I was thinking about a setting that was mostly half elves.
Back story along the lines of a brief resonance of elves forms an empire, but they didn't think they could maintain it with the rate the other race breed so they started strongly encouraging breeding with humans to create half elves who could be used a soldiers. This is set a few hundred years after the fall of the empire, most of the old provinces have become nations with either mostly half elves or large half elf minorities.
Assuming that they are fairly fertile (half way between humans and elves), or close, it seems like once they got a foot hold they'd breed out the other races. They live much longer then humans, breed much faster then elves, and from a non adventuring point of view seem like the race most likely to live. At the low levels most NPC exist at (assuming the Core races are far and away the most common) skill focus, +2 to perception, speaking Elven, and low light are more likely to keep you alive/working enough to eat then a feat of your choice, and 1 skill point.
So what would change?
It could work. Kinda of takes away from the idea that elves are "superior" though. Have the High Elves do that, and the Grey and Wood Elves look upon all of them with disgust for thier own reasons. Have the Grey Elves hate them because they know they are tainted material and not worthy of being elves, and the wood elves well... just see them as outsiders.
If you want half-elves to be the most common race, I would advise making them the most powerful race. The racial ratio among PCs should (very roughly) be similar to that in the world. ("Be the change you wish to see in the world," I suppose.) So I'd keep all or most of their abilities the same (definitely not bonuses to metal or stone), but give them the human bonus feat in addition.
@cnetarian
Assuming the Half-elf took on a role like that of the Janissary in the Ottoman Empire.Yes.
1) instead of not having a place in either human or elven society half-elves would have their own society, a debased variant of elven society which bears traces of military organization. many half-elves even "out elf" true elves in their attempts to socially acceptable. remove the adaptable trait.The Empire didn't last long enough for a decline like you are suggesting.
2) metal & stone working would be considered a part of half-elven heritage (the elves of the empire would no doubt have shoved these unpleasant tasks off on the half-elves). half-elves would have a +2 bonus on craft rolls involving metal or stone.No, seems random. The half elves would have made locals, preferably dwarfs, do such work.
3) while elves and non-imperial half-elves tend towards chaos, the imperial half-elves
No distinction, if there ever was. The two have interbreed enough virtually every half elf is related to both.
@TheJayde
It could work. Kinda of takes away from the idea that elves are "superior" though.
And...?
Have the High Elves do that, and the Grey and Wood Elves look upon all of them with disgust for thier own reasons. Have the Grey Elves hate them because they know they are tainted material and not worthy of being elves, and the wood elves well... just see them as outsiders.
I'm only going with Elves and Drow, no need for Altruist elves, Bawdy elves, Eager elves, Lofty elves, Luckless elves, Schlemiel elves, Shady elves, Tardy elves, Woodsy Elves, High Elves, and Superfluous elves.
@Vadsky
If you want half-elves to be the most common race, I would advise making them the most powerful race. The racial ratio among PCs should (very roughly) be similar to that in the world. ("Be the change you wish to see in the world," I suppose.) So I'd keep all or most of their abilities the same (definitely not bonuses to metal or stone), but give them the human bonus feat in addition.
I don't really care what the PCs play, but I think for farming or running a business and just avoiding monsters they are the most powerful class already. I might let them use the human or the elf favored class bonuses though.
Bump.
I don't think that they necessarily need to be the most powerful if they are the most numerous. There is roughly 500 years of history involving European colonialism, that shows you can still be the most powerful while being vastly outnumbered. Go back even further and the Mongols, Romans, and Macedonians also showed power and numerical superiority were two different things.
You can still have humans, elves, or even orcs be the most powerful race, even if half elves are more populous. The empire fell for a reason...
|
I don't think that they necessarily need to be the most powerful if they are the most numerous. There is roughly 500 years of history involving European colonialism, that shows you can still be the most powerful while being vastly outnumbered. Go back even further and the Mongols, Romans, and Macedonians also showed power and numerical superiority were two different things.
You can still have humans, elves, or even orcs be the most powerful race, even if half elves are more populous. The empire fell for a reason...
I think that Vadskye was following this logic:
*All things being equal, a typical adventuring party in a campaign world ought to reflect the population of the campaign world. I.e., in Golarion, humans are the "focus" race, and thus ought to be the most well-represented in adventuring parties;
*Players will tend to choose PCs that compliment their builds. Broadly powerful races whose racial features can be brought to bear effectively with most builds of any class will tend to see play most often. I.e., in Golarion, humans' bonus feat and skill point can be useful almost anywhere, and their favored class options tend to be over par, thus humans see a lot of play;
*Therefore, if dunelord wants half-elves to be a common player choice, as they ought to be in a world where half-elves are the most common race, dunelord ought to make their racial abilities powerful enough to attract player attention.
I think that Vadskye was following this logic:
*All things being equal, a typical adventuring party in a campaign world ought to reflect the population of the campaign world. I.e., in Golarion, humans are the "focus" race, and thus ought to be the most well-represented in adventuring parties;
*Players will tend to choose PCs that compliment their builds. Broadly powerful races whose racial features can be brought to bear effectively with most builds of any class will tend to see play most often. I.e., in Golarion, humans' bonus feat and skill point can be useful almost anywhere, and their favored class options tend to be over par, thus humans see a lot of play;
*Therefore, if dunelord wants half-elves to be a common player choice, as they ought to be in a world where half-elves are the most common race, dunelord ought to make their racial abilities powerful enough to attract player attention.
Precisely correct, and better explained! Thank you.
Which is fine, but neither is the logic I'm using.
1) As a breeding group they are the most powerful, which allowed them to because the most numerous. They far out strip humans in lifespan and far out strip elves in breeding rate. Throw in skill focus, low light, and a bonus to perception all of which far more important for NPC class to making a living/not die/avoid using limited resources then a bonus feat and skill point. And once they got going as the dominant group humans and elves both would be 'rewarded' by having their children be part of that group if they crossbreed.
2) Half the reason I want to do this is to allow human to be a choice for someone who wants to play an outsider. I don't want/need to encourage anyone to play any specific race.
3) If there aren't lots of powerful humans it is hard to justify them still being a powerful minority. Upping the power level of other races makes that seem less impactful/true.
Therefore, no reason to up the power levels.