TEXT: Race Creation 
  Cookbook
  LPJ9874
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 1
  For Dungeon Masters
  DMs with a taste for world-building can either borrow 
  races for their setting from other sources, or build new 
  races from scratch.  Presented below are guidelines for 
  designing new character races with access to a wide 
  variety of abilities and balancing drawbacks.  Whether 
  these are exotic new races or variants of more familiar 
  fantasy races, the tools are in your hands.  This system 
  is not, however, balanced for players to build their 
  own races.
  Designing New 
  Races
  Racial advantages of all kinds are purchased with a 
  pool of ability points.  In this system, races are built 
  from a pool of 40 points.  There are also a variety of 
  drawbacks, including racial Hit Dice, Level Adjust-
  ment, and unusual racial vulnerabilities, which grant 
  additional ability points.
  This system is no substitute for a DM’s good judg-
  ment.  Forty ability points, plus a bit more from draw-
  backs, could grant a race one or two exceptionally 
  powerful abilities.  This race would likely be more 
  powerful than the races of the Player’s Handbook, 
  which possess a larger number of less powerful abili-
  ties.
  The racial abilities presented below are divided into 
  two major categories, classiﬁed as Common Abilities 
  and Greater Abilities.  Common Abilities are those 
  available to races without a Level Adjustment or racial 
  Hit Dice.  Greater Abilities are restricted, for reasons 
  of balance, to races with at least +1 Level Adjustment 
  or at least two racial Hit Dice.  Each of these abilities 
  has an associated minimum Level Adjustment or racial 
  Hit Dice requirement.
  Bonuses that apply to speciﬁc creature types, weapon 
  types, energy types, or the like may be purchased more 
  than once, each time applying to a different creature 
  type, weapon type, energy type, or other option from 
  a list.  Such abilities are marked with an asterisk (*).  
  Abilities may not otherwise be purchased twice, nor 
  may they be purchased in both a lesser and a greater 
  form.  For example, “+5 ft to base speed” and “+10 ft 
  to base speed” may not be purchased together.  
  Common Abilities
  The ﬁrst determination for a new character race is its 
  creature type and subtype.  Many creature types are 
  unavailable as Common Abilities; refer to Table 1.1 
  for those that are available.  Most types and subtypes 
  grant abilities in and of themselves; DMs wishing to 
  vary from these abilities (such as granting Darkvision 
  120 ft. to an aberration) will need to deduct the cost 
  of the pre-existing ability from the cost of the newly 
  granted ability (essentially crediting the 10-point cost 
  of Darkvision 60 ft. against the 14-point cost of Dark-
  vision 120 ft.).  
  Note that a race must have a type, but not necessarily 
  a subtype.  The Native subtype may only be applied to 
  the Outsider or Elemental types; as it removes more 
  advantages than it grants, it provides a minor cost 
  break to those creature types.  The same goes for the 
  Goblinoid subtype, as it provides no advantages, but 
  two of the core Player’s Handbook races have racial 
  bonuses to attack rolls against them.  Finally, charm 
  person, hold person, and so forth target only human-
  oids, so other types pay six points for the privilege of 
  being immune to these spells.
  This table also includes the decision to make a race 
  Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large (long).  Large (tall) 
  and larger sizes may not be purchased as Common 
  Abilities, given the extraordinary utility of natural 
  reach.  Tiny races are at a remarkable disadvantage, 
  as they have a natural reach of 0 feet, and are likely to 
  have great difﬁculty using common equipment.  Simi-
  larly, many Large (long) creatures ﬁnd that standard 
  gear does not ﬁt them easily.  Tiny and Small size 
  are generally associated with a Strength penalty, just 
  as Large size is generally associated with a Strength 
  bonus.  These things are not, however, considered to 
  be intrinsic to the size categories in this case.
  As described in the Monster Manual, many creature 
  types grant proﬁciency in some weapons and armor.  
  To create a balanced character of these races, however, 
  a small change must be made.  These creature types 
  should only grant weapon and armor proﬁciencies if 
  the race has one or more racial Hit Dice (see Greater 
  Abilities, below).
  Ability Score Bonuses:
  Ability score bonuses and penalties should balance 
  out to 0 for races without a Level Adjustment or racial 
  Hit Dice.  Bonuses generally should not exceed +2 
  and penalties generally should not exceed -4, although 
  there are exceptions.  The race’s size is the ﬁrst consid-
  eration in adjusting its ability scores.  Tiny or Small 
  races should generally have a Strength penalty and 
  Large races should generally have a Strength bonus, 
  unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.  
  The difference in gear weight (half for Small creatures 
  
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  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  and double for Large creatures) makes these bonuses 
  and penalties all the more necessary.
  It is also noteworthy that, in most campaigns, physical 
  statistics are more important ability scores than mental 
  statistics, and thus are worth more points.  Ability 
  score bonuses cost more points than a penalty to the 
  same score grants because it is relatively easy to play 
  to a race’s strengths and minimize its weaknesses 
  within the D&D rules system.
  Racial Bonuses to Skills
  Table 1.3 gives prices for racial bonuses to speciﬁc 
  skills.  Bonuses may be purchased to multiple skills.  
  This table also includes one limitation, applied to any 
  racial bonus to skills.  If the racial bonus to a skill 
  check only applies in certain circumstances (half of all 
  common circumstances or less, according to the DM’s 
  judgment), the cost for that skill bonus is reduced by 
  half.  Dwarves, for example, have a +2 racial bonus 
  on Craft checks that are related to stone or metalwork; 
  this ability costs 2 ability points rather than 4.  This 
  limitation does not apply to other skill-related beneﬁts, 
  such as the bonus skill point per level.
  Senses
  Table 1.4 gives prices for unusual senses.  Note that 
  bonuses to Spot, Listen, and Search are covered by 
  Table 1.2 instead.  Table 2.3 includes many of the 
  more exotic forms of perception.
  Movement
  Few forms of improved movement are available as 
  Common abilities.  Table 1.5 gives point costs for 
  those that are.
  Table 1.6 gives point costs for racial weapon famil-
  iarity, weapon proﬁciency, and attack bonuses.  Note 
  that familiarity with exotic weapons and proﬁciency 
  in speciﬁc martial weapons decreases in cost after the 
  ﬁrst weapon, as for the most part a character will only 
  use one or, at most, two martial weapons at a time, and 
  four of the eleven core classes grant proﬁciency in all 
  martial weapons.
  Bonuses that apply to speciﬁc creature types, weapon 
  types, or energy types may be purchased more than 
  once, each time applying to a different creature type, 
  weapon type, or energy type.
  Defensive Bonuses
  Table 1.7 gives point costs for racial defensive abili-
  ties, techniques, and resistances to a host of different 
  effects.  As with Table 1.5, bonuses that apply to a 
  speciﬁc creature type, saving throw category, type of 
  effect, school or subschool of magic, or energy type 
  may be purchased more than once, each time applying 
  to a different option.
  Miscellaneous Abilities
  Table 1.8 gives ability point costs for a wide variety of 
  other abilities, from bonus feats to much more exotic 
  abilities.  Descriptions of these abilities may be found 
  starting on page 10.
  Drawbacks
  The various drawbacks of Table 1.9 are intended to 
  balance out some of a race’s strengths.  The vulnerabil-
  ities to substances require the most work on the part of 
  the DM, so that a weakness will actually be signiﬁcant 
  rather than a pointless footnote. 
  Greater Abilities
  Races with +1 Level Adjustment or greater, or 2 racial 
  Hit Dice or more, gain access to an expanded list of 
  abilities.  They also act as drawbacks, and grant points 
  with which to buy these abilities.  Not all creature 
  types are created equal, however, and the number of 
  drawback points granted for racial Hit Dice varies by 
  type.  Table 2.1 shows the number of drawback points 
  granted by Level Adjustments up to +6 and racial Hit 
  Dice of various types.
  Note that the ﬁrst racial Hit Die of many creature types 
  grants proﬁciency with certain weapons and armor.  
  Those same creature types with a Level Adjustment 
  but no racial Hit Dice do not enjoy this beneﬁt.  Refer 
  to the creature type descriptions for more information 
  on these proﬁciencies.
  The point totals cited for racial Hit Dice do not take 
  into account the point cost of the creature type found 
  on Table 1.1.  Negative numbers on this table, like all 
  other tables, indicate drawback points that allow more 
  racial abilities to be purchased.  Note that two outsider 
  racial Hit Dice are sufﬁciently advantageous that they 
  cost points rather than granting them.
  Greater Ability Score 
  Adjustments
  Races with Level Adjustments or racial Hit Dice gain 
  access to a broader range of ability score adjustment 
  options.  DMs creating races with the higher-end 
  ability score adjustments still need to take care that 
  the race does not become unintentionally pigeon-
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 3
  holed into one role; almost any believable race needs 
  to be capable of taking on a range of roles.  This is, 
  however, merely a guideline.  Table 2.2 gives ability 
  point costs for adjustments to ability scores.
  Table 2.3 presents the list of Greater Abilities.  All of 
  the following abilities are available only to races with 
  +1 Level Adjustment or 2 racial Hit Dice or more.  
  The Required column indicates the minimum Level 
  Adjustment or number of racial Hit Dice necessary to 
  purchase the ability, and is separate from the cost in 
  racial ability points.
  Expanded Racial Type and 
  Subtype List
  Table 2.4 reprints the racial types and subtypes avail-
  able as Common Abilities and presents the ability 
  score costs for several more.  Refer to the detailed 
  descriptions of each type and subtype below; some of 
  them have been slightly altered from the SRD.
  ABERRATION TYPE (16 ability points)
  An aberration has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, 
  an alien mindset, or any combination of the three.  The 
  aberration creature type grants the following traits.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   • Proﬁcient with its natural weapons. 
   •  Aberrations eat, sleep, and breathe.
  Aberration racial Hit Dice grant the following features:
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as 
  cleric).
   • Good Will saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  If generally humanoid in form, proﬁcient in all 
  simple weapons, light armor, and shields (except 
  tower shields).
  ABILITY DAMAGE (25 ability points)
  This effect must be attached to a particular method of 
  delivery, such as a gaze attack, ray, or touch attack.  
