Basic Info About Races
Setup similar to the drow racial class. Hit dice are gained according to the standard class level in dnd 3.5. Same with feats, and skills. Some ability score increases will be preset in the table below.This makes the game more fun since there is no need for calculating hit dice to determine when feats and other important abilities are gained.
Tiny Creatures need tiny weapons. See page 114 of the player’s handbook for the damage chart.
Large Creatures will need large sized weapons also noted in the player’s handbook in the damage chart.
A tiny weapon weighs 1/10 of a medium weapon. Tiny Creatures would be unable to use large weapons for large creatures and medium creatures would find a tiny creature’s weapon to be useless.
Armor weight for tiny creatures is 1/10 the weight of medium armor. For the tiny ones, armor class is half the amount of a medium person. For example, leather armor for a tiny creature would by AC of 1 (1/2 * 2 = 1). So pretty best to avoid type of armor that were originally an Armor Class of 1 for medium size humanoids as that would be an AC of 1/2 which I would state is an AC of 0 in my opinion (1/2 * 1 = 1/2). Tiny ones are not meant to use padded armor, bucklers, light wooden shields, or light steel shields. It is also recommended to shy away from using shurikens since they will do 0 damage.
As a note, when it mentions class level, it normally means by the standard class. Otherwise, it will mention the words racial class or monster class if the subject does not relate to the standard class. For example, if somethings states it is going up by 1 for every class level, that would mean something went up based on the level of the standard class and not the racial or monster class.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Racial Class
If you read the drow racial class in Drow of the Underdark on page 221, you will understand what I mean. It speaks of spell resistance increasing based on the class level and if you look at the chart on the left you will see it display two types of levels, racial level and class level. The first column is for the racial class and the second column is for standard class. If this were not true, the feats that are divisible 3 at every class level would have fallen under the racial level of 3. But that is not the case. It shows it at the 5th level of the racial class because the standard class level is 3. It went up because of the standard class and not the racial class.
That is why this is more easy to implement into racial classes than actual monster classes. A monster class may end up with no standard class at all when starting out, so I end up just having the items go up every two levels instead.
The downside of using a racial class is it may seem like forever to raise up the hit dice for a character, but that is the price to pay for having a standard class at the same time of having the race you want instead of having to wait to go through the steps of a monster class before using the standard class. For example, the frost giant would have been done with his monster class at around level 19 and then move on to a standard class, but since I have him setup as a racial class taking on a standard class, it takes double the efforts and he has to reach level 37 before he can be at normal leveling status. If you look at the big picture though and add up a monster class level of 19 and a standard class done separately after a monster class is completed first, then it would add up to level 39 (19 + 20 = 39) to be at the same status as a racial class version. So in reality, you are saving it by 2 levels by doing the racial class method instead of treating the character as a monster class.
As of pertaining to whether the hit dice are better with the different methods, I guess that is just something you will have to experiment with. I do have monster classes you can try out on a separate post.
Adjusted Deities
-Titania (Queen of the Faeries)-
Converted from 2nd edition to 3.5
Greater Deity
Symbol: White Diamond with blue star
Home Plane: Seelie Court
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Faeries, friendship, and magic
Worshipers: bards, dryads, satyrs, pixies, grigs, nixies
Cleric Alignments: Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Good, Lawful Good, Neutral Good
Domains: Magic, Good, Chaos
Favored Weapon: Short Sword
-Thrym-
Some info from the 3.5 Monster Manual and Frostburn. As a note, you will need a copy of Frostburn to be able to use the Cold domain.
Lesser Deity
Symbol: white double bladed axe
Home Plane: Asgardian
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Cold, Ice, Frost Giants
Worshipers: neanderthals, shamans, frost giants
Cleric Alignments: Any nongood.
Domains: Chaos, Cold, Earth, Evil, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Great Axe
For your information, I did see some of these creatures in the Savage Species book after I created a few of them. I did adjust them to be somewhat similar to the book, but I kept them different as well on purpose. These are meant to be racial classes and not monster classes. You will not see any class skills because they will be using the classes skills of the standard class that is picked.
