SRD - Races

LOXOS

Almost like humanoid elephants, the nomadic loxos share the plains of the Shaar with humans and others. Loxos are hunter-gatherers that prefer the seclusion that comes with miles of open terrain and little interaction with other species. They have roamed the plains for some two centuries, claiming to have arrived from another world via mysterious means. Only the loxos are certain where they came from, and they do not speak of it.

Personality: Loxos are peaceful creatures that want nothing so much as to be left alone. Though they are not aggressive, they defend their herds ferociously, able to fight in a terrible rage when necessary. They are fond of geometric patterns in their simple clothing, particularly with circle or diamond shapes, and enjoy creating rustic works of art to trade.

Physical Description: A loxo appears to be a bipedal elephant, albeit a bit smaller. Its skin is bluish-gray, wrinkled, and covered with rough, sparse hair. It has stocky limbs and fingers, flat feet, and large ears. Its most striking feature is the pair of trunks that grow from its face, framed by large tusks. Each trunk is about 2 feet long and has three fingerlike digits at the end. The typical loxo stands about 7 to 7-1/2 feet tall and weighs about 500 pounds.

Relations: Loxos prefer the company of their own kind, but do not go out of their way to discourage visitors unless they know hostilities are likely. They come into the cities to trade from time to time, particularly to offer pieces of their artwork for sale. Otherwise, left to their own devices, loxos avoid the other nomads of the Shaar.

Alignment: Isolationist by nature, loxos do not involve themselves in causes or in other species' problems. They are removed from the struggles between good and evil that surface in other parts of the world, favoring neither side. To the loxos, everything has its place, but extremes can be detrimental to the survival of the herd. Loxos tend to be true neutral.

Religion: Loxos venerate nature and strength, having a prevalent druidic tradition and a secondary priesthood. The worship of the druids appears to focus on an entity that must be an aspect of Hiatea, a deity of giants, but also one of nature, agriculture, hunting, and childbirth. Many loxo clerics worship their vision of Hiatea, while some favor an aspect of Iallanis (also a deity of giants) for his strength and healing ability.

Language: Loxos speak their own language. Many of them also learn Common and Shaaran to trade or negotiate effectively.

Names: Male Names: Alagar, Debib, Gaugan, Jatik, Ranjeet, Rohap, Taral, Varien.

Female Names: Agrit, Bakal, Devrika, Jamune, Kasi, Lavika, Otala, Ranial, Shali, Tarali, Valsha.

Adventurers: As is often the case with youths, young loxos occasionally feel a need to travel beyond the traditional territory of their herd. Intrigued by humans and other races, some loxos take up with a group of adventurers for an experience of life beyond the Shaar.

Regions: Most loxos live in the Shaar, though a very few might hail from the Golden Water region.

LOXO RACIAL TRAITS

+8 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Loxos are powerful physical specimens, but their lack of contact with outsiders limits their abilities of persuasion.
Monstrous Humanoid: Loxos are not subject to spells or effects that affect only humanoids, such as charm person or dominate person.
Large: As a large creature, a loxo has a -1 penalty to Armor Class, a -1 penalty on attack rolls, a -4 penalty on Hide checks, a +4 bonus on grapple checks, and his lifting and carrying limits are double those of Medium characters.
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Loxo base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Racial Hit Dice: A loxo begins with five levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide him with 5d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +5, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4.
Racial Skills: A loxo's monstrous humanoid levels grant him skill points equal to 8 × (2 + Int modifier). Class skills include Climb, Listen, Spot, and Survival.
Racial Feats: A loxo's monstrous humanoid levels grant him two feats.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A loxo is automatically proficient with simple weapons and light armor.
Natural Attacks: Loxos can attack with their trunks. A loxo can make single attack with one trunk (as a slam attack) that deals 1d6 points of damage, or with a full-attack action, he can make slams with both trunks. As part of a full-attack action with another weapon, a loxo can make one secondary attack using a single trunk at his highest base attack bonus -5.
Natural Armor: +4 natural armor bonus.
Berserk Rage (Ex): A loxo that sees a clan member killed or incapacitated enters a berserk rage. The loxo gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. This rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 3 + the loxo's (newly improved) Constitution modifier. After the rage ends, the loxo is fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Constitution, can't charge or run) until the end of the encounter.
Trample (Ex): As a standard action, a loxo can trample creatures of Medium size or smaller. The loxo merely has to move over the opponents. The trample deals 1d8 (plus 1-1/2 times the loxo's Strength bonus) points of bludgeoning damage. A trampled opponent can make an attack of opportunity with a -4 penalty against the trampling loxo or attempt a Reflex save for half damage. The DC for the Reflex save is 10 + 2 (1/2 of the loxo's racial HD) + the loxo's Str modifier.
Automatic Languages: Loxo. Bonus Languages: Common, regional dialects.
Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclassed loxo's ranger class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +2.