  This attack damages an opponent’s ability score, 
  dealing 1d3 points of ability damage to any one ability 
  score.  Opponents may negate this damage by making 
  a Fortitude or Will save (chosen when the ability is 
  purchased) against DC 10 + 1/2 character level + Con 
  modiﬁer.  For 25 points, this ability may be used once 
  per day.  Every additional two uses multiplies the cost 
  by 1.75, rounding fractions up.  If an attack that causes 
  ability damage scores a critical hit, it deals twice the 
  
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  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  indicated amount of damage.  Ability damage returns 
  at the rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability.  
  ACIDIC SALIVA (8 ability points)
  Your saliva can burn other individuals like acid.  Your 
  bite attack deals an extra 1d4 points of acid damage 
  with each successful hit.  You must have a natural bite 
  attack to use this ability. 
  AIR SUBTYPE (35 ability points)
  This subtype usually is used for outsiders and other 
  creatures with a connection to the Elemental Plane Air.  
  An Air Subtype creature possesses the following traits.
   •  Creatures with the Air subtype have a Fly speed 
  equal to their base speed and perfect maneuver-
  ability.
  AMPHIBIOUS (8 ability points)
  This ability only applies to creatures with the Aquatic 
  subtype.  Creatures with this ability are able to survive 
  out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution, 
  after which they suffer the effects of drowning.
  AQUATIC SUBTYPE (0 ability points)
  These individuals always have swim speeds and thus 
  can move in water without making Swim checks. An 
  aquatic individual can breathe underwater. It cannot 
  also breathe air unless it has the amphibious special 
  quality.  This subtype does not cost any ability points 
  in itself; without the Amphibious or Gills abilities, it 
  simply deﬁnes an underwater rather than land-based 
  campaign setting.
  BAATEZU SUBTYPE (125 ability points)
  This subtype can only be applied to outsiders with the 
  Evil subtype.
  A baatezu possesses the following traits.
   • Immunity to ﬁre and poison.
   • Resistance to acid 10 and cold 10.
   •  See in Darkness (Su): All baatezu can see 
  perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created 
  by a deeper darkness spell.
   •  Summon: Baatezu share the ability to summon 
  others of their kind.  The basic baatezu subtype 
  grants the ability to summon a lemure once per 
  day, as per summon monster II (caster level equal 
  to the summoner’s Hit Dice).
   • Telepathy (see the ability description, below).
  BLINDSENSE (20 ability points)
  Using nonvisual senses, such as acute smell or 
  hearing, an individual with blindsense notices things 
  it cannot see. The individual usually does not need to 
  make Spot or Listen checks to pinpoint the location of 
  an individual within 60 feet, provided that it has line 
  of effect to that individual. Any opponent the indi-
  vidual cannot see still has total concealment against 
  the individual with blindsense, and the individual still 
  has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that 
  have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement 
  of an individual with blindsense. An individual with 
  blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor 
  Class against attacks from individuals it cannot see.
  BLINDSIGHT (40 or 55 ability points)
  This ability is similar to blindsense, but is far more 
  discerning. Using nonvisual senses, such as sensitivity 
  to vibrations, keen smell, acute hearing, or echoloca-
  tion, an individual with blindsight maneuvers and 
  ﬁghts as well as a sighted individual. Invisibility, 
  darkness, and most kinds of concealment are irrel-
  evant, though the individual must have line of effect 
  to an individual or object to discern that individual or 
  object. The ability’s range is either 30 feet (40 ability 
  points) or 60 feet (55 ability points). The individual 
  usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to 
  notice individuals within range of its blindsight ability. 
  Blindsight is continuous, and the individual need do 
  nothing to use it.
  BREATH WEAPON (20 ability points)
  A breath weapon is a delivery method for some other 
  kind of effect, such as an energy blast or paralysis.  
  This form of attack ﬁlls an area, either a 20-foot cone 
  or a 40-foot line.  The appropriate saving throw is indi-
  cated in the description of the associated effect.  Using 
  a breath weapon is a standard action.  No attack roll is 
  necessary.  Creatures are immune to their own breath 
  weapons.  Creatures that do not breathe might still 
  have breath weapons.
  BODY SPIKES (12 ability points)
  Bony spurs or chitinous spikes protrude from your 
  joints, giving you a jagged proﬁle and making you 
  dangerous to grapple.  The spikes deal 1d4 points 
  of piercing damage to any individual engaging in a 
  grapple with the creature.  Furthermore, the spikes 
  deal 1d4 points of piercing damage per round to any 
  individual that swallows a member of this race using 
  the swallow whole ability. 
  CHANGE SHAPE (20 ability points)
  An individual with this special quality has the ability 
  to assume the appearance of a speciﬁc individual or 
  type of individual (usually a humanoid), but retains 
  most of its own physical qualities. An individual 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 5
  cannot change shape to a form more than one size 
  category smaller or larger than its original form.  The 
  creature’s alternate form requires careful thought on 
  the part of the GM; this ability can easily do too much 
  or too little, depending on the power of the alternate 
  form. Changing shape results in the following changes 
  to the individual:
   •  The individual retains the type and subtype of its 
  original form. It gains the size of its new form.
   •  The individual loses the natural weapons, move-
  ment modes, and extraordinary special attacks of 
  its original form.
   •  The individual gains the natural weapons, move-
  ment modes, and extraordinary special attacks of 
  its new form.
   •  The individual retains all other special attacks and 
  qualities of its original form, except for breath 
  weapons and gaze attacks.
   •  The individual retains the ability scores of its orig-
  inal form.
   • The individual retains its hit points and saves.
   •  The individual retains any spellcasting ability it 
  had in its original form, although it must be able to 
  speak intelligibly to cast spells with verbal compo-
  nents and it must have humanlike hands to cast 
  spells with somatic components.
   •  The individual is effectively camouﬂaged as an 
  individual of its new form, and gains a +10 bonus 
  on Disguise checks if it uses this ability to create a 
  disguise.
  CHAOTIC SUBTYPE (5 ability points)
  A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to 
  the chaotic-aligned Outer Planes. Most individuals 
  that have this subtype also have chaotic alignments; 
  however, if their alignments change they still retain the 
  subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects 
  an individual with this subtype as if the individual has 
  a chaotic alignment, no matter what its alignment actu-
  ally is. The individual also suffers effects according 
  to its actual alignment. An individual with the chaotic 
  subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural 
  weapons and any weapons it wields were chaotic-
  aligned (see Damage Reduction).
  COLD SUBTYPE (36 ability points)
  An individual with the cold subtype has immunity to 
  cold. It has vulnerability to ﬁre, which means it takes 
  half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from 
  ﬁre, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, 
  or if the save is a success or failure.
  CONFUSION (35 ability points)
  This effect must be attached to a particular method 
  of delivery, such as a gaze attack or a touch attack.  
  For 35 points, this ability may be used once per day.  
  Every two additional uses multiplies the ability point 
  cost by 1.75, rounding fractions up.
  Targets of this ability may make a Will save (DC 10 
  + 1/2 character level + Cha modiﬁer) to negate the 
  effect.  On a failed save, the target is confused (as per 
  confusion) for 1 round per two character levels of the 
  creature.
  CONSTRICT (15 ability points)
  An individual with this special attack can crush an 
  opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, after making 
  a successful grapple check. The constriction deals 
  1d6+Str bonus damage for Medium creatures, and 
  the die size changes as normal for larger or smaller 
  creatures. If the individual also has the improved grab 
  ability it deals constriction damage in addition to 
  damage dealt by the weapon used to grab.
  CONSTRUCT TYPE (100 ability points)
  A construct is an animated object or artiﬁcially 
  constructed individual.  Constructs beneﬁt even more 
  than other races for being of Large size, and pay ﬁve 
  additional race for Medium and Large size.
  Traits: A construct possesses the following traits.
   • Low-light vision.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   •  Constructs do not have a Constitution score, and 
  so do not gain bonus hit points for having a high 
  Constitution.
   •  Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, 
  compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale 
  effects).
   •  Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stun-
  ning, disease, death effects, and necromancy 
  effects.
   •  Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can 
  be repaired by exposing them to a certain spells, 
  or through the use of the Craft Construct feat.  A 
  construct with the fast healing special quality still 
  beneﬁts from that quality.
   •  Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, 
  ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, 
  or energy drain.
   •  Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude 
  save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is 
  harmless).
  
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  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   •  Not at risk of death from massive damage. Imme-
  diately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or 
  less.
   •  Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be 
  raised or resurrected.
   • Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.
   •  Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, 
  a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit 
  points based on size, as shown on the following 
  table.
  Construct Size 
  Bonus Hit Points
  Fine 
  —
  Diminutive 
  —
  Tiny 
  —
  Small 
  10
  Medium 
  20
  Large 
  30
  Huge 
  40
  Gargantuan 
  60 
  Colossal 
  80
  Construct racial Hit Dice grant the following features:
   • d10 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as 
  cleric).
   • No good saving throws.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁcient with its natural weapons only, unless 
  generally humanoid in form, in which case proﬁ-
  cient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
   • Proﬁcient with no armor.
  DAMAGE REDUCTION (Varies)
  An individual with this special quality ignores damage 
  from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds 
  heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harm-
  lessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack 
  was ineffective). The individual takes normal damage 
  from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, 
  spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. A certain 
  kind of weapon can sometimes damage the individual 
  normally, as noted below.
  The entry indicates the amount of damage ignored 
  (usually 1 to 15 points) and the type of weapon that 
  negates the ability. 
  Some individuals are vulnerable to piercing, blud-
  geoning, or slashing damage. 
  Some individuals are vulnerable to certain materials, 
  such as alchemical silver, adamantine, cold-forged 
  iron, or wood. Attacks from weapons that are not made 
  of the correct material have their damage reduced, 
  even if the weapon has an enhancement bonus.
  Some individuals are vulnerable to magic weapons. 
  Any weapon with at least a +1 magical enhance-
  ment bonus on attack and damage rolls overcomes 
  the damage reduction of these individuals. Such 
  individuals’ natural weapons (but not their attacks 
  with weapons) are treated as magic weapons for the 
  purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
  Some individuals are vulnerable to chaotic-, evil-, 
  good-, or lawful-aligned weapons. When a cleric 
  casts align weapon, affected weapons might gain 
  one or more of these properties, and certain magic 
  weapons have these properties as well. An individual 
  with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or 
  lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction 
  with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if 
  the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment 
  (or alignments) that match the subtype(s) of the indi-
  vidual. 
