Erberor
2017-07-10, 06:57 PM
Welcome to Gontholmar, my campaign setting and the subject of my most recent homebrew nightmares as I attempt to tweak some races to suit the world and create some fresh new feats to add to it. I'd really like to have some feedback on the balance of these changes and additions
So, there are two basic sections to this: Race changes, and new feats. Let's begin with the races, shall we?
First of all: Darkvision. Everybody has darkvision. Literally 75% of the races in the player's handbook have it. That is kind of dumb! You shouldn't have darkvision unless you're living underground in utter darkness. So, I'm bringing Low-Light Vision back from the depths of 3.5 to address this. I've written it out as follows:
Low light Vision: you can see further into the darkness than many races. Treat the bright and shadowy illumination cast by any light source as being doubled for you.
So, without further ado, the changes.
Elves: Replace all instances of Darkvision with Low-Light Vision, except for Drow. For them, Sunlight sensitivity is removed from Superior Darkvision because I hate it's severity.
Half Elves: Replace Darkvision with Low-Light Vision
Half Orcs: Change to full Orcs. Remove Darkvision, Add Athletics Proficiency.
Now, for Orcs there's going to need to be some context. Orcs are not naturally evil in this setting, and while more aggressive than most races, they also hold competitions of skill and athleticism in high regard, with such competitions forming a huge part of their culture and customs. Hence, the Athletics Proficiency. I removed the Darkvision because the only reason I could think of to justify giving them low light vision is because...they aren't human. Lacking any nocturnal tendencies, I see little reason to give it to them. Do let me know if you think the addition of Athletics proficiency is too strong, as I can take out intimidation if needed.
So I think that's all of the race changes. Now, for the addition: Gargoyles. They're an important part of the story and the region where the campaign is going to take place. They're essentially stone given life, only they aren't hard like stone, at least not while awake.
Gargoyle:
The records of the gargoyles are vast, not in tomes or murals, but in memory. For they are the Firstborn of the Stone, who watch the world for The Stone beneath.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age: Precious little is understood about the birth of new Gargoyles, as it is among their most closely guarded rites. Further complicating the matter of age is that Gargoyles in stone form do not age at all, so any date of birth is meaningless. However, most Gargoyles can last between 150-200 waking years before their will erodes and they return to the stone from which they came, never to wake again.
Alignment: Lawful leaning
Size: Varies depending on subrace. Deepwalker stand between 5.5 and 6.5 feet in height, Watchers between 6 and 7, and Goliaths between 7 and 8 feet. Regardless, your size is medium
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Claws: Natural weapon dealing 1d4+STR damage
Stoneblood: You have advance on saves vs disease or poison, and resistance to poison damage
Stone Form: Gargoyles do not sleep, and are immune to any effect that would induce it. Instead, Gargoyles must occasionally rest by turning into stone. While in stone form, A gargoyle cannot be woken by any means and is completely unaware of their surroundings. Prior to entering stone form, a gargoyle chooses how long it will remain in it, with a minimum of twelve hours. Spending twelve hours in stone form is enough to last a Gargoyle four days without need for further rest.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Terran.
Subraces:
Watchers: Most Gargoyles are Watchers, often found wandering the world as record keepers of sorts, witnessing the world so their memories can one day return to stone.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Wis
Witness for the Stone: Proficiency in perception, +3 passive Perception
Darkvision: Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim Conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in Darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in Darkness, only shades of gray.
Deepwalkers: When the Watchers left the deep to see the world, the Deepwalkers remained below, content to prowl the world's limitless depths.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Dex
Silence of Stone: Stealth Proficiency
Superior Darkvision: Darkvision out to 120 feet
Goliaths: (Replaces Goliath Race) Some question if Goliaths are truly Gargoyles, being so far removed from their kin, but their heritage is true. The mountain clans split from the rest of the Stoneborn before many of the customs and traditions that define Gargoyle Society.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Str
Cragwalker: Athletics Proficiency, Advantage on any athletics check made with regard to climbing a stone surface
Low Light Vision: As described above
Powerful Build: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
And now for the feats. Many of these started as subraces for humans, but I decided to just have them be feats to simplify matters. For most of these, the idea was to create something that would be both flavorful and a solid feat. While I know that basically all of the feats in the player's handbook have few or no requirements, a number of these do have race requirements as they are specific to that race. Without further ado, the feats thus far:
Vankuran Vanguard: Those hailing from the Vankuran Empire rarely escape the rigors of military service. All citizens are required to serve in the military for four years upon reaching adulthood, regardless of class or station, and so nearly every Vankuran man and woman can attest to martial skill equal to that of trained soldiers from any other land
Requirements: Must be human from Vankur
Proficiency with simple weapons and two martial weapons of choice
Proficiency with light armor and shields
Choose one fighting style available to the Fighter class
My greatest concern with this one is that it's just way too strong, but at the same time I want it to be impactful? Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.
