A Compendium of LA+0 races (new creations)

[squirrelloid]

This is basically clikml's great idea from the Have They Just Run Out of Ideas thread, but i implemented it first. =p

Anyway, the purpose of this thread is to create a slew of LA+0 races, with a focus on mechanics first and fluff second, for anyone to use. I urge a focus on mechanics because mechanics are much easier to import than fluff, and any DM worth his or her salt should be able to write fluff for their own campaign world. However, basic fluff (appearance, social structure, how they tend to think) is almost certainly appropriate to include and encouraged.

This post will serve as an index of proposed races. Each race should preferably have its own post, a name (so we can reference it as something), and a list of abilities and modifiers it receives at character creation. Each race should be balanced to a +0 LA standard as defined by human.

Races with a * have not yet been critiqued

List of Races:
Telkor*

[squirrelloid]

Getting the ball rolling:

Telkor
+2 arms
Dex +2, Wis -2
+4 racial bonus on climb checks
+2 racial bonus on intimidate checks
Favored Class: Fighter

Telkor are agile forest-dwelling humanoids that use their extra arms for moving through trees. They tend to live in small groups, and spend nights in the forest canopy.

Telkor faces are somewhat more ape-like than humans, with gently sloped foreheads and somewhat recessed chins. They have enlarged upper canines that they can use for display, though they are not well suited for attack. Their bodies are nearly hairless, including their heads which are often bald. Their second set of arms connects to their bodies slightly below their first set - skeletally they have a second lower scapula and a break in the rib cage at approximately the bottom of the pectoral muscle attachments. They have a second sternum and set of pectorals, and their heart and lungs occupy the upper ribs while their digestive organs occupy the lower ribs. This gives Telkor a slightly more elongated appearance, and their abdominal muscles are partially submerged under the lower pectorals. The gap between the two sets of ribs allows an unusual flexibility. Telkor women have two sets of mammary glands, and often give birth to twins, and somewhat less frequently triplets. Telkor stand 6'5" tall on average (male, 6'2" for females).

Telkor are fiercely protective of their tribes, and will risk personal injury and even death to defend it. Women and men are equally willing to fight, unless pregnant or carrying infants, in which case the woman will flee quickly into the safety of the trees and/or away from the threat with her children. When not threatened, Telkor are inquisitive and curious, often willing to take risks while experimenting (hence lower than average wisdom). Telkor feel threatened by strangers until they have become acquainted, but willingly make fast friends with some effort on the other's part.

Design notes: I consider 2 additional arms to be on par with a feat, especially since it is eventually (and trivially) duplicable with polymorph type magic. The skill bonuses are not nearly equal to +1 skill/level humans get, and the stat modifiers close the gap (and are net-0 in terms of total bonuses anyway).

Thoughts on Telkor?

[Hey_I_Can_Chan]

If that's enough for you, that's great. But, really, this is no match for the LA +0 races presented in the Player's Handbook or Monster Manual, especially the dwarf or deep halfling (but playing one will make you feel dirty).

How about this:

Telkor

• +2 Str, +2 Wis, -2 Int, -2 Cha: Telkor are strong and alert but slow-witted and surly.
  
• Medium: As Medium creatures, telkor have no special bonuses due to their size.
  
• Telkor base land speed is 30 feet.
  
• Climb Speed: Telkor have a climb speed 10 feet slower than their land speed (usually 20 feet). Telkor receive a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
  
• Low-light vision: Telkor can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions. They retain the ability to distinguish colors under such conditions.
  
• +2 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, and Spot checks: Telkor are well known for their ability to detect ambushes and conceal themselves from their enemies.
  
• Ape Blood: Although humanoids, telkor retain enough of their animal heritage that when they are the subject of spells and effects, they can choose to be affected as though they possess the animal type instead of the humanoid type. This is not an action.
  
• Automatic Languages: Common and Telkor. Bonus Languages: Elf, Giant, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan.
  
• Favored Class: Barbarian.

That might work.

[RandomCasualty]

1153290001[/unixtime]]
Design notes: I consider 2 additional arms to be on par with a feat, especially since it is eventually (and trivially) duplicable with polymorph type magic. The skill bonuses are not nearly equal to +1 skill/level humans get, and the stat modifiers close the gap (and are net-0 in terms of total bonuses anyway).

