These are for my setting, which shall be posted as soon as I actually write it out. These will be the main PC races, and were designed to be balanced as LA 0's and against eachother. it should be noted that I'm new to posting races, so any advice on format will be taken accepted graciously.
Tribes of Humanity
[spoiler=Northspear Tribe]
Northspear Tribe
Natives of the frozen mountains in the north, these hardy people have adapted to this difficult climate with great determination. Surviving mainly by hunting, these skilled hunters roam the peaks every day in an effort to survive this inhospitable climate.
Stat Adjustments: +2 Str, -2 Dex Members of the northspear tribe are strong, but rather slow and clumsy.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
+2 racial bonus on survival checks
+1 to attack and damage rolls when wielding a spear or longspear
Cold Acclimated: NorthSpears have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against all cold spells and effects. NorthSpearss are accustomed to enduring low temperatures.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Horsebrother Tribe]
Horsebrother Tribe
The horsebrother tribe is a nomadic people who travel the plains in search of food and shelter. Wanderlust is such a common phenomeonon among their people that it defines their way of life.
Stat Adjustments: +2 Cha, -2 Int While kind and endearing individuals, members of the horsebrother tribe tend to be naive and simple.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
+2 racial bonus to handle Animal, Spot, and Ride checks
+1 bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons, and an additional +1 on attack rolls made from horseback.
(Ex) 1/dayâ,¬'speak with animals (horses only, duration 1 minute)
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Beachwalker Tribe]
Beachwalker Tribe
A tribe which dwells along the coast of the sea, living off seafood and surviving easily. With such a bountiful food source and relative safety, their culture has evolved to the point of pursuing intelectual pursuits and even developing some primitive magic.
Stat Adjustments: +2 Int, -2 Str Members of the Beachwalker tribe are renowned for their intelligence, but their culture largely neglects to place importance on physical fitness.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Members of the Beachwalker tribe gain Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Net as a bonus feat at first level.
Profession(Sailor) and Swim are always treated as class skills for a member of the Beachwalker tribe
+4 racial bonus on Swim checks
+1 bonus to Caster Level for spells tha have the water descriptor
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Leafwhisper Tribe]
Leafwhisper Tribe
A race of tree-dwelling hunters, members of the Leafwhisper Tribe reside in a great forest, where they hunt the p[lentiful bounty nature provides. They are not the top of the food chain however, and often improvise traps, or just run away, to survive in a realm of much deadlier creatures.
Stat Adjustments: +2 Dex, -2 Con Members of the Leafwhisper tribe are extremely agile, but their light build makes them rather fragile.
Size: Small
Speed: 20 ft.
Small: As a Small creature, a member of the Leafwhisper Tribe gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
+2 racial bonus to Jump, Climb, and Balance checks
Low-light vision out to 60 ft.
a Member of the Leafwhisper tribe is always proficient with the shortbow, longbow, and composite versions of each.
The skill Craft(trap) is always treated as a class skill for a member of the Leafwhisper Tribe.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Stonebreaker Tribe]
Stonebreaker Tribe
A savage culture which carves out a living in the rockier ares of the desert, members of the Stonebreaker Tribe are hardy and determined individuals. Though they appear relatively harmless, their ferocity is legendary.
Stat Adjustments: +2 con, -2 Int Members of the Stonebreaker Tribe are hardy survivors, but they lack any appreciation for higher education or mental ability, largely due to their significant lack of both.
Size: Small
Speed: 30 ft.
Small: As a Small creature, a member of the Stonebreaker Tribe gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Hydrophobia (Ex): Members of the Stonebreaker Tribe are native to a desert environment, and are therefore uncomfortable, and even frightened, of water. If a member of the Berserker Tribe ever comes within 5' of an open body of water of 5' or more across or deep, they must immediately make a DC 15 will save or become shaken until one minute after leaving the area. A member of the Berserker Tribe will never willingly enter any body of water, and suffer a -2 penalty on all Swim checks.
Outburst (Ex): Once per day, for up to 4 rounds, a member of the Stonebreaker Tribe can subjugate their mentality to gain a boost of raw physical power. When they does so, they take a -2 penalty to Intelligence and Wisdom but gain a +2 bonus to Strength.
Fire Acclimated: A member of the Stonebreaker Tribe has a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against all fire spells and effects. Members of the Stonebreaker Tribe are accustomed to enduring high temperatures.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Darkthinker Tribe]
Darkthinker Tribe
The Darkthinker Tribe is a group of humans who have dwelt underground for hundreds of years. They mainly study philosophy, in isolation from the rest of the world.
