Balancing Pathfinder Racial Points - Regeneration

[Vanzanze]

I noticed that Paizo specifically did not include "regeneration" as an available Racial Points option, even for Advanced/Monstrous character races, going so far as to include fast healing but specifying that it MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT REGENERATION.

Since I'm designing all new core races for a special campaign, I wanted to have a shapeshifter race. Without knowing how I should properly balance regeneration against something like fast healing, I'm kind of stymied. Any suggestions or ideas?

[WbtE]

I seem to recall that the Racial Points system is not held in the highest regard, so you may not need to worry about fitting in with it.

Anyway, Regeneration is an extremely powerful ability. Definitely approach it with some care. You could protect yourself from imbalances by separating regeneration from spellcasting, either directly (e.g. this only works if the characters does not have a caster level) or indirectly (by making the regeneration a factor of the character's d10 and d12 hit dice).

[Vanzanze]

Very reasonable to me. Something like "regenerate half as many hit points per day as the number of sides your primary hit die has"?

[WbtE]

Very reasonable to me. Something like "regenerate half as many hit points per day as the number of sides your primary hit die has"?

That becomes very complicated with multi-classing, and is still very helpful to the cleric! :smallsmile: Try a formula like "regenerate 1 hit point per day, plus 1 hit point for each of your hit dice that is a d10 or d12". This gives a special advantage to Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins and the like - tough, hardy classes that are not known for tearing up campaigns. :smallsmile:

[Vedhin]

Well, the main problem with regeneration vs fast healing is not how much healing is done. It's that if you nuke someone with fast healing, they're dead. If you nuke someone with regeneration, they do not die unless nukes are one of the things that overcome their regeneration. Regeneration also allows regrowing body parts.

Basically, regeneration makes quite a few threats trivial.

[Vanzanze]

Well, the main problem with regeneration vs fast healing is not how much healing is done. It's that if you nuke someone with fast healing, they're dead. If you nuke someone with regeneration, they do not die unless nukes are one of the things that overcome their regeneration. Regeneration also allows regrowing body parts.

Basically, regeneration makes quite a few threats trivial.

Death would be permanent. I'm specifically thinking about regrowing missing limbs. I want this race to be able to recover from disfiguring problems with a little difficulty, but nothing impossible (i.e., like starfish, crustaceans, some insects, etc.). The hit points, as you say, are but a trivial bonus.


Try a formula like "regenerate 1 hit point per day, plus 1 hit point for each of your hit dice that is a d10 or d12". This gives a special advantage to Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins and the like - tough, hardy classes that are not known for tearing up campaigns.

I'd want Barbs to have an advantage here over the rest, since they sacrifice a bit to be Barbs IMO. 1/d10 and 2/d12 seems fair.

[Vedhin]

Death would be permanent. I'm specifically thinking about regrowing missing limbs. I want this race to be able to recover from disfiguring problems with a little difficulty, but nothing impossible (i.e., like starfish, crustaceans, some insects, etc.). The hit points, as you say, are but a trivial bonus.

So, you aren't after the Regeneration Special Quality (like a Troll), but merely limb regrowth?

[Vanzanze]

So, you aren't after the Regeneration Special Quality (like a Troll), but merely limb regrowth?

Absolutely.

[Vedhin]

Absolutely.

In that case, I'd say that limb regrowth is mainly fluff, and would value it at about 3 points max. This is because, barring certain DMing styles, PCs (and NPCs for that matter) tend to keep their limbs. My guess would be 3 points max for Limb Regrowth. I'd put it at 1 if I was building the race, because limb loss has never shown up in one of my games.

[Vanzanze]

In that case, I'd say that limb regrowth is mainly fluff, and would value it at about 3 points max. This is because, barring certain DMing styles, PCs (and NPCs for that matter) tend to keep their limbs. My guess would be 3 points max for Limb Regrowth. I'd put it at 1 if I was building the race, because limb loss has never shown up in one of my games.

I kicked it to 2, because I added the suggested daily hp bonus. It is fluff, but I tend to run "fluffy" games. :smallwink:

[Cambrian]

Couldn't you just tie it to a portion of your HP pool?

Like regain 1/4 of your HP a day.

Barbs, having more HP, will gain the most from it, and Fighters will gain more than Wizards.

Power-wise it's good, but not overpowered- more of a resource saver.

[WbtE]

The reason I suggested the tie to type of HD is because Wizards (and Clerics and Druids) already get enough toys. Keeping this as a bonus for warriors only gives a very definite slant on the race.