Races as Classes, Remixed. Part 1: Elf
Based on the following post: https://www.tumblr.com/daughter-of-sapph0/818659986304630784?source=share
We all know unicorns: graceful icons of purity, horses with a big ol' magic horn between the eyes. Did you know they come from an ancient description of a rhinoceros? Europeans described the rhino as "a horse with a horn on the nose" and though a game of telephone we now have MLP. Obviously rhinos are quite different from horses but they didn't have other words to describe the creature to others who have never laid eyes to one (I probably would have compared them to a cow).
What if the same thing happened with the classic fantasy races? Isn't it odd how similar humans, elfs and dwarves are? What if the elves long ears are actually a rabbits ears? what if the dwarves proud beards are something completely stranger?
Elf
You are an elf: a rabbit-like humanoid that lives in forests in a tight community. Elven society is communal, with a high emphasis on social cohesion and sharing, but it's also isolationists and distrusts anything from "outside the forest". For these reason a lot of communities have treated them as myths or has ascribed them otherworldly powers they don't possess.
Logging from other races, combined with their insanely high population growth, has recently forced a lot of elves to leave the forests behind and instead try to adapt in municipalities from other races. Some of these keep their communal and isolationist values, dealing mostly with their own, while other have a more gregarious approach.
A-Elven Insight, Elven Spryness, Warren Blood
B-Elven alacrity, From the burrows
C-Elven grace
D-Eldar reflexes, Eldar rage
Elven Insight
Your hearing has no equal. You have advantage on all perception rolls where hearing would be useful and once per scene you can ask the Master a question you could ascertain by sound, such as “¿Do I hear movement?” or “¿what are they whispering?”.
You never receive a Defense penalty when you’re surprised or against enemies you can perceive (such as invisible enemies).
Elven Spryness
You have an unarmed kick attack that deals 1d6 damage and you may Leap 15 feet as an action. Once per short rest you may double your Move; it’s free if you’re fleeing from danger.
Warren blood
You were born in the forest, as all elves do. You ignore natural difficult terrain and don’t need to roll to forage enough rations for one in a forest. If you’re using a Hex Map, once per day your group can move for free from a forest tile to another.
Elven alacrity
If you move in your victims direction at least 10 feet before a hitting with a kick, you may choose one of the following for every 10 feet of run up; you may choose the same option up to three times.
-Upgrade de damage die do 1d8, or add 1d8 of damage to the kick for each additional pick.
-Push the victim 10 feet per pick. If the movement is blocked by an obstacle, the victim suffers 1d6 extra damage. if it's blocked by a creature both suffer 1d6 extra damage.
-Immediately leap 15 feet away from the enemy, +10 feet per pick.
You have a +2 to AC against attacks of opportunity when you Leap.
From the burrows
While underground you can always point to the north and can always find the path to the closest exit. Once per dungeon you can ask the purpose of a feature and the DM must give you a true answer.
Elven grace
Once per short rest, you may jump as a reaction to being included in an attack or area of attack; this can allow you to dodge an attack or find cover (+2 to AC). You don’t trigger attacks of opportunity when you do this.
Eldar reflexes
When you use Elven grace you may also counter-attacks with a ranged weapon.
Eldar rage
You may now pick a choice from Elven alacrity per 5 feet of run up. You always have a +2 to AC against attacks of opportunity and when you Leap you don’t trigger attacks of opportunity.
Comments from the author: they are calling it "the most front loaded class of all time". While I don't think it's necessarily stronger than a lot of lvl 1 Fighters, it's probably a failure on my part: first, it's 7 more confusing for the player, and second, I don't enter into what I would consider is "the meat" of the class until the second level.
With that said I quite like Elven Alacrity and Elven Grace. They are based on how bunnies kick each other and their reflex to jump when startled, respectively. Eldar rage is probably overtuned but capstones should be broken or something. Honestly I'm just pretty done with this one, even if it's far from perfect.
Comments are always welcome: https://komments.cloud/d8d5579078da6cd9f97267