Re: Affording racial templates
 

I think it's a matter of perspective. "My character needs to be a Thief with DX 16 and Combat Reflexes" - if that's the case, then it doesn't matter if you're a cat-folk thief or not. It might as well be part of the non-discretionary-spending points, and to you Thief in fact only has the 7 discretionary points in the Skills list to play with. The fact that Cat-Folk effectively costs 5 points (and Elf costs 0 points) is very important.

OTOH if you need a barbarian with Discriminatory Smell and +2 HT, you really only have 14 discretionary points to work with. Dwarf, Half-Ogre, and Half-Orc cost 10 points each, and Halfling is a net -10 (although not an actual disadvantage, it's just super-cheap, and a questionable buy)

Re: Affording racial templates
 

I think you’re basically saying that discretionary points that you have an intended use for are no longer discretionary. They’re still to your discretion, it’s just that you have already made a decision.

Unless I misunderstand, you’re confusing synergy with making a race use up less character points.

Unless we’re talking about a major breakpoint the profession just needs to hit, I guess.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

Incidentally, there's also the problem of overlapping disadvantages. The way it works for social stigma is specifically spelled out on Adventurers p66, but if I make an elf druid, do I have to take -20 points from the first disadvantage list (which includes sense of duty(nature)), or can I only take -5 points from the first list and make up for it with either fewer advantages or more disadvantages from the second list?

Re: Affording racial templates
 

Pg 42, Understanding Racial Templates, sub paragraph Disadvantages.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

From this thread, am I correct in understanding that the profession template should be purchased before the race? Or the race first then the class?

Re: Affording racial templates
 

Yes, the "Class" template is going to be 250 points, which is the standard point amount. The Racial template is bought from out of those class points.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

See "Buying a Racial Template" on page 42 of Adventurers. Basically, you buy the racial package with your advantage budget plus quirks and possibly discretionary skills if necessary.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

It doesn't really matter, but if you pick race first, then when you pick a profession you should immediately figure out how much of your profession budget you have left.

E.g. if I decide to play a half-ogre [20], then decide to play a wizard, I know that I've only got 10/30 points left to buy advantages, and my IQ is also at -1.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

And it's entirely possible that your best 'spell' is 'hit it with a club'.

Re: Affording racial templates
 

"Grunk cast sleep on enemy head. Super effective."