Well honestly, I would not use polymorph spell as a balance point, unless it's Frank's dungeonomicon poly variant, or the PHB2 style poly at least.

Poly as written in the PHB is just going to throw your balance off, since it's not just overpowered, it's batshit insane.

As far as extra arms go, they're most certainly better than a feat if you're going to allow people to wield 4 weapons at a time (or dual two handers, or even two hander and shield). 2 additional attacks, or an extra 2x power attack swing, or even combining a shield and a two hander are all worth way more than a feat, and would have to have some LA to them.

[Fwib]

I also think that multiple pairs of arms would tend to merit LA.

Assuming the race doesnt have some other nasty downside.

[Username17]

Well, extra arms actually is a feat, available both in the Tome of Fiends and other places. But it's a feat with a level minimum. While Two Weapon Fighting is pretty much crap, Multi Weapon Fighting is hard core. Taking a -2 penalty to attack rolls to get your static damage bonuses twice is good only for Rogues, but a -2 penalty to double your damage and add your static damage bonuses four times is awesome.

Multi Weapon Fighting is really crazy good for anyone, and is over-the top nuts for a Rogue. That's why extra limbs is something that is normally only appropriate for high level characters who simply don't do enough damage to matter unless they do something crazy like that. At first level, extra limbs breaks the game. At 8th level, extra limbs doesn't even matter.

-Username17

[User3]

I would have the extra arms function sort of like the avorials (whatever they are called) from races without beards. So initially they give a climb speed bonus to sleight of hand and at an appropriate level (I'd say 6-8) allow multi-weapon fighting.

[squirrelloid]

Hey I Can Chan:
First, the distinctive feature is the extra arms, which is worth quite a lot. Second, being able to choose to be effected as either an animal or human is disturbingly powerful. And third, the stat modifiers are far more animalistic then i intended - if anything the second bonus should be to intelligence. And the bonus to strength is way over the top, i much prefer the dex bonus.

Frank et al:
Hmmm... how about rewording the extra arms like this:

Additional Arms: Telkor have 4 arms instead of two. While they can eventually train themselves to use all their arms equally, initially they are limited to wielding weapons or shields only in their upper set of arms. Their lower arms may be used for less strength required tasks, including holding holy symbols or spell components, but not for anything as delicate as somatic components for spells.

At 6th level (before feats are chosen), the Telkor gains full use of his second set of arms, including the ability to apply multiweapon fighting and to use all his arms equally.

A Telkor who chooses Two-Weapon Fighting before 6th level may convert it to Multi-weapon Fighting at 6th level, but he must qualify for his 6th level feat as if he didn't have MWF (He may use MWF to qualify for additional feats at later levels normally).

I will modify the original post when some sort of consensus is achieved.

[Hey_I_Can_Chan]

First, the distinctive feature is the extra arms, which is worth quite a lot. Second, being able to choose to be effected as either an animal or human is disturbingly powerful. And third, the stat modifiers are far more animalistic then i intended - if anything the second bonus should be to intelligence. And the bonus to strength is way over the top, i much prefer the dex bonus.

I saw ape-like and ran with it. I also didn't want to get embroiled in the extra arms thing. My druthers? Give 'em +2 Str and call the extra arms a special effect. Or, instead, just let them two-weapon fight with Large weapons as if they were Medium. Somethin' easy.

Further, the human/animal thing lets you use alter self into animals (so?) and avoid occasional charm/dominate person spells (so?). Make it a free action that lasts a round if that's the stopper.

Finally, don't let 'em fool you: Str is just as important as every other ability score. We know wizards and clerics and druids (oh my!) own this game; I'd be more worried about the Wis bonus, really.

[The_Matthew]

Actually, if they can be treated as animals they can have awaken cast upon them an arbitrarially infinite amount of times, thus having an arbitrarally infinite charisma. Thus insane.

[squirrelloid]

1153374100[/unixtime]]Actually, if they can be treated as animals they can have awaken cast upon them an arbitrarially infinite amount of times, thus having an arbitrarally infinite charisma. Thus insane.

Ding ding ding!

I saw ape-like and ran with it. I also didn't want to get embroiled in the extra arms thing. My druthers? Give 'em +2 Str and call the extra arms a special effect. Or, instead, just let them two-weapon fight with Large weapons as if they were Medium. Somethin' easy.

