ValagharWonk's page

A much appreciated review! And I can see it’s definitely less of a kitsune re-skin, per your comment on the other thread, and more an attempt at balancing a flavorful graft onto the half-elf of one (but not all) of the central qualities that make up a kitsune.

The only feats I’d even think of adapting are the two you mentioned as candidates, as Ilyanosti racial feats. Feels cleaner than working to get them through the racial heritage (kitsune) route through the human blood.

But maybe, yeah, that should come at the expense of taking blood from the parent races.

Maybe something about how some Ilyanosti hone their shape changing to such a degree that they dull a connection with one or maybe both of their parent heritages.

[New to posting here, so please tell me if cross-posting between forums is not OK!]

I like the idea of playing a Kitsune, but I don't want to play a fox or something furry or trickstery. I've also been intrigued by half-elves as a race between two worlds and societies, and with tons of interesting customization options. So here's this thing, with as much flavor as I felt like mustering for now.

Our DM is amenable to exploring Race Builder or variant ideas of all kinds, so long as I'm not doing anything broken or solely for optimization.

Proving that the point system and RAW traits in Race Builder can be bent for ill intent, I at one point managed to ladle in Greater Defensive Training, free Weapon Finesse and proficiency with all bows and all elven-named weapons.

That seemed out of spirit and WAY TOO MUCH, given where my various source races started and what I'd get to do with shape changing.

Anyway... what do you all think? Is this still too much? I'm pretty sure it's not underpowered... but is there something else flavorful and interesting I'm missing out on?

Also, would it be broken to adapt some of the kitsune feats and to work with this race?

===

Ilyanost/Ilyanosti

Every half-elf manifests their fused elven and human heritages in some measure of skill, outlook, appearance and/or innate power. But some are more than a mere blend of those natures — their bodies live in a limbo that allows them to choose, as they need, the visage of one heritage over the other.

Ilyanosti (singular: Ilyanost) or “all born” half-elves can change their shapes to take on the countenance of both their human and elven ancestors, passing as true-blooded specimens to all but the most discerning observers. They are exceedingly rare, at least as far as anyone knows, and emerge only from couplings between elven mothers and human fathers. Their complexions and eye colors vary like those of any half-elf, but almost all Ilyanosti tend to have reddish hair in their natural states.

Some hardly use their powers, either because they’re secure in who they are as seeming half-elves or because they consider their powers a shameful secret to be hidden.

Others enhabit their dual identities fully, reveling in their ability to participate in both cultures without prejudice, switching as conditions dictate or whims demand.

And yet others abandon life in their true bodies altogether, appearing exclusively as one race or the other, either out of aspirational choice, out of fealty to the cultural norms and traditions where they were born, or merely to survive in a place where outsiders or outliers of any kind would not be tolerated.

Ilyanosti, thoughtful and centered, tend to make excellent archers, clerics, druids, monks or rangers. But others learn quickly that their nimble bodies and ability to shift faces lend themselves to life as a rogue.

Type: Humanoid (subtypes: human, elf, shapeshifter)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 feet

Ability Score modifiers (standard): +2 DEX, +2 WIS, -2 CON

Ilyanosti are centered and intuitive, inherently fluid, naturally perceptive and masterful at fine motor control. But their fluidity leaves them delicate and less hardy than traditional half-elves.

Languages (standard): Common, Elven.

Ilyanosti with higher intelligences can choose among the following bonus languages: Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc and Sylvan.

Racial Traits

Defense Traits

Dual-Minded: +2 [untyped] to Will saving throws

An Ilyanost’s mixed ancestry makes her resistant to mental attacks.

Feat and Skill Traits

Ancestral Arms: Ilyanosti gain Exotic Weapon Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency with one weapon as a bonus feat at first level.

To better blend with their kin, Ilyanosti raised in elven communities often learn their ancestral weapons as well as — or better than — any true-born elf. Ilyanosti raised among humans or other races tend to specialize in any weapon prevalent in their home communities.

Social Grease: +1 racial bonus to Bluff, Disguise and Knowledge (local)

No more naturally likable or affable than any other elf, human or half-elf, Ilyanosti learn the social skills required to blend among those with static forms.

Keen Senses: +2 racial bonus to Perception checks

Magic Traits

Change Shape: An Ilyanost gains the following supernatural ability: Reflecting the limbo of her dual nature, she can assume the appearance of a human or elf of her size. These forms are static and cannot be changed each time she takes either form.

She gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to appear as a human or an elf. Changing her shape is a standard action.

This trait otherwise functions as alter self, save for three exceptions: She receives low-light vision when taking her elf shape; there is no limit to this effect’s duration; and neither shape allows her to adjust her ability scores.

Other Traits

All-Blooded: Ilyanosti count as elves, half-elves and humans for race-related effects.

I like the idea of playing a Kitsune, but I don't want to play a fox or something furry or trickstery. I've also been intrigued by half-elves as a race between two worlds and societies, and with tons of interesting customization options. So here's this thing, with as much flavor as I felt like mustering for now.

