Race Rules (at long last)

Race Rules Updated.  Bear in mind, they were updated to the file provided.  Any errors (such as goblin having mage as a starting/penalized) are also in the Online Rulebook. 6/20/08
Roy S.

---

The revised race rules are now available in the Rules Downloads section of the website - but you must say "revised race rules" five times fast in order for the link to work...

Here's the general advisory on these:

• Effective Date: The rules will be implemented for the 2nd April event (a.k.a. the Anniversary event).
• Prohibited Professions: If your PC currently has what is now a prohibited profession for her race, you will be allowed to keep that profession but will have to pay a five build penalty as though it were a penalized profession.
• Penalized Professions: You must pay the five build penalty for any profession your PC has that is now penalized for her race.
• Starting Professions: If you have a starting profession for your PC that is no longer permitted as a starting profession for her race, you will be permitted to retain that profession, but will have to pay the five build penalty if the profession is penalized or prohibited.
• Khitan: If your PC has been role-played as coming from a culture that is now represented by the Khitanese human race, you will be allowed to change your PC's race accordingly.
• Coast Haven:  If your PC has been role-played as coming from Coast Haven, you will be allowed to change your PC's race accordingly.
• Sylphs: Sylphs will be introduced via plot at a date to be determined. Until their plot introduction, they are not merely restricted but are off-limits.
• Branded: If your Dark Elf PC has been role-played as being branded, you will be assigned the skill Branded immediately.
• Refunded Build: If your PC has build refunded because of modifications to the racial skills, you will be required to respend that build on the racial list, if possible; if not, you will simply be refunded the build and can choose to respend it immediately or accept it in your unspent column.

What if a profession is not listed on any of a race's lists (starting/penalized/prohibited)?

For instance, in a totally hypothetical situation of course, Cavalier is not on any of the Dark Elf lists.  What would that, hypothetically, mean?

--Skimmel, who does not play a cavalier...

All that matters is that there is an explanation finally for dryads with wings.

But seriously, what about these penalties? Would respending the build into a suitable profession be plausible? In my case, losing 5 build for a profession I've had for a long, long time is harsh when taking into account a 1 build blanket per event. Can it be converted into a similar profession with comparable skills from the starting list?

I could swear it says this in the first couple pages, but not one seems to notice it, so maybe I'm crazy. But the answer to Skimmel's question is that if a profession doesn't appear as a Starting profession, but is not Penalized or Prohibited, you can acquire it as a secondary (tertiary, whatever) profession for the normal cost of 10 build.

I'll defer on answering the question about respending if you're stuck with a now penalized list. My inclination is to let that happen to make everyone happy, but I better check with James and others who will be affected by the potential extra paperwork before making such a promise...

What will happen with racial detriments that are no longer listed?  More specifically, will every Gypsy in game suddenly find their family curse lifted and discover a new willingness to use the bank on April 25th?

We are all (our characters) immediately aware of all of this information a la Harry Potter (Everyone knows about the tri-wizard tournament that we just made up, cause we've always known this, just never talked about it.)?  Or do we have to find out this information in game?

This might be writen in there and I just missed it, sorry.  What about skills that you used to get for free, but now have to pay for, ex. Adv. Lit for High Elves.  Am I instantly going to become stupid and forget how to read good or can I just pay the build cost and have it written on my card?

You can instantly re buy them Mike, and if you don't have enough build i'll allow you to go into negatives if neccessary. We arn't going to let these changes ruin a character for one/two months.

To answer Chris' question we haven't really come to a decision on that yet, i'm going to lean towards yes you can but don't take that as official yet. I'm going to speak with James about it and then make some official post of some official nature about how to deal with these changes between event to save me some time and sanity.

Chris, you may actually be close to breaking even, even with the 5 build penalty.  Tracking dropped from 5 to 1 on the Sylvan list, so it won't be that bad.

