Need a Race... [Dawnforge]

[Burley]

My girlfriend caught me entirely off guard last night. "I wanna make a character for your D&D game. Can I be a fairy?"
My problem? The campaign setting (Dawnforge) has different races than normal PHB. They get the normal +/- abilities, and racial stats. But, at each level, the character gains a racial trait or transformation that makes the character more powerful (or just cooler). Also, at every even level they get a +2 to a predefined ability (sometimes it offsets the 1st level -2, and sometimes it's to a completely different stat.)
I need a "fairy"-race, with no level adjustment. This will probably be easier for people who have played and are familiar with Dawnforge, but if I can get a basic "fairy" I can go from there.
Just keep in mind, no LA.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Hrm. No LA for a fairy race? Coulja be a bit more specific? As in, a Tiny-sized pixie-style fairy medium-sized fairy-godmother-style fairy? What type of character is she going to play? I kinda want to try my hand at this, but I don't think I've ever homebrewed a race before...

[Burley]

I think she wants the tiny sort. Like Tinkerbell, but more nature oriented. I'm gonna try to quote what she was looking for: "I want a fairy that's a light fairy, and a water fairy, and a leaf fairly, and a wind fairy, and a sun fairy, and a moon fairy, and a pretty fairy."
So...yeah. Basically, if it fits into game terms, and would make a 6 year old squeel in delight, it'll work for her. Not that she's a 6 year old, but... I mean... she really said stuff like that. She gets manic about fairies...

(Also, Eighth_Seraph, Avatar is our favorite show. IT'S TIGHT!)

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

-2 str, -2 con, +2 dex, +2 cha

small (and all of the junk that comes with that) (tiny would break the game; this is the size of a sylph or mephit, so we have no reason to complain that this is too big)

technically a fey (so charm person and the like don't work on her)

wings: though not yet developed to the point where they can propel her independently, the first-level fairy's wings can provide her with a feather fall effect at any time as a free action. Her wings can also lighten her step and help her move faster, improving her land speed from 20 to 30 ft, but imposing a -4 penalty on move silently checks due to a light buzzing noise that accompanies them.

ground speed: 20 ft., 30 if wings are used

Favored class: druid (purely thematic, based on what she seems to want)

The ability scores do a lot of the talking here - a cute, quick, unassuming little adventurer. A lot of which would probably become rogues and sorcerers, but their nature and tradition gears them more toward the druid thing, so the rogues and sorcerers are probably mostly rebellious types. And now I'm overthinking this.

To further establish the character's theme, you might want to check out the "greensinger initiate" feat from Eberron book. It gives a druid a set of entertaining spells, the sort that a fairy would likely have, as well as perform and bluff as class skills. By the way, guess what class I'm already assuming she's playing, heh. Being a druid will give her all of the nature-related stuff that she could possibly need without having to worry about balancing out a race against it.

You can probably handle the level-based stuffs, since you know about the setting and its balance; I don't. That said: here's the rest of my 2 cp:

The stat bonuses should divide between int, wis, cha, and probably a little dex. You might get away with offsetting the -2 con at tenth level or something as well, but strength just plain isn't something these critters value. The other stuff, though I'm not sure of how powerful it's supposed to be, should at least partially work on getting her flight up to par as she gets experience (it would have been broken at first level, but by fifth level 30 ft. at good manueverability is probably okay). That, maybe some half-elfish social skill bonuses and throw in a few enchantment or illusion spell-like abilities along the way.

[Armoury99]

I've actually had this very discussion with my own better half. :smallsmile: We eventualy settled on Cour Eladrin - size Tiny sprite-like fey embodying carefree wandering and joyous dance (the 3.5 version is in the Book of Exalted Deeds). They start with 2 racial HD (easilly chaged) and a +5 level adjustment because of all their fairy powers. We opted for a "monster class" approach and some in-game disadvantages, but +5 worth of powers sound like a good basis for your increasing racial powers.

Good luck with this (I'd love to see the results btw). My girlfriend loved it, and her plucky little bard was much less annoying and more loved than we testosterroned male types expected.

PS: Nice racial system. I was really hoping they'd use exactly this idea for 4e races.

[AugustNights]

If you have access to Races of the Wild, you could base the flight capabilities off of the Raptorian Race. That seems awfully balanced to me. Though LA +0 for a Tiny sized Character would need some hefty drawbacks (Besides the natural draw backs for size tiny)