I play Hackmaster, so I’m adding some of these to my list.
For half-elves, elves and Humans
Beast Bond The character has an amazing rapport with one type of animal. The character begins play with one of these animals as his personal friend and mount (if it is ride-able). The character gets a +5 reaction bonus when the dealing with the animal type he has rapport with. This animal is devoted to him and will risk (or even sacrifice) its own life to save the character; and the character is expected to behave the same way toward his mount. The character has a telepathic rapport with his animal. The beast and the character know each others emotional state. If the animal ever dies, the character can choose another animal of the same type as his companion; if this occurs, the beast-rider immediately suffers 2d6 damage and must make a save versus spell. If this save fails he behaves as if under the effects of a Feeblemind.
For orcs/half orcs
Damage Bonus: The character receives +1 damage bonus on any weapon. This may be selected multiple times, each time applying to a different weapon
Dense Skin: The character receives half damage when struck by a blunt weapon.
Tough Hide: This character has a natural armor class of 8 (gives an armor bonus of +2) if wearing no armor. If wearing armor that improves the armor class, then this ability only improves the Armor Class by 1.
Dwarves:
Stone Tell The character can use the Stone Tell ability as a cleric of the same level, once per day
Meld into Stone: Once a day a dwarven character with this ability can meld into stone as a cleric of the same level.
Human Only:
Experience Bonus: A character with this proficiency gets a +5% bonus to experience points acquired. This is cumulative with the bonus for high prime requisites, if the character has them.
Gnome Only:
Defensive Bonus: Characters with this talent have a +1 AC when in their native underground enviornment
Elves, Halflings, Fighters:
Woodland Stealth This allows a character to successfully hide in wooded or natural surroundings on a successful throw of 18+. This improves by 1 every charter level.
Wizards:
Item Savant: This proficiency allows the character to craft items earlier than normal. It allows the character to craft potions and scrolls at 3rd level, magical items such as wands, wondrous items, weapons, armor and other miscellany at 7th level, and constructs, staves, rings, rods, ego items, and unique magical items at 9th level. This proficiency may be taken multiple times - each time it is taken it applies to a different item type (Potions/Scrolls, Common magical items, or Constructs, Rods, Staves, Rings, Ego Items, and Unique items.) Note that this is a class feature of the Alchemist Class.
Spell Razor: A character with the spell razor talent does an additional point of damage for every die of damage a spell does. A fireball that does 10d6, does 10d6+10, a single magic missile will do 1d4+2.
General
Toughness: gain 3 hit points and +1 Hit Point a level past 3 hit dice.
Reduced Facing (G) This character is skilled at handling multiple opponents. When fighting more then one creature, one of them will not be able to attack each round, determined randomly.
Shaving/Grooming: You are proficient at maintaining your personal hygiene. This effectively raises your Charisma by 1.
Swimming: Characters with this skill know how to swim. They may move half their normal land movement rate for a number of turns equal to twice their constitution. Then they must succeed at a proficiency throw of 8+ to keep going. Each check after the first becomes more difficult. No one may swim in any armor that is fairly bulky or bulky. Light armor applies a +6 penalty to the check (requiring a throw of 14+) and forces checks after a number of turns equal to their constitution.
Most of those look good though I have a few suggestions and thoughts.
Spell Razor - Is going to be extremely powerful, possibly too much, when combined with Elementalist, it would be +2 damage on each dice.
Toughness - Given the relative low HP of the game, you’d practically be a fool not to take this and that makes it a less interesting addition. If everyone is voluntarily taking the same feat, it’s probably too good.
Reduced Facing - I get the idea, but if all things are equal than opponents have access to this and it’s probably pretty disheartening as a player to essentially be stunned a round (she/he can’t retreat from melee unless declaring before) by a single proficiency. If you’re still interested in keeping it I would change it to some kind of throw based on the opponent. Otherwise you’ll also have to deal with things like “sorry DM, I’ve got Reduced Facing so those two fire giants/dragons/etc can’t both attack little old me.”
Swimming - It’s not explicitly mentioned, but I believe the Adventuring proficiency, which everyone starts with, covers this. Though this one could certainly be improved over what’s probably a basic ability to stay afloat.
I run with a hit point kicker (+20 hp), use exploding dice, and threshold of pain. Toughness is not that terribly overpowered in my situation.
Again, mages don’t get that many proficiencies. If the spend two on dealing damage. . .
Also: I’m not giving the monsters reduced facing, just the PC’s. And it applies to being surrounded by multiple opponents. I’ve run with this for a long time, and it comes up a lot in hallways, it wouldn’t do any good against a roper, polearms, dragons, etc.
Thanks for the comments though.
Another one:
Monstrous (G): This proficiency is special in that it indicates that the character is some sort of unusual or hideous monster, such as a vampire, werewolf, or construct, instead of a normal human. This proficiency must be taken at character creation. When this proficiency is selected, the character does not gain any extra proficiencies for high intelligence. The type of creature and it’s abilities and drawbacks are to be determined between the Game Master and the player. Playing a character with this proficiency is challenging, and it is suggested that there be no more than one of these in the party. Note that although this includes traditional options above, it also includes such things as Multi-headed creatures, unusual race combinations (half giant/troll), hideous aberrations (Gelatinous creature) and more. The intent is to make a truly unusual PC, not just one with extra powers.
Valis - one quick note.
The game is balanced on the assumption that only Class Proficiencies can affect/change game mechanics. The General Proficiencies are limited to being skill-like, while Class Proficiencies can be more feat-like, to use a reference from D&D3.5.
The major reason for this is that INT lets you get bonus General Proficiencies. It’s hard to explain how, e.g., being smart helps you be Monstrous or Tough. And it’s very unbalancing.
What I would recommend is that for proficiencies like that, you add them to each Class’s Proficiency List, rather than make them General Proficiencies. As long as all classes get an equal ## of new Class Proficiencies, there’s no loss of game balance.
Hope that helps!
This is a great insight. Since Monstrous can only be taken at character creation, and removes all bonus proficiencies from high intelligence, I think it’s ok on the general list.
Certainly with this information toughness doesn’t belong there.
thanks for this insight!