Norrathians: Races

Barbarian

Barbarians have a strict sense of honor and justice, as well as strong extended family ties to their clan, which often lead them to impolitic conflicts with other races. They are welcome in all good cities, although the local guards tend to watch them closely as they have a reputation for violence and are mistrusted due to their unusual and seemingly primitive customs. While blood feuds and revenge are perfectly acceptable in Halas, other races tend to be alarmed by such practices.

Barbarian Racial Traits

• Abilities: +3 Strength, +3 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Barbarians are physically the toughest of the human races, but tend to be gruff and are not terribly interested in more intellectual pursuits.
• Classes: Barbarians can become beastlords, rogues, shamans, or warriors.
• Favored Class: Warrior. When determining whether a multiclass barbarian takes an experience point penalty, his or her warrior levels do not count.
• Feats: Due to their powerful frames, barbarians begin play with the Slam feat as a bonus feat despite that feat’s size prerequisite.
• Language: Barbarians begin with 4 ranks in Language: Barbarian, and 4 ranks in Language: Common.
• Resistance: Racial bonus of cold resistance (3).
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, barbarians have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. Though large by human standards, barbarians aren’t quite big enough to count as large creatures.
• Speed: Barbarian base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: Barbarians have normal vision.

Dark Elf

The Teir’Dal, hated and feared by most races, tend to be manipulative and spiteful even to other Teir’Dal. Their lives are filled with fear, hate, and exploitation; love and trust are weakling ideas for weakling people. Teir’Dal are tolerated, sometimes even welcomed, by coreligionists of other races, but even then they must be watchful. Treason is common and trust is rare among the children of Innoruuk.

Dark Elf Racial Traits

• Abilities: -1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Dark elves are neither particularly strong nor tough, but are nimble both physically and mentally. Their inherent dislike of all other beings makes them disliked in return, despite their physical comeliness.
• Classes: Dark elves can become clerics, enchanters, magicians, necromancers, rogues, shadow knights, warriors, or wizards.
• Favored Class: Necromancer. When determining whether a multiclass dark elf takes an experience point penalty, his or her necromancer levels do not count.
• Language: Dark elves begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Dark Speech.
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, dark elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Skills: Dark elves receive Sneak as a class skill regardless of their actual class(es), and begin with 4 bonus ranks in that skill.
• Speed: Dark elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: Dark elves have ultravision, allowing them to function easily in complete darkness.

Dwarf

Dwarves have a reputation of being as stubborn and unyielding as stone. The elves especially see them as joyless and dour, and indeed they are a solemn people. They are slow to anger and once angry slow to calm again. They find pleasure in work for the good of dwarven-kind and the improvement of their families and themselves. Dwarves strive toward the image of their own creations – impressive, enduring, and of workman-like fashion.

Dwarf Racial Traits

• Abilities: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, -3 Charisma. Dwarves are strong, sturdy, and nimble, and possess naturally deep minds. They are not as quick thinkers as some races, however, and can be very difficult to understand and to get along with.
• Classes: Dwarves can become bards, clerics, paladins, rogues, or warriors.
• Favored Class: Cleric and paladin. When determining whether a multiclass dwarf takes an experience point penalty, his or her cleric and paladin levels do not count.
• Language: Dwarves begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Dwarf.
• Resistance: Racial bonus +2 on all saving throws against poisons and magical effects, and also poison and magic resistance (3).
• Size: Though rather small compared to other races, dwarves are just large enough to be considered Medium creatures. As Medium-size creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Skills: Dwarves receive Knowledge (construction) as a class skill regardless of their actual class(es), and begin with 4 bonus ranks in that skill. Additionally, when underground, dwarves can automatically determine true north.
• Speed: Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Vision: Dwarves have infravision.

Erudite

Descended from the scholarly elite of humans who migrated westward to escape the rest of humanity’s wars and petty bickering, the Erudites consider themselves the most evolved and intelligent of beings. The fact that they are very vocal about this belief – along with their pity and contempt for other races – makes them disliked the world over. The arrogance of the Erudites is as legendary as their skills with magic. They are often tolerated, but rarely welcomed.

Erudite Racial Traits

• Abilities: -2 Strength, -1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, -1 Charisma. Erudites are weak, but they have mighty intellects. Their self-absorption and arrogance make them at times difficult to get along with, but they’re not without a certain quiet dignity.
• Classes: Erudites can become clerics, enchanters, hexblades, magicians, necromancers, paladins, shadow knights, or wizards.
• Favored Class: Enchanter, magician, necromancer, and wizard. When determining whether a multiclass erudite takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level arcane spellcaster class does not count.
• Language: Erudites begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Erudite.
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, erudites have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Skills: Erudites begin with 4 bonus ranks in any Knowledge skill, and may choose one Knowledge skill to be a class skill regardless of their actual class(es).
• Speed: Erudite base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: Erudites have normal vision, but are notorious for their poor nighttime eyesight and suffer a -4 penalty on all visual Perception checks made in low-light conditions.