Grig
Alignment: Neutral Good
Religion: Titania (Queen of the Faeries)
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Dexterity +5, Strength -5
Other Ability Score Modifiers: –
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares) land based, 20 feet fly (poor)
Height: 1′ + 1d8 height modifier
Weight: 1 lb
Age: –
Size and Bonuses: Tiny, +2 AC size bonus, +2 size bonus to attacks.
Low light vision.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +2 natural armor bonus. +2 racial bonus to Search, Spot, and Listen. +8 racial bonus to Jump checks. +5 racial bonus to move silently when in a forest.
Bonus Feat: Dodge only if Dex is at least 13.
Home Lands: Temperate forests
Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Rogue
-Class Features-
Spell-like abilities- gained at racial level 2. Once per day can use disguise self, entangle (DC 13), invisibility, pyrotechnics (DC 14), ventriloquism (DC 13). Caster level is the same as the Grig’s class level. Save DC is Charisma.
Fiddle- gained at racial class level 4. If carrying a fiddle in your equipment list, you can play a fiddle and nonsprite within 30 feet of you must pass a DC 12 Will save or be affected by Otto’s irresistable dance as long as you keep playing the fiddle. Save DC is Charisma.
Damage reduction 5/cold iron- gained at racial level 3.
Wisdom increased by 3 at racial level 7.
Spell resistance – At level 6, She gains spell resistance 17 + class level.
Nixie
Alignment: Any Neutral.
Religion: Titania (Queen of the Faeries)
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Dexterity +3, Strength -3
Other Ability Score Modifiers: –
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares) land based, swim 30 feet
Height: 4 feet + 2d4 height modifier
Weight: 45 lb x 1
Age: –
Size and Bonuses: Small, +1 AC size bonus, +1 size bonus to attacks.
Low light vision.
Amphibious – they are able to live on land as well as in water.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: +8 racial bonus to Swim. +2 racial bonus to Search, Spot, and Listen. +5 racial bonus to Hide while in water. +6 racial bonus when casting wild empathy only if the sprite decides to take the druid class.
Bonus Feat: Dodge only if Dex is at least 13.
Running Swim – Can use run action while swimming provided it is in a straight line.
Home Lands: Temperate aquatic
Automatic Languages: Common, Aquan and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Sorceror
-Class Features-
Water breathing- gained at racial level 1. Once per day you can cast this spell with the caster level being equal to the Nixie’s class level.
Charm Person- gained at racial level 4. This can be used once per day. Targets must overcome a DC 15 Will save or be charmed for 24 hours. Save DC is Charisma. Caster level of the spell is equal to the Nixie’s class level.
Damage reduction 5/cold iron- gained at racial level 3.
Charisma increased by 4 at racial level 7.
Spell resistance – At level 6, she gains spell resistance 16 + class level.
Pixie
Alignment: Neutral Good
Religion: Titania (Queen of the Faeries)
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Charisma +3, Strength -3
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares) land based, 20 feet fly (good)
Height: 2′ + 2d4 height modifier
Weight: 30 lbs x 1
Age: –
Size and Bonuses: Small, +1 AC size bonus, +1 size bonus to attacks, +4 Hide bonus, -4 penalty to grapple checks
Low light vision.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +1 natural armor bonus. +2 racial bonus to Listen, Search and Spot.
Bonus Feat: Dodge only if Dex is at least 13.
Home Lands: Temperate forests
Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan.
Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Halfling
Favored Class: Sorceror
-Class Features-
Spell-like abilities- gained at racial level 2. Once per day you can cast dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law. Caster level is the same as the standard class level. Save DC is Charisma.
Greater Spell-like abilities- gained at racial level 6- Once per day you cand cast lesser confusion (DC 14), detect thoughts (DC 19; visual and auditory elements only) and polymorph self.
Greater Invisibility- gained at racial level 8. This ability can be used as a free action and the little pixie can stay invisible regardless of whether he is attacking or not.
Special Arrows- gained at racial level 4. This changes one of his arrows (through crafting) so that it does no damage, but instead causes memory loss or sleep (sleep arrows and memory loss arrows). Those struck by memory loss must pass a DC 15 Will save or lose all memory except skills, languages and class abilities until the victim is treated by a heal spell, limited wish, wish, or miracle. Those struck by a sleep arrow must pass a DC 15 Fortitude save or be affected by it as if it were a sleep spell. Save DC for both arrow types is Charisma with a +2 racial bonus.
