Player's Guide To Corwyn
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Choice of character race is foundational to designing a character, whether you want to work within established archetypes for that race or to intentionally play against them.

Working with racial archetypes can be achieved with a bit of role-playing—whether developing a unique personality and style for every character or adopting one as clichéd as a surly dwarf fighter with a huge axe and a tankard of ale.

The six player character races in the CORWYN Game Setting—dwarves, elves, half-elves, half-orcs, halflings, and humans—are no more uniform than are humans in the real world. there are two exceptions: in the Corwyn game setting, there are no Gnomes or Dwarvish wizards or sorcerers allowed.

This chapter is meant to offer game rules and options for how to reflect that diversity of attitude, heritage, and experience and how it affects the way the races interact with the various adventuring careers presented in the Pathfinder RPG core rules.

DWARVES


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Known as skilled craftsmen, fierce warriors, and pious clerics; members of the dwarven race prove just as diverse as the human folk who dwell on the surface. Of all races on Corwyn, dwarves have the least familiarity with arcane magic. In fact, only a handful of dwarves on Corwyn ever take up magical training, and Dwarven sorcerers are virtually unheard of.

Likewise, few dwarves turn to thievery and cunning, taking up the role of rogue or even assassin. In addition to this diversity in profession, dwarves are more varied in their backgrounds than they might first appear.

Many dwarves do not come of age fighting against goblins and orcs, instead facing other, equally menacing foes. Such dwarves might have different racial traits than those who are raised in a more traditional lifestyle.

DWARF ADVENTURERS


Dwarves who chose to become adventurers tend to be martial characters, from berserk barbarians to hammer-wielding clerics. Regardless of their chosen professions, dwarven adventurers are always ready for a fight. Some Typical dwarf roles:

  • Alchemist: While many respected dwarves practice alchemy, few take on the role of alchemist—except in the interest of creating magical beers. Dwarves see alchemists as odd folk, best to be avoided though still respected.
  • Barbarian: Although their kin usually call them berserkers, dwarf barbarians are a valuable part of many dwarven armies. Those who strike out on their own to become adventurers do so in search of greater challenges.
  • Bard: Dwarves value their long and glorious history above all else. Dwarf bards often receive intense training in their history, reciting tales and ballads that recount their past. Of course, every dwarven bard also knows at least a dozen bawdy drinking songs.
  • Cavalier: Dwarf cavaliers are almost unheard of; the few dwarven cavaliers are almost exclusively surface dwellers, riding on ponies or even giant boars. Not surprisingly, many dwarves see cavaliers as odd folk, not to be trusted. Dwarves have no skills with horses in any event, the creatures are completely foreign to them.
  • Cleric: Dwarves have a close connection with their gods and a long tradition of producing powerful and influential clerics. Dwarves selected for a life of devotion are trained from an early age, but after training, they are free to explore the world and spread the faith. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: The general lack of flora below ground leads very few dwarves to take up the druid’s call. Those who find a bond with nature are either drawn to subterranean forms of life or move to the surface to adopt the environments that land has to offer.
  • Fighter: Dwarf fighters hold a position of respect and authority in most dwarven cultures. They are a necessity of life in the harsh environments underground, and many dwarves are trained in martial combat from a young age.
  • Inquisitor: Although not unheard of, dwarves rarely commit treason against their own people. As a result, the few dwarves who take up the mantle of inquisitor spend most of their time traveling the world to protect their people from outside threats.
  • Monk: While many dwarves possess the discipline to take on the role of monk, most turn to more traditional forms of combat that employ heavy armor and a trusty axe. Most dwarf monks congregate in small enclaves of like-minded individuals.
  • Oracle: Most dwarf oracles draw their power from the earth around them or the spirits of their ancestors, making them respected members of dwarven society. While they are not venerated like the clergy, dwarf oracles are often consulted in times of crisis and called on for aid in times of war.
  • Paladin: Few dwarves aspire to paladin hood. Blending both devotion and martial skill, dwarf paladins are just as likely to be crusaders for dwarven interests as defenders guarding dwarven strongholds.
  • Ranger: Dwarves are renowned for holding grudges. It should come as no surprise that a number of dwarves decide to become rangers focused on destroying the enemies of their people.
  • Rogue: Dwarves who turn to the art of subterfuge tend to focus on working with traps and surprising enemies rather than pick-pocketing and double-talk.
  • Sorcerer: Dwarven sorcerer are virtually unheard of on Corwyn.
  • Wizard: Dwarves have never had a long tradition of arcane magic, and its study is a extremely rare thing among Corwyn dwarves, though still more common than natural-born sorcery. Forgoing traditional dwarven training in favor of arcane study marks most wizards as outsiders among their young peers, though aged and learned wizards are well respected.

