Each character must be of a specific race which will determine the starting attribute and some other benefits. The basic value an attribute is 8 + the game difficulty modifier. The maximum attribute a character can get is his basic attribute +10. For example, an attributes with a base value is 8 has a maximum of 18. Some races will give a bonus of 2 points to certain attributes, allowing reaching up to 20.

• Attribute modifier: This is a bonus and minus applied to the basic attribute changing the default of 8.
• Resistance: This is a special immunity to one of the 6 status effect categories.
• Speed: This is the base action speed applied after each action is performed. The lower the better.
• Size: This is the size of the race. Small races have better speed but they cannot equip most 2 handed weapons.
• Benefits: This is a special benefit unique to the race.

Design notes

• I want to avoid double modifiers, like a dwarf that has a lot of strength with a bonus to combat damage. But the strength modifier also increase combat damage. So the racial benefits is kind of applied twice using different stats. This is why only basic attributes will be affected and modifiers will be built from those stats.
• Some racial modifiers could be implemented if they are targeted to specific situation that might not always occur. For example, elves get a +2 to use bows. If the player does not give it a bow, he loses the benefits. That could lead to many modifiers to stacks.
• I have an issue where most of the time, I use the race with the most intelligence to make a mage for example. Here, it should not be the case, as most attributes will be used. So you could maximize race with class, but it will have some draw back, and could be disadvantageous for multi-classing.
• I tried to integrate some new races from wizardry 6+ but not all of them, I only wanted 2 extra races. The dracons were not good prospect because they fly, it makes no sense for open sky dungeons. And I did not want to use the Orc because it was actually a monster. So I decided to still use Dracons. The hell if it makes no sense. Dragonborn in D&d 4th edition does not have wings. So I could also justify it this way.
• I am not sure if I am keeping the same groups of status effects, since they are more associated to the attribute required for the same. But curing spells will be required to have categories, so I might keep them in the end anyway. Unless I make the spell cure attribute based effects.
• One thing that my friend made me realized is that making race only affect attributes ends being irrelevant since you can assign points. Only the maximum attributes changes. It also create the syndrome what you chose the race with the best attribute for a specific class, instead choosing a race you wanted to play. So I will be adding special benefits that are irrelevant to the class to allow different combinations for better replayability. I also reduced the impact of the race on attribute score by using a D&D style attribute modifier, which means modifying only 2 attributes.
• There could be some issues with auto success and auto fail. For example, if you auto success on 20, that means having a stat of 19 or 20 does not make much of a difference for certain rolls.

Special abilities draft

The ideas is to have unique special abilities, not achievable in any other ways, that could have a great impact on the game (even game breaking) and that does not favor a class over another. The goal is to allow various combinations for greater diversity with few options available.

• Humans: Bonus exp, maybe even double exp.
• Elves: Regenerate MP over time
• Dwarves: Regenerate HP??, combat rerolls
• Gnome: More, gold, gems, or other. Hard to make sense thematically
• Halflings: Lucky, Reroll saves and maybe a few other rolls, probably not combat rolls.
• Lizardman: Regenerate HP??
• Dracon: Natural armor, maybe reroll armor and defense rolls in addition to bonus stat

TODO: Ask chatGPT for more diversity of unique effects.

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