One bit of errata that an RM just pointed out to me:

Dragoon should be available as a starting profession for the Khitan human race. I'll post an updated version of the file ASAP.

So quick question...

Trade: Merchant

Was taken off bedouin racial but is not part of the regular trade stuff.  Is this gone all together or will it be added to the trade rules down the line?

Remember that there is no pre-defined list of trades, so Merchant is still allowed.  You can be a merchant of Luxuries, a merchant of Durables, a merchant of Clothing, etc.  (In other words, you re-sell it other than making it yourself.)

So here's a question.  I know in the past I've gotten told there is no such skill as bedouin lore, and we are not allowed to call that.  However right in the beginning of the race rules it says each race is the subject of a lore skill.  Are we now allowed to use our race as a lore?

Also as a rp thing, and sorry its again about bedouins but it says  that all women are revered and cherished and should be protected and then later it says that men are in charge and leadership is not a womans place.  Those statements seem kind of opposite, in one side women are great, which I've not heard before, and on the other women aren't to be in charge or hold responisibilty.  Is it meant to be like that, or is there one way its supposed to be?

So here's a question.  I know in the past I've gotten told there is no such skill as bedouin lore, and we are not allowed to call that.  However right in the beginning of the race rules it says each race is the subject of a lore skill.  Are we now allowed to use our race as a lore?

I think that is tied with what MattWhite posted on the Five Lore Catagories. From what it looked like, Culture Lore: Bedouin is what the original one equates to.

Also as a rp thing, and sorry its again about bedouins but it says  that all women are revered and cherished and should be protected and then later it says that men are in charge and leadership is not a womans place.  Those statements seem kind of opposite, in one side women are great, which I've not heard before, and on the other women aren't to be in charge or hold responisibilty.  Is it meant to be like that, or is there one way its supposed to be?

They're not mutually exclusive.  The angle should be viewed as "Politics and Leadership are too tough / dangerous for a woman.  If they get exposed to that kind of stuff, they could be hurt."  They're important, but the men think they should be protected from the harsher elements of life.

Geoff is right, the Bedouin standard on women pretty much involves a heavy dose of machismo and chauvenism. A Kormyrian might regard their reverence of women as being a convenient device by which to rationalize their suhjugation. A Bedouin - man or woman - would disagree, of course.

Regarding race lores, the section you read specifically puts all past precedents to bed. A Bedouin now, by default, knows the lore of his or her own people, and likewise for all races. And yes, this means you can invoke that knowledge in an official capacity by calling "Lore: Race". It just seemed like something long overdue, so we did it.

Remember that there is no pre-defined list of trades, so Merchant is still allowed.  You can be a merchant of Luxuries, a merchant of Durables, a merchant of Clothing, etc.  (In other words, you re-sell it other than making it yourself.)

I get that but from a logistical point:

On my card it said Trade: Merchant.  It was a given racial.
Now it isn't and Trade: Merchant isn't on the commoner list (from what I can gather you have to pick Luxury, Durable,etc).
So am I now going to pay 4 build for the Trade skill off the common list and have Trade: (insert commodity here) on my card?

You will still have Trade: Merchant (<insert type here>).  Yes you will have to pay the 4 build.

i just tried readding the packets for the new races.. and the links arent working. is this on purpose or a glitch?.. im really interested in seeing what they are like

Why would it be on purpose? 

It's simply a technical error.

Seems that high elves get some very powerful racials for mediocre detriments.  The new skill is what sticks out the most to me, Negative Energy Resistance. 

Seems to be a watered down version of a periodic witch hunter skill, and still retains most of the good abilities of the skill, the immunities.  Just in addition to the 10 mp and the pre-req to casting magic seems really good.  The role-play detriments associated with being a high elf really seem to even it out, but the standard role-play detriments never really seem to come into play anymore, I can really only think of one high-elf that thinks hes better then everyone, and that guy just thinks hes better then everyone anyway.

maybe im just a cranky necromancer, who cant mess with high elves anymore though
XoXo
andy

Aww... poor Andy, now you just have to stab me

So.
Why can Hobgoblins be mages.