DWARF ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits might be selected instead of existing dwarf racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Ancient Enmity: Dwarves have long been in conflict with elves, especially the hated drow. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the elf subtype. This racial trait replaces the hatred racial trait.
  • Craftsman: Dwarves are known for their superior craftsmanship when it comes to metal and stone works. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks that create objects from metal or stone. This racial trait replaces the greed racial trait.
  • Deep Warrior: Dwarves with this racial trait grew up facing the abominations that live deep beneath the surface.They receive a +2 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the aberration type and a +2 racial bonus to their CMB on attempts made to grapple such creatures (or to continue a grapple). This racial trait replaces the defensive training racial trait.
  • Lorekeeper: Dwarves keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history)skill checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies. They can make such skill checks untrained. This racial trait replaces the greed racial trait.
  • Magic Resistant: Some of the older dwarven clans are particularly resistant to magic. Dwarves with this racial trait gain spell resistance equal to 5 + their character level.This resistance can be lowered for 1 round as a standard action.

Dwarves with this racial trait take a –2 penalty on all concentration checks made in relation to arcane spells.This racial trait replaces the hardy racial trait.1 round later to prematurely end the effect (assuming it has a duration greater than 1 round).

This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the dwarf has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue’s slippery mind), he can only use one of these abilities per round, but can try one on the second round if the first re-roll ability fails). This racial trait replaces the hardy racial trait.

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DWARF FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever he gains a level in a favored class, a dwarf has the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon his favored class. The following options are available to all dwarves who have the

listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

  • Barbarian: Add 1 to the dwarf ’s total number of rage rounds per day.
  • Cleric: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable for a number of times per day equal to3 + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier. The cleric adds 1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting a bull rush or trip.
  • Oracle: Reduce the non-proficient penalty for one weapon by 1. When the non-proficient penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with that weapon.
  • Paladin: Add a +1 bonus on concentration checks when casting paladin spells.
  • Ranger: Add a +1/2 bonus on wild empathy checks to influence animals and magical beasts that live underground.
  • Rogue: Add a +1/2 bonus on Disable Device checks regarding stone traps and a +1/2 bonus to trap sense regarding stone traps.

ELVES


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Renowned for their grace, wisdom, and near-immortality, elves are held in high esteem by most other races, especially for their mastery of magic and encyclopedic collections of lore.

However, members of this race often find themselves hemmed in and isolated by vastly more numerous and aggressive younger races. Still, while elven enclaves tend to embody the beauty and spirit of their environment,learning and growing from it, elf adventurers carry the strength and glory of elven culture with them into the world, often at the point of a sword or wand.

The classic vision of elves as wardens of the forest is accurate but incomplete, as elves adapt readily to many environments, from the harshest desert to the deepest sea.

Others tap into mysteries and magics outside the realms usually embraced by their kindred. Such elves have different racial traits than those who are raised in a more traditional elven lifestyle.

Elven Sub-races: On Corwyn, a player can chose from:

ELF ADVENTURERS


Elves who chose to become adventurers usually follow a martial path, pursue mastery of arcane magic, or seek a career that blends the two. Elves prefer subtlety to outright conflict, but are eager to exhibit their superiority to other races, employing force if finesse and f lair are insufficient for the task.

  • Alchemist: Elves favor classical arcane disciplines over the experimentation and pseudoscience of alchemy, often deriding it as a crude imitation of traditional magic. Elf alchemists often seek the adventuring life to escape the scorn of their fellows.
  • Barbarian: Elf barbarians typically live deep in desert or jungles, led by wise and mystical elders. They often venture from their homelands in service of their people or to see the world beyond their homes. Mostly wild-elves follow this calling.
  • Bard: Elves love art in all its forms. Their sweeping arias, ancient poetry, and graceful dances are the envy of cultured audiences, just as their finesse with arms garners the envy of common warriors.
  • Cavalier: Elf cavaliers have a long tradition in the ancient noble houses, pursuing and protecting honor with elegance. Their sleek mounts show both great resilience and devotion.
  • Cleric: Elves follow many faiths, and because of their long lives many elves view themselves as blessed by the gods. Many stand for naturalistic philosophies or ancient divine patrons who embody the traits of their people. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: Elves have an instinctual bond with nature and the mysterious spirits within it, some even revering such powers, binding nature’s forces to themselves and themselves to nature.
  • Fighter: Elf fighters are respected for their lightness on their feet, delicate yet deadly precision, and mastery of centuries-old martial traditions.
  • Inquisitor: Though as a race elves prize freedom and individuality, they are also great traditionalists and quite suspicious of outsiders. Elf inquisitors are not loved, but their judgments and authority are respected.
  • Monk: Almost unheard of, Elves are contemplative by nature and appreciate those who focus on inward calm and stillness of mind. Elf monks often adopt ageless mantras and examples of balance and finesse in nature as guides.
  • Oracle: Elf oracles are quite common and highly respected as keepers of the mysteries of their peoples’ ancestors and secrets that predate the world’s countless younger races.
  • Paladin: Elf paladins adopt and defend the ancient strictures of their deities, defending their people and soil from all who would despoil their sacred homelands.
  • Ranger: Elves make masterful hunters and scouts, attuned to the environment, keenly aware of their surroundings, and always ready to protect their homelands or punish those who would intrude upon their dominion.
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  • Rogue: While thieves, brigands, and their ilk are rare within elven society, elf rogues are common as scouts, infiltrators, and even assassins.
  • Sorcerer: Magic sings in the blood of all elves, and all sorcerous bloodlines might be found among them, though sorcerers rarely garner the respect wizards enjoy.
  • Wizard: Elves cultivate an ancient tradition of magical lore and research in all fields of specialization. For those with the talent to excel, wizardry is one of the surest paths to prestige in elven society.