Damage reduction /cold iron- gained at racial level 3. The reduction start out at 5 and increases by another 5 at racial level 5 to a total of a reduction of 10 (reduction 5 + reduction 5 = reduction 10).
Dexterity increased by 4 at racial level 7.
Spell resistance – At level 6, She gains spell resistance 15 + class level.
Frost Giant
The setup in Savage Species is somewhat different, but it is meant for taking the frost giant as a monster class rather than a racial class. I also set up my racial class to be gradual change for rock throwing, rock catching, and speed, so the player can gets a feel for the giant’s maturity. The height and weight change over time as well and instead of the giant having an instant growth spurth when reaching the appropriate level.
Alignment: Any evil.
Religion: Thrym
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Strength +4
Starting Speed: 30 feet (6 squares) land based
Later Speed: 40 feet (8 squares) land based
Male Starting Height: 5’6″ + 2d4 height modifier
Female Starting Height: 5’0″ + 2d4 height modifier
Later Height: (+1,+2,+2,+2,+2) feet. End total will be over 14 feet tall.
Male Starting Weight: 200 lbs x (2d6) lb.
Female Starting Weight: 165 lbs x (2d6) lb.
Later Weight: (+500,+500,+500,+500,+500) lbs. End total will be over 2600 lbs.
Age: 40 years, follow the dwarf age on page 109 of the player’s handbook.
Size and Bonuses: Medium, no bonuses
Later size: Large, -1 size AC modifier, -1 size attack modifier, -4 size penalty on hide check.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Immunity to cold
Vulnerability to fire- takes +50% more damage from fire.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +4 natural armor bonus at racial level 1. +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when throwing rocks.
Later bonus: +3 natural armor bonus at racial level 10 and then +2 natural armor bonus at racial level 14. Total ending natural armor bonus should be +9 natural armor bonus.
Home Lands: In freezing caverns or castles in the mountains.
Automatic Languages: Common and Giant.
Favored Class: Fighter.
-Class Features-
Rock throwing- can throw rocks up to 20 feet, increases to 40 feet, increases to 80 feet and then to 120 feet.
Rock catching- Medium sized giant can only catch small and medium rocks. Upon growing to large sized, he can catch small, medium, and large rocks. Once per round the giant can catch a rock about to hit him by doing a Reflex save as a free action. DC is 15 for small rocks, 20 for medium rocks, and 25 for large rocks (the DC will get harder if the rock has a magical bonus).
Weight increases by 500 lbs every four racial levels until racial level 20.
Height increases every four racial levels until racial level 20.
Wemic
Alignment: Any Neutral.
Religion: Nobanion or Malar
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Strength +2, Charisma -2
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares) land based
Height: 6′ + 1d12 height modifier, 12 feet long
Weight: 588 lbs. x 2d6 (as a reminder you multiply the 2d6 by the rolled number you get from the height)
Age: Based off of the half-orcs in the Player’s Handbook.
Size and Bonuses: Large, -1 AC size bonus, -1 size bonus to attacks, -4 size penalty on Hide
Reach 5 and Facing 10
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +2 natural armor bonus at racial level 1 and it increases to 4 at racial level 4. +8 racial bonus to Jump checks.
Bonus Feat: Alertness
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Home Lands: Anauroch, Shaar, Vilhon Reach, and Western Heartlands
Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan.
Bonus Language: A language in currrent region.
Favored Class: Barbarian
-Class Features-
Claw attack that deals 1d6 points of damage.
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Alignment: Any evil.
Religion: Sseth (also known as Set)
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Dexterity +3
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares) land based
Height: –
Weight: –
Age: 12 + the age roll for a human
Venerable Age: 80
Maximum Age is +4d20
Size and Bonuses: Medium
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +1 natural armor bonus. +5 racial bonus on Disguise when pretending to be a human.
