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View Full Version : [3.5 PEACH]Segregating Racial Bonuses into "Biological" and "Cultural"



Jeff the Green
2012-09-16, 07:23 PM
So, inspired by this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255691) and the number of posters who are bothered by mono-culture races and the growing cosmopolitan nature of my still-growing campaign setting, I thought it would be an interesting idea to try to separate biological and cultural racial traits. After all, why wouldn't a human who grew up with dwarves be able to use a dwarven waraxe just as well as a dwarf?

My solution is to pare down races to the bare bones, and then add "backgrounds," basically the culture the character grew up in. While one or another background might be more common for a given race,

A note: The races, particularly elves and half elves, are modified somewhat because they're either too good or way too bad.

Race
Dwarves

Humanoid (Dwarf): Dwarves are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Medium size: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Dwarf 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: 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.
Stability: A 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).
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.


Elves
Humanoid (Elf): Elves are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Wisdom, -2 Strength.
Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Elf base land speed is 40 feet.
Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +4 racial saving throw bonus against compulsion spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: An 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.
+2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.

Gnomes
Humanoid (Gnome): Gnomes are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Constitution, -2 Strength.
Small: As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.


Half-Elves
Humanoid (Elf): Half-elves are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 to any one ability score.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against compulsion spells or effects.
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.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.


Half-Orcs
Humanoid (Orc): Half-Orcs are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Strength, -2 Charisma.
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
Fearsome Heritage: Half-orcs receive a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate.


Halflings
Humanoid (Halfling): Halflings are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength.
Small: As a Small creature, a halfling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Halfling base land speed is 20 feet.
+1 racial bonus on all saving throws.


Humans
Humanoid (Human): Humans are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Human base land speed is 30 feet.
1 extra feat at 1st level.


Kobolds
Humanoid (Reptilian): Kobolds are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
-4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
Small size: As a Small creature, a kobold gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
A kobold’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Kobolds can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and kobolds can function just fine with no light at all.
Natural Weapons: Kobolds have two primary claw attacks that deal 1d3 points of slashing damage plus Strength bonus, and a secondary bite attack that deals 1d3 points of piercing damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus. Despite possibly being the weakest reptilian humanoid, kobolds retain a connection to their feral nature.
Slight Build: The physical stature of kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
+1 natural armor bonus.
Light sensitivity: Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.


Lizardfolk
Humanoid (Reptilian): Lizardfolk are subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence
Medium: As Medium creatures, lizardfolk have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
A lizardfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A lizardfolk 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.
Natural Weapons: Lizardfolk have two primary claw attacks that deal 1d4 points of slashing damage plus Strength bonus, and a secondary bite attack that deals 1d4 points of piercing damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus.
+1 natural armor bonus.


Background

Valerus Mountains (primarily dwarves)
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from the Valerus Mountains may treat any two weapons with the word "dwarf" or "dwarven" in the name as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Hardy: Characters from the Valerus Mountains have a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of cold weather or exposure.
Stonecunning: This ability grants an character from the Valerus Mountains 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 character from the Valerus Mountains who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and an character from the Valerus Mountains can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. An character from the Valerus Mountains can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as anyone else can sense which way is up.
Automatic Languages: Velerian. Common Bonus Languages: Tana, Ammyritic.
Favored Classes: Ranger, Wu Jen

Silver Patriarchy Cities (Primarily dwarves, but all races reasonably common)
Ordered Mind: Characters from the cities of the Silver Patriarchy have a tendency towards order and reason, and have a +2 racial bonus on Concentration and Profession checks.
Magic Heritage: Most characters from the cities of the Silver Patriarchy have some training in at least the theory of magic, giving them a +2 racial bonus on Craft (Alchemy) and Spellcraft checks.
Automatic Languages: Velerian. Common Bonus Languages: Tana, Ammyritic, Daltacian
Favored Classes: Wu Jen, Incarnate

Silver Patriarchy Marches (primarily dwarves)
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from the marches of the Silver Patriarchy may treat any two weapons with the word "dwarf" or "dwarven" in the name as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Armor Familiarity:Characters from the marches of the Silver Patriarchy may treat battle plate, mountain plate, and exotic shields as normal heavy armor, rather than exotic armor.
Automatic Languages: Velerian. Common Bonus Languages: Tana, Wildtongue.
Favored Classes: Incarnate, Crusader

Tanagale (cosmopolitan, human majority)
Cosmopolitan: An character from Tanagale may choose two skills at 1st level. He can always purchase cross-class ranks in them as though they were class skills, though he is still limited to the normal maximum ranks for cross-class skills.
Automatic Languages: Tana. Common Bonus Languages: Any living.
Favored Class: Any

Southern Coast (primarily halfling, but gnomes and dwarves are common as well)
+2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear: This bonus stacks with the halfling’s +1 bonus on saving throws in general.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons and slings.
+2 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, Listen, and Move Silently checks.
Automatic Languages: Tana. Common Bonus Languages: Velerian, Ammyritic, Daltacian.
Favored Class: Swashbuckler, paladin

Bence (primarily gnomes, but all races reasonably common)
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from Bence may treat any one weapon with the word "gnome" or "gnomish" in the name as a martial weapon rather than an exotic weapon.
Natural Merchant Characters from Bence receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Profession, and Bluff checks.
Well-Traveled: Characters from Bence receive a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive and Gather Information checks. They always know when their welcome is wearing out.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with animals (aquatic or marine animal only, duration 1 minute).
Automatic Languages: Daltacian. Common Bonus Languages: Any.
Favored Class: Beguiler, Shadowcaster

