brutticusforce
2013-01-12, 04:04 PM
Last night, a friend was talking about her pathfinder game, and it gave me an itching to run a game of that sort. It also reminded about everything i hate about that game, including the fact that didn't fix anything. Humans are still very clearly the most powerful core PC race, Druids still wreck everything in the universe...
So I started a project; I have ideas. I started with races, because they are the easiest. Self contained, almost. Classes will come... later. prestige classes... unlikely, but we will see. anyways, heres what there is:
Common Races
Orcs
Racial stat Modifications: +4 Str -2 dex -2 Cha
Major Racial feature: Toughness: Orcs gain an extra hit point for every HD they have
Minor racial feature: Diehard: Orcs gain Diehard as a bonus feat
Humans:
Floating +2
Major Racial feature: Versatile: Bonus feat
Minor racial feature: Skilled: Bonus skill point when they level
Dwarf
Speed: 20
+2 Con +2Wis -2 Cha
Major racial feature: Short: dwarves gain a size bonus to AC and attack rolls as though they were small. They gain no other bonuses or penalties, and their size is still medium in all other respects
Minor racial feature: Stability: Dwarves get +4 to saving throws to avoid being tripped or knocked prone. In addition, a dwarves’ speed may not be lowered for any reason, including encumbrance
Elf
-2 con +2 dex +2 Cha
Minor racial feature: Changeling: An elf can cast Disguise Self as a spell like ability, with a caster level equal to her level
Major racial feature" Fairy Companion: An elf has a fairy familiar. It always gives off dim light, out to 5 feet. It is unlike a wizard’s familiar: it does not give her skill bonuses. It is not a creature and does not have AC, Hitpoints, or other in game statistics. It cannot attack, and it does not have its own turn or initiative. As a standard action, the elf can give her fairy the following command:
Harry: The fairy moves up to 20 feet into an enemy space and distracts him. A distracted enemy cannot take minor actions that turn unless he succeeds on a will save (DC 10+ the elf's level). The fairy continues to distract the enemy for as long as the elf wishes, but gets a new saving throw every round. A distracted enemy also takes a -2 penalty to his AC, and furthermore, weapon attacks rolls the elf makes against the target get a +1 bonus. A fairy can only harry one enemy at a time.
Goblin
-2 Str +4 Dex -2 Cha
Size: Small. Speed: 40
Major Racial Trait: Lucky: Goblins get a +1 bonus to all saving throws
Minor Racial Trait: Big head, Sharp teeth: Gobins have a natural bite attack that deals 1d3+ half str mod damage.
Some things to note:
* I'm not sure how much size modification is worth. The goblins racial features are kind of minor, but hes fast and has an inherent +3 to AC.
* I'm slightly worried about the Elves' fairy companion. Im not sure how powerful it is.
* When suggesting revisions, keep a few things in mind:
- No race may have a hit or boost to INT. Slavery and racism are a big part of the setting, and it undermines the injustice if one race is mechanically always stupider than their human counterparts.
- I tried when designing these to avoid abilities that have a use only to one class or subset of classes. More hit points or a boost to saving throws anyone can use. A boost to caster level pigeon holes a race.
- I don't do level adjustment. I wont.
- These races are designed to be used with each other, not with standard races, or anything printed. Are they balanced compared to each other?
Things I want to do:
* A half racial sub system. This is why this is boiled down to major and minor racial traits, to make it easier to mix and match
*Uncommon Races. These included PC Dragons, Giants, and fairies. This also makes half giants as easy to create as half orcs. I have no idea how i would handle it in this streamline system though.
* Rules for Gods and fiends to be stated. They wouldn't be playable, but it would allow for God and Fiend blooded PCs
* Id consider redoing the class system to make melee classes less front loaded and magic class less back loaded. I have some ideas, but I have no idea how to implement it without killing myself.
* A fluff page, if people care.
Changelog
- Changed Alter self to disguise self for the elves racial ability.
- Changed Harry to disable minor actions rather than standards.
- Changed to Stability from a flat immunity to tripping and proning to a +4 to saves against those conditions.
