Dwarf Racial Traits
* +4 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
* Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Dwarven base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures whose speed is reduced in such situations).
* Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
* Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
* Stability: Dwarves are exceptionally stable on their feet. A dwarf gains a +4 to ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground.
* +2 racial bonus on Craft and Appraise checks
* +2 racial bonus on saving throws against psionic powers, spells and spell-like effects: Dwarves have an innate resistance to magic spells and psionic powers.
* Focus: Dwarves are notoriously single-minded, focusing on one task to the exclusion of others. This focus is something that can be simply stated, such as “overthrow the government,” “get the caravan to Urik,” or “find the twelve ruby chrysalises.” Dwarves gain a +4 racial bonus on will saves against charms or compulsion effects that would change, delay or distract from their focus.
* Dwarven Blood: Dwarves are resistant to venoms and toxins, getting a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against poison.
* Automatic Languages: Dwarven and Common.
* Favored Class: Cleric.
* Level Adjustment: +1
Elan Racial Traits
* +2 Charisma.
* Aberration: Elans are not subject to spells or effects that affect humaniods only, such as charm person or dominate person.
* Medium: As Medium creatures, elans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Elan base land speed is 30 feet.
* Elans (unlike most aberrations) do not have darkvision.
* Inborn Power: Elans gain 3 bonus power points at 1st level. Elans may choose any one 1st-level power from the psion power list to become their inborn power, which they can manifest using their power points. If you take levels in a class that offers a repertoir of psionic powers, simply add the 3 power points to your power point total, and add your inborn power to your list of powers known. Elans use their inborn power at a manifester level equal to their character levels. They use Charsima to set the save DC.
* Resistance (Su): Elans can use psionic energy to increase their resistance to various forms of attack. As an immediate action, an elan can spend 1 power point to gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws until the beginning of her next action.
* Resilience (Su): When an elan takes damage, she can spend power points to reduce its severity. As an immediate action, she can reduce the damage she is about to take by 2 hit points for every 1 power point she spends.
* Repletion (Su): An elan can sustain her body without need of food or water. If she spends 1 power point, an elan does not need to eat or drink for 24 hours.
* Automatic Language: Common.
* Favored Class: Psion.
*Level Adjustment: +1
Elf Racial Traits.
* +4 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
* Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Elf base land speed is 40 feet. At 10th level, it increases to 50 feet.
* Immunity to magic sleep effects.
* Low-Light Vision: An elf 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.
* Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the falchion, scimitar, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats.
* +4 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
* Elves have a natural resistance to extreme temperatures and aren’t adversely affected by the heat of the day or the chill of the night. They treat extreme heat or cold as if it were only very hot or cold, (see DMG for rules on temperature effects) but suffer normally from abysmal heat, or
from magical supernatural heat and cold.
* After a minute of warm-up and a Concentration check (DC 15), elves can induce an elf run state. This state allows elves to hustle for long distances as easily as a human can move normally, and run for long distances as easily as a human can hustle. Each day that elves continues the elf run, they must make additional Concentration skill checks to maintain their elf run state: A trivial check (DC 10) on the second day, an average check (DC 20) on the third day, a difficult check (DC 30) on the fourth day, and an heroic check (DC 40) on the fifth day. Once the elf fails a Concentration skill check, he loses elf run benefits and suffers normal penalties for extended hustling and running as described in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook. After a full day’s rest, the elf may attempt again to induce an elf run state. With a group of elves, runners add their leader’s Charisma bonus both to their movement rate and to any Fortitude checks related to movement.
* Elven Discernment: Elves gain a +4 bonus on saves against illusion spells and effects.
* Automatic Languages: Common and Elven.
* Favored Class: Rogue.
* Level Adjustment: +1
Half-Elf Racial Traits
* +2 Dexterity
* Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet. At 10th level, it increases to 40 feet.
* Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects.
* Low-Light Vision: A half-elf 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.
* +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
* Half-elves gain a +2 racial bonus to Disguise checks when impersonating elves or humans
* +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.
* +2 racial bonus on all Survival and Handle Animal checks.
* Animal Companion: A half-elf may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: bazzrag, kank, kestrekel, snake (Small or Medium viper) and yallix. This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the half-elf’s effective druid level is 1st level regardless of actual character level. A half-elf may not select from the alternative lists of animal companions.
* Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.
* Automatic Languages: Common and Elven.
* Favored Class: Bard.
* Level Adjustment: +0
Half-Giant Racial Traits
* +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence.
* Large: As Large creatures, half-giants receive a -1 size penalty to Armor Class, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, and a -4 size penalty on Hide checks. They must use much larger weapons than humans would, and their lifting and carrying limits are double those of a Medium character. In addition, half-giants have an increased reach of 10 feet in melee combat as described on page 132 of the Player’s Handbook.
* Giant type: Half-giants are of type Giant (see MM for details). Half-giants start with two Hit Dice, receiving 2d8 hit points, Base Attack Bonus +1, base saves: Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0, and their single starting feat. Half-giants receive (2+Intelligence modifier) x 5 skill points, and their class skills are: Climb, Jump, Listen and Spot. Note that half-giants do not receive the x4 bonus to starting skill points when they take their first class level.
* Half-giants have darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
* Half-giant base land speed is 40 feet.
* Fire and Ice Acclimated: Half-Giants have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against all fire and cold spells and effects.
* Automatic Languages: Common.
* Favored Class: Brute.
* Level Adjustment: +1.
Halfling Racial Traits
* +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom.
* Halflings receive a -2 penalty to all Diplomacy skill checks when dealing with other races.
* Small: As a Small creature, a halfling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
* Halfling base land speed is 20 feet.
* Poison Use: Halflings never poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon or when using a poison weapon in combat.
* +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown weapons and slings.
* +1 racial bonus on all saving throws.
* +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear: This bonus stacks with the halfling's +1 bonus on saving throws in general.
* +4 racial bonus on Climb, Jump, Move Silently and Listen checks.
* +4 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks when attempting to discern whether or not an individual is a wizard and if that wizard is a defiler.
* Automatic Languages: Common and Halfling.
* Favored Class: Ranger
* Level Adjustment: +1.
Human Racial Traits
* Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Human base land speed is 30 feet.
* 1 extra feat at 1st level.
* 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
* Automatic Language: Common.
* Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
* Level Adjustment: +0.
Mul Racial Traits
* +2 Strength, +2 Constitution.
* Medium: As Medium creatures, muls have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Mul base land speed is 30 feet.
* Darkvision: Muls can see in the dark up to 30 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and muls can function just fine with no light at all.
* Tireless: Muls get a +4 racial bonus to checks for performing a physical action that extends over a period of time (running, swimming, holding breath, and so on). This bonus stacks with the Endurance feat. This bonus may also be applied to savings throws against spells and magical effects that cause weakness, fatigue, exhaustion or enfeeblement.
* Extended activity: Muls may engage in up to 12 hours of hard labor or forced marching without suffering from fatigue.
* Hardy: Muls need only half as much rest to eliminate the effects of fatigue and exhaustion.
* Nonlethal Damage Resistance 2/-. Muls are difficult to subdue, and do not notice minor bruises, scrapes, and other discomforts that pain creatures of other races.
* Faster Natural Healing: Muls heal damage at twice the normal rate, recovering 2 hit points per level per day.
* Dwarven Blood: For all special abilities and effects, a mul is considered a dwarf. Muls, for example, can use dwarvish weapons and magic items with racially specific dwarven powers as if they were dwarves.
* Automatic Language: Common.
* Favored Class: Fighter.
* Level Adjustment: +1.
Pterran Racial Traits
* +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
* Medium: As Medium creatures, pterrans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* Reptilian: Pterrans have the reptilian subtype.
* Pterran base land speed is 30 feet.
* Poor sense of hearing: Pterrans have only slits for ears, and their hearing sense is diminished. Pterrans suffer a –2 penalty to Listen checks.
* Weapon Familiarity: The following weapons are treated as martial rather than exotic weapons: slodak and thanak. These weapons are more common among pterrans than among other races.
* Natural Weaponry: Pterrans can use their natural weapons instead of fighting with crafted weapons if they so choose. A pterran can rake with their primary claw attack for 1d4 of damage for each claw, and they bite for 1d3 points of damage as a secondary attack. For more on natural attacks, see MM section on natural weapons
* +3 natural armor bonus.
* Because of their tails, Pterrans have a +4 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks.
