base land speed is 20 feet. Razorfin dwarves base swim speed is 30 feet.
• Aquatic: Razorfin dwarves are aquatic humanoids, and have the aquatic and human subtypes.
• Amphibious (Ex): Razorfin dwarves can breathe water or air equally well, without limitation.
• Natural Attack: A razorfin dwarf has a natural bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. If fighting without a weapon, a razorfin dwarf uses his bite as a primary attack, adding 1–1/2 times his Strength bonus to damage. If armed with a weapon, he can use his bite or weapon, as he chooses. When making a full attack, a razorfin dwarf normally uses the weapon as his primary attack along with the bite as a natural secondary attack (at –5 attack). If the razorfin dwarf gets extra attacks by virtue of a base attack bonus of +6 or higher, he gets them only with his primary attack. When under the effects of his enlarge person special ability, this attack increases to 1d8 points of damage.
• Echolocation: In the water, a razorfin dwarf can emit a series of whistles, then instinctively pinpoint nearby creatures by hearing the echo. Razorfin dwarves have blindsense out to 120 feet, but the blindsense doesn’t extend beyond the water.
• Spell-like Ability: 2/day – enlarge person. Caster level equals twice the razorfin dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the razorfin dwarf and any items he is carrying.
• Racial Bonuses: Razorfin dwarves have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. Razorfin dwarves can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1


Now this may actually be deserving of the +1 LA, due to the benefits gained while submerged. Now, in a campaign that does not deal with water in the slightest, what I said about the first applies here: what is gained from the LA can be found easily enough elsewhere without the lose in defenses. One option here is to give these puppies stat adjustments more in line with Merfolk, making the LA a slightly better deal.


Great Tusk Clan
• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, –2 Charisma.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• A great tusk dwarf's base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Darkvision: Great tusk dwarves can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and great tusk dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Improved Stonecunning: This ability grants a great tusk dwarf a +4 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A great tusk dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a the dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A great tusk dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
• Weapon Familiarity: Great tusk dwarves may treat all repeating crossbows as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Improved Stability: A great tusk dwarf gains a +8 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).
• Racial Bonuses: A great tusk dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking) and Search skill checks.
• Racial Penalties: A great tusk dwarf suffers a -2 penalty on all saving throws versus spells and spell-like abilities that have the Air or Water subtype or generated by creatures with the Air or Water subtype.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – passwall. Caster level equals twice the great tusk dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability only affects the black-bone clan dwarf and any items he is carrying.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven.
•Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment: +1


Now, here, the SLA is actually worth something, considering it takes 9 levels to reach it instead of just one. The doubled racial bonuses are also more attractive, so this may actually be worth the lost level, since the bonuses gained are a little harder to duplicate elsewhere.


The Nightwings Clan
+2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Int, -4 Cha
• Medium: As Medium creatures, nightwings dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Nightwings dwarves base land speed is 20 feet. They may move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
• Darkvision: Nightwings dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
• Racial Bonuses: A nightwings dwarf gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells and spell-like effects. He also gains a +3 racial bonus on Jump skill checks. In addition, Jump is always a class skill for nightwing dwarves.
• Poison Use (Ex): Nightwings dwarves gain the Poison Use feat as a bonus feat.
• Sneak Attack (Ex): Any time a Vulture Clan Dwarf’s opponent is denied his Dexterity bonus, or if the Vulture Clan dwarf flanks his opponent, he deals an extra 1d6 points of damage. This ability is just like the rogue’s sneak attack ability, is subject to the same limitations, and stacks with that ability.
• Spell-like Ability: 3/day – jump. Caster level equals twice the nightwings dwarf’s class level (Minimum 3rd level). This ability may only be used on the nightwings dwarf.
Favored Class: Rogue.
Level Adjustment: +1


Poison Use is a little hard to grab, barring just getting delay poison or immunity, but doesn't offer much. Sneak attack is also a nice, but, with the SLAs this fills less like a true LA+1 race and more like an LA+0 race with just an extra half a race's set of abilities.


Now, I most say, you say you want these races to represent more traditional supernatural abilities found in the works of mythology where the demi-humans are truly strange and have unique abilities that pose something of a challenge to mortal man. However, almost everything you have on these dwarves can be emulated by a level one wizard without any issue.

Also, consider the fact that, in 3.5, the human bonus feat is simply amazing. Sure, not ever build demands that extra feat, but, the ones that do, or, better yet, the ones that gain the extra umph from having it early, often do better than with the extra +1 modifier from the stat adjustments of the demihumans.

