d20 Devil's Workshop Race Creation Cookbook.pdf
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Race Creation
Cookbook
LPJ9874
unavailable as Common Abilities; refer to Table 1.1
for those that are available. Most types and subtypes
grant abilities in and of themselves; DMs wishing to
vary from these abilities (
such as granting Darkvision
120 ft. to an aberration
) will need to deduct the cost
of the pre-existing ability from the cost of the newly
granted ability (
essentially crediting the 10-point cost
of Darkvision 60 ft. against the 14-point cost of Dark-
vision 120 ft.
).
For Dungeon Masters
DMs with a taste for world-building can either borrow
races for their setting from other sources, or build new
races from scratch. Presented below are guidelines for
designing new character races with access to a wide
variety of abilities and balancing drawbacks. Whether
these are exotic new races or variants of more familiar
fantasy races, the tools are in your hands. This system
is not, however, balanced for players to build their
own races.
Note that a race must have a type, but not necessarily
a subtype. The Native subtype may only be applied to
the Outsider or Elemental types; as it removes more
advantages than it grants, it provides a minor cost
break to those creature types. The same goes for the
Goblinoid subtype, as it provides no advantages, but
two of the core Player’s Handbook races have racial
bonuses to attack rolls against them. Finally, charm
person, hold person, and so forth target only human-
oids, so other types pay six points for the privilege of
being immune to these spells.
Designing New
Races
Racial advantages of all kinds are purchased with a
pool of ability points. In this system, races are built
from a pool of 40 points. There are also a variety of
drawbacks, including racial Hit Dice, Level Adjust-
ment, and unusual racial vulnerabilities, which grant
additional ability points.
This table also includes the decision to make a race
Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large (
long
). Large (
tall
)
and larger sizes may not be purchased as Common
Abilities, given the extraordinary utility of natural
reach. Tiny races are at a remarkable disadvantage,
as they have a natural reach of 0 feet, and are likely to
have great difficulty using common equipment. Simi-
larly, many Large (long) creatures find that standard
gear does not fit them easily. Tiny and Small size
are generally associated with a Strength penalty, just
as Large size is generally associated with a Strength
bonus. These things are not, however, considered to
be intrinsic to the size categories in this case.
This system is no substitute for a DM’s good judg-
ment. Forty ability points, plus a bit more from draw-
backs, could grant a race one or two exceptionally
powerful abilities. This race would likely be more
powerful than the races of the Player’s Handbook,
which possess a larger number of less powerful abili-
ties.
The racial abilities presented below are divided into
two major categories, classified as Common Abilities
and Greater Abilities. Common Abilities are those
available to races without a Level Adjustment or racial
Hit Dice. Greater Abilities are restricted, for reasons
of balance, to races with at least +1 Level Adjustment
or at least two racial Hit Dice. Each of these abilities
has an associated minimum Level Adjustment or racial
Hit Dice requirement.
As described in the Monster Manual, many creature
types grant proficiency in some weapons and armor.
To create a balanced character of these races, however,
a small change must be made. These creature types
should only grant weapon and armor proficiencies if
the race has one or more racial Hit Dice (
see Greater
Abilities, below
).
Bonuses that apply to specific creature types, weapon
types, energy types, or the like may be purchased more
than once, each time applying to a different creature
type, weapon type, energy type, or other option from
a list. Such abilities are marked with an asterisk (
*
).
Abilities may not otherwise be purchased twice, nor
may they be purchased in both a lesser and a greater
form. For example, “+5 ft to base speed” and “+10 ft
to base speed” may not be purchased together.
Ability Score Bonuses:
Ability score bonuses and penalties should balance
out to 0 for races without a Level Adjustment or racial
Hit Dice. Bonuses generally should not exceed +2
and penalties generally should not exceed -4, although
there are exceptions. The race’s size is the first consid-
eration in adjusting its ability scores. Tiny or Small
races should generally have a Strength penalty and
Large races should generally have a Strength bonus,
unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.
The difference in gear weight (
half for Small creatures
Common Abilities
The first determination for a new character race is its
creature type and subtype. Many creature types are
and double for Large creatures
) makes these bonuses
and penalties all the more necessary.
effects. As with Table 1.5, bonuses that apply to a
specific creature type, saving throw category, type of
effect, school or subschool of magic, or energy type
may be purchased more than once, each time applying
to a different option.
It is also noteworthy that, in most campaigns, physical
statistics are more important ability scores than mental
statistics, and thus are worth more points. Ability
score bonuses cost more points than a penalty to the
same score grants because it is relatively easy to play
to a race’s strengths and minimize its weaknesses
within the D&D rules system.