Nah, i consider the bonus arms essential. Its worth messing with. Its actually distinctive. And i think playing monstrous PCs should be possible without bending over and taking it up the arse.

[Hey_I_Can_Chan]

Actually, if they can be treated as animals they can have awaken cast upon them an arbitrarially infinite amount of times, thus having an arbitrarally infinite charisma. Thus insane.

Isn't that an awaken problem rather than an animal type problem? And can't that happen with shapechange and polymorph any object (and, probably, a mess of other ways and spells)?

[Username17]

1153399447[/unixtime]]

Actually, if they can be treated as animals they can have awaken cast upon them an arbitrarially infinite amount of times, thus having an arbitrarally infinite charisma. Thus insane.

Isn't that an awaken problem rather than an animal type problem? And can't that happen with shapechange and polymorph any object (and, probably, a mess of other ways and spells)?

It's also a nature's favor problem. And a nature's avatar problem. In fact, there aren't any effects that work on animals that make us feel good about ourselves. The animal type is broken. And it's pointless, I honestly can't think of any reason for the animal type to exist.

The people in Greyhawk have never been to Earth, so a Girallon is no different to them than a tiger.

-Username17

[erik]

Okay, I dabbled a little bit on the ECL zero stuff during my vacation, but then had to work a bunch until now (have the whole week off for gencon and a wedding).

I hate almost all type traits and generally disregard them. First up is a "construct" which basically functions as a human with some additional item slots, immunities, and the option for being repaired instead of raise-deaded.


Clockwork Men
Medium size

Clockwork men are mechanical creatures made often in humanoid form that have been granted sentience. They effectively have no gender, but some may choose to define itself as having a particular gender.

They possess no construct traits other than other than being immune to poison and disease, and they also do not need to eat, sleep or breathe.

While clockwork men do not need to sleep they do need to rest 4 hours per 24 hour period in order to maintain a state of good repair, otherwise they become fatigued the next day.

When reduced to 0 hit points a clockwork man is disabled, just like a living creature. It can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When its hit points are less than 0 and greater than -10, a clockwork man is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and cannot perform any actions However, an inert clockwork man does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to it. A clockwork man reduced to -10 hit points or less is broken, but not dead. A clockwork man will return to consciousness from being broken after being healed to at least 0 hit points and receiving a casting of Make Whole.

A clockwork man’s body is destroyed at if it fails a saving throw versus massive damage, or if an effect destroys the body (such as going to 0 or fewer hit points via a disintegrate spell). A clockwork man whose body is destroyed will require Resurrection, True Resurrection or a Miracle or Wish with Raise Dead in order be returned to life.

Clockwork men may not be turned into undead.

Clockwork men may not be reincarnated.

Clockwork men heal normally via internal machines which repair damage automatically.

Clockwork men can attach and replace body parts for extra functionality. As they gain experience clockwork men can learn to use more attachments. A clockwork man knows how to use 3 specific attachment types +1 per character level.

Weapon Arm
Gains proficiency with any light or one-handed masterwork weapon built into its arm. Some skills may be penalized or unusable due to having less hands available for use.

Gliding wings
When attached to the back of a clockworm man, these large wings grant minimal ability to fly. The clockwork man has a fly speed of 30’ with clumsy manueverability.

Extending Arm
This replacement arm can telescope out, granting an extra 5’ of reach. Having a pair of extending arms allows a clockwork man to climb at full speed with no penalties.

Armor plating
Heavy plates can be fitted to the clockwork man to grant additional natural armor.
+2 natural armor for +20 lb to encumberance, -1 armor check. Each plate counts as an additional attachment.

Memory slot
A crystal encoded with specific knowledge which while inserted into the back of the clockwork man’s head, grant virtual ranks up to its level in a single skill. These ranks do not stack with ranks gained normally in a skill.

Nightvision eyes
Reflective lenses may be installed on a clockwork man’s eyes, enabling it to have lowlight vision.

Spot light
A continual light may be built into the clockwork man in order to provide illumination. This functions as a hooded lantern which never runs out of fuel. This attachment may be built to be placed in any open slot.

Flesh disguise
Some clockwork men wear disguises which enable them to pass for humanoids so long as they have no obvious attachments.

Extra arms
Small arms attach under the main arms and whlie too small to effectively wield weapons, they may hold wands or other light items. These arms may often be used for manual skills if both main hands are replaced by weapons or other attachments.