Gnome

Gnomes are cheerful, friendly, and curious, with an insatiable passion for mechanical creations. They build their clockwork artifacts for dangerous tasks, tedious labor, and anything else they can think of. While many gnomes like to stay at home, some do travel, even if for no other reason than to feed their curiosity. They are often viewed with amusement by the larger races, which does not particularly bother them.

Gnome Racial Traits

• Abilities: -2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +3 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Gnomes are a small, frail race, but have great agility and vast intellects.
• Classes: Gnomes can become clerics, enchanters, hexblades, magicians, necromancers, paladins, rogues, shadow knights, warriors, or wizards.
• Favored Class: Enchanter and magician. When determining whether a multiclass gnome takes an experience point penalty, his or her enchanter and magician levels do not count.
• Language: Gnomes begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Gnome.
• Resistance: Racial bonus +2 on all saving throws against disease, and also disease resistance (3).
• Size: As Small-size creatures, gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class and on all attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Sneak checks. They suffer a -4 size penalty on all Strength checks to break down doors, burst bonds, or the like, however. Further, they must use smaller weapons than humans, and their lifting and carrying limits are only three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters with similar Strength scores.
• Skills: Dwarves receive Trade Skill (tinkering) as a class skill regardless of their actual class(es). Gnomes also gain Disable Device as a class skill upon reaching 8th level regardless of their actual class(es).
• Speed: Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
• Vision: Gnomes have infravision.

Halfbreeds

Of the player races, only the three varieties of elves and the three varieties of humans are capable of interbreeding. There is a specific entry for each of these types of pairings.

For more information, see the entry for Halfbreeds.

Halfling

Halflings have the reputation as fun loving and high spirited pranksters. They are fond of the simple pleasures: food, drink, and a comfortable home. Their small stature and smiling faces make them seem like children to the larger races, who are surprised when they see the fierce side of the halflings displayed. Halflings are very protective of their own people and grimly serious when dealing with the goblins and the dark elves that threaten Rivervale.

Halfling Racial Traits

• Abilities: -1 Strength, +3 Dexterity, -1 Intelligence, -1 Charisma. Halflings are small and spry, usually with good common sense but little intellectual inclination. Other races tend not to take them seriously, often making it difficult for them to interact meaningfully with non-halflings.
• Classes: Halflings can become clerics, druids, paladins, rangers, rogues, or warriors.
• Favored Class: Rogue. When determining whether a multiclass halfling takes an experience point penalty, his or her rogue levels do not count.
• Language: Halflings begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Halfling
• Saves: +1 racial bonus on all Fortitude saves.
• Size: As Small-size creatures, halflings gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class and on all attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Sneak checks. They suffer a -4 size penalty on all Strength checks to break down doors, burst bonds, or the like, however. Further, they must use smaller weapons than humans, and their lifting and carrying limits are only three-quarters of those of Medium-size characters with similar Strength scores.
• Skills: Halflings receive Sneak as a class skill regardless of their actual class(es), and begin with 4 bonus ranks in this skill. Halflings also gain an additional +2 racial bonus to Sneak checks.
• Speed: Halfling base land speed is 20 feet.
• Vision: Halflings have infravision.

High Elf

The Koada’Dal are tolerated by all of the good races, but their solemn and aloof manners often make them seem unapproachable or even haughty, though they are seldom truly so. They are the most culturally refined elves, preferring research and the pursuit of magic to any sort of physical labor. Most high elves are repulsed by the idea of mingling blood with humans, so half elves are rarely born among the high elves. The high elves’ hatred for the dark elves is implacable.

High Elf Racial Traits

• Abilities: -3 Strength, -1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. High elves are not physically powerful and as a general rule consider manual labor beneath them. They are extremely powerful intellectually, however, and can easily master most magical or mental crafts.
• Classes: High elves can become clerics, enchanters, hexblades, magicians, paladins, or wizards.
• Favored Class: Highest-level class. When determining whether a multiclass high elf takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
• Language: High elves begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Elven.
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, high elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: High elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: High elves have infravision.

Human

The most common race in Norrath, they have spread across the world and exist in almost any climate. No one trait describes the race other than “unpredictable”. Humans are smaller than barbarians but stouter than erudites. Humans, erudites, and barbarians are all considered “human.”

Humans are the most widely spread and populous race of Norrath. They are generally tolerant of other races and fairly universally tolerated by the good races. Humans participate in most religions and most schools of thought. There are evil humans, but they are vastly outnumbered by good (or at least decent) people and must hide their evil ways from their society.