Child of the Mountains: Regardless of what path you have chosen to take, your roots are in the mountains, and the harsh conditions have made you strong.
Requirements: Must be a Human from Stonefall
[LIST] +1 Hit point per level
You are acclimated to cold and high altitude
You have advantage on nature and survival checks relating to mountainous creatures or environments
You have advantage on athletics or acrobatics checks made relating to climbing or navigating rocky terrain
With this one, I'm not sure if it's worth the feat! I've considered adding Athletics Proficiency to bring it up to par, but any thoughts would be great.
Champion of Ysora: Most Champions of the Ysoran games are Orcs. It is, after all, the most central aspect of their culture, but many people are not aware that there are in fact no rules in the Ysoran games that forbid foreigners from participating. Many Orc communities welcome the additional competition, and there is no faster way to earn the respect of an Orc than to prove your prowess in the games. Perhaps you saw the orcs competing and sought to join in, or maybe you were taken in and raised among them. Regardless of how you came to compete, you have found glory.
Requirements: 14 Strength OR Dexterity
Peerless Competitor: Gain proficiency and expertise in either Athletics or Acrobatics, and +1 to the associated Ability Score (STR for Athletics, DEX for Acrobatics)
Mark of Glory: Your victories in the games have earned you the Mark of Glory, a tatoo that shows your prowess. Most orcs regard bearers of this mark highly, and will often be more cooperative, respectful and even helpful if the mark is shown. (Generally grants advantage on persuasion rolls with Orcs)
This one I think is alright on balance, though it should be made clear that the Mark of Glory bit is mostly a flavor thing, something to encourage a little bit of roleplaying.
Acolyte of the Bonesong: The Orcs guard the secrets of the Bonesong closely, but the few chosen to learn its secrets are privy to the powerful rites and runes of the Bonesingers.
Requirements: Orc
Obtain any two Bone Sigils or Rites
These were designed as quest rewards for higher level characters toward the end of a campaign, and I imagine they might not be well suited for lower level characters. Again, advice is appreciated. Note that the Bonesong is an important Orc thing. It's sort of a hybrid of magic and truespeech, and is very powerful.
Sigil of the Blood Forge
Blood, the source of life, is born from marrow. In weaving this sigil blood flows unceasing.
Blood unceasing: You have advantage on death saving throws
Flesh from Blood: Whenever you would heal hit point damage, restore additional hit points equal to your Constitution modifier, but only up to the amount originally healed.
Sigil of the Mountain Bearer
In the ancient tribes, there were warriors, healers, shamans...and the bearers. They who carried.
Strength of the Mountain: Double your carrying capacity and the amount of weight you can move (pushing, dragging, etc.)
Bones like Granite: You gain +1 max HP per hit die.
Giant’s Grasp: You count as one size category larger when grappling, allowing you to grapple larger targets
Sigil of the Dancing Waves
Bone gives structure, but it also restricts. A recently discovered ritual, as it was long thought that the Bonesong could not increase flexibility without destroying structure.
Contort: You count as one size category smaller for squeezing into tight places.
As the Water Flows: +1 on dexterity based skill checks and saves.
Boneknife Sigil
Frowned upon by many as being dishonorable, but few can argue against the usefulness of never being unarmed
Boneknife: As an action, you may inflict 1d6 damage on yourself to create a +1 dagger from your own bones. You may have up to two such daggers at any given time. Attempting to create another dagger will dispel the magic from the oldest one currently existing, and it will immediately turn to a dull, useless chunk of withered bone. Alternatively, you may create the dagger as a bonus action, but doing so inflicts 2d6 damage instead.
