Races handbook

[dman11235]

So there are a lot of handbooks dedicated towards classes and play styles.  But there aren't any that just have races and what they're good for.  I'd like to start that, but I'm not quite sure how to go about doing it.  It would include general stuff like LA is bad for casters, and also a list of races, their LA/HD, basic stats (a la Master Player Race list) and what types of classes would be best with them (an addition beyond the player races list).  Advice?  Oh, and it will be done under the handbook user profile, so others can edit it.

[SixthDeclension]

Great idea! I would be willing to help out on this. Do we want to start with a copy/paste from the master race list and work from there?

[Ubernoob]

No LA templates like dragonborn, necropolitan (and eventually spellstitched) probably deserve mention.

[dman11235]

I was thinking of devoting a part of this thread to templates as well.

EDIT: And yes, I guess that would work.  I'll start it tomorrow after I get back from Indy.  Ideas on format?  Like, alphabetical listing, stats/LA/HD, things they go good with?  Or something else?

[Dictum Mortuum]

I would format the guide like this:

You have a list of books (phb, races of x, etc) and you list the races inside it, ranking them according to general usefulness or usage (for example humans are an awesome race, but they can't be shadowcraft mages). You then list all the awesome feats/prestige classes/items that the race can use (able learner and human paragon for humans, druid racial subs for half-orcs, wizard racial sub for elves, etc). I don't think you should expand on stuff like "this race is good for x class", because sometimes the attribute bonuses are counter intuitive. Hell, i'm playing a half-orc druid in after cresent's game.

You then reserve a post for people that absolutely need to play a race that is fixed, giving them tips for choosing sub races or bloodlines. For example, phb elves are not that good for a fighter, but a wood elf can probably be better.

[Omen of Peace]

There are template handbooks already.  Basically you could start by pulling all the pre-existing information and ordering it by race (IIRC the racial substitution levels are organized by class in the corresponding handbook).

[dman11235]

I posted the handbook now, let me know what you think of that format.  I can (and will) elaborate more on the races than just what I have, that's just a test run for format.  I'm not sure if I'll need another post or not, so try not to post there yet.

[SixthDeclension]

I like the format. Do you mind if I just go through and add the other PHB races? I dont really know enough about feats specific to race though, so I wouldnt add that.

[dman11235]

Go ahead.  And I just looked at the entries for the races in the specific books (RoD, RoS).  They have a list of all race specifics.  Except paragon PrCs.

[awaken DM golem]

If Obeah's Races thread even gets un-Ultimate Nullifier'd (a Galactus reference), then that'll be great.
http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-695081
http://forums.gleemax.com/archive/index.php/t-1031028.html
"Maximising Ability Scores for all your everyday PCs"

[JaronK]

What most people want to know is "what race is best for X class."  As such, you might want to divide recommended races by class type.  So, for example, you might have "Stealth Races" and then in that have them in order from lowest LA to highest, so maybe Whisergnome, Halfling, Strongheart Halfling, Water Halfling, Gnome, Lurk, Pixie... or whatever.

Also, don't forget mentions of racial feats and PrCs, such as Headlong Rush (Orc Only) and Shadowcraft Mage (Gnome Only).

JaronK

[dman11235]

That second part I'm doing.  That first part though, that's a really good idea.  I might just do that.  No, I will do that.

I'll get the whole format done later tonight or tomorrow so peoples can edit in the races.  If'n I get time I'll start some races after I get that done.

EDIT: Okay, I have some sections to be filled out.  Does that work, what I have there?  it's arcane, divine, melee, ranged, stealth, good for most or all, bad for most or all, and other (too weird to put in any other slot, or average).

There is one problem I just thought of that this system doesn't really address: what about races that are good for one thing, but average for another?

Maybe two posts are in order here, first post deals with just races and organizes it like it is now, and second post organizes them by book, so that you can go through and find out what each race is good at.  The first post is so you can find good races for what you're doing, and the second, well, see above.  The third post does the same thing as the first post, but for templates, and the fourth post does for templates what the second post does for races.

[awaken DM golem]

Human
Azuran (human with 1 essentia point instead of the skills point)
Goofy-footed Halfling (small with the extra feat)

works as a stupid proof kind of start.

I'll repeat Obeah's races thread, if it ever gets resurrected.

LA +2 is gone by level 17 with LA buy-off.
I don't think Obeah's thread ever went that direction, so the ultimate +2 la race has NOT been done.


Buried way back in the boards1 archive, the one before the later one, before it all got iffy ... there was a long debate about Savage Species race classes. Long and short goes :
the two SS links on the Wizards web bonus stuff,
provide ways to be  Inherent Templates, but play them as classes.
And gain them after level one.
 Then by inference, play the SS racial classes as classes, but you don't  have to take the whole class.
Maybe one of the SS race rituals had something to do with it.

It's all a little fuzzy to me. But it's like taking less than all 20 levels of a class, or all 10 levels of a PrC.
Can't take more than a few levels, and still be  a good caster; so why not.

[awaken DM golem]

Found it.

http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=16434666&postcount=3