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View Full Version : On Races and Racial Paragons



Viktyr Gehrig
2011-12-18, 01:33 PM
So, inspired by some of the recent comments on 5e threads on RPG.net (from which this is cross-posted) and my own previous attempts at reforming the D&D class and race rules, I think I've finally found what I would consider the perfect solution.

For those of you fortunate enough to have been spared my previous threads, here's the gist of my class/multiclass rules:

Characters can advance in any number of classes concurrently, per the Gestalt rules, but use progressively slower XP charts for each class after the first.
Characters may add a class at any point after reaching level 2 by starting over from 0th level with 0 XP, but may not stop progressing in any class unless they forfeit the class features of that class.
NPC classes and Prestige Classes function like base classes (PrCs are adjusted to 20 levels) but only count as 1/2 of a class for XP purposes, with a limited number of exceptions that count as full classes. Characters must advance in at least one full class.
Characters receive both of the standard +1 HP/skill Favored Class bonuses for advancing in at least one racially favored class and the alternate Favored Class bonuses, from Paizo's Advanced Player's Guide for every racially Favored Class they advance in.

The last point is the best solution I've been able to come up with, short of old D&D style racial classes, to make your choice of race relevant for a character's entire career. Regrettably, I've had to reject the race-as-class idea for being too restrictive-- being prohibitively expensive both for non-human PCs playing against their racial stereotypes and for PCs wanting to advance in classes whose abilities overlap too much with their racial class. Thinking about those threads, I've come up with the following, in addition to the rules above:

Each non-human race (excluding half-humans) has a Basic Racial Class, which is mandatory and counts as a half-class, and an optional Paragon Racial Class that counts as a full class and replaces the Basic Racial Class. Some racial features will become class features or class options for these classes, while others will remain attached to the race itself.
Humans receive +1 HP and +1 skill point as a racial feature, but do not receive a Racial Favored Class bonus. Human Paragon is an optional half-class that allows Humans to receive the Human Racial Favored Class bonuses from the classes they are advancing in. (This means that Human Paragons will almost always be multiclassed. This is intentional.)
Humans may take Racial Heritage feats that allow them to choose and advance in one Racial Basic Class (from a list) and receive that race's Racial Favored Class benefits for the classes they are advancing in. This may optionally be allowed for some non-human hybrids.

Any thoughts?