Stat Adjustments: +2 Wis, -2 Cha Members of the Darkthinker Tribe are wise in the ways of the world, but their isolated culture leaves them struggling in social situations.
Size: Small
Speed: 20 ft.
Small: As a Small creature, a member of the Darkthinker Tribe gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Darkvision 60 ft.
+2 Racial bonus to hide and move silently checks
Stonecunning: This ability grants a member of the Darkthinker Tribe a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isnâ,¬,,¢t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A member of the Darkthinker Tribe who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a member of the Darkthinker Tribe can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A member of the Darkthinker Tribe can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
All members of the Darkthinker Tribe are proficient with weapons of the pick and weapon type.
[/spoiler]
I need help specifically with a new name for the Berserker Tribe and new abilities to help balance them out, as well as a more comfortable name for the Darkthinker Tribe.
All the tribes are now posted, and criticism is welcomed. Please folks, I really need feedback.
Berserker Tribe = Wasterunner Tribe? Dryfoot Tribe?
Looks pretty cool, but the hydrophobia thing for Berserkers might be kind of weird for players.
I like the idea, I had suggested it for Xathan's pirates compaign. It works well for those who don't want to add all the PHB races.
Why not give them rage 1/day or an ability similar to rage where they lose the ability to think and just attack. Some of Raelifin's races might interest you. The Purrabok are one that come to mind.
As for names:
1. Bloodspring
2. Wildheart
3. Deathdealer
4. Wildmind
5. Crazyblood
Quote from: Wasterunner Tribe? Dryfoot Tribe?
Looks pretty cool, but the hydrophobia thing for Berserkers might be kind of weird for players.[/quoteI like the idea, I had suggested it for Xathan's pirates compaign. It works well for those who don't want to add all the PHB races.
Why not give them rage 1/day or an ability similar to rage where they lose the ability to think and just attack. Some of Raelifin's races might interest you. The Purrabok are one that come to mind.
As for names:
1. Bloodspring
2. Wildheart
3. Deathdealer
4. Wildmind
5. Crazyblood
I think the idea is nice, and it really gives good choices for a race depending on important stats for a character, as well as limiting the total number of races.
Sorry, but none of those names is really doing it for me. and to Mezerous, the word Waste has a particular significance to this setting, so I can't use it here. any more suggestions on names for the Darkthinkers, berserkers, and ideas for extra abilities for the Berserkers would be nice.
A few quick things:
The Beachwalker description mentions "pursuing intellectual pursuits"; you may want to reword this to avoid redundant repetition. :)
I'm fine with the Berserkers, except for the "will never enter water willingly" bit. An overwhelming phobia, I can understand, but I balk at presenting a PC race with a "you would never choose to do this" clause. I say at least incorporate a Will save into the mechanic, so that in rare and desperate circumstances a Berserker might valiantly wade into a stream to save a comrade despite his fears, or somesuch similar heroic gesture.
Possible names:
Berserker: Drywalker, Stonechewer, Bonerender, Sandstalker, etc. Follows the pattern of syllabic accents you've established with the other tribe names, and I like focusing on the brutality more than focusing on the water phobia. (Because really, what tribe would name itself after a weakness?)
Darkthinker: Here, I'm at a bit of a loss. I want to use something pertaining to caves or echoes, but I can't think of something that really fits rhythmically. Closest I can come is "Depthspeaker," but it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. (God help you if you lisp.)
The never enter water willingly is set up so that, if he must enter water, a party member can push him in... I dunno, it just seemed to be cool by me.
I'd really like ideas for abilities for the Berserkers, please?
Read some of Raelifin's races you'll get an idea for a Beserker ability. I'm not saying take one outright, but some of his races have abilities that would fit a beserker race.
Names:
1. Rockrunner
2. Earthbound
Quote from: My name is CritI'd really like ideas for abilities for the Berserkers, please?
One that I've used and am fond of is a bonus feat: any Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency that you qualify for.
I renamed the Berserker tribe as the Stonebreaker tribe, and gave them some new abilities. they have a similar rage ability now, but I would like one or two more, as well as ideas for names for the Darkthinker tribe.
Thanks for the help so far folks!
Why not say allow berserkers to ignore a certain amount of damage--just during combat however? Once combat is over they feel the damage they've ignored though.
Interesting, thanks for the idea... I'll talk to my balance consultant about translating that into rules and balancing it out.
Darkthinker name ideas:
Deeptalker
Pitspeaker
Tranceshadow (for if their knowledge has a more mystical side)
Truthdelver
Undersoul
Darkeye