ELF ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits replace existing elf racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Desert Runner: Some elves thrive in the deepest deserts, forever roaming across burned and parched lands.Elves with this racial trait receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue,exhaustion, or ill effects from running, forced marches,starvation, thirst, or hot or cold environments. This racial trait replaces the elven magic racial trait.
  • Dreamspeaker: A few elves have the ability to tap into the power of sleep, dreams, and prescient reverie. Elves with this racial trait add +1 to saving throw DCs for spells of the divination school and sleep effects they cast. In addition,elves with a Charisma of 15 or higher may use dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the elf ’s character level). This racial trait replaces the elven immunities racial trait.
  • Eternal Grudge: Elves with this racial trait grew up in secluded, isolationist communities where generations-old slights and quarrels linger as eternal blood feuds. They receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoids of the dwarf and orc sub-types due to special training against these hated foes. This racial trait replaces the elven magic-racial trait.
  • Lightbringer: Many elves revere the sun, moon, and stars, but some are literally infused with the radiant power of the heavens. Elves with this racial trait are immune to light-based blindness and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher when determining the effects of any light-based spell or effect they cast (including spell-like and supernatural abilities). Elves with Intelligence 10 or higher may use light at will as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities and elven magic racial traits.
  • Silent Hunter: Elves are renowned for their subtlety and skill. Elves with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction rom this racial trait). This racial trait replaces the elven magic racial trait.
  • Spirit of the Waters: Some elves have adapted to life in tune with the sea or along the reedy depths of wild rivers and lakes. They gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks, can always take 10 while swimming, and may choose Aquan as a bonus language. They are proficient with longspear,trident, and net. This racial trait replaces elven magicand weapon familiarity racial traits.
  • Woodcraft: Elves know the deep secrets of the wild like no others, especially those of the forests. Elves with this racial trait gain a+1 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. In forest terrain, these bonuses improve to +2. This racial trait replaces the elven magic racial trait.

ELF FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, elves have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes.The following options are available to all elves who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

  • Barbarian: Add 1 to the elf ’s base speed. In combat this has no effect unless the elf has selected this reward 5 times(or another increment of 5); a speed of 34 feet is effectively the same as a speed of 30 feet, for example. This bonus stacks with a class’s fast movement feature and applies only under the same conditions as that ability.
  • Bard: Add +1 to the elf ’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
  • Cavalier: Add +1 hit point to the cavalier’s mount. If the elf ever replaces his mount, the new mount gains these bonus hit points. These bonuses only apply to a single mount gained as part of the cavalier’s class. Fighter: Add +1 to the elf ’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
  • Ranger: Choose a weapon from the following list:longbow, longsword, rapier, shortbow, short sword, or any weapon with “elven” in its name. Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon(maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
  • Sorcerer: Select one bloodline power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 +the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier. The sorcerer adds +1/2to the number of uses per day of that bloodline power.Wizard: Select one arcane school power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier. The wizard adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that arcane school power.

HALF-ELVES


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Half-elves are the idealized orphans of society, at once both charismatic and passionate, but never quite at home anywhere. Many half-elves throw themselves into social careers quite readily, yet often have a hard time sticking to a single path.

Others seek fulfillment in spiritual pursuits or in honing inborn magical talents, while still others give up and resign themselves to lives of isolation in the wild or of misanthropy, living day to day at the expense of others. Half-elves vary in appearance as much as their human and elven parents do, encompassing every imaginable hue of hair, eye, and skin, yet also possessing an effortless and graceful allure.

Half-elves’ unique talents also vary a great deal depending on their upbringing, the nature of their bloodlines, the strength of their psyches, and their relationship to their dual nature. Some half-elves have different racial traits than normal for their kind.

Although well represented among the ranks of adventurers and other wanderers, half-elves are rarities in most parts of the world, the fraternization of humans and elves typically leading to feelings of consternation in both races rather than romance. While some half-elves find themselves cherished members of unusual but happy families, this rarely proves the norm.

More often, they find themselves shunned or the subject of both shame and ridicule. Yet while many possess dark pasts, such hardships prepare half-elves for lives full of challenge and adventure like few members of more unified races could ever know.

HALF-ELF ADVENTURERS


Half-elf adventurers often specialize in social classes or choose to multi-class, dabbling in several career paths as they try to find the perfect blend to suit their multi-faceted personalities.