  When a damage reduction entry has a dash (–) after 
  the slash, no weapon negates the damage reduction.
  DARKNESS SENSITIVITY (3 drawback 
  points)
  Whether they are negatively affected by any contact 
  with the Plane of Shadow or simply dependant upon 
  light for their strength, races with this drawback have 
  reason to be afraid of the dark.  Whenever they are 
  in total darkness, creatures of this race are shaken (-2 
  penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and 
  ability checks).
  EARTH SUBTYPE (15 ability points)
  This subtype usually is used for outsiders and crea-
  tures with a connection to the Elemental Plane of 
  Earth. Earth subtype individuals have burrow speeds, 
  and earth subtype individuals can burrow through 
  solid rock.
  ELADRIN SUBTYPE (110 ability points)
  This subtype may only be applied to outsiders of the 
  Good subtype.  
  An eladrin possesses the following traits.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   • Low-light vision.
   • Immunity to electricity and petriﬁcation.
   • Resistance to cold 10 and ﬁre 10.
   •  Tongues (Su): All eladrins can speak with any 
  creature that has a language, as though using a 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 7
  tongues spell (caster level 14th).  This ability is 
  always active.
  ELASTICITY (20 ability points)
  Individuals can bend and twist your body in unnatural 
  ways and squeeze through very tight spaces.  Individ-
  uals gain a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. 
  Moreover, you can squeeze through an opening or 
  passage one-tenth as wide and tall as your height, 
  in inches. An individual using this ability to move 
  through a tight space moves at one-quarter normal 
  speed.
  ENERGY BLAST (20 ability points)
  This effect must be attached to a particular method of 
  delivery, such as a breath weapon or a ray.  This ability 
  may be used once per day.  Every two additional 
  uses per day multiply the ability point cost by 1.75, 
  rounding fractions up.
  An energy blast deals 1d6 points per two character 
  levels of energy damage (choose one of acid, cold, 
  electricity, ﬁre, or sonic) to its target(s).  If the delivery 
  method includes an attack roll of any kind, the target 
  gets no saving throw.  If the delivery method does not 
  include an attack roll (such as a breath weapon), the 
  target(s) may make a Reﬂex save (DC 10 + 1/2 char-
  acter levels + Con modiﬁer) to take half damage.
  ENERGY DRAIN (50 ability points)
  This effect must be attached to a particular method of 
  delivery, such as a touch attack or a ray.  This ability 
  may be used once per day.  Every two additional 
  uses per day multiply the ability point cost by 1.75, 
  rounding fractions up.  
  A successful energy drain bestows one negative level.  
  If an attack that includes an energy drain scores a 
  critical hit, it bestows two negative levels.  A draining 
  individual gains 5 temporary hit points (10 on a crit-
  ical hit) for each negative level it bestows on an oppo-
  nent.  These temporary hit points last for a maximum 
  of 1 hour.  An affected opponent takes a –1 penalty 
  on all skill checks and ability checks, attack rolls, and 
  saving throws, and loses one effective level or Hit Die 
  (whenever level is used in a die roll or calculation) 
  for each negative level.  A spellcaster loses one spell 
  slot of the highest level of spells she can cast and (if 
  applicable) one prepared spell of that level; this loss 
  persists until the negative level is removed.  
  Negative levels remain until 24 hours have passed or 
  until they are removed with a spell, such as restoration.  
  If a negative level is not removed before 24 hours have 
  passed, the affected individual must attempt a Forti-
  tude save (DC 10 + 1/2 draining individual’s level or 
  racial HD + draining individual’s Cha modiﬁer).  On 
  a success, the negative level goes away with no harm 
  to the individual.  On a failure, the negative level goes 
  away, but the individual’s level or racial HD is also 
  
  PAGE 8 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  reduced by one.  A separate saving throw is required 
  for each negative level.
  EVIL SUBTYPE (5 ability points)
  A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to 
  the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil subtype outsiders 
  are also called ﬁends.  Most individuals that have this 
  subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their 
  alignments change, they still retain the subtype.  Any 
  effect that depends on alignment affects an individual 
  with this subtype as if the individual has an evil align-
  ment, no matter what its alignment actually is.  The 
  individual also suffers effects according to its actual 
  alignment.  An individual with the evil subtype over-
  comes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and 
  any weapons it wields were evil-aligned (see Damage 
  Reduction).
  EXOSKELETON (10 or 15 ability points)
  A thick exoskeleton forms over your skin. The 
  exoskeleton usually consists of interlocking plates of 
  bone or chitin covering 90% or more of your body.  
  As a Common Ability, you gain a +2 armor bonus and 
  suffer a 10% arcane spell failure; as a Greater Ability, 
  you gain a +5 armor bonus, maximum Dexterity bonus 
  of +3, -4 armor check penalty, and 25% arcane spell 
  failure.  Creatures with this ability cannot wear armor 
  or magical robes.
  EXTRA ARMS (30 ability points)
  The race possesses an additional pair of arms. The 
  extra arms look and behave exactly like the other set 
  of arms.  The race gains a +4 racial bonus on Climb 
  checks and grapple checks.  For the purposes of 
  combat, both extra arms are treated as “off hands” 
  (that is, individuals still have only one primary hand).  
  If a character has three or more natural claw attacks, 
  he meets the prerequisites for the Multiattack feat.  
  This does not give you Multiattack as a bonus feat, 
  however.
  FAST HEALING (40 or more ability 
  points)
  An individual with the fast healing special quality 
  regains hit points at an exceptionally fast rate, usually 
  1 or more hit points per round, as given in the individ-
  ual’s entry.  Except where noted here, fast healing is 
  just like natural healing.  Fast healing does not restore 
  hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, 
  and it does not allow an individual to regrow lost body 
  parts.  It does not allow lost body parts to be reat-
  tached.
  FEAR (30 ability points)
  This effect requires some sort of delivery method, such 
  as a gaze attack or a ray attack.  This ability may be 
  used once per day.  Every additional two uses per day 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 9
  multiplies the ability point cost by 1.75, rounding frac-
  tions up.
  Targets of this effect may make a Will save (DC 10 
  + 1/2 character level + Cha modiﬁer) to negate its 
  effects.  If the save is failed, the target(s) are fright-
  ened for 1d4 rounds and shaken for 5 rounds after that.
  FEY TYPE (14 ability points)
  A fey is an individual with supernatural abilities and 
  connections to nature or to some other force or place. 
  Fey are usually human-shaped.
  Traits: A fey possesses the following traits.
   • Low-light vision.
   • Fey eat, sleep, and breathe.
  Fey racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d6 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 1/2 total Hit Dice (as 
  wizard).
   • Good Will and Reﬂex saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (6 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁciency in all simple weapons, light armor, and 
  shields (except tower shields).
  FIRE SUBTYPE (36 ability points)
  An individual with the ﬁre subtype has immunity to 
  ﬁre. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes 
  half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from 
  cold, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, 
  or if the save is a success or failure.
  FRIGHTFUL PRESENCE (20 ability points)
  This special quality makes an individual’s very pres-
  ence unsettling to foes. It takes effect automatically 
  when the individual performs some sort of dramatic 
  action (such as charging, attacking, or snarling). 
  Opponents within range who witness the action may 
  become shaken.  Actions required to trigger the ability 
  are given in the individual’s descriptive text. The range 
  is usually 30 feet, and the duration is usually 5d6 
  rounds. This ability affects only opponents with fewer 
  levels than the individual has.  An affected opponent 
  can resist the effects with a successful Will save (DC 
  10 + 1/2 frightful individual’s level or racial HD + 
  frightful individual’s Cha modiﬁer).  An opponent that 
  succeeds on the saving throw is immune to that same 
  individual’s frightful presence for 24 hours.  Frightful 
  presence is a mind-affecting fear effect. 
  GAZE (20 ability points)
  A gaze attack is a delivery method; races with this 
  ability must also buy an effect to attach to it.  Energy 
  drain, paralysis, fear, ability damage, and confu-
  sion are all possible effects.  The saving throw for a 
  gaze attack is based on the associated effect.  When a 
  creature’s gaze attack is activated as a standard action, 
  each opponent within 30 feet must attempt a saving 
  throw.  Opponents can avoid the need to make a saving 
  throw by not looking at the individual, in one of two 
  ways. 
   •  Averting Eyes: The opponent avoids looking at 
  the individual’s face, instead looking at its body, 
  watching its shadow, tracking it in a reﬂective 
  surface, and so on.  The opponent has a 50% 
  chance to not need to make a saving throw against 
  the gaze attack.  The individual with the gaze 
  attack, however, gains concealment against that 
  opponent.
   •  Wearing a Blindfold: The opponent cannot see 
  the individual at all (also possible to achieve by 
  turning one’s back on the individual or shutting 
  one’s eyes).  The individual with the gaze attack 
  gains total concealment against the opponent. 
  Gaze attacks can affect ethereal opponents.  An indi-
  vidual is immune to gaze attacks of others of its kind 
  unless otherwise noted.
  Allies of an individual with a gaze attack might be 
  affected.  All the individual’s allies are considered to 
  be averting their eyes from the individual with the 
  gaze attack, and have a 50% chance to not need to 
  make a saving throw against the gaze attack when 
  activated.  The individual also can veil its eyes, thus 
  negating its gaze ability.
  GIANT TYPE (14 ability points)
  A giant is a humanoid-shaped individual of great 
  strength, usually of at least Large size.  
  Traits: A giant possesses the following traits.
   • Low-light vision.
   •  Giants eat, sleep, and breathe.
  Giant racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as 
  cleric).
   • Good Fortitude saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
  
  PAGE 10 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   •  Proﬁciency with all simple and martial weapons, 
  light armor, and shields (except tower shields).
  GILLS (15 ability points)
  You grow a set of gills that can draw the oxygen out 
  of water. The gills appear on your neck, chest, or 
  back (near your windpipe or lungs).  Individuals can 
  breathe both air and water.  You can operate under-
  water indeﬁnitely, with no fear of drowning.