Rennard
2009-12-22, 04:13 PM
Enlarge Person, even 3/day, is not worth the LA. Players could gain the same from grabbing one level of specialist wizard, netting some skill points and HP along with it.

Added the pack tactics ability and a Fear spell 1/day.


Now this may actually be deserving of the +1 LA, due to the benefits gained while submerged. Now, in a campaign that does not deal with water in the slightest, what I said about the first applies here: what is gained from the LA can be found easily enough elsewhere without the lose in defenses. One option here is to give these puppies stat adjustments more in line with Merfolk, making the LA a slightly better deal.

Added a +2 to STR. Dex seemed wrong, somehow, and you can use STR for your swim checks.


Now, here, the SLA is actually worth something, considering it takes 9 levels to reach it instead of just one. The doubled racial bonuses are also more attractive, so this may actually be worth the lost level, since the bonuses gained are a little harder to duplicate elsewhere.

Thanks, man. I was beginning to despair a little.


Poison Use is a little hard to grab, barring just getting delay poison or immunity, but doesn't offer much. Sneak attack is also a nice, but, with the SLAs this fills less like a true LA+1 race and more like an LA+0 race with just an extra half a race's set of abilities.

Replaced darkvision with Blindsight. That fit better with the bat theme, and should help justify the LA.

Thanks for the comments. Do these new adjustments help any?


There are other ways to justify why Humans are top dog. Maybe they're special?

Humans being special was not the idea my world started out on. It works for lost of settings, but (unfortunately) not mine. The only thing they had on the elder races was that they learned and adapted better than anyone (that's what the extra feat represents). The other races were relying on their superior natural talents, and got complacent. Then the red-headed stepchild race rose up and changed everything.


LA, is, generally, not worth it. Getting a few SLAs in exchange for forever being behind? Yeah, no, if I want spells, I'll play me a caster instead.

I understand that point of view. Persoanlly, though, I like the shake up that LA races can give a game, and have had a lot of fun with them. I play races even when they're really sub-optimal ( I play the half orc fighter!). For this project, though, I just need to make them competitive enough to entice others to give them a try.

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-22, 04:27 PM
Added the pack tactics ability and a Fear spell 1/day.

I would mention that the Flank buddy also gets the improved bonuses from the pack tactics. You may also want to find a higher level spell or give them an option to grow multiple sizes a la Expansion. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/expansion.htm)


Replaced darkvision with Blindsight. That fit better with the bat theme, and should help justify the LA.

Thanks for the comments. Do these new adjustments help any?

The Blindsight may put it at the high end of +1 LA, but all of these are definitely improvements. Other options you may consider are to take a look at other "good" +1-2 LA races and adapt their special racial abilities to your demi-humans. You could also look into things like Incarnum of ToB maneuvers for inspiration for special demi-human X only abilities. Other than that, just wing up some interesting abilities that you feel are worth part of the +1 LA. All else fails? Add more numbers to the stat adjustments.




Humans being special was not the idea my world started out on. It works for lost of settings, but (unfortunately) not mine. The only thing they had on the elder races was that they learned and adapted better than anyone (that's what the extra feat represents). The other races were relying on their superior natural talents, and got complacent. Then the red-headed stepchild race rose up and changed everything.

See, you call that adaptability, I call that being special. I'm just saying that it is the stereotype of humans being adaptable that makes them special. Sure, they can't shoot lightning from their eyes or fly upside down without making Faustian pacts, but, dammit, give em a week and they'll figure it out!


I understand that point of view. Persoanlly, though, I like the shake up that LA races can give a game, and have had a lot of fun with them. I play races even when they're really sub-optimal ( I play the half orc fighter!). For this project, though, I just need to make them competitive enough to entice others to give them a try.

They don't necessarily have to be optimal, but you certainly don't want them to be underwhelming. Early levels, that LA can be lethal. Later levels, it puts people down a spell level occasionally or screws with their to-hit, but is more manageable. You could also look into LA buy-off. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)

Setra
2009-12-22, 05:00 PM
I thought humans were dominant because they bred like rabbits

I do love the races though.

Surgo
2009-12-22, 05:05 PM
D&D is a leveled game. Why don't you just make most dwarves have 2 class levels. That way, we can preserve balance for PCs who don't want to suffer under the stupidest invention known to third edition.

