Update player race descriptions to explicitly state skills, resistances

and other special ability - makes it easier to see what one gets without
needing to read full description.
MSW 2010-05-20



git-svn-id: svn+ssh://svn.code.sf.net/p/crossfire/code/arch/trunk@13281 282e977c-c81d-0410-88c4-b93c2d0d6712

CHANGES

@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 Changes for SVN top of tree:
 ==============================================================================
 
+Update player race descriptions to explicitly state skills, resistances
+and other special ability - makes it easier to see what one gets without
+needing to read full description.
+MSW 2010-05-20
+
 Add faces for timer and time events
 Brendan Lally 2010-05-15
 

player/race/dwarf_p.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race dwarf
 randomitems dwarf_player_items
 face dwarf_p.151
 msg
+Skills: Smithery
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: See in dark
+
+Description:
 The Dwarves are the hardy scions of Mostrai. The traditional profession of the dwarf is smithery, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a dwarf who is not competent at it. Whether their great strength and hardiness leads them to become smiths and miners, or whether their profession leads to their strength and hardiness is unknown. Their thick musculature makes them slow of body, and seemingly, some of their muscle has crept into their brain. Perhaps their repetitive tasks dull their minds, perhaps they're simply born dumb.
 Dwarves can see in the dark, but they're slightly impious and tend to be a bit poor at controlling magic. Despite this, there are indeed dwarven clerics and mages. They're just not quite as good as human clerics or mages.
 endmsg

player/race/elf.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ name elf
 randomitems elf_player_items
 face elf.151
 msg
+Skills: Bowyer, Woodsman, Missile Weapons
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: Slow HP regeneration, fast SP regeneration, low food consumption, start with bow & arrows, See in dark
+
+Description:
 An Elf is a child of Faerie, a scion of Lythander. Being of Faerie, they heal more slowly than other races, but mana flows into them more quickly. They also need far less food than other races.
 Every elf is taught the use of a bow, but their long lives allow them to take up any trade. They are weaker and less hardy than humans, but quicker of body and mind, and generally make more powerful spellcasters. However, they have a notoriously offhanded attitude toward their religious devotions and make poor priests.
 As a race, Elves possess a preternatural beauty and eyes that see in the dark.

player/race/fenx.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race fenx
 randomitems fenx_player_items
 face fenx.150
 msg
+Skills: Woodsman, Missile Weapons, Jumping, Singing
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: Slow HP regeneration, fast SP regeneration, low food consumption, start with bow & arrows, See in dark
+
+Description:
 Fenxes, also called Fendrakhis by other speaking races, are humanoids that have some fox-like attributes. A little smaller than humans, they are agile and clever, but usually share little affinity with magical forces.
 Once an important race of Bigworld, they were forced to hide into the Great Forest after they lost an important war against Humans, a long time ago.
 endmsg

player/race/fireborn.arc

@@ -4,10 +4,17 @@ race fire_elemental
 randomitems fireborn_player_items
 face fireborn.111
 msg
+Skills: Levivation, Flame Touch, Praying, Pyromancy
+Resistances: Cold -30, Ghosthit -50, Immunity to Poison and Fire
+Attunements: Attune Fire
+Special: Can not use weapons & armor, can wear 4 rings, glowing aura, fast SP regeneration
+
+Description:
 Legends say that fireborn are sparks struck off the anvil of creation, with life and spirit, and eventually mind. Those who research magic think that they are relatives of some kind to will o' the wisps. An observer seeing one for the first time would see a strangely intelligent vortex of flame somehow carrying items without burning them.
 Their insubstantial nature makes them both very weak and very quick. Their minds are agile, and they are able to commune well with the gods. However, their area of excellence is magic. They spellcast more powerfully than any other race, and mana flows into them readily. They can even cast cold spells with devastating effectiveness. They all know a basic fire spell.
 They have the ability to levitate at will, and they can touch to burn. As they gain more power, they are increasingly difficult to hit with weapons. However, they cannot use weapons or armour, and thereby miss out on many benefits (including powerful magical enchantments) those items may bring.
 Fire does not harm them, nor poison. Cold, spiritual drain, and physical drain present great peril to them.
+By their fiery nature, they glow like a bonfire.  This removes the need for them to carry a torch into dark dungeons, but at the same time can attract unfriendly monsters.
 endmsg
 animation fireborn_player
 is_animated 1

