View source for Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Environmental Racial Variants

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==Environmental Racial Variants==

[[Summary::Racial variants are a great way add diversity to your game without drastically changing the ecology of your world. One method of altering the existing races is to introduce environmental variants, a number of which are presented here.]]

You may decide that one or more of these variants represent the “standard” version of a given race in your world. For stance, in a desert-based campaign the desert races presented below could replace the normal versions of the races described in the [[SRD:System Reference Document|d20 System]].

Alternatively, these variants could coexist with the standard races (or even with other variants) in your world. For example, you can use them as world-building tools—the existence of racial offshoots may constitute living proof of an ancient racial migration in response to some disaster.

Each racial variant modifies the race to which it is applied (hereafter called the standard race) in minor ways. All racial traits of the standard race—racial skill bonuses, bonus feats, special sensory capabilities (such as [[SRD:Darkvision|darkvision]] and [[SRD:Low-Light Vision|low-light vision]]), ability modifiers, combat bonuses against specific foes, and racial weapon proficiencies—are retained unless the variant specifies otherwise. For instance, a [[SRD:Humans (Race)|human]] retains his extra skill points and extra feat at 1st level, a [[SRD:Dwarves, Hill (Race)|dwarf]] retains his stonecunning ability, and an [[SRD:Elves, High (Race)|elf]] retains her ability to spot secret doors, unless the variant description specifically indicates otherwise.

Many of the variant races described in this section provide alternate ability score adjustments. In these cases, the adjustments given here supersede the standard race’s adjustments. For example, the [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Goblins|aquatic goblin]]’s ability score adjustments are −2 [[SRD:Strength|Strength]], +2 [[SRD:Constitution|Constitution]], and −2 [[SRD:Charisma|Charisma]]. These adjustments take the place of the [[SRD:Goblins (Race)|goblin]]’s normal −2 [[SRD:Strength|Strength]], +2 [[SRD:Dexterity|Dexterity]], and −2 [[SRD:Charisma|Charisma]].

Because [[SRD:Humans (Race)|humans]] are, by nature, the most adaptable of races, environmental variants are generally not included for [[SRD:Humans (Race)|human]]s. The exception is [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Humans|aquatic human]]s, which, due to their ability to live and breathe underwater, are sufficiently different from other [[SRD:Humans (Race)|human]]s to warrant an environmental variant.

{| class="column" cellspacing="0"
|
: [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Races|Aquatic Races]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Dwarves|Aquatic Dwarves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Elves|Aquatic Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Gnomes|Aquatic Gnomes]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Goblins|Aquatic Goblins]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Half-Elves|Aquatic Half-Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Half-Orcs|Aquatic Half-Orcs]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Halflings|Aquatic Halflings]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Humans|Aquatic Humans]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Kobolds|Aquatic Kobolds]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Aquatic Orcs|Aquatic Orcs]]
|
: [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Races|Arctic Races]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Dwarves|Arctic Dwarves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Elves|Arctic Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Gnomes|Arctic Gnomes]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Goblins|Arctic Goblins]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Half-Elves|Arctic Half-Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Half-Orcs|Arctic Half-Orcs]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Halflings|Arctic Halflings]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Kobolds|Arctic Kobolds]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Arctic Orcs|Arctic Orcs]]
|
: [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Races|Desert Races]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Dwarves|Desert Dwarves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Elves|Desert Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Gnomes|Desert Gnomes]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Goblins|Desert Goblins]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Half-Elves|Desert Half-Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Half-Orcs|Desert Half-Orcs]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Halflings|Desert Halflings]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Kobolds|Desert Kobolds]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Desert Orcs|Desert Orcs]]
|
: [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Races|Jungle Races]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Dwarves|Jungle Dwarves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Elves|Jungle Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Gnomes|Jungle Gnomes]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Goblins|Jungle Goblins]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Half-Elves|Jungle Half-Elves]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Half-Orcs|Jungle Half-Orcs]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Halflings|Jungle Halflings]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Kobolds|Jungle Kobolds]]
:* [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Jungle Orcs|Jungle Orcs]]
|}

{{UA Races Footer}}[[Category:Variant Rule]]
Summary	Racial variants are a great way add diversity to your game without drastically changing the ecology of your world. One method of altering the existing races is to introduce environmental variants, a number of which are presented here. +
Title	Environmental Racial Variants +