Sunday, May 31, 2009

True20 III: Dwarven Lineages

One thing I'm not thrilled about in True20 are races. There's a distinct loss of fine detail when converting from a d20 standard. One option I'm playing with is giving most races a +1 level lag instead of +0 (if everyone has a +1, I can effectively ignore it). I'm not wild about it - it's alot of feats to absorb at first level - and I'm still looking for other solutions (straight up racial paths; some kind of truncated dedicated racial paths; bonus feats at X levels that go to racial feats; etc). I like the new Pathfinder skill system and intend to adopt that; it'll give me a few more points to tweak.

That said, here's my preliminary workup of dwarven lineages (and yes, I took out the ability penalties - humans get 7 ability points instead of 6, but with a +4 cap on any one. Demihumans with a boost get 6 points and a +5 cap). All dwarves get the dwarven background and a lineage.

DWARF BACKGROUND
Ability Adjustments: +1 Con
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Night Vision, Second Chance (Poison)
Favored Feats: Diehard, Favored Opponent (goblin or giant)

DUERGAR
Duergar, also called grey or iron dwarves, are skilled but vice-ridden dwarves who seek to bring all of the dwarven realms under duergar rule. In exchange for their service, the Typhos have rewarded them with several innate supernatural abilities and resistances. Their innate ward power makes them much sought after as specialized “anti-magical” mercenaries and assassins. Exceptional duergar become assassins, cultists, or soldiers.
DUERGAR LINEAGE
Ability Adjustments: +1 Wis
Bonus Feats: Second Chance (Illusion), Skill Focus (Craft [chose one])
Bonus Power: Increase Size*, Ward (duergar treat their total level as their adept level for these powers).

HILL DWARF
Hill dwarves, or dwerg, live in small keeps and halls, often near humans or other races. They have an affinity for working with metal and stone, and ordinary hill dwarves make their living as craftsmen (armorers, blacksmiths, jewelers, potters, stonemasons, trapsmiths) or miners. Heroic hill dwarves usually become kerns, merchants, soldiers, or tinkers.
HILL DWARF LINEAGE
Ability Adjustments: +1 Dex
Bonus Feats: Endurance, Shield Training, Talented (Craft [chose one] & Search), Weapon Training

MORDWERG
Mordwerg are a rare, twisted race of dwarves. They have no halls or settlements of their own, instead living among other dwarves or by themselves. They are surly and self-centered, with a general contempt for anyone besides themselves. Their presence is much sought-after, however, as they are exceptional craftsmen and possess an innate supernatural bent that allows them to create magical artifacts. Most mordwerg are mages, wizards, or craftsmen.
MORDWERG LINEAGE
Bonus Feats: Artisan, Imbue Item, Skill Focus (Craft [chose one])
Bonus Powers: Combat Sense, Ghost Touch, Metal Shaping, Supernatural Weapon (mordwerg treat their total level as their adept level for these powers)

MOUNTAIN DWARF
Mountain dwarves, or dweorh, live in heart of the mountains, in vast greathalls that reach miles into the earth. They are law-abiding, resolute, and stoic, traits formed from millenia of battles against the abominations of the darkness and their corrupt kin, the duergar. Mountain dwarves are also the most avaricious of their kind, and dealings with other races are tempered by their suspicion of non-dwarves. Many mountain dwarves become clerics, soldiers, or templars; dweorh with an arcane bent often become seers or mages.
MOUNTAIN DWARF LINEAGE
Ability Adjustments: +1 Wis
Bonus Feats: Endurance, Favored Opponent (duergar), Tireless, Weapon Training

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