RACE

The Baenrahl setting introduces a number of new races for the players to choose from. Each of the new races is presented below in a manner consistent with the Player’s Handbook. Dwarves, elves, and humans are slightly modified from the character races of the same names presented in the Player’s Handbook. Six other races are also available as player races; Giakahn, Kestrel, Lacertilian, Minotaur, Muirhaut, and Sky’reen. Use racial traits as presented there for your characters. However, personality traits, relations, and other characteristics vary as presented in this chapter.

Centaur	Dwarf	Elf	Giakahn	Human
Kestrel	Lacertilian	Minotaur	Muirhaut	Sky'reen

Choosing a Race

After you roll your ability scores and before you write them on your character sheet, choose your character’s race. At the same time, you’ll want to choose your character's class, since race affects how well the character can do in each class. Once you know your character’s race and class, assign your ability score rolls to particular abilities, alter the abilities according to race, and continue detailing your character.

You can play a character of any race or class, but certain races do better pursuing certain careers. Muirhauts, for example, can be fighters, but their small size and special features make them do better as rogues.

Your character’s race gives you plenty of cues as to what sort of person he or she is, how he or she feels about characters of other races, and what might motivate him or her. Remember, however, that these descriptions of the race only apply to the majority of people. In each race, some individuals diverge from the norm, and your character could be one of those. Don’t let a description of a race keep you from detailing your character as you like.

Race Characteristics

Minotaurs are stronger than kestrels. Elves are quicker than dwarves. Your character’s race determines some of his or her qualities. Because of your race you will receive adjustments to certain abilities and a number of special traits that are specific to your race.

Ability Adjustments

Check the Ability Adjustments on your characters race page and apply the adjustments you see there to your character’s ability scores. There is one caveat, no ability score may be less than 3. If an adjustment would drop your score below 3, simply give yourself a 3 for that ability score.

Favored Class

Each race’ favored class is listed in the racial description. A character’s favored class doesn’t count against the character when determining XP penalties for multiclassing.

Effective Character Level

Some of the races available in the Baenrahl campaign setting are significantly more powerful that the races in the Player’s Handbook. You need your DM’s approval before playing a character of such a race. To maintain the balance of power between player characters, adjustments have to be made to characters of these races so that the game remains fair and enjoyable for all involved.

All of these races have a racial trait called Level Adjustment that is a number between 1 and 3.

When creating a character of this race, add the Level Adjustment to the character level of the creature. The DM determines how many experience points she lets your new character start with. If a powerful race’s minimum experience point requirement is higher than this number, you can’t be a member of this race. Your character’s beginning equipment is based on his effective level; not his class level.

Because character’s of these powerful races possess a higher level than just their character level alone, they do not gain levels as fast as a normal character. Add your character’s level adjustment to your character level to arrive at your effective character level (ECL). From now on, this character uses his ECL to determine how many experience points he needs to reach a new level. These characters begin with the minimum number of experience points needed to be a normal character of their ECL. You still use the characters actual level for everything else (such as when you acquire feats, skill point acquisition, and so on)