* Inborn Power: Pterrans gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. Pterrans may use the power points provided to manifest Empathy. If you take levels in a class that offers a repertoire of psionic powers, simply add the 2 power points to your power point total, and add Empathy to your list of powers known. Pterrans use their inborn power at a manifester level equal to their character levels. They use Charsima to set the save DC.
* Automatic Language: Pterran.
* Favored Class: Druid.
*Level Adjustment: +1
Thri-kreen Racial Traits
* +2 Strength, +4 Wisdom, -4 Intelligence.
* Type: Monstrous Humanoid. Thri-kreen begin play with 2 Hit Dice, giving them 2d8 hit points, a +2 Base Attack Bonus; base saves Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3; and one starting feat of choice. Thri-kreen start with (2 + Int Mod) x 5 skill points. Note that thri-kreen do not receive the x4 modifier upon taking their first class level. Class skills for the thri-kreen are Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen and Spot.
* Size: Medium. Thri-kreen receive no advantages or penalties due to their size.
* Thri-kreen base land speed is 40 feet.
* Natural Armor: Thri-kreen are covered in a naturally tough chitin, giving them a +3 bonus to Armor Class.
* Multiple Limbs: Thri-kreen have for arms and can take the Multiweapon Fighting feat (see the Monster Manual) instead of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Thri-kreen can aldo take the Multiattack feat. These are not bonus feats; thri-kreen characters must spend feat slots to learn these feats.
* Natural Weapons: Thri-kreen can attack with four claws and a bite. The claws deal 1d3 damage, and the bite is a secondary attack (-5 penalty on the attack roll, and half Strength bonus on the damage) that deals 1d4 damage.
* Sleep Immunity. Thri-kreen do not sleep, and are immune to sleep-inducing magic and effects. Thri-kreen spellcasters still require 8 hours of rest before preparing spells.
* Leap: Thri-kreen are natural jumpers, gaining a +30 racial bonus to all Jump checks.
* Deflect Arrows: Thri-kreen gain the benefit of the Deflect Arrows feat.
* Poison: A thri-kreen delivers its poison (Fortitude save DC 11 + Con modifier) with a successful bite attack. The initial damage is 1d6 Dex and secondary damage is paralysis. A thri-kreen produces enough poison for one bite per day.
* Weapon Familiarity: To thri-kreen, the chatkcha and gythka are treated as martial rather than exotic weapons. These weapons are more common among thri-kreen than among other races.
* Automatic Languages: Thri-kreen.
* Favored Class: Psychic Warrior.
* Level Adjustment: +1.
There is no real reason to give Thri-kreen a wisdom bonus. Every interaction they have has them "puzzled" by the strange behavior of other races. This does not sound like the race has a much more intuitive grasp of motivations or how the world works.
I do not give dwarves a Wis bonus. Although they have a decent grasp on the world around them I do not see their base intuition being stronger than a humans.
I agree that the Half-giant deserves +8 strength +4 con simply because size matters.
Originally posted by mekillot
There is no real reason to give Thri-kreen a wisdom bonus. Every interaction they have has them "puzzled" by the strange behavior of other races. This does not sound like the race has a much more intuitive grasp of motivations or how the world works.
I think that is more of an intellectual inability to understand the workings of humaniod physiology and society rather than a lack of intuition. These creatures are like children in their understanding; simple, yet strait to the heart of the matter. There is a type of wisdom in that, I think...
I agree that the Half-giant deserves +8 strength +4 con simply because size matters.
While you and Porkchops have a valid point, I chose to design my Half-giants this way because I didn't like what Athas.org had done to compensate for such large bonuses. I felt that it shouldn't be necessary to modify almost every ability score just to keep a creature like the Half-giant at LA +3; it's just too messy for my taste.
Thank you for your input, though... I appreciate it.
Originally posted by ante_up
Your half-elf is too powerful for LA 0. It should be LA + 1.
*That* was one of the races I had concerns about... Would it be terrible if I took away the +2 Dex? Or should I do something else?
Originally posted by Leatherwood
I felt that it shouldn't be necessary to modify almost every ability score just to keep a creature like the Half-giant at LA +3; it's just too messy for my taste.
Ecept that HGs aren't LA+3, they are an ECL of 3 and only a LA of +1, big difference. ;)
You've pretty much did what Paizo did to the half giant though, watered it down when the race *should* be a powerhouse nad have a decent ECL behind it.
Oh well, to each their own...