Ya. I really like the flavor of changelings, but the racial stats are kind of boring. If you want to play one, I'd try to convince your DM to make a new race with the race builder rules that is more interesting :)
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Actually, I'm making NPCs for a game I'll be DMing shortly.
I don't think I want to re-do the changeling entirely, but I might add a variant option that changes the ability scores and swaps out either the claws or natural armour for a more magic-oriented bonus. I'm a bit worried about complicating things too much, though. I've already tweaked elves a bit, made one new race, borrowed another DM's custom race, and added a "Night Hag parentage" option to the changeling, and there are a handful of other house rules I'm thinking of implementing.
I wouldn't be opposed to a player swapping the usual chaneling ability modifier array for the flexible +2 modifier that humans get (and half-elves and half-orcs). I really love the flavour of the race, but I admit that I'm not wild about the abilities, either.
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Actually, By my count, the changeling is really under-powered. She gets Natural armor (2RP), Claws (2RP), and darkvision(2RP) and a trait(~1RP). That's worth a total of 7 RP, compared to most races being 8-11 RP. You could give them something small and interesting for free and still have a balanced race. My suggestions:
Let them trade out NA or claws for a +2 skill bonus to disguise, bluff, or diplomacy.
One of the following abilities based on hag parentage:
Sea Hag: Horrifying appearance. As Nereid Fascination, but it fascinates them with the horror of the hagling's appearance.
Benefit: Members of this race gain the following supernatural ability:
1/day—a member of this race can create a 20-foot-radius burst that causes humanoids within the aura's range to become fascinated with the user (as the bard's fascinate bardic performance). Affected humanoids may resist this effect by making a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the user's character level + the user's Charisma modifier).
Green Hag: Spell-like ability (lesser) (2 RP) and Skill training (1RP)
These changelings can case alter self once per day as a spell-like ability and always treat stealth and bluff as class skills.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Choose a 2nd-level or lower spell that does not attack a creature or deal damage. Members of this race can use this spell as a spell-like ability once per day. The caster level of the spell is equal to the user's character level.
Special: This trait costs as many RP as the level of the spell chosen (minimum 1 RP). This trait can be taken up to three times. Each time you take an additional spell, adjust the RP cost of this trait appropriately.
Annis hag: Orc Ferocity (2 RP) and a bite attack (1RP)
Prerequisites: Orc subtype.
Benefit: Once per day, when a member of this race is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but is not killed, it can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. At the end of its next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, it immediately falls unconscious and begins to die.
Night hag: Dreamspeaker (2 RP) and Mist Child (1 RP)
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Whenever a member of this race has concealment or total concealment, the miss chance of attacks against her increases by 5%.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Members of this race gain a +1 bonus to the saving throw DCs of spells of the divination school and spells that produce sleep effects that they cast. In addition, members of this race with a Charisma score of 15 or higher also gain the following spell-like ability (the caster level is equal to the user's character level):
1/day—dream
Knight, that's more an issue with the RP system being a poor indicator of the race's power than anything else.
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I agree that RP is not super useful, but are you saying that changelings are on par with humans, elves or dwarves?
I find the abilities changelings get to be a bit lack-luster. +1 NA is nice for everyone, but most characters will never use the claws (which for some reason cost more than a bite which all melee characters will use O.o). The trait they get is pretty useless unless you take the Annis one and even then, only in combat. The only really solid ability they have is darkvision.
On a related note, I think changelings would make scary low-level natural weapon fighters though.
Take the annis trait, and Mother's Gift (claws), weapon focus(claws), power attack, weapon spec (claws)
And at level 4, assuming 18 strength, your attack sequence is: +8/+8 dealing 1d4+12 for a dpr of 18!
I guess this makes sense since hags are known for being melee monsters. Still, I want changelings to be a little more versatile... Heck a skill bonus would be nice.
Changlings are scary as vivisectionists. Just look at this build: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tNv6ZMAmdFGbld9sXnjwLgL-xGBwj4oR7H_vlqH o1yA/edit
Having easy access to claw attacks makes them useful for some types of builds.
