[DnD 3.5] Non-Humanoid Race with Bonus Feat: the Sil

[Warclam]

Like the title says. I will confess straight away that this race is devised for ignoble purposes: I have a druid build that would greatly benefit from a bonus feat, but I want to use the Fangshields Druid substitutions levels. That said, it doesn't look obviously overpowered to me. Presenting the newly renamed:

Sil
The sil are an unusual race of fey, bound not to the land but to the shadows cast upon it. Sil are humanoid in shape, resembling short, thin humans, but are a uniform dark grey in colour, like a 3-dimensional shadow.

All sil delight in mimicry. Some simply enjoy repeating words or actions as soon as they are performed, but most take a more long-term approach. Sil will often try to adopt the features of a person they admire, to the extent of taking their name as their own and learning their skills and abilities. They will also sometimes adopt the mannerisms of a culture as a whole. Their features are sufficiently malleable that a sil imitating, say, a half-orc will generally become bulkier and grow tusks, though without heavy makeup could never be mistaken for an actual orc-blood.

Sil Racial Traits
* Medium: As Medium creatures, sil have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Sil base land speed is 30 feet.
* Fey: Sil are of the fey type and are therefore not affected by spells such as charm person and hold person. Unlike most fey, they are not automatically proficient with simple weapons.
* Low-Light Vision: A sil can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
* Ageless: Sil are immune to aging effects, and receive neither bonuses nor penalties for aging.
* 1 extra feat at 1st level. Sil are highly adaptable.
* +2 racial bonus on bluff checks. Sil faces are extremely difficult to read.
* Automatic Language: Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling.
* Favored Class: Druid.

Relative to humans, they trade extra skill points, favoured class any, and better languages for the Fey type and the Ageless trait (Honestly, are there any aging spells? I've never seen one. I added it to prevent age-category shenanigans and because I have an odd obsession with immortal characters.).

Is that too powerful? I can see some possible alter self abuse with the type, but it's not like that spell needs my help, and I can't remember ever facing a user of a humanoid-specific spell. I chose fey because I like fey, but maybe another type would be better. Please advise!

EDIT: Gave them a better name, added some fluff, and gave them a skill bonus just for flavour.

[Temotei]

Doesn't look too overpowering to me.

EDIT: If at all.

[Cyanic]

seems ok, but needs some fluff, appearance and whatnots

[vicente408]

Is it intentional that you didn't give them any Ability modifiers? When comparing them to humans you don't mention the loss of the +2 to any ability, did you just forget to list it?

Edit: Ditto on the fluff.

[DracoDei]

Humans don't get any ability score bonuses in 3.5.

[vicente408]

Wow I need more sleep. >_< Never mind.

[ericgrau]

Being fey is still an advantage. But considering the only useful things they get is that and a feat, it's fair for LA 0.

The questionable part depends on what fangshields druid substitution levels are and what their requirements are.

[Zaydos]

Honestly speaking I wouldn't trade bonus skills for being a fey (and I've not played with bonus languages limited by race in a long time, it's always just been does it make sense for the character?) unless I really needed to. I have to agree the balance issue comes with how does fangshield druid work (and where can it be found?). Otherwise I'd say they need some fluff. Also you don't specifically say otherwise but as fey do they get low-light vision, if so that is a minor advantage (not much of one) but if that is not intended you should state that they don't.

[Latronis]

and simple weapon profs.

People always overlook type profs

[Warclam]

Thanks for the feedback, all!

Yes, they get low-light vision like all fey. I don't see any reason to make an exception when it's such an inconsequential ability. I'll edit the first post to make that clear.

I never even considered the racial proficiencies. The way we handle it, you don't get them unless you have racial hit dice. I'll make a note that they don't.

The Fangshields Druid is in Champions of Valor. They trade resist nature's lure (lousy) for spontaneously casting cure light wounds (handy, but not spectacular), and some wild shape variations which don't apply to me since I'm making a shapeshift druid. It doesn't matter much, really; I just thought it was odd that all bonus-feat races are humanoid. My next trick will be an LA+0 non-humanoid race with a swim speed (Yeah, I kinda figure humanoids are boring).

[Cieyrin]

My next trick will be an LA+0 non-humanoid race with a swim speed (Yeah, I kinda figure humanoids are boring).

Aventi and Darfellan not alien enough, huh? A shame, I find them quite interesting. More than Seafolk, anyways.

[Warclam]

Aventi and Darfellan not alien enough, huh? A shame, I find them quite interesting. More than Seafolk, anyways.

Please, aventi are just humans who took some kind of amphibious feat at first level and traded extra skill points for extra juice with water spells. I'll grant that the darfellan are pretty cool, but they're too mundane for me still. If only they had the decency to look more whale-y, instead of like humans wearing orca body paint....

I actually like the sea kin. I almost played one in a desert campaign (he'd have been some kind of divine caster who used create water to keep himself from drying out), but the campaign left the desert before I got the chance. They have juuuuust enough quirks to make them interesting in my eyes.

[deuxhero]

Describe them to something other than elf. Please, it makes them look like yet another sub-race of the annoying sues.

I would also prefer less rigid (or at least multiple possible) "sterotypes" (if you can call something that is nearly universally true as D&D races "personality" such).

[Warclam]

Describe them to something other than elf. Please, it makes them look like yet another sub-race of the annoying sues.

I would also prefer less rigid (or at least multiple possible) "sterotypes" (if you can call something that is nearly universally true as D&D races "personality" such).

OK, they look like "short, thin humans" now. I aim to please.

The passion for mimicry is already quite broad. Keep in mind that a sil could simply have a fondness for, say, halflings, and go to great lengths emulating them. Pick a halfling name, develop a taste for halfling food, basically become a tall funny-looking halfling. You could do this with any race you like. It does mean they have essentially no racial identity on their own, but I think that's appropriate for 3D shadows. I do agree that they need more description, but unfortunately I'm not much good at coming up with fluff. Any suggestions?

EDIT: As promised, here's the raw crunch for a swimming fey. Fluff pending balance. I was originally going to give them both climb and swim speeds, but I told myself to get real. The darkvision is because you can't really wander too effectively if you can't see, but if it's too much it can be removed.

Wanderer Racial Traits
* Medium: As Medium creatures, wanderers have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Wanderer base land speed is 30 feet. Wanderer base swim speed is 30 feet. Wanderers have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. Wanderers can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.
* Fey: Wanderers are of the fey type and are therefore not affected by spells such as charm person and hold person. Unlike most fey, they are not automatically proficient with simple weapons.
* Low-Light Vision: A wanderer can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
* Darkvision: Wanderers can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and wanderers can function just fine with no light at all.
* Ageless: Wanderers are immune to aging effects, and receive neither bonuses nor penalties for aging.
* Hold Breath: A wanderer can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 × his Constitution score before he risks drowning.
* +4 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks: Wanderers are adept at getting from one place to another.
* Automatic Language: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
* Favored Class: Ranger.

[Cieyrin]

EDIT: As promised, here's the raw crunch for a swimming fey. Fluff pending balance. I was originally going to give them both climb and swim speeds, but I told myself to get real. The darkvision is because you can't really wander too effectively if you can't see, but if it's too much it can be removed.

Wanderer Racial Traits
* Medium: As Medium creatures, wanderers have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Wanderer base land speed is 30 feet. Wanderer base swim speed is 30 feet. Wanderers have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. Wanderers can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.
* Fey: Wanderers are of the fey type and are therefore not affected by spells such as charm person and hold person. Unlike most fey, they are not automatically proficient with simple weapons.
* Low-Light Vision: A wanderer can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
* Darkvision: Wanderers can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and wanderers can function just fine with no light at all.
* Ageless: Wanderers are immune to aging effects, and receive neither bonuses nor penalties for aging.
* Hold Breath: A wanderer can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 × his Constitution score before he risks drowning.
* +4 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks: Wanderers are adept at getting from one place to another.
* Automatic Language: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
* Favored Class: Ranger.

These come off as Lesser Nixies to me. Whether that's good or bad is left to be seen, though the race is kinda bland as wanderers so far. We'll see how the fluff goes before passing further judgment.