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I'm sharing my notes on how I would create a basic ancestry, mostly compiled while trying to convert the Warforged to PF2, and refined by analyzing the current heritages trying to notice patterns.
Here are the patterns I've noticed.
Defaults: 6hp, 25' speed. Choose a mental boost, physical boost, and 1 flaw. The character also gets a free boost.
Races get between 1-3 points to spend on the following:
HP: 1pt for +2hp, max 2 pts
Speed: 2pts +5ft
Vision: 1pt Low-Light Vision, 2pt Darkvision
Attribute: 2pts for no flaw and 2 free boosts
Heritage: 1pt Additional passive ability equivalent to a heritage
Distribution of current ancestries
1pt: Halfling
2pt: Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Human, Shoonie
3pt: Elf, Hobgoblin, Leshy, Lizardfolk
Requirements to select an option are in parenthesis. At each level, you can also choose an option from the proceeding level. Almost needless to say, but unless otherwise stated, any choices are made by the DM, not the player. Also, please note that many of the below options are deliberately underpowered compared to official options.
Choose 4. Most can be chosen multiple times.
Bonus General Feat: Choose a 1st level general feat to be given as a bonus feat.
Environmental Resistance: Choose between Cold, Heat, or Poison Adaptation.
Cold: Gain cold resistance equal to 1/2 level, rounded up. Environmental effects of cold are 1 step less severe for PC. Environmental effects of heat are 1 step more severe.
Heat: Gain fire resistance equal to 1/2 level, rounded up. Environmental effects of heat are 1 step less severe for PC. Environmental effects of cold are 1 step more severe.
Poison: Gain poison resistance equal to 1/2 level, rounded up, and successes against poisons are one step more successful.
Equivalent ones can also created, for instance:
Storm: Gain electricity resistance equal to 1/2 level, rounded up. Reduce the penalty from precipitation environmental effects by 1.
Health Bonus: Increase HP from Ancestry to 10.
Movement bonus: Choose between Climbing, Flying, Stepping, or Swimming:
Climbing, Flying, or Swimming: Treat a success as crit success when a check is required.
Stepping: Choose a terrain type from the Favored Terrain feat. The PC can ignore difficult terrain when striding or stepping in that terrain.
Perception Bonus: Gain an imprecise sense with a range of 30 ft.
Skilled: Gain +2 to a specific untrained skill task.
Spell Save bonus: Choose a spell trait. As a reaction, the player can gain +2 against spells of that trait.
Storage Upgrade: Bulk encumbrance limit is increased by 2. Max bulk remains the same.
Vision upgrade: Gain low-light vision, or darkvision if the ancestry already has low-light vision.
Unarmed strike Upgrade: Either gain lethal melee unarmed strike, or an unarmed strike loses the nonlethal trait.
Choose 6
Action training: (character able to perform the chosen action) Choose an action that requires a check (besides strike). Gain +2 to that check.
Ancestral Lore: Choose a skill. The character becomes trained in that skill and in the lore of the ancestry. If the character is already trained in that skill, they may choose a different skill to be trained in.
Bonus Feat: Choose a feat type. The player chooses a bonus feat of that type.
Bonus Heritage: The character gains a bonus equivalent to a heritage.
Cantrip: Choose a magical tradition. The player chooses a cantrip to cast as an innate spell of the appropriate tradition. If the player has the Refocus activity, they gain an additional use of the innate spell when they refocus.
Ranged Unarmed Strike: Gain a ranged unarmed strike.
Strike Upgrade: Choose between: Unarmed strike damage is increased 1 die or weapon strikes gain 1 pt of a chosen damage type.
Weapon skill: Choose an uncommon martial or simple weapon. The player is considered trained in that weapon.
Choose 4
Activity training: (character able to perform the chosen activity) Choose an activity that requires a check. Gain +2 to that check.
Critical training: (weapon skill, unarmed strike upgrade, or ranged unarmed strike) Gains the critical specialization of chosen weapon.
Fleet: Choose a speed. Gain 5' to that speed, up to 35'.