Bonus Feat: Alertness, Blind-Fight
Home Lands: Chult, Hlondeth, Tashalar and Western Heartlands
Automatic Languages: Common and Yuanti.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic
Favored Class: Ranger
-Class Features-
Special-like abilities- gained at racial level 2. Once per day can use animal trance (DC 13), cause fear (DC 12), charm person (DC 12), darkness, and entangle (DC 12). Caster level is the same as the standard class level. Save DC is Charisma.
Alternate form- gained at level 8. can changed from a tiny to large viper like using a psionic ability. It loses natural weapons and uses the natural weapons of a viper instead. It may still use its own poisonous bite if it chooses to do so.
detect poison- gained at level 4. Psionic ability of detect poison. Caster level is the same as the standard class level.
Spell resistance – At level 6, he gains spell resistance 16 + class level.
Yuan-ti Halfblood
Alignment: Any evil.
Religion: Sseth (also known as Set)
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Dexterity +3
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares) land based
Body Types: Combo 1: Head with Snake Arms (two bite attacks doing damage of 1d4+2 plus poison), Combo 2: Human legs with Snake tail (Speed 30 ft,climb 15 ft, swim 15 ft, and can constrict small or tiny creatures for 1d4+3 damage), Combo 3: Snake tail and no human legs (Speed 20 ft, climb 15 ft, swim 15 ft and can constrict medium, small, or tiny creatures for 1d6+3 damage), Combo 4: regular human like body but with scales of snake.
As a note, the snake bite does not do poison damage until racial class level 9.
Roll to determine body type: 1 to 40 is Combo 4, 41-60 is Combo 1, 61-80 is Combo 2, 81-100 is Combo 3.
Male Height: 4’10” +2d10
Female Height: 4’5″ +2d10
Male Weight: 120 lb x 2d4
Female Weight: 85 lb x 2d4
Age: based on Human age.
Venerable Age is same as Human.
Maximum Age is +4d20
Size and Bonuses: Medium
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Poison Immunity – Immune to all snake poison as well as his own.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: It has +4 natural armor bonus.
Bonus Feat: Alertness, Blind-Fight
Home Lands: Chult, Hlondeth, Tashalar and Western Heartlands
Automatic Languages: Common and Yuanti.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic
Favored Class: Ranger
-Class Features-
Special-like abilities- gained at racial level 3. Three times per day can use animal trance (DC 15), cause fear (DC 14), entangle (DC 14). Once per day can use deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 17), and suggestion (DC 16). Caster level is the same as the standard class level. Save DC is Charisma.
Alternate form- gained at level 8. can changed from a tiny to large viper like using a psionic ability and similar to polymorph self. It loses natural weapons and uses the natural weapons of a viper instead. It may still use its own poisonous bite if it chooses to do so.
Poison- gained at level 12. Psionic ability of poison that has a Fortitude DC 13 + the Constitution modifier.
detect poison- gained at level 4. Psionic ability of detect poison. Caster level is the same as the standard class level.
Poison Bite- gained at racial level 9. Done during grappling or from snake arms (if any). Constitution damage does not stack if hit by the poison more than once. Initial hit is Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 the class level(s) + Constitution modifier and does 1d4 temporary Constitution damage and continues to do this amount of damage after every minute (or round) until passing a Save DC from Constitution. This does not affect other yuanti.
Poison Kiss- gained at Racial level 2. Same as Poison bite but you subtract 2 from the Fortitude DC. This action only happens when the humanoid kisses another creature that is not a yuanti species. If the standard class is level 1, then do not add the class level to the Fortitude DC. Usually being a low level is the best time for a Yuanti to begin the mating process with another human as the kiss is not as poisonous (Fortitude DC 10 – 2 + Constitution modifier when racial level 2).
Produce Acid- gained at leve 14. A psionic power that does 3d6 acid damage to a creature touched or bitten by it. It can also cause grappling damage to do 5d6 points of acid damage. Yuanti is immune to the effects of his own produce acid.
Chameleon Power- gained at level 10. adds a +10 circumstance bonus to Hide checks.
Spell resistance – At level 6, he gains spell resistance 14 + class level.
I put together all this information by using the monster manual, races of faerun and the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and wrote him up as a racial class. I do not know if duergar was already created as a racial class in other books or not, but I went ahead and created this anyway. I also went ahead and added some more races that can be found throughout Faerun.
