So I made a few races for a friend's campaign that he agreed to let me share here. Kind of a novice at the whole custom races thing and I stuck to the ARG for point totals so please be mindful of that. I did loosen the restrictions on myself a little by letting myself use stuff normally attributed to monstrous races, however. Anyway.
Have you ever wanted to play a shark person, but didn't want to be a skinwalker? Maybe you'd like to waltz around as a terrestrial dolphin? Be a FRIGGIN BLUE WHALE ON LEGS?
...what do you mean, no!? Too flippin' bad, you're gonna be a landshark and/or land-born cetacean and like it!
Using magic, few and rare practitioners have found ways to imbue a mind and body similar to their own in other species. Sharks were chosen for their intimidating strength and bloodlust, but the genetic mixing required to provide fish with limbs that would function on land dulled this down to a degree. They have had difficulty integrating into society due to their imposing appearances, but several pockets of selachians still thrive today.
- Standard Racial Traits -
Ability Scores - Sharks' bodies are ill adapted to life on land and their visages are often intimidating if not terrifying to non-sharks, but those who get to know one will find them surprisingly hardy and intelligent. Selachians receive a +2 racial bonus to their Constitution and Intelligence, and a -2 penalty to their Charisma and a -4 penalty to their Dexterity. (-2 RP)
Type - Selachians are humanoids with the aquatic and selachian subtypes.
Medium - Selachians are of Medium size, and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed - Selachians have a base move speed of 20 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet. This swim speed grants +8 racial bonus to Swim checks as normal for creatures with a swim speed. (-1 RP, 2 RP)
Languages - Selachians begin play speaking Common and Sharktongue. Those with high Intelligence scores may also choose from the following languages: Aquan, Ceta, Goblin, Grippli, Necril, and Undercommon.
- Defense Racial Traits -
Illusion Resistance - Selachians are typically realists. They gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusion spells or effects. (1 RP)
- Standard Racial Traits -
Fearful Visage - Selachians get a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate checks. (2 RP)
- Magical Racial Traits -
Detect Blood - The ability to sniff out blood is still ingrained in selachians' genes from their feral ancestors. Selachians are constantly under the effect of blood scent, as the spell, except they cannot detect creatures that do not have blood or are immune to bleed damage (such as undead, constructs, plants, or oozes). (4 RP)
- Offense Racial Traits -
Bite - Selachians' large jaws and gnarly teeth give them a powerful bite. They gain a natural bite attack, dealing 1d4 damage. This is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the selachian is wielding manufactured weapons. (2 RP)
- Other Racial Traits -
Amphibious - Selachians are amphibious and can breath both air and water. (2 RP)
- Alternate Racial Traits -
Charming Smile - Some selachians' make up for their grisly looks with charming personalities. These selachians receive no penalty to their Charisma score. This trait replaces fearful visage and bite, and alters their ability score adjustments.
Nurse Shark - Going against the stereotypes attached to their species, some selachians become medical professionals. These selachians get a +2 racial bonus to Heal checks and treat Heal as a class skill. This trait replaces illusion resistance and bite.
Goblin Shark - A few rare selachians have the ability to extend their jaws forward in an unsettling manner. They receive Skill Focus (Intimidate) and Improved Natural Weapon (Bite) as bonus feats. This trait replaces illusion resistance and detect blood, and requires the bite racial trait.
Landshark - Despite only being recently introduced to the world compared to other races, a small handful of selachians have adapted incredibly well to life on land at the cost of their instinctive affinity for water. These selachians receive no penalty to their Dexterity score and have a base move speed of 30 feet. This trait replaces swim speed, illusion resistance and amphibious, and alters their ability score adjustments.
Blood Frenzy - While sharks are generally known for their affinity for blood, some selachians are especially susceptible to the scent of it. These sharks are treated as if they had the orc subtype when determining the effects of spells and abilities with the word "blood" in the name, including the selachian's detect blood ability, and count as orcs for the purpose of qualifying for feats. This trait replaces illusion resistance and amphibious.
This race is composed of three subraces: whalefolk, dolphinfolk, and orcafolk, amongst which orcafolk are the most common by far. Though more comfortable on islands, beaches, and large lakes where they typically build their settlements, they aren't an entirely unusual sight even inland, though it's incredibly rare to find them in more arid climates.
- Standard Racial Traits -
Ability Scores - Ceta are inquisitive and friendly by nature, but too curious for their own good, receiving a +2 racial bonus to Charisma and a -2 penalty to Wisdom. They also receive a bonus to a physical ability score based on their subrace, as detailed below.