  • Alchemist: Half-elves are curious dabblers, and many undertake at least a passing study of alchemy, often showing great skill in the blending and apportioning of volatile elements.
  • Barbarian: Half-elf barbarians typically hail from the societies of savage parents. While many leave their cultures to escape their differences, others viciously defend their people, ever seeking to prove their worthiness.
  • Bard: Many half-elves gravitate to the bard class, as it binds together their natural allure and social adaptability,often to the adulation of others.
  • Cavalier: Half-elf cavaliers take the arts of war and gild them with elegance and finesse. The path of the cavalier gives them a code to follow and a master to serve to earn honor and esteem, though elves and humans alike sometimes look at them as pretenders or trespassers within their knightly orders.
  • Cleric: Half-elves often feel disconnected from human or elven faiths, but many still choose to follow a divine calling that provides a comfortable context in which to engage with other races in a common faith, or simply for an immanent connection with the divine that renders their uncertainty with other mortals of small consequence. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: Half-elves uncertain of their place in civilized society frequently abandon it entirely for the implicit harmony of the natural world. Embracing the connection to nature inherent in their elven blood, many find a tranquility in the wilds no society can offer.
  • Fighter: Half-elf fighters are relatively common, as the harsh simplicity of the battlefield holds great appeal for those tired of reconciling their divided natures. Half-elves’ varied tastes and skills often make them masters of a dazzling array of weapons.
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Inquisitor: Facing their own inner turmoil, half-elf inquisitors possess keen insights into the minds of others and knowledge of the balance between life and death.Monk: Half-elves who come to peace with their mixed heritages embody the stillness of mind and meditative enlightenment of the monk’s way. Many learn to adopt both human and elven martial techniques into deadly new schools of combat.

  • Oracle: Half-elves tend to live in the now, drawing oracular insights from whispers in the air, the motion of the stars, and imperceptible eddies in crowded streets, or even the ancient voices within their blood.
  • Paladin: Whether devoted to a deity of their human parent, their elven parent, or any other they choose to adopt, half-elf paladins take up the aegis of their god with both zeal and grace. Often, among such holy orders, half-elves f ind a peace and camaraderie they’re otherwise denied.
  • Ranger: Half-elves frustrated by common society often retreat into the wild, developing a close bond with animals and the predictable changes of nature.
  • Rogue: Many half-elves excel at the roguish arts,studying people and their habits and by effect learning to take advantage of the proud or careless.
  • Sorcerer: Magic runs in the blood of every half-elf,often manifesting as arcane or fey bloodlines, though other fonts of sorcerous power often arise. Regardless of their magic’s sources, half-elves quickly master their inherited boons.
  • Wizard: Many half-elves inherit magical talents from their lineage, finding both solace and respect in the mastery of the arcane. While all schools of magic stand open to them, many gravitate toward spells of explosive power, those that cloak them in mystery, or that otherwise aid in manipulating the world around them.

HALF-ELF ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits replace existing half-elf racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Ancestral Arms: Some half-elves receive training in an unusual weapon. Half-elves with this racial trait receive Exotic Weapon Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency with one weapon as a bonus feat at 1st level. This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
  • Arcane Training: Half-elves occasionally seek tutoring to help them master the magic in their blood. Half-elves with this racial trait have only one favored class and it must be an arcane spell-casting class. They can use spell trigger and spell completion items for their favored class as if 1level higher (or as a 1st-level character if they have no levels in that class). This racial trait replaces the multi-talented racial trait.
  • Dual Minded: The mixed ancestry of some half-elves makes them resistant to mental attacks. Half-elves with this racial trait get a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
  • Integrated: Many half-elves are skilled in the art of ingratiating themselves into a community as if they were natives. Half-elves with this racial trait gain a +1bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Knowledge (local) checks.This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
  • Sociable: Half-elves are skilled at charming others and recovering from faux pas. If half-elves with this racial trait attempt to change a creature’s attitude with a Diplomacy check and fail by 5 or more, they can try to influence the creature a second-time even if 24 hours have not passed.This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
  • Water Child: Some half-elves are born of elves adapted to life on or near the water. These half-elves gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks, canal-ways take 10 while swimming, and may choose Aquan as a bonus language. This racial trait replaces the half-elf’s adaptability and multi talented racial traits.

HALF-ELF FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever she gains a level in a favored class, half-elves have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all half-elves who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

  • Bard: Add 1 to the half-elf ’s total number of bardic performance rounds per day.
  • Druid: Select one cleric domain power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to3 + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. The druid adds 1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power. For half-elf druids whose nature bond gives them an animal companion, add +1 skill rank to the animal companion. If the half-elf ever replaces her animal companion, the new companion gains these bonus skill ranks.
  • Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting a disarm or overrun.
  • Ranger: Add +1 skill rank to the ranger’s animal companion. If the half-elf ever replaces his companion,the new companion gains these bonus skill ranks.
  • Rogue: Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and Diplomacy checks to gather information.

HALF-ORCS


Half-orcs exist only at the most brutal margins of human society. Bestial in appearance and traditionally feared by those non-orcs they encounter, half-orcs tend to be tenacious and driven to prove themselves, with short vicious tempers and ill manners. Some half-orcs try to show that they are different from their brutish orc kin, struggling to find the better angels of their nature, while others embrace their monstrous heritage to become terrifying examples of ferocity in combat. One way or another, almost all half-orcs crave respect—whether it’s given freely or is taken by force.