Ever.

Just curious.

Why CAN they?  They're smart, and civilized.  I don't see why they can't be...  Just because they hate High Elves doesn't mean they won't use the arcane themselves.  (Although I see a Hobgoblin commanding the weave, where a High Elf would work with it, from an RP perspective.)

I have a silly little question:

How do Bediouns have Lore: Forest? If they live in a desert? Just asking because they cant really become druids (without being penalized) so I was wondering why they get that.

I think you're missing a page - that's Celts that get it.  Are you seeing they get Highland Rage, too? 

No....its on the bed list too...

It's really not, Geoff wouldn't lie to you. Maybe you are looking at Barbarian?

Bedouin:
Racial Benefits
Evaluate Item

Racial Detriments
Weakness v. Disease

Racial Skill List
Literacy: Bedouin (1)
Sleight of Hand (4)
Fire Fortitude (4)
Bargain (4)

Bedouin
 

Body Points: 4

The Bedouin are a group of Humans that have adapted to the harsh and dry climate of the southern territories. They are a tough and durable people who make the most of what they have and are adept at surviving on very little. They wear light colored clothing that flows in the wind, and veils to protect their eyes from sandstorms. The Bedouin are an ancient race that has quietly lived in the deserts and jungles of the great peninsula for many ages. Bedouin can be arrogant or humble, depending on which nomadic tribe they come from, but a tendency towards secrecy is common to all of them

The Bedouin are divided into three known tribes: the Scharazad, the Kahli and the Amu-Set. The Scharazad are peaceful and intelligent, making fine company, but have an air of arrogance about them due to their wealth and position. The Khali are far more numerous and less wealthy, and are more commonly known to the Human Kingdoms than the other groups. They are kind, honest, and peaceful people despising evil and untruths of any sort. The Amu-Set are a devious and evil people whose malicious deeds have been told over campfires far to the north of their home causing many children to have nightmares.

All Bedouin revere women and believe that they must be cherished and protected. Women in Bedouin society have highly regulated responsibilities and limited freedoms, which are a function of the Bedouin belief that this best shields them from harm and ennobles their spirits. Women who do not willingly accept their traditional roles are regarded with criticism and disapproval by Bedouin men; they believe that such women damage their own esteem and give offense by making it difficult, if not impossible for men to protect and honor them as they are meant to.

When they are encountered by other races all Bedouin are generally respected, but their secrecy frequently arouses suspicions.

Starting Professions
Alchemist, Archer, Assassin, Healer, Mage, Priest, Scholar, Spy, Thief, Torturer, Warrior, Wild Mage

Penalized Professions
Berserker, Buccaneer, Druid, Ronin, Warrior Monk

Prohibited Professions
Dragoon

Role-playing

Bedouins have a profound respect for two superstitions. The first is that water is sacred, and wasting water, even when it is in abundance, is sacrilegious. The second is that the one hand must be held in reserve to serve one’s master; a Bedouin’s off-hand should always be kept free except when it can be used to serve the Bedouin’s master – mortal or god.
Bedouins have a fierce belief in patriarchal authority, and have great difficulty accepting the leadership – and especially the explicit command – of a woman. Leadership is not viewed as a traditional role for women.
Costuming and Makeup
Bedouins dress in robes and turbans, primarily – loose fitting clothing that makes it easier to survive the heat and extreme sunlight of the desert.

Racial Benefits
Evaluate Item
Lore: Forest

Racial Detriments
Weakness v. Disease

Racial Skill List
Literacy: Bedouin (1)
Sleight of Hand (4)
Ignore Pain (3)
Fire Fortitude (4)
Bargain (4)

I dont think he's lying....this is what I get though when I click on it....so you see Im not crazy lol