Sigil of the Soaring Hawk
The bones of the hawk are light, but weak. The Singers promise they can avoid this failing of nature.
Unburdened: Increase your land speed by 5
Leap of the Heavens: Increase your jump height and distance by 50% (Monks using step of the wind increase jump height/distance to 4x instead of 3x)
Sigil of the Runemaster
Magic can be bound to runes, and runes can be bound to bone.
Bone Magic: Learn one cantrip from the Druid, Cleric or Warlock lists. Your casting stat for this cantrip is Constitution.
Sigil of the Unchained
The history of this sigil is long and tragic, but in time determined descendants of those first experimenters managed to find a way to bring the body with the skeleton into the Ethereal plane.
Unchain: Once per short as a move action, you may slip into the Ethereal Plane for the duration of your movement, effectively teleporting to the target location, up to a distance of your normal land speed. You don’t need to see your destination, but if you end your movement in an obstructed space, you take 5d6 damage and appear in the nearest unoccupied space.
Sigil of the Bloodmage
Blood magic is widely frowned upon. It is messy, dangerous and oft practiced by madmen and Necromancers. By binding the blood conversion to the bones that create it, the process becomes both far more controlled and far more subtle.
Blood Flare: Once per Short rest as a bonus action, you may gain a bonus spell slot by inflicting damage on yourself. The cost for this is 5*(spell slot level+1). You cannot create spell slots larger than 5th level. (advice on the HP cost here would be good)
Rite of the Mender
Some way or another, you managed to convince the Bonesingers to teach you a part of the Bonesong. While it is certainly most powerful when affecting bone, the song is vast, and there is more to bone than there may appear. What you were taught was focused on the healing arts.
Call upon the Bloodforge: When healing a creature with a spell or other effect, they restore an additional number of hit points equal to your Constitution bonus
Of Blood and Marrow: You learn the Spare the Dying Cantrip
And that's that. Again, any thoughts at all regarding balance are welcome and appreciated. If you have any questions about why I did things, let me know and I'll be happy to clarify.
So, there are two basic sections to this: Race changes, and new feats. Let's begin with the races, shall we?
First of all: Darkvision. Everybody has darkvision. Literally 75% of the races in the player's handbook have it. That is kind of dumb! You shouldn't have darkvision unless you're living underground in utter darkness. So, I'm bringing Low-Light Vision back from the depths of 3.5 to address this. I've written it out as follows:
Low light Vision: you can see further into the darkness than many races. Treat the bright and shadowy illumination cast by any light source as being doubled for you.
So, without further ado, the changes.
Elves: Replace all instances of Darkvision with Low-Light Vision, except for Drow. For them, Sunlight sensitivity is removed from Superior Darkvision because I hate it's severity.
Half Elves: Replace Darkvision with Low-Light Vision
Half Orcs: Change to full Orcs. Remove Darkvision, Add Athletics Proficiency.
Now, for Orcs there's going to need to be some context. Orcs are not naturally evil in this setting, and while more aggressive than most races, they also hold competitions of skill and athleticism in high regard, with such competitions forming a huge part of their culture and customs. Hence, the Athletics Proficiency. I removed the Darkvision because the only reason I could think of to justify giving them low light vision is because...they aren't human. Lacking any nocturnal tendencies, I see little reason to give it to them. Do let me know if you think the addition of Athletics proficiency is too strong, as I can take out intimidation if needed.
So I think that's all of the race changes. Now, for the addition: Gargoyles. They're an important part of the story and the region where the campaign is going to take place. They're essentially stone given life, only they aren't hard like stone, at least not while awake.
Gargoyle:
The records of the gargoyles are vast, not in tomes or murals, but in memory. For they are the Firstborn of the Stone, who watch the world for The Stone beneath.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age: Precious little is understood about the birth of new Gargoyles, as it is among their most closely guarded rites. Further complicating the matter of age is that Gargoyles in stone form do not age at all, so any date of birth is meaningless. However, most Gargoyles can last between 150-200 waking years before their will erodes and they return to the stone from which they came, never to wake again.