Temotei
2009-12-22, 05:09 PM
Yeah...level adjustment is a big turn-off for casters. That means for people who are only allowed the use of the PHB races, pretty much every caster is going to be a human. Not cool.

Rennard
2009-12-22, 06:28 PM
D&D is a leveled game. Why don't you just make most dwarves have 2 class levels. That way, we can preserve balance for PCs who don't want to suffer under the stupidest invention known to third edition.

Because racial levels remind me of RCCs, and really, if I want to split my game into RCCs and OCCs, I'd just play RIFTS or Palladium Fantasy.

Just as an aside, I thought that the Spawn of Tiamat were the stupidest invention known to 3rd edition.


Yeah...level adjustment is a big turn-off for casters. That means for people who are only allowed the use of the PHB races, pretty much every caster is going to be a human. Not cool.

I'd like to pretend that I gave that some thought before embarking on this project, but it wasn't on my radar until I posted them. The level adjustment buyoff seems to mitigate the problem pretty well, though. You should pay something for your enhanced power, but it shouldn't cost you forever. Perhaps I will just make Dwarves and Elves LA +1, and leave the rest as they are. That would give the players other spellcaster classes as options.

But I had such a good take on gnomes... :smallfrown:

Rutskarn
2009-12-22, 06:57 PM
So, okay, here's a thought:

Why the hell do humans have to be the superior master race? Why can't they be scrabbling for territory, undercut by the slight (yet telling) advantages of demihuman craftsmen? There's no reason every fantasy race has to have humans at the forefront, sweeping away the dying dwarven and elven races. Give them their day in the sun, willya?

I mean, let's face it--giving humans access to more classes doesn't actually do much, because the .01% of any race that takes class levels usually screws around looting tombs instead of contributing to their race.

Rennard
2009-12-22, 07:47 PM
Adjusted the spell-like abilities of the Wolf Clan, to give it more flexability and power. Also made suggested clarification to Pack Tactics.

Rennard
2009-12-22, 08:00 PM
Why the hell do humans have to be the superior master race? Why can't they be scrabbling for territory, undercut by the slight (yet telling) advantages of demihuman craftsmen? There's no reason every fantasy race has to have humans at the forefront, sweeping away the dying dwarven and elven races. Give them their day in the sun, willya?


I can only give you the answer for my campaign world:

I was seven when I started it, waaaay back in 1985. I read the books and used what they said to start writing. In my mind, its too late now to rewrite the whole thing (although I am happy to make small changes as I go).

I am thinking of writing a "historical" setting in the Days Before Days, or the Age of Broken Dreams, though. That would fit the bill for what you're talking about. It's still in my mind, however, as I'm trying to get the default setting written.

Rennard
2009-12-22, 10:19 PM
Added the Silverback clan.

Surgo
2009-12-22, 11:30 PM
Because racial levels remind me of RCCs, and really, if I want to split my game into RCCs and OCCs, I'd just play RIFTS or Palladium Fantasy.
I have no idea what an RCC is, but I'm not speaking of racial hit dice. I mean every dwarf you ever run into has more than 1 level of something, while most humans only have 1 level of something. This being a leveled game where level is the direct measure of power, that is the most natural and clean way to deal with it.

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-23, 12:03 AM
D&D is a leveled game. Why don't you just make most dwarves have 2 class levels. That way, we can preserve balance for PCs who don't want to suffer under the stupidest invention known to third edition.

Woah, woah, woah! Let's not get 3.0 psionics into this. I hear people are still tracking down copies of the Psionic's Handbook to burn it in a solution of holy water and sanctified engine oil.

Rennard
2009-12-23, 12:07 AM
I have no idea what an RCC is, but I'm not speaking of racial hit dice. I mean every dwarf you ever run into has more than 1 level of something, while most humans only have 1 level of something. This being a leveled game where level is the direct measure of power, that is the most natural and clean way to deal with it.

Ahhhh, now I understand. Sorry for my confusion.

RCC stands for Racial Character Class. It is essentially racial character levels. I've always hated the idea (taking levels in being a mutant or a dog made no sense to me - I don't get better at being a human:smallconfused:), and its the one varient idea for this game that I really despise.

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-12-23, 12:14 AM
Ahhhh, now I understand. Sorry for my confusion.

RCC stands for Racial Character Class. It is essentially racial character levels. I've always hated the idea (taking levels in being a mutant or a dog made no sense to me - I don't get better at being a human:smallconfused:), and its the one varient idea for this game that I really despise.

These may be to your liking, then. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm)