PEACH the Homebrew Races in my (Homebrewed) Campaign Setting

[atemu1234]

I'm going to be posting a few races I've designed for my D&D games here. As I'm not particularly good at the homebrewing thing, I'd like input on the power level they possess, and whether or not I should alter them. I don't predict that the players will ever want to be any of these races, but if they do, it's handy to know.

[atemu1234]

This first race are called the Orikan.

Spoiler: Description

Show

Orikan are a winged subrace of Orc. Looking like orcs, but with mottled black-and-grey skin, possessing large, raven-like wings and taloned lower appendages, Orikan are more tactically aware than their landbound cousins. They live in mountains, and often lay siege to other flying creatures simply for territory. They hate Avariel, Azerun (homebrewed race to follow), and Raptorans above all others.

Culturally, they value strength of arms and of mind. The highest niche in their society is occupied by shamans, who at low levels may be adepts, but are more likely to be clerics. Each village of Orikan consists of three or four males (one of whom is most likely a cleric) and roughly a half-dozen females. Polygamy is not uncommon among the Orikan, and there are no official marriage rites.

Orikan sometimes take slaves, but these slaves are more for amusement than for actual labour. They may take a landbound human and put them up in their villages to watch them try and function, but usually they wind up killing them. Similarly, a captured Avariel, Azerun, or Raptoran may have their wings removed or damaged so that they cannot fly away so as to be a source of amusement for the Orikan.

Spoiler: Orikan Racial Traits

Show

• +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Orikan are strong and often shamanistic, however, they are oft brutish and ugly, and other races find them offputting.
• Base Land Speed 30 ft.
• Fly Speed 40 ft. (average maneuverability): Orikan possess large, black, feathery wings not unlike those of ravens.
• Orcish: Orikan are treated as Orcs for the purposes of spells, spell-like abilities, meeting prerequisites for prestige classes, and using magic items.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): Orikan can see twice as far as humans in low-light conditions, such as starlight or moonlight.
• Natural Attacks: An Orikan in flight can use the talons on his feet to deal damage as a natural weapon (1d8).
• Racial Hit Dice: Orikan possess two Monstrous Humanoid hit dice, giving them 2d8 hit dice, starting skill points equal to 5 x (2+ Int Modifier) and one starting feat.
• Orikan possess a racial +4 bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks.
• Favored Class: Barbarian and Cleric (I don't use favored classes anyways, they just muck up the game)
• Level Adjustment: +3. This gives the Orikan a starting ECL of 5, which really, really bugs me.

Spoiler: Major Questions

Show

• This race, despite supposedly being an enemy race for the players, has a starting ECL of 5. The reasoning behind this was supposed to be that Orikan flying would give them a significant tactical advantage over other PC races. Downside being, it's ridiculously high.
• How would I either balance that out or remove LA to make it work?

Spoiler: Half-Orikan

Show

Occasionally, an Orikan begets a child with a human, producing a strange being not unlike a normal Half-Orc, but with wings. Caught between two worlds, Half-Orikan often yearn for the sky. Though not particularly well-liked by their human kin, a Half-Orikan who turns to evil can easily find himself a niche among the Orikan. Those that are not evil, however, are more liable to be wanderers, trying to find a place in the world and rarely succeeding.

Spoiler: Half-Orikan Racial Traits

Show

• +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Half-Orikan possess the same general bearing of a pure-blooded Orikan, through some trick of genetics, and are just as strong.
• Orikan Blood: For all purposes, a Half-Orikan is considered both an Orc and an Orikan.
• Low-Light Vision (ex)
• Glide (Ex): A Half-Orikan can glide twenty feet for every five feet travelled downwards.
• Flight (Ex): A Half-Orikan with eight or more hit dice has a fly speed of 40 ft, with average maneuverability.
• Favored Class: Any. A Half-Orikan's favored class is determined by his first class level.
• Level Adjustment: +1.

[Zaydos]

Let's look at what they have Savage Species Style

Unbalanced ability scores (+1 LA)
Fly Speed (Average) +1 LA.
Natural Attack which can only be used when flying and therefore not part of a full attack due to average maneuverability (+0 LA)
+4 to 3 skills (+1 LA)
2 RHD (should create an unspecified LA reduction probably ~-1 LA)

That gives you a +2 LA race via Savage Species which has a tendency to over shoot. So at the very least I'd remove 1 LA and then I'd try acid testing them (the acid test stuff is the most useful advice SS had for assigning ECL). Make a Human Barbarian or Barbarian/Fighter (depending upon optimization level of your group) and compare the two mechanically; Savage Species assumes single class Fighter or Rogue to be the base line for balance, but optimization levels go way up from there, so you might, for example want to test it against a Warblade. Ultimately LA unfortunately isn't a one-size fits all system.

[atemu1234]

Let's look at what they have Savage Species Style

Unbalanced ability scores (+1 LA)
Fly Speed (Average) +1 LA.
Natural Attack which can only be used when flying and therefore not part of a full attack due to average maneuverability (+0 LA)
+4 to 3 skills (+1 LA)
2 RHD (should create an unspecified LA reduction probably ~-1 LA)

That gives you a +2 LA race via Savage Species which has a tendency to over shoot. So at the very least I'd remove 1 LA and then I'd try acid testing them (the acid test stuff is the most useful advice SS had for assigning ECL). Make a Human Barbarian or Barbarian/Fighter (depending upon optimization level of your group) and compare the two mechanically; Savage Species assumes single class Fighter or Rogue to be the base line for balance, but optimization levels go way up from there, so you might, for example want to test it against a Warblade. Ultimately LA unfortunately isn't a one-size fits all system.

Thank you for your input!

I always sort of dislike posting stuff directly from my notebooks, because there always is something I'd change, or do differently. I'm going to be posting another race soon.