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View Full Version : Some advice with my houseruled races? (3.5)



Seharvepernfan
2013-05-27, 01:38 PM
Okay, here are the changes to the PHB races I made for my houserules. I'm looking for help in evening them out, choosing certain abilities, and coming up with good new ones (especially for the gnomes, they need something good).

All racial +2 bonuses to saves and skills increase by +1 at 8th and 16th, all racial +1 bonuses increase by +1 at 10th.

Humans: as PHB

Elves: +2 Dex, -2 Con
speed 35ft. with no heavier than light load
+2 vs. ench, immune to magic sleep
trance for 4 hours, -2 penalty to listen checks when trancing (instead of -10).
auto proficient with short bow, long bow, rapier, and longsword
+2 caster level to overcome spell resistance
+2 spellcraft
+2 craft (bowyer/fletcher)
low light vision
detect secret doors
+2 listen, search, and spot
Considering lowering concealment miss chances on enemies by 20% and range penalties by 2.

Half-Elves: elven blood
+2 vs. magic sleep effects, otherwise +1 vs. enchantments
sleep for 6 hours, -5 listen penalty when sleeping (instead of -10).
lesser low light vision (1.5x)
+2 gather info and persuasion
+1 listen, spot, and search
+1 caster level to overcome spell resistance
+1 spellcraft
Inspiration: Half-elves have action points. Inspiration (Ex) Half-Elves gain a single Inspiration Point, useable as if they possessed the Cunning Insight OR the Cunning Knowledge class feature (Chosen at 1st level) as a Factotum (Dungeonscape) of 1/4 their HD. If they select Cunning Insight, they use 1/4 their HD or their Int mod, whichever is higher (minimum +1).

A Half-Elf cannot make use of feats, PrCs, etc that require Inspiration Points, Cunning Insight or Cunning Knowledge.

If they possess actual Factotum levels, then this racial Inspiration Point may be spent on Factotum abilities and vice versa. A Half-Elf Factotum can use it's racial Cunning Knowledge and it's Factotum Cunning Knowledge to increase the same skill twice in a day (but not at the same time).
Considering lowering concealment miss chances on enemies by 10% and range penalties by 1.

Dwarves: +2 Con, -2 Dex
base speed 20ft.
armored ease (also not slowed by wounds)
Darkvision 60ft.
stone cunning
weapon familiarity (maul is simple if two handed, martial if one – warhammers are simple/can choose picks instead)
stability
+2 vs. poison
+2 vs. magic
+1 attack vs. goblinoids
+2 damage vs. orcs
+4 dodge bonus to ac vs. giants
+2 appraise and craft with stone and metal

Gnomes: +2 Cha, -2 Wis
small
base speed 20ft.
lesser low light vision (x1.5)
treat light repeaters as simple weapons, heavy repeaters and calculi as martial
a gnome who merely passes within 5ft. of an illusion is entitled to a save to disbelieve the illusion as if studying it
+1 bonus to thrown attacks
+2 will saves vs. illusion
+1 dc to any illusion spells cast (or caster level, caster’s choice)
+2 craft alchemy
+1 to any two craft or knowledge skills (except alchemy)
+2 decipher script
+1 disable device and open lock

Half orcs: +2 Str, -2 Int
+3 when charging (instead of +2)
+2 Intimidate
+2 survival
+2 saves vs. disease
One additional skill point per level.
auto proficient handaxe, throwing axe, battleaxe, war axe when two handed, greataxe, and javelins (if you're gonna play a half-orc wizard, you may as well get a greataxe - this one isn't too serious)
dark vision 30ft.
orc blood

Seharvepernfan
2013-05-28, 03:03 PM
Bump 1 of 3.

Sgt. Cookie
2013-05-28, 04:13 PM
The Action Point thing for Half-Elves is, odd. What happens when Action Points are in play normally? Do they get two pools?

I'd suggest this, instead:

Inspiration (Ex) Half-Elves gain a single Inspiration Point, useable as if they possessed the Cunning Insight OR the Cunning Knowledge class feature (Chosen at 1st level) as a Factotum (Dungeonscape) of 1/4 their HD. If they select Cunning Insight, they use 1/4 their HD or their Int mod, whichever is higher.

A Half-Elf cannot make use of feats, PrCs, etc that require Inspiration Points, Cunning Insight or Cunning Knowledge.

If they possess actual Factotum levels, then this racial Inspiration Point may be spent on Factotum abilities and vice versa. A Half-Elf Factotum can use it's racial Cunning Knowledge and it's Factotum Cunning Knowledge to increase the same skill twice in a day (but not at the same time).