- Minor clarifications to harry.
- Minor grammar fixes.
Anyways, these are what i have. PEACH! PLEASE!
So I started a project; I have ideas. I started with races, because they are the easiest. Self contained, almost. Classes will come... later. prestige classes... unlikely, but we will see. anyways, heres what there is:
Common Races
Orcs
Racial stat Modifications: +4 Str -2 dex -2 Cha
Major Racial feature: Toughness: Orcs gain an extra hit point for every HD they have
Minor racial feature: Diehard: Orcs gain Diehard as a bonus feat
Humans:
Floating +2
Major Racial feature: Versatile: Bonus feat
Minor racial feature: Skilled: Bonus skill point when they level
Dwarf
Speed: 20
+2 Con +2Wis -2 Cha
Major racial feature: Short: dwarves gain a size bonus to AC and attack rolls as though they were small. They gain no other bonuses or penalties, and their size is still medium in all other respects
Minor racial feature: Stability: Dwarves get +4 to saving throws to avoid being tripped or knocked prone. In addition, a dwarves’ speed may not be lowered for any reason, including encumbrance
Elf
-2 con +2 dex +2 Cha
Minor racial feature: Changeling: An elf can cast Disguise Self as a spell like ability, with a caster level equal to her level
Major racial feature" Fairy Companion: An elf has a fairy familiar. It always gives off dim light, out to 5 feet. It is unlike a wizard’s familiar: it does not give her skill bonuses. It is not a creature and does not have AC, Hitpoints, or other in game statistics. It cannot attack, and it does not have its own turn or initiative. As a standard action, the elf can give her fairy the following command:
Harry: The fairy moves up to 20 feet into an enemy space and distracts him. A distracted enemy cannot take minor actions that turn unless he succeeds on a will save (DC 10+ the elf's level). The fairy continues to distract the enemy for as long as the elf wishes, but gets a new saving throw every round. A distracted enemy also takes a -2 penalty to his AC, and furthermore, weapon attacks rolls the elf makes against the target get a +1 bonus. A fairy can only harry one enemy at a time.
Goblin
-2 Str +4 Dex -2 Cha
Size: Small. Speed: 40
Major Racial Trait: Lucky: Goblins get a +1 bonus to all saving throws
Minor Racial Trait: Big head, Sharp teeth: Gobins have a natural bite attack that deals 1d3+ half str mod damage.
Some things to note:
* I'm not sure how much size modification is worth. The goblins racial features are kind of minor, but hes fast and has an inherent +3 to AC.
* I'm slightly worried about the Elves' fairy companion. Im not sure how powerful it is.
* When suggesting revisions, keep a few things in mind:
- No race may have a hit or boost to INT. Slavery and racism are a big part of the setting, and it undermines the injustice if one race is mechanically always stupider than their human counterparts.
- I tried when designing these to avoid abilities that have a use only to one class or subset of classes. More hit points or a boost to saving throws anyone can use. A boost to caster level pigeon holes a race.
- I don't do level adjustment. I wont.
- These races are designed to be used with each other, not with standard races, or anything printed. Are they balanced compared to each other?
Things I want to do:
* A half racial sub system. This is why this is boiled down to major and minor racial traits, to make it easier to mix and match
*Uncommon Races. These included PC Dragons, Giants, and fairies. This also makes half giants as easy to create as half orcs. I have no idea how i would handle it in this streamline system though.
* Rules for Gods and fiends to be stated. They wouldn't be playable, but it would allow for God and Fiend blooded PCs
* Id consider redoing the class system to make melee classes less front loaded and magic class less back loaded. I have some ideas, but I have no idea how to implement it without killing myself.
* A fluff page, if people care.
Changelog
- Changed Alter self to disguise self for the elves racial ability.
- Changed Harry to disable minor actions rather than standards.
- Changed to Stability from a flat immunity to tripping and proning to a +4 to saves against those conditions.
- Minor clarifications to harry.
- Minor grammar fixes.
Anyways, these are what i have. PEACH! PLEASE!