Old World» Races

This page lists the races to which a player character in the Old World campaign setting may belong.

Racial ability maximums

Although a character’s ability scores may increase with level (thanks to the ability score increase that a character gains at every fourth character level) and with age (see Table: Aging Effects), no character’s ability scores may increase beyond the maximum for his or her race. Each race’s maximum ability scores are 20, modified by the racial bonus or penalty for a particular ability score. (For example, a human’s racial maximum ability scores are all 20; while a tiefling’s maximum Dexterity and Intelligence are 22 and his maximum Wisdom is 18.)

Magic may increase a character’s actual ability score past this limit, as can an inherent bonus to an ability score (such as one gained via a wish from a genie).

Humans

(no racial ability score modifiers)

• Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• Bonus Feat: 1 extra feat at 1st character level.
• Skilled: 1 extra skill point at each character level.
• Human Spirit: Humans can call upon depths of confidence, faith, and belief in themselves that few others can hope to match. Any time a human is under the effect of a morale bonus of any kind, that bonus increases by +1.
• Automatic Language: Common and the local language of the character’s community (if different from Common).
• Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). (See the Linguistics? skill for more information about languages.)

Half-Orcs

+2 Strength, −2 Intelligence or −2 Charisma (player’s choice)

(This choice also affects the character’s maximum ability score; see “Racial ability maximums”, above.)

A half-orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.

• Medium: As Medium creatures, half-orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Half-orc base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Half-orcs (and orcs) can see in the dark (but not in supernatural darkness). Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and half-orcs can function just fine with no light at all.
• Orc Ferocity: Half-orcs gain Diehard as a bonus feat.
• Weapon Familiarity: All half-orcs are proficient with axes. A half-orc who selects proficiency with axes via the weapon proficiency feature of one of his classes gains Weapon Focus with those weapons.
• Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
• Menacing: Half-orcs do not apply a Charisma penalty (if any) to their Fear reaction rolls?.
• Automatic Languages: Common, the local language of the character’s community (if different from Common), Orc.
• Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal. (See the Linguistics? skill for more information about languages.)

Alternate half-orc racial traits

• Bestial: The orc blood of some half-orcs manifests in the form of particularly prominent orc features, exacerbating their bestial appearances but granting them enhanced senses. They gain a +2 racial bonus on perception (all physical senses) checks, and +2 to Fear reaction rolls? in most humanoid communities.
  • This racial trait replaces the orc ferocity racial trait.
• Pass For Human: The orcish physical traits of some half-orcs are very subtle, barely noticeable. Half-orcs with this racial trait receive a +10 bonus on Disguise? checks to disguise themselves as human, and do not take the penalty for disguising themselves as a member of another race when they do so. In areas largely populated or settled by humans, most people tend to assume a character with this trait is human unless given a reason to think otherwise (in other words, a character with this trait is generally assumed to be taking 10 on his Disguise? check).
  • This racial trait replaces the menacing racial trait.

Hobgoblins

+2 Strength or +2 Dexterity (player’s choice)

(This choice also affects the character’s maximum ability score; see “Racial ability maximums”, above.)

• Medium: As Medium creatures, hobgoblins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Hobgoblin base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: Hobgoblins can see in the dark (but not in supernatural darkness). Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and hobgoblins can function just fine with no light at all.
• Team Discipline: Whenever a hobgoblin is engaged in combat, he gains the benefits of any teamwork feat possessed by two or more of his allies, even if he does not have that feat. (He must still qualify for the feat in order to gain its benefits.)
  • If at least one other ally possesses a teamwork feat which the hobgoblin has, he can treat all other allies as also having that feat, for the purposes of determining how and when the feat’s benefits apply.
• Sneaky: Hobgoblins receive a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common, the local language of the character’s community (if different from Common), Goblin.
• Bonus Languages: Draconic, Infernal, Orc. (See the Linguistics? skill for more information about languages.)

Alternate hobgoblin racial traits

• Battle-Hardened: Hobgoblins with this racial trait gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against combat maneuvers.
  • This racial trait replaces the sneaky racial trait.
• Magic-Scarred: Hobgoblins with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against magical effects.
  • This racial trait replaces the sneaky racial trait.

Tieflings

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and −2 Wisdom

• Medium: As Medium creatures, tieflings have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Tieflings base land speed is 30 feet.
• Type: Tieflings are fiends, not humanoids (although they are not extraplanar, unlike most fiends).
• Darkvision: Tieflings can see in the dark (but not in supernatural darkness). Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and tieflings can function just fine with no light at all.
• Fiendish Resistance: Tieflings have resistance 5 to two of the following (player’s choice): acid, cold, fire, poison, sonic.
• Subtlety: Tieflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff? and Stealth? checks.
• Darkness: A tiefling with a Charisma score of at least 10 has the darkness spell-like ability, which may be used three times per day. Caster level is equal to the tiefling’s character level.
• Automatic Languages: Common, the local language of the character’s community (if different from Common), Infernal.
• Bonus Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Orc. (See the Linguistics? skill for more information about languages.)

Alternate tiefling racial traits

• Fiendish Sprinter: Some tieflings have feet that are more bestial than human. Whether their feet resemble those of a clawed predator or are the cloven hooves common to many of their kind, tieflings with this trait gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.
  • This racial trait replaces the subtlety racial trait.
• Maw or Claw: Some tieflings take on the more bestial aspects of their fiendish ancestors. These tieflings exhibit either powerful, toothy maws or dangerous claws. The tiefling can choose a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage or two claws that each deal 1d4 points of damage. These attacks are primary natural attacks.
  • This racial trait replaces the subtlety racial trait.
• Prehensile Tail: Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.
  • This racial trait replaces the darkness racial trait.
• Pass For Human: The fiendish physical traits of some tieflings are very subtle, barely noticeable. Tieflings with this racial trait receive a +10 bonus on Disguise? checks to disguise themselves as human, and do not take the penalty for disguising themselves as a member of another race when they do so. In areas largely populated or settled by humans, most people tend to assume a character with this trait is human unless given a reason to think otherwise (in other words, a character with this trait is generally assumed to be taking 10 on his Disguise? check).
  • This racial trait replaces the darkvision racial trait.
  • Note: A character may not have this racial trait if he has any of the following racial traits: fiendish sprinter, maw or claw, or prehensile tail.