Homebrewing Races separate from Class for my home-setting
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:40 am
I'm working on getting my setting all prim and proper for lots of DCC styled adventures, but I ran into a problem that needs solving - that being that the party looking for new recruits in-play to replace characters that have died is starting to be very forced since I refuse to allow a player to keep rolling new characters until one fits what the party is looking to hire on - and I have decided that the way to alleviate the problem is to free up some more options for each race by separating race and class.
I am currently thinking of going with a somewhat AD&D style of non-human races having limited choice of class, but not having level caps, and leaving race as being determined randomly by way of rolling for 0-level occupation. Because of that, all of the non-human races are close enough to balanced against human for my tastes simply by being rare and limited in choice...
Balancing those races against each other, in a rough sense of the word, is a bit trickier... so I thought I'd post what I am working on here and see what kind of ideas come up.
First, the things that all of the non-human races share in common:
-Base speed is always 30' or higher
-No one is different enough in size to warrant mention (shorter races are still as tall as short humans, taller races aren't much taller than tall humans, etc.)
-Each non-human race can see in darkness better than humans (currently "infravision" of 60')
-Non-humans treat their class' low saving throw as being medium progression instead
-All the races have the benefit that they know their own racial language if their Int is at least 7, and they gain 1 additional language upon reaching 1st level.
-Access to only two classes of the 4 currently available to humans with which two being dependent upon the race (possibly with a race being able to choose 3 of the 4 classes as one of its special benefits)
Second, the races with very brief descriptions and the mechanics attached:
Dwarf - A race of magically "inert" people that make their cities deep beneath the mountains in architectural spectacles the likes of which haven't been seen on the surface since a previous age.
-Level added as a bonus to any check to detect traps/slanting passages/shifting walls/new construction while underground.
-Level added as a bonus to any saving throw allowed against a wizard spell (alternate: 1 in [some die size, probably 4 or 5] chance to ignore the effects of any wizard spell targeting them in addition to any save allowed)
Elf - Exiled fey cast into the realm of mortal men by their more potent faerie cousins, seeking to find their place among the "younger" races or, preferably, find a way back home.
-Immune to sleep & paralysis
-Vulnerable to iron + mithral discount (as per standard DCC elf)
Goblin - Grey skinned, dark green haired, black eyed "men" with a wicked, thin and wiry look. Found mostly in places so barren that other races wouldn't think to try living there (deserts, badlands, so on).
-Treat their class' middle-progression save as being high-progression
-+2 bonus for each point of Luck burnt, regain Luck with rest regardless of class (yes, those two are both borrowed straight from halfling - they fit the "surviving by Luck alone" theme)
Goblin feels like it still needs something to me... but I don't know what... leaning towards having them be able to choose from 3 classes instead of 2.
Cat Men - Actually appearing to be a variety of felines mixed with humanoid stock, the Cat Men are nomadic tribe-folk with long oral history detailing their travels and the events that have transpired during.
-Claws, allowing them to deal 1d4 damage against a foe not wearing metal armor (they can still do the normal 1d3 subdual with their strikes if they choose or are facing too heavily armored foes)
-Sharp senses granting a +2 bonus to any check relating to sight, smell, or touch.
Equinoid - Appearing as a horse-head man with hooves instead of feet and a hide covered in a fine coat of horse hair, these "horse men" are actually far more civilized and refined than others would give them credit for. Their origin is rumored to be as an experiment in magic-augmented breading of a wizard some centuries dead by now.
-Faster speed. They have a 40' base speed but are unable to ride a mount given their leg structure (though they can, and do from time to time, employ chariots)
-Wide field of vision causing an increase of 5 to the DC of anyone attempting to use stealth to get into position for an unseen melee attack.
-Can use a lance while not mounted, and may charge for double damage with lance or spear while on foot.
These are my first drafts... I'll likely be posting updates as I make them.