Derided as mongrels by humans and weaklings by orcs, half-orcs have bitterness beaten into them from birth, as well as a burning desire to endure and overcome. With their physical size and strength, half-orcs represent raw and primal power, yet whether that power gets used for good or evil depends entirely on the individual.

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In most cultures, half-orcs suffer severe prejudice and exclusion. Within the lands of their human ancestors, half-orcs are commonly seen as savage thugs and looked down upon. As a result, most half-orcs living in human society are forced into menial labor or violence for a career. Some chose to take on the life of an adventurer, perhaps merely as another acceptable means to wealth and power or sometimes as a way to throw off the shackles of other people’s perceptions.

Within orc society, half-orcs are often looked down upon as weak and inferior creatures, but overall they tend to fare better thna pure-bred orcs. Most orcs grudgingly acknowledge the superiority of the half-orc’s intellect as well as their comparable strength. As a result, it is not entirely unusual for a half-orc raised among other orcs to rise to a position of power within his or her tribal group.

Half-orcs who live among humans are frequently drawn to adventuring simply because few opportunities are available to them for less-violent occupations. Often pressured into martial lifestyles and rejected by polite society, half-orcs can find acceptance among other races by proving their worth as adventurers. Likewise, the only friends a half-orc iss likely to make is other adventurers, who are also often outcasts of sorts.

HALF-ORC ADVENTURERS


Due to their powerful builds, half-orcs are particularly suited to the martial classes, whether as axe-wielding barbarians, battle-scarred soldiers, or cold-eyed assassins, and even those of the magical classes are generally no stranger to bloodshed.

  • Barbarian: Half-orc barbarians are legendary champions, unstoppable combat engines that cement the fell reputation of their kind throughout the world (for better or worse). Their hunger for battle and ability to ta pinto the bestial fury of their orc heritage are all that is needed to earn them a place in most adventuring parties.
  • Bard: Half-orcs trying to overcome racial prejudice among the civilized races sometimes pursue performance,diplomacy, and learning as a means to uplift not only their own genteel disposition but also the reputation of other half-orcs in the community and society.
  • Cleric: Half-orc clerics are often the spiritual leaders of their communities, bridging the gap between the living and the dead and as ready to mete out divine judgment and conquest as to nurture and heal. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: Half-orc druids often see the natural world as a source of feral power, tapping into the destructive force of storms and predators. Many of them take up druids are outcasts from humanoid society, finding peace and acceptance among the beasts of the field.
  • Fighter: Many orcs are singled out for martial training because of their intimidating size and appearance. While many other races assume all half-orc combatants employ the barbarian’s howling charge, in fact many prefer the discipline, precision, and versatility of the fighter’s studied warcraft.
  • Inquisitor: Already intimidating to many races, half-orcs make natural inquisitors, acting as bodyguards,criminal organizers and enforcers, and monster-hunters(sometimes even acting against their orc kin).
  • Monk: Most half-orc monks learn their abilities from humans, as such discipline is rare in orc society. Some seek to overcome their bestial natures with perfect balance and control, others merely to break foes with their bare hands.
  • Ranger: Often forced to live on the fringes of society and fend for themselves, half-orcs make excellent hunters and scouts, sometimes protecting the very communities that have rejected them in the hope of finding acceptance.
  • Rogue: Marginalized by society, half-orcs are often forced to sneak and steal to survive, and some find that the lifestyle suits them, becoming bandits, burglars, enforcers, and cutthroats.
  • Sorcerer: While wizardry is rare among orc society, sorcery has a brutal simplicity that orcs can understand and appreciate, making half-orc sorcerers prized (and feared) for their abilities in both orc and human society.
  • lWizard: While wizard are extremely rare in orc society, as their culture has little access to or interest in books and arcane study, half-orc wizards are sometimes found in human societies, studying hard in a pursuit of power that could help win them the respect and position they so desperately desire.

HALF-ORC ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits replace existing half-orc racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Beastmaster: Some half-orcs have a spiritual kinship with fantastical beasts, capturing them for sport or living and hunting with them. A half-orc with this trait treats whip and net as martial weapons and gains a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks. This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.
  • Bestial: The orc blood of some half-orcs manifests in the form of particularly prominent orc features, exacerbating their bestial appearances but improving their already keen senses. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.
  • Cavewight: Some half-orcs live far from the surface, seeking solace in winding cave complexes. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Knowledge dungeoneering) and Survival checks made underground.This racial trait replaces the intimidating racial trait.
  • Chain Fighter: Some half-orcs have escaped from slavery and reforged the chains of their imprisonment into deadly weapons. Half-orcs with this racial trait are proficient with flails and heavy flails, and treat dire flails and spiked chains as martial weapons. This trait replaces the weapon familiarity racial trait.
  • Gatecrasher: Many half-orcs revel in acts of wanton destruction. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Strength checks to break objects and a +2 bonus on sunder attempts. This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.
  • Plagueborn: Half-orcs are sometimes forced to live on the rancid and unsanitary margins of society, becoming inured to all manner of sickness. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease, ingested poisons, and becoming nauseated or sickened. This racial trait replaces the intimidating and orc ferocity racial traits.
  • Rock Climber: Half-orcs from mountainous regions are excellent climbers, and sometimes ambush prey by leaping down from above. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.
  • Sacred Tattoo: Tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification are sacred markings to many half-orcs.Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.
  • Scavenger: Some half-orcs eke out a leaving picking over the garbage heaps of society, and must learn to separate rare finds from the inevitable dross. Half-orcs with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks and on Perception checks to find hidden objects(including traps and secret doors), determine if food is spoiled, or identify a potion by taste. This racial trait replaces the intimidating racial trait.
  • Toothy: Some half-orcs’ vestigial tusks are massive and sharp, granting a bite attack. This is a primary natural attack that deals 1d4 points of piercing damage. This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.

