Example New Species for Fantasy Craft

[Catodon]

Anyone have any new species? A lot has been written about species/origin design in this forum if you want guidence. However, in the end instinct, playtesting and scrutiny are needed for many features. this is where a forum can help.
To get the ball rolling:
As someone really new to Fantasy Craft without any actual play under his belt (but with 27 years in the rpg hobby) I offer the following for comment and correction. (I did not use the design rules posted in the forum).

Great Raven
Ravens appear in mythologies throughout the world. Depending on the local culture ravens could be seen as agents of the gods of the afterlife, battlefield scavengers, crop thieves, companions of wizards, or tricksters.
These are large ravens, some almost 2 feet tall, with strong bills, blue-black feathers, and thoughtful black eyes. Able to speak and as intelligent as any dwarf or human, ravens are usually considered citizens with full rights.
Ravens are hatched by devoted parents and during fledging become very close to their siblings. Raven’s seek mates who provide security and marry for life. Unfortunately, most never gain a sufficiently comfortable and settled lifestyle to attract a mate. Single birds live in roosts of their own kind, often associated with a temple, palace, or dragon lair of those they work for. Raven’s are trustworthy but also cautious, many would say cowardly. A certain nervousness is understandable though if you are a 10Lb bird. Ravens are also curious and acquisitive and these instincts can overcome fear often enough that many follow a life of adventure. 
In an adventuring party a raven is suited to any role except that of combatant.
Common Personality traits: Curious, careful, nervous, intellectual, greedy
Common Physical Traits: shimmering feathers, loud caw, constantly hopping about, throat hackles, ebony beak.
Example Names: Arawhr, Krark, Quork, Nightwing, Ghosteye
Splinter race feats: most differ in appearance in only minor ways such as white eyes instead of black. There is lots of mythology attached to ravens that could be drawn on to create splinter race feats.
Type: Tiny Beast, 1x1 reach 1, requires only one common meal per day.
Attributes: Str -2, +4 Dexterity
Always Ready: You may always act during surprise rounds.
Base Speed:  20ft
Banned Actions: You may not use Kick tricks or make Jump or Swim checks. You cannot use two handed weapons or tools requiring both hands while standing.
Bird’s Eye: Your visual range increments are equal to Wisdom score x80 ft. You also ignore range penalties from the 2nd and 4th range increments while you’re Aiming.
Caw: Using their own cawing languages ravens can use volumes equal to a human shout continuously. This is especially useful when combined with Sharp Hearing.
Mimic: They can train their voices out of any hint of avian squawk, some even have pleasant speaking voices. They are able to mimic other sounds using the Bluff skill. When using mimic volume is limited to that of human talking.
Enlightened Survival: Your maximum Survival rank increases to your Career Level + 5. Only the highest bonus from any single enlightened ability may apply to each skill.
Iron Gut: You gain an insight bonus equal to your Constitution modifier with saves against disease and poisons (minimum+1).
No Smell or Taste: Ravens automatically fail checks to detect odd smells or tastes such as those produced by poisons. They can also eat things that taste horrible.
Sharp Hearing: Your hearing range increments are equal to your Wisdom score x10 ft. Further, you may always act during a surprise round unless deafened. Note that a raven is also Always Ready so even deafening will not prevent a raven from acting on a surprise round.
Inquisitive Mind: You gain 2 additional Interests.
Natural Attack: You gain the Bite I and Claw I natural attacks (see page 235). If you gain a natural attack from multiple sources, the attack’s grade becomes equal to the highest single grade + 1 per additional benefit granting the same attack, to a maximum of IV.
Winged Flight: You may fly with a Speed of 60 ft.
Enlightened sense motive: As social birds and scavengers raven must be adept at sensing the moods of others and large animals. Your maximum Sense Motive rank increases to your Career Level + 5. Only the highest bonus from any single enlightened ability may apply to each skill.
Iconic Specialties: You gain your Specialty’s bonus feat only if you’re an Acrobat, Adept, Adventurer, Bard, Cleric, Criminal, Mystic, Rogue, Shaman, Sorcerer, or Warden.


 

[aegis]

Dunno about balance (it seems slightly overpowered though), but the mechanics and description are really nice. I like what you re-used and also what you made up. You should move the Winged Flight upper in the list, next to the ground speed actually. 

