Racial Background Campaign Bonuses

[Zyraen]

Remarks: For those who played UB earlier, the term "Racial Trait" has been replaced with "Racial Bonus". This is to avoid confusion with the stat-related Traits in the main game.

All races are speed 6 and have low light vision, unless otherwise indicated.

R is for Racial ability, that you can trade out a green CA for. Racial ability is usable only once per battle.

You may trade out one of your two racial bonuses for any other racial bonuses on the Generic Bonuses list (see next post), or for +1 to one Fort Reflex Will defense. See Campaign Bonuses below.

Some racial bonuses improve a group check, which refers to when the party is using the same skill towards a single goal, and thus that character is able to interact with the others and offer input in their combined efforts. Also note that racial bonuses never stack with themselves.

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DWARF
Speed 5, not slowed by heavy armor

R) Swift Rally
Personal, Swift
Effect: You take the Rally action.

Remarks: As per the UB Combat cheatsheet, the Rally action lets you spend a Reserve and regain Reserve Value HP, and you also gain the benefits of Total Defense, ie +2 to all defenses.

Bonus) Darkvision: You have darkvision 10.

Bonus) Stand Fast : You ignore 1 square of forced Movement (pull, push, slide). When an Attack would knock you prone, you can make a Saving Throw to avoid falling prone.

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HALFLING
Small*

R) Charmed Life
Personal, Interrupt
Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Effect: The triggering attack roll is rerolled.
Special: The first time you use this ability and the outcome is not improved in your favour, you do not expend this ability. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on a d20 roll, you can expend this ability to reroll.

Bonus) Fearless: You gain +5 to saving throws against fear effects.

Bonus) Nimble: You gain +2 to all defenses against opportunity attacks (OAs)

* - up to four small creatures can occupy a square, and small creatures treat weapons as one size smaller

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HALF-ELF

Racial: A half-elf may choose a racial ability of either his human or elven heritage.

Bonus) Diplomatic: You gain +1 to persuasion, and grant this bonus to your party when making a group check.

Bonus) Survivor: You gain +2 to death saving throws.

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HALF-ORC

R) Smashing Blow
Personal, Free
Trigger: You hit with a melee attack that deals damage.
Effect: The damage increases by either your Sec, or by 1W (if it is a weapon attack), or by 1d8.

Bonus) Charger: You gain +2 speed when charging, and do not take penalties from running during your charge.

Bonus) Bloody Resilience: You gain 5 THP when Bloodied. This increases by 5 at Levels 11,21.

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HIGH ELF

R) Fey Jaunt
Personal, Move
Effect: You teleport 5 squares.

Bonus) Darkvision: You have darkvision 10.

Bonus) Resolute: You gain +2 to saving throws against effects that daze, dominate or stun.

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HUMAN

R) Heroic Focus
Personal, No action
Trigger: You make a d20 roll.
Effect: You gain Sec (max 6) bonus to the triggering roll. This uses up your interrupt action if you have one, or your next interrupt.

Bonus) Adaptive: You gain +1 to all saving throws.

Bonus) Combat Readiness: You gain +2 bonus to Initiative.

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SYLVAN ELF

R) Peerless Aim
Personal, Free
Trigger: You make an attack roll.
Effect: You gain +2 to the triggering roll, or reroll it.

Bonus) Eagle-Eyed: You gain +1 to perception, and grant this bonus to your party when making a group check.

Bonus) Surefooted Shift: You ignore difficult terrain when shifting.

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TIEFLING

R) Burning Backlash
Interrupt, Burst 10 (1 foe)
Trigger: You take damage from an attack that hits you.
Effect: The triggering enemy takes the same amount of damage.

Bonus) Fire Resistance: You gain Resist 5 fire. This increases by 5 at Levels 11, 21.

Bonus) Quick Recovery : You gain +2 to saving throws against ongoing damage.

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ADD-ONS / CUSTOMS
Bonuses of the custom race are not available to other races, unless explicitly with GM permission.

CATFOLK

R) Speed Burst
Swift, Personal
Effect: Until ENT, you gain Sec bonus to speed.

Bonus) Climber: You may take 10 on Athletics Checks to climb, and are not unguarded when climbing.

Bonus) Nimble Faller: You deduct 3 squares when calculating fall distance. You take half damage from falling and land on your feet even after taking falling damage. Note that if you are prone before falling, you still end up prone.

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SYLPH

R) Windy Escape
Interrupt, Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack, after damage is given.
Effect: You gain Resist Sec against the attack, and if it was a critical hit, it becomes a normal hit.

Bonus) Electrical Resistance: You gain Resistance 5 to lightning. This increases by 5 at Levels 11, 21.

Bonus) Nimble Faller: You deduct 3 squares when calculating fall distance. You take half damage from falling and land on your feet even after taking falling damage. Note that if you are prone before falling, you still end up prone.

Special: Sylph gains access to the following feat at L11.

L11) Wings of Air: You gain fly speed 6 (altitude limit 1) while in light or no armor, and while not heavily encumbered. This replaces one of your racial/background/campaign bonuses, or you lose access to Windy Escape.

