In which I take a crack at 5e Hengeyokai

Okay, I haven't done the 5e-style flavor text yet, but I probably will at some point, I just wanted to knock out a draft of this and get the mechanics ready before I did any of that stuff. But the plan is to make a nice pretty PDF and I'll have the fluff ready then.

Hengeyokai Traits

Ability Score Increase: The ability score that is highest in your species increases by 2 in your humanoid and hybrid forms. Treat the intelligence score of your species as if it were 10 higher than it actually is for the purposes of this trait. In the event that two or more scores are tied for highest, you may choose which one to increase.
Age: Hengeyokai mature at about the same rate as humans, reaching adulthood in their late teens. They live slightly longer than do humans, usually around 100 years.
Alignment: Free-spirited, even capricious, and playful, hengeyokai tend to be of chaotic alignment.
Size: In their humanoid or hybrid form Hengeyokai are about the size of humans. In their animal form, Hengeyokai are the normal size for an animal of their species.
Speed: In humanoid and hybrid form, your base walking speed is 30 feet. In animal form you have whatever speed is appropriate to your species.
Shapechanging: Hengeyokai can change their shape among three possible forms. Your natural form is that of a beast of CR 0, but as an action you may assume an anthropomorphic "hybrid" form or a humanoid form that resembles a human with features reminiscent of its animal form. Your human features are always the same unique individual, as are your features in both hybrid and animal forms. You may change shape a number of times per day equal to your level. While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

• While in animal form, your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain ali of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
• In hybrid form, you have darkvision if your animal form would. If your animal form has the Amphibious, Keen Hearing, Keen Smell, Keen Sight, or Water Breathing traits, your hybrid form does as well.
• When you transform, you retain your own hit points and Hit Dice.
• While in your animal form you can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. You may, however, communicate with animals of your species (or closely related ones as defined by the DM.) Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call Lightning, that you've already cast. While in your hybrid form, you may speak normally and cast spells, but you retain the ability to communicate with animals.
• You retain the benefit of any features from your class or other sources and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.
• You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. Additionally, when in hybrid or animal form, you may communicate with animals of your species (or closely related species as defined by the DM.)

Hengeyokai most frequently take the forms of the following animals, as well as the badger, cat, crab, rat, and weasel. Other hengeyokai may be found, but are more unusual.

Carp
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 11
Hit Points: 1 (1d4 - 1)
Speed: 0 ft., swim 30ft.
STR: 1 (- 5)
DEX: 12 (+1)
CON: 8 (-1)
INT: 1 (- 5)
WIS: 10 (+0)
CHA: 2 (-4)

Senses: Passive Perception: 10
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (0 XP)
Water Breathing: The carp can breathe only underwater

Crane
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 11
Hit Points: 4 (1d8 + 0)
Speed: 10ft., fly 50 ft.
STR: 7 (- 2)
DEX: 13 (+1)
CON: 10 (+0)
INT: 2 (- 4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 4 (-3)

Skills: Perception +3
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)

ACTIONS
Beak: Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d4-1) piercing damage.

Dog
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 5 (1d6 + 2)
Speed: 40ft.
STR: 8 (-1)
DEX: 11 (+0)
CON: 14 (+2)
INT: 3 (-4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 6 (- 2)

Skills: Perception: +3
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell: The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

ACTIONS
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack:+ 1 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 1 (1d4- 1) piercing damage.

Fox
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 2 (1d4)
Speed: 40ft., climb 30ft.
STR: 3 (-4)
DEX: 15 (+2)
CON: 10 (+0)
INT: 3 (-4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 7 (-2)

Skills: Perception: +3, Stealth: +4
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell: The fox has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

ACTIONS
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.

Monkey
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 2 (1d4)
Speed: 30ft., climb 30ft.
STR: 6 (-2)
DEX: 14 (+2)
CON: 11 (+0)
INT: 6 (-2)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 6 (-2)

Senses: Passive Perception: 11
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)

ACTIONS
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.

Rabbit
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 1 (1d4- 1)
Speed: 40ft.
STR: 3 (-4)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 8 (-1)
INT: 2 (-4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 3 (-4)

Skills: Perception: +3 Stealth: +5
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)
Keen Hearing: The rabbit has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

ACTIONS
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.

Tanuki
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 1 (1d4- 1)
Speed: 40ft.
STR: 3 (-4)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 8 (-1)
INT: 2 (-4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 3 (-4)

Skills: Perception: +3, Stealth: +5
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell: The tanuki has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

ACTIONS
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.