[Catodon]

Thanks, in my little FC bubble balance is the hardest thing to judge.  Any suggestions on what to cut? if anything being a 10Lb bird is its own disadvantage. I should know I've been playing an uplifted raven in a GURPS timetravel campiagn for almost a year now, which is my way of say that in general terms the birds work nicely as a PC role. Can anyone else help me get the mechanics right for FC.

[aegis]

"Requires 1 common meal per day" is basically Lean season, which is an origin ability like any other. My advice here is really to take a look at the Origin creation rules and try to assign points to each ability. If you fall between 6 and 7, then it's rather balanced. If you're slightly out, you can adjust one or two things to make it right. If you're really out (e.g. above 10), there is a real risk that your character might overpower (not necessarily combat-wise) other PCs.

[Catodon]

THanks I'll do that over the next couple of days.

[aegis]

I had time to kill. 

Type: Tiny Beast, 1x1 reach 1.
-2

Attributes: Str -2, +4 Dexterity
0

Always Ready: You may always act during surprise rounds.
+2

Base Speed:  20ft
-0.5

Lean Season: requires only one common meal per day
+1

Banned Actions: You may not use Kick tricks or make Jump or Swim checks.
-1.5

You cannot use two handed weapons or tools requiring both hands while standing.
Well, this is basically part of the Beast restrictions I would say.

Bird’s Eye: Your visual range increments are equal to Wisdom score x80 ft. You also ignore range penalties from the 2nd and 4th range increments while you’re Aiming.
+2

Caw: Using their own cawing languages ravens can use volumes equal to a human shout continuously. This is especially useful when combined with Sharp Hearing.
I would say no cost.

Mimic: They can train their voices out of any hint of avian squawk, some even have pleasant speaking voices. They are able to mimic other sounds using the Bluff skill. When using mimic volume is limited to that of human talking.
Well, if that means that the crows can speak like other people, it should be simply mentioned in their description and not appear here. Same thing for Caw.

Enlightened Survival: Your maximum Survival rank increases to your Career Level + 5. Only the highest bonus from any single enlightened ability may apply to each skill.
+1

Iron Gut: You gain an insight bonus equal to your Constitution modifier with saves against disease and poisons (minimum+1).
+1

No Smell or Taste: Ravens automatically fail checks to detect odd smells or tastes such as those produced by poisons. They can also eat things that taste horrible.
I would say -1 for the impairment of two secondary senses.

Sharp Hearing: Your hearing range increments are equal to your Wisdom score x10 ft. Further, you may always act during a surprise round unless deafened. Note that a raven is also Always Ready so even deafening will not prevent a raven from acting on a surprise round.
+2, but is there really a point at having Always Ready and Sharp Hearing. Wouldn't it make sense that they are surprised if deafened?

Inquisitive Mind: You gain 2 additional Interests.
+1

Natural Attack: You gain the Bite I and Claw I natural attacks (see page 235). If you gain a natural attack from multiple sources, the attack’s grade becomes equal to the highest single grade + 1 per additional benefit granting the same attack, to a maximum of IV.
+1

Winged Flight: You may fly with a Speed of 60 ft.
+3 since 50ft cost +2.5

Enlightened sense motive: As social birds and scavengers raven must be adept at sensing the moods of others and large animals. Your maximum Sense Motive rank increases to your Career Level + 5. Only the highest bonus from any single enlightened ability may apply to each skill.
+1

Iconic Specialties: You gain your Specialty’s bonus feat only if you’re an Acrobat, Adept, Adventurer, Bard, Cleric, Criminal, Mystic, Rogue, Shaman, Sorcerer, or Warden.
-1

Total: +10. In my opinion, it is the sum of so many little things that make the Specie so "expensive" (and too many things also means harder to grasp). The first thing I believe you could get rid of is Always Ready. Sharp Hearing is fine enough and the deafened condition is not that frequent (plus I like the small backdrop). Remove another +1 ability like Enlightened Survival or something like this, or reduce flight speed to 40ft, and you're 7-points worth and good to go!

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

I've designed several species based off (modern interpretations of) various mythical creatures such as unicorns and griffons.  However they have no flavor text, so I don't see any need to post them here when anyone could just make their own.

What I do have is a series of species feats:
Nocturnal:
You are well adapted for the night.
Pre: Level 1 only.
Benefit: You gain low-light vision, and your hearing range increments are equal to your Wis score x10 ft, and you may always act during a surprise round unless deafened.
Special: When you take this feat you may reduce any of your attributes by 2 to gain an additional Species feat with the requirement “Level 1 only”.