Innate spell: (cantrip) Choose a 1st level spell of the same tradition of the cantrip. Gain it as an innate spell.
Skill Training: Choose a skill, a trained skill task, and a skill feat. The character becomes trained in the skill (or Expert if already trained), gains the skill feat as a bonus, and has +2 to the task.
Speed: (Climbing, Flying, or Swimming movement bonus) Gain a 15' speed of the appropriate type. If flying, flying is clumsy.
Choose 2
Desperation: Once per hour as a reaction, the character gains temporary HP equal to ancestral HP+con modifier.
Greater Spell (cantrip or innate spell) Choose a second or third level spell of the appropriate tradition to gain as an innate spell.
Heart of the Wild: (environmental resistance) Energy resistance increases to the character's level.
Practiced Task: (skilled, action training, activity training, or skill training) Bonus to Skill task, action, or activity increases to +4. If the character rolls a success, treat as critical success.
Choose 1
Extra Spell: (cantrip, innate spell, greater spell) Gain an additional use of the innate spell. If cantrip, it becomes an innate cantrip.
Shared Resistance: (spell save bonus) When the character activates their spell save bonus, their party members also receive the +2 bonus. When the character rolls a success against a spell of the chosen trait, treat as critical success.
Weapon Mastery: (weapon skill) When the character gains expert level weapon training from their class, they also gain expert training with the chosen weapon.
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As practice:
Hit points: 6
Size: Medium
Speed: 25'
Ability boost: Dex, Int, Free.
Ability Flaw: Charisma
Constructed: For the purposes of spells and affects that target a creature by type, Androids count as both Constructs and Humanoids.
Darkvision
Emotionless: Reaction. Trigger: You are targeted by an emotion effect.
You gain +2 circumstance bonus to your save against the triggering effect.
Heritages
*Memory Nanites: Your nanites are specialized in recording information. You gain +2 to recall knowledge checks to any skill you are trained in.
*Reinforcement Nanites: Your nanites increase your health and longevity. You gain 10hp from your ancestry instead of 6.
*Scanner Nanites: Your nanites are specialized in detecting security threats, scanning the air for trace chemicals of otherwise hidden foes. You gain imprecise sense (scent) out to 30'.
*Suppressor Nanites: Your nanites grant you a measure of protection from electrical effects. You gain resistance to electricity equal to half your level, rounded up (minimum 1), and you also gain +1 to skill checks to disabling hazards with the Electricity trait.
1st level feats
*Android Lore: At once an old and young race, the android's ability to constantly renew their bodies and minds leaves their history often a mystery, but some have dedicated themselves to the study. You become trained in Arcana. If you are already trained in Arcana, you may select another skill to become trained in. You also become trained in Android Lore.
*Battle Droid: You were designed for combat. Your fist attack loses the nonlethal trait and deals additional 1 point of bludgeoning damage on a successful strike.
*Breadth of knowledge: You gain a bonus level 1 skill feat. You must meet the requirements of this feat.
*Nanite Surge: You can overclock your nanites to allow you to help another. When you use the Aid another action, you gain +2 to the skill check or attack roll.
*Protocol Droid: You have activated the programming to become an ambassador to another ancestry. You gain the Adopted Ancestry feat as a bonus feat, and also learn the language of that ancestry. You also gain +1 to checks to Make an Impression on members of that ancestry.
*Static Charge: You are able to build up a mystical store of electricity for critical moments. You gain electrical arc as an innate arcane spell. If you have the Refocus activity, you gain an additional use of the ability when you refocus.
5th level ancestry feats
*Battle Training: (requires battle droid) When you critically hit with your fist, you apply the critical specialization effect.
*Call Construct: You gain summon construct as an innate arcane spell.
*Repair Droid: You become trained in Crafting, and gain the Specialty crafting feat. When you repair items related to your crafting specialty, you gain +4 circumstance to the repair check.
*Security training: You gain +2 to your perception roll when Seeking or Searching.
9th level ancestry feats
*Greater suppression: (requires the suppressor nanite heritage) Your resistance to electricity is now equal to your level.