Current class access scheme:
Human - any
Dwarf - cleric or warrior
Elf - cleric or wizard
Goblin - thief or wizard
Cat Men - warrior or wizard
Equinoid - thief or warrior
Thanks in advance for any feedback - just playing around with ideas like this is actually really fun, and I hadn't realized that I missed doing so.
I am currently thinking of going with a somewhat AD&D style of non-human races having limited choice of class, but not having level caps, and leaving race as being determined randomly by way of rolling for 0-level occupation. Because of that, all of the non-human races are close enough to balanced against human for my tastes simply by being rare and limited in choice...
Balancing those races against each other, in a rough sense of the word, is a bit trickier... so I thought I'd post what I am working on here and see what kind of ideas come up.
First, the things that all of the non-human races share in common:
-Base speed is always 30' or higher
-No one is different enough in size to warrant mention (shorter races are still as tall as short humans, taller races aren't much taller than tall humans, etc.)
-Each non-human race can see in darkness better than humans (currently "infravision" of 60')
-Non-humans treat their class' low saving throw as being medium progression instead
-All the races have the benefit that they know their own racial language if their Int is at least 7, and they gain 1 additional language upon reaching 1st level.
-Access to only two classes of the 4 currently available to humans with which two being dependent upon the race (possibly with a race being able to choose 3 of the 4 classes as one of its special benefits)
Second, the races with very brief descriptions and the mechanics attached:
Dwarf - A race of magically "inert" people that make their cities deep beneath the mountains in architectural spectacles the likes of which haven't been seen on the surface since a previous age.
-Level added as a bonus to any check to detect traps/slanting passages/shifting walls/new construction while underground.
-Level added as a bonus to any saving throw allowed against a wizard spell (alternate: 1 in [some die size, probably 4 or 5] chance to ignore the effects of any wizard spell targeting them in addition to any save allowed)
Elf - Exiled fey cast into the realm of mortal men by their more potent faerie cousins, seeking to find their place among the "younger" races or, preferably, find a way back home.
-Immune to sleep & paralysis
-Vulnerable to iron + mithral discount (as per standard DCC elf)
Goblin - Grey skinned, dark green haired, black eyed "men" with a wicked, thin and wiry look. Found mostly in places so barren that other races wouldn't think to try living there (deserts, badlands, so on).
-Treat their class' middle-progression save as being high-progression
-+2 bonus for each point of Luck burnt, regain Luck with rest regardless of class (yes, those two are both borrowed straight from halfling - they fit the "surviving by Luck alone" theme)
Goblin feels like it still needs something to me... but I don't know what... leaning towards having them be able to choose from 3 classes instead of 2.
Cat Men - Actually appearing to be a variety of felines mixed with humanoid stock, the Cat Men are nomadic tribe-folk with long oral history detailing their travels and the events that have transpired during.
-Claws, allowing them to deal 1d4 damage against a foe not wearing metal armor (they can still do the normal 1d3 subdual with their strikes if they choose or are facing too heavily armored foes)
-Sharp senses granting a +2 bonus to any check relating to sight, smell, or touch.
Equinoid - Appearing as a horse-head man with hooves instead of feet and a hide covered in a fine coat of horse hair, these "horse men" are actually far more civilized and refined than others would give them credit for. Their origin is rumored to be as an experiment in magic-augmented breading of a wizard some centuries dead by now.
-Faster speed. They have a 40' base speed but are unable to ride a mount given their leg structure (though they can, and do from time to time, employ chariots)
-Wide field of vision causing an increase of 5 to the DC of anyone attempting to use stealth to get into position for an unseen melee attack.
-Can use a lance while not mounted, and may charge for double damage with lance or spear while on foot.
These are my first drafts... I'll likely be posting updates as I make them.
Current class access scheme:
Human - any
Dwarf - cleric or warrior
Elf - cleric or wizard
Goblin - thief or wizard
Cat Men - warrior or wizard
Equinoid - thief or warrior
Thanks in advance for any feedback - just playing around with ideas like this is actually really fun, and I hadn't realized that I missed doing so.