Yakk
2006-11-27, 05:55 PM
So I was thinking that races in D&D are pretty dull.
They tend to be a bunch of abilities at level one, and then nothing.
The bloodline and paragon systems aren't bad, but I was thinking something that every character would take. You are a human, and thus you have the human class abilities.
So, what if we did a gesalt class/race system?
We'd have to make up racial abilities for each race. Players would also be more powerful than standard D&D classes. If a race was about half as strong as a class, it would result in a campagn about half way between D&D and gesalt D&D.
NAME OF RACE
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
2nd|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
3rd|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
4th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
5th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
6th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
7th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
8th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
9th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
10th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
11th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
12th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
13th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
14th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
15th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
16th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
17th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
18th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
19th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
20th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
[/table]
Tossing together such a racial-class:
Elves, Noble
The elf class is an arcane int-based non-spontanius caster. The elf uses the Wizard spell list.
Spells from the elf list have a 10% lower chance of arcane spell failure in armor.
At each of L 1 through 4, an Elf gains access to a MWP from the following list:
Longsword, Shortbow, Longbow, Rapier
Every four levels, an Elf gains access to a bonus feat.
These feats are restricted to
Weapon Focus Longsword, Rapier, Longbow, Shortbow, Weapon Finess(Rapier), Point-blank shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
and, at L 12 and above:
L 12+: Improved Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Mobility, Manyshot
At 8th level, and every even level until 12th, an Elf gets to pick a weapon focus feat from the following list:
Longsword, Rapier, Longbow, Shortbow
An Elf's caster level is 1/2 of her racial level.
Elves, Noble
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+1|Low light vision, -2 Con, +2 Dex, Immune to Sleep, Feat
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+1|2 cantrip, 0 first
3rd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+1|+2 racial Spot/Listen/Search
4th|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|2 cantrip, 1 1st, Feat
5th|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+2|Auto-search
6th|
+3|
+0|
+1|
+2|3 cantrip, 2 1st
7th|
+3|
+0|
+1|
+2|+2 racial vs Enchantments
8th|
+4|
+0|
+1|
+2|4 cantrip, 2 1st, 1 2nd, Feat
9th|
+4|
+0|
+1|
+3|+5 racial Sneak/Hide in Forests
10th|
+5|
+0|
+1|
+3|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 2 2nd
11th|
+5|
+0|
+2|
+3|+1 damage with LS/Rapier/Longbow/Shortbow
12th|
+6|
+0|
+2|
+3|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 2 2nd, 1 3rd, Feat
13th|
+6|
+0|
+2|
+4|+4 racial Spot/Listen/Search
14th|
+7|
+0|
+2|
+4|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 3 2nd, 2 3rd
15th|
+7|
+0|
+2|
+4|+2 racial Int
16th|
+8|
+0|
+3|
+4|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 3 2nd, 2 3rd, 1 4th, Feat
17th|
+8|
+0|
+3|
+5|+6 racial vs Enchantments
18th|
+9|
+0|
+3|
+5|4 cantrip, 4 1st, 3 2nd, 3 3rd, 2 4th
19th|
+9|
+0|
+3|
+5|+4 racial Dex
20th|
+10|
+0|
+3|
+5|4/4/3/3/2/1 spells, Feat
[/table]
So at L 20, a Noble Elf would have:
-2 Con, +4 Dex, +2 Int
Access to up to L 5 arcane spells (4/4/3/3/2/1 per day) as a Wizard (about as strong as a L 9 Wizard)
6 feats focused on archery and/or elven melee weapons
+5 sneak/hide in Forests
+4 racial Spot/Listen/Search
+6 racial vs Enchantments
+5 racial Will save
+3 racial Reflex save
+10 racial HP
Immune to Sleep, Low-light vision
...
To max half-breed races, simply alternate levels.
A half-elf half-human would get 1 level of human, 1 level of elf, and alternate back and forth.
Am I crazy?
Another attempt
Human's bonus feats can come from any class they are a member of.
Humans at L 7, 12 and 17 earn a Weapon Proficiency. If the human has Martial Weapons, this can be an Exotic Weapon.
Otherwise, it is proficiency in one Martial Weapon, or Weapon Focus in a weapon the human is already proficient in.
Extra class skills are the ability to select skills that the human has as cross-class or class skills and make them "universal class skills". From then on, they are considered class skills of every class.
Human
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+0|+4 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
2nd|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, Extra class skill(any)
3rd|
+3|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, +1 racial to any save
4th|
+4|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, +1 initiative
5th|
+5|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
6th|
+6|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to all stats
7th|
+7|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
8th|
+8|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to all skills
9th|
+9|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to any one stat
10th|
+10|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
11th|
+11|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, +1 to any save
12th|
+12|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
13th|
+13|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Extra class skill(any)
14th|
+14|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, +2 to all stats (inclusive)
15th|
+15|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
16th|
+16|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +2 to all skills (inclusive)
17th|
+17|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
18th|
+18|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +1 to any one stat (can stack)
19th|
+19|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +1 racial to any save (can stack)
20th|
+20|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
[/table]
How does that stack up against the Elf?
5 Bonus feats and 3 (weak) Weapon Feats
2 extra Class skills
23 extra skill points
+2 to all stats, and an extra +2 anywhere
+3 to each save type +2 extra save points
+2 to all skills
+20 HP
Thoughts? I suspect the above might be more powerful than I intended. :)
They tend to be a bunch of abilities at level one, and then nothing.