Alignment: Lawful leaning
Size: Varies depending on subrace. Deepwalker stand between 5.5 and 6.5 feet in height, Watchers between 6 and 7, and Goliaths between 7 and 8 feet. Regardless, your size is medium
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Claws: Natural weapon dealing 1d4+STR damage
Stoneblood: You have advance on saves vs disease or poison, and resistance to poison damage
Stone Form: Gargoyles do not sleep, and are immune to any effect that would induce it. Instead, Gargoyles must occasionally rest by turning into stone. While in stone form, A gargoyle cannot be woken by any means and is completely unaware of their surroundings. Prior to entering stone form, a gargoyle chooses how long it will remain in it, with a minimum of twelve hours. Spending twelve hours in stone form is enough to last a Gargoyle four days without need for further rest.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Terran.
Subraces:
Watchers: Most Gargoyles are Watchers, often found wandering the world as record keepers of sorts, witnessing the world so their memories can one day return to stone.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Wis
Witness for the Stone: Proficiency in perception, +3 passive Perception
Darkvision: Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim Conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in Darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in Darkness, only shades of gray.
Deepwalkers: When the Watchers left the deep to see the world, the Deepwalkers remained below, content to prowl the world's limitless depths.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Dex
Silence of Stone: Stealth Proficiency
Superior Darkvision: Darkvision out to 120 feet
Goliaths: (Replaces Goliath Race) Some question if Goliaths are truly Gargoyles, being so far removed from their kin, but their heritage is true. The mountain clans split from the rest of the Stoneborn before many of the customs and traditions that define Gargoyle Society.
Ability Score Increase: +1 Str
Cragwalker: Athletics Proficiency, Advantage on any athletics check made with regard to climbing a stone surface
Low Light Vision: As described above
Powerful Build: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
And now for the feats. Many of these started as subraces for humans, but I decided to just have them be feats to simplify matters. For most of these, the idea was to create something that would be both flavorful and a solid feat. While I know that basically all of the feats in the player's handbook have few or no requirements, a number of these do have race requirements as they are specific to that race. Without further ado, the feats thus far:
Vankuran Vanguard: Those hailing from the Vankuran Empire rarely escape the rigors of military service. All citizens are required to serve in the military for four years upon reaching adulthood, regardless of class or station, and so nearly every Vankuran man and woman can attest to martial skill equal to that of trained soldiers from any other land
Requirements: Must be human from Vankur
Proficiency with simple weapons and two martial weapons of choice
Proficiency with light armor and shields
Choose one fighting style available to the Fighter class
My greatest concern with this one is that it's just way too strong, but at the same time I want it to be impactful? Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.
Child of the Mountains: Regardless of what path you have chosen to take, your roots are in the mountains, and the harsh conditions have made you strong.
Requirements: Must be a Human from Stonefall
[LIST] +1 Hit point per level
You are acclimated to cold and high altitude
You have advantage on nature and survival checks relating to mountainous creatures or environments
You have advantage on athletics or acrobatics checks made relating to climbing or navigating rocky terrain
With this one, I'm not sure if it's worth the feat! I've considered adding Athletics Proficiency to bring it up to par, but any thoughts would be great.
Champion of Ysora: Most Champions of the Ysoran games are Orcs. It is, after all, the most central aspect of their culture, but many people are not aware that there are in fact no rules in the Ysoran games that forbid foreigners from participating. Many Orc communities welcome the additional competition, and there is no faster way to earn the respect of an Orc than to prove your prowess in the games. Perhaps you saw the orcs competing and sought to join in, or maybe you were taken in and raised among them. Regardless of how you came to compete, you have found glory.
Requirements: 14 Strength OR Dexterity
Peerless Competitor: Gain proficiency and expertise in either Athletics or Acrobatics, and +1 to the associated Ability Score (STR for Athletics, DEX for Acrobatics)
Mark of Glory: Your victories in the games have earned you the Mark of Glory, a tatoo that shows your prowess. Most orcs regard bearers of this mark highly, and will often be more cooperative, respectful and even helpful if the mark is shown. (Generally grants advantage on persuasion rolls with Orcs)
This one I think is alright on balance, though it should be made clear that the Mark of Glory bit is mostly a flavor thing, something to encourage a little bit of roleplaying.
