Hawk7915
2012-10-11, 03:51 PM
My playgroup is looking to run a Pathfinder campaign set on the plane of Ravnica (http://www.wizards.com/magic/multiverse/planes.aspx?plane=ravnica) (shortly after Dissension, long before Return to Ravnica). As the most experienced player in my group, the DM tasked me with homebrewing up some races, rather than trying to see if we could refluff a race to stand in as, say, Loxodon or Vedalken. Here are my attempts at Ravnican races, but before then, a few design notes:
1) While this is for a Pathfinder campaign, my design was very much inspired by 4th Edition (in terms of "all upside" races with flexible stats). For balance concerns, compare them to one another rather than to other Pathfinder races, since most of these creatures will be obviously superior to standard Dwarves and Halflings.
2) Related to the above: I didn't want to completely rewrite Humans and Elves from the ground up, so assume the following houserules are in play for those two races:
Elves: No longer have a Con penalty. May choose Int or Wisdom as a +2 Stat, in addition to always getting +2 Dexterity. Receive a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (Nature) in addition to all other racial traits.
Humans: Now have a new trait called "Heroic Will", which grants a +1 bonus to all saving throws.
3) My design was that all races would get +2 to two different stats, +2 to two different skills, and then 4 "things" (bonus feats, proficiencies, situational damage boosts, defenses, vision or movement modes) and that no race had a LA. The only race I had to break this rule on were Faeries.
4) Favored Class bonuses are a WIP: please give your advice or suggestions!
And now, on with the show!:
DRYADS:
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Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Wis OR +2 Cha:
Slender and slight, Dryads possesses extreme grace as well as deep insight into nature and natural beauty.
Size: Dryads are Medium creatures
Base Speed: Dryads have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Dryads begin play speaking Sylvan and Common. A Dryad with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Lifeforce: Whenever an effect would restore hit points to a Dryad, it restores an additional 1 hitpoint.
Pathfinder: Dryads are immune to the Entangled status. A Dryad may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Camouflage: Dryads receive a +4 bonus on Stealth checks while in forested areas.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Heal, +2 Knowledge (Nature)
Offensive Racial Traits
Surprising Attack: Dryads get an additional +1 attack when flanking a target.
Favored Class Options
Bard
Druid
Fighter
Ranger
Witch
Guild Affiliations:
As spirits of nature and the wild, many of the rare Dryads of Ravnica are unguilded, considering themselves beyond "civilized" concerns. Those that do join a guild are almost exclusively amongst the ranks of the Selesnya, whose guild's purpose, goals, and beliefs align strongly with a Dryad's natural tendencies. It is not impossible to find Dryads working amongst certain Gruul clans, but a Dryad belonging to a guild other than Selesnya would be the exception, rather than a rule.
FAERIES:
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Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Cha OR +2 Int:
Fae creatures are small, delicate, gregarious, and cunning.
Size: Faeries are Tiny creatures and gain a +2 size bonus to AC, a +2 Size bonus to attack rolls, a -2 penalty to their CMB and CM, a +4 bonus on Fly checks, and a +8 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: Faeries have a base speed of 20 feet, and a Fly speed of 10 feet (Average). They can only achieve an elevation of 10 feet.
Languages: Faeries begin play speaking Faerie and Common. A Faerie with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Feat, Sense, and Skill Bonuses:
Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Perception
Offensive Racial Traits
Beguiling Words: Faeries add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against any Enchantment spells they cast.
Wee Warrior: Unlike a normal tiny creature, a faerie has 5 foot reach, as a small or medium creature.
Favored Class Options
Bard:
Ranger:
Rogue:
Sorcerer:
Wizard:
Guild Affiliations:
Whimsical, mischievous free spirits, the fae are typically guildless. Their love of pranks and information means that a few do find a home amongst the Izzet or the Dimir. Some Faeries, feeling an instinctive tie to nature, wind up serving the Simic as scouts as well. Of the blue guilds, only the Azorius is unfriendly to Faeries; the law, order, and rules of the guild clash with the faerie's natural disposition towards merriment, freedom, and practical jokes.
GOBLINS
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Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Int OR +2 Con:
Goblins are light of foot, possess keen intellects, and are surprisingly hard to kill.