Seharvepernfan
2013-05-28, 04:29 PM
If I were to implement action points, I would just give half-elves more of them, but action points aren't a part of my games (the ones where I use my houserules, anyway).

I don't have my dungeonscape at the moment; does cunning insight affect attack rolls or saves? Regardless, your suggestion is a lot weaker than having regular action points, especially at low levels (unless they have really high Int). Though, it can be used every encounter, right?

My intention was to make half-elves as valid a choice as humans and the other races, but for different reasons.

Sgt. Cookie
2013-05-28, 04:38 PM
That may be so, but others may want to use your Houserules for themselves. So that sort of thing needs to be clarified. Assuming that only you will use these rules is a fallacy. Besides, what if all your players lobby for Action Points, after seeing what Half-Elves can do? It's better to have rules that never come up, than having to hash together an Ad-Hoc and probably unbalanced House Rule.


Cunning Insight affects Damage, Attack and Saves. And yes, my suggestion is weaker, but it also isn't finite, which Action Points are. And yes, this Inspiration Point would be useable every encounter, where as the Action Points could only be used once. Once they're drained, the Half-Elf is just a crappier Elf.


And this does make Half-Elves just as valid a choice, you get a Bonus to some combat stuff OR some skill monkeying stuff, it is just as valuable as a Bonus Feat (And believe me, that bonus feat is valuable.)

Seharvepernfan
2013-05-28, 05:10 PM
You have persuaded me, sir.

Many thanks! :smallsmile:

Sgt. Cookie
2013-05-28, 06:12 PM
Tis all right, my good man.

I just noticed, Cunning Insight wouldn't grant at level 1. Right after the 1/4 HD bit, it should have:

... as a Factotum (Dungeonscape) of 1/4 their HD (Min +1 Bonus)

Seharvepernfan
2013-05-30, 02:17 AM
Bump 2 of 3.

Seharvepernfan
2013-05-31, 02:25 AM
Bump 3 of 3.

No help with my gnomes, at least?

DracoDei
2013-06-01, 01:20 PM
The level up stuff in bold before the racial listings doesn't apply to a humans skill-points or anything? Could be balanced (I wouldn't know), but I am just trying to get clarification.

So, when an elf is carrying a medium or heavy load their base speed is considered 30ft?

What if they are strong enough that the medium armor they are wearing only counts as a light load by weight?

"A Half-Elf cannot make use of feats, PrCs, etc that require Inspiration Points, Cunning Insight or Cunning Knowledge."
-This needs to be clarified so it only applies if they DON'T also have such things from a class level. Or maybe it should mean that the racial inspiration point doesn't count towards such reequirements and can't be used to fuel such extra abilities. So, for instance, if there was a PrC that required 2 inspiration points per encounter and a half-elf had 1/encounter from race, and 1/encounter from class levels, that that wouldn't mean they would qualify. Note that I have no real idea how factotum works so I may be phrasing this wrong, but the general idea should be communicated I hope.

Dwarves aren't slowed by wounds... is that a house-rule, or are you talking about caltrops and spike stones and such?

Haven't looked past dwarf, and really only skimmed.

Seharvepernfan
2013-06-01, 02:44 PM
The level up stuff in bold before the racial listings doesn't apply to a humans skill-points or anything? Could be balanced (I wouldn't know), but I am just trying to get clarification.

No, only things that are either +1 or +2 to begin with. It was intended to give the other races something like the human's continued skill bonus.


So, when an elf is carrying a medium or heavy load their base speed is considered 30ft?

No, it's basically fast movement. It's 35ft. with light armor/load, 20ft. otherwise.


What if they are strong enough that the medium armor they are wearing only counts as a light load by weight?

Still no. Armor isn't just restrictive due to weight, it also blocks range of movement.


"A Half-Elf cannot make use of feats, PrCs, etc that require Inspiration Points, Cunning Insight or Cunning Knowledge."
-This needs to be clarified so it only applies if they DON'T also have such things from a class level...

I'm not publishing a book here...can't that just be common sense? Unless I'm missing what you're saying, for which I apologize.


Dwarves aren't slowed by wounds... is that a house-rule, or are you talking about caltrops and spike stones and such?

Yes, it's a houserule. I use wounded penalties, and part of that is being slowed. Dwarves are never slowed by regular wounds; this does not include wounds from caltrops or spike stones or other things that specifically lower the target's speed.

Anyway, thanks for looking them over!

DracoDei
2013-06-02, 09:49 PM
I'm not publishing a book here...can't that just be common sense? Unless I'm missing what you're saying, for which I apologize.
Most people around here prefer to write to the same tightness as published material for some reason. If you don't then that is fine, but you should be sure that what is obvious to you is obvious to your players.

Anyway, thanks for looking them over!
You are welcome.