Amphibious:
You are as at home in water as you are on land.
Pre: Level 1 only.
Benefit: You gain a +5 bonus with Swim checks, superior swimmer II, and the aquatic I quality.
Special: When you take this feat you may reduce any of your attributes by 2 to gain an additional Species feat with the requirement “Level 1 only”.

Arboreal:
Branches are as good as ground to you.
Pre: Level 1 only.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus with Climb checks and are always considered to have climber’s gear.  Also your Jump distances are doubled and not limited by height.
Special: When you take this feat you may reduce any of your attributes by 2 to gain an additional Species feat with the requirement “Level 1 only”.

Miniature:
You never quite managed to grow up.
Pre: Medium size, Level I only.
Benefit: You are Small size, and you gain a +5 bonus on Conceal Action checks and your Dexterity rises by 1.
Special: When you take this feat you may reduce any of your attributes by 2 to gain an additional Species feat with the requirement “Level 1 only”.

Snake Tail:
Your lower half is that of a serpent.
Pre: Level 1 only.
Benefit: You have a tail instead of legs and gain improved stability and tail slap II, and a +5 bonus to Swim checks.  You may not make Break Fall or Extend Jump checks.

Four-Legged:
Your lower body is that of a powerful, clawed animal.
Pre: Level 1 only.
Benefit: You are a clawed quadruped of your size below the waste, and gain improved stability and claw II, and your ground speed increases by 10 ft.  You may not make Break Fall or Tumble checks.

Centaur:
Below your waste you have the form of a wild horse instead of a pair of sluggish stilts.
Pre: Medium size, Level 1 only.
Benefit: You have a horse lower body of Large (1x2) size with Reach 1.  Your Strength increases by 1, and you gain a 50% increase to you encumbrance rating, trample II and kick II, and your ground speed increases by 10 ft.  You may not make Climb, Break Fall, or Tumble checks, you may only use weapons as a Medium size creature, and you gain fatal falls.

Winged:
You have wings, be they feathered, leathery, or insectile.
Pre: Level 1 only
Benefit: You have winged flight 50 ft and an extra benefit based on the type of wing:
* Sea Bird: +5 bonus to Swim checks, but -5 ft on flight speed.
* Songbird: You gain two additional Interests which must be spent either on a Study related to performance or a Language, but your Strength decreases by 1.
* Falcon/Hawk: +1 bonus to Acrobatics skill.
* Eagle: Your Charisma rises by 1.
* Moth: +5 bonus to Intimidate with the Threaten action, but your Constitution decreases by 1.
* Dragonfly: +5 ft to flight speed.
* Wyvern: Claw I natural attack with wings.
* Bat: +1 bonus to Notice skill.
Special: When you take this feat you may reduce any of your attributes by 2 to gain an additional Species feat with the requirement “Level 1 only”.

This last one doesn't have any flavor text because I'm not really that good at it:
Kuomo:

Pre: Medium size, Level 1 only
Benefit: You have the lower body of a spider, and are Large size (2x2) with Reach 1.  The DC of your Climb checks decrease by 1/2 normal (rounded up).  Additionally you may produce spider webbing, allowing you to create the equivalent of climbing gear that may be used by one additional person at a time.  You may not make Break Fall or Tumble checks and you may only wield weapons as a Medium creature.

[Catodon]

Aegis: Thanks for the help. Some of your suggestions were along the same lines I was thinking some were good ideas.
Slivercatmoonpaw: Yes people could just make thier own, if they had the time. It is also good to see how other people work up ideas. Finally no flavour text could be a bonus, people can write thier own to suit thier settings.

Yep get rid of Always Ready.

Mimic covers other sounds than speech they could bark like a dog or mimic the winch and click of a crossbow being cocked. This ability has a lot of uses. So 1pt?

However I think your right about Caw as 0pt.

I think I’d dump enlightened sense motive because though its based on real raven abilities it’s probably not the first thing that springs to mind.

So that’s 7 or 8pt. Might also drop inquisitive mind.

[aegis]

Yep, with this wider use of Mimic, and dropping Always Ready, Enlightened Sense Motive, and Inquisitive Mind, you should have something nice. I believe Mimic may also need some rephrasing, particularly for its interaction with skills, including Bluff, but I really have nothing to suggest, so ... 

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

.....no flavour text could be a bonus, people can write thier own to suit thier settings.