*Greater surge: When you use your nanite surge, your bonus increases to +4, and you treat a success as if you rolled a critical success to the check.
13th level ancestry feat
*Shared stoicism: When you activate your emotionless ability, your entire party benefits from your circumstance bonus. In addition, when you succeed at your save against an emotion effect, you treat your roll as a critical success.
I'm sharing my notes on how I would create a basic ancestry, mostly compiled while trying to convert the Warforged to PF2, and refined by analyzing the current heritages trying to notice patterns.
Here are the patterns I've noticed.
Defaults: 6hp, 25' speed. Choose a mental boost, physical boost, and 1 flaw. The character also gets a free boost.
Races get between 1-3 points to spend on the following:
HP: 1pt for +2hp, max 2 pts
Speed: 2pts +5ft
Vision: 1pt Low-Light Vision, 2pt Darkvision
Attribute: 2pts for no flaw and 2 free boosts
Heritage: 1pt Additional passive ability equivalent to a heritageDistribution of current ancestries
1pt: Halfling
2pt: Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Human, Shoonie
3pt: Elf, Hobgoblin, Leshy, Lizardfolk
Requirements to select an option are in parenthesis. At each level, you can also choose an option from the proceeding level. Almost needless to say, but unless otherwise stated, any choices are made by the DM, not the player. Also, please note that many of the below options are deliberately underpowered compared to official options.
...
Awesome! :D
This looks incredibly useful!
Thank you for your hard work! (^_^)=b
Carry on,
--C.
Thanks for the great work, this looks amazingly useful. :)
Thank you. I'm still fiddling with it; cleaning up and rebalancing entries, standardizing the format, etc. I decided I was too harsh in some places, split a couple entries into multiple and combined a couple into a single entry to make it all easier to read.
I do not promise professional quality work though. After all, it is very basic.
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Okay, last bit, and then I'm done aside from cleaning stuff up as I notice it. While my guidelines above can help when writing vaguely balanced ancestries, there is also a clear need for some basic ancestry feats that can be applied to basically anything. So, with that in mind, I wrote these:
All of these are available at level 1, and can be selected by any ancestry. Several have the {Meditative} tag, which is described below.
Heart of the Battlefield {Meditative} Your ability to survive combat is unparalleled. Once per day as a reaction when a Strike succeeds against you, but before damage is dealt, you gain temporary hit points equal to your ancestry hp plus your con modifier, if positive. These last until the beginning of your next turn.
Heart of the Fields You are used to long hours and working while hauling heavy loads. Increase your encumbered bulk limit by 2. Your max bulk limit remains the same.
Heart of the Hunter You have better senses than most of your ancestry. You gain imprecise sense (scent) and low-light vision. If you already have low-light vision, you gain darkvision.
Heart of the Mountains You almost never miss your step. You become trained in the Acrobatics skill (if you are already trained in acrobatics, you may choose another skill to become trained in), and you gain the Feather Step skill feat as a bonus feat.
Heart of Perfection {Meditative} Your studies toward achieving pure mental and physical perfection have borne fruit. As an action once per day, you can give your strikes 1 point of mental damage per weapon damage die. This effect lasts 1 minute. During this time, you also gain +2 circumstance bonus to saves against Mental effects.
Heart of the Sea You are a natural swimmer. You gain +2 circumstance bonus to swimming checks, and when you succeed at swimming you are treated as if you rolled a critical success.
Heart of the Snows {Meditative} There are more dangers to snow than mere cold, and you are one. You gain daze as an innate primal spell, except that it deals cold rather than mental damage (and gains the cold trait instead of mental). In addition, you can ignore difficult terrain caused by snow.
Heart of the Streets You are used to moving through crowds. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your Fortitude or Reflex DC against attempts to Shove or Trip you. This bonus also applies to saving throws against spells or effects that attempt to knock you prone.
Heart of the Warrior You have trained in the use of a weapon. Choose either an uncommon simple weapon or uncommon martial weapon. For the purpose of proficiency, it counts as a common simple weapon for you.
