ARG Race Creation: The Half-Veela

[Lord Fyre]

Half-Veela
Why yes, I have been reading Harry Potter. Fortunately, Rowling didn’t create Veela; they actually exist in traditional Slavic Folklore. Nor, it turns out did she actually invent the “half-veela” as the legendary Serbian hero Prince Marko was reputed to have a Veela mother. This version, for obvious reasons my version hews closer to the Mythical version.

The Veela, Wila, Wili, or Vila is the Slavic versions of nymphs, who have power over storms, which they delight in sending down on lonely travelers. It is said that a human may gain the control of a Wila by stealing feathers from her wings. Once she gets them back, however, she will disappear.

Half-Veelas are the results of such unions. While usually female, male half-veela can and do exist. Unfortunately, many half-veela end up being raised by their fathers or abandoned as orphans – their mothers having escaped upon regaining their feathers. The Veela does not completely abandon her children, however, watching and aiding them from afar.

All haf-veelas are fair of hair and skin, beautiful and surprisingly strong. They also inherit a few magical gifts from the mothers. Half-Veela always have Player Character Classes, preferring Bard or Sorcerer (Fey or Stormborn Bloodline are most appropriate).

Half-Veela names normally speak the traditions of their father’s society, but if named by their mother, a half-veela will have a traditional Slavic name.

Half-Veela Characters
Their class levels define Half-Veela—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. All Half-Veela have the following racial traits. [list]

+2 Strength and +2 Charisma: Half-Veelas are strong and beautiful.

Medium: As Medium Sized Creatures, Half-Veelas have no special bonuses or penalties due to size.

Fey: Despite their human fathers, Half-Veelas are considered fey, not humanoid. This changes how some spells will effect them.

Normal Speed: Half-Veelas base speed is 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Half-Veela can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Veela Charm: A Half-Veela’s physical beauty is so powerful that they can sometimes distract or overwhelm others. The half-veela has the following supernatural ability: Once per day, they can create a 20-foot-radius burst that causes humanoids within the aura’s range to become fascinated with them (as the bard’s fascinate bardic performance). Affected humanoids may resist this effect by making a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the Half-Veela’s character level + their Charisma modifier). Characters who could be sexually attracted to the half-veela suffer a -2 penalty to this save; others gain a +2 bonus to their saves.

Enchanting Song: A Half-Veela receives a +2 racial bonus with Perform (sing) checks.

Illusion Resistance: As fey creatures, Half-Veelas receive a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells or effects as a gift of their fey nature.

Weather Savvy: As a gift from their mother, a Half-Veela can sense the slightest change in atmospheric conditions. They can spend a full-round action to predict the weather in an area for the next 24 hours. This prediction is always accurate, but cannot account for spells or supernatural effects that might alter the forecast.

Languages: A Half-Veela speaks Common, their father’s native language (if any), and Sylvan. Half-Veela with High Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, and Kobold.

Secondary Racial Traits: A Half-Veela determines their Height, Weight, Starting Age, and Lifespan as a Half-Elf.

Spoiler:

Half-Veela Racial Trait Breakdown
Type: Fey (2RP)
Size: Medium (0RP)
Speed: Normal (0RP)
Ability Score Modifiers: Flexible: +2 Strength & +2 Charisma (2RP)
Languages: Standard (0RP)
Defensive: Illusion Resistance (1RP)
Feat & Skill: +2 Perform: Sing (2RP)
Magic: Nereid Fascination (3RP)
Magic: Weather Savvy (1RP)
Senses: Low Light Vision (0RP – Part of Fey Type)
Total: (11RP )

[Ravingdork]

This is SO much better than many of the race builds that I generally see. Usually, they are overly focused and have one or two uninteresting abilities focused around one thing (such as strength in melee combat or spellcasting) rather than an interesting and themed spread such as yours.

Good job!

[Danny Kessler]

I'm very wary of the race builder in general (though I haven't had a chance to sit down with it myself to form a real impression), but this looks like a very nicely balanced and thematic build. I probably would have gone with: "+2 Strength, -2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Half-Veela are strong and beautiful, but flighty and prone to distraction." But this is a minor quibble.

[Delos Fear]

Some Alternate racial features for this race to include some of the fact that half veela can at times get a full veela's fire abilities, and avian forms would be useful.

[Drejk]

Delos Fear wrote:

Some Alternate racial features for this race to include some of the fact that half veela can at times get a full veela's fire abilities, and avian forms would be useful.

I would made those into racial feats.

Good job with race design, Lord Fyre.

[Bwang]

Ah! But how would you work a pure Veela?

And there is a 'raven form' for Tengu, a race of the second part of the ARG.

[Lord Fyre]

Delos Fear wrote:

Some Alternate racial features for this race to include some of the fact that half veela can at times get a full veela's fire abilities, and avian forms would be useful.

I am not sure that the Avian form would be viable for a half blood. (Fleur Isabelle Delacour-Weesley certainly didn't have any such ability.)

The fire abilities might be possible, either as alternate racial ablities or a feat chain. I am just having trouble documenting that "actual" veela had such powers.

[Abandoned Arts]

Your cool factor is up there, but your balance seems off, to me.

I could play a human:
I get +2 to one stat; 1 bonus feat; 1 skill rank per level; and I speak Common

Or I could play a half-veela
+2 to two stats; immunitiy to charm person, dominate person, etc; low light vision; +2 to a skill; +2 save vs. one school of magic; 1/day area of effect fascinate; a minor at-will extraordinary ability, and I speak Common, Sylvan, and any one languagage

Rather than penalize one of their stats, you might consider giving them a "racial ability" that is actually a weakness. Perhaps something to do with vanity, or some arcane fey compulsion or restriction?

[Lord Fyre]

Abandoned Arts wrote:

Your cool factor is up there, but your balance seems off, to me.

I could play a human:
I get +2 to one stat; 1 bonus feat; 1 skill rank per level; and I speak Common

Or I could play a half-veela
+2 to two stats; immunity to charm person, dominate person, etc; low light vision; +2 to a skill; +2 save vs. one school of magic; 1/day area of effect fascinate; a minor at-will extraordinary ability, and I speak Common, Sylvan, and any one language

Rather than penalize one of their stats, you might consider giving them a "racial ability" that is actually a weakness. Perhaps something to do with vanity, or some arcane fey compulsion or restriction?

Actually, a better comparison would be an Elf or Gnome. What you have shown is that Humans are woefully underpowered. (Even so, you may not be completely off the mark.)

Elf
+2 to two stats (but -2 to a very important one), Immune to magic sleep, +2 save vs. one school of magic, +2 to one skill (Perception), Stack-able Spell Penetration, +2 situational bonus to one skill, Martial Weapon Proficiency with Longbow, Longsword, Shortbow, & Shortsword, Low Light Vision, and the ability to speak Common & Elven.

Gnome
+2 to two stats (but -2 to one), Small, +4 Dodge vs Giants, +1 to hit vs common low level creatures, Three Cantrips and 1 first level spell once per day each, +2 to one skill (Perception), +2 to a second Skill (Craft/Profession of choice), +2 to saves vs one school of magic, Low Light Vision, the ability to speak Common, Gnome, and Sylvan, and Slow Speed.