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That's the thing - they make fine natural weapon specialists, but poor witches! Which is why an alternate trait is sounding like a very good idea right now.
What about this?
Hag Magic: The Changeling's hag parentage has gifted her with magical skill. Her ability modifiers are +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Con. A witch with this bloodline treats her Intelligence as two higher for the purposes of Hexes, and a Sorcerer with the Accursed Bloodline treats her Cha as two higher for the purposes of bloodline powers. This replaces the normal Changeling ability modifiers and the Claws racial trait.
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Actually, By my count, the changeling is really under-powered. She gets Natural armor (2RP), Claws (2RP), and darkvision(2RP) and a trait(~1RP). That's worth a total of 7 RP, compared to most races being 8-11 RP. You could give them something small and interesting for free and still have a balanced race. My suggestions:
Let them trade out NA or claws for a +2 skill bonus to disguise, bluff, or diplomacy.
One of the following abilities based on hag parentage:
Sea Hag: Horrifying appearance. As Nereid Fascination, but it fascinates them with the horror of the hagling's appearance.
** spoiler omitted **Green Hag: Spell-like ability (lesser) (2 RP) and Skill training (1RP)
These changelings can case alter self once per day as a spell-like ability and always treat stealth and bluff as class skills.** spoiler omitted **
Annis hag: Orc Ferocity (2 RP) and a bite attack (1RP)
** spoiler omitted **...
Wouldn't Mist Child be an Annis trait, actually?
Also, Night Hags might not create Changeling daughters in Pathfinder*.
Putting that aside, these are really awesome and will find use in my table.
* = However, they are canon in 3.5e, and on Golarion as well so long as I am the DM.
That's the thing - they make fine natural weapon specialists, but poor witches! Which is why an alternate trait is sounding like a very good idea right now.
What about this?
Hag Magic: The Changeling's hag parentage has gifted her with magical skill. Her ability modifiers are +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Con. A witch with this bloodline treats her Intelligence as two higher for the purposes of Hexes, and a Sorcerer with the Accursed Bloodline treats her Cha as two higher for the purposes of bloodline powers. This replaces the normal Changeling ability modifiers and the Claws racial trait.
This is also awesome. I will not regret leaving a dot on this thread if such awesome ideas keep popping up.
I was actually surprised when I first saw this thread, since I thought that I was still one of the very few Changeling fans around.
They really -should- be +INT instead of wisdom and have a spell like ability of some sort. Maybe charm person or something.
Though that hex magic thing was perfect.
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In the cases of underpowered races (such as Oreads and kobolds), if a player really wants to play one but is concerned about that, I let them pick an additional racial trait from the list instead of swapping it out.
Dot/bump.
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Checking the changelings stats in the race builder, they seem to be around 9 points. Fine for a standard race, Claws are advanced. So for changlings to be legal they need a boost of at least 2 points. which is why in response to this debate i put a advance 4-rp +2 to intelligence. However with this, Changelings are a legal, low point magical class powerhouse selection. and i like them.
I personally just houseruled the lineage abilities to be more substantial.
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Thread Necromancy~
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Ironically, Witchborn Changelings likely make better Psychics and Arcanists than they do Witches.
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Changelings work fine as Seducer archetype witches.
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Ironically, Witchborn Changelings likely make better Psychics and Arcanists than they do Witches.
That was the motivation behind the hex bonus in my "hag magic" homebrew.
Getting an Int bonus without giving up claws is also a boost for vivisectionist alchemist builds.
Heyo. 2019 and I’m power-noobing my first ever Pathfinder character. Pretty happy with this build: Changeling Bloodrager. Mapping ahead I foresee obstacles in min-maxing. But I’m here for the flavor anyways. She’s inspired by several characters including X-23, Lady Death Strike, Arya Stark and from the Black Company series and Blade Itself series and Malizan Empire series female characters. I’m envisioning blood powers and touch spells and claws and angst galore. Level 3, a few weeks into Rise of The Runelords. So far tons of fun. I am so obsessed.