I often use the PC tab on protos to try to rebalance the races. I am wondering if that extra feat really puts humans over the top for desireability. Is it just for certain classes, multiclasses? I'm wondering if there is some kind of point system for what each race gets - and how much is lost in this game compared to pnp. I'm just curious what others think. Humans get a feat (probably combat) and extra skill points, which have become even more valuable because of Temple+ Prestige Classes. And don't forget No Favored Class. Awesome, right?? But... Elves get a lot: Resistance to enchantments, Alertness + Search bonus (=1.5 background feat), fewer hp / more AC / hit bonus, 4 martial weapons - so how much is that worth relative to humans, especially if they could use low-light vision? (The secret door ability doesn't seem to be unique for them in this game) Dwarves get: bonuses to racial enemies, bonuses against spells and poisons (wow!), +4 Stability, more hp / less social / slower if light, +2 Appraise on some things, and Fighter types get one more weapon. I actually give martial proficiency with handaxes and light hammers - excessive? Halflings have been fixed on Temple+ now regarding thrown weapons, right? Otherwise, I add Greater Weapon Focus for dart, javelin, sling (not dagger). They have more AC / better hit / less damage, stealth bonuses, save bonuses. In ToEE we still haven't fixed small items and limited encumberence. Gnomes are arguably not as good as halflings more hp / less damage, racist combat bonuses, +1 illusion DC is a feat equivalent (it says +2 DC on the pdf but it is only +1), which unfortunately is for a school that is underdeveloped in ToEE. No usable low-light vision. Fighter types get an exotic weapon, and I give the others proficiency with heavy pick (since there is no light pick proficiency). I am also trying out trapfinding for all gnomes. Maybe I went too far by giving them and additional +2 Int and -2 Wis. Do gnomes get enough love? Half-Elves in my opinion are quite disadvantaged partially because of no usable low-light vision. They get the equivalent of 2 background feats, and Elven resistances. Does having no Favored Class really keep it on par? I have tried giving more intelligence (to non-wizards) for more skill points. Is that too much? Half-Orcs get totally ripped off because they don't (and Dwarves don't) have darkvision in this game. The Double-axe doesn't do anything for them better than any other large axe, right? Should they be given something else? From playing Pathfinder and 5e, there might be somethings to consider: 3.5 Dodge does practically nothing. It works once and almost always when you don't even need it. I give this feat free to all races. Does that weaken the attaction to human PCs? Based on 5e, I also give Weapon Finesse as a free feat, but I learned the hard way NOT to give it to strong characters because the armor check penalty is calculated if strength ever goes lower than Dex. I welcome a discussion
On paper, humans and half-elfs are the most "OP" classes, cause of the not-designated-favourite class. In theory, you could make very powerfull class and prestige class combos, that other classes are not able to reach without XP penalty. For ToEE, halforcs and halfelfs are the worst races. In essence, all that half-elfs get (for the video game version) is the +2 diplomacy and unlocked favourite class, and the half-orcs have +1 on attack and dmg rolls. That's it. On the other hand: - humans get +4/+1 skill per level, unlocked favourite class and one extra feat, which is massive. - dwarves get +2 con, resists, exotic wpn prof - elfs, if you have temple+, have a large array of options for stats, longsword and bow wpn profs, and resists - halfling, if you have temple+, are busted for the rogue options - gnomes are mediocre, but not as bad as half orcs/elves. The way I balance those two, is giving Half-Orcs large size frame, in which they gain reach and the ability to hold large weapons, with the positives and negatives that the large size hold. For half-elfs I give them +1 dex/ -1 con, and a martial weapon proficiency of choice.