Type - Ceta are humanoids with the aquatic and ceta subtypes.
Size - Ceta are generally of Medium size, and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed - Ceta have a base move speed of 30 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet. This swim speed grants +8 racial bonus to Swim checks as normal for creatures with a swim speed. (2 RP)
Languages - Ceta begin play speaking Ceta and Common. Those with high Intelligence may also choose from the following languages: Aquan, Catfolk, Dwarf, Gnomish, Sharktongue, and Undercommon.
- Standard Racial Traits -
Extra Bonus Feat - Ceta may select one extra feat at 1st level. (4 RP)
- Other Racial Traits -
Hold Breath - Ceta can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating. (2 RP)
- Whalefolk Racial Traits -
Ability Scores - Due to their bulk, whalefolk receive a +2 racial bonus to their Constitution score in addition to the ability score adjustments granted to all ceta.
Giant's Bearing - Descended from the great whales, whalefolk are much larger than other ceta, and in fact many other sentient races. They are Large in size rather than Medium, and they gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 penalty to Dexterity. Large races take a -1 penalty to their AC, a -1 penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a -4 penalty on Stealth checks. Whalefolk have a base move seed of 20 feet rather than 30. (7 RP, -1 RP)
- Dolphinfolk Racial Traits -
Ability Scores - Dolphinfolk tend to be more acrobatic than others of their kin, receiving a +2 racial bonus to their Dexterity score in addition to the ability score adjustments granted to all ceta.
Curiosity - Dolphinfolk are naturally inquisitive about the world around them. They gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (History) and Knowledge (Local) are always class skills for them. If they choose a class that has either of these skills as class skills, they receive a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead. (4 RP)
Powerful Swimmer - Dolphinfolk receive a +10 foot bonus to their swim speed. (1 RP)
Water Sense - Dolphinfolk can sense vibrations in water, granting them blindsense 30 feet against creatures that are touching the same body of water. (1 RP)
- Orcafolk Racial Traits -
Ability Scores - Orcafolk tend to be more muscular than dolphinfolk and whalefolk, and receive a +2 racial bonus to their Strength score in addition to the ability score adjustments granted to all ceta.
Hardy - Orcafolk gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities. (3 RP)
Integrated - Orcafolk gain a +1 bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Knowledge (Local) checks. (1 RP)
Silent Hunter - Orcafolk reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a -20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this trait). (2 RP)
- Alternate Racial Traits -
Water Child - Some ceta choose to focus on their powerful swimming skills rather than branching out into other talents. They can always take 10 while swimming, and receive a +4 racial bonus to Swim checks even if they've lost a natural swim speed. This trait replaces extra bonus feat.
Enormous - The largest amongst whalefolk are able to effortlessly reach great distances. They gain the giant subtype, their reach increases by 5 feet, and they gain a +1 racial bonus to their natural armor. This trait replaces swim speed, and requires the giant's bearing racial trait.
White Whale - A few whalefolk prefer to make use of their ancestral weapons and use their bulk against their enemies. They are always proficient with harpoons and nets. They also gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent as long as both the whalefolk and their opponent are standing on the ground. This racial trait replaces swim speed, and requires the giant's bearing racial trait.
Sonic Screech - Some magically-inclined dolphinfolk can use their voice as a weapon. Once per day, they can cast ear-piercing scream as a spell-like ability with CL 1. If they have ear-piercing scream on one of their class's spell lists, they may use that class's CL instead for this ability (for example, a 5th level witch dolphinfolk could use this ability at CL 5). This trait replaces powerful swimmer and water sense.
Gregarious - Dolphinfolk will sometimes rely on smooth talking and natural charisma to get by in life. When they successfully use Diplomacy to win over an individual, that creature takes a -2 penalty on any attempts to resist any of the dolphinfolk's Charisma-based skills for the next 24 hours. The trait replaces water sense.
Deepsight - Some orcafolk have exceptional skill at locating things in the inky depths of the ocean. They can see in the dark up to 120 feet while underwater, but do not gain this benefit out of the water. This trait replaces silent hunter.
Iceborn - Orcafolk originated in the frozen north, and some remain there to this day. These orcafolk gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks and may move through natural difficult terrain at normal speed while in cold terrain (though magically altered terrain affects them normally). In addition, these orcafolk are treated as 1 level higher when casting spells with the cold descriptor or using powers of the water domain, bloodline powers of the water elemental bloodline, water elemental wild talents, and revelations of the oracle's waves and winter mysteries. This trait replaces hardy.