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WAYANG
Small*

R) Dissolution
Interrupt, Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Effect: After the attack resolves, you become invisible until ENT, and can shift halfSec squares and make a stealth check to become hidden.

Bonus) Darkvision: You have darkvision 10.

Bonus) Necrotic Resistance: You gain Resistance 5 to necrotic. This increases by 5 at Levels 11, 21.

[Zyraen]

BACKGROUND BONUSES

You can have Background Bonus to customise/replace one of your Racial Bonuses so that it fits your character background, rather than being tied to your race.

Note that any racial bonus that appears above among the races is also available, as well as possible derivatives, so feel free to ask if you wish.

However, GM can disallow certain Racial Bonuses, such as a halfling taking Oversized, etc. (this has since been incorporated below)

Ample Reserves : You gain +4 HP to your Reserve value. This bonus does not stack with Feats.

Bloody Resilience : Once before resting, you gain 5 THP when Bloodied. This increases by 5 at Levels 11,21.

Combat Readiness: You gain +2 bonus to Initiative.

Darkvision: You have Darkvision 10.

Nimble: You gain +2 Racial bonus against Opportunity Attacks

Oversized : You can use Weapons that are one Dice-size larger. For avoidance of doubt, your Fist (as with Unarmed Combatant) counts as a weapon, but improvised weapons are not affected. Small characters may not choose this bonus.
( Note largest weapon size in the game is 2d6brutal1. It can only be obtained by using an Exotic Weapon with Oversized Amended )

Resistance : Choose from Acid, Lightning, Fire, Cold, Psychic, Radiant, Necrotic, Poison. You gain Resist 5 to that type of damage. This increases by 5 at Levels 11, 21. You cannot choose a Resistance of the same type as your Vulnerability.

Saving Throws
Note these are against SE effects
a) +5 Save against Charm
b) +5 Save against Fear
c) +5 Save against Illusion
d) +5 Save against Poison
e) +2 Save when making Stabilise Saves
f) +2 Save when saving against Ongoing Damage
g) +2 Save against effects that Daze, Stun or Dominate
h) +2 Save against effects that Immobilise, Restrain, or Slow
i) +1 to All Saving Throws

*Situational Checks : You gain one of following
a) +5 to Athletics Checks to Climb or Jump
b) +5 to Performance Checks to appear as (a different Race of same size as you)
c) +2 to all Escape Checks (ie Acrobatics and Athletics)
d) You are always treated as having a Running Start when Jumping.

Stand Fast : You ignore 1 square of forced Movement (pull, push, slide). When an Attack would knock you prone, you can make a Saving Throw to avoid falling prone.

Surefooted Shift : You ignore Difficult Terrain when Shifting.

*Terrainwalk : You ignore Difficult Terrain that is due to
a) Forestwalk : forest, trees, underbrush, natural growth
b) Icewalk : ice, snow, tundra, slippery surfaces
c) Earthwalk : rubble, uneven stone, ruins, earth
d) Swampwalk : bog, mud, shallow water, wading

[Zyraen]

CAMPAIGN BONUSES

In addition to the above two bonuses, you gain one of these Campaign Bonuses (although you may choose none if you so wish).
Note Prowess is a +3 bonus in a single Skill, that stacks with the skill bonuses you start with.
If the bonus overlaps with any of the earlier chosen bonuses, note they do not stack.

Note that these are from the CoCT Player Guide, and are generally plot hooks tying the characters in to the first part of the adventure, dealing with some scumbag named Gaedren Lamm.
While some are motivations/goals, this should not be your character's "End Goal" (ie once your character achieves it, your character retires).


Drug Addict
Someone you know has become addicted to shiver, a drug distilled from the venom of dream spiders. The drug induces sleep filled with vivid dreams, during which the user’s body often shakes and shivers, giving the substance its street name. Shiver is particularly dangerous for the desperate, for its promises of dreams and oblivion are often viewed as the only alternative apart from suicide for escaping a dreary life. You’ve always thought of shiver as a problem of the lower class, but then someone you know overdosed on the stuff. You’ve done a bit of investigating and have learned that the one who got your friend addicted in the first place was a crimelord named Gaedren. Unfortunately, the guards seem to be more focused on the bigger dealers. They don’t have time to devote many resources to what they’ve called, “a bit player in a beggar’s problem.” It would seem that if his operation is to be stopped, it falls to you.
- Addicted Friend: The addict is a friend or lover who might or might not have survived the overdose. Your research into the drug scene and local politics has given you a respectable education in street knowledge. You gain Prowess in Streetwise.
- Personal Addiction: You were the addict. You blame Gaedren for your brush with death and hate how his drugs are causing similar problems among other youths. Fortunately, your body recovers quickly from toxins, and you gain +1 Fortitude.

