A couple homebrew fixes - balanced? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A couple homebrew fixes - balanced? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Stardust
04-11-07, 06:12 PM I've houseruled a couple of the 'weaker' PHB races to try and make them more attractive, without being broken, any constructive comments welcome:

Note: I know there are a lot of fixes for both these races floating around, but this is just how I wanted to do it - not suggesting anything as a proper fix, but just wanting to make sure that it doesn't seem to everybody to be grossly out of balance the way i've done it.

Half-Elves:
- Lose: Immunity to sleep spells, +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather information, Favoured Class: Any.
- Gain: Bonus feat at first level, Favoured Class: Bard

I know the extra feat is very shiny, but compared to the human, they now lack the versatility of any favoured class and receive no extra skill points. I can try and outline the flavour considerations if anybody is particularly opposed to this change.

Secondly:
Half-Orcs:
- Lose: -2 Charisma
- Gain: +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks, Weapon familiarity - Orc Double Axe (treated as a martial weapon for a half-orc)

Thoughts?
Darcon_Firedrake
04-11-07, 06:20 PM I think the half-elf is fine the way it was, But the half-orc seems better your way.
AMGriffin
04-11-07, 11:43 PM Half-Elves:
- Lose: Immunity to sleep spells, +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather information, Favoured Class: Any.
- Gain: Bonus feat at first level, Favoured Class: Bard

The bonus feat is definetely a step in the right direction, It's just...eh. I'd work if you just turned the immunity in a +4 save against sleep spells, not unbalanced though.

Secondly:
Half-Orcs:
- Lose: -2 Charisma
- Gain: +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks, Weapon familiarity - Orc Double Axe (treated as a martial weapon for a half-orc)

It's still kinda flat, and if I were to remove a penalty from half-orcs it would be the intelligence (Them being as dumb as orcs just doesn't sit well with me, and from a mechanical skill point it seems like the human bonus skill points would balance it out). They're the unwanted bastard children of violence and jaded tastes, they're going to have low self-esteem and be sullen. The weapon familiarity also assumes they grew up with orcs, what about human-raised ones?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stardust 04-11-07, 06:12 PM	I've houseruled a couple of the 'weaker' PHB races to try and make them more attractive, without being broken, any constructive comments welcome: Note: I know there are a lot of fixes for both these races floating around, but this is just how I wanted to do it - not suggesting anything as a proper fix, but just wanting to make sure that it doesn't seem to everybody to be grossly out of balance the way i've done it. Half-Elves: - Lose: Immunity to sleep spells, +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather information, Favoured Class: Any. - Gain: Bonus feat at first level, Favoured Class: Bard I know the extra feat is very shiny, but compared to the human, they now lack the versatility of any favoured class and receive no extra skill points. I can try and outline the flavour considerations if anybody is particularly opposed to this change. Secondly: Half-Orcs: - Lose: -2 Charisma - Gain: +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks, Weapon familiarity - Orc Double Axe (treated as a martial weapon for a half-orc) Thoughts?
Darcon_Firedrake 04-11-07, 06:20 PM	I think the half-elf is fine the way it was, But the half-orc seems better your way.
AMGriffin 04-11-07, 11:43 PM	Half-Elves: - Lose: Immunity to sleep spells, +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather information, Favoured Class: Any. - Gain: Bonus feat at first level, Favoured Class: Bard The bonus feat is definetely a step in the right direction, It's just...eh. I'd work if you just turned the immunity in a +4 save against sleep spells, not unbalanced though. Secondly: Half-Orcs: - Lose: -2 Charisma - Gain: +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks, Weapon familiarity - Orc Double Axe (treated as a martial weapon for a half-orc) It's still kinda flat, and if I were to remove a penalty from half-orcs it would be the intelligence (Them being as dumb as orcs just doesn't sit well with me, and from a mechanical skill point it seems like the human bonus skill points would balance it out). They're the unwanted bastard children of violence and jaded tastes, they're going to have low self-esteem and be sullen. The weapon familiarity also assumes they grew up with orcs, what about human-raised ones?