I love the concept of Racial Bonuses. But remember that along with bonuses to skills, there come extra resistances, and there have to be some sort of penalties as well.
I was also thinking about differences between Genders? Would that be any harder to accomplish, would that be un-necessary?
So since you ask for more suggestions, HardLess, here's a general framework for a list of Racial traits I've come up with. Most of the bonuses/resistances are in 5 to 10% increments. This is because I'm keeping them subtle, but not necessarily fine-tuned, so of course they're susceptible to change for balancing, this is just a general framework, as I said. Bartering skills just relates to buying/selling prices.
--Human-- 5% Bonus to the learning of all skills 5% Resistance to magic, except for death and fire. (Being that they are the most adaptable, but are still rather fragile in comparison.) 8% Resistance to fire. (Their hometown is Kalrathia, which is a desert, so I think it fitting that their resistance to heat is upped a bit.) 5-8% Weakness to death. (Again, fragile, second most mortal of the playable races.) +2 Unspent Skill points. (I think this was a good choice to begin with) 5% General bartering skills.
--Elf-- 8% Bonus to the learning of Archery and Combat Magic. Scaling extra bonus to Damage with Archery and Combat Magic with character level. 10% Resistance to magic. 5% Bonus to Mana increase each level. 4% Better bartering skills in Eirulan. (Because if you read into the lore, specifically in the DS2 manual, Dryads have a minor fascination with Elves and would likely give them preferential treatment up until the events of Broken World. 8% Better Bartering in Aman'lu before/after Broken World.
--Dryad-- 8% Bonus to the learning of Archery and Nature Magic. 10% Resistance to Nature Magic. 5% Weakness to Melee. 10% Weakness to Fire. (They're made of plants and plant-like substances. Obviously.) 8% Weakness to Death. (I think the Dryads should actually have a WEAKNESS to death, being the most short-lived of all the races, I'm pretty sure. Plus their connection to, and dependence on, life.) 8% Better bartering skills in Eirulan. And.. Maybe the Dryad Outpost in BW. (For more obvious reasons.) Increasing bonuses to resistances and damage/power/duration/spells/etc. for every other Dryad in the party. (Now this is a unique one, and I figured it would fit if it could work because Dryads are very close to their sisters, the more of them there are, the higher their morale.)
--Half Giant-- 10% Bonus to the learning of Melee skills. (Now this may be a little much, but it's very fitting.) 5% Bonus to Melee effectiveness. 8% Resistance to Melee. 5% Bonus to Health increase each level. 6% Bonus to Health Regen. 10% Penalty to Mana Regen. 15% Penalty to movement speed and 10% to attack rate, except with two-handed weapons. 5% Resistance to Death magic. (I believe the Half-Giants are the most long-lived and resilient of the species, aren't they?)
--Dwarf-- 10% Penalty to learning of magic skills, except when using Fist of stone enchantments, if possible. 6% Bonus to Melee effectiveness. 8% Resistance to Melee and Nature Magic. 5% Penalty to movement speed. (Stubby legs.) 5% Bonus to Health gain each level. 8% Penalty to ranged resistance.
--General Hero Bonus--
As the Hero of the game, having different relationships with different people, there should be some sort of rewards/penalties for it all. Here's what I'm thinking. 20% Penalty to bartering skills in Eirulan until released from being a prisoner AND being cured of the plague. Race bonus as a Dryad/Elf still applies no matter what. 10% Penalty to bartering skills in Kalrathia until Morden are driven out, where there shall then be a 10% bonus to bartering skills after they're driven out. 20% Penalty to bartering skills in Dryad Outpost until Broken World is comepleted. 10% Bonus to bartering skills with Tomas the Merchant in Broken World upon completing his quest. 10% Bonus to bartering skills in Aman'lu once all quests/sidequests have been completed there in Broken World. 15% Bonus to bartering skills in Glorydeep cave upon arrival, and additional 5% upon completion of Broken World. 5% Bonus to Hero's effectiveness with all weapons/skills/spells/health/magic/regen/resistances for every party member in party who's side-quest has been completed. (IF POSSIBLE, have it lessen to 3% but still apply during Broken World. Or, if not possible, have it still apply so long as it's the same version of the party member straight from DS2.)
That's all I can think of right now. I think they're some pretty good ideas, what do you folk'll think?
