Jergmo
2013-11-15, 11:02 PM
Hello! It's been some time since I've visited the forums, but I'm working to become a regular again. In my last campaign setting I was experimenting more with creating base races, and in my most recent setting many of the non-human races are primarily NPC-oriented. As such I've been working to increase them to +1 LA races in order to give them more fleshed-out or powerful abilities and modifiers.
I'd like to introduce one of two races unique to the setting, the Maretids. Anyone is free to use the race if it interests you for your own games, but I'm interested in feedback about the racial attributes.
Please note that I use the Generic Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) variant, which is why the favored class is listed as "Spellcaster".
Maretid
Maretids are semiaquatic beings often residing in coastal communities. They are tall, slender, have large chests and light blue skin with gaunt features - they lack any hair and possess short, sharp teeth and eyes with white pupils. The diet of a maretid consists of a large amount of fish, eggs and fruit. Maretids are highly intolerant of substances such as alcohol or nicotine, but they are capable of consuming large amounts of mercury with no ill effects, granting an exception to their weaknesses to poisons. Maretids often accentuate with trills, croaks and clicks, their speech patterns including the rolling of letters.
Maretids are typically led by the most powerful spellcasters of their communities. Being a race that is intolerant of toxins, many maretids lead a more disciplined life highlighting values of purity and serenity and take great joy in music, particularly singing. In the words of one maretid philosopher, "We must be still pools. The ocean reminds us of this daily, for choppy water is unstable and restless. We must find harmony within ourselves."
Maretid Traits
Maretids possess the following racial traits:
-2 Strength, +4 Wisdom
Medium: As Medium creatures, maretids have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Maretid base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Maretids can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and maretids can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.
-2 racial penalty on saving throws against poisons.
+4 racial bonus on Swim checks. A maretid can use its Strength or Dexterity modifier for Swim checks, whichever is highest.
Special Qualities: Expansive lungs. A maretid can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to three times its Constitution score before risking drowning.
Automatic Language: Common, Mioulidish. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Celestial
Favored Class: Spellcaster
Level Adjustment: +1
While maretids favor divine spellcasting, I envision them having potential as gishes despite their lack of high strength and constitution by focusing on both high AC and touch AC, archery and delivery of debilitating spells that use touch attacks - or paladin abilities such as smite evil or an adaptation of the duskblade's channeling ability.
I'd like to introduce one of two races unique to the setting, the Maretids. Anyone is free to use the race if it interests you for your own games, but I'm interested in feedback about the racial attributes.
Please note that I use the Generic Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) variant, which is why the favored class is listed as "Spellcaster".
Maretid
Maretids are semiaquatic beings often residing in coastal communities. They are tall, slender, have large chests and light blue skin with gaunt features - they lack any hair and possess short, sharp teeth and eyes with white pupils. The diet of a maretid consists of a large amount of fish, eggs and fruit. Maretids are highly intolerant of substances such as alcohol or nicotine, but they are capable of consuming large amounts of mercury with no ill effects, granting an exception to their weaknesses to poisons. Maretids often accentuate with trills, croaks and clicks, their speech patterns including the rolling of letters.
Maretids are typically led by the most powerful spellcasters of their communities. Being a race that is intolerant of toxins, many maretids lead a more disciplined life highlighting values of purity and serenity and take great joy in music, particularly singing. In the words of one maretid philosopher, "We must be still pools. The ocean reminds us of this daily, for choppy water is unstable and restless. We must find harmony within ourselves."
Maretid Traits
Maretids possess the following racial traits:
-2 Strength, +4 Wisdom
Medium: As Medium creatures, maretids have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Maretid base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Maretids can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and maretids can function just fine with no light at all.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.
-2 racial penalty on saving throws against poisons.
+4 racial bonus on Swim checks. A maretid can use its Strength or Dexterity modifier for Swim checks, whichever is highest.
Special Qualities: Expansive lungs. A maretid can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to three times its Constitution score before risking drowning.
Automatic Language: Common, Mioulidish. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Celestial
Favored Class: Spellcaster
Level Adjustment: +1
While maretids favor divine spellcasting, I envision them having potential as gishes despite their lack of high strength and constitution by focusing on both high AC and touch AC, archery and delivery of debilitating spells that use touch attacks - or paladin abilities such as smite evil or an adaptation of the duskblade's channeling ability.