Humans in BR

[Green Knight]

BR humans were unique in 2e in that they had ability modifiers. When converting to 3e several variants have been put forward, among them +2/-2, +1/-1 and save bonus/skill bonus variants.

If you don't like any of these methods and would rather stick with standard 3e humans, while retaining the special feel of the BR races, try the following:

Make up a few new background feats (available only at 1st level) called Pureblood Andu, Rjuven etc. (for instance). having this feat represents having a relatively direct line of descent from pureblooded members of that sub-race. Pssible benefits include +1 to one save & +2 to one skill or +2 to two skills or some other combination.

[kgauck]

My approach has followed two tracks. One the one hand, each nation has its
own fighting styles. On the other, they all have professional specialties.

For fighting styles, I start with the weapons list on page 17 of the BR
rulebook. Weapons designed not available on that chart are bumped up on
catagory in terms of simple weapons, martial weapons, and exotic weapons.
For example, the flail is listed as available for Anuire, Brectuer,
Vosgaard, and the dwarves. Its normally a martial weapon, so in Rjurik,
Khinasi, and Sidhe lands, its an exotic weapon. One change I made to this
list was the composite longbow and the longbow.
Only the Sidhe and the Rjruik have availablity for the composite long bow.
Only the Anuireans, Rjurik, and Sidhe have availability for the long bow. I
also stuck with the 3E weapons list in leaving the bastard/broad sword as an
exotic weapon, except for the Anuireans, who get it as a martial weapon.

One of the things this does is to give each nation the distinctive fighting
styles intended by the designers by using the weapons selection. Then I add
a few fighting styles as feats available to members of particular nations or
regions.

For example:
Brecht Fencer - When using a rapier in your primary hand and a dagger in
your off hand, you may fight as if you had the Ambidexterity and Two Weapon
Fighting feats.
Agile Horseman (Anuirean or Khinasi) - You may use a Ride check in place of
a Reflex save when mounted.

Such feats need not be limited to low level characters either.
High level Brecht and Rjurik archers (using Crossbows and Longbows
respectivly) may get a +2 competance bonus against any opponent with armor.
Vos Fury - Once per round, when performing a full attack action, you gain an
additional attack against against an enemy if you attempt to attack them and
miss. This attack and all subsequent attacks this round suffer a -5 penalty
to hit.
Perhaps in Khinasi lands, if you have a +6 BAB, you don`t need Improved
Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite for the Deflect Arrows feat.

Also some of the new feats in the supplements (Sword & Fist and so forth)
may be available only to some nations.

The second track I use involves skills and prfessional abilities. Some of
this might be feats like Scribing Spell Tattoos in Vosgaard, Carving Runes
in Rjurik, a Vos version of Greater Fortitude with a +3 bonus instead of the
normal. Anuirean Stewardship (+2 to Diplomacy +2 to Administration checks),
Brecht Screwdness (+5 to Sense Motive or +5 to Apprase, can be taken twice,
once for each), Khinasi Researching (+2 bonus to Knowledge or Research
checks when a library is available and synergy bonuses are doubled).

And that doesn`t even start with how Prestige classes can be used to enhance
regional distinctions. Take the Animal Lord from MotW, there might be Vos
Varsklords, Rjurik Wolflords, and Anuirean Equinelords.

Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com

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