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Don't have much time to do a fluff writeup, but basically, I had an idea for a campaign setting I'm working on with others, that of a quadruped (an idea someone had suggested) tiny (same guy a few weeks later suggested a tiny race) race. A visual description is a bit difficult at this point, but describing them as having both traits of canine, feline, and especially mustelids.
Jolethi Characters
Ability Score Racial Traits: Jolethi are not strong in frame, but are nimble in both mind and body. They gain +4 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and -4 Strength.
Size: Jolethi are Tiny creatures, though they can change their size to Small at will (see Wild Change below). They gain a +2 size bonus to AC, -2 size penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +8 size bonus on stealth checks.
Type: Jolethi are fey.
Base Speed: Jolethi have a base speed of 20 feet.
Low Light Vision: Jolethi can see twice as humans in conditions of dim light.
Wild Change: As a standard action, a jolethi can transform into a large version of themselves , and back again. Their size becomes Small, their speed changes to 40 feet, and any gear they are carrying also changes size, though if dropped it reverts to its normal size. In Small form, they gain a +2 size bonus to their Strength, and a -2 size penalty to their Dexterity. This is a supernatural ability.
Bite: Jolethi possess a bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage in their Tiny form, 1d4 in their Small form.
Forest Runners:[/b] Jolethi always count Acrobatics and Survival as class skills.
Shifting Magic: Jolethi have an innate connection to transmutation magic. When Tiny, when casting spells of the transmutation school on creatures other than themselves, their caster level recieves a +2 bonus. When Small, this bonus instead applies to spells cast on themselves.
Quadruped: Jolethi are quadrupedal creatures. They must use unusual armor, and cannot use magic items intended for humanoids in many cases, at the GM’s discretion. Their forepaws are prehensile, however, allowing wielding of objects. A jolethi carrying something one-handed treats normal terrain as difficult terrain, and difficult terrain as impassible. A jolethi using both its hands treats all terrain as impassible.
Languages: Jolethi begin play knowing Common and Sylvan. Joltehi with high Intelligence can choose from the following: Centaur, Draconic, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, and Harpy.
Any feedback/suggestions? Considering changing the creature type to magical beast, but fey has precedent in being a PF race type, plus its less powerful (don't want this race to get darkvision).
I think you should separate the size bonuses/penalties from the ability score adjustments or mention them under Size and say they've been factored into their adjustments.
Is Wild Change at-will?
The rules for how they hold items and move feels a bit awkward.
The biggest potential problem I see with such a concept is that you pretty much shoehorn the race into playing a wizard or a psychic
Yes the penalty to item wielding is a good balancing act to an otherwise very very powerful race.