THRI-KREEN

Thri-kreen are a mantislike race of hunters that travel in packs across the grasslands of the Shaar. They are reclusive and alien to most other creatures that share the plains with them. Their physical nature and aggressive hunting tactics make them superior in the region, but thri-kreen do not usually attack other sentient creatures without provocation.

Personality: Thri-kreen have no solid personalities as humans would define them. Unpredictable in everything they do, thri-kreen do not evidence much emotion in their behavioral patterns. Their faces are incapable of exhibiting most feelings, but agitation does show in the rapid motion of antennae and mandibles. The focus of the thri-kreen is always on survival, and they respect only prowess and strength.

Physical Description: A thri-kreen looks like a bipedal praying mantis, between 4-1/2 and 7 feet tall, weighing 100 to 375 pounds. Of the six limbs protruding from a thrikreen's midsection, two are used for walking, and each of the other four ends in a four-fingered hand. A sand-colored exoskeleton covers an adult thri-kreen's body. Two compound eyes, two antennae, and a complicated jaw structure, which includes a pair of wicked mandibles, give the head an insectlike appearance. The typical thri-kreen wears a harness, belt, and slings for holding its equipment, but no other clothing or armor.

Relations: Thri-kreen neither seek nor shun contact with other races. They simply exist with other species and share territory so long as others do not begin to over hunt an area or waste precious resources. If a thri-kreen pack perceives interlopers as a danger, they attack relentlessly, heedless of their own safety, until the threat is either driven off or slain. Lacking any sense of honor or loyalty, thri-kreen are a hard species with which to negotiate.

Alignment: Thri-kreen lack devotion beyond the convenience of joining with exceptional hunting companions, and are spontaneous in most of their actions. Adding to this chaotic behavior, they have no traditions of their own and see little value in those of others. Further, while thri-kreen are not needlessly cruel or evil, they do not go out of their way to help others. Simple existence and survival rule the thri-kreen way of life - the strong live and the weak die.

Religion: Thri-kreen have no established religious practices. However, some of them have become attuned to the hunting and resource aspects of nature deities, such as Silvanus or Malar, and developed druidic spellcasting abilities. Others, perhaps influenced by Shaaryan neighbors, see the power in following Tempus or Akadi and become clerics of one of these deities.

Language: Thri-kreen speak their own language, Thri-Kreen, which is composed of clicks and snaps of their mandibles. Most thri-kreen learn to speak a smattering of Common if their packs roam near humanoid civilizations.

Names: Thri-kreen make no distinction between male and female names, and they have no surnames.

Thri-kreen Names: Chit'al, Drik-chkit, Gulnik, Kiktul, Klaktuk, Krik, Pok, Ptekwe, Tal'tich, Tilnak, Tik-tik.

Adventurers: Thri-kreen sometimes break with the pack and explore lands beyond their hunting grounds. Typically, this activity is at the behest of leaders, who feel information is important for the survival of the pack. Lone thri-kreen often become caravan guards or join with those that roam the lands, seeking only to better survive, but learning the ways of other folk in the process.

Regions: The Shaar.