I love the concept of Racial Bonuses. But remember that along with bonuses to skills, there come extra resistances, and there have to be some sort of penalties as well.
I was also thinking about differences between Genders? Would that be any harder to accomplish, would that be un-necessary?
So since you ask for more suggestions, HardLess, here's a general framework for a list of Racial traits I've come up with. Most of the bonuses/resistances are in 5 to 10% increments. This is because I'm keeping them subtle, but not necessarily fine-tuned, so of course they're susceptible to change for balancing, this is just a general framework, as I said. Bartering skills just relates to buying/selling prices.
--Human--
5% Bonus to the learning of all skills
5% Resistance to magic, except for death and fire. (Being that they are the most adaptable, but are still rather fragile in comparison.)
8% Resistance to fire. (Their hometown is Kalrathia, which is a desert, so I think it fitting that their resistance to heat is upped a bit.)
5-8% Weakness to death. (Again, fragile, second most mortal of the playable races.)
+2 Unspent Skill points. (I think this was a good choice to begin with)
5% General bartering skills.
--Elf--
8% Bonus to the learning of Archery and Combat Magic.
Scaling extra bonus to Damage with Archery and Combat Magic with character level.
10% Resistance to magic.
5% Bonus to Mana increase each level.
4% Better bartering skills in Eirulan. (Because if you read into the lore, specifically in the DS2 manual, Dryads have a minor fascination with Elves and would likely give them preferential treatment up until the events of Broken World.
8% Better Bartering in Aman'lu before/after Broken World.
--Dryad--
8% Bonus to the learning of Archery and Nature Magic.
10% Resistance to Nature Magic.
5% Weakness to Melee.
10% Weakness to Fire. (They're made of plants and plant-like substances. Obviously.)
8% Weakness to Death. (I think the Dryads should actually have a WEAKNESS to death, being the most short-lived of all the races, I'm pretty sure. Plus their connection to, and dependence on, life.)
8% Better bartering skills in Eirulan. And.. Maybe the Dryad Outpost in BW. (For more obvious reasons.)
Increasing bonuses to resistances and damage/power/duration/spells/etc. for every other Dryad in the party. (Now this is a unique one, and I figured it would fit if it could work because Dryads are very close to their sisters, the more of them there are, the higher their morale.)
--Half Giant--
10% Bonus to the learning of Melee skills. (Now this may be a little much, but it's very fitting.)
5% Bonus to Melee effectiveness.
8% Resistance to Melee.
5% Bonus to Health increase each level.
6% Bonus to Health Regen.
10% Penalty to Mana Regen.
15% Penalty to movement speed and 10% to attack rate, except with two-handed weapons.
5% Resistance to Death magic. (I believe the Half-Giants are the most long-lived and resilient of the species, aren't they?)
--Dwarf--
10% Penalty to learning of magic skills, except when using Fist of stone enchantments, if possible.
6% Bonus to Melee effectiveness.
8% Resistance to Melee and Nature Magic.
5% Penalty to movement speed. (Stubby legs.)
5% Bonus to Health gain each level.
8% Penalty to ranged resistance.
--General Hero Bonus--
As the Hero of the game, having different relationships with different people, there should be some sort of rewards/penalties for it all. Here's what I'm thinking.
20% Penalty to bartering skills in Eirulan until released from being a prisoner AND being cured of the plague. Race bonus as a Dryad/Elf still applies no matter what.
10% Penalty to bartering skills in Kalrathia until Morden are driven out, where there shall then be a 10% bonus to bartering skills after they're driven out.
20% Penalty to bartering skills in Dryad Outpost until Broken World is comepleted.
10% Bonus to bartering skills with Tomas the Merchant in Broken World upon completing his quest.
10% Bonus to bartering skills in Aman'lu once all quests/sidequests have been completed there in Broken World.
15% Bonus to bartering skills in Glorydeep cave upon arrival, and additional 5% upon completion of Broken World.
5% Bonus to Hero's effectiveness with all weapons/skills/spells/health/magic/regen/resistances for every party member in party who's side-quest has been completed. (IF POSSIBLE, have it lessen to 3% but still apply during Broken World. Or, if not possible, have it still apply so long as it's the same version of the party member straight from DS2.)
That's all I can think of right now. I think they're some pretty good ideas, what do you folk'll think?