Sparrow
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 1 (1d4 - 1)
Speed: 10ft., fly 50 ft.
STR: 2 (-4)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 8 (- 1)
INT: 2 (- 4)
WIS: 12 (+1 )
CHA: 6 (-2)

Skills: Perception: +3
Senses: Passive Perception: 13
Languages: -
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)

New-school race-as-classes part the third: Tieflings

I mean, I guess Tieflings aren't really that new school given they were in 2e, but 4e took them in a particular direction that I quite liked. I'm not 100% happy with it yet, so if you think there's something that needs changing I'm not above putting out a second draft. UPDATED 8/26: Make that a third draft, thanks to Anonymous Commenter #1.

Tiefling

Art by Zaebrael (you have no idea how hard it is to find a female tiefling in reasonable armor!)

Prime requisite: STR and INT
Requirements: INT 9
Hit Dice: 1d6
Attack as: Fighter
Save as: Elf
Advance as: Elf
Maximum level: 10

Tieflings are the descendants of nobles of a decadent human empire that entered into a series of alliances (both military and marital) with the forces of Chaos. They resemble devilish humanoids with an aristocratic bearing, and often have reddish, grey, or stark white skin, horns, and tails. Some have cloven hooves for feet. In the Wilderlands, Tieflings are also known as Viridians and tend towards green skin instead. Tieflings tend to be about the same height (not counting their horns) and weight as humans.

Restrictions: Tieflings use 6-sided dice (d6) to determine their hit points. They may advance to a maximum of the 10th level of experience. Tieflings may use any type of weapon or armor and may use shields. A Tiefling character must have a minimum Intelligence of 9.

Special Abilities: Tieflings have infravision and can see 60 feet in the dark. They cast spells as Magic-Users or Elves of two thirds their level, as detailed on the chart below. Tieflings are immune to fear effects. While wearing leather armor or less, a tiefling may hide in shadows, move silently, and backstab as a thief of the same level. Inherently Chaotic monsters still often remember the old pacts made between them and the first Tieflings and so apply a +2 bonus to their reaction rolls and a -2 penalty to saving throws against any Charm spells the Tiefling uses against them.

Table: Tiefling spells by level

Character Level	1st level spells	2nd level spells	3rd level spells	4th level spells
1	1	-	-	-
2	1	-	-	-
3	2	-	-	-
4	2	1	-	-
5	2	1	-	-
6	2	2	-	-
7	2	2	1	-
8	2	2	1	-
9	2	2	2	-
10	3	2	2	1

Tieflings:

AC: 5 (14)
HD: 1+1 
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 weapon Damage: 1d8 or by weapon 
# Appearing: 1d4 (2d12)
Save as: E1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: E
Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic

Tieflings are handsome, devilish-looking humanoids. Each tiefling will have one first level spell (chosen at random) If a group of 15 or more Tieflings appear, one will be a leader of level 2-7 (1d6+1). To check for magic items the leader may own, multiply the leader's level by 5. The result is the percentage chance for that leader to have a magic item from any subtable. Roll separately for every subtable. So long as the leader is alive morale is 10 rather than 8.

New-school race as classes 2: The Warforged

This will probably be a three-part series, with the last part being a tiefling. I mean I know last time I said the ruinguard from ACKS, but... I dunno, I have some thoughts about de-ACKS-izing it at the least. (I like ACKS but I dunno, I'm having fun here.) Those three are my favorites.

Warforged

Art by Gabe

Prime requisite: STR
Requirements: STR 9
Hit Dice: 1d8
Attack as: Fighter
Save as: Dwarf
Advance as: Dwarf
Maximum level: 10

Warforged are artificially-constructed beings made of a wooden, leather, and metal frame covered in armor-like steel plates, brought to life by means of magical and alchemical processes. They were created for a war that has since been consigned to history, and in the intervening years the secret of their creation has been lost. Despite their artificial appearances, warforged are self-aware and are often surprisingly "human" in their outlook. With the war they were built to fight gone, many turn to adventuring in hopes of finding a new purpose in life. Apart from the color of their eyes and a serial rune on the crown of their heads, all warforged look essentially alike to human eyes, though some paint identifying markings upon themselves. A warforged stands six feet tall and weighs 275 pounds. Although their bulky, somewhat angular appearance suggests masculinity to human eyes, most warforged are not strongly concerned with gender (though they have no problem going along with whatever gender others are comfortable assigning them).

Restrictions: Warforged use 8-sided dice (d8) to determine their hit points. They may advance to a maximum of the 10th level of experience. Warforged may use any type of weapon, and may use shields. Because they are already covered in armor-like plates of metal, any armor they wear must be specially-fitted and costs twice as much. Because of their wooden-and-metal construction, magical effects involving metal or wood affect them*. Warforged characters do not heal on their own and receive only half the normal effect of healing magic, but they can be repaired by any skilled armorer with access to a forge with one hour of work per point of damage suffered. A Warforged character must have a minimum Strength of 9.