Our DM is amenable to exploring Race Builder or variant ideas of all kinds, so long as I'm not doing anything broken or solely for optimization.

Proving that the point system and RAW traits in Race Builder can be bent for ill intent, I at one point managed to ladle in Greater Defensive Training, free Weapon Finesse and proficiency with all bows and all elven-named weapons.

That seemed out of spirit and WAY TOO MUCH, given where my various source races started and what I'd get to do with shape changing.

Anyway... what do you all think? Is this still too much? I'm pretty sure it's not underpowered... but is there something else flavorful and interesting I'm missing out on?

Also, would it be broken to adapt some of the kitsune feats and to work with this race?

===

Ilyanost/Ilyanosti

Every half-elf manifests their fused elven and human heritages in some measure of skill, outlook, appearance and/or innate power. But some are more than a mere blend of those natures — their bodies live in a limbo that allows them to choose, as they need, the visage of one heritage over the other.

Ilyanosti (singular: Ilyanost) or “all born” half-elves can change their shapes to take on the countenance of both their human and elven ancestors, passing as true-blooded specimens to all but the most discerning observers. They are exceedingly rare, at least as far as anyone knows, and emerge only from couplings between elven mothers and human fathers. Their complexions and eye colors vary like those of any half-elf, but almost all Ilyanosti tend to have reddish hair in their natural states.

Some hardly use their powers, either because they’re secure in who they are as seeming half-elves or because they consider their powers a shameful secret to be hidden.

Others enhabit their dual identities fully, reveling in their ability to participate in both cultures without prejudice, switching as conditions dictate or whims demand.

And yet others abandon life in their true bodies altogether, appearing exclusively as one race or the other, either out of aspirational choice, out of fealty to the cultural norms and traditions where they were born, or merely to survive in a place where outsiders or outliers of any kind would not be tolerated.

Ilyanosti, thoughtful and centered, tend to make excellent archers, clerics, druids, monks or rangers. But others learn quickly that their nimble bodies and ability to shift faces lend themselves to life as a rogue.

Type: Humanoid (subtypes: human, elf, shapeshifter)
Size: Medium
Base speed: 30 feet

Ability Score modifiers (standard): +2 DEX, +2 WIS, -2 CON

Ilyanosti are centered and intuitive, inherently fluid, naturally perceptive and masterful at fine motor control. But their fluidity leaves them delicate and less hardy than traditional half-elves.

Languages (standard): Common, Elven.

Ilyanosti with higher intelligences can choose among the following bonus languages: Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, Goblin, Orc and Sylvan.

Racial Traits

Defense Traits

Dual-Minded: +2 [untyped] to Will saving throws

An Ilyanost’s mixed ancestry makes her resistant to mental attacks.

Feat and Skill Traits

Ancestral Arms: Ilyanosti gain Exotic Weapon Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency with one weapon as a bonus feat at first level.

To better blend with their kin, Ilyanosti raised in elven communities often learn their ancestral weapons as well as — or better than — any true-born elf. Ilyanosti raised among humans or other races tend to specialize in any weapon prevalent in their home communities.

Social Grease: +1 racial bonus to Bluff, Disguise and Knowledge (local)

No more naturally likable or affable than any other elf, human or half-elf, Ilyanosti learn the social skills required to blend among those with static forms.

Keen Senses: +2 racial bonus to Perception checks

Magic Traits

Change Shape: An Ilyanost gains the following supernatural ability: Reflecting the limbo of her dual nature, she can assume the appearance of a human or elf of her size. These forms are static and cannot be changed each time she takes either form.

She gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to appear as a human or an elf. Changing her shape is a standard action.

This trait otherwise functions as alter self, save for three exceptions: She receives low-light vision when taking her elf shape; there is no limit to this effect’s duration; and neither shape allows her to adjust her ability scores.

Other Traits

All-Blooded: Ilyanosti count as elves, half-elves and humans for race-related effects.

Hi!

Has anyone officially come out and explained why racial weapon familiarity in every source but the Race Builder merely converts exotic race-named weapons to martial — but somehow the Race Builder trait (at a mere 1 RP) can grant full proficiency with all race-named weapons?

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/raceBuilder.html

“Weapon Familiarity (1 RP): Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Choose up to two weapons, or one weapon and a racial weapon group. When choosing a racial weapon group, you must choose a group that includes the same name as one of your subtypes. Members of this race are proficient with those weapons. For the purposes of weapon familiarity, all bows are considered one weapon. Special: This trait can be taken up to two times. The second time it is taken, the race becomes proficient with another two weapons or one weapon and a racial weapon group.“

I know there’s a sense that RPs are super imperfect, so there’s that. But it seems, even knowing that, that the Race Builder entry is written in error. For purposes of customizing a race, should I assume that it’s in fact mistaken and should work like the typical exotic-martial conversion dynamic that’s present everywhere else?