Size: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to AC, a +1 Size bonus to attack rolls, a -1 penalty to their CMB and CM, a +2 bonus on Fly checks, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: Goblins have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common. A Goblin with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Scrabbling Underfoot: Goblins get a +2 bonus to their AC against attacks of opportunity.
Shocking Conductivity: Goblins have a +1 bonus on Reflex saves and Resist Electricity 5.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Bluff
Low-light Vision
Offensive Racial Traits
Backstabbers: Goblins deal +2 damage when attacking a flat-footed creature or a creature they are flanking.
Favored Class Options
Artificer:
Alchemist:
Barbarian: +1 bonus on Strength checks to break an object and +1 CMB on Sunder attempts.
Rogue:
Wizard:
Guild Affiliations:
As the "cockroaches" of Ravnica, goblins show up in every red-aligned guild and in most guildless factions on the plane. They are canon fodder for the Boros, playthings for Rakdos, and fellow savage squatters amongst the Gruul. The only guild in which goblins can get a "fair shake" is the Izzet, as many Ravnican Goblins possess a brilliant mind underneath the annoying, sneering, and generally unpleasant demeanor and Niv-Mizzet respects intelligence, regardless of race.
LOXODON:
{{image scrubbed}}
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Str; +2 Wis OR +2 Con:
•As bipedal Elephants, the Loxodon are unfathomably strong and hardy, and possess keen senses and impeccable memory.
Size: Loxodon are Medium creatures
Base Speed: Loxodon have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Loxodon begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. A Loxodon with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Nature’s Warden: Loxodon are tenacious protectors of their allies. Adjacent allies receive a +1 racial bonus to AC and Fortitude Saves.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Armorer: Loxodon may take Armor Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency or Weapon Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Knowledge (History)
Offensive Racial Traits
Powerful Build: Loxodon are larger than your average creature. They have a +1 bonus to their CMB and CMD, and a +1 bonus on attack rolls when making an Attack of Opportunity.
Stampede: Loxodon deal +2 damage when making charge attacks.
Favored Class Options
Cleric:
Druid:
Fighter:
Oracle:
Paladin:
Guild Affiliation
The Loxodon's natural insight and formidable strength make them a favored choice for neutral peacekeepers and guards on Ravnica. Those Loxodon that do ally themselves with a guild tend to belong to Selesnya and Azorius, as they are the two guilds that most care about the needs of the community.
1) While this is for a Pathfinder campaign, my design was very much inspired by 4th Edition (in terms of "all upside" races with flexible stats). For balance concerns, compare them to one another rather than to other Pathfinder races, since most of these creatures will be obviously superior to standard Dwarves and Halflings.
2) Related to the above: I didn't want to completely rewrite Humans and Elves from the ground up, so assume the following houserules are in play for those two races:
Elves: No longer have a Con penalty. May choose Int or Wisdom as a +2 Stat, in addition to always getting +2 Dexterity. Receive a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (Nature) in addition to all other racial traits.
Humans: Now have a new trait called "Heroic Will", which grants a +1 bonus to all saving throws.
3) My design was that all races would get +2 to two different stats, +2 to two different skills, and then 4 "things" (bonus feats, proficiencies, situational damage boosts, defenses, vision or movement modes) and that no race had a LA. The only race I had to break this rule on were Faeries.
4) Favored Class bonuses are a WIP: please give your advice or suggestions!
And now, on with the show!:
DRYADS:
{{image scrubbed}}
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Wis OR +2 Cha:
Slender and slight, Dryads possesses extreme grace as well as deep insight into nature and natural beauty.
Size: Dryads are Medium creatures
Base Speed: Dryads have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Dryads begin play speaking Sylvan and Common. A Dryad with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Lifeforce: Whenever an effect would restore hit points to a Dryad, it restores an additional 1 hitpoint.
Pathfinder: Dryads are immune to the Entangled status. A Dryad may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Camouflage: Dryads receive a +4 bonus on Stealth checks while in forested areas.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Heal, +2 Knowledge (Nature)
Offensive Racial Traits
Surprising Attack: Dryads get an additional +1 attack when flanking a target.
Favored Class Options
Bard
Druid
Fighter
Ranger
Witch
Guild Affiliations:
As spirits of nature and the wild, many of the rare Dryads of Ravnica are unguilded, considering themselves beyond "civilized" concerns. Those that do join a guild are almost exclusively amongst the ranks of the Selesnya, whose guild's purpose, goals, and beliefs align strongly with a Dryad's natural tendencies. It is not impossible to find Dryads working amongst certain Gruul clans, but a Dryad belonging to a guild other than Selesnya would be the exception, rather than a rule.