Grappling hook and launcher
This attachment can be applied upon an arm to launch a grappling hook with up to 500’ of extremely light and strong cable from the equivalent of a heavy crossbow for purposes of range increments. While attached, the clockwork man has -1 to attack when using that arm to attack, and -2 penalty to skills requiring the use of both hands.

Claws
These attachments may either replace normal hands, giving masterwork claws for natural weapon attacks or add forearm claws either of which leave the hands free for use (1d6 slashing and piercing damage + str modifier, X2 critical multiplier). These weapons may be enchanted normally.

Bolt Launcher
This attachment replaces a forearm and functions as a masterwork repeating crossbow (light or heavy) whose clips hold 10 bolts instead of 5.

Great Bolt Launcher
This attachment is identical to a normal bolt launcher attachment, except that it is much larger and less wieldly. The bolts are larger doing 2d8 damage, but they are less accurate having a -2 penalty to attacks. The ammo clips may only hold 5 bolts and weigh twice as much as a normal clip.

Expanding Shield
This forearm attachment builds a masterwork heavy shield onto a forearm of the clockwork man. Unlike a normal heavy shield, this does not require a hand to hold onto it. As a move action the clockwork man may have the shield change from a heavy shield into a tower shield or back again. If the shield attachment is enchanted, the enchantments apply to both shield forms (if applicable, for example bashing will not work on a tower shield, and neither may be animated).

Repair Kit
This attachment is placed in the chest or back of the clockwork man, and provides Fast Healing 1. A clockwork man wearing this attachment needs 4 extra hours of rest each day due to the extra energy this attachment consumes. If the attachment has been removed for 24 hours then the clockwork man will require only the normal daily amount of rest required.

Soul Sucker
This demonic-appearing face replaces the clockwork man’s normal visage and grants supernatural powers. Once per 1d4+1 rounds as a standard action the clockwork man may make a bite attack which deals 1d4 + 1/2 strength damage and also deals 1 temporary negative level. For each negative level bestowed the clockwork man gains 5 temporary hit points which last either for 1 hour or until lost.

Tool Set
This attachment replaces a hand with a variety of specialized tools for picking locks and disabling traps. When worn this attachment gives a +5 circumstance bonus that does not stack with other thieves tools to Open Locks and Disable Device skill checks.

I got bored of typing out attachments, and ended there. Some of the balancing of item types would simply be cost.

[erik]

I was hard up for a name, and am not proud of "enlightened elementals" but had to call them something. Form-bound, maybe, I dunno.

Concept is basically that they scale by getting abilities, often spell-like abilities, as they level. Possibly too good for ECL zero. Then again, what I was looking at was whether it was better than a character who had an extra character level, and that is iffy.

Enlightened Elementals
Medium and Small Elementals given nearly static humanoid forms which changes their mentality. These creatures enjoy life on the material plane where they can find deeper meaning in their altered natures.

Enlightend Elementals while more mentally adaptable, have become bound to their physical forms. They possess no elemental traits other than darkvision out to 60’. Enlightened elementals need to breathe, sleep, and in some cases eat.

Air
Medium size or Small size
30’ move, air walk at will.
Enlightened air elementals gain sustenance in any environment with air.

Spell-like and supernatural abilities. Enlightened elementals gain extra powers tied to their elemental type as they increase in character level. They may choose to expend a power’s daily use in order to activate a lower level ability.
1-2) Mage Hand at will
3-4) Featherfall at will
5-6) Gust of Wind 1/day
7-8) Share airwalk ability: their ability to airwalk is shared while touching willing creatures
9-10) Flight speed 40’ (perfect manueverability)
11-12) Binding Winds 1/day
13-14) Mass Fly 1/day
15-16) Flight speed 60’ (perfect manueverability)
17-18) Control Weather 1/day
19-20) Elemental Swarm (air only) 1/day



Earth
Medium size or Small size
20’ move
Extra Hardness: Enlightened earth elementals gain DR 1/- . Unlike normal DR, this will stack with any DR /- that is gained via class abilities (such as with barbarian DR).
Earth Sight: As a full round action the creature may see through up to 30’ of stone or earthen materials.
Stone Cunning +2, 10’ range.
Enlightened earth elementals need to eat 1/20th their weight in earth per day.