Bandlpace (primarily gnomes, but all races reasonably common)
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from Bandlpace may treat any one weapon with the word "gnome" or "gnomish" in the name as a martial weapon rather than an exotic weapon.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
+4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by characters from Bandlpace, but subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against Conjuration, Evocation and Necromancy spells cast by characters from Bandlpace.
Spell-Like Abilities: A character from Bandlpace with a Charisma score of at least 11 has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + character’s Cha modifier + spell level.
Automatic Languages: Daltacian. Common Bonus Languages: Tana, Ammyritic.
Favored Class: Beguiler, Shadowcaster

Cities of the South (primarily elf, half-elf and human)
Weapon Proficiency: Characters from the Cities of the South receive a Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for either kukri, trident, longbow (including composite longbow), or shortbow (including composite shortbow) as a bonus feat.
Faerie Rituals (Yeth Hound): A character from the Cities of the South can issue a supernaturally chilling howl once per day as a standard action. Any creature hearing the howl must make a DC 10 + character’s Cha modifier + half the character's HD or be shaken for one round. This ability has no effect on a creature that is already shaken. A creature that succeeds on its save is immune to this character's howl for 24 hours. When a character from the Cities of the East reaches 5 Hit Dice, and for every 5 HD thereafter, she gains one additional use of this ability per day and the effect lasts for an additional round.
Automatic Languages: Ammyritic. Common Bonus Languages: Gleddingish, Tana, Daltacian.
Favored Class: Crusader, Bard

Cities of the East (primarily elf, half-elf and human)
Weapon Proficiency: Characters from the Cities of the East receive a Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for either kukri, throwing axe, longbow (including composite longbow), or shortbow (including composite shortbow) as a bonus feat.
Faerie Rituals (Duskling): A character from the Cities of the East can gain one point of temporary essentia for 3 rounds once per day as a swift action. When a character from the Cities of the East reaches 5 Hit Dice, and for every 5 HD thereafter, she gains one additional use of this ability per day.
Automatic Languages: Gleddingish. Common Bonus Languages: Ammyritic.
Favored Class: Crusader, Favored Soul

Tokaver (primarily elf and half-elf)
Weapon Proficiency: Characters from Tokaver receive a Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for either light hammer, throwing axe, longbow (including composite longbow), or shortbow (including composite shortbow) as a bonus feat.
Faerie Rituals (Dryad): Once per day, a character from Tokaver can enter a tree by touching it as a move action; once inside the tree, she instantly transports to any other tree within 60 feet. The character appears in a square adjacent to the second tree at the beginning of her next turn. When a character from Tokaver reaches 5 Hit Dice, and for every 5 HD thereafter, she gains one additional use of this ability per day.
Automatic Languages: Gleddingish. Common Bonus Languages: Ammyritic, Velerian.
Favored Class: Crusader, Ranger

Gallo Vale (primarily half-orc but elf, half-elf and human are common)
Horselord: Characters from the Gallo Vale receive a +2 racial bonus to Ride and Handle Animal checks with horses and horse-like creatures such as unicorns and pegasuses. They also receive the Mounted Combat feat as a bonus feat. Finally, if an character from the Gallo Vale has a horse or horse-like creature as a companion, cohort, special mount, or similar, his level is treated as one higher than his actual level for purposes of determining the horse's HD, special abilities, and other bonuses that it receives.
Automatic Languages: Velerian. Common Bonus Languages: Ammyritic, Gleddingish, Tana.
Favored Class: Totemist, Warblade

Entois Fens (primarily lizardfolk, but humans and half-orcs are common)
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from the Entois Fens may treat either nets or boomerangs as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against the spells and spell-like abilities of spirits (see [I]Complete Divine/I] p. 17).
+2 racial bonus on Survival and Knowledge (nature) checks.
Automatic Languages: Draconic. Common Bonus Languages: Sidhe
Favored Class: Ranger, Spirit Shaman

Sunide (cosmopolitan)
Natural Merchant Characters from Bence receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Profession, and Bluff checks.
Well-Traveled: Characters from Bence receive a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive and Gather Information checks. They always know when their welcome is wearing out.
Automatic Languages: Daltacian. Common Bonus Languages: Any
Favored Class: Any

Frostwyrm Mountains (primarily kobold)
Weapon Proficiency: Characters from the Frostwyrm Mountains receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the heavy pick and light pick as bonus feats.
Weapon Familiarity: Characters from the Frostwyrm Mountains may treat greatpicks as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Racial Skills: A character from the Frostwyrm Mountains has a +2 racial bonus on Craft (gemcutting), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
Automatic Languages: Draconic. Common Bonus Languages: None
Favored Class: Sorcerer, Swordsage

Northern Malaben (primarily half-orc but humans and lizardfolk are common)
Horselord: Characters from Northern Malaben receive a +2 racial bonus to Ride and Handle Animal checks with horses and horse-like creatures such as unicorns and pegasuses. They also receive the Mounted Combat feat as a bonus feat. Finally, if an character from the Northern Malaben has a horse or horse-like creature as a companion, cohort, special mount, or similar, his level is treated as one higher than his actual level for purposes of determining the horse's HD, special abilities, and other bonuses that it receives.
Automatic Languages: Sune. Common Bonus Languages: None
Favored Class: Barbarian, Totemist

So there are two things I'm a little worried about. First, does this make any of the races or any of the backgrounds significantly stronger/weaker than the others? Second, are there any race/background combinations that are too synergistic (I'm okay with some not working)?

If people like this idea, I'll redo the PHB races for a generic setting so others can use it.