HALF-ORC FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, half-orcs have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all half-orcs who have the listed favored class.

  • Barbarian: Add 1 to the half-orc’s total number of rage rounds per day.
  • Fighter: Add +2 on rolls to stabilize when dying.
  • Inquisitor: Add +1/2 on Intimidate checks and Knowledge checks to identify creatures.
  • Sorcerer: Add +1/2 to fire spell damage.

HALFLINGS


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Often overlooked due to their diminutive size, Halflings have an amazing ability to seamlessly insert themselves into the grand narrative of the world around them. Quick,deft, and strong-willed, they blend into the societies of other races and quickly make themselves indispensable.Though sometimes stereotyped as sneaks and thieves by other races—and with plenty of examples to back up the allegations—half lings as a rule are neither. Rather,most half lings are adaptable and easy-going, and though their curiosity sometimes gets them into trouble, most gnomes meet adversity with a tenacity and courage that belies their small stature. Halflings rarely live in segregated communities, but their cultural kinship with other half lings (and to a lesser extent with gnomes) is an unspoken connection between those who know what it is to be so small and ignored in a world full of bigger creatures.

HALFLING ADVENTURERS


Half lings who choose to become adventurers often favor light armor and weapons that play to their natural dexterity, emphasizing a variety of skills to be ready for any occasion. Though rarely looking for a fight, their insatiable curiosity often leads them to wander far and wide—and sometimes straight into danger.

  • Alchemist: Halflings’ natural curiosity leads them to experimentation, and few classes reinforce this tendency so much as that of the alchemist, where new and evermore incendiary (sometimes literally) discoveries are always just around the corner.
  • Bard: Halflings love to sing, dance, and celebrate, and their bards are masterful entertainers with the common touch. Though sometimes employed in high halls and rand theaters, halfling bards are even more likely to be found engaging their wanderlust on the road, bringing mirth and merriment to new audiences every day.
  • Cleric: Halflings have an enduring faithfulness in one another, and this devotion carries over to their gods. Their good humor, curiosity, and ability to blend into new societies with ease make them natural missionaries. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: Though halflings tend to appreciate the finer points of civilization, some halfling druids find solace and enlightenment in the wilds, and others ally themselves with the animals already present in cities.
  • Fighter: Halflings are often less bloodthirsty than other races, yet they still understand and appreciate the value of a trained warrior capable of defending her kin.
  • Inquisitor: With their ability to blend in with the scenery and eavesdrop without being noticed, halflings pick up clandestine information quite easily, and this combined with their curiosity makes them perfect inquisitors, especially suited to investigating other races.
  • Monk: Many halflings seek the simple life of devotion and dedication that is the monk’s path. With their placid and seemingly harmless appearance and their dedication to hard work, monks blend seamlessly into halfling communities, though many a raider has learned his error after attacking an unarmed half ling.
  • Oracle: Though oracles are rare among most races, in places where half lings are oppressed or enslaved, oracles become more common, acting as the secret spiritual centers of a community when open worship or organization is forbidden. Halfling oracles often venerate the spirits of earth, nature, or even heroes of the past.
  • Paladin: Given the high value they place on community, hearth, and home, many halflings aspire to be paladins. Enemies who do not take them seriously soon learn their error as these stout crusaders unleash the fury of heaven upon those of evil motives.
  • Ranger: Halflings may not be renowned for hunting, but only because their great skill is overlooked by those unable to overcome their prejudices. Halfling rangers are experts at bringing down game both large and small, blending into the wilds as easily as their brethren blend into the city-scape, or using their tactical acumen in conjunction with their trusted animal companions (who sometimes act as their steeds as well).
  • Rogue: Rogues are stereotypical halfling adventurers, making their way as jocular raconteurs, cunning burglars, and daring highwaymen. With their light step and deft hands, halflings make natural thieves and pickpockets, a fact not overlooked by their detractors.
  • Sorcerer: Halfling sorcerers often keep their magical abilities concealed until they’re needed, the better to catch their opponents off-guard, and often favor charms to enhance their natural persuasiveness or massive evocations that make their small size seem irrelevant.
  • Wizard: Halfling wizards often seek their arcane secrets out of a combination of curiosity and a desire to rise above their physical size and force other races to take notice of them. As a result, they tend to prefer flashy spells and flagrant displays of power.
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HALFLING ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits replace existing halfling racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Craven: While most halflings are fearless, some are skittish, making them particularly alert. Half lings with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on initiative checks and a +1 bonus on attack rolls when flanking. They suffer a–2 penalty on fear saves and gain no benefit from morale bonuses on fear saves. When affected by a fear effect, their base speed increases by 10 feet and they gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. This racial trait replaces the fearless and half ling luck racial traits.
  • Low Blow: Some halflings train extensively in how to attack larger creatures. Half lings with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on critical confirmation rolls against opponents larger than themselves. This racial trait replaces the keen senses racial trait.
  • Outrider: Some halflings specialize in mounted combat. Half lings with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks. This racial trait replaces the sure-footed racial trait.
  • Practicality: Halflings are grounded in hard work and common sense. Half lings with this racial trait gain a +2bonus on any one Craft or Profession skill, as well as on Sense Motive checks and saves against illusions. This racial trait replaces the fearless and sure-footed racial traits.Swift as Shadows: Half lings possess incredible stealth even while moving through obstructed areas. Halflings with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5, and reduce the Stealth check penalty for sniping by 10. This racial trait replaces the surefooted racial trait.
  • Underfoot: Halflings must train hard to effectively fight bigger opponents. Half lings with this racial trait gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against foes larger than themselves and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws to avoid trample attacks. This racial trait replaces the half ling luck racial trait.
  • Wanderlust: Halflings love travel and maps. Half lings with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on Knowledge (geography) and Survival checks. When