  GOOD SUBTYPE (5 ability points)
  A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to 
  the good-aligned Outer Planes. Most individuals that 
  have this subtype also have good alignments; however, 
  if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. 
  Any effect that depends on alignment affects an indi-
  vidual with this subtype as if the individual has a good 
  alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. 
  The individual also suffers effects according to its 
  actual alignment. An individual with the good subtype 
  overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons 
  and any weapons it wields were good-aligned (see 
  Damage Reduction, above).
  GOBLINOID SUBTYPE (2 drawback points)
  Goblinoids are stealthy humanoids who live by 
  hunting and raiding and who all speak Goblin.
  GUARDINAL SUBTYPE (135 ability points)
  The guardinal subtype may be applied to any outsider 
  with the Good subtype.
  A guardinal possesses the following traits.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   • Low-light vision.
   • Immunity to electricity and petriﬁcation.
   • Resistance to cold 10 and sonic 10.
   •  Lay on Hands (Su): As the paladin class feature, 
  except that each day, a guardinal can heal an 
  amount of damage equal to its full normal hit 
  points.
   • +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
   •  Speak with Animals (Su): This ability works like 
  speak with animals (caster level 8th) but is a free 
  action and does not require sound.
  HIVE MIND (20 ability points) 
  This ability only comes into effect when more than 
  one creature of the same race with this ability are 
  within 100 feet of each other.  All of these creatures 
  are in constant communication.  If one is aware of 
  a particular danger, they all are.  If one in a group is 
  not ﬂat-footed, none of them are.  None of them are 
  considered ﬂanked unless all of them are.  Creatures 
  with this ability can turn off this ability at will, though 
  other creatures of their race in the area will recognize 
  that they have done so.
  HOLD BREATH (4 or 8 ability points)
  Races with this ability can go for longer periods of 
  time without risk of drowning than other races can.  
  For 4 ability points, the creature can go for a number 
  of rounds equal to (4 x Con score) before it risks 
  drowning.  For 8 ability points, the creature can go for 
  a number of rounds equal to (8 x Con score) before it 
  risks drowning.
  HUMANOID TYPE (0 ability points)
  A humanoid usually has two arms, two legs, and one 
  head, or a humanlike torso, arms, and a head. Human-
  oids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abil-
  ities, but most can speak and usually have well-devel-
  oped societies. They usually are Small or Medium. 
  Every humanoid individual also has a subtype.
  Traits: A humanoid possesses the following traits.
   •  Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep.
  Humanoid racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as 
  cleric).
   • Good Reﬂex saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁciency in all simple weapons, light armor, and 
  shields (except tower shields).
  IMPROVED GRAB (20 ability points)
  If an individual with this special attack hits with a 
  melee weapon (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals 
  normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No 
  initial touch attack is required.  Improved grab works 
  only against opponents at least one size category 
  smaller than the individual.  The individual has the 
  option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply 
  use the part of its body it used in the improved grab 
  to hold the opponent.  If it chooses to do the latter, 
  it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not 
  considered grappled itself; the individual does not lose 
  its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and 
  can use its remaining attacks against other opponents.  
  A successful hold does not deal any extra damage 
  unless the individual also has the Constrict special 
  attack.  If the individual does not constrict, each 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 11
  successful grapple check it makes during successive 
  rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for 
  the attack that established the hold.  Otherwise, it deals 
  constriction damage as well (the amount is given in 
  the individual’s descriptive text).  When an individual 
  gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the 
  opponent into its space.  This act does not provoke 
  attacks of opportunity.  It can even move (possibly 
  carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the 
  opponent’s weight. 
  LAWFUL SUBTYPE (5 ability points)
  A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to 
  the lawful-aligned Outer Planes.  Most individuals 
  that have this subtype also have lawful alignments; 
  however, if their alignments change, they still retain 
  the subtype.  Any effect that depends on alignment 
  affects an individual with this subtype as if the indi-
  vidual has a lawful alignment, no matter what its align-
  ment actually is.  The individual also suffers effects 
  according to its actual alignment.  An individual with 
  the lawful subtype overcomes damage reduction as if 
  its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were 
  lawful-aligned (see Damage Reduction).
  LIGHT BLINDNESS (8 drawback points)
  Abrupt exposure to bright light, such as sunlight or a 
  daylight spell, blinds you for 1 round. On subsequent 
  rounds, you are dazzled as long as you remain in the 
  affected area.
  LIGHT SENSITIVITY (4 drawback points)
  Your eyes cannot adjust to bright light; you are dazzled 
  in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight 
  spell. 
  LOW-LIGHT VISION (8 or 10 ability 
  points)
  An individual with low-light vision can see twice as 
  far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and 
  similar conditions of shadowy illumination. It retains 
  the ability to distinguish color and detail under these 
  conditions.  An individual with Improved Low-light 
  Vision can see three times as far as a human in those 
  lighting conditions.
  MONSTROUS HUMANOID TYPE (16 ability 
  points)
  Monstrous humanoids are similar to humanoids, but 
  with monstrous or animalistic features. They often 
  have magical abilities as well.  A monstrous humanoid 
  possesses the following traits.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   • Monstrous humanoids eat, sleep, and breathe.
  Monstrous humanoid racial Hit Dice grant the 
  following features.
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as 
  ﬁghter).
   • Good Reﬂex and Will saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁciency in all simple weapons, light armor, and 
  shields (except tower shields).
  MOVEMENT MODE - BURROW (10 or 15 
  ability points)
  An individual with a burrow speed can tunnel through 
  dirt and rock.  Individuals cannot charge or run while 
  burrowing.  Most burrowing individuals do not 
  leave behind tunnels other individuals can use, either 
  because the material they tunnel through ﬁlls in behind 
  them or because they do not actually dislocate any 
  material when burrowing.
  MOVEMENT MODE - CLIMB (10 or 14 
  ability points)
  An individual with a climb speed can walk walls and 
  cling to ceilings like a spider. They have tiny barbs 
  on their hands and feet to facilitate climbing, or their 
  ﬁngers and toes secrete a transparent adhesive that lets 
  them cling to smooth surfaces.  An individual with a 
  climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. 
  The individual must make a Climb check to climb any 
  wall or slope with a DC of more than 0, but it always 
  can choose to take 10 even if rushed or threatened 
  while climbing.  The individual climbs at the given 
  speed while climbing.  If it chooses an accelerated 
  climb it moves at double the given climb speed (or 
  its base land speed, whichever is lower) and makes a 
  single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Individuals cannot 
  run while climbing. An individual retains its Dexterity 
  bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and 
  opponents get no special bonus on their attacks against 
  a climbing individual.
  MOVEMENT MODE - FLY (Varies)
  An individual with a ﬂy speed can move through the 
  air at its base speed if carrying no more than a light 
  load. (Note that medium armor does not necessarily 
  constitute a medium load.)  A race’s ﬂy speed may 
  be faster than its base speed, at an additional cost in 
  ability points.  All ﬂy speeds include a parenthetical 
  note indicating maneuverability, as follows:
  
  PAGE 12 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   •  Perfect: The individual can perform almost any 
  aerial maneuver it wishes. It moves through the air 
  as well as a human moves over smooth ground.
   •  Good: The individual is very agile in the air (like 
  a houseﬂy or a hummingbird), but cannot change 
  direction as readily as those with perfect maneu-
  verability.
   •  Average: The individual can ﬂy as adroitly as a 
  small bird. 
   •  Poor: The individual ﬂies as well as a very large 
  bird.
   •  Clumsy: The individual can barely maneuver at 
  all.
  An individual that ﬂies can make dive attacks. A dive 
  attack works just like a charge, but the diving indi-
  vidual must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend 
  at least 10 feet.  It can make only claw or talon attacks, 
  but these deal double damage.  An individual can 
  use the run action while ﬂying, provided it ﬂies in a 
  straight line. 
  MOVEMENT MODE - SWIM (8 or 12 
  ability points)
  An individual with a swim speed can move through 
  water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. 
  It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform 
  some special action or avoid a hazard. The individual 
  can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even 
  if distracted or endangered. The individual can use the 
  run action while swimming, provided it swims in a 
  straight line. 
  NATIVE SUBTYPE (4 drawback points)
  A subtype applied only to outsiders.  These indi-
  viduals have mortal ancestors or a strong connection 
  to the Material Plane and can be raised, reincarnated, 
  or resurrected just as other living individuals can be. 
  Individuals with this subtype are native to the Mate-
  rial Plane (hence the subtype’s name). Unlike true 
  outsiders, native outsiders need to eat and sleep. 
  NATURAL WEAPONS (10 or 20 ability 
  points)
  Natural weapons are weapons that are physically a part 
  of a creature. A creature making a melee attack with 
  a natural weapon is considered armed and does not 
  provoke attacks of opportunity. Likewise, it threatens 
  any space it can reach. Creatures do not receive addi-
  tional attacks from a high base attack bonus when 
  using natural weapons. The number of attacks a crea-
  ture can make with its natural weapons depends on 
  the type of the attack—generally, a creature can make 
  one bite attack, one attack per claw or talon, one gore 
  attack, one tail attack, or one slam attack (although 
  Large creatures with arms or arm-like limbs can make 
  a slam attack with each arm). Refer to the individual 
  monster descriptions. 
  A natural weapon threatens a critical hit on a natural 
  attack roll of 20. 
  When a creature has more than one natural weapon, 
  one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them) is the 
  primary weapon. All the creature’s remaining natural 
  weapons are secondary. 
  An attack with a primary natural weapon uses the 
  creature’s full attack bonus. Attacks with secondary 
  natural weapons are less effective and are made with a 
  -5 penalty on the attack roll, no matter how many there 
  are. (Creatures with the Multiattack feat take only a 
  -2 penalty on secondary attacks.) This penalty applies 
  even when the creature makes a single attack with the 
  secondary weapon as part of the attack action or as an 
  attack of opportunity. 
  Natural weapons have types just as other weapons do. 
  The most common are summarized below. 
   • BITE
     The creature attacks with its mouth, dealing 
  piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage. 
   • CLAW OR TALON
     The creature rips with a sharp appendage, dealing 
  piercing and slashing damage. 
   • GORE
     The creature spears the opponent with an antler, 
  horn, or similar appendage, dealing piercing 
  damage. 
