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Step 3: Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 220
Once you have chosen all your racial qualities, you may then choose your racial traits with your remaining RP.

Racial traits are divided into several categories: ability score, defense, feat and skill, magical, movement, offense, senses, weakness, and other racial traits. The number of racial traits you can buy from each category depends on the power level of the race you are creating—standard races can pick no more than three traits from each category, advanced races can pick no more than four traits from each category, and monstrous races can pick no more than five traits from each category. Furthermore, traits in each category are organized by type—standard, advanced, and monstrous. Standard races can only select traits from the standard section of each category, advanced races can select traits from the standard or advanced sections, and monstrous races can select from any section.

Unless stated otherwise, all racial traits are extraordinary abilities, and each racial trait can only be taken once. The following format is used for all racial traits.

Name (RP Cost): Each racial trait begins with its name. The number of RP each trait costs is listed in parentheses directly after the name. For racial traits you can take more than once, this is the number of RP you pay each time you take the traits, unless stated otherwise in the Special line of the trait description.

Prerequisites: Some racial traits have prerequisites. Your race must meet any prerequisites listed in this entry before you can take the trait. Some traits require a specific type or subtype, while others require that you take other racial traits or qualities before you take it.

Benefit: This is the benefit the racial trait grants the members of the race you are creating.

Special: This includes additional facts about the racial trait.

Humanoid Subtype as Prerequisites

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 220
There are a number of racial traits that require a certain humanoid subtype as a prerequisite. This is usually the case when a racial trait mentions a race in its name. As the GM, you can view these subtype prerequisites as suggestions and indicators as to what kinds of races or humanoid subtypes would usually take these traits. Feel free to change the name or racial subtype prerequisite of such a trait to better fit the race you are building.

Ability Score Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 220
The following racial traits add to the base ability score modifiers chosen in the ability score modifier quality.

Defense Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 220
The following racial traits augment the defenses of members of the race.

Feat and Skill Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 224
Feat and skill racial traits typically grant bonuses on particular skills or grant bonus feats.

Magical Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 227
The following racial traits augment a race’s ability to use magic or grant spell-like abilities.

Movement Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 231
The following racial traits augment a race’s ability to move about the world.

Offensive Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 232
The following racial traits augment a race’s fighting prowess.

Senses Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 236
All races start with normal vision. The following traits augment their vision or otherwise enhance their senses.

Weakness Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 236
The following racial traits apply weaknesses to members of the race. All weakness racial traits cost negative RP, which means they subtract from a race’s total RP spent for the purposes of meeting the race’s power level restrictions.

Other Racial Traits

Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 238
This category covers various traits that other categories do not, which can augment your race in a number of different ways.

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