casting spells or using abilities that provide or enhance movement, half lings treat their caster level as +1 higher
than normal. This racial trait replaces the fearless and half ling luck racial traits.

  • Warslinger: Halflings are experts at the use of the sling. Half lings with this racial trait can reload a sling as a free action. Reloading a sling still requires two hands

and provokes attacks of opportunity. This racial trait replaces the sure-footed racial trait.

HALFLING FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, halflings have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all half lings who have the listed favored class.

Bard: Add +1/2 on Bluff checks to pass secret messages, +1/2 on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and +1/2 on Disguise checks to appear as an elven, half-elven, or human child.

Cleric: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable for a number of times per day equal to 3 + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier. The cleric adds 1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power. (if playing a cleric; see Domains page)

Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting a grapple or trip.

Paladin: Add +1/2 hp to the paladin’s lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm).

Ranger: Add +1/3 dodge bonus to Armor Class against the half ling’s favored enemies.

Rogue: Choose a weapon from the following list: sling, dagger, or any weapon with “halfling” in its name. Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.

HUMANS


As the dominant race on Oris, humans possess an adaptability and expansionist verve, driven by endless fonts of ambition and imagination. Such traits have allowed them to spread across the face of the world, acclimating to an endless variety of lands and conquering each new frontier. While often perceived as aggressive and destructive by farther-sighted races, most humans seek merely to use what time they’re given to live their lives to the fullest. Able negotiators and adapters, even those peoples who fall beneath humanity’s endless march are often assimilated, becoming new resources fueling the race’s endless cultural adventurism. Humans demonstrate immense diversity in their physical appearance, with skin ranging from dusky hues to milky pallor, and hair running the gamut from flaxen to ebony. Where they might be found also varies widely, settlers and ambitious human explorers finding their ways into the hearts of the most barren deserts, to the frigid coasts of icy seas, even into the sweltering depths of the earth, all seemingly united in an impossible, endless quest to chart what lies over the next horizon. Human diversity extends to every field of study as well, as their curiosity leads them to unlimited opportunities, endlessly striving for mastery.

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HUMAN SUB-RACES:


Humans on Oris are divided into many different sub-races and ethnicities:

HUMAN ADVENTURERS


Human adventurers specialize in every career, their talent and ambition driving them not just to succeed but to achieve greatness, founding legacies to endure long past their short lifespans.