Miscellaneous Abilities
Table 1.8 gives ability point costs for a wide variety of
other abilities, from bonus feats to much more exotic
abilities. Descriptions of these abilities may be found
starting on page 10.
Racial Bonuses to Skills
Table 1.3 gives prices for racial bonuses to specific
skills. Bonuses may be purchased to multiple skills.
This table also includes one limitation, applied to any
racial bonus to skills. If the racial bonus to a skill
check only applies in certain circumstances (
half of all
common circumstances or less, according to the DM’s
judgment
), the cost for that skill bonus is reduced by
half. Dwarves, for example, have a +2 racial bonus
on Craft checks that are related to stone or metalwork;
this ability costs 2 ability points rather than 4. This
limitation does not apply to other skill-related benefits,
such as the bonus skill point per level.
Drawbacks
The various drawbacks of Table 1.9 are intended to
balance out some of a race’s strengths. The vulnerabil-
ities to substances require the most work on the part of
the DM, so that a weakness will actually be significant
rather than a pointless footnote.
Greater Abilities
Races with +1 Level Adjustment or greater, or 2 racial
Hit Dice or more, gain access to an expanded list of
abilities. They also act as drawbacks, and grant points
with which to buy these abilities. Not all creature
types are created equal, however, and the number of
drawback points granted for racial Hit Dice varies by
type. Table 2.1 shows the number of drawback points
granted by Level Adjustments up to +6 and racial Hit
Dice of various types.
Senses
Table 1.4 gives prices for unusual senses. Note that
bonuses to Spot, Listen, and Search are covered by
Table 1.2 instead. Table 2.3 includes many of the
more exotic forms of perception.
Note that the first racial Hit Die of many creature types
grants proficiency with certain weapons and armor.
Those same creature types with a Level Adjustment
but no racial Hit Dice do not enjoy this benefit. Refer
to the creature type descriptions for more information
on these proficiencies.
Movement
Few forms of improved movement are available as
Common abilities. Table 1.5 gives point costs for
those that are.
Table 1.6 gives point costs for racial weapon famil-
iarity, weapon proficiency, and attack bonuses. Note
that familiarity with exotic weapons and proficiency
in specific martial weapons decreases in cost after the
first weapon, as for the most part a character will only
use one or, at most, two martial weapons at a time, and
four of the eleven core classes grant proficiency in all
martial weapons.
The point totals cited for racial Hit Dice do not take
into account the point cost of the creature type found
on Table 1.1. Negative numbers on this table, like all
other tables, indicate drawback points that allow more
racial abilities to be purchased. Note that two outsider
racial Hit Dice are sufficiently advantageous that they
cost points rather than granting them.
Bonuses that apply to specific creature types, weapon
types, or energy types may be purchased more than
once, each time applying to a different creature type,
weapon type, or energy type.
Greater Ability Score
Adjustments
Races with Level Adjustments or racial Hit Dice gain
access to a broader range of ability score adjustment
options. DMs creating races with the higher-end
ability score adjustments still need to take care that
the race does not become unintentionally pigeon-
Defensive Bonuses
Table 1.7 gives point costs for racial defensive abili-
ties, techniques, and resistances to a host of different
holed into one role; almost any believable race needs
to be capable of taking on a range of roles. This is,
however, merely a guideline. Table 2.2 gives ability
point costs for adjustments to ability scores.
Table 2.3 presents the list of Greater Abilities. All of
the following abilities are available only to races with
+1 Level Adjustment or 2 racial Hit Dice or more.
The Required column indicates the minimum Level
Adjustment or number of racial Hit Dice necessary to
purchase the ability, and is separate from the cost in
racial ability points.
Expanded Racial Type and
Subtype List
Table 2.4 reprints the racial types and subtypes avail-
able as Common Abilities and presents the ability
score costs for several more. Refer to the detailed
descriptions of each type and subtype below; some of
them have been slightly altered from the SRD.
ABERRATION TYPE (16 ability points)
An aberration has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities,
an alien mindset, or any combination of the three. The
aberration creature type grants the following traits.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• Proficient with its natural weapons.
• Aberrations eat, sleep, and breathe.
Aberration racial Hit Dice grant the following features:
• d8 Hit Dice.
• Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (
as
cleric
).
• Good Will saves.
• Skill points equal to (
2 + Int modifier, minimum 1
)
per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first
Hit Die.
