The Eíre setting does not have any demihuman races. The elves left, the dwarves died in their deeps, both long before the current empires.
There are not a lot in the way of non-human humanoids, either, and certainly nothing playable by humans - most of the humanoids in ACKS are being heavily re-skinned as creatures of shadow and blight, mindless and inchoate mobs summoned from Beyond, that happen to resemble vaguely humanoid shapes.
However, there will be bloodlines among humans that occasionally show up more strongly in an individual. I don’t want to have to write multiple classes for each and every bloodline, so I’m thinking of a sort-of template approach.
The current work I’ve done is in PDF format here: Eíre Bloodlines.
Below are two examples that don’t require downloading a PDF (note: the PDF has tweaked the examples below into a more final form, but the core idea remains the same).
Giant-Blooded
Giant-blooded are very rare, and are usually only children. Giant-blooded cannot be arcane casters or thieves. For any other class:
- Increase the size of the class's hit die by one step (d4 to d6, d6 to d8, d8 to d10, d10 to d12).
- Giant-blooded stand 8 feet tall and weigh 35 stone, and increase their STR bonus by +1 (their STR remains the same; the bonus is just one higher, to a maximum of +4). They can also throw rocks up to STR×10 feet, dealing 1d6 + STR modifier.
- At 4th, 8th, and 12th level, the giant-blooded gains a +1 to AC while unarmored.
- At 7th level, they grow to 10 feet tall and 70 stone. They lose the increased STR bonus. Instead, they double the damage dice rolled with melee weapons; double all of their encumbrance stone; and gain a +8 on STR feats to force open doors and similar. They can throw rocks 200 feet for 2d6 + STR modifier damage.
- At 14th level, they grow to 12 feet tall and 120 stone. Increase the rock-throwing damage to 3d6; and increase the bonus to force open doors to +16.
- Against human-sized opponents, the bonus to forcing open doors also typically applies to wrestling and other combat tricks.
The XP costs for each level are increased for the class as follows:
2: +1,000
3: +2,000
4: +4,000
5: +8,000
6: +16,000
7: +30,000
8: +60,000
9: +120,000
10: +180,000
11: +240,000
12: +300,000
Giant-blooded reduce the maximum level for their class by 2.
Werebat
Werebats can be found in small numbers in the largest cities, as they can breed true and are relatively harmless. They can be identified (somewhat) by their black eyes, long fingers, large ears, and prominent canines. Werebats must be Neutral, but can be any class:
- Stronghold type changes to Hideout, and attracts low-level werebats of random classes. If the original type was Sanctum, it is still a hideout, but the werebat can construct a Dungeon as well, and retains the ability to do research.
- Being a werebat is to be a criminal, of sorts. Anyone who knows the character is a werebat has a –2 penalty on reaction rolls toward the character.
- Werebats possess Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, and Hear Noise as a thief of their class level; if their class already grants this, they reduce the throw for the thief skill by 4.
- Werebats possess Beast Friendship, but only for bats and bat-like creatures.
- At first level, all werebat classes can transform into the form of a giant bat (granting AC 1 hide, fly movement rate 180’, and a bite dealing 1d4 damage) and can cast summon bats. Both can be done as a one-round action, at will. While in bat form, the character can speak with bats and is immune to normal weapons (silver and magical weapons harm the character normally).
- While not wearing armor, the werebat's AC is improved by +2, increasing by a further +1 at 7th and 13th level (this bonus to AC applies to both forms).
The XP costs for each level are increased for the class as follows:
2: +1,250
3: +2,500
4: +5,000
5: +10,000
6: +20,000
7: +40,000
8: +80,000
9: +150,000
10: +225,000
11: +300,000
12: +375,000
Werebats reduce the maximum level for their class by 2.
Summon Bats
Divine (Werebat) 1
Range 480 feet
Duration 1 turn
This spell summons 1d2 swarms (4 HD) or 1d4 giant bats within 480 feet; these swarms take 1d4 rounds to arrive, and remain and fight for the caster with Morale +4 for one turn.