Acolyte of the Bonesong: The Orcs guard the secrets of the Bonesong closely, but the few chosen to learn its secrets are privy to the powerful rites and runes of the Bonesingers.
Requirements: Orc
Obtain any two Bone Sigils or Rites
These were designed as quest rewards for higher level characters toward the end of a campaign, and I imagine they might not be well suited for lower level characters. Again, advice is appreciated. Note that the Bonesong is an important Orc thing. It's sort of a hybrid of magic and truespeech, and is very powerful.
Sigil of the Blood Forge
Blood, the source of life, is born from marrow. In weaving this sigil blood flows unceasing.
Blood unceasing: You have advantage on death saving throws
Flesh from Blood: Whenever you would heal hit point damage, restore additional hit points equal to your Constitution modifier, but only up to the amount originally healed.
Sigil of the Mountain Bearer
In the ancient tribes, there were warriors, healers, shamans...and the bearers. They who carried.
Strength of the Mountain: Double your carrying capacity and the amount of weight you can move (pushing, dragging, etc.)
Bones like Granite: You gain +1 max HP per hit die.
Giant’s Grasp: You count as one size category larger when grappling, allowing you to grapple larger targets
Sigil of the Dancing Waves
Bone gives structure, but it also restricts. A recently discovered ritual, as it was long thought that the Bonesong could not increase flexibility without destroying structure.
Contort: You count as one size category smaller for squeezing into tight places.
As the Water Flows: +1 on dexterity based skill checks and saves.
Boneknife Sigil
Frowned upon by many as being dishonorable, but few can argue against the usefulness of never being unarmed
Boneknife: As an action, you may inflict 1d6 damage on yourself to create a +1 dagger from your own bones. You may have up to two such daggers at any given time. Attempting to create another dagger will dispel the magic from the oldest one currently existing, and it will immediately turn to a dull, useless chunk of withered bone. Alternatively, you may create the dagger as a bonus action, but doing so inflicts 2d6 damage instead.
Sigil of the Soaring Hawk
The bones of the hawk are light, but weak. The Singers promise they can avoid this failing of nature.
Unburdened: Increase your land speed by 5
Leap of the Heavens: Increase your jump height and distance by 50% (Monks using step of the wind increase jump height/distance to 4x instead of 3x)
Sigil of the Runemaster
Magic can be bound to runes, and runes can be bound to bone.
Bone Magic: Learn one cantrip from the Druid, Cleric or Warlock lists. Your casting stat for this cantrip is Constitution.
Sigil of the Unchained
The history of this sigil is long and tragic, but in time determined descendants of those first experimenters managed to find a way to bring the body with the skeleton into the Ethereal plane.
Unchain: Once per short as a move action, you may slip into the Ethereal Plane for the duration of your movement, effectively teleporting to the target location, up to a distance of your normal land speed. You don’t need to see your destination, but if you end your movement in an obstructed space, you take 5d6 damage and appear in the nearest unoccupied space.
Sigil of the Bloodmage
Blood magic is widely frowned upon. It is messy, dangerous and oft practiced by madmen and Necromancers. By binding the blood conversion to the bones that create it, the process becomes both far more controlled and far more subtle.
Blood Flare: Once per Short rest as a bonus action, you may gain a bonus spell slot by inflicting damage on yourself. The cost for this is 5*(spell slot level+1). You cannot create spell slots larger than 5th level. (advice on the HP cost here would be good)
Rite of the Mender
Some way or another, you managed to convince the Bonesingers to teach you a part of the Bonesong. While it is certainly most powerful when affecting bone, the song is vast, and there is more to bone than there may appear. What you were taught was focused on the healing arts.
Call upon the Bloodforge: When healing a creature with a spell or other effect, they restore an additional number of hit points equal to your Constitution bonus
Of Blood and Marrow: You learn the Spare the Dying Cantrip
And that's that. Again, any thoughts at all regarding balance are welcome and appreciated. If you have any questions about why I did things, let me know and I'll be happy to clarify.