Duergar Dwarf/Gray Dwarf
Alignment: Any but usually evil.
Religion: Laduguer or Deep Duerra
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Constitution +2, Charisma -4
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares) land based
Male Height: 3’9″ + 2d4
Female Height: 3’7″ + 2d4
Male Weight: 110 lb x 2d4
Female Weight: 80 lb x 2d4
Age: same as Dwarf age in the Player’s Handbook
Size and Bonuses: Medium
Darkvision out to 120 feet.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: +4 racial bonus on Move Silently. +1 racial bonus for Listen and Spot. +2 racial bonus on saves vs spells and spell like abilities. Stonecunning, weapon familiarity, stability (as basic dwarf). +1 racial bonus on attack rolls vs orcs and goblinoids. +4 dodge bonus to AC vs monsters of giant type. +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks for stone and metal items. +2 racial bonus on Craft checks for stone or metal items.
Light Sensitivity: Duergar have a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, saves, and check when exposed to sunlight or a daylight spell.
Bonus Feats: Arachnid Rider
Home Lands: The North, Turmish, Vaasa, Vilhon Reach and Underdark
Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarven and Undercommon.
Bonus Language: Draconic, Giant, Goblin, Orc and Terran.
Favored Class: Fighter
-Class Features-
Spell-like abilities- gained at racial level 3. Once per day can cast enlarge and invisibility on himself only. Caster level is twice the Duergar’s class level.
Immunities of Servitude- gained at racial level 4. The dwarf becomes immune to paralysis, phantasms, magic poisons and alchemical poisons. He is not immune to regular poison.
Arctic Dwarf
Alignment: Any.
Religion: Talos or Ulutiu
-Racial Traits-
Starting Ability Score Modifiers: Constitution +2, Charisma -2
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares) land based
Male Height: 2’8″ + 2d4
Female Height: 2’4″ + 2d4
Male Weight: 50 lb x 1d4
Female Weight: 40 lb x 1d4
Age: same as Dwarf age in the Player’s Handbook
Size and Bonuses: Small, +1 size bonus to AC, +1 size bonus to attack rolls, +4 size bonus to Hide
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Feats: Will start out with one feat. The next feat gained will be at racial class level 5.
Bonuses: +2 racial bonus on saves vs spells and spell like abilities. Stonecunning, weapon familiarity, stability (as basic dwarf). +1 racial bonus on attack rolls vs orcs and goblinoids. +4 dodge bonus to AC vs monsters of giant type. +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Craft checks for snow, ice and some frostfell items (replaces the stone and metal checks that the original dwarf had).
He has no resistance to poison.
Bonus Feats: Oral History
Home Lands: Damara, the North and Vaasa
Automatic Languages: Common, Dwarven and Uluik.
Bonus Language: Aquan, Auran, Giant, Damaran, and Draconic.
Favored Class: Ranger
-Class Features-
Cold Immunity- gained at racial level 3. The artic dwarf is very tolerant to cold temperatures.
Saving Throw Against Cold – at racial level 1, you start with a +2 racial bonus against cold damage and cold effects.
Half Drow
This is not really in need of being categorized as a racial class, but it does help clarify some things about the half-drow. They can level up normally like any other race in the Player’s Handbook. Also for those who are not aware, a half-drow can gain the feat drow-eyes at a later time in the game to boost the darkvision to 120 feet.
Alignment: Any.
Religion: Any human or drow deity but tend to prefer either Loviatar or Eilistraee.
-Racial Traits-
Height, Weight, Age and Speed: same as Half-elf in the Player’s Handbook
Size and Bonuses: Medium
Has all half-elf traits except for the items mentioned here that would replace such traits.
Darkvision: 60 feet
Drow Blood – the half-drow is treated as a drow (not elf) when it comes to special abilities and effects. In other words, they would be affected by racial specific effects that would target a drow. They can also use magic items that are only usable by Drow.
Can Use spells that humans and drow can use.
Home Lands: Dambrath or the North
Automatic Languages: Common, Elven and Undercommon.
Bonus Language: Chlondathan, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Illuskan and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Any class.
More will be added at a later time.
Your Fellow Gamer,
Jakob