The bloodline and paragon systems aren't bad, but I was thinking something that every character would take. You are a human, and thus you have the human class abilities.
So, what if we did a gesalt class/race system?
We'd have to make up racial abilities for each race. Players would also be more powerful than standard D&D classes. If a race was about half as strong as a class, it would result in a campagn about half way between D&D and gesalt D&D.
NAME OF RACE
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
2nd|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
3rd|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
4th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
5th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
6th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
7th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
8th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
9th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
10th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
11th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
12th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
13th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
14th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
15th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
16th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
17th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
18th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
19th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
20th|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Race Ability
[/table]
Tossing together such a racial-class:
Elves, Noble
The elf class is an arcane int-based non-spontanius caster. The elf uses the Wizard spell list.
Spells from the elf list have a 10% lower chance of arcane spell failure in armor.
At each of L 1 through 4, an Elf gains access to a MWP from the following list:
Longsword, Shortbow, Longbow, Rapier
Every four levels, an Elf gains access to a bonus feat.
These feats are restricted to
Weapon Focus Longsword, Rapier, Longbow, Shortbow, Weapon Finess(Rapier), Point-blank shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
and, at L 12 and above:
L 12+: Improved Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Mobility, Manyshot
At 8th level, and every even level until 12th, an Elf gets to pick a weapon focus feat from the following list:
Longsword, Rapier, Longbow, Shortbow
An Elf's caster level is 1/2 of her racial level.
Elves, Noble
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+1|Low light vision, -2 Con, +2 Dex, Immune to Sleep, Feat
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+1|2 cantrip, 0 first
3rd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+1|+2 racial Spot/Listen/Search
4th|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|2 cantrip, 1 1st, Feat
5th|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+2|Auto-search
6th|
+3|
+0|
+1|
+2|3 cantrip, 2 1st
7th|
+3|
+0|
+1|
+2|+2 racial vs Enchantments
8th|
+4|
+0|
+1|
+2|4 cantrip, 2 1st, 1 2nd, Feat
9th|
+4|
+0|
+1|
+3|+5 racial Sneak/Hide in Forests
10th|
+5|
+0|
+1|
+3|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 2 2nd
11th|
+5|
+0|
+2|
+3|+1 damage with LS/Rapier/Longbow/Shortbow
12th|
+6|
+0|
+2|
+3|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 2 2nd, 1 3rd, Feat
13th|
+6|
+0|
+2|
+4|+4 racial Spot/Listen/Search
14th|
+7|
+0|
+2|
+4|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 3 2nd, 2 3rd
15th|
+7|
+0|
+2|
+4|+2 racial Int
16th|
+8|
+0|
+3|
+4|4 cantrip, 3 1st, 3 2nd, 2 3rd, 1 4th, Feat
17th|
+8|
+0|
+3|
+5|+6 racial vs Enchantments
18th|
+9|
+0|
+3|
+5|4 cantrip, 4 1st, 3 2nd, 3 3rd, 2 4th
19th|
+9|
+0|
+3|
+5|+4 racial Dex
20th|
+10|
+0|
+3|
+5|4/4/3/3/2/1 spells, Feat
[/table]
So at L 20, a Noble Elf would have:
-2 Con, +4 Dex, +2 Int
Access to up to L 5 arcane spells (4/4/3/3/2/1 per day) as a Wizard (about as strong as a L 9 Wizard)
6 feats focused on archery and/or elven melee weapons
+5 sneak/hide in Forests
+4 racial Spot/Listen/Search
+6 racial vs Enchantments
+5 racial Will save
+3 racial Reflex save
+10 racial HP
Immune to Sleep, Low-light vision
...
To max half-breed races, simply alternate levels.
A half-elf half-human would get 1 level of human, 1 level of elf, and alternate back and forth.
Am I crazy?
Another attempt
Human's bonus feats can come from any class they are a member of.
Humans at L 7, 12 and 17 earn a Weapon Proficiency. If the human has Martial Weapons, this can be an Exotic Weapon.
Otherwise, it is proficiency in one Martial Weapon, or Weapon Focus in a weapon the human is already proficient in.
Extra class skills are the ability to select skills that the human has as cross-class or class skills and make them "universal class skills". From then on, they are considered class skills of every class.
Human
{table=head] Level|HP [br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+0|+4 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
2nd|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, Extra class skill(any)
3rd|
+3|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, +1 racial to any save
4th|
+4|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, +1 initiative
5th|
+5|
+0|
+0|
+0|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
6th|
+6|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to all stats
7th|
+7|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
8th|
+8|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to all skills
9th|
+9|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, +1 to any one stat
10th|
+10|
+1|
+1|
+1|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
11th|
+11|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, +1 to any save
12th|
+12|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
13th|
+13|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Extra class skill(any)
14th|
+14|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, +2 to all stats (inclusive)
15th|
+15|
+2|
+2|
+2|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
16th|
+16|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +2 to all skills (inclusive)
17th|
+17|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, Weapon Proficiency
18th|
+18|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +1 to any one stat (can stack)
19th|
+19|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, +1 racial to any save (can stack)
20th|
+20|
+3|
+3|
+3|+1 skill points, Bonus Feat (any)
[/table]
How does that stack up against the Elf?
5 Bonus feats and 3 (weak) Weapon Feats
2 extra Class skills
23 extra skill points
+2 to all stats, and an extra +2 anywhere
+3 to each save type +2 extra save points
+2 to all skills
+20 HP
Thoughts? I suspect the above might be more powerful than I intended. :)