Framed
Someone you know and love was accused of murder. A supposed eyewitness account from a local fisherman seemed to be enough to seal the case, but the accused had enough alibis that sentencing wasn’t immediate. Someone confronted the fisherman and discovered he was intimidated into providing false witness and forced into planting the murder weapon by the actual murderer—a local crimelord named Gaedren Lamm. Lamm’s thugs killed the fisherman before he could recant his testimony. Although this removed the key witness and resulted in the accused being set free, the stigma was enough to badly damage his reputation. If you can find Gaedren, you’re sure you can find evidence that ties him to the murder and can clear the accused’s name.
- Family Honor: The person framed was a family member, perhaps a father or brother. You managed to trick the fisherman into revealing the truth with your skilled tongue, and thus gain Prowess in Bluff
- Dropout: You were the one accused. Although you were eventually freed when a friend confronted the fisherman and got the truth, the damage had been done. You were forced to leave your school (perhaps the Acadamae) or church. As a result, you were forced to self-train and promised yourself you would become better at your chosen profession despite the spurning of your peers. You gain Prowess in History.

Love Lost
Someone you loved was knifed to death in a dark alley one night. You were called to the scene by the Korvosan Guard to identify the body, and as rough as that was for you, you also noticed a ring was missing from the body. Whoever murdered your loved one stole that ring—you’re convinced of it. You’ve done some investigation on your own and recently found the ring for sale at a local merchant. Although, to your great frustration, you can’t afford yet to buy it back, the merchant did tell you from whom he purchased the ring: a man named Gaedren Lamm. It seems likely this criminal is the one who killed your loved one, or at the very least knows who did. The only problem is finding him.
- Orphaned: The murder victim was your only surviving parent. You had to grow up fast to take care of your siblings or to handle your family’s matters and were forced from an early age to support yourself. You gain 2 additional Skill Points.
- Widowed: The murder victim was a lover. With your lover’s death, a part of you died as well, leaving you haunted, grim, and prone to dark musings. You gain Prowess in Intimidate.

Missing Child
You suspect that a child you know has been abducted by Gaedren. Whatever the relationship, you’ve heard rumors about Gaedren’s “Little Lamms,” and of how the old man uses children as pickpockets and agents for his crimes. You’ve even heard rumors that the child you’re looking for has been spotted in the marketplaces in the company of other known to be cutpurses and pickpockets. Although the Korvosan Guard has been understanding of your plight, yet it has its hands full with “more important” matters these days, it seems, and has not yet been able to learn anything more about Gaedren. No one else is interested in bringing Gaedren down and rescuing his victims—that task falls to you. Yet where could the old scoundrel be hiding?
- Missing Sibling: The missing child is a brother or sister. Although everyone else has given up hope, you believe your sibling still lives out there. Your constant search for the missing sibling has developed into great skill at rumor mongering and finding information from others. You gain Prowess in Insight.
- Missing Son or Daughter: The missing child is your own son or daughter, a niece or nephew, or the son or daughter of your superior or employer and one you had been charged with protecting. The child was abducted during a trip to the market or some other daily event. Long hours spent searching for rumors and your stubborn will to continue grant you +1 to Will.

Unhappy Childhood
You spent a period of time as one of Gaedren’s enslaved orphans. Maybe you were abducted from your parent’s home or during a trip to the market. Perhaps the irresponsible matron who ruled your orphanage traded you to him in return for a desperately needed loan of money. Or perhaps you, like most of Gaedren’s slaves, were merely a child of the street who succumbed to his promise of regular meals and a roof in return for what he said would be “a little light work.” Whatever the case, you spent several years of your life as one of his “Little Lamms” before escaping. You’ve nursed a grudge for the old man ever since.
- Tortured: Gaedren tortured you and left you for dead on a garbage heap after you made one too many errors. Your scars and memories have honed your reaction speed and make you rather jumpy. You gain a +1 to Reflex.
- Religious: You found a holy symbol of the god you worship today while on a job for Gaedren and, intrigued by it, you snuck off to attend services. When Gaedren found out, he beat you to within an inch of your life and broke your holy symbol. Your faith let you block out the pain, and you escaped his control and took shelter in the church, where you spent the rest of your youth. You gain +2 bonus to saving throws against effects that daze, stun or dominate.

( new UB players should note that saving throws in the game succeed on a 10+ on d20, so with +2 it becomes success on 8+. It does not alter what PF1E and D&D refer to as saving throws, which are Fortitude Reflex and Will defenses in this game)

[Zyraen]

Zellara's Harrow

Zellara's Harrow reading remains until used or until Zellara performs another reading

Each Harrow card is related to a specific Stat.

For the related Stat, you can expend the Harrow to reroll or add +2 to a related skill check, or related d20 roll (see below).

You can grant an ally usage of your Harrow if the roll was made during the turn you use your standard/readied action.

- Str & Dex can be used for wpn attack rolls
- Con & Wis for saving throws or to gain +2 to Fort or Reflex or Will against an attack
- Int & Cha for an implement attack

- If the Stat matches to a Stat under your secondary trait, you can apply it to Initiative

- Certain scenes may be key for certain Harrow stats, and provides an extended benefit, and the GM will prompt for Harrow usage

- If the card Stat matches the scene but has already been used up, you can spend 2 WP to refresh the card so you can get the benefit. If the benefit ends up not needed or not making a difference, 1 WP will be returned.