Vistani Racial traits

[The Giamarga]

How is it that the half-vistani get skill bonuses according to tribe/tasque, but the full vistani don't? The other way round would make much more sense, wouldn't it.

[midnightcat]

I thought they did. In 2nd edition they did. I don't theink that 3rd editon had rules to play full Vistanis.

[The Giamarga]

3E has rules for everything

Vistani racial traits are in the Core Rule book. Admittedly not in the Races chapter, but at the end of the book. And Denizens of Dread lists the favored class for vistani and i think they are the same as for half vistani. But no skill bonuses.

Where in 2E did Vistani get skill bonuses? Domains of Dread? Or VRGttVistani?

[Jester of the FoS]

Full blooded Vistani gain a number of other powers that half-bloods don't, and each of the tasques has its own unique abilities and strengths.
Half-bloods get skill bonuses as a pale comparison and an in-game emphasis to what their relatives are interested in.

[midnightcat]

3E has rules for everything

Vistani racial traits are in the Core Rule book. Admittedly not in the Races chapter, but at the end of the book. And Denizens of Dread lists the favored class for vistani and i think they are the same as for half vistani. But no skill bonuses.

Where in 2E did Vistani get skill bonuses? Domains of Dread? Or VRGttVistani?

In 2nd editon full blooded vistani are in VRGttVistani. They are close to the half-vistani. Thanks for the info on where to find vistani stats for 3rd. I have the book, just never read the section, becuase I have never been able to get my players to play 3rd edition after all these years.

[The Giamarga]

Full blooded Vistani gain a number of other powers that half-bloods don't, and each of the tasques has its own unique abilities and strengths.
Half-bloods get skill bonuses as a pale comparison and an in-game emphasis to what their relatives are interested in.

What exactly are those unique abilities and strengths for each of the tasques mechanically speaking??? I see no mechanical bonuses acording to tasque except favored class. (and that only on Denizens of dread.) There's fluff for sure, and it would fit perfectly with the skill bonuses that the half vistani get. But only the half vistani actuall get those bonuses, even though they possibly did not grow up in the tribe.

[Luke Fleeman]

Where in 2E did Vistani get skill bonuses?

Where are skills in 2e at all? There are none (NWPs don't count), so I'd say it happed no where.

[Jester of the FoS]

Full blooded Vistani gain a number of other powers that half-bloods don't, and each of the tasques has its own unique abilities and strengths.
Half-bloods get skill bonuses as a pale comparison and an in-game emphasis to what their relatives are interested in.

What exactly are those unique abilities and strengths for each of the tasques mechanically speaking??? I see no mechanical bonuses acording to tasque except favored class. (and that only on Denizens of dread.) There's fluff for sure, and it would fit perfectly with the skill bonuses that the half vistani get. But only the half vistani actuall get those bonuses, even though they possibly did not grow up in the tribe.

I think the actual full-blooded vistani's tasque abilities are one of those things that is better left mysterious and not fully stated. To describe what they are capable of in exact terms and strict game mechanics takes away some of their power.

[The Giamarga]

I don't subscribe to this point of view. Stat the unstatable i say...

But anyhow, giving half-vistani powers to the full blooded vistani sure wouldn't take away any mysteries. It makes a whole lot more sense to give those skill bonuses to them as they are cultural bonuses similar to the elven ones in standard D&D.

[Mangrum]

I'm 98& certain that I wrote all of the below for the chapter on Vistani in the utterly-nondistributable RL monster collection the blurbs have all been feeding into. I'm far too lazy to check and see if I'm lifting this from Denizens of Dread, however, so if I am let me know and I snip it right back out:

Vistani as Characters

Full-blooded Vistani are not recommended as a player character race. That said, however, NPC Vistani possess the following racial traits.

* +4 Wisdom +2 Charisma.

* Medium: As Medium creatures, Vistani have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

* Vistani base land speed is 30 feet.

* Bonus feat: Voice of Wrath.

* 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.

* Natural Affinity (Ex): This ability grants a Vistana a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks. Provided fuel and some means of igniting a spark, Vistani can always light a fire as a standard action, even under adverse conditions (pouring rains, gusting winds, and so on). When wilderness survival depends on being able to start a fire, the Vistani racial bonus on Survival checks rises to +4. Survival is always a class skill for Vistani.

* A Vistana can identify any normal plant or animal with a successful DC 10 Knowledge (nature) check, which can be made untrained.

