The Lost Forge

Introduction

Several races, old and new, exist in the campaign setting in which our adventures take place.

Presented here are mechanical changes and available options for races in Pathfinder. Many other races and intelligent creatures exist in the world, with several examples of individuals with PC or NPC class levels, but they are restricted and unavailable to players.

A few changes have been made to the rules concerning race in the Pathfinder system. Racial traits and alternate racial traits have been renamed to ancestry and alternate ancestry. This has been implemented so as to avoid confusions between Racial Traits of each race, as listed in their race description, and Race Traits available to players, from the traits system from Advanced Player's Guide.

Many races have access to class archetypes that are only available to them. These archetypes can be found in Advanced Race Guide (ARG), Ultimate Psionics (UP), and Races of Eberron (RoE). In the case of RoE, these archetypes were originally racial substitution levels for the 3.5e version of Dungeons & Dragons, and thus have been converted for the Pathfinder RPG system on a case-by-case basis.

The following races are native to the Pathfinder RPG system and can be found in Core Rulebook, Advanced Race Guide, Bestiary 1, and Bestiary 2.

Core Races

Human: Humans are the most common and varied of the humanoids races.
Humans can manifest the dragonmarks of handling, making, passage, and sentinel.
Humans can use the following archetypes: Buccaneer (Gunslinger), Feral Child (Druid), Imperious Bloodline (Sorcerer), and Wanderer (Monk).

Half-Elf: Half-elves (khoravar, children of Khorvaire) are a fusion of humans and elves.
Half-elves can manifest the dragonmarks of detection and storm.
Half-elves can use the following archetypes and class features: Bonded Witch (Witch), Bramble Brewer (Alchemist), Defoliant Bomb (Alchemist Discovery), Wild Caller (Summoner), Wild Shadow (Ranger), and any elf or human ancestry archetype.

Half-Orc: Half-orcs (jorgun'taal, children of two bloods) are a fusion of humans and orcs.
Half-orcs can manifest the dragonmark of finding.
Half-orcs can use the following archetypes: Blood God Disciple (Summoner), Hateful Rager (Barbarian), Redeemer (Paladin), Skulking Slayer (Rogue), and any human or orc ancestry archetype.

Elf: Elves are a long-lived and subtle masters of magic.
Elves can manifest the dragonmark of shadow. In the past they could manifest the dragonmark of death, but no longer.
Elves can use the following archetypes and class features: Ancient Lorekeeper (Oracle), Plant Companions (Druid Nature Bond), Spell Dancer (Magus), Spellbinder (Wizard), and Treesinger (Druid).

Dwarf: Dwarves are proud and sturdy.
Dwarves can manifest the dragonmark of warding.
Dwarves can use the following archetypes: Exarch (Inquisitor), Foehammer (Fighter), Forgemaster (Cleric), and Stonelord (Paladin).

Halfling: Halflings are courageous and lucky.
Halflings can manifest the dragonmarks of hospitality and healing.
Halflings can use the following archetypes and class features: Community Guardian (Oracle), Filcher (Rogue), Order of the Paw (Cavalier Order), and Underfoot Adept (Monk).

Gnomes: Gnomes are eccentric and inquisitive.
Gnomes can manifest the dragonmark of scribing.
Gnomes can use the following archetypes: Experimental Gunsmith (Gunslinger), Prankster (Bard), and Saboteur (Alchemist).

Featured Races

Orc: Orcs are primal creatures, known for great strength and wild passions.
Orcs have the following ability scores: +4 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Orcs can use the following archetypes: Dirty Fighter (Fighter) and Scarred Witch Doctor (Witch).

Goblin: Goblins (golin'dar, quick people) are the least of the goblinoid races.
Goblins can use the following archetypes: Feral Gnasher (Barbarian) and Fire Bomber (Alchemist).

Hobgoblin: Hobgoblins (ghaal'dar, mighty people) are the leaders of the goblinoid races.
Hobgoblins can use the following archetypes: Fell Rider (Cavalier) and Ironskin Monk (Monk).

Aasimar: Aasimars are creatures that have been influences by celestial forces, such as angels.
Aasimars can use the following archetypes: Purifier (Oracle) and Tranquil Guardian (Paladin).

Tiefling: Tieflings are creatures that have been influences by fiendish forces, such as demons.
Tieflings can use the following archetypes: Fiend Flayer (Magus) and Fiendish Vessel (Cleric).

Fetchling: Fetchlings (kayal, shadow dweller) are creatures that have been influenced forces of shadow, such as kytons.
Fetchlings can use the following archetypes: Dusk Stalker (Ranger) and Shadow Caller (Summoner).

Kobold: Kobolds are the least of the reptillian races.
Kobolds can use the following archetypes and class features: Bushwhacker (Gunslinger) and Kobold (Sorcerer Bloodline).

