Rules - Races

There are 7 humanoid races in the world of Shattered Wilds, all belonging to the same humanoid species. These are all the rational material Beings known to exist, and they seen to share a common ancestry, though the details have been lost to time.

A character's Race grants them a set of Racial Modifiers as a Core Feat (these changes will bypass level cap) and a Size Category. Races have typical Upbringings, but players are absolutely free to choose any background that fits their character and backstory.

The Size Category is mostly for flavor as effects of a creature's size are already incorporated into their stats. Notably, however, the Size Category determines the amount of hexes a creature occupies in the grid.

Characters can also be half-breed. While typically peoples breed within their own, all races are compatible so you can have a double ancestry (you could theoretically be a convoluted mix, but there are no specific rules for that - eventually races even out to Human). If a character picks two races, they will be considered a Half-X Half-Y, where X is their primary race.

A character gets the size of their primary race and they can decide to get the combined physical stat modifiers or just the primary race ones. So for example if they want to be a Half-Goliath Half-Dwarf, they will be Large and can decide either to get +1 STR / -1 CON or combined +1 STR / - 1 DEX. DM allowing you might make different choices (e.g. get your size category to be the "average" between races or get the stats strictly from your secondary race). Half Breeds are not completely uncommon but can be seen as outsiders for members of either races, specially if they are sufficiently physically different to be easily noticeable.

Upbringings

Your upbringing grants you three Core Feats:

• Upbringing Modifiers: A pair of Mind/Soul Realms modifiers (+1 in one Attribute, -1 in another), which will also bypass level cap.
• The Level 0 Core Feat from your chosen Upbringing
• The Specialized Knowledge feat associated with your Upbringing (You have +3 to Knowledge or Intuition Checks about aspects related to your upbringing environment).

Players are welcome to craft their own Upbringings with their DMs, but there are five pre-defined options to choose from. You can still choose any attributes for the modifiers, but you should choose a pair of modifiers that make sense with your backstory. If your class is a Caster or Mystic, choosing your the +1 modifier to go to your Primary Attribute is usually inherently justifiable.

Urban

This character lived their childhood in a medium-sized village or town (much larger cities are extremely rare and hard to find). Human and Elven communities are often Urban.

• Specialized Training: Type: Core Level: 0 You gain two additional Minor Feat slots at Level 1.
• Typical choices for Upbringing Modifiers: + INT/CHA/LCK, - WIS/DIV/FOW
• Typical applications of Specialized Knowledge (Urban): recall urban lore, politics, commerce, something specific about the city, etc.

Nomadic

This character grew up as a nomad, traveling in a small party, family or group venturing through the Wilds (either you'd need to have had strong members to protect you, or somehow have a reason you managed to survive on your own). They are somewhat familiar with the ways of the Wilds. Human (often by choice to fulfill their dreams of exploration), Orc and Goblin (often neglected by their peers or other races) are often Nomadic.

A typical scenario is a small group of low-level adventurers, that eventually have (or encounter) a child, and now must find a way to raise them until they can find the next safe village to drop them off (which can be rare to find depending on where they are).

• Nomadic Alertness: Type: Core Level: 0 Can make Awareness Checks to spot danger while sleeping in the Wilds with no CM penalty.
• Typical choices for Upbringing Modifiers: + WIS/FOW/LCK, - INT/CHA/DIV
• Typical applications of Specialized Knowledge (Nomadic): intuit about surviving in the Wilds, foraging, tracking, etc.

Tribal

This character grew up in a settlement with a strong tribal structure, with hierarchies and clans. Dwarven, Fey and Goliath communities are often Tribal.

• Tribal Endurance: Type: Core Level: 0 Pay 1 Heroism Point to reduce your Exhaustion rank by 1 if you can directly tie a current task to your personal sense of duty to your tribe.
• Typical choices for Upbringing Modifiers: + CHA/DIV/FOW, - INT/WIS/LCK
• Typical applications of Specialized Knowledge (Tribal): recall specific tribal knowledge and lore (depends on the tribe), intuit hierarchical structures between people, etc.

Sylvan

This character grew up in very small settlement embedded deep within the woods. Elven, Fey, and Goblin communities are often Sylvan.

• Light Feet: Type: Core Level: 0 Ignore Difficult Terrain due to natural vegetation, forest growth, etc.
• Typical choices for Upbringing Modifiers: + WIS/DIV/FOW, - INT/CHA/LCK
• Typical applications of Specialized Knowledge (Sylvan): recall fauna and flora lore, details about biomes, including forests and woods, etc.

Telluric

This character grew up in a cave-dwelling settlement, deep within cave systems. Dwarven, Orc and Goliath communities are often Telluric.

• Dark Vision: Type: Core Level: 0 See black-and-white in the dark.
• Typical choices for Upbringing Modifiers: + INT/CHA/LCK, - WIS/DIV/FOW
• Typical applications of Specialized Knowledge (Telluric): intuit your way through caves and dungeons, recall minerals, mining, and ore lore, etc.