Special Abilities: Warforged are covered in sturdy metal plating that grants them a -2(+2) bonus to their armor class. Although they have souls and are alive, warforged are immune to the effects of fatigue, disease, and poison, and have no need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe (however poison gas such as the breath weapons of green dragons is still dangerous to them because it is corrosive to their organic components). Warforged do, however, have minds and souls and can thus be charmed, held, or raised from the dead like any other person.

Warforged
AC: 4 (15)
HD: 1+1
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 weapon
Damage: 1d8 or by weapon 
# Appearing: 1d6 (2d10)
Save as: F1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: B
Alignment: Neutral

Warforged are artificial people made primarily of leather, wood, and steel. They are immune to poison, disease, and sleep effects. If a group of 15 or more Warforged appear, one will be a leader of level 3-8 (1d6+2). To check for magic items the leader may own, multiply the leader's level by 5. The result is the percentage chance for that leader to have a magic item from any subtable except the Scroll and Wand/Staff/Rod subtables**. So long as the leader is alive, morale is 10 instead of 8.

*For instance, a rust monster may use their feelers to consume a warforged's plating and other metal components, dealing 2d6 damage per round and negating their armor bonus***. If you use Rules Cyclopedia-style Druids in your campaign, they always count as holding a metal object for purposes of Heat Metal, Turn Wood repels them on a failed save, and Metal to Wood reduces their AC bonus by 1***. Warp Wood only affects objects, and thus does not affect Warforged.

**If the leader would otherwise wear magical armor, then their plating is enchanted instead. A warforged may remove such plating in order to use it for theirself***.

***New plating costs as much as plate armor. A warforged may replace their plating in an hour with the help of a skilled armorer with access to a forge.

UPDATE: Edited for clarity

B/X class: I tell you, I tell you the Dragonborn comes (50th post wooo!)

Okay so I haven't thought this out 100%-- I was going to start by building this using the ACKS custom class guidelines, but I got impatient. As usual, honest criticism is the only way I'll learn. (For those of you playing at home, the ACKS Zaharan Ruinguard is the corresponding Tiefling class)

UPDATE: Here it is as a one-page, easy-to-print PDF if you want one.


Dragonborn

Art by Gabe

Prime requisite: STR
Requirements: STR 9, CHA 7
Hit Dice: 1d8
Attack as: Fighter
Save as: Fighter
Advance as: Magic-Users
Maximum level: 11

Dragonborn are scaly, quasi-reptilian humanoids that claim descent from dragons-- a claim corroborated by the fact that they are found in the same colors (though usually more muted, earthy shades) as the various known species of dragon, and by the fact that many of them share a breath weapon with the dragons they closely resemble. Dragonborn tend to be about six feet tall and weigh over 200 lbs. Dragonborn are often very proud, serious and humorless, but exude a predatory confidence.

Restrictions:  Dragonborn use 8-sided dice (d8) to determine their hit points. They may advance to a maximum of the 11th level of experience. Dragonborn may use any type of weapon or armor and may use shields. A Dragonborn character must have a minimum Strength of 9 and a minimum Charisma of 7.

Special Abilities: Dragonborn are covered in thick but flexible scales that give them a -2(+2) bonus to their AC. All dragonborn have a breath weapon similar to that of a dragon, usable three times per day but no more than once per hour, which deals 1d4 points of damage per level, to a maximum of 5d4 damage, along either a cone 40 feet long and 20 feet wide at its far end (if fire or cold), a 20-foot diameter cloud (if toxic gas), or a 60-foot line (if lightning or acid). A successful saving throw against Dragon Breath reduces the damage by half. A dragonborn gains a +2 bonus to any saving throws against damage of the same type as their breath weapon. Dragonborn speak the languages of dragons, kobolds, orcs, and goblins.

And as a monster...

Dragonborn
AC: 4 (15)
HD: 1+1 
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 weapon plus breath weapon
Damage: 1d8 or by weapon 
# Appearing: 1d4 (2d10)
Save as: F1
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: E
Alignment: Neutral

Dragonborn are reptilian humanoids that bear a resemblance to dragons. Like dragons, they have a breath attack (See above for details). All closely-related dragonborn will have the same type of breath attack. If a group of 15 or more Dragonborn appear, one will be a leader of level 2-9 (1d8+1). To check for magic items the leader may own, multiply the leader's level by 5. The result is the percentage chance for that leader to have a magic item from any subtable. Roll separately for every subtable. So long as the leader is alive morale is 11 rather than 9.

Races for ACKS, part 1: The classics

I don't necessarily dislike race as class, and for sure ACKS has one of the best implementations of it. But you know, sometimes it isn't what I want. It's nothing wrong with me, and it's nothing wrong with ACKS, it's just good to have alternatives. So here's an alternative that I hope you'll find to your tastes. I'm not going to impose any class or level limitations on you because as far as I'm concerned, it's just not my place. Each race, in addition to their other benefits, has a list of proficiencies that they may treat as general or class proficiencies, whichever would be more beneficial at the moment.