Drow: Drow were once kin to the elves, but were twisted by dark forces.
Drow can use the following archetypes: Cavern Sniper (Fighter) and Demonic Apostle (Cleric).

Dhampir: Dhampirs are creatures influences by forces of death, such as vampires.
Dhampirs can use the following archetypes: Cruoromancer (Wizard) and Kinslayer (Inquisitor).

Ifrit: Ifrits are creatures influenced by forces of fire, such as Genies of Fire (Efreeti).
Ifrits can apply their Fire Affinity ancestry to the Flames oracle mystery as if it were a sorcerer bloodline.
Ifrits can use the following archetypes: Immolator (Inquisitor) and Wishcrafter (Sorcerer).

Undine: Undines are creatures influenced by forces of water, such as Genies of Water (Marid).
Undines can apply their Water Affinity ancestry to the Waves oracle mystery as if it were a sorcerer bloodline.
Undines can use the following archetypes: Undine Adept (Druid) and Watersinger (Bard).

Sylph: Sylphs are creatures influenced by forces of air, such as Genies of Air (Dinjin).
Sylphs can apply their Air Affinity ancestry to the Wind oracle mystery as if it were a sorcerer bloodline.
Sylphs can use the following archetypes: Sky Druid (Druid) and Wind Listener (Wizard).

Oread: Oreads are creatures influenced by forces of earth, such as Genies of Earth (Shaitan).
Oread can apply their Earth Affinity ancestry to the Stone oracle mystery as if it were a sorcerer bloodline.
Oreads can use the following archetypes: Shaitan Binder (Summoner) and Student of Stone (Monk).

The following races were initially created and introduced in the Eberron campaign setting for the 3.5e edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The original rules for these races can be found in Eberron Campaign Setting, Magic of Eberron, and Secrets of Sarlona.

Major Races

Changeling: Changelings are a shapeshifting race related to doppelgangers, able to appear as any person at will.

Kalashtar: Kalashtar are a fusion of humanoids and dream spirits.

Shifter: Shifters are creature with animal influences related to lycanthropes, able to take on more beastly forms temporarily.

Warforged: Warforged are the newest race, created as living constructs for war.

Minor Races

Daelkyr Half-Blood: Daeklyr Half-Bloods are creatures that have been influenced by abominations.

Empty Vessel: Empty Vessels, aslo known as the Inspired, are human hosts that have allowed spirits to possess and guide them.

Eneko: Eneko are a mongrel bred of half-giants and ogres.

The following races were built for the psionics rules system, as introduced in Ultimate Psionics.

Blue: Blues are a subset of goblins that have been twisted by dark forces.
Blues can use the following archetypes: Annihilator (Aegis), Dominator (Telepath), and Mutator (Alchemist).

Forgeborn: Forgeborn are fusions of creature and crystal, created to serve in a long-forgotten war.
Forgeborn can use the following archetypes: Forgesteed Rider (Cavalier), Ironborn (Fighter), and Unifier (Tactician).

Noral: Norals (Dreamscarred) are humanoids that have formed a symbiosis with a psionic creature on their skull.
Norals can use the following archetypes: Pacifist (Vitalist), Peacekeeper (Telepath), Shadow Hunter (Inquisitor)

Elan: Elans are humanoids that have fused their soul to a psionic spirit.
Elan can use the following archetypes: Ascendant Psion (Psion), Menteur (Rogue), and Pattern Wielder (Cryptic).

Xeph: Xephs are small humanoids known for agile minds and quick movement.
Xephs can use the following archetypes:

Dromite: Dromites are an small insect-like humanoids that originate from a hivemind society.
Dromites can use the following archetypes: Empty Caste (Ninja), Swarmer (Tactician), and Vermin Rider (Cavalier).

Half-giant: Half-giants are a subset of giants, having reduced in size to be close to humans.
Half-giants can use the following archetypes: Kinslayer (Ranger), thunderjarl (Psychic Warrior), Warhulk (Aegis).

Duergar: Duergar are a subset of dwarves that have been twisted by dark forces.
Duergar player characters must use the psionic version of the race, as detailed in Ultimate Psionics.
Duergrar treat any weapon with the word "dwarven" in its name as a martial weapon.
Duergar can use the following archetypes: Lifemonger (Vitalist), Ravager (Cryptic), Sleeper’s Guardian (Paladin).

Manead: Maneads are a sea-faring race of humanoids that struggle with an ongoing emotional turmoil.
Maneads: can use the following archetypes: Banshee (Wilder), Disciple of the Raging Sea (Monk), Maquoran Reaver (Rogue).

Ophiduan: Ophiduans are serpent-like humanoids that aspire for personal and social perfection.
Ophiduans can use the following archetypes: Fleshbinder (Egoist), Scaled Rider (Psychic Warrior), Serpent Lord (Druid).