New race, the Genomes!

[Aleolus]

OK, on another forum I post on someone statted up the Qu as a playable race in D&D, and so I felt compelled to do similar. So here's Zidane's race, the Genomes!

Genome
+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength: Genomes are quick and agile, but relatively frail.
Medium: As medium creatures genomes get no special bonuses or penalties based off size.
A genomes base land speed is 30 feet, with a Climb speed 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A genome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar poor lighting conditions. They retain the ability to distinguish color in detail under these conditions.
Sleight Build: Genomes, being slim and very light, are treated as one size category smaller than they actually are, whenever being smaller would provide a bonus.
Genomes are quick and agile on their feet, providing a +2 racial bonus on Jump and Tumble checks
A genome's thin fur coat gives it a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against nonlethal damage from cold environments.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against Sleep effects.
Prehensile tail: A genome may use its tail to hold objects like a third hand. This grants a +1 competence bonus to all dexterity-based skill checks. If the tail is immobilized or already holding something it cannot provide the bonus.
Automatic languages: Common, Terran. Bonus Languages: Any
Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass genome's Rogue class does not count when determining whether they receive an XP penalty

[Drohem]

Ooh, I like it!

Not excessively powerful or uber. Good balancing.

[Aleolus]

Thank you, I was trying to stay as true to the original game's portrayal of them as possible.

[rabkala]

For those not in the know, genomes are a race from Final Fantasy IX.
Genome- a race of people that are supposed to be soul-less created by Garland and who all look alike with chin-length blond hair and monkey tails. When Terra and Gaia assimilated, the genomes were to become the new bodies for the souls of Terra's people. When Terra was destroyed, Zidane took them back to Gaia with him and left them in Black Mage Village with the Black Mages.

[Aleolus]

For those not in the know, genomes are a race from Fantast IX.
Genome- a race of people that are supposed to be soul-less created by Garland and who all look alike with chin-length blond hair and monkey tails. When Terra and Gaia assimilated, the genomes were to become the new bodies for the souls of Terra's people. When Terra was destroyed, Zidane took them back to Gaia with him and left them in Black Mage Village with the Black Mages.

Where they proceeded to learn about the world and develop souls of their own. Can't forget that part.

[rabkala]

Sorry, just like me to clip off the important part.

I was a big fan of VIII and X. IX not as much. Triple Triad and Blitzball were awesome!

[Aleolus]

OK, I was just given the idea for a couple of feats for these guys. What do you think?

Tailed Spellcaster
Prerequisites: Able to cast 1st level Arcane or Divine spells; Genome
Benefit: You have acquired a degree of control over your tail that few genomes manage. You have such control over it that you may use it for the somatic components of spells that have them (most do). You may use your tail for spellcasting if your hands are occupied, or if you are wearing armor that would hinder your hands. Casting in armor still incurs Arcane Spell Failure, if applicable, however, when casting with your tail, the chance your spell will fail is reduced by 5%, to a minimum of 5%.

Strong Tail
Prerequisites: Genome, Str 13+, proficient with Martial weapons
Benefit: Your tail has developed a degree of strength that few manage to reach. You may use your tail to carry and use a single, light weapon. Any attack made with a weapon being held in your tail is treated as an off-hand attack and suffers an additional -2 penalty.
Alternatively, you may choose to carry a light shield with your tail. If you choose to go this route, the shield provides it's normal shield bonus to your AC, but you may not make a shield bash attempt with it. Armor check penalty only applies to Climb, Jump, Swim and Tumble checks when using a shield with your tail. You may not use Tower shields or heavy shields with your tail.

[tesral]

How about some game fluff on them. Culture, appearance, habits, religion if any? Stats alone make not a living creature.

[rabkala]

Tailed spellcaster might be a little strong compared to other 3.5 feats. Maybe not, I would compare it to still spell for usefulness.

Strong tail might be good. Maybe they could take the Multi-attack route?

[Aleolus]

Good point. *closes his eyes to think*

The Genomes origins are a closely kept secret. The vast majority of genomes themselves don't know it, but they were, in fact, created by a race from the Far Realms. They were created in preparation of a mass invasion of the Prime Material Plane, as well as the rest of the Great Wheel. What their part was to be is unclear, though it is quite possible they were to serve as hosts for other entities to allow them to interact directly with the beings of that plane. Their initial, somewhat mindless and zombie-like personality only serves to strengthen this claim. However, they have been growing incredibly, and now many of them possess a thirst for learning that rivals even that of the most scholarly of wizards.
Until you get to know them, it can be difficult to tell one Genome from another. They all possess very similar hair and facial features, though as they grow more as individuals, their personal appearances vary more and more amongst them. However, one trait they all share, is a monkey-like tail sprouting from their posterior. They can utilize this tail with almost as much precision as they can their own hands, though lacking digits, it is understandably incapable of performing certain tasks.
Genomes have yet to develop a culture of their own, though they tend to adapt to whatever culture they might be present in at the time. They tend to mimic whatever the nearby culture is, which can be taken in different ways, depending on how their behavior is viewed. Some, such as Elves, regard them as children playing as adults. Others, such as the Dwarves, regard their actions as suspicious, though not hostile. Rarely, a culture views this as them mocking their culture and causes tension and hostility between the two. This most often occurs in human communities with Genome settlements nearby.
Like their culture, the Genomes have no religion of their own. Many don't venerate any one deity over another, and those who do typically worship the patron deity of the community or people they had the most exposure to growing up.

[Maelstrom]

Very interesting concept and background. I would imagine they get along quite well with halflings and gnomes, who will generally be impressed with their novelty. Genome entertainers could make quite the show that gnomes and halflings above all others would appreciate.

Tailed Spellcaster:
Seems good to me, but yea, it might be a little unbalanced. You could make the min spellcast failure 10%.

About strong tail:
If a creature such as this uses its tail for its shield, I would think it would be a little off balance, not used to having one of its main appendages unwieldy. I would think that the Armor check penalty would apply to everything.

What if you added a third feat (Improved strong tail) that would elminate these penalties? With some extra training, I would imagine this creature could become used to weilding a shield in this manner.

Hmm, something else... how about having a new exotic weapon (martial to genomes) involving some kind of weapon fitting to their tail? A tail spike of some kind?

[DrAwkward]

Very interesting concept and background. I would imagine they get along quite well with halflings and gnomes, who will generally be impressed with their novelty. Genome entertainers could make quite the show that gnomes and halflings above all others would appreciate.

Tailed Spellcaster:
Seems good to me, but yea, it might be a little unbalanced. You could make the min spellcast failure 10%.

About strong tail:
If a creature such as this uses its tail for its shield, I would think it would be a little off balance, not used to having one of its main appendages unwieldy. I would think that the Armor check penalty would apply to everything.

What if you added a third feat (Improved strong tail) that would elminate these penalties? With some extra training, I would imagine this creature could become used to weilding a shield in this manner.

Hmm, something else... how about having a new exotic weapon (martial to genomes) involving some kind of weapon fitting to their tail? A tail spike of some kind?

Oriental Adventures has Nezumi (Ratlings) that had access to a tail spike weapon.

Savage Species has a feat for any tailed creature that allows it to wield light weapons

Savage Species also has feat for armless creatures to do somatic components -- probably not what you had in mind, but close enough that you can use it as a baseline.

If this is a created race, like Elan (Expanded Psionics HB), you might consider making them abberations, for flavor.