   • SLAM
     The creature batters opponents with an appendage, 
  dealing bludgeoning damage.
   • TAIL
     The creature slams opponents with a tail, dealing 
  bludgeoning damage.  A creature that already has 
  Prehensile Tail cannot gain this ability.
  OUTSIDER TYPE (20 ability points)
  An outsider is at least partially composed of the 
  essence (but not necessarily the material) of some 
  plane other than the Material Plane. Some individuals 
  start out as some other type and become outsiders 
  when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual 
  existence. An outsider possesses the following traits.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   •  Unlike most other living individuals, an outsider 
  does not have a dual nature—its soul and body 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 13
  form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is 
  set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, 
  such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, 
  don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different 
  magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, 
  or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider 
  with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, 
  or resurrected just as other living individuals can 
  be.
   •  Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep 
  (although they can do so if they wish).
  Outsider racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   • Base attack bonus equal to Hit Dice (as ﬁghter).
   • Good Fortitude, Reﬂex, and Will saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (8 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁciency with all simple and martial weapons, 
  light armor, and shields (except tower shields).
  PARALYSIS (40 ability points)
  This effect must be attached to a particular delivery 
  method, such as a touch attack or gaze attack.  This 
  special attack, usable once per day, renders the victim 
  immobile.  Every additional two uses per day multi-
  plies the ability point cost by 1.75, rounding fractions 
  up.  
  Paralyzed individuals cannot move, speak, or take any 
  physical actions.  The individual is rooted to the spot, 
  frozen and helpless.  Paralysis works on the body, and 
  a character can resist it with a Fortitude saving throw 
  (DC = 10 + 1/2 character level + Charisma modi-
  ﬁer).  Unlike hold person and similar effects, a paral-
  ysis effect does not allow a new save each round.  A 
  winged individual ﬂying in the air at the time that it is 
  paralyzed cannot ﬂap its wings and falls.  A swimmer 
  can’t swim and may drown.
  PASSIVE SEARCHING (4 ability points)
  This ability applies to a speciﬁc condition or object, 
  such as unusual stonework or secret doors.  Whenever 
  a creature with this ability passes within 10 feet of the 
  condition or object, it can make a Search check as if it 
  were actively searching.
  PLANT TYPE (75 ability points)
  This type comprises sentient vegetable individuals.  
  Note that regular plants, such as one ﬁnds growing in 
  gardens and ﬁelds, lack Wisdom and Charisma scores 
  and are not individuals, but objects, even though they 
  are alive. A plant type possesses the following traits 
  (unless otherwise noted in a individual’s entry).
   • Low-light vision.
   •  Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, 
  compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale 
  effects).
  
  PAGE 14 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   •  Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, poly-
  morph, and stunning.
   • Not subject to critical hits.
   • Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep.
  Plant racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d8 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as 
  cleric).
   • Good Fortitude saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (2 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   • Proﬁciency with all simple weapons.
  POISON (30 ability points)
  Poison attacks deal initial ability damage to the 
  opponent on a failed Fortitude save.  Another saving 
  throw is required 1 minute later (regardless of the ﬁrst 
  save’s result) to avoid secondary damage.  This attack 
  requires a delivery method of some sort, such as a 
  touch attack or sting.  For 30 ability points, this ability 
  may be used once per day.  Every two additional uses 
  per day multiplies this cost by 1.75, rounding fractions 
  up.
  An individual with a poison attack is immune to its 
  own poison and the poison of others of its kind.
  The Fortitude save DC against a poison attack is equal 
  to 10 + 1/2 poisoning individual’s level and racial HD 
  + poisoning individual’s Con modiﬁer. A successful 
  save avoids (negates) the damage.
  The poison deals 1d3 points of Str, Dex, Int, Wis, or 
  Cha damage (choose one) as its primary and secondary 
  effect. For 10 additional ability points, this poison may 
  be used to coat a weapon.
  POUNCE (25 ability points)
  When an individual with this special attack makes a 
  charge, it can follow with a full attack—including rake 
  attacks if the individual also has the rake ability.
  POWERFUL CHARGE (8 ability points)
  When an individual with this special attack makes a 
  charge, its attack deals +4 damage in addition to the 
  normal beneﬁts and hazards of a charge.
  POWER RESISTANCE (Varies)
  An individual with power resistance can avoid the 
  effects of psionic powers and psi-like abilities that 
  directly affect it.  To determine if a power or psi-
  like ability works against a individual with power 
  resistance, the caster must make a manifester level 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 15
  check (1d20 + manifester level). If the result equals 
  or exceeds the individual’s power resistance, the 
  power works normally, although the individual is still 
  allowed a saving throw.
  PREHENSILE TAIL (10 ability points)
  The creature has a tail that can grasp and hold objects.  
  A prehensile tail can grasp and manipulate a simple 
  object up to one size category smaller than the individ-
  ual’s size category. A prehensile tail cannot be used to 
  operate a piece of equipment that requires opposable 
  digits or ﬁne motor control.  An individual can “hang” 
  from its prehensile tail indeﬁnitely by wrapping it 
  around a larger object, thereby freeing up its other 
  limbs. The prehensile tail is not dexterous or strong 
  enough to ﬁre ranged weapons or make melee attacks, 
  however.
  PSIONICS (Varies)
  Sometimes a race can manifest powers just as a 
  member of a psionic class can (and can activate items 
  accordingly). Such individuals are subject to the same 
  rules that characters are, except as follows. 
  A psionic creature with this ability is not actually a 
  member of a class, and it does not gain any class abili-
  ties other than manifesting psionic powers. An indi-
  vidual with access to psychic warrior powers manifests 
  them normally, but it does not receive bonus feats as a 
  psychic warrior would.
  The ability point cost of psionics varies according 
  to which class and how many levels of that class it 
  imitates.  Psion and wilder manifesting cost 35 points 
  per level.  Psychic warrior manifesting costs 26 points 
  per level.  The creature’s effective manifester level 
  must always be at least two levels lower than the 
  creature’s total of Level Adjustments and racial Hit 
  Dice.  If the creature later gains levels in the class that 
  its manifesting imitates, its racial and class-granted 
  manifesting stack.  For example, a creature that mani-
  fests powers as a 2nd level psion gains a level of psion 
  as a result of adventuring.  It now manifests powers as 
  a 3rd level psion, but its psicrystal’s abilities are those 
  appropriate to a 1st-level psion.
  RAKE (12 ability points)
  An individual with this special attack gains extra 
  natural attacks when it grapples its foe.  Normally, 
  an individual can attack with only one of its natural 
  weapons while grappling, but a individual with the 
  rake ability usually gains two additional claw attacks 
  that it can use only against a grappled foe.  Rake 
  attacks are not subject to the usual –4 penalty for 
  attacking with a natural weapon in a grapple.
  An individual with the rake ability must begin its turn 
  grappling to use its rake—it can’t begin a grapple and 
  rake in the same turn.
  RAY (10 ability points)
  This is a delivery method that must be attached to 
  some sort of effect, such as an energy blast or energy 
  drain.  Hitting with a ray attack requires a successful 
  ranged touch attack roll, ignoring armor, natural armor, 
  and shield and using the individual’s ranged attack 
  bonus.  Ray attacks have no range increment and a 
  maximum range of 60 feet.  The effect’s descriptive 
  text speciﬁes effects and any applicable saving throw.
  REPTILIAN SUBTYPE (0 ability points)
  These individuals are scaly and usually coldblooded.  
  The reptilian subtype is only used to describe a set of 
  humanoid races, not all animals and individuals that 
  are truly reptiles.
  RESISTANCE TO ENERGY (Varies)
  An individual with this special quality ignores some 
  damage of the chosen type each time it takes damage 
  of that kind (acid, cold, electricity, ﬁre, or sonic). The 
  entry indicates the amount of damage ignored.
  SCENT (20 ability points)
  This special quality allows an individual to detect 
  approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track 
  by sense of smell.  Individuals with the scent ability 
  can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar 
  sights.
  The individual can detect opponents within 30 feet by 
  sense of smell.  If the opponent is upwind, the range 
  increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet.  
  Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can 
  be detected at twice the ranges noted above.  Over-
  powering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte 
  stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
  When an individual detects a scent, the exact location 
  of the source is not revealed—only its presence some-
  where within range. The individual can take a move 
  action to note the direction of the scent.  Whenever the 
  individual comes within 5 feet of the source, the indi-
  vidual pinpoints the source’s location.  
  An individual with the Track feat and the scent 
  ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom 
  (or Survival) check to ﬁnd or follow a track.  The 
  typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind 
  of surface holds the scent).  This DC increases or 
  decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor 
  is, the number of individuals, and the age of the trail.  
  
  PAGE 16 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 
  2.  The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track 
  feat.  Individuals tracking by scent ignore the effects 
  of surface conditions and poor visibility. 
  SHADOWBLEND (15 ability points)
  Creatures with this ability have a natural afﬁnity 
  for shadows, or an innate connection to the Plane 
  of Shadow.  Whenever the creature is in shadowy 
  lighting conditions, neither bright light nor total dark-
  ness, it gains the beneﬁts of total concealment (50% 
  miss chance) rather than normal concealment (20% 
  miss chance).  If the opponent has darkvision or 
  other means of seeing clearly in shadowy conditions, 
  the creature has normal concealment rather than no 
  concealment.
  SIZE (Varies)
  All creatures ﬁt into a size category.  A creature’s 
  size provides a modiﬁer to its Armor Class and attack 
  bonus, a modiﬁer on grapple checks it attempts, and 
  a modiﬁer on Hide checks; these modiﬁers may be 
  found in the Monstrous Manual.  Creatures smaller 
  than Tiny or larger than Large are probably unsuited 
  for most forms of adventuring.  A Tiny creature typi-
  cally occupies a space only 2½ feet across, so four can 
  ﬁt into a single square.  Creatures that take up less than 
  1 square of space typically have a natural reach of 0 
  feet, meaning they can’t reach into adjacent squares. 
  They must enter an opponent’s square to attack in 
  melee. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the 
  opponent. You can attack into your own square if you 
  need to, so you can attack such creatures normally. 
  Since they have no natural reach, they do not threaten 
  the squares around them. You can move past them 
  without provoking attacks of opportunity. They also 
  can’t ﬂank an enemy.