Would also mean I get to work less.

Yes people could just make thier own, if they had the time.

Good point.  Okay, here are a few I've got:

(I know this one is likely to be controversial.  Let me just put the design decision this way: I wanted to see if I could give humans a hat (ala Planet of the Hats) just because sometimes it feels like they'd fit in better with other races if they had one.  I settled on them being social, storytellers (Bluff), curious, and prone to using gang-up tactics.  I'm not suggesting that humans are actually like this.)
Human: [7]
Folk type [ 0 ]
Medium, Reach 1 [ 0 ]
+2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom [1]
Enlightened Bluff [1]
Enlightened Investigate [1]
Charming [1]
Horde Basics [3]

Fairy: [7]
Folk type [ 0 ]
Tiny, Reach 1 [1.5]
-4 Strength, +2 Any [ 0 ]
Base Speed 30 ft [ 0 ]
Winged Flight 50 ft [2.5]
Enlightened Skill (Stealth) [1]
Low-light vision [1]
Lean Season [1]

Wolf: [6.5]
Beast type [-2]
Small, Reach 1 [1]
+2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence [1]
Iconic Specialties [-1]
Bite I [0.5]
Superior Runner II [1]
Improved Sense (scent) [1]
Bonus Feat: Wolf Pack Basics [3]
Low-light vision [1]
Enlightened Skill (Survival) [1]

Griffin: [7]
Beast type [-2]
Large (1x2), Reach 1 [1]
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma [2]
Base Speed 30 ft [ 0 ]
Winged Flight 50 ft [2.5]
Low-light vision [1]
Eagle-Eyed: Your visual range increments are equal to Wis x 80 ft.  You also ignore range penalties from the 2nd and 4th range increments while you’re aiming.  [2]
Bite I and Claw I [1]
Iconic Specialties [-1]
Iconic Classes [-1]
Thick Hide 2 [1]
Sterner Stuff [0.5]

Unicorn: [7]
Beast type [-2]
Large (1x2), Reach 1 [1]
-2 Constitution, +2 Charisma [1]
Base Speed 50 ft [2]
Iconic Specialties [-1]
Gore I and Trample I [1]
Improved Sense (hearing) [1]
Natural Elegance [1]
Bonus Feat: Bandage [3]

[Catodon]

these will be great if I ever find time to convert my old Ad&D 2e setting to FC.

[Deral]

I did a bunch of these, and figured I'd put them up in case they help someone, but my species use some altered rules, but nothing that can't be fixed, most are just for tidiness or for the player's sake (the main thing that'll show up is Powerful Species, effectively a built in "By the way, you just spent your 1st level Career feat on a species feat for this race")

Angel
Size/Type: Medium biped Outsider Folk (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +3 to Wisdom or Charisma
Qualities:
-Outsider Traits: Your attacks gain your Alignment, if any, and spells, effects and
attacks with an opposing alignment deal +2 damage per die to you. Instead of dying, you are
banished.
-Base Speed: 30ft
-Powerful Species: You never gain your first level career feat.
-Iconic Specialties:You only gain the specialty bonus feat from Adept, Bard, Cleric,
Druid, Mystic, Physician, Shaman, Sorcerer, Vanguard, or Warden.
-Beneficent Spirit: When you make a mend check, or are able to aid someone in
making a medicine check, the amount healed is increased by your starting action dice. If the target
shares your alignment, this amount is increased to your Career Level, if higher. This only effects the
first mend check made on each target, each day.
-Banned Actions: You cannot make Lie or Mask checks.
-Darkvision I: You ignore the effects of dim and faint light.
-Resistances: You gain Cold and Electrical Resistance 10.
-Winged Flight: You gain a winged flight speed of 50ft.

