tempestman
2011-05-12, 12:50 PM
I've been working on a few fixes for some of the half blood races (namely half-elves, half-drow, and tieflings) for a homebrew campaign setting I'm running some friends through. The first two have more extensive revisions than the third, but I'll post all three of them below. I rule that any race can learn any languages, hence the lack of a bonus language section (and regional is just a placeholder for the local language of the character's birthplace).
Half-Elves: I always though half-elves were a little underpowered. They sacrificed a bonus feat and extra skill points for immunity to sleep and resistances towards charms. They didn't suffer from the elf's -2 Con penalty, but they also didn't benefit from their +2 Dex bonus.
Medium-sized humanoid (human, elf): As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. For all effects related to race, a half-elf is treated as both a human and an elf.
Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Weapon Proficiency: Half-elves are automatically proficient with one of the following: the longsword, the rapier, or the shortbow (regular or composite). Half-elves often teach themselves the art of swordplay or archery, but rarely both.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
+1 luck bonus to all saving throws. Half-elves are surprisingly capable of avoiding mishaps.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. While a half-elf’s senses are sharper than the average human’s, they are not nearly as keen as a full-blooded elf’s.
+2 racial bonuses on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks. Half-elves get along naturally with all people, and make excellent diplomats and emissaries.
Automatic Languages: Common, Elvish or Sylvan, and Regional.
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-elf takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
Half-Drow: In the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, half-drow were introduced, but only as half-elves with darkvision. I switched around their social skills, giving them the more "roguish" skills of Bluff and Sense Motive, as opposed to the half-elves' bonuses to Diplomacy and Gather Information. Both are skilled party faces, but for different reasons.
Medium-sized humanoid (human, drow): As Medium creatures, half-drow have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. For all purposes related to race, a half-drow is treated as both a human and a drow.
Half-drow base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision (Ex): Half-drow can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-drow can function just fine with no light at all.
Weapon Proficiency: Half-drow are automatically proficient with one of the following: the hand crossbow, the rapier, or the short sword. Many half-drow pick up how to effectively wield one or two weapons that their ancestors are known to use, but few master them all.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. Half-drow share some of the resistance to magic their drow ancestors possess.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. While a half-drow’s senses are sharper than the average human’s, they are not nearly as keen as a full-blooded drow’s.
+2 racial bonuses on Bluff and Sense Motive checks. Half-drow are naturally deceptive and quite skilled at reading others.
Automatic Languages: Common, Drowic, and Regional.
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-drow takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
Tieflings: Tieflings aren't really underpowered per say, but when compared to the aasimar (which is their counterpart race), they are rather lacking, although for some the penalty to Charisma is laughable, as it is a dumpstat for many classes/builds. I gave them a boost to a few saves to make up for it, hoping to put them on even footing with the aasimar.
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma. Tieflings are nimble and cunning, but their heritage often causes distrust.
Medium-sized outsider (native): As Medium creatures, tieflings have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Tieflings are native outsiders. Spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as charm person or dominate person spell, do not affect tieflings. Spells and effects that target extraplanar creatures may affect tieflings. Tieflings can be raised or resurrected normally.
A tiefling’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision (Ex): Tieflings can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and tieflings can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonuses on Bluff and Hide checks. Tieflings are naturally deceptive and very good at going about unnoticed.
+2 racial bonus to saves against sleep, charm, and fear effects. Tieflings have slippery minds and do not scare easily.
Darkness (Sp): A tiefling can use darkness once per day as a sorcerer of his character level.
Resistance to cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5. The infernal heritage shared by all tieflings makes them naturally resistant to the elements.
Automatic Languages: Common, Infernal, and Regional.
Favored Class: Rogue. Tieflings have long had to rely on stealth, wit, and skill to get by in a world that barely accepts them.
Level adjustment +1
Anyway, I'd like to know what you guys think, and if these races are more playable (or if they are too powerful due to my revisions. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and in fact welcomed.
Half-Elves: I always though half-elves were a little underpowered. They sacrificed a bonus feat and extra skill points for immunity to sleep and resistances towards charms. They didn't suffer from the elf's -2 Con penalty, but they also didn't benefit from their +2 Dex bonus.
Medium-sized humanoid (human, elf): As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. For all effects related to race, a half-elf is treated as both a human and an elf.
Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Weapon Proficiency: Half-elves are automatically proficient with one of the following: the longsword, the rapier, or the shortbow (regular or composite). Half-elves often teach themselves the art of swordplay or archery, but rarely both.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
+1 luck bonus to all saving throws. Half-elves are surprisingly capable of avoiding mishaps.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. While a half-elf’s senses are sharper than the average human’s, they are not nearly as keen as a full-blooded elf’s.
+2 racial bonuses on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks. Half-elves get along naturally with all people, and make excellent diplomats and emissaries.
Automatic Languages: Common, Elvish or Sylvan, and Regional.
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-elf takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
Half-Drow: In the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, half-drow were introduced, but only as half-elves with darkvision. I switched around their social skills, giving them the more "roguish" skills of Bluff and Sense Motive, as opposed to the half-elves' bonuses to Diplomacy and Gather Information. Both are skilled party faces, but for different reasons.
Medium-sized humanoid (human, drow): As Medium creatures, half-drow have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. For all purposes related to race, a half-drow is treated as both a human and a drow.
Half-drow base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision (Ex): Half-drow can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-drow can function just fine with no light at all.
Weapon Proficiency: Half-drow are automatically proficient with one of the following: the hand crossbow, the rapier, or the short sword. Many half-drow pick up how to effectively wield one or two weapons that their ancestors are known to use, but few master them all.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. Half-drow share some of the resistance to magic their drow ancestors possess.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. While a half-drow’s senses are sharper than the average human’s, they are not nearly as keen as a full-blooded drow’s.
+2 racial bonuses on Bluff and Sense Motive checks. Half-drow are naturally deceptive and quite skilled at reading others.
Automatic Languages: Common, Drowic, and Regional.
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-drow takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
Tieflings: Tieflings aren't really underpowered per say, but when compared to the aasimar (which is their counterpart race), they are rather lacking, although for some the penalty to Charisma is laughable, as it is a dumpstat for many classes/builds. I gave them a boost to a few saves to make up for it, hoping to put them on even footing with the aasimar.
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma. Tieflings are nimble and cunning, but their heritage often causes distrust.
Medium-sized outsider (native): As Medium creatures, tieflings have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Tieflings are native outsiders. Spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as charm person or dominate person spell, do not affect tieflings. Spells and effects that target extraplanar creatures may affect tieflings. Tieflings can be raised or resurrected normally.
A tiefling’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision (Ex): Tieflings can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and tieflings can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonuses on Bluff and Hide checks. Tieflings are naturally deceptive and very good at going about unnoticed.
+2 racial bonus to saves against sleep, charm, and fear effects. Tieflings have slippery minds and do not scare easily.
Darkness (Sp): A tiefling can use darkness once per day as a sorcerer of his character level.
Resistance to cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5. The infernal heritage shared by all tieflings makes them naturally resistant to the elements.
Automatic Languages: Common, Infernal, and Regional.
Favored Class: Rogue. Tieflings have long had to rely on stealth, wit, and skill to get by in a world that barely accepts them.
Level adjustment +1
Anyway, I'd like to know what you guys think, and if these races are more playable (or if they are too powerful due to my revisions. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and in fact welcomed.