  A race’s size also determines its base speed, which 
  may then be modiﬁed with ability points or draw-
  backs.  A Tiny race’s base speed is 15 feet; Small, 20 
  feet; Medium, 30 feet; Large, 40 feet.
  SMOKE SCREEN (15 ability points)
  A creature with this ability is able to expel chemi-
  cals through its pores to create an inky-black cloud 
  of smoke, engulﬁng itself and the surrounding area.  
  As many times a day as its Constitution modiﬁer 
  (minimum of 1), as a free action, it can produce a 20-
  foot-radius cloud of smoke centered on itself. The 
  cloud is stationary once created. The inky-black smoke 
  obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet.  
  An individual 5 feet away has one-half concealment 
  (20% miss chance). Individuals farther away have 
  total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker 
  cannot use sight to locate the target).  This ability 
  functions underwater. A moderate wind or current 
  disperses the cloud in 4 rounds.  A strong wind or 
  current disperses the cloud in 1 round.
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 17
  SPELL (Varies)
  Sometimes a race can cast arcane or divine spells just 
  as a member of a spellcasting class can (and can acti-
  vate magic items accordingly). Such individuals are 
  subject to the same spellcasting rules that characters 
  are, except as follows. 
  A spellcasting individual that lacks hands or arms can 
  provide any somatic component a spell might require 
  by moving its body. Such an individual also does need 
  material components for its spells. The individual can 
  cast the spell by either touching the required compo-
  nent (but not if the component is in another individu-
  al’s possession) or having the required component on 
  its person. 
  A spellcasting creature with this ability is not actually 
  a member of a class, and it does not gain any class 
  abilities other than spellcasting. An individual with 
  access to cleric spells must prepare them in the normal 
  manner and receives domain spells, but it does not 
  receive domain granted powers unless it has at least 
  one level in the cleric class.
  The ability point cost of spellcasting varies according 
  to which class and how many levels of that class it 
  imitates.  Cleric, druid, wizard, and sorcerer spell-
  casting cost 35 points per level.  Bard spellcasting 
  costs 26 points per level.  Paladin, ranger, blackguard, 
  and assassin spellcasting cost 15 points per level.  The 
  creature’s effective spellcaster level must always be at 
  least two levels lower than the creature’s total of Level 
  Adjustments and racial Hit Dice.  If the creature later 
  gains levels in the class that its spellcasting imitates, 
  its racial and class-granted spellcasting stack.  For 
  example, a creature that casts spells as a 2nd level 
  sorcerer gains a level of sorcerer as a result of adven-
  turing.  It now casts spells as a 3rd level sorcerer, but 
  its familiar’s abilities are those appropriate to a 1st-
  level sorcerer.
  SPELL RESISTANCE (Varies)
  An individual with spell resistance can avoid the 
  effects of spells and spell-like abilities that directly 
  affect it.  To determine if a spell or spell-like ability 
  works against a individual with spell resistance, the 
  caster must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster 
  level). If the result equals or exceeds the individual’s 
  spell resistance, the spell works normally, although the 
  individual is still allowed a saving throw.
  STABILITY (3 or 6 ability points)
  Creatures with this ability are especially stable on their 
  feet.  They gain a +2 bonus (3 points) or a +4 bonus 
  (6 points) on ability checks made to resist being bull 
  rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but 
  not when climbing, ﬂying, riding, or otherwise not 
  standing ﬁrmly on the ground. 
  STINGER (5 ability points)
  This is a delivery method for some other sort of effect, 
  such as poison or energy drain.  It requires a melee 
  attack; if successful, it delivers the associated effect 
  and deals piercing damage based on the creature’s size 
  (Tiny, 1 damage; Small, 1d2; Medium, 1d4; Large, 
  1d6).  A creature may use this stinger attack as part of 
  its normal attack routine by taking a -5 to the stinger’s 
  attack roll, or may use the stinger as a primary weapon 
  and use its normal attack bonus.  Like all natural 
  weapons, the stinger counts as a light weapon.
  SUSTENANCE HUNGER (4 or 5 drawback 
  points)
  A race with this drawback must consume some 
  type of unusual substance in order to survive.  The 
  substance is generally either rare and expensive (e.g., 
  gemstones), or consuming it violates signiﬁcant 
  cultural taboos (blood).
  For 4 drawback points, the creature must consume 
  or destroy a particular type of valuable object (worth 
  at least 50 gp) once every two days.  If the creature 
  fails to do so, it takes 1d4 points of damage to any one 
  ability score, which cannot be healed by magic and 
  will not heal naturally unless the creature once again 
  consumes some of the appropriate substance.
  For 5 drawback points, the creature must consume a 
  small amount of a particular substance that normal 
  society regards as taboo, such as blood or human 
  ﬂesh, once every two days.  This should be the sort of 
  substance such that, if discovered, the creature would 
  face legal or violent retribution.  If the creature fails to 
  do so, it takes 1d4 points of damage to any one ability 
  score, which cannot be healed by magic and will not 
  heal naturally unless the creature once again consumes 
  some of the appropriate substance.
  TANAR’RI SUBTYPE (125 ability points)
  The tanar’ri subtype may be applied to any outsider 
  with the Evil subtype.
  A tanar’ri possesses the following traits.
   • Immunity to electricity and poison.
   • Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, ﬁre 10.
   •  Summon: Tanar’ri have the ability to summon 
  others of their kind.  The basic tanar’ri subtype 
  grants the ability to summon a dretch once per day, 
  as per summon monster III (caster level equal to 
  the summoner’s Hit Dice).
  
  PAGE 18 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   • Telepathy (see ability description, below).
  TELEPATHY (12 ability points)
  A creature with this ability can communicate telepathi-
  cally with any other creature within 100 feet that has 
  a language by forming a link as a free action.  The 
  individual with which the telepathic creature forms the 
  link must have an Intelligence score of 6 or higher, and 
  it must be a willing participant in the link. The crea-
  tures can communicate telepathically through the link 
  even if they do not share a common language, but no 
  special control or inﬂuence is established as a result of 
  the link. If the linked individuals move more than 100 
  feet apart, the telepathic link severs instantly. A crea-
  ture with telepathy can telepathically link with only 
  one individual at a time during any given round, but 
  the ability can be used at will. 
  TERRIFYING VOICE (12 ability points)
  Races with this ability can vex an enemy using the 
  peculiar resonance of their voices.  Select any living 
  individual within 30 feet of the creature as the target, 
  who must be able to hear your voice to be affected.  
  The individual must make a successful Will save (DC 
  10 + 1/2 character level + Charisma modiﬁer) or 
  be dazed for 1 round. A successful save negates the 
  effect. This ability is a mind-affecting compulsion 
  usable as many times as the creature’s Charisma bonus 
  (minimum 1) per day. Using this ability is a free action.
  TOUCH ATTACK (5 ability points)
  A touch attack is a delivery method for some other 
  kind of effect, such as ability damage, poison, or 
  paralysis.  It requires a melee touch attack as a stan-
  dard action and deals no damage beyond the effect that 
  it delivers.
  TRACKLESS STEP (8 ability points)
  A creature with this ability leaves no trail in natural 
  surroundings and cannot be tracked, including tracking 
  with the Scent ability.  The creature may choose to 
  leave a trail if so desired.
  TRAMPLE (30 ability points)
  As a full-round action, an individual with this special 
  attack can move up to twice its speed and literally run 
  over any opponents at least one size category smaller 
  than itself.  The individual merely has to move over 
  the opponents in its path; any individual whose space 
  is completely covered by the trampling individual’s 
  space is subject to the trample attack.  If a target’s 
  space is larger than 5 feet, it is only considered tram-
  pled if the trampling individual moves over all the 
  squares it occupies. If the trampling individual moves 
  over only some of a target’s space, the target can make 
  an attack of opportunity against the trampling indi-
  vidual at a –4 penalty. A trampling individual that acci-
  dentally ends its movement in an illegal space returns 
  to the last legal position it occupied, or the closest 
  legal position, if there’s a legal position that’s closer.
  A trample attack deals bludgeoning damage (the 
  individual’s slam damage + 1-1/2 times its Str modi-
  ﬁer). The individual’s descriptive text gives the exact 
  amount.
  Trampled opponents can attempt attacks of opportu-
  nity, but these take a –4 penalty. If they do not make 
  attacks of opportunity, trampled opponents can attempt 
  Reﬂex saves to take half damage.
  The save DC against an individual’s trample attack is 
  10 + 1/2 individual’s level or racial HD + individual’s 
  Str modiﬁer. A trampling individual can only deal 
  trampling damage to each target once per round, no 
  matter how many times its movement takes it over a 
  target individual.
  TREMORSENSE (35 or 50 ability points)
  An individual with tremorsense is sensitive to vibra-
  tions in the ground and can automatically pinpoint the 
  location of anything that is in contact with the ground, 
  to a distance of 30 feet (35 ability points) or 60 feet 
  (50 ability points). Aquatic individual with tremors-
  ense can also sense the location of individuals moving 
  through water. 
  TURN RESISTANCE (5 or 10 ability points)
  An individual with this special quality (usually an 
  undead) is less easily affected by clerics or paladins. 
  When resolving a turn, rebuke, command, or bolster 
  attempt, add the indicated number to the individual’s 
  level or racial HD total.
  UNDEAD TYPE (100 ability points)
  Undead are once-living individuals animated by spiri-
  tual or supernatural forces.
  Traits: An undead individual possesses the following 
  traits.
   • No Constitution score.
   • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
   •  Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, 
  compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale 
  effects).
   •  Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stun-
  ning, disease, and death effects.
   •  Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, 
  ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage 
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 19
  to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, 
  and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and 
  exhaustion effects.
   •  Negative energy (such as an inﬂict spell) can 
  heal undead individuals. The fast healing special 
  quality works regardless of the individual’s Intel-
  ligence score.
   •  Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude 
  save (unless the effect also works on objects or is 
  harmless).
   •  Uses its Charisma modiﬁer for Concentration 
  checks.
   •  Not at risk of death from massive damage, but 
  when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immedi-
  ately destroyed.
   •  Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells 
  or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection 
  can affect undead individuals. These spells turn 
  undead individuals back into the living individuals 
  they were before becoming undead.
   • Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.
  Undead racial Hit Dice grant the following features.
   • d12 Hit Dice.
   •  Base attack bonus equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (as 
  wizard).
   • Good Will saves.
   •  Skill points equal to (4 + Int modiﬁer, minimum 1) 
  per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the ﬁrst 
  Hit Die.
   •  Proﬁciency with all simple weapons, light armor, 
  and shields (except tower shields).
  VULNERABILITY TO ENERGY (4 to 12 
  drawback points)
  Some individuals have an innate vulnerability to a 
  certain kind of energy effect; acid, cold, electricity, 
  ﬁre, force or sonic.  Such an individual will receive 
  additional damage from these types of attacks regard-
  less of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the 
  save is a success or failure.
  VULNERABILITY TO SUBSTANCE (Varies)
  The race suffers a weakness to a particular substance 
  – adamantium, cold iron, silver, steel or wood.  There 
  are three degrees of weakness, described below.
   • Lesser Vulnerability
  The race suffers an unusual intolerance for the 
  substance in question.  Whenever the substance in 
  question makes direct contact with the character’s 
  ﬂesh (including taking damage from a weapon made 
  of that substance), the character is weakened or 
  injured.  There are a number of different ways to repre-
  sent lesser vulnerability.  In creating the race, pick one 
  of the following:
  
  PAGE 20 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
   1.  The character takes 1d6 points of damage that may 
  not be reduced by damage reduction.  This damage 
  stacks with weapon damage, if applicable.
   2.  The character takes 1 point of Constitution 
  damage (Fort save DC 20 negates).
   3.  The character takes 1 point of any other kind of 
  ability damage (no save).
  4.  The character is sickened for 1d3 rounds (Fort save 
  DC 20 negates).
  Vulnerability
  A more baneful version of Lesser Vulnerability, a 
  character coming in contact with the substance is more 
  grievously weakened or injured.  In creating the race, 
  the DM should pick one of the following.
   1.  The character takes 3d6 points of damage that may 
  not be reduced by damage reduction.  This damage 
  stacks with weapon damage, if applicable.
   2.  The character takes 2 points of Constitution 
  damage (Fort save DC 22 negates).
   3.  The character takes 2 points of any other kind of 
  ability damage (no save).
   4.  The character is nauseated for 1d3 rounds (Fort 
  save DC 22 negates).
  Greater Vulnerability
  A yet more deadly version of Vulnerability, a character 
  coming in contact with the substance is mortally weak-
  ened or injured.  In creating the race, the DM should 
  pick one of the following.
   1.  The character takes 5d6 points of damage that may 
  not be reduced by damage reduction.  This damage 
  stacks with weapon damage, if applicable.
   2.  The character takes 4 points of Constitution 
  damage (Fort save DC 25 negates).
   3.  The character takes 4 points of any other kind of 
  ability damage (no save).
   4.  The character is stunned for 1d3 rounds (Fort 
  save DC 25 negates).
  WATER SUBTYPE (25 ability points)
  This subtype usually is used for outsiders and crea-
  tures with a connection to the Elemental Plane of 
  Water.  Individual with the Water subtype always have 
  swim speeds and can move in water without making 
  Swim checks.  A creature of the Water subtype can 
  breathe water and air.
  WOODLAND STRIDE (12 ability points)
  A creature with this ability may move through any 
  sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, 
  overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at normal speed 
  and without taking damage or suffering any other 
  impairment.  However, thorns, briars, and overgrown 
  areas that have been magically manipulated to impede 
  motion still affect the creature.
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 21
  Racial Type or Subtype 
  Cost
  Aberration Type 
  16
  Aquatic Subtype 
  0
  Chaotic Subtype 
  5
  Evil Subtype 
  5
  Fey Type 
  14
  Giant Type 
  14
  Good Subtype 
  5
  Goblinoid Subtype 
  -2
  Humanoid Type 
  0
  Racial Type or Subtype 
  Cost
  Lawful Subtype 
  5
  Monstrous Humanoid Type 
  16
  Native Subtype 
  -4
  Outsider Type 
  20
  Reptilian Subtype 
  0
  Tiny Size 
  -15
  Small Size 
  0
  Medium Size 
  0
  Large (long) Size 
  8
  Table 1.1: Racial Type or Subtype List
  Table 1.2: Ability Score Adjustment Costs
  Ability Score Adjustment 
  +2  
  +4 
  -2 
  -4
  Strength 
  8 
  20 
  -6 
  15
  Dexterity 
  8 
  20 
  -6 
  15
  Constitution 
  8 
  20 
  -6 
  15
  Intelligence 
  6 
  15 
  -4 
  10
  Wisdom 
  6 
  15 
  -4 
  10
  Charisma 
  6 
  15 
  -4 
  10
  Table 1.3: Racial Bonuses to Skills
  Feature 
  Cost
  +1 racial bonus on checks with one skill* 
  2
  +2 racial bonus on checks with one skill* 
  4
  +3 racial bonus on checks with one skill* 
  8
  +4 racial bonus on checks with one skill* 
  12
  Racial bonus applies in limited circumstances 
  ½ normal
  +1 skill point per level (+4 skill points at 1st) 
  16
  One permanent class skill* 
  8
  Feature 
  Cost
  Darkvision 30 ft. 
  8
  Darkvision 60 ft. 
  10
  Darkvision 90 ft. 
  12
  Darkvision 120 ft. 
  14
  Feature 
  Cost
  Low-light Vision 
  8
  Low-light Vision, Improved (3x normal range) 10
  Scent 
  20
  Passive Searching 
  4
  Table 1.4: Unusual Senses
  Feature 
  Cost
  +5 ft to base speed 
  15
  +10 ft to base speed 
  30
  20 ft Climb speed 
  10
  Feature 
  Cost
  30 ft Climb speed 
  14
  20 ft Swim speed 
  8
  30 ft Swim speed 
  12
  Table 1.5: Movement
  
  PAGE 22 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  Feature 
  Cost
  Weapon Familiarity (Exotic weapon  
  counts as Martial) 
  6
  Weapon Familiarity (Per Exotic Weapon  
  past the ﬁrst) 
  +3
  Weapon Proﬁciency (One Martial weapon) 
  6
  Weapon Proﬁciency (Two Martial weapons) 
  9
  Weapon Proﬁciency (Three or more  
  Martial weapons) 
  12
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against one  
  creature type or subtype* 
  2
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with  
  thrown weapons 
  4
  Feature 
  Cost
  +1 racial bonus to attack rolls with one  
  weapon type* 
  4
  +1 racial bonus to weapon damage against  
  one creature type or subtype* 
  2
  +1 racial bonus to weapon damage 
  6
  +1 racial bonus to melee weapon damage  
  (choose one energy type) 
  5
  Natural bite attack (1d6 for Medium) 
  20
  Natural claw attack (1d4 for Medium) 
  10
  Natural gore attack (1d6 for Medium) 
  20
  Natural slam attack (1d4 for Medium) 
  10
  Natural tail attack (1d6 for Medium) 
  20
  Table 1.6: Weapons, Attack Bonuses, and Damage Bonuses
  Feature 
  Cost
  +2 dodge bonus to AC against one  
  creature type* 
  2
  +4 dodge bonus to AC against one  
  creature type* 
  4
  +1 dodge bonus to AC 
  12
  +1 racial bonus on one saving throw category* 3
  +2 racial bonus on one saving throw category* 6
  +3 racial bonus on one saving throw category* 9
  +1 racial bonus on all saving throws 
  9
  +2 racial bonus on all saving throws 
  18
  +2 racial bonus on saving throws  
  against one effect*1 
  2
  Immunity to disease 
  10
  Immunity to poison 
  15
  Immunity to paralysis 
  15
  Immunity to sleep effects 
  10
  Immunity to polymorph 
  10
  Immunity to stunning 
  15
  Immunity to petriﬁcation 
  15
  Immunity to charm/compulsion 
  15
  Immunity to death magic 
  20
  Immunity to fear effects 
  15
  Immunity to gaze attacks 
  15
  +1 racial bonus on saving throws  
  against spells and spell-like effects 
  6
  Feature 
  Cost
  +2 racial bonus on saving throws  
  against spells and spell-like effects 
  12
  +2 racial bonus on saving throws  
  against a psionic discipline* 
  2
  +2 racial bonus on saving throws against  
  a school of magic* 
  2
  +2 racial bonus on saving throws against  
  one subschool of magic*2 
  1
  Immunity to one subschool of magic* 
  10
  Resistance 5 to one energy type* 
  10
  Resistance 10 to one energy type* 
  15
  +1 natural armor bonus 
  10
  +2 natural armor bonus 
  20
  +1 deﬂection bonus to AC 
  15
  +2 deﬂection bonus to AC 
  25
  Stability +2 
  3
  Stability +4 
  6
  Damage Reduction 1/-- 
  15
  Damage Reduction 2/-- 
  30
  Damage Reduction 2/material 
  10
  Damage Reduction 3/material 
  20
  Damage Reduction 4/material 
  30
  Table 1.7: Defensive Bonuses
  1The entire list of applicable effects includes disease, poison, paralysis, sleep effects, polymorph, stunning, petri-
  ﬁcation, charm/compulsion, death magic, fear effects, and gaze attacks.
  2The entire list of subschools includes Calling, Creation, Healing, Summoning, Teleportation, Scrying, Charm, 
  Compulsion, Figment, Glamer, Pattern, Phantasm, and Shadow.
