In my campaign there is a society of fairies that the PCs will eventually discover and one of the PCs wants to play a fairy. I'm fine with this. I even suggested it. I need a race template for the player to use. I recall reading a few homebrewed Fairy templates on this forum, but I cant find them. I've started building one from scratch using the PF Race Builder partially based on the Pixie creature.
Here's what I've got so far.
Fairies
Type Fey +2 rp
Size Tiny +4 rp
Base Speed Very Slow (10 ft) –3 rp? not listed
Ability Score Modifiers Standard (+2 Dex, +2 Cha (maybe Wis), –2 Con) 0 rp
Languages Standard 0 rp
Racial Traits
Fey Damage Resistance +3 rp
Enclave Protector (+1 caster lvl abjuration spells and spell-like abilities: constant—nondetection; 1/day—faerie fire, obscure object, sanctuary) +2 rp
Spell-Like Ability, At-Will Invisibility +4 rp
Flight (60ft good maneuverability +4 fly skill) +10 rp
Total 22 rp
These are the main features I think fairies should have.
I know that Pixies are considered Small instead of Tiny, but I think the Tiny features better fit the fairy description.
There is no listed 10 or 15ft land speed, so I just estimated.
Enclave Protector spell like abilities help explain why fairies are so rarely seen, and Invisibility as well.
I'm unsure if I want them to have average or good flight maneuverability.
I'd like to squeeze in a few other features that seem reasonable, if I can keep it under 30 RP, but maybe I should just reduce flight to average and leave it at 20 RP.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
I never make a race higher than 12 RP (mine range from 10-12) and I generally recommend one make feats to add in special abilities above and beyond this. However, we're not talking about my preferences. With that in mind, I suggest the following:
I'd dump the fey damage resistance altogether - you'll find that DR 5/cold iron is a bit annoying (for many reasons you'll discover); change at will invisibility to at will Vanish (2 RP); Flight as 60' (average) for 9 RP (equals out to 1 RP per +10 and 1 RP per +1 category - Paizo's 2 RP per gives weird results); add in low-light vision (0 RP)as it's part of the fey type; very slow speed (-2 RP; 10 foot ground speed - penalties scale more slowly than bonuses with the race builder).
Brings tht total to 17 RP with these changes.
Hope that helps.
I never make a race higher than 12 RP (mine range from 10-12) and I generally recommend one make feats to add in special abilities above and beyond this. However, we're not talking about my preferences. With that in mind, I suggest the following:
I'd dump the fey damage resistance altogether - you'll find that DR 5/cold iron is a bit annoying (for many reasons you'll discover); change at will invisibility to at will Vanish (2 RP); Flight as 60' (average) for 9 RP (equals out to 1 RP per +10 and 1 RP per +1 category - Paizo's 2 RP per gives weird results); add in low-light vision (0 RP)as it's part of the fey type; very slow speed (-2 RP; 10 foot ground speed - penalties scale more slowly than bonuses with the race builder).
Brings tht total to 17 RP with these changes.
Hope that helps.
Thanks. I also thought that about the racial DR. I just have to come up with a reason why this character wouldn't have the normal DR.
That change from invisibility to vanish is perfect.That change to flight calculation makes a lot of sense. I'll keep that in mind.
I didn't mention Low-light vision because that's part of Fey. It would have that.
Thanks a lot for your help. It's good to know I can keep it under 20.
Thanks. I also thought that about the racial DR. I just have to come up with a reason why this character wouldn't have the normal DR.
Not a problem and glad I could help.
As far as explaining certain features or lack thereof, I used to obsess about this. Everything HAD to have an explanation for why it was or wasn't. This got old terribly fast and sucked the fun out of things.
Now, I just add the features or what have you something needs and explain those. Just looking through the bestiaries, you'll find some monsters that don't have things associated with their type (example Thin Man is a fey without cold iron DR).
If you really, really need to explain it, make them type Fey with the subtype túath [fey (túath)]. The Túath subtype (for example) removes anything you don't like or want. The subtype name is just a sample name, of course. You can call them whatever you want.
I worked on it a little, how about this:
Fairies
Type Fey +2 rp
Size Tiny +4 rp
Base Speed Very Slow (10 ft) -2 rp
Ability Scores Weakness (+2 Dex, +2 Cha, -4 Con) -1 rp
Languages Standard 0rpRacial Traits
Fey Damage Resistance +3 rp
Spell-Like Ability, At-Will Vanish +2 rp
Flight (60ft average +4 fly skill) +9 rp (splitting maneuver from speed)Total 17
Alternate Traits
Enclave Protector (+1 caster lvl abjuration spells/SLAs: constant-nondetection; 1/day-faerie fire, obscure object, sanctuary); replaces SLA: Vanish.Spring Fairy Gain Breeze Kissed trait, flight speed drops to 40 ft but maneuverability increases to good; replaces Fey Damage Resistance
Summer Fairy Flight speed increases to 80 feet and good maneuverability; replaces Fey Damage Resistance
Autumn Fairy Gain Deathless Spirit trait; replaces Fey Damage Resistance
Winter Fairy gain Custom Trait Winter's Heart (cold version of Pyromaniac: Treat caster level as 1 higher when casting Cold descriptor spells or Cold-based class powers; can cast 1/day as SLA: Frostbite, Floating Lights, Stabilize, or Prestidigitation); replaces SLA Vanish and reduces fly speed to 50ft
Dissolution's Child Invisibility as (Su) for 1 round/lvl (max 5 rounds); replaces SLA and Fey Damage Resistance
Groundling gains Fast x2, Sprinter, Gliding Wings, and Bond to the Land; replaces Flight
This setup lets him keep DR/Cold Iron which is a bit more balanced out by the -4 Con modifier for reduced HP gain. Also included a few Alternate Racial Traits for him to consider if he wants to switch things up (Moved Enclave Protector to a Alternate Trait that replaces SLA:Vanish).
I love what you've done with it. I'd still be happy to see more ideas, but this is pretty good.
Keep em comming!
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