Changeling (Influenced by that other changeling, but fairly different)
Size/Type: Medium biped Folk Ooze (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +2 Charisma, +2 Any
Qualities:
-Ooze Traits: You are considered 1 size category larger to resist Bull Rush, Disarm,
Grapple and Trip, and 2 size categories smaller when squeezing into confined spaces. You may
hold a number of readied items or weapons equal to your 3 + your Dexterity modifier, but can only
use armor specifically designed for you. You do not age, but you must eat, sleep, and breathe.
-Base Speed: 30ft
-Banned Actions: You may not make Break Fall, Push Limit, or Swim checks
-Viscous: You suffer 1 additional damage per die from cold and are slowed for a
number of rounds equal to ½ any cold damage taken (rounded down). If you suffer
continuous cold damage you are slowed until you escape the source of
the damage.
-Iconic Classes: Assassin and Burglar are iconic classes for
Changelings
-Iconic Specialties: You only gain the feat from your specialty if you
choose: Acrobat, Adventurer, Aristocrat, Criminal, Gladiator,
Merchant, Mystic, Nomad, Rogue, Sorcerer, or Swindler
-Natural Disguise: You suffer no penalties for age, gender, height,
weight or species on disguise checks (though you're still limited by
what they allow)
-Origin Skill: You gain Disguise as an origin skill.
-Reviled: The Disposition of non-changelings toward you decreases
by 5
-Shapeshifter: You may spend an action die to make a Mask check as
a full action, you are considered to always have a disguise kit, and
you, gain a bonus to the result as if you had spent an action die to
boost it, receiving the highest result (though it does not explode).
-Sterner Stuff: The Keen quality of any attack that hits you is reduced
by 4

Demon
Size/Type: Medium biped Outsider Folk (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Any
Qualities:
-Outsider Traits: Your attacks gain your Alignment, if any, and
spells, effects and attacks with an opposing alignment deal +2 damage
per die to you. Instead of dying, you are banished.
-Base Speed: 40ft
-Powerful Species: You never gain your 1st level career feat.
-Iconic Specialties: You only gain the specialty bonus feat from
Aristocrat, Artisan, Corsair, Criminal, Gladiator, Lord, Merchant,
Rogue, Swindler, or Sorcerer.
-Charming: Once per session you may improve the disposition of a
non-adversary NPC by 5
-Dark Instinct: Targets with opposing alignments suffer a -2 penalty
with skill checks targeting or opposing you
-Darkvision II: You ignore all ambient light penalties.
-Light-Sensitivity: You take 20 flash damage when entering a more
brightly lit area.
-Natural Attacks: You gain Claw I and Gore I natural attacks
-Sharp Mind: You gain 1 additional skill point per level
-Winged Flight: You gain a winged flight speed of 40ft.

Drake (Drakes are replaced by a sort of wyvern/drake mix in my world, but there's a Dragon player race that represents greater dragons).
Size/Type: Medium quadruped Beast (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +2 Strength or Intelligence
Qualities:
-Beast Traits: You lack hands or other fine manipulators, and cannot take actions
requiring them. You can only use armor, handheld gear, and non-natural weapons specifically
modified for your use.
-Base Speed: 40ft.
-Iconic Specialties: You gain your specialty's bonus feat only if you're an Acrobat,
Barbarian, Bard, Fist, Guardian, Lord, Mystic, Rogue, Sorcerer, or Warden.
-Natural Attacks: You gain the Bite I and Tail Slap II natural attacks
-Flame-Blessed: Your Bite attack gains the Alternate Damage (Fire) quality, and your
Tail Slap gains the Venomous (Sickening Poison) quality.
-Lean Season: You need only 1 common meal a day.
-Winged Flight: You gain a winged flight speed of 50ft.

Ratfolk
Size/Type: Medium biped Folk (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +2 Intelligence, +2 Any, -2 Any
Qualities:
-Base Speed: 40ft
-Cat Fall: You suffer 1 less die of damage from falling
-Darkvision II: You ignore all ambient light penalties.
-Inquisitive Mind: You gain 2 additional interests
-Iron Gut: You gain an insight bonus equal to your Con modifier on saves
against poisons and diseases
-Light Sensitive: Any time you enter a more brightly lit area, you take 20
points of flash damage.
-Reviled: The disposition of non-ratfolk toward you decreases by 5
-Sharp Ears:Your hearing range increments are equal to your Wisdom score
x10ft. Also, you may always act during a surprise round unless deafened.