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 23
  Feature 
  Cost
  Bonus Feat (speciﬁed) 
  15
  Bonus Feat (chosen at character creation) 
  20
  Spell-like ability or psi-like ability1 
  Varies
  Acidic Saliva (Ex) 
  8
  Amphibious (Ex) 
  8
  Body Spikes (Ex) 
  12
  Breath Weapon (Su)2 
  20
  Change Shape (Su) 
  20
  Elasticity (Ex or Su) 
  20
  Energy Blast (Su)3 
  20
  Exoskeleton (Ex) (+2 armor bonus,  
  10% arcane spell failure) 
  10
  Extra Arms (Ex) 
  30
  Feature 
  Cost
  Gills (Ex) 
  15
  Hold Breath (Constitution score times four) 
  4
  Hold Breath (Constitution score times eight) 
  8
  Powerful Charge (Ex)  (+4 damage) 
  8
  Ray (Su)2 
  10
  Shadowblend (Su) (50% concealment  
  in shadowy areas) 
  15
  Smoke Screen (Ex or Su) 
  15
  Telepathy (Su)  
  12
  Terrifying Voice (Ex or Su) 
  12
  Trackless Step (Ex) 
  8
  Turn Resistance +2 (Ex) 
  5
  Turn Resistance +4 (Ex) 
  10
  Woodland Stride (Ex) 
  12
  Table 1.8: Miscellaneous Abilities
  1 The formula for determining the cost of a spell-like ability is 4 x spell or power level (count 0-level spells and 
  powers as 0.5) x the number of uses per day (count at will or continuous use as 6/day).
  2 This is a delivery method for some sort of effect.  See the ability description.
  3 This effect requires a delivery method.  See the ability description.
  Condition 
  Race Points
  Level Adjustment +1 
  -25
  Level Adjustment +2 
  -50
  Level Adjustment +3 
  -75
  Level Adjustment +4 
  -100
  Level Adjustment +5 
  -125
  Level Adjustment +6 
  -150
  Aberration Type (2 HD) 
  -12
       (Every additional HD) 
  -6
  Construct Type (2 HD) 
  -18
       (Every additional HD) 
  -9
  Fey Type (2 HD) 
  -20
       (Every additional HD) 
  -15
  Condition 
  Race Points
  Giant Type (2 HD) 
  -8
       (Every additional HD) 
  -6
  Humanoid Type (2 HD) 
  -12
       (Every additional HD) 
  -6
  Monstrous Humanoid Type (2 HD) 
  -4
       (Every additional HD) 
  -4
  Outsider Type (2 HD) 
  4
       (Every additional HD) 
  -4
  Plant Type (2 HD) 
  -15
       (Every additional HD) 
  -7
  Undead Type (2 HD) 
  -16
       (Every additional HD) 
  -8
  Table 2.1: Level Adjustments and Racial Hit Dice
  Table 2.2: Greater Ability Score Adjustments.
  Ability Score 
  +2 
  +4 
  +6 
  +8 
  -2 
  -4
  Strength 
  8 
  20 
  40 
  65 
  -6 
  -15
  Dexterity 
  8 
  20 
  40 
  65 
  -6 
  -15
  Constitution 
  8 
  20 
  40 
  65 
  -6 
  -15
  Intelligence 
  6 
  15 
  30 
  50 
  -4 
  -10
  Wisdom 
  6 
  15 
  30 
  50 
  -4 
  -10
  Charisma 
  6 
  15 
  30 
  50 
  -4 
  -10
  
  PAGE 24 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  Table 1.9: Drawbacks
  Feature 
  Cost
  Slow (-10 ft. to speed) 
  -10
  -1 attack rolls against one individual type* 
  -1
  -1 on attack rolls with ranged attacks and ranged touch attacks 
  -3
  -2 dodge bonus to AC against one individual type* 
  -1
  -4 dodge bonus to AC against one individual type* 
  -2
  -1 penalty on one saving throw* 
  -1
  -2 penalty on one saving throw* 
  -2
  -1 penalty on all saving throws 
  -3
  -2 penalty on all saving throws 
  -6
  -2 penalty on saving throws against disease 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against poison 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against paralysis 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against fear 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against charm/compulsion 
  -1
  -1 penalty on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects 
  -2
  -2 penalty on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects 
  -4
  -2 penalty on saving throws against a psionic discipline* 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against a school of magic* 
  -1
  -2 penalty on saving throws against one subschool of magic* 
  -1
  Vulnerability to one energy type – additional 50% damage* 
  -4
  Vulnerability to one energy type – additional 100% damage* 
  -8
  Vulnerability to one energy type – additional 200% damage* 
  -12
  Lesser Vulnerability to Steel 
  -15
  Vulnerability to Steel 
  -20
  Greater Vulnerability to Steel 
  -25
  Lesser Vulnerability to Wood 
  -10
  Vulnerability to Wood 
  -13
  Greater Vulnerability to Wood 
  -15
  Lesser Vulnerability to Cold Iron 
  -5
  Vulnerability to Cold Iron 
  -7
  Greater Vulnerability to Cold Iron 
  -9
  Lesser Vulnerability to Silver 
  -5
  Vulnerability to Silver 
  -7
  Greater Vulnerability to Silver 
  -9
  Lesser Vulnerability to Adamantium 
  -3
  Vulnerability to Adamantium 
  -4
  Greater Vulnerability to Adamantium 
  -5
  Sustenance Hunger (taboo) 
  -5
  Sustenance Hunger (rare) 
  -4
  Darkness Sensitivity 
  -3
  Light Blindness 
  -8
  Light Sensitivity 
  -4
  
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK 
  PAGE 25
  Feature 
  Cost Req’d
  Immunity to critical hits 
  40 
  4
  Power resistance 5 + character level 
  15 
  1
  Power resistance 10 + character level 
  20 
  2
  Every additional point of base  
  power resistance 
  +2 
  N/A
  Spell resistance 5 + character level 
  15 
  1
  Spell resistance 10 + character level 
  20 
  2
  Every additional point of base  
  spell resistance 
  +2 
  N/A
  Immunity to one energy type 
  40 
  5
  Immunity to two energy types 
  90 
  6
  Immunity to three energy types 
  150 
  7
  Resistance 15 to one energy type* 
  20 
  1
  Every 5 additional points of energy  
  resistance 
  5 
  N/A
  +3 natural armor bonus 
  30 
  1
  Every additional point of natural  
  armor bonus 
  +10 
  N/A
  +3 deﬂection bonus to AC 
  35 
  1
  Every additional point of  
  deﬂection bonus to AC 
  +10 
  N/A
  Damage Reduction 3/-- 
  45 
  1
  Every additional +1/-- DR 
  +15 
  N/A
  Damage Reduction 5/material 
  40 
  1
  Every additional +1/material DR 
  +10 
  N/A
  Ability Damage (Su)*  
  25 
  3
  Blindsense (Ex) 60 feet 
  20 
  3
  Blindsight (Ex) 30 feet 
  40 
  4
  Blindsight (Ex) 60 feet 
  55 
  5
  Breath Weapon (Su)** 
  20 
  3
  Confusion (Su)* 
  35 
  4
  Constrict (Ex) (1d6+Str bonus) 
  15 
  2
  Energy Blast (Su)** 
  20 
  0
  Energy Drain (Su)* 
  50 
  6
  Exoskeleton (Ex) (as per breastplate) 
  15 
  1
  Fast Healing 1 (Ex) 
  40 
  5
  Feature 
  Cost Req’d
  Fast Healing 2 (Ex) 
  55 
  5
  Every additional +1 to Fast Healing 
  15 
  N/A
  Fear (Su)* 
  30 
  3
  Frightful Presence (Ex) 
  20 
  3
  Gaze (Su)**  
  20 
  4
  Hive Mind (Ex)  
  20 
  2
  Improved Grab (Ex)  
  20 
  2
  Movement mode: Burrow  
  (Ex or Su) 10 feet 
  10 
  3
  Movement mode: Burrow  
  (Ex or Su) 20 feet 
  15 
  3
  Movement mode: Fly  
  (Average) (Ex or Su) 
  25 
  4
  Movement mode: Fly  
  (Clumsy) (Ex or Su) 
  20 
  4
  Movement mode: Fly  
  (Good) (Ex or Su) 
  28 
  4
  Movement mode: Fly  
  (Perfect) (Ex or Su) 
  35 
  4
  Movement mode: Fly  
  (Poor) (Ex or Su) 
  22 
  4
  Every additional 5 feet of 
  Fly speed 
  8 
  N/A
  Paralysis (Ex or Su)*  
  40 
  5
  Poison (Ex)*  
  30 
  3
  Pounce (Ex)  
  25 
  2
  Prehensile Tail 
  10 
  1
  Psionics 
  Varies 
  3
  Rake (Ex)  
  12 
  1
  Ray (Su or Sp)** 
  10 
  0
  Spellcasting 
  Varies 
  3
  Stinger** 
  5 
  1
  Touch Attack** 
  5 
  1
  Trample (Ex) 
  30 
  3
  Tremorsense (Ex or Su) 30 feet 
  35 
  3
  Tremorsense (Ex or Su) 60 feet 
  50 
  4
  Table 2.3: Greater Abilities
  *This attack requires a delivery method, purchased separately.  See the ability description.
  **This is a delivery method for an attack of some kind.  See the ability description.
  
  PAGE 26 
  RACE CREATION COOKBOOK
  Racial Type or Subtype 
  Cost 
  Required
  Aberration Type 
  16 
  0
  Air Subtype 
  35 
  4
  Aquatic Subtype 
  0 
  0
  Baatezu Subtype 
  125 
  6
  Chaotic Subtype 
  5 
  0
  Cold Subtype 
  36 
  5
  Construct Type 
  100 
  3
  Earth Subtype 
  15 
  3
  Eladrin Subtype 
  110 
  6
  Evil Subtype 
  5 
  0
  Fey Type 
  14 
  0
  Fire Subtype 
  36 
  5
  Giant Type 
  14 
  0
  Good Subtype 
  5 
  0
  Goblinoid Subtype 
  -2 
  0
  Guardinal Subtype 
  135 
  6
  Racial Type or Subtype 
  Cost 
  Required
  Humanoid Type 
  0 
  0
  Lawful Subtype 
  5 
  0
  Monstrous Humanoid Type 
  16 
  0
  Native Subtype 
  -4 
  0
  Outsider Type 
  20 
  0
  Plant Type 
  75 
  3
  Reptilian Subtype 
  0 
  0
  Tanar’ri Subtype 
  125 
  6
  Undead Type 
  100 
  3
  Water Subtype 
  25 
  3
  Tiny Size 
  -15 
  0
  Small Size 
  0 
  0
  Medium Size 
  0* 
  0
  Large (long) Size 
  8* 
  0
  Large (tall) Size 
  25* 
  3
  Table 2.4: Expanded Racial Type and Subtype List
  *Creatures of the Construct type pay an additional 5 ability points for these sizes.
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  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, 
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  System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, 
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