• If generally humanoid in form, proficient in all
simple weapons, light armor, and shields (
except
tower shields
).
ABILITY DAMAGE (25 ability points)
This effect must be attached to a particular method of
delivery, such as a gaze attack, ray, or touch attack.
This attack damages an opponent’s ability score,
dealing 1d3 points of ability damage to any one ability
score. Opponents may negate this damage by making
a Fortitude or Will save (
chosen when the ability is
purchased
) against DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Con
modifier. For 25 points, this ability may be used once
per day. Every additional two uses multiplies the cost
by 1.75, rounding fractions up. If an attack that causes
ability damage scores a critical hit, it deals twice the
indicated amount of damage. Ability damage returns
at the rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability.
it cannot see. The individual usually does not need to
make Spot or Listen checks to pinpoint the location of
an individual within 60 feet, provided that it has line
of effect to that individual. Any opponent the indi-
vidual cannot see still has total concealment against
the individual with blindsense, and the individual still
has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that
have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement
of an individual with blindsense. An individual with
blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor
Class against attacks from individuals it cannot see.
ACIDIC SALIVA (8 ability points)
Your saliva can burn other individuals like acid. Your
bite attack deals an extra 1d4 points of acid damage
with each successful hit. You must have a natural bite
attack to use this ability.
AIR SUBTYPE (35 ability points)
This subtype usually is used for outsiders and other
creatures with a connection to the Elemental Plane Air.
An Air Subtype creature possesses the following traits.
BLINDSIGHT (40 or 55 ability points)
This ability is similar to blindsense, but is far more
discerning. Using nonvisual senses, such as sensitivity
to vibrations, keen smell, acute hearing, or echoloca-
tion, an individual with blindsight maneuvers and
fights as well as a sighted individual. Invisibility,
darkness, and most kinds of concealment are irrel-
evant, though the individual must have line of effect
to an individual or object to discern that individual or
object. The ability’s range is either 30 feet (
40 ability
points
) or 60 feet (
55 ability points
). The individual
usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to
notice individuals within range of its blindsight ability.
Blindsight is continuous, and the individual need do
nothing to use it.
• Creatures with the Air subtype have a Fly speed
equal to their base speed and perfect maneuver-
ability.
AMPHIBIOUS (8 ability points)
This ability only applies to creatures with the Aquatic
subtype. Creatures with this ability are able to survive
out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution,
after which they suffer the effects of drowning.
AQUATIC SUBTYPE (0 ability points)
These individuals always have swim speeds and thus
can move in water without making Swim checks. An
aquatic individual can breathe underwater. It cannot
also breathe air unless it has the amphibious special
quality. This subtype does not cost any ability points
in itself; without the Amphibious or Gills abilities, it
simply defines an underwater rather than land-based
campaign setting.
BREATH WEAPON (20 ability points)
A breath weapon is a delivery method for some other
kind of effect, such as an energy blast or paralysis.
This form of attack fills an area, either a 20-foot cone
or a 40-foot line. The appropriate saving throw is indi-
cated in the description of the associated effect. Using
a breath weapon is a standard action. No attack roll is
necessary. Creatures are immune to their own breath
weapons. Creatures that do not breathe might still
have breath weapons.
BAATEZU SUBTYPE (125 ability points)
This subtype can only be applied to outsiders with the
Evil subtype.
A baatezu possesses the following traits.
BODY SPIKES (12 ability points)
Bony spurs or chitinous spikes protrude from your
joints, giving you a jagged profile and making you
dangerous to grapple. The spikes deal 1d4 points
of piercing damage to any individual engaging in a
grapple with the creature. Furthermore, the spikes
deal 1d4 points of piercing damage per round to any
individual that swallows a member of this race using
the swallow whole ability.
• Immunity to fire and poison.
• Resistance to acid 10 and cold 10.
•
See in Darkness (
Su
):
All baatezu can see
perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created
by a deeper darkness spell.
•
Summon:
Baatezu share the ability to summon
others of their kind. The basic baatezu subtype
grants the ability to summon a lemure once per
day, as per summon monster II (
caster level equal
to the summoner’s Hit Dice
).
• Telepathy (
see the ability description, below
).
CHANGE SHAPE (20 ability points)
An individual with this special quality has the ability
to assume the appearance of a specific individual or
type of individual (
usually a humanoid
), but retains
most of its own physical qualities. An individual
BLINDSENSE (20 ability points)
Using nonvisual senses, such as acute smell or
hearing, an individual with blindsense notices things
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