Shadow (Shadow human, influenced partially by Shades)
Size/Type: Medium biped Outsider Folk (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +2 Constitution, +2 Any
Qualities:
-Outsider Traits: Your attacks gain your Alignment, if any, and spells,
effects and attacks with an opposing alignment deal +2 damage per die to
you. Instead of dying, you are banished.
-Base Speed: 50ft
-Achilles Heel: All Flash damage you suffer is doubled.
-Agile Defense: Your base defense increases by 1.
-Darkvision II: You ignore all ambient light penalties.
-Iconic Classes: Assasin and Burlgar are iconic classes for Shadows
-Powerful Species: You never gain your 1st level Career feat.
-Light as a Feather: Your jump distances are not limited by your height
and you suffer exactly 1 damage per die from falling.
-Light Sensitive: You suffer 20 points of flash damage when entering a
more brightly lit area
-Reviled: The disposition of any non-shadows toward you decreases by 5
-Stealthy: You gain a +4 bonus on Sneak checks

Sprite
Size/Type: Small biped Fey (1x1, Reach 1)
Attributes: +4 Dexterity, +4 Charisma, -3 Strength, -3 Wisdom
Qualities:
-Fey Traits: Natural animals refuse to attack you and often flee
from you unless trained to hunt fey, or are attacked by you or
your teammates.
-Base Speed: 20ft
-Damage Vulnerability (Cold Iron): You suffer +1 damage per
die from Cold Iron and are sickened for a number of rounds equal
to ½ the damage suffered.
-Enlightened Acrobatics: Your maximum rank with Acrobatics
increases to your Career Level + 5
-Iconic Classes: Burglar and Priest are Iconic classes for Sprites
-Iconic Specialties: You only gain your Specialty feat if you're an
Acrobat, Adept, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Merchant, Mystic,
Physician, Shaman, or Sorcerer.
-Powerful Species: You never gain your 1st level Career feat.
-Maneuverable: You suffer no penalties for hovering.
-Master Manipulator: You gain an insight bonus equal to your
Charisma modifier on all checks opposed by Sense Motive.
-Winged Flight: You gain a Winged Flight speed of 60ft.

Stone-Blood
Size/Type: Large biped Folk (1x1, Reach 2)
Attributes: +6 Constitution, -4 Dexterity, -4 Charisma
Qualities:
-Base Speed: 30ft:
-Banned Actions: You cannot make Jump, Swim, or Tumble
checks
-Powerful Species: You never gain your 1st level Career feat.
-Iconic Classes: Sage and Soldier are Iconic classes for Stone
Blooded.
-Lumbering: You can be flanked by any 2 adjacent
opponents, and you suffer a -2 penalty with all reflex saves
-Never Fall: You may avoid receiving the fatigued or
unconscious conditions from taking damage to your wounds a number of
times per scene equal to your starting action dice.
-Hard as Stone: You gain Stress and Subdual resistance 4.
-Rock Solid: You gain 1 additional wound point at 1st level and every level thereafter.
-Rough Body: Any effect that cures vitality has only half it's normal effect on you
-Thick Blood: You suffer no damage from the bleeding condition.
-Thick Hide: You're considered to be wearing partial armor that grants DR 4.

After putting a few races in here I realized the rest of the races I pieced together or converted or whatever are either a little complicated, are fairly setting specific or use more setting-specific rules, they all have subraces but I made subraces a little easier for players to eyeball and they'd take a little bit of typing (read:no actual converting) to convert back to feat form. If someone doesn't think these are horrible and is interested I could put them up, though, same with the other races.

Edit: Sorry about the slightly odd formatting, I converted it all to a PDF after I was "done" and these are copied out of there.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Pretty cool races.  I think I'm going to have to yoink the changeling, since I love ooze shapeshifters.

I say go ahead and post the other races, just give us a bit a description with each about what they are.

[Catodon]

While points can give a good guide for designs the proof is in play. Would love to hear from anyone who has tried any new races (or has something interesting to share about playing standard species).
For the raven I know the concept will make a useful addition to play and allow interesting roleplaying from using ravens in other systems (AD&D and GURPS fantasy and time travel) but have not playtested the FC version given above.

[Catodon]

there seems to be two types of goblins out there. There's the sneaky Tolkien/D&D type then there's the magical tricksy type based somewhat on British folklore. Standard FC goblins seem to be the first type. Here is a species feat for the other kind...

Boggle
The original goblins as they were created by the trickster god before they were twisted by the Cold Tyrant.
Change iconic classes to Mage and Burglar. Ignore Species penalties with Disguise checks and you are always considered to have a disguise kit for the purpose of disguising yourself. Disguise and Bluff become origin skills for you.

This is roughly based on the various kinds of goblins found in the works of Briggs and other folklorists of Britain, hence the homage to shapeshifting. In a Victorian era campaign you could make Boggle the standard goblins (no feat) by dropping Tenacious spirit from the species in FC and losing the extra origin skills but otherwise applying the feat above.