player/race/gnome_p.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race dwarf
 randomitems gnome_player_items
 face gnome_p.151
 msg
+Skills: Praying
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: See in dark, Lucky
+
+Description:
 Gnomes and dwarves look so much alike that some speculate that they are the same race, but with very different cultures. No one has been able to talk a Dwarf and a Gnome into attempting interbreeding, however, which would settle the issue. Dwarves and gnomes have a disgust for one another and both find the thought of intimacy with the other repulsive. Despite that, they coexist peacefully enough: perhaps because their interests and needs never conflict.
 Gnomes do not have nearly the strength or hardiness of dwarves, and they are even more clumsy. They are quite spiritual, and make very good priests, and many are very strong magicians. They can see in the dark, and their familiarity with the gods seems to bring a general blessing of good luck on all Gnomekind.
 endmsg

player/race/halfling.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race halfling
 randomitems halfling_player_items
 face halfling.151
 msg
+Skills: Stealing, Hiding
+Resistances: Drain +30
+Attunements: None
+Special: Lucky
+
+Description:
 Halflings are another sub-race of humankind, like the Northman. They are much smaller and shorter than humans, so they are weaker, but they are far quicker and hardier. They're quite unreligious, but many take up magic.
 Their small size lets them hide more effectively, and for some reason chance seems to favor them with good luck. They are also surprisingly resistant to loss of lifeforce.
 endmsg

player/race/human.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race human
 randomitems human_player_items
 face human.151
 msg
+Skills: Starts with random skill scroll
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: None
+
+Description:
 Humans are the generalists of the races. They are fit for any trade, and usually pick up a skill from their parents in addition to what they've learned as apprentices in their craft.
 endmsg
 animation human_player

player/race/northman.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race human
 randomitems northman_player_items
 face viking.151
 msg
+Skills: None
+Resistances: Cold +30
+Attunements: Repelled Fire
+Special: Starts with horned helmet.
+
+Description:
 Northmen are simply humans who have been shaped by their harsh environment. They are stronger, quicker, and hardier than most humans, but also stupid and impious. Most races also consider them a bit unattractive. They have some resistance to cold, but the few of them who take up magic find it difficult to master fire spells.
 endmsg
 animation northman_player

player/race/pl_dragon.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race dragon
 randomitems dragon_player_items
 face pl_dragon_r.151
 msg
+Skills: Clawing, Levitate, Woodsman, Evocation
+Resistances: None
+Attunements: None
+Special: Can not use weapons or most armor.  Natural armor improves over time
+
+Description:
 Dragons are completely different than any other race. Their vast size and bizarre body prevents them both from wearing armour and wielding weapons -- tools that they disdain in any case. Instead, they are gifted with the ability to evolve and grow stronger by eating the flesh of their defeated foes.
 Over the years, their dragonhide hardens and it can provide better protection than the best armour. Instead of wielding weapons, they use their sharp and lethal claws in combat. Moreover, dragons have a natural talent for magic.
 Dragons are very interested in the lore of the elements and usually choose to specialize. While focusing their metabolism on a certain element, they can gain various new abilities -- including new spells, enhanced claws and more. Eventually, a dragon is able to evolve from the hatchling stage into a grown-up terrifying ancient

player/race/pl_half_orc.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race goblin
 randomitems half_orc_player_items
 face pl_half_orc.151
 msg
+Skills: Stealing
+Resistances: Poison +30
+Attunements: Repelled Turning
+Special: See in Dark
+
+Description:
 Half-Orcs are usually the product of rape, slavery, or some such unpleasantness. They look it too:  Half-Orcs are rather ugly. On average, they're stronger, a bit quicker, and hardier than humans, but also stupid, impious, and unmagical. They're resistant to poison and can see in the dark, and every half-orc seems to know how to steal.
 endmsg
 animation pl_half_orc