Dwarves: Dwarves gain the effects (and extra XP cost) of having a Dwarf value of 0 added to their class. Due to their short stature, dwarves may never use two-handed swords or longbows, regardless of their Fighting Value.
Dwarven Proficiencies: Armor Training*, Caving, Craft, Dungeon Bashing, Dwarven Brewing, Engineering, Goblin-Slaying, Illusion Resistance


Elves: Elves gain the effects (and extra XP cost) of having an Elf value of 0 added to their class.
Elvish Proficiencies: Alertness, Beast Friendship, Familiar, Naturalism, Passing Without Trace, Swashbuckling, Wakefulness, Weapon Finesse

Halflings: Due to their short stature, halflings may never use two-handed swords or longbows, regardless of their Fighting Value. Few halflings are experienced in adventuring, so even player character halflings begin without the Adventuring proficiency and must purchase it at the cost of a single proficiency.

A halfling value of 0 adds an XP cost of 150

At Halfling 0, all halflings gain the following powers:

• Like dwarves, halflings are Hardy people and reduce the target values for saves vs. blast/breath by 3 and the target values of all other saves by 4. 
• Halflings are also strong-hearted and reduce the target values for saves against any sort of charm, fear, or mind-control effect by an additional 2 points.
• Halflings have Keen eyes and gain a +1 bonus to attack throws when using thrown or missile weapons.
• Outdoors, Halflings are tricky to spot, having the ability to seemingly disappear into woods and underbrush with a proficiency throw of 10+ on 1d20. In dungeons, a halfling who is motionless and quiet in cover can escape detection with a proficiency throw of 18+ on 1d20. 

Halfling Proficiencies: Adventuring, Alertness, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Contortionism, Knowledge, Naturalism, Passing Without Trace, Skirmishing

Humans: Humans do not incur any additional XP cost, and furthermore they begin with one additional proficiency due to their natural capacity for learning. Humans do not have any additional racial proficiencies.

I dunno, this is just an idea I dashed off over the course of an hour for the hell of it so I wouldn't mind hearing some feedback about it.

Random elf names

This is meant to go with Jeff's Random Dwarf Names generator from a while back. The results will probably be gibberish most of the time to anyone who actually understands any Sindarin or Quenya, but I don't so fuck that.

Roll for the first part. Then roll 1d3-1 for the number of middle parts. Once you've gone through all your initial elements roll for the last part.

First Parts

1. Ar-
2. Cele- or Cir-
3. El- or Ea-
4. Fea-
5. Fin-
6. Gal-
7. Glor-
8. Hal-
9. Le- or Li-
10. Lu-
11. Or-
12. Thran-

Middle Parts

1. -a- or -ar-
2. -ad- or -d-
3. -b- or -eb-
4. -du-
5.  -e- or -er-
6. -fin-
7. -go- or -gol-
8. -in- or -n-
9.  -ir- or -r-
10. -la-
11. -ri- 
12. -th- or -thi-

End Parts

1.  -ad or -an
2.  -as
3. -dor or -rod
4. -el or -del
5. -gol
6. -iel
7. -il
8. -in
9. -ir
10. -on or -ond
11. -or or -orn 
12. -we or -wen

Guidelines:

• Double vowels and any diphthongs that don't look right should be broken up with an appropriate consonant-- any of g, th, l, or d usually work.
• Double consonants should likewise be broken up with a vowel, probably a or e maybe o.
• Like I said, most of the result you get out of this will be gibberish.

Halflings for B/X

Because shut up, Tavis and Alex, Halflings are awesome. =P

Like most of my content this has not been playtested... yet.

The following is a General proficiency, but is only available to human classes that do not cast Arcane spells. Unlike most proficiencies it can only be taken at first level, and requires two proficiency slots.

Halfling: The character is a Halfling, a tiny relative of Dwarves and Humans. His lifespan is half again as long as members of his race, and he enjoys a +2 bonus to AC against creatures of man size or larger. Additionally, halflings, like Dwarves, are Hardy People so the target value for their saves vs. Blast/Breath are reduced by 3, and the target values of all other saves are reduced by 4. However, halflings are very small in size and are subject to the following additional restrictions:

• The maximum weight a halfling can carry is equal to 15 stone, plus his strength adjustment.
• A halfling cannnot use longbows, arbalests, or melee weapons that require two hands to use, and never uses the increased damage value for using battle axes, flails, maces, warhammers, spears, or swords two-handed.
• A halfling does not begin play with the Adventuring proficiency.

ETA 5/4/2013: At the suggestion of Doctor Pete from the Autarch forums I've altered it a little bit.