  • Alchemist: Sometimes dismissed as eccentrics and dabblers in dangerous arts, the practical skills of human alchemists always find them employment, if often at a safe distance from their employers.
  • Barbarian: From steaming jungles to the desolate steppes, barbarians shun “civilized” society, winning esteem by their toughness, steely confidence, and indomitable prowess. Even in savagery the race’s inventiveness shines through, leading human barbarians to often create and master a variety of crude but deadly weapons and fighting styles.
  • Bard: Human bards show little inhibition but great artistic range. They often prove intensely curious, collecting stories and histories, building their personal legends while they retell the tales of others.
  • Cavalier: Humans form the backbone of many cavalier orders, balancing an aristocratic gentility with dedication to serving their liege and the chivalric ideal, earning the esteem of commoners and nobility alike.
  • Cleric: Humans readily believe in ideals larger than themselves and flock to religions great and small. Humans often form personal connections with deities, embodying traits and forces they idealize. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)
  • Druid: Druidism is regarded by many humans as an “old faith,” eternal and as all-encompassing as the world itself. Though some dismiss them as backward hermits standing in the way of progress, druids often garner a measure of both wary respect and suspicious fear.
  • Fighter: Human fighters run the gamut of professions; from wanderers and soldiers to swashbucklers and brawlers—but are never people to be trifled with.
  • Inquisitor: While capable of faith and trust, humans are equally susceptible to paranoia and suspicion, and entire orders of mostly human inquisitors have earned fame (or infamy) through their purges of dangerous creatures and tenacious witch hunts.
  • Monk: Craving peace and the discipline of perfection, human monks often stand apart from society. While many admire monks, only the most dedicated possess the clarity and self-control to master their ways.
  • Oracle: Human oracles employ a variety of cultic arts to reveal the essence and outlook of the oracle. What agents these seers might employ in their strange arts varies mildly, often reflecting mysterious truths.
  • Paladin: Humans aspiring to heroic ideals, seeking noble ways to defend their people, or merely aspiring to lofty ideas of honor and heroism, often gravitate to the paladin class. Though a difficult and often self-sacrificing road, human paladins charge to the forefront of nearly any crusade against the forces of evil.
  • Ranger: Humans challenge themselves to best every kind of prey, leading many to become skilled hunters and trackers of beasts and even deadlier quarries. Over time, many human rangers come to prefer the company of animals to that of people.
  • Rogue: Ambitious, sometimes to a fault, human rogues defy all barriers to gain what they desire. Whether as unscrupulous assassins or dashing thieves, few can resist the deceptions and charms of such determined scoundrels.
  • Sorcerer: With a long history of commingled bloodlines, humans frequently display latent arcane power. Sometimes denounced as freaks or praised as marvels, sorcerers must rely on their inner strength to survive.
  • Summoner: Shaping life and commanding terrors with their every word, human summoners embrace the powers of creation. Eidolons under their command might take a vast variety of shapes, typically being manifestations of their masters’ deepest hopes or darkest nightmares.
  • Witch: The human lust for mastery over the world sometimes leads down mysterious and potentially dangerous routes, such as that of the reclusive witch.
  • Wizard: Many humans seek power, knowledge, and insights into the secrets of creation, leading human wizards to seek out ancient mysteries of arcane lore and new magical innovations. Humans excel both at mastering specific schools of magic and in more universal studies.
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HUMAN ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS


The following racial traits replace existing human racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

Eye for Talent: Humans have great intuition for hidden potential. They gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character’s choice. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat racial trait.

Heart of the Mountains: Humans born in the mountains are skilled at negotiating heights and precipices. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks and Acrobatics checks to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground. Furthermore, they are considered acclimated to the effects of high altitude. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Sea: (Ralani gain this trait as a bonus) Humans born near the sea are always drawn to it. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor) and Swim checks, and these are always class skills for them. They can hold their breath twice as long as normal, and spell-casters gain a +4 racial bonus on concentration checks when attempting to cast spells underwater. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Slums: Humans who eke out a life in a city's teeming slums must be quick and clever. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sleight of Hand and Stealth checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks in urban and underground settings. In addition, they may roll twice when saving against disease, taking the better roll. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Snows: (Thalari gain this trait as a bonus) Humans born in chilly climes treat cold climates as one category less severe. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of cold climates, on any check or saving throw to avoid slipping and falling, and to CMD against trip combat maneuvers. This bonus applies on Acrobatics and Climb checks made in slippery conditions. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Streets: Humans from bustling cities are skilled with crowds. They gain a +1 racial bonus on Reflex saves and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class when adjacent to at least two other allies. Crowds do not count as difficult terrain for them. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Sun: (Vilzari gain this trait as a bonus) Humans born in tropical climates treat hot climates as one category less severe. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of a hot climate, as well as against the poison and distraction ability of swarms and vermin. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Heart of the Fields: Humans born in rural areas are used to hard labor. They gain a bonus equal to half their character level to any one Craft or Profession skill, and once per day they may ignore an effect that would cause them to become fatigued or exhausted. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.

Heart of the Wilderness: Humans raised in the wild learn the hard way that only the strong survive. They gain a bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.

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HUMAN FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS


Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, humans have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all humans who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

Alchemist: Add one extract formulae from the alchemist’s list to the character’s formulae book.This formulae must be at least one level below the highest formulae level the alchemist can create.

Barbarian: Add a +1/2 bonus to trap sense or +1/3 to the bonus from the superstitious rage power.

Bard: Add one spell known from the bard spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the bard can cast.

Cavalier: Add +1/4 to the cavalier’s banner bonus.

Cleric: Add +1 on caster level checks made to overcome the spell resistance of outsiders. (if playing a cleric; see both the Deities and Domains pages)

Druid: Add a +1/2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to change a creature’s attitude.

Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting two combat maneuvers of the character’s choice.

Inquisitor: Add one spell known from the inquisitor spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the inquisitor can cast.

Monk: Add +1/4 to the monk’s ki pool.

Oracle: Add one spell known from the oracle spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast.

Paladin: Add +1 to the paladin’s energy resistance to one kind of energy (maximum +10).

Ranger: Add +1 hit point or +1 skill rank to the ranger’s animal companion. If the ranger ever replaces his companion, the new companion gains these bonus hit points or skill ranks.

Rogue: The human gains +1/6 of a new rogue talent.

Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast.

Summoner: Add +1 hit point or +1 skill rank to the summoner’s eidolon.

Witch: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.

Wizard: Add one spell from the wizard spell list to the wizard’s spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level he can cast.