FAERIES:
{{image scrubbed}}
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Cha OR +2 Int:
Fae creatures are small, delicate, gregarious, and cunning.
Size: Faeries are Tiny creatures and gain a +2 size bonus to AC, a +2 Size bonus to attack rolls, a -2 penalty to their CMB and CM, a +4 bonus on Fly checks, and a +8 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: Faeries have a base speed of 20 feet, and a Fly speed of 10 feet (Average). They can only achieve an elevation of 10 feet.
Languages: Faeries begin play speaking Faerie and Common. A Faerie with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Feat, Sense, and Skill Bonuses:
Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Perception
Offensive Racial Traits
Beguiling Words: Faeries add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against any Enchantment spells they cast.
Wee Warrior: Unlike a normal tiny creature, a faerie has 5 foot reach, as a small or medium creature.
Favored Class Options
Bard:
Ranger:
Rogue:
Sorcerer:
Wizard:
Guild Affiliations:
Whimsical, mischievous free spirits, the fae are typically guildless. Their love of pranks and information means that a few do find a home amongst the Izzet or the Dimir. Some Faeries, feeling an instinctive tie to nature, wind up serving the Simic as scouts as well. Of the blue guilds, only the Azorius is unfriendly to Faeries; the law, order, and rules of the guild clash with the faerie's natural disposition towards merriment, freedom, and practical jokes.
GOBLINS
{{image scrubbed}}
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dex; +2 Int OR +2 Con:
Goblins are light of foot, possess keen intellects, and are surprisingly hard to kill.
Size: Goblins are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to AC, a +1 Size bonus to attack rolls, a -1 penalty to their CMB and CM, a +2 bonus on Fly checks, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: Goblins have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Goblins begin play speaking Goblin and Common. A Goblin with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Scrabbling Underfoot: Goblins get a +2 bonus to their AC against attacks of opportunity.
Shocking Conductivity: Goblins have a +1 bonus on Reflex saves and Resist Electricity 5.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Bluff
Low-light Vision
Offensive Racial Traits
Backstabbers: Goblins deal +2 damage when attacking a flat-footed creature or a creature they are flanking.
Favored Class Options
Artificer:
Alchemist:
Barbarian: +1 bonus on Strength checks to break an object and +1 CMB on Sunder attempts.
Rogue:
Wizard:
Guild Affiliations:
As the "cockroaches" of Ravnica, goblins show up in every red-aligned guild and in most guildless factions on the plane. They are canon fodder for the Boros, playthings for Rakdos, and fellow savage squatters amongst the Gruul. The only guild in which goblins can get a "fair shake" is the Izzet, as many Ravnican Goblins possess a brilliant mind underneath the annoying, sneering, and generally unpleasant demeanor and Niv-Mizzet respects intelligence, regardless of race.
LOXODON:
{{image scrubbed}}
Standard Racial Traits
Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Str; +2 Wis OR +2 Con:
•As bipedal Elephants, the Loxodon are unfathomably strong and hardy, and possess keen senses and impeccable memory.
Size: Loxodon are Medium creatures
Base Speed: Loxodon have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Loxodon begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. A Loxodon with a high intelligence score may select the following languages: <WIP>
Defensive Racial Traits
Nature’s Warden: Loxodon are tenacious protectors of their allies. Adjacent allies receive a +1 racial bonus to AC and Fortitude Saves.
Feat, Sense and Skill Racial Traits
Armorer: Loxodon may take Armor Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency or Weapon Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Knowledge (History)
Offensive Racial Traits
Powerful Build: Loxodon are larger than your average creature. They have a +1 bonus to their CMB and CMD, and a +1 bonus on attack rolls when making an Attack of Opportunity.
Stampede: Loxodon deal +2 damage when making charge attacks.
Favored Class Options
Cleric:
Druid:
Fighter:
Oracle:
Paladin:
Guild Affiliation
The Loxodon's natural insight and formidable strength make them a favored choice for neutral peacekeepers and guards on Ravnica. Those Loxodon that do ally themselves with a guild tend to belong to Selesnya and Azorius, as they are the two guilds that most care about the needs of the community.