Racial changes - opinions on balance

[tenebrae]

A friend of mine is looking to start a FantasyCraft game that's set in his own (prior) campaign setting. He's tinkered a little with the races, and I wanted to get some opinions on whether the changes are enough to unbalance anything, so I can give him some advice if neccessary.

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Dwarf: Iconic Classes – If your level in any base class is higher than your level in either Explorer, Keeper, Priest or Soldier your starting action dice decreases by 2

Pech: Iconic Specialties – You gain your Specialty’s bonus feat only if you are an Acrobat, Adept, Adventurer, Artisan, Bard, Corsair, Criminal, Merchant, Rogue, Swindler or Wizard

Elf: Iconic Classes – If your level in any base class is higher than your level in either Burglar, Mage, Sage or Scout your starting action dice decreases by 2

Iconic Specialties – You gain your Specialty’s bonus feat only if you are an Adept, Adventurer, Archer, Aristocrat, Artisan, Druid, Fencer, Lord, Mystic, Ranger, Sorcerer, Vanguard or Wizard

Half Elves can elect to follow Human or Elf rules, or may take the following Talent

Half Elf

    * Type: Medium Biped Humanoid. Your maximum Wounds equals your Constitution score
    * Attributes: +2 Strength, Dexterity or Constitution
    * Base Speed: 35 ft
    * Half Elf Sight: Your Visual Range increments are equal to your Wisdom score x 40 ft. You also ignore range penalties for the 2nd range increment whilst aiming.
    * Light Sleeper: Sleeping is never a Terminal situation for you.
    * Distrusted: The disposition of all Non Half Elf strangers decreases by 10.

Elven Evolution: Starting at Career Level 4, each time you gain a level, you may decrease your Constitution by 2 to increase you Wisdom by 2, once only. If you do so you gain the following traits:

    * Fey: Your Type is considered Fey instead of Humanoid.
    * Sharp Hearing: Your hearing range increments are equal to your Wisdom score x 10.

Minotaur (based on Ogre stats)

    * Type: Hulking Medium biped folk. You are medium sized but are considered Large for all purposes. Your maximum Wounds equals your Constitution score x 1.5
    * Attributes: Choose one of the following;
      * +2 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
      * +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma
    * Base Speed: 30ft
    * Banned Checks: You may not make Outmaneuver or Tumble checks
    * Enlightened Skills – Your maximum skill rank increases to Career +5 for one option
      * Athletics & Intimidate
      * Haggle & Impress
    * Iconic Specialties: You gain your specialty’s bonus feat only if you are an Aristocrat, Artisan, Barbarian, Criminal, Fighter, Gladiator, Guardian, Merchant, Nomad, Shaman, Shield Bearer, Swindler, or Tribesman.

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My initial thoughts:

The wording could be better on some parts. I'm pretty sure Elven Evolution is meant to be a one-off option, not a 'each time' option.

Four favored classes hardly seems a penalty (and giving Elves Mage makes the Lore of the Stars feat a bit useless).

[pawsplay]

Why is Elven Evolution level 4?

[Dhampire]

Minotaur (based on Ogre stats)

    * Type: Hulking Medium biped folk. You are medium sized but are considered Large for all purposes. Your maximum Wounds equals your Constitution score x 1.5

They should just be Large with a 1x1 footprint, Reach 1.


Also, adding extra Iconic Classes to Dwarf and Elf diminish the value of the negative quality, thus putting those species at, at least, 0.5 greater value.  Then again, as has been discussed elsewhere, Iconic Classes may be too much of a deterrent, and that would be one way to soften them.

[tenebrae]

Why is Elven Evolution level 4?

I'm guessing this is a carryover from the Spycraft Elf Blood feat from OotS. It had a similar option that was only unlockable from level 4 onwards.

[Sletchman]

Why do half-elves have the option of +2 Con?  Half of their parentage is at -2 Con, so unless the other half is Dwarf it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Kalos]

Half-Elves are waaaaaaaaaaaay too good.

The "real" half-elves have absolutely outstanding benefits in their own right  with the ability of "becoming" human or elven if they so choose. Since all humans really have going for them is a (possibly unfair, depending on how much you really care about race-to-class balance) level of versatility to how you want to build one, half-elves are just "humans, but even better." Or if you prefer the more elven side of half elves, then you're an elf to the average passer-by, but you're not so harshly limited by the traditional elf rules.