Halfling Variant...

[visigani]

Rules:
-2 Str, +2 Wis, -4 Charisma. Houndlings demeanor makes them extremely difficult to befriend or relate to.
Small Size
Base Land Speed: 20 Feet

Taciturn: Diplomacy and Bluff are never class skills for Houndlings. Sense motive always is.

Forgetfulness: Houndlings may not learn knowledge, profession, and craft skills , nor may they learn to read or write. They simply lack the capacity to retain the information for any length of time.

While wearing light or no no armor (though they may still wield a small shield) Houndlings may use their wisdom bonus in place of their dexterity bonus when qualifying for feats, saves, skills, attack bonus, and and any other effect that is dependent upon dexterity.

Intuitive Grace: While wearing light or no armor a Houndling may add his wisdom to his Armor Class. This is an insight bonus. In some cases this may double the benefit Houndlings receive from their wisdom modifier. This does not stack with any other similar bonuses from class, race, or items.

Shapechanging Immunity: Houndlings are immune to spells or abilities that would change their shape, fundamental structure, type or subtype. While a disintegrate spell could burn a hole directly through the Houndling, doing as much damage as it normally would, it would not reduce the Houndling to dust. A houndling could never Shapechange as the Druid's Wildshape ability, nor be turned to stone by a Medusa's gaze.

Discorporate Soul: Divine powers do not answer the prayers of Houndlings, arcane spells fizzle at their fingertips, Vestiges do not answer their summons, they never develop divine grace or the ability to smite evil, no power will swear a warlock's pact with a houndling, and psionics has thus proven impossible. Houndlings are simply incapable of channeling or possessing feats or class features that provide spells, powers, or other such abilities that are dependent upon supernatural sources.

Anti-Magic Weakness: While within an Antimagic Field, or when targeted by Disjunction, the Houndling must make a will save each round while under such effect or irrevocably die. A Houndling that perishes in this manner may never be resurrected. Neither a Wish nor a Miracle spell may bring them back.

Vestigewrack: Houndlings subject to Vestigewrack take 1d8 damage per caster level.

[Deca4531]

I never like a race with an "instant die" drawback. it interesting but the benefits could be easily gained from other sources with fewer drawbacks. all and all it would be interesting from a lore perspective but not a race I would ever willing play.

[Kuulvheysoon]

It's... an interesting race. I am also not in favour of the possibility of instant-death via racial feature.

To be honest, this seems better suited to be a monster with LA: - rather than an actual Player Race.

[Fax Celestis]

Rules:
-2 Str, +2 Wis, -4 Charisma. Houndlings demeanor makes them extremely difficult to befriend or relate to.
Small Size
Base Land Speed: 20 Feet

Taciturn: Diplomacy and Bluff are never class skills for Houndlings. Sense motive always is.

Forgetfulness: Houndlings may not learn knowledge, profession, and craft skills , nor may they learn to read or write. They simply lack the capacity to retain the information for any length of time.

While wearing light or no no armor (though they may still wield a small shield) Houndlings may use their wisdom bonus in place of their dexterity bonus when qualifying for feats, saves, skills, attack bonus, and and any other effect that is dependent upon dexterity.

Intuitive Grace: While wearing light or no armor a Houndling may add his wisdom to his Armor Class. This is an insight bonus. In some cases this may double the benefit Houndlings receive from their wisdom modifier. This does not stack with any other similar bonuses from class, race, or items.

Shapechanging Immunity: Houndlings are immune to spells or abilities that would change their shape, fundamental structure, type or subtype. While a disintegrate spell could burn a hole directly through the Houndling, doing as much damage as it normally would, it would not reduce the Houndling to dust. A houndling could never Shapechange as the Druid's Wildshape ability, nor be turned to stone by a Medusa's gaze.

Discorporate Soul: Divine powers do not answer the prayers of Houndlings, arcane spells fizzle at their fingertips, Vestiges do not answer their summons, they never develop divine grace or the ability to smite evil, no power will swear a warlock's pact with a houndling, and psionics has thus proven impossible. Houndlings are simply incapable of channeling or possessing feats or class features that provide spells, powers, or other such abilities that are dependent upon supernatural sources.

Anti-Magic Weakness: While within an Antimagic Field, or when targeted by Disjunction, the Houndling must make a will save each round while under such effect or irrevocably die. A Houndling that perishes in this manner may never be resurrected. Neither a Wish nor a Miracle spell may bring them back.

Vestigewrack: Houndlings subject to Vestigewrack take 1d8 damage per caster level.

You have a lot of downsides here for basically immunity to polymorph and Wis-to-AC. That's not a good trade.

Let's see what we can do here.


-2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Small size: As Small creatures, houndlings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
Outsider: Houndlings are outsiders with the (Halfling) subtype.
Speed: A houndling's base land speed is 20 feet.
Intrinsic Form: Houndlings are immune to effects of the Polymorph subschool. They may voluntarily drop this immunity if they desire, but they know what the spell's effects will be before they drop this immunity.
Stoic: Houndlings are distrustful creatures. They never have Diplomacy or Bluff as class skills and always treat Sense Motive as a class skill.
Illiterate: Houndlings are always illiterate.
Intuitive Grace: Houndlings add their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class as an insight bonus.
Spell Resistance: A houndling has Spell Resistance equal to his Hit Dice plus 10. Houndlings who take spellcasting classes or have similar features must pass their own Spell Resistance in order to cast a spell or use a class feature that allows Spell Resistance.
Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue.