Human Racial Traits

• Abilities: Humans have no modifiers to starting abilities.
• Classes: Humans can become any class except for beastlord and shaman, which includes bards, clerics, druids, enchanters, hexblades, magicians, monks, necromancers, paladins, rangers, rogues, shadow knights, warriors, or wizards.
• Favored Class: Highest-level class. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
• Feats: 1 extra feat at 1st level.
• Language: Humans begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Skills: Humans get 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
• Speed: Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: Humans have normal vision.

Iksar

The lizard people of Kunark have a long and bloody history, much of which is forgotten by the other – the iksar would say lesser – races. Most iksar are utterly xenophobic and dedicated to the welfare of their race and the betterment of their own status, not necessarily in that order. Iksar are greeted with hostility and distrust the world over, truly welcomed only among their own kind.

Iksar Racial Traits

• Abilities: -1 Strength, +3 Dexterity, -2 Charisma. Iksar are a nimble race, with a strong attunement to the world around them. However, they are suspicious and often self-centered, and rarely develop strong relationships with anyone.
• Classes: Iksar can become beastlords, monks, necromancers, shadow knights, shamans, or warriors.
• Fast Recovery: Iksar have fast recovery.
• Favored Class: An iksar’s first class level determines his favored class. Iksar are very focused in their training and limited by their society to pursue only the path given to the iksar before he or she was hatched, making it difficult work to try new things.
• Language: Iksar begin with 4 ranks in Language: Iksar.
• Resistance: Racial bonus of fire resistance (5).
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, iksar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Iksar base land speed is 30 feet. Iksar also have a natural swim speed of 30 feet. Swim is always a class skill for iksar, regardless of class(es), and they gain a +8 racial bonus on all Swim checks. Further, an iksar may always take 10 on a Swim check, even when in a hazardous or stressful situation.
• Skills: Iksar gain Survival and Swim as class skills, regardless of their actual class(es).
• Tough Skin: Iksar have tough, scaly hides, giving them a +3 natural armor. Their thick skins make it very difficult for them to wear heavy armors, however, even if it is designed for their bodies. As a result, iksar may never have the Armor Proficiency (heavy) feat, even when it is normally granted as a class feat.
• Vision: Iksar have infravision.
• Vulnerable: Iksar are vulnerable to cold and ice attacks. Whenever an iksar takes damage from natural cold or from magical effects with the [cold] descriptor, he suffers an additional 20% damage (with a minimum of 1 additional point of damage).
• Racial Hit Dice: An iksar begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +0.
• Racial Skills: An iksar’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Handle Animal, Jump, Perception, Profession, Survival, Swim, and Tradeskill (any). Iksar society expects most iksar to learn some sort of trade skill or profession, so as to provide services to the fledgling iksar empire, as it grows in an attempt to regain its lost glory.
• Racial Feats: An iksar’s humanoid levels give it one feat. Most iksar choose Dodge, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Run, Skill Focus (Swim), or Toughness.
• Level Adjustment: +1. An iksar has an effective character level (ECL) of 3 + his class levels. Iksar are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most other races of Norrath.

Ogre

Intent on not being a meal or getting mauled, most of the world greets ogres with a rain of arrows and raised weapons, while the defenseless run for safety. Ogres are massive but as weak of mind as they are strong of body. They are motivated by hate, greed, and envy. Few things can tempt an ogre to think past his next meal, but sometimes, when presented with traces of their glorious past when they carried the banner of Rallos Zek in war against the gods themselves, something in the dim recesses of an ogre’s brain flares brightly and for a moment he once again has the mien of the truly fearsome creature his ancestors were. Then the flare sputters out, and the ogre’s thoughts again turn to mindless violence.

Ogre Racial Traits

• Abilities: +6 Strength, -1 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom, -4 Charisma. The most physically powerful race, ogres are not smart, quick, or likable.
• Classes: Ogres can become beastlords, shadow knights, shamans, or warriors.
• Favored Class: Warrior. When determining whether a multiclass ogre takes an experience point penalty, his or her warrior levels do not count.
• Feats: Due to their enormous size and strength, ogres begin play with the Slam feat as a bonus feat.
• Language: An exception to the normal rule for starting ranks in language skills, ogres begin with only 3 ranks in Langugage: Dark Speech and 3 ranks in Language: Ogre.
• Resistance: Racial bonus of fire resistance (3).
• Size: As Large creatures, ogres suffer a -1 size penalty to Armor Class and to all attack rolls, and a -4 size penalty on Sneak checks. They gain a +4 size bonus on all Strength checks to break down doors, burst bonds, or the like, however. They may use larger weapons than humans, and their lifting and carrying limits are twice those of Medium-size characters with similar Strength scores.
• Skills: Knowledge (monster lore [rallosian]) is always a class skill for ogres, who gain a +2 racial bonus to checks made for this skill.
• Space/Reach: Ogres have a space of 10 feet, and a natural reach of 10 feet, making them very effective melee combatants.
• Speed: Ogre base land speed is 30 feet. However, ogres can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Stability: Ogres receive a +4 bonus on their saving throw against any dazing or stunning effect, such as that from the Improved Bash feat or from the cleric spell stun.
• Vision: Ogres have infravision.
• Racial Hit Dice: An ogre begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +0.
• Racial Skills: An ogre’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Alcohol Tolerance, Intimidate, Knowledge (monster lore [rallosian]), Perception, Profession, and Survival.
• Racial Feats: An ogre’s humanoid levels give it one feat. Most ogres choose Brutish, Combat Casting, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (taunt), or Steadfast.
• Level Adjustment: +1. An ogre has an effective character level (ECL) of 3 + his class levels. Ogre are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most other races of Norrath.

