geeman
09-28-2003, 02:58 PM
In Monte Cook`s _Arcana Unearthed_ he presents what could pretty easily be
viewed as an extension to the thinking of _Savage Species_. To wit: racial
levels. In a web enhancement he (and several of his friends) present
racial levels for humans, elves, dwarves, and all the rest of the standard,
D&D PC races. Each racial class has 3 levels. 1st level members of each
race are pretty much "standard" versions of those races, and as they gain
benefits based upon the themes of the themes and abilities of each
race. Half-orcs, for instance, can gain the ability to rage at 2nd level,
and a strength score increase at 3rd. It`s a very interesting idea and the
treatment is well done. In some ways it`s a throwback to the old basic D&D
rules in which one levelled up as a fighter, wizard, etc. if human, but
demi-humans levelled up according to their race. The document is available
at: http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff48.html
It occurs to me that in BR we can take this same thinking and even extend
it a bit further by not only have racial levels for dwarves, elves,
goblins, halflings, etc. but also for each of the human races. 1st level
humans could have pretty much "standard" human characteristics, but several
of the special abilities of each race might be assigned to 2nd or 3rd
levels, allowing human characters to take levels as Anuirean, Brecht,
Khinasi, Rjurik or Vos rather than simply assuming all members of those
races/cultures have the exact same racial and cultural traits.
In fact, there`s no real reason to limit the racial classes to three
levels. While taking 20 levels in race might be a bit difficult to
justify, the concept could be used to go as high as one wants, and such a
system might be an interesting way of handling the differences between the
human races in addition to the differences between the other races. Anyone
have thoughts on this?
Gary
viewed as an extension to the thinking of _Savage Species_. To wit: racial
levels. In a web enhancement he (and several of his friends) present
racial levels for humans, elves, dwarves, and all the rest of the standard,
D&D PC races. Each racial class has 3 levels. 1st level members of each
race are pretty much "standard" versions of those races, and as they gain
benefits based upon the themes of the themes and abilities of each
race. Half-orcs, for instance, can gain the ability to rage at 2nd level,
and a strength score increase at 3rd. It`s a very interesting idea and the
treatment is well done. In some ways it`s a throwback to the old basic D&D
rules in which one levelled up as a fighter, wizard, etc. if human, but
demi-humans levelled up according to their race. The document is available
at: http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff48.html
It occurs to me that in BR we can take this same thinking and even extend
it a bit further by not only have racial levels for dwarves, elves,
goblins, halflings, etc. but also for each of the human races. 1st level
humans could have pretty much "standard" human characteristics, but several
of the special abilities of each race might be assigned to 2nd or 3rd
levels, allowing human characters to take levels as Anuirean, Brecht,
Khinasi, Rjurik or Vos rather than simply assuming all members of those
races/cultures have the exact same racial and cultural traits.
In fact, there`s no real reason to limit the racial classes to three
levels. While taking 20 levels in race might be a bit difficult to
justify, the concept could be used to go as high as one wants, and such a
system might be an interesting way of handling the differences between the
human races in addition to the differences between the other races. Anyone
have thoughts on this?
Gary