Spell-like and supernatural abilities. Enlightened elementals gain extra powers tied to their elemental type as they increase in character level. They may choose to expend a power’s daily use in order to activate a lower level ability.
1-2) Fist of Stone 1/day
3-4) Spider Climb 1/day (on stone or earthen surfaces only)
5-6) Spider Climb at will (on stone or earthen surfaces only)
7-8) Stone Shape 1/day
9-10) Stone Shape at will
11-12) Wall of Stone 1/day
13-14) Passwall (through earth/stone only) 1/day
15-16) Move Earth at will
17-18) Iron Body 1/day
19-20) Earthquake 1/day


Fire
Medium size or Small size
30’ move
Ignite: Fire enlightened elementals deal +1d6 fire bonus damage on all melee attacks with natural weapons or metal weapons. Enemies striking with natural weapons will also take 1d6 fire damage. When damaged by the fire one must make a reflex save (DC 10+ con modifier of elemental) or catch fire.
Fire Resistance 10
Enlightened fire elementals provide illumination equivalent to a sunrod
Enlightened fire elementals need to consume the equivalent of 3 torches worth of flames per day.

Spell-like and supernatural abilities. Enlightened elementals gain extra powers tied to their elemental type as they increase in character level. They may choose to expend a power’s daily use in order to activate a lower level ability.
1-2) Prestidigitation at will (may only be used to create fires and manipulate fires)
3-4) Produce Flame at will
5-6) Scorching Ray 1/day
7-8) Fire Resistance 20
9-10) Fireball 1/day
11-12) Wall of Fire 1/day
13-14) Scorching Ray at will
15-16) Fire Resistance 30
17-18) Fireball at will
19-20) Elemental Swarm (fire only) 1/day


Water [aquatic]
Medium size or Small size
30’ move, 30’ swim
Amphibious: can breathe air as well as water.
Enlightened water elementals need to drink 4 gallons of water a day.

Spell-like and supernatural abilities. Enlightened elementals gain extra powers tied to their elemental type as they increase in character level. They may choose to expend a power’s daily use in order to activate a lower level ability.
1-2) Create Water 1/day
3-4) Obscurring Mist 1/day
5-6) Cloudburst 1/day
7-8) Quench 1/day
9-10) Control Water 1/day
11-12) Freedom of Movement (personal, in water only) at will
13-14) Tidal Surge 1/day
15-16) Control Water at will
17-18) Control Weather 1/day
19-20) Elemental Swarm (water only) 1/day

[Crissa]

Hey, what were the ideas for other races, anyhow? Animal people Mushroom races, what was it that we originally wanted?

[erik]

I'll probably eventually have other races to post, but I've been derailed somewhat by my latest acquisition, the True20 book. I'm gonna have my players convert their 3.clik characters to this system I think (after I write up a bunch of new feats) and save myself some headaches.

[Edit] other ideas on the top of my list of things to do:

Undead- intelligent skeletons or zombies (without crappy slowness) playable as PCs.

Brownies. Rather, fey that are tiny but not with wings.

Plant people, not necessarily humanoid in shape.

Intelligent oozes

And an Aberration, but I totally forgot what this was leaning towards.

[RandomCasualty]

1154907239[/unixtime]]
Intelligent oozes

Intelligent oozes? How would you manage a PC character without item slots?

[erik]

I was considering allowing them to either wear them or place them inside themselves. Twas restricted to items they wouldn't dissolve of course.

It hadn't come up yet though. The all-ooze party was too low level to have anything worth noting.

[RandomCasualty]

1154914495[/unixtime]]I was considering allowing them to either wear them or place them inside themselves. Twas restricted to items they wouldn't dissolve of course.

It hadn't come up yet though. The all-ooze party was too low level to have anything worth noting.

Well there are a lot of issues with an ooze party. I mean, first they can't wield weapons, carry material components or what not. They don't even have hands for somatic gestures and really can't speak for verbal, which limits oozes to psionics or monks pretty much.

[erik]

I whipped up a means for the oozes to control their shape, and as such they were able to speak languages other than ooze (my made-up natural language that resembles how Pom Pom speaks in Homestar Runner), move non-pseudpodally, wear armor, wield weapons, etc (assuming they could keep from dissolving them).

I'm well aware there were plenty of issues.