Simple LL Races (Not Race-Classes)

[samwise7]

I posted this on my blog, but I figured I would through this out here as well:


Simple LL Races
I like the standard race-classes in the core Labyrinth Lord books, but I also realize that some players like a little more variety and like to mix and match races and class abilities. I've never quite been happy with the way the separate races are presented in the AEC (Advanced Edition Companion) book, as they seem to be more complicated than they need to be. I'm of the opinion that you can have a simple race description and then just add one of the human classes to it (Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, and Thief).

So what really do you need to make a race? I suggest that you really don't need that much. Sure, you can go into the fluff as much as you like, to fit your particular setting, but mechanically you can cap each race to a few special abilities, add some modifiers to stats, and then you are all done.

So, let us see if we can make some simple races.

Goblin
Stat Modifiers: Dex +1 / Str -1
Infravision 90' (-1 to all dice rolls in bright sunlight)
Hatred: +1 to attacks and damage vs Dwarves & Kobolds
Tracking Scent: 1-3 on a D6

Orc
Stat Modifiers: Str +1 / Cha -1
Infravision 90' (-1 to all dice rolls in bright sunlight)
Hatred: +1 to attacks and damage vs Dwarves & Elves
Depravity: Everyone hates Orcs even other evil races. Not only are they violent, but they do all sorts of horrible things to the corpses of their enemies. All social interactions should have role-playing consequences left up to the GM.


You could come up with more special abilities, or change them till they fit the way you view the race in question. Making simple races also makes it easier to make new races of your own design.

Thoughts?

[Goblinoid Games]

One of the things I tweaked in the upcoming new print run is to explain what's going on in the AEC for Requirements. My intent (which I forgot to explain in the text...doh!) was that if you want to avoid the more detailed min/maxs of abilities from 1e you instead use the Requirements that are listed. Just FYI. I don't think that addresses all of what you're saying, but partly.

[rabindranath72]

I don't see the classes above inherently easier than the ones described in AEC. If anything, I think the latter are Too Simple when compared with their AD&D counterparts! (e.g. bonuses to hit and damage with swords and bows for elves, racial enemies for dwarves etc.)

[samwise7]

I'm not saying the AEC is bad or anything (I think it is quite good) it is just that I tend to like things as simple as possible. I'm never quite satisfied when I make my own races, as it seems they always need rebalanced, or that they are missing something. The above two races were just whipped up quickly as an example. I know the AEC aims at making the races as much like the Advanced Edition as possible, where as this is just something I was thinking of instituting in an upcoming campaign.

Example Race
Stat Modifiers (+1/-1)
No Requirements
And a couple of special abilities (including boosts to saves or Thief skills).

It's not for everyone, but it was something I was thinking about. The bonus to hit certain races does seem to be a worthless ability if the setting you are in doesn't have those races... that's a good point. That would be a good reason to tweak them.

I was thinking of trying to stat out the races in my Burning Heaven or Marth setting, and I wanted to make the races as simple as possible.
http://burningheaven.bravehost.com
http://marth.bravehost.com

Burning Heaven is really weird, as there are no traditional races, and Marth has traditional races with a twist.

I'm just looking for an easy way to stat out the races, really for my own use. I'm just thinking out loud, or in type in this case.

[johnnybleu]

That's not a bad idea overall-- a quick and dirty way to do the race/class thing from the AEC, while adding the possibility of making up new playable races.
One problem I see with it though is the experience tables. The race as class characters from LL have their own experience tables to reflect their abilities compared to the human classes (who also had their own tables). Essentially, you'd need to come up with new experience tables, along with new saving throw modifiers (if any) and "to hit" tables. At this point, it's gotten so complex and involved that you might as well go the AEC way. >_>

Unless, of course, you're not too concerned with all of that. Then slapping on a stat modifier and a few abilities is the way to go!

[samwise7]

Maybe I'm missing something...

If I take the 4 core LL classes (Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, & Thief) and add racial abilities to them, I think it would work actually. Remember, this is Race separate from Class. I wouldn't use the Race-classes in a campaign that would be using these house rules.

In my line of thinking the racial abilities would just be added to the class abilities. In Burning Heaven for instance, there are no humans, so everyone would have some sort of racial bonus. In settings where there are humans, you could make up a similar racial write up for them. So Human would be one of the racial choices. I'm not really sure what you would give humans, but it would depend on the setting. I would also get rid of level limits, but their Hit Points would max out at a certain point.

So let's see if I can make up a character using my above Goblin race (even though it isn't very good).


1st Level Goblin Cleric (who worships some strange god).

Str 10 (-1 race), Dex 9 (+1 race), Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 12

Racial Abilities:
*Infravision 90' (-1 to all dice rolls in bright sunlight)
*Hatred: +1 to attacks and damage vs Dwarves & Kobolds
*Tracking Scent: 1-3 on a D6

Cleric Abilities:
Cleric Hit Points, 1D6
Cleric Saves = Breath Attack 16, Poison or Death 11, Petrify or Paralysis 14, Wands 12, Spells or Spell-like Devices 15
Cleric Attack Progression = 19 To Hit AC Zero
Turn Undead
Cleric Spells & Spell Progression

Sure, you have to buy his equipment, and figure out his AC, but that is a pretty functional character.

Since the only classes would be the Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, and Thief, and if every character gets racial abilities in hopefully equal measure added on top of them, I would think that it would be pretty fair across the board.

Just picture making a human Cleric, and then giving him some added abilities and fluff text. It seems to make sense from where I am sitting, but maybe I'm missing something...

I would just use the four core human classes and their experience tables, since I'm pretty sure they balance out fairly well.

[rabindranath72]

So you also would give human some bonus to "balance" with the other nonhumans?

[samwise7]

I haven't done this yet in a campaign, but I think some bonuses in the Human Race would be good. What those would be would be up for debate though. Any ideas?

[rabindranath72]

That's always been a conundrum for me, since the game lacks skills, feats etc. which could be easily used. In the past, I have toyed with giving humans a free +1 to any ability score of the player's choice, and/or an additional language, and/or a bonus to reaction checks (to reflect diplomacy.)

[scadgrad]

So you also would give human some bonus to "balance" with the other nonhumans?

Unlimited level advancement, no restricted classes.