Heart of the Wastes {Meditative} You are able to survive the harshest environments. Choose a damage type. When you are targeted by an effect that deals damage of that type, you can once per day as a reaction give yourself resistance to that damage type equal to your level against that effect.
Heart of the Wilds {Meditative} You are a particularly feral example of your ancestry, and can tap into that savagery to great effect. Once per day as an action, you can give yourself a bite and a claw unarmed attack. These attacks each deal 1d4 piercing and 1d4 slashing damage respectively, are both in the brawling group, have the agile and finesse traits, and last 1 minute.
{Meditative} You can regain a use of the once per day ability in this feat if you spend 10 minutes resting after you have used the ability for the day. If you have the Refocus ability, you can Refocus instead of resting for 10 minutes to regain use of the ability.
Because I'm bored
Hit Points 8
Size Small
Speed 25'
Boosts Dex, Wis, Free
Flaw Cha
Darkvision
Natural Climber When you make a climb check, you treat successes as critical successes.
Heritages
- Jungle: When in a forest or jungle, you gain a +2 status bonus to Stealth.
- Rot: You gain resistance to poison equal to half your level rounded up.
- Glider: When you fall, reduce the falling damage you take as though you had fallen half the distance.
- Hopper: When you Leap, you are treated as if your speed was 5' faster.
Ancestry Feats
Jungle Stride(1st) (Requires Jungle heritage) You ignore difficult terrain in Forested and Jungle Terrains.
Grippli Lore(1st) You become trained in Survival and Grippli Lore.
Toxic Strikes(1st) Your melee unarmed strikes deal an additional 1 point of poison damage per weapon damage die. This is still nonlethal damage.
Combat Climber(1st) You are considered trained in Athletics and gain Combat Climber as a bonus feat.
Marsh Adaptation(1st) (Requires Rot) While in swamps, you ignore difficult terrain while striding or stepping due to swamp terrain and gain a +2 status bonus to stealth checks.
Weapons of the Court(1st) You are considered trained with the Main-gauche and Rapier. These are considered ancestral weapons for you.
Weapons of the Hunt(1st) You are considered trained with bolas and shortbows. These are considered ancestral weapons for you.
Jumper(5th) You gain +2 to your Athletics checks to High Jump and Long Jump.
Climber(5th) You gain a climb speed of 20'.
Critical Hunter(5th) (Requires Weapons of the Hunt or Weapons of the Court) You gain the critical specialization effect of your ancestral weapons.
Poison Knowledge(5th) (Requires Toxic Strikes) You gain the ability to use your poison with all strikes.
{One Action}{Manipulate}: You coat a weapon in your hand with poison. For 1 minute, strikes with that weapon deal an additional 1 point of poison damage per weapon die.
Additionally, your unarmed strike loses the {nonlethal} trait, and your toxic strike deals lethal damage.
Leaper(9th) (Requires Jumper) Your status bonus to Athletics checks increases to +4, and your successes are treated as critical successes.
Poison Resistance(9th) (Requires Rot) Your resistance to poison is now equal to your level, and you gain +2 to all checks to resist and remove poisons.
Master Hunter(13th) (Requires Critical Hunter) When you gain expert weapon training from your class, you also become expert in your ancestral weapons.
In the Advanced Players Guide, orcs and tengu use a new ability score template: they take no flaws and get one dedicated stat boost (Strength for orcs, Dexterity for tengu) and one free boost. How do you figure that works into your points system?
Random timing! This was the first time I'd wandered here in days.
I give it 1 point. Still better (imo) than the normal Mental, Physical, Flaw, Free. Not as good as humans 2 free.
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Not as good as 2 free, but if you are going to take the fixed stat anyway, compensating the (actually not) missing free boost with something extra elsewhere would make these classes mechanically superior.
It may not be a problem when the 'compensation' is in the form of slightly better Ancestry Feats, like Paizo is probably doing.
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Dotting for interest. After looking through the APG, I'm planning to draft homebrew ancestries for my setting and this looks useful to compare to. Thanks for the work you've put in here!