So I keep a google doc of all the homebrew races I keep in my setting.
With a discussion of hiring giants in another thread, I feel inspired to post it and hopefully gain some feedback.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KnCwv-uIXfEZCw5QJ87hRFzokzGF0N1NGfc-kvn cDps/edit?usp=sharing
Got some questions or comments? Stick them here or in a comment on the doc! Permissions should be enabled.
Currently have:
Hill Giant
Stone Giant
Frost Giant
Fire Giant
Lamellicorn- Beetle people!
Shardborn- Elemental-like humanoids animated from fragments of a powerful inevitable.
Forgeborn-Totally not a rip-off of warforged. By which I mean they totally are.
Orcs-Less dumber am more cooler!
Also have some racial feats!
In the works:
Nymph-blooded
Argent (Lawful Planetouched)
So I keep a google doc of all the homebrew races I keep in my setting.
With a discussion of hiring giants in another thread, I feel inspired to post it and hopefully gain some feedback.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KnCwv-uIXfEZCw5QJ87hRFzokzGF0N1NGfc-kvn cDps/edit?usp=sharing
Got some questions or comments? Stick them here or in a comment on the doc! Permissions should be enabled.
Currently have:
Hill Giant
Stone Giant
Frost Giant
Fire Giant
Lamellicorn- Beetle people!
Shardborn- Elemental-like humanoids animated from fragments of a powerful inevitable.
Forgeborn-Totally not a rip-off of warforged. By which I mean they totally are.
Orcs-Less dumber am more cooler!Also have some racial feats!
In the works:
Nymph-blooded
Argent (Lawful Planetouched)
I was able to make the link work, but you should beware that the paizo forums usually translate URLs badly. It puts random spaces inside them when you copy/paste. I recommend putting them inside of this template from now on:
[ url= URL GOES HERE] DESCRIPTION OF LINK [/ url]
Just remove the random spaces I put in to make it work.
Anyway, onto the topic:
The giants are good. I personally would only allow Frost and Hill giants in my games as PCs because in Hill giant's case they are lower race points and feel perfectly balanced. In Frost giant's case they have enough negatives to balance the positives.
This is through no fault of your own, as you obviously based these off the giants themselves, so obviously their strengths and weaknesses would still shine through despite conversions.
Lamellicorn is A+. Good race and good balancing. I love its racial traits.
Orc is great except for the weapon familiarity being unclear. I am confused as to what you mean by "spear." Do you mean the fighter weapon group, or do you mean the long spear specifically. Fix that, and you are golden.
Shardborn's magical metabolism feels like it needs adjustments. I think it should have the disadvantage of not allowing the effects of potions and other effects that require ingesting in order to balance the immunities and resistances gained.
Forgeborn are in a weird boat to me. I think that them getting their racial stat array is way too inviting to people who wish to over-optimize. Its basically a better human for anyone who doesn't need the bonus feat. I think to help balance it, granting Toughness as a bonus feat instead of allowing +2 Con might be more appropriate. In the end its a weaker effect, but it still gives them that feeling of being durable.
The feats are fun, flavorful, and feel balanced. Storming Claws might need a little help since claw crits will be quite rare.
THEY MIGHT BE GIANT PC RACES
Like so?
And yes, the Frost and Fire giants are definitely more powerful. In my campaign setting I was planning on implementing a free bonus feat for anyone playing a 'standard' race (under 15 rp). Humans, however, gain one of the 'Heart of' traits, and can give up their normal feat for a second 'Heart of' trait.
As for the orc, yes it should only be the single weapon. I wanted something to give them something other than a typical 'hand out martial weapons' proficiency.
With magical metabolism I started with Duergar Immunities (4 RP)- Immune to paralysis, phantasms, and poison, with a +2 against ALL spells
vs Elven Immunities (2 RP) Immune to sleep, +2 against Enchantment.
Part of me wonders if some racial traits are just that undercosted? Or am I undervaluing bleed?
That link works splendidly!
And now that you explain what "standard" races get, that makes more sense. Thank you.
Well, if its the single weapon then Orcs also score that A+. I really like it.
Some racial traits are certainly undercosted. Poison for instance, is incredibly common, while bleed is actually rare. Duergar Immunities should be worth more than 4 race points. I'd definitely spend 2 feats to get it (and feats are 4 race points).