player/race/quetzalcoatl.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race reptile
 randomitems quetzalcoatl_player_items
 face quetzalcoatl.131
 msg
+Skills: Levitation, Clawing
+Resistances: Cold -30, Immunity to Fire
+Attunements: Attuned Fire
+Special: Can not use shields, armor, boots and helmets, starts with burning hands and fireball
+
+Description:
 Quetzalcoatls are a strange mix of snake, bird, human, and a dash of the divine. They are able to manipulate objects with their claws. They are amazingly strong, very quick, and amazingly hardy, but quite stupid and impious (despite the dash of divinity). However, they are strongly magical in nature and usually have a vast reservoir of mana with which to cast any spell they're not too stupid to learn. Often, they're only able to grasp one basic fire spell.
 Their strongly draconic nature makes them immune to fire and helps them with fire spells, but they are vulnerable to cold. They can grasp weapons, but their bizarre body shape prevents them from using armour, helmets, and other items of apparel intended for bipedal creatures with two arms, two legs, and a head. Their inability to use armour comes back to haunt them when they compare themselves with other races:  highly enchanted armour is usually more beneficial than dragonhide! The wings come in handy: they can use them to levitate, and their hide gets thicker as they gain power, compensating them somewhat for not being able to use armour.
 endmsg

player/race/serpentman.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race reptile
 randomitems serpentman_player_items
 face serpentman.131
 msg
+Skills: Clawing, Jumping
+Resistances: Cold -50, Fire +30, Electricity +30, Acid +30, Poison +30, Physical +5
+Attunements: None
+Special: Can not wear boots and helmets, can wear extra ring and bracers.
+
+Description:
 The Serpentman adventurer is a rare breed. Few Serpentmen ever leave the swamps, as they are not well adjusted for human society. Their heads and feet are not shaped properly to use boots or helmets made for humanoid folk, but their unusual build has given rise to a cultural habit of wearing pieces of bracelet- and ring-like jewelry on their tails. They possess a tough hide and strong legs which enable them to leap further than most folks. Their nasty claws can also double as weapons.
 They are only partially warm-blooded, and are as a result somewhat susceptible to cold.
 endmsg

player/race/troll_player.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race troll
 randomitems troll_player_items
 face troll_p.151
 msg
+Skills: None
+Resistances: Fire -30, Cold +30
+Attunements: Repelled fire
+Special: Fast HP regeneration, slow SP regeneration
+
+Description:
 Trolls are usually nasty creatures: scions of Gnarg. They have amazing strength and hardiness, but they're a bit clumsy, very stupid, impious, and bad at handling and obtaining magic. They heal with amazing rapidity and can see in the dark. Because of the above attributes, they're great in any fight. Well, they're great until someone waves torches at them: fire presents great peril to trolls.
 Most trolls are destroyed on sight by civilized people: but a few have proved deserving of tolerance and are permitted to enter cities.
 endmsg

player/race/wraithp.arc

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ race undead
 randomitems wraith_player_items
 face wraithp.151
 msg
+Skills: Wraith Feed
+Resistances: Fire -25, Cold +30, Immune to Poison, Ghosthit, and Draining
+Attunements: Denied fire spells, Attune cold spells
+Special: Undead (immune to disease), can see in dark
+
+Description:
 A Wraith is the spirit of a person who has made an evil bargain in order to persist after natural death, or has been forced involuntarily into its current undead state. This transformation frees them of the limits of a natural lifespan, and grants them immunity to diseases, poison, and loss of lifeforce. Wraiths also need feel little fear of cold, and they can see well in the dark. A Wraith's corporeal form has terrible vulnerabilities: fire and most godpower are dangerous to Wraiths. Their tenuous form makes them quick and somewhat hard to hit, but also weaker and less hardy.
 Wraiths have a strong affinity to magic, especially cold spells, and are very strong spellcasters. However, they cannot use fire spells for fear of self-destruction. Wraith also do not heal naturally, or gain sustenance from food. Instead they have to feed off the living.
 endmsg