[Kuulvheysoon]

You have a lot of downsides here for basically immunity to polymorph and Wis-to-AC. That's not a good trade.

Let's see what we can do here.


-2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Small size: As Small creatures, houndlings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
Outsider: Houndlings are outsiders with the (Halfling) subtype.
Speed: A houndling's base land speed is 20 feet.
Intrinsic Form: Houndlings are immune to effects of the Polymorph subschool. They may voluntarily drop this immunity if they desire, but they know what the spell's effects will be before they drop this immunity.
Stoic: Houndlings are distrustful creatures. They never have Diplomacy or Bluff as class skills and always treat Sense Motive as a class skill.
Illiterate: Houndlings are always illiterate, as per the barbarian class feature.
Intuitive Grace: Houndlings add their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class as an insight bonus.
Spell Resistance: A houndling has Spell Resistance equal to his Hit Dice plus 10. Houndlings who take spellcasting classes or have similar features must pass their own Spell Resistance in order to cast a spell or use a class feature that allows Spell Resistance.
Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling.
Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue.


To be honest, that seems a little too powerful. I'd probably toss them the Humanoid (halfling, planetouched) type instead of Outsider if you wanted to keep it LA 0.

Also, remove the reference to Barbarian Illiteracy because of this line
A barbarian who gains a level in any other class automatically gains literacy.

[Deca4531]

You have a lot of downsides here for basically immunity to polymorph and Wis-to-AC. That's not a good trade.

Let's see what we can do here.


-2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Small size: As Small creatures, houndlings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
Outsider: Houndlings are outsiders with the (Halfling) subtype.
Speed: A houndling's base land speed is 20 feet.
Intrinsic Form: Houndlings are immune to effects of the Polymorph subschool. They may voluntarily drop this immunity if they desire, but they know what the spell's effects will be before they drop this immunity.
Stoic: Houndlings are distrustful creatures. They never have Diplomacy or Bluff as class skills and always treat Sense Motive as a class skill.
Illiterate: Houndlings are always illiterate, as per the barbarian class feature.
Intuitive Grace: Houndlings add their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class as an insight bonus.
Spell Resistance: A houndling has Spell Resistance equal to his Hit Dice plus 10. Houndlings who take spellcasting classes or have similar features must pass their own Spell Resistance in order to cast a spell or use a class feature that allows Spell Resistance.
Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue.


lol I like that more, its better than "this race is too stupid to remember how to do anything other that punch and kick."

[Fax Celestis]

To be honest, that seems a little too powerful. I'd probably toss them the Humanoid (halfling, planetouched) type instead of Outsider if you wanted to keep it LA 0.

Also, remove the reference to Barbarian Illiteracy because of this line

I made them Outsider so they'd stay dead when they died.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I made them Outsider so they'd stay dead when they died.

Ah, I see. I'm probably overworried about (UMD) polymorph/alter self shenanigans.

[visigani]

In essence they're a race of halflings that are racially bound to Balam, the Bitter Angel vestige.

[the_david]

How are they a halfling variant?

[Deca4531]

How are they a halfling variant?

body type more or less. kinda like a drow is an elf variant.

[Fouredged Sword]

See, I could see these as a really cool LA- race for monsters in a horror game where the BBEG is an evil wizard twisting people into slave races. It is not, on the other hand, a playable race.

[visigani]

See, I could see these as a really cool LA- race for monsters in a horror game where the BBEG is an evil wizard twisting people into slave races. It is not, on the other hand, a playable race.

That's actually their origin... they look like little humans with deep gutteral voices, pointed ears, and penetrating stares.

[Zombulian]

So wait, is this homebrew? Because we have a board for that...

[Phelix-Mu]

Let's see what we can do here.


-2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Small size: As Small creatures, houndlings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters.
Outsider: Houndlings are outsiders with the (Halfling) subtype.
Speed: A houndling's base land speed is 20 feet.
Intrinsic Form: Houndlings are immune to effects of the Polymorph subschool. They may voluntarily drop this immunity if they desire, but they know what the spell's effects will be before they drop this immunity.
Stoic: Houndlings are distrustful creatures. They never have Diplomacy or Bluff as class skills and always treat Sense Motive as a class skill.
Illiterate: Houndlings are always illiterate.
Intuitive Grace: Houndlings add their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class as an insight bonus.
Spell Resistance: A houndling has Spell Resistance equal to his Hit Dice plus 10. Houndlings who take spellcasting classes or have similar features must pass their own Spell Resistance in order to cast a spell or use a class feature that allows Spell Resistance.
Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Rogue.


I actually think this is pretty good, and captures the relevant points of the race concept without tying any albatrosses around the character's neck (like the sudden death thing in the OP's version). The existence of revive outsider, however, does complicate the "once dead, dead forever" thing a bit.

I like the way the SR works. And making the Wis-to-AC a typed bonus limits stacking a bit. If you want to limit it more, just make the bonus a type more commonly used, like maybe deflection.