Questions about [Jon Brazer Enterprises] Heroic Races: Reapers


Advice and Rules Questions


First of all, why isn't this race up on d20pfsrd? Not OGL?

Second off, how well balanced and how versatile is this race? I was looking for a neutral aligned Aasimar/Tiefling alternative, preferably something as versatile as the Aasimar(alternate attribute boosts and race features).

And of course, is the fluff any good?

Asking because I cannot find any information about this at all online, though I admit I haven't looked for a torrent of the pdf.

President, Jon Brazer Enterprises

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Cerebrawl wrote:

First of all, why isn't this race up on d20pfsrd? Not OGL?

Second off, how well balanced and how versatile is this race? I was looking for a neutral aligned Aasimar/Tiefling alternative, preferably something as versatile as the Aasimar(alternate attribute boosts and race features).

And of course, is the fluff any good?

Asking because I cannot find any information about this at all online, though I admit I haven't looked for a torrent of the pdf.

First off, let me just say thank you for your interest and thank you for not torrenting the PDF.

Why isn't the race on d20pfsrd, we simply haven't had time to add it to the site. Its OGL so no problem there. We're working to add more info to the site all the time, but reapers simply hasn't happened yet.

So here's the race's traits:

Reaper Racial Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma
: Reapers have supernatural insights from their psychopomp blood and reflexes to match, but their connection to death can leave them distant and withdrawn from normal social interaction.
Native Outsider: Reapers are outsiders of the native subtype.
Medium: Reapers are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Reapers have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Reapers see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Grave’s Mercy: Psychopomps instinctively recognize a reaper as one of their own and pause before taking a reaper’s soul to the afterlife. Once per day, when a reaper would die from hit point damage, the reaper does not die until the end of the reaper’s next turn. If the reaper receives enough healing by then that the reaper’s hit points are at an amount greater than the reaper’s negative Constitution score, the reaper does not die.
Mask: Reapers feel an affinity for funereal masks reminiscent of those worn by psychopomps. While wearing a mask of any kind, they gain a +1 racial bonus on saving throws against death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects. Reapers wearing a mask cannot wear any other magic item in the face slot. However, if the mask possesses a magical properties, they gain the benefit from this item as well.
Reaper’s Scythe: Reapers can spend a swift action to wreathe their weapons with an otherworldly glow. While wreathed in the glowing energy of the grave, the reaper’s weapons count as ghost touch for the purpose of damaging incorporeal creatures and can deal critical damage to incorporeal creatures unless they are also immune to critical hits from a different source (such as in the case of a ghost ooze). Furthermore, the reaper’s weapon attacks can deal damage to haunts as if they were positive energy attacks. A reaper can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to the reaper’s character level. These rounds need not be consecutive.
Shepherd of Souls: While reapers find themselves disconnected from must living creatures, they possess a special connection to psychopomps and undead. Reapers receive a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made against such creatures.
Soul Sense: Reapers have a dim sense of the souls of others who are very near. If a living or undead creature comes within 5 feet of a reaper, the reaper becomes aware of the creature’s presence, its location, and whether it is living or undead. This ability functions similarly to blindsense with a range of 5 feet against living creatures and undead. If an undead consciousness possesses or controls a living body (as with a ghost’s malevolence ability), this sense detects only the living creature.
Languages: Reapers begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal, Celestial, or Infernal. Reapers with high Intelligence scores can choose any of the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Halfling, Infernal.

As far as how well balanced the rest of the mechanics are, well, let me just say that this was written by Mark Seifter, who is currently working for Paizo as a designer with Jason and Stephen. To say that the mechanics presented within are both exquisitely flavorful and balanced does not, IMHO, do them justice. I feel this is some exceptional work that does not get the recognition it deserves.


Ohh I like very much.


The player with a reaper dusk druid (director's cut version of the archetype, PM me if you have the pdf and want a peek at it) in my Jade Regent campaign has said it's her favorite character she's ever played, so that's a good thing! There's a bunch of alternate abilities, but honestly the panoply of ability score options for aasimar and tieflings comes from the fact that those planetouched represent many different outsider subtypes, while reapers are only for psychopomps, so it wouldn't make any sense (plus it's easier to make a balanced race with cool abilities that won't overshadow all the other races when there's a fixed set of ability scores).

Liberty's Edge

Cerebrawl wrote:

First of all, why isn't this race up on d20pfsrd? Not OGL?

Second off, how well balanced and how versatile is this race? I was looking for a neutral aligned Aasimar/Tiefling alternative, preferably something as versatile as the Aasimar(alternate attribute boosts and race features).

And of course, is the fluff any good?

Asking because I cannot find any information about this at all online, though I admit I haven't looked for a torrent of the pdf.

You could, you know, actually buy a copy of the product.

Just a thought ...


Marc Radle wrote:
Cerebrawl wrote:

First of all, why isn't this race up on d20pfsrd? Not OGL?

Second off, how well balanced and how versatile is this race? I was looking for a neutral aligned Aasimar/Tiefling alternative, preferably something as versatile as the Aasimar(alternate attribute boosts and race features).

And of course, is the fluff any good?

Asking because I cannot find any information about this at all online, though I admit I haven't looked for a torrent of the pdf.

You could, you know, actually buy a copy of the product.

Just a thought ...

While I'm not opposed to this sentiment, the great advantage of OGL for the customer is the ability to try before you buy, and as someone who's benefited from it for yeeaaars and years I've gotta put my support behind that idea.


Prince of Knives wrote:
Marc Radle wrote:
Cerebrawl wrote:

First of all, why isn't this race up on d20pfsrd? Not OGL?

Second off, how well balanced and how versatile is this race? I was looking for a neutral aligned Aasimar/Tiefling alternative, preferably something as versatile as the Aasimar(alternate attribute boosts and race features).

And of course, is the fluff any good?

Asking because I cannot find any information about this at all online, though I admit I haven't looked for a torrent of the pdf.

You could, you know, actually buy a copy of the product.

Just a thought ...

While I'm not opposed to this sentiment, the great advantage of OGL for the customer is the ability to try before you buy, and as someone who's benefited from it for yeeaaars and years I've gotta put my support behind that idea.

I agree with Prince. I'm glad Dale put the race info on the thread. I want people to be able to take a look at the mechanics and buy the product if they love it to support the product, or if they want the flavor information and ideas too (I stand behind the flavor as being cool enough to be worth the price on its own).


Thank you for the answer.

The race isn't quite what I was hoping for*, but does seem very well balanced, and still thematically interesting.

*I'm disappointed in the lack of alternate attribute blocks.

I might look into it later. Our group is very paizo-purist though, so getting 3rd party stuff through requires convincing the GM.

President, Jon Brazer Enterprises

I stated the reaper page. Link.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Dale McCoy Jr wrote:
I stated the reaper page. Link.

Awesome. :)

President, Jon Brazer Enterprises

I'm going to keep adding to it, but so far, the race is up there, the traits, alternate racial traits, favored class options, one of the archetypes and all the feats. Its a start. Plenty more to go.

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