Major Kindred Variations – Changes
Between 5.5 and 7.5 with personal preference included
From the 5.5 rulebook to 7.5, each of
the five major kindreds working off the human base model underwent changes.
These are set out in the table below, with a third line added (the kindreds end
with a special ‘K’), giving my ‘ideal’ version. Commentary follows after the table.
|
KINDRED
|
STR
|
WIZ
|
INT
|
LK
|
CON
|
DEX
|
CHR
|
SPD
|
HT
|
WT
|
|
HUMAN
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
DWARF
5.5
|
2
|
N/A
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
0.67
|
N/A
|
0.67
|
.875
|
|
DWARF
7.5
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0.67
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0.67
|
2
|
|
DWARF K
|
2
|
0.75
|
1
|
0.67
|
2
|
1
|
0.67
|
1
|
0.67
|
1.5
|
|
ELF
5.5
|
1
|
N/A
|
1.5
|
1
|
0.67
|
1.5
|
2
|
N/A
|
1.1
|
1
|
|
ELF
7.5
|
1
|
2
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
0.67
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0.67
|
|
ELF K
|
0.75
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
1
|
0.67
|
1.5
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0.67
|
|
HOBBIT
(5.5)
|
0.5
|
N/A
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1.5
|
1
|
N/A
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
HOBB
(7.5)
|
0.5
|
1
|
1
|
1.5
|
2
|
1.5
|
1
|
1
|
0.5
|
1
|
|
HOBB K
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
1
|
1.25
|
2
|
1.25
|
1
|
1
|
0.5
|
0.75
|
|
LEPRACHAUN
5.5
|
0.5
|
N/A
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
1
|
1.5
|
1
|
N/A
|
0.33
|
0.25
|
|
LEPRACHAUN
7.5
|
0.5
|
1
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
1
|
1.5
|
1
|
1
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
|
LEPRACHAUN K
|
0.5
|
1.5
|
1
|
2
|
0.67
|
1.5
|
1.5
|
1
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
|
FAIRY
5.5
|
0.25
|
N/A
|
1
|
1.5
|
0.25
|
1.5
|
2
|
N/A
|
0.1
|
0.005
|
|
FAIRY
7.5
|
0.25
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0.25
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
0.1
|
0.001
|
|
FAIRY K
|
0.25
|
2
|
1
|
1.5
|
0.25
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
0.1
|
0.01
|
1. Dwarves – the huge advantage dwarves
have with double strength and constitution remains. We all seem to agree they
are tough and sturdy. I had already switched to reducing luck way before I saw
7.5 – not so much because dwarves keep walking under ladders but more because
they seem to need some negative to offset the pluses. In my version, the
charisma reduction applies too. To other dwarves this would be a nonsense but
in a world where human perception is the benchmark, I think the shoe fits. I
don’t see dwarf wizards being common, hence my wizardry reduction. As for
weight, they did put a lot of weight on between editions, didn’t they? Not
because they are obese but because of the stone conception. I have hedged a
little here.
2. Elves – the development of 7.5 saw
elves retaining their great charisma boost and also the intelligence advantage
but the lift to dexterity was taken away and given to luck instead. You pay
your money and make your choice I suppose. I can’t but see elves as dextrous
because of the archer image and don’t really see why they need to be luckier
than humans – they get double wizardry and for me that is more than enough so I
have scaled it down to 1.5 – still a great advantage to a wizard without a
battery.
3. Hobbits/Hobbs – Ken has recently
written cogently on the name change being more than a name change so we are
really dealing with a different creature in 7.5. I’ll run with that but there
are many similarities in the modifiers – they are not strong because they’re
small but they’re as hardy as dwarves. Both agree on the dexterity lift too but
7.5 brings in a luck boost. I’m in unknown waters here because I’m no longer
dealing with Frodo but I can’t quite free myself of the type – I’ve played
around at the edges to compromise I suspect.
4. Leprechauns – I love the little folk!
I am glad they did not get deleted and have no problem with the Wink-Wing
spell. It was only their height and weight modifiers that got switched around
between the two editions. My re-working is not radical but reflects their
magical nature and lack of stature. To me, they are the luckiest creatures on
Trollworld!
5. Fairies – Much fun can be had with
fairies once the conceptual problem of fairy-sized weapons is dealt with –
should they do less damage, should they cost more? Ah, but magic is in the air!
7.5 saw them become more dextrous and luckier. I’m fine with the former (they
should be good at anything requiring nimbleness) but don’t see the need for the
luck change. As for weight, 7.5 made them lighter and I made them heavier –
c’est la vie. There’s a good article at Trollbridge on keeping fairies alive.
At the end of the day, as in all things in T&T, you
get to choose what you take up and what you leave out. House Rules rule! There
are no rulebooks only guidebooks. I’m going to allow any of the above three
kindred varieties and it probably won’t stop there. It isn’t meant to be a
balanced game – although you can, of course, make that your aim. It’s a
transaction between GM and players – what do they want to play and will the GM
run with it. If you want absolute consistency and logic there’s another game
you might like. Tweaking is a sign of life in T&T/Trollworld.
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