[PF] Advanced Race Guide to create my own human.

[Fenryr]

Hi! I love this book because of the flavor and because it explains lots of things. I asked my DM for permission to create my own human. A human with scent and darkvision (16 RP if I remember correctly). Why this two particular skills? She was raised by orcs. I wanted to imprint something Orcish in her, beyond her Barbarian levels. This brings a lot of roleplay ... and powergame.

Now, should I be allowed such a thing? As a base I said my DM: "the Aasimar is 16 RP, the Human is 9. I add Scent and Darkvision and it gets to 14, 15. Also, we have a Drow Noble in the party. 41 RP!" That was my argument and it worked. While I know Scent and Darkvision and not powerful my DM is very sensible to powergame and optimizing. He accepted a Drow Noble in the party and banned Celerity. He wants to nerf Iron Heart Surge. He has mixed feelings about powergaming. How should I convince him it's no big deal? Or should I just back off and return to a simple, puny human?

If 'm allowed to use these book in the future, I have crazy concepts like a Crusader/Knight with Rapid Healing 1, or an Elf with Negative Energy Affinity and Carrion Sense. If 'm allowed to use these book, when it's my turn to be the DM, I will allow it with the guidelines on page 216 (increase CR according to average RP in the party). Is this a way to say my DM "Hey, if I can use it, you can use it too later!".

But anyways! The motive for this thread is "How should I convince him it's no big deal? Or should I just back off and return to a simple, puny human?"

[McToomin]

Step 1) Make your DM look at the drow noble.

Step 2) Scent and darkvision are now trivial racial abilities.

Step 3) ???

Step 4) Profit!

[Alefiend]

I would never allow this. If you were raised by merfolk, would you have gills? No, you'd be a floating baby corpse. Racial traits aren't things that casually rub off on you—either they're physical characteristics (like darkvision and scent) or they are so culturally ingrained that they may as well be (various weapon affinities). For those things you want as racial traits, you are saying that your children will have them as well, because the orcs raised you instead of eating you. Skill with orcish weapons? Sure. Fundamental changes to your eyes and nose? Not so much.

What I would do, is give you bonuses (perhaps +2 or +4) to Perception in dark conditions or when trying to notice or identify a scent. I would also bump up your social skills when dealing with orcs, because you know how to relate to them as a fellow.

That said, I don't think either trait is so gamebreaking that a GM would necessarily be disinclined to grant them. If you start trying to abuse the meager amount of power they grant you, however, they may regret that choice and take them away—especially if you spend most of your time awake during the day and relying on other senses.

[grarrrg]

A human with scent and darkvision (16 RP if I remember correctly). Why this two particular skills? She was raised by orcs.

*cough* half-orc *cough*

[Serafina]

Powergaming would be changing the 1st-level flexible bonus feat (4 RP) to the bonus feat you took anyway (static, thus 2 RP). Then use the saved 2 points to buy specialized attributes in just the attributes you want (two +2 fixed boni, instead of one +2 floating), or something else.

Other than that there's really nothing wrong with letting players build their own races, it just needs some supervision. And yeah, if there is a notable power discrepacny between races (Drow Noble is really exteme) then just letting the other players upgrade their race seems like a good idea.


Also, the Drow Noble is literary the most expensive race of all presented in that book. By a good margin, too. Even if you strip away all the spell-like abilities it still way more expensive than any core-race.

[Fenryr]

*cough* half-orc *cough*

Character concept. And a bit of powergame, yeah. But with a Drow Noble in the party, does it really matters? I did what McToonin said and he accepted. He said no before when told him it was 16, not 14 or 15. I explained every damn power of the Drow Noble like Serafina says. And he understood.

Anyways, thanks everyone. Cheers!