Blood scent is really problematic with the Selachian. While I love the concept of them smelling blood, potentially getting an at-will +4 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls is absolutely ridiculous. I see you attempted to balance it by giving the race crippling ability score penalties. The problem with that approach is now you created a race where no one would feasibly take this race unless they want to abuse blood scent to get the massive morale bonuses. Otherwise, there's no point in living with the crippling ability scores unless you take the blood frenzy trait or play the race as a non-unchained barbarian. I'd personally remove blood scent's morale bonus from detect blood and remove the Dexterity penalty. This would result is a better designed race.
Ceta also strikes me as rather overpowered due to getting a free bonus feat. Since they get a swim speed and a bunch of other goodies, this makes ceta more powerful than humans, who are considered one of the best races in the game. Then you get to the whalefolk, who are Large, a very powerful trait for a PC race to have. It should be noted that the only reason that the race creation rules did not make Large a Monstrous trait was because the trait doesn't give reach. You omitted that so whalefolk do get reach. Though, even without reach, I still think they'd be overpowered.
Other than the big issues above, I do like the races. I think you did a great job overall.
You make some fair points Cyrad. I could see adding "You do not receive a morale bonus to attack or damage rolls from this effect even if you normally could" to Detect Blood. I'm not sure what benefit there would be to giving them back their lost Dex besides removing the penalty they get to Ref and AC, though, unless they chose to be a ranged or finesse fighter (and I did want them mostly geared toward brutish fighting mechanics). That would also mean a reworking of the Landshark alternate trait, since it's meant to give up a chunk of their bonuses to grab the Dex back.
I'm not entirely sure about removing the bonus feat; I wanted to have Ceta be especially versatile (thus the split into three subraces). The only other Paizo race I've seen with a bonus feat besides humans is triaxians, and they're considered a 10 RP race, as well as seemingly being somewhat in line power-wise with what I have available for dolphinfolk and orcafolk.
The size issue for whalefolk... you might be right there. There are a lot of benefits to be had for being Large, including more damaging weapons and greater reach. I believe Large actually is a monstrous-only trait, though as I mentioned at the start, I was kinda lax on those rules. I felt like them losing some base speed was a decent enough penalty (I believe most Large creatures actually have greater base speed in general) but I don't disagree with keeping them at 5 ft. natural reach. That was my original intent anyway, or else I wouldn't have given them an alternate to gain additional reach. I can't think of a way to give them Medium weapons that would make sense thematically, though. Perhaps instead have their odd proportions also make them more susceptible to tripping?
So I think I'd probably go with the following changes:
The ability to sniff out blood is still ingrained in selachians' genes from their feral ancestors. Selachians are constantly under the effect of blood scent, as the spell, except they cannot detect creatures that do not have blood or are immune to bleed damage (such as undead, constructs, plants, or oozes) and do not gain a morale bonus to attack or damage rolls through this ability even if they would normally qualify for one. Selachians placed under the effects of blood scent from any other source can receive these bonuses as normal. (4 RP)
While sharks are generally known for their affinity for blood, some selachians are especially susceptible to the scent of it. These sharks are treated as if they had the orc subtype when determining the effects of spells and abilities with the word "blood" in the name,includingexcluding the selachian's detect blood ability, and count as orcs for the purpose of qualifying for feats. This trait replaces illusion resistance and amphibious.
Descended from the great whales, whalefolk are much larger than other ceta, and in fact many other sentient races. They are Large in size rather than Medium; they gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 penalty to Dexterity, take a -1 penalty to their AC, a -1 penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a -4 penalty on Stealth checks, but do not receive an additional 5 ft. of reach as normal for Large creatures. Whalefolk have very top-heavy proportions, and as such have a base move seed of 20 feet rather than 30, and take a -4 penalty to their CMD against trip attempts rather than a bonus. (7 RP, -1 RP)
The changes to Blood Frenzy and Detect Blood look good. As does Giant's Bearing, though I don't think the trip penalty is totally necessary.
I suggested removing selachian's Dexterity penalty is crippling and there's now no balancing reason to have such a crippling drawback.
You can't just look at RP costs when determining power since designs do not exist in a vacuum. Humans are one of the most best races in the game precisely because they get a bonus feat. That's a big niche they fill in the game. Your ceta race not only gets the bonus feat, but also gets a swim speed and also a bunch of other really good abilities, like a typeless +2 bonus to saving throws against all spells and racial bonuses to useful skills. When your race is more powerful and versatile than the staple best and most versatile, that should be a sign to reconsider your race. Even if you took away the bonus feat, the ceta race would still be good. They're already pretty versatile because they have several variants with useful abilities.