* A Vistana in the wild can always find a source of potable drinking water within an hour with a successful DC 15 Survival check. (The DC may rise to 20 in particularly hostile and arid climes.)

* Special Attacks (see above): Evil eye, Vistani curses.

* Special Qualities (see above): The Sight (females only), Mist navigation, static burn.

* Vistani Blood: For all effects related to race, a Vistana is considered both Vistani and human.

* Outcast Rating: 3 (+1 size, +1 reputation, +1 unnatural powers).

* Automatic Languages: Patterna. Bonus Languages: Any domain languages.

* Level Adjustment: —.

In addition, Vistani possess racial traits based on their tribal heritage:

* Canjar: Arcane Talent (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks. This bonus rises to +4 when attempting to learn new spells. In addition, Spellcraft is always a class skill for the Vistana.
* Favored Class: Wizard.

* Corvara: Suspicion (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana a +2 racial bonus on Open Lock and Sense Motive checks. In addition, these skills are always class skills for the Vistana.
* Soothing Influence (Su): Non-Vistani within 30 feet of a Boem must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 Vistana’s HD + Vistana’s Cha modifier) to maintain negative emotions like hatred, suspicion, or rage (including barbarian rage). If they fail the save, the negative emotion ends, and the subject ignores the Boem’s Outcast Rating. (This ability does not, by itself, improve an NPC’s reaction rating.) This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
* Favored Class: Rogue.

* Equaar: Innate Equestrian (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks. In addition, these skills are always class skills for the Vistana.
* Favored Class: Ranger.

* Kamii: Metalcunning (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana a +2 racial bonus on any Craft checks related to metalwork, such as blacksmithing, armorsmithing, or weaponsmithing (when working on metal armor or weapons). With a successful Appraise check, Kamii can identity metals and can determine where any metal item originated. In addition, these skills are always class skills for the Vistana.
* Favored Class: Rogue.

* Naiat: Innate Performer (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana a +2 racial bonus on checks with any two Perform skills (traditionally stringed instruments and dance). In addition, the chosen Perform skills are always class skills for the Vistana.
* Soothing Influence (Su): Non-Vistani within 30 feet of a Boem must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 Vistana’s HD + Vistana’s Cha modifier) to maintain negative emotions like hatred, suspicion, or rage (including barbarian rage). If they fail the save, the negative emotion ends, and the subject ignores the Boem’s Outcast Rating. (This ability does not, by itself, improve an NPC’s reaction rating.) This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
* Favored Class: Bard.

* Vatraska: Innate Healer (Ex): This talent grants the Vistana a +2 racial bonus on Heal and Profession (herbalism) checks. In addition, these skills are always class skills for the Vistana.
* Favored Class: Druid.

* Zarovan: Slippery Time (Su): A Zarovan gains a racial modifier of (+1d10 – 1d4) on initiative checks (for a maximum range of +9 through –3). Roll for a new modifier each time the Vistana makes an initiative check.
* Favored Class: Sorcerer.

[Luke Fleeman]

Is it possible they should have a +1 lvl adjustment? They have better bonuses than Aasimar and more abilities, but no LA, while the Aasimar is a +1.

[The Giamarga]

Good stuff. Exactly what i'm talking about. Thanks for sharing it, John.

As for CR, I can see CR +1. They do have some drawbacks though. Static burn, OR 3.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

That begs the question of which of their traits the Vistani automatically lose, in the event that they become mortu and/or darklings.


Note that the Zarovan trait of Slippery Time might be better simulated, under the 3E/3.5 rules, by re-rolling their initiative every round as was done in 2E. Just apply a flat racial bonus of about +3 to their initiative, re-rolling it each time the round "turns over" for non-Zarovan combatants, and you've got all the 'temporal randomness' you need, with fewer dice to juggle.

[The Giamarga]

According to the Darkling template in CoD Darklings loose Static Burn and and Mist Navigation. They gain Poison(+4 to knowledge(poisons) and it's a class skill. In 3.5 this would probably a craft bonus or the Poison User ability), Landlocked (may not pass a misty barrier) and Foreseeing (massive insight bonus to some saves and skills). They also get an additional Evil Eye effect: Doom.

I'd say they keep everything else...

[Mangrum]

Is it possible they should have a +1 lvl adjustment? They have better bonuses than Aasimar and more abilities, but no LA, while the Aasimar is a +1.

I think you're thinking that the Vistani have a +0 level adjustment. They don't; it's "—," or no level adjusment, just like undead have no Constitution score, not Con 0.

In other words, they simply aren't appropriate for PCs.