Troll

Trolls are brutal fighters with an appetite for the flesh of their enemies. They delight in maiming and killing anything not trollish. Trolls are sometimes tolerated by the dark elves, who see them as useful pawns. They consume their slain or disabled enemies, both from a desire to spread hate and fear as well as from an appetite for flesh.

Troll Racial Traits

• Abilities: +5 Strength, +5 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom, -5 Charisma. Trolls are very strong, and are likely the toughest of the player races. They are however more bestial and chaotic than even some monstrous races and suffer in most social and intellectual settings.
• Classes: Trolls can become beastlords, shadow knights, shamans, or warriors.
• Fast Recovery: Trolls have fast recovery.
• Favored Class: Warrior. When determining whether a multiclass troll takes an experience point penalty, his or her warrior levels do not count.
• Feats: Due to their enormous size and strength, trolls begin play with the Slam feat as a bonus feat.
• Language: An exception to the normal rule for starting ranks in language skills, trolls begin with only 3 ranks in Langugage: Dark Speech and 3 ranks in Language: Troll.
• Metabolism: Trolls have an unusual metabolism, allowing them to derive nourishment from bones and spoiled food, and to avoid dehydration by drinking swamp water with few ill effects. However, they also need twice as much food as other races. (A troll with the Iron Stomach feat only needs to eat the same amount of food as other creatures, and can eat virtually anything, including rocks, with no ill effects.) Trolls also gain a +4 racial bonus to all saves made against ingested poisons, toxins, diseases, and other harmful metabolized effects.
• Size: As Large creatures, trolls suffer a -1 size penalty to Armor Class and to all attack rolls, and a -4 size penalty on Sneak checks. They gain a +4 size bonus on all Strength checks to break down doors, burst bonds, or the like, however. They may use larger weapons than humans, and their lifting and carrying limits are twice those of Medium-size characters with similar Strength scores.
• Space/Reach: Trolls have a space of 10 feet, and a natural reach of 10 feet, making them very effective melee combatants.
• Speed: Troll base land speed is 30 feet. However, trolls can move at this speed even when wearing medium armor or when carrying a medium load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
• Vision: Trolls have infravision.
• Vulnerable: Trolls are vulnerable to heat and fire attacks. Whenever a troll takes damage from natural heat or fire, or from magical effects with the [fire] descriptor, he suffers an additional 20% damage (with a minimum of 1 additional point of damage).
• Racial Hit Dice: A troll begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +0.
• Racial Skills: A troll’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Alcohol Tolerance, Intimidate, Perception, Profession, Survival, and Swim.
• Racial Feats: A troll’s humanoid levels give it one feat. Most trolls choose Brutish, Endurance, Iron Stomach, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Survival), Toughness, or Track.
• Level Adjustment: +1. A troll has an effective character level (ECL) of 3 + his class levels. Troll are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most other races of Norrath.

Wood Elf

The Fier’Dal find contentment in the green and growing forests, choosing to build their cities in the tall trees of the Greater Faydark forest. Earthier than their high elf cousins and more approachable by the other races, they are welcomed by all of the good races. Unsurprisingly, they are loathed by those of an evil nature.

Wood Elf Racial Traits

• Abilities: -1 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -1 Constitution. Slightly built, wood elves compensate for their light frames with agility.
• Classes: Wood elves can become bards, druids, rangers, rogues, and warriors
• Favored Class: Druid and ranger. When determining whether a multiclass wood elf takes an experience point penalty, his or her druid and ranger levels do not count.
• Language: Wood elves begin with 4 ranks in Language: Common and 4 ranks in Language: Elven.
• Size: As Medium-size creatures, wood elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Skills: Wood elves receive Sneak and Survival as a class skill regardless of their actual class(es), and begin with 4 bonus ranks in each of these skills.
• Speed: Wood elf base land speed is 30 feet.
• Vision: Wood elves have infravision.

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EQrpg: Norrathians