THRI-KREEN RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma. Thri-kreen are superior physically, but their alien thinking prevents them from easily grasping higher concepts or dealing well with others.
Monstrous Humanoid: Thri-kreen are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
Medium: As Medium creatures, thri-kreen have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Thri-kreen base land speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Thri-kreen do not sleep and are immune to sleep spells and similar magical effects. A thri-kreen spellcaster still requires 8 hours of rest before preparing spells.
+3 Natural Armor: A thri-kreen's exoskeleton is tough and resistant to blows.
Multiple Limbs: Thri-kreen have four arms, and thus can take the Multiweapon Fighting feat instead of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Thri-kreen can also take the Multiattack feat. These are not bonus feats.
Natural Attacks: Thri-kreen can attack with four claws and a bite. The claws deal 1d4 points of damage, and the bite is a secondary attack that also deals 1d4 points of damage. A thri-kreen can attack with a weapon (or multiple weapons) at its normal attack bonus and make either a bite or claw attack as a secondary attack. For example, a thri-kreen ranger with the Multiweapon Fighting feat who is armed with four short swords could attack with all four swords at a -2 penalty (the normal penalty for fighting with multiple weapons while using light weapons in off hands) and also make a bite attack at a -5 penalty.
Poison (Ex): Injury (bite), initial damage 1d6 Dex, secondary damage paralysis for 2d6 minutes, DC 11 + the thri-kreen's Con modifier. A thri-kreen produces enough poison for one bite per day.
Leap (Ex): Thri-kreen are natural jumpers. They have a +30 racial bonus on all Jump checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Thri-kreen can treat the gythka and chatkcha as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Naturally Psionic: When using the Expanded Psionics Handbook, thri-kreen gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level. This benefit does not grant the ability to manifest psionic powers unless such powers are gained through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
Psi-Like Abilities: When using the Expanded Psionics Handbook, apply the following psi-like abilities to a thri-kreen. 3/day - chameleon, know direction and location; 1/day - greater concealing amorpha, metaphysical claw. Manifester level is equal to 1/2 the thri-kreen's Hit Dice (minimum 1st).
Racial Hit Dice: A thri-kreen begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3.
Racial Skills: A thri-kreen's monstrous humanoid levels grant skill points equal to 5 × (2 + Int modifier). Class skills include Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, and Spot.
+4 racial bonus on Hide checks in sandy or arid settings, including the Shaar.
Racial Feats: Thri-kreen characters gain Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. In addition, a thri-kreen's monstrous humanoid levels grant one feat.
Automatic Languages: Thri-kreen. Bonus Languages: Common, Shaaran.
Favored Class: Ranger.
Level Adjustment: +1. If you are using the Expanded Psionics Handbook, a thri-kreen has a level adjustment of +2 due to his natural psionic abilities.

CYCLOPES

Cyclopes are loutish giants that enjoy tormenting and eating smaller folk. They are easily tricked, but they fight fiercely and to the death.

Cyclopes look like very tall humans with light tan to deep brown skin, a dark eye, and dark hair. They dress in hides. Their teeth are usually crooked and yellowed, and they are fond of crude jewelry made of bones and colorful rocks.

Cyclopes like to attack from higher ground, usually springing up from behind outcroppings of rock where they can hurl boulders with minimal risk to themselves.

Cyclopes are aggressive and enjoy raiding caravans, taking whatever goods interest them, and capturing humanoids for food. Whether alone or in a small band, cyclopes lair in shallow caves on mountainsides. They seem to be particularly bad-tempered and rarely bargain or trade, preferring to attack any and all interlopers, including other giants.

Most cyclopes never interact with other races, except in combat, but a loner occasionally finds his way into civilization and adapts to different ways. The few cyclopes that become clerics worship Grolantor and may choose two of the following domains: Chaos, Death, Earth, Evil, or Hatred.

CYCLOPS RACIAL TRAITS

+16 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma.
Large size: -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
Cyclops base land speed is 40 feet.
Low-light vision.
Racial Hit Dice: A cyclops begins with 13 levels of giant, which provide 13d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +9, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +8, Ref +4, and Will +4.
Racial Skills: A cyclops's giant levels grant skill points equal to 16 × (2 + Int modifier). Class skills include Climb, Jump, and Spot.
Racial Feats: A cyclops's giant levels grant five feats.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A cyclops is automatically proficient with simple weapons.
+10 natural armor bonus.
Natural Attack: 2 slams (1d4).
Rock Throwing (Ex): Adult cyclopes are accomplished rock throwers and receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A cyclops can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments. The range increment is 120 feet.
Rock Catching (Ex): A cyclops can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a cyclops that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases by that amount.) The cyclops must be ready for and aware of the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt.
Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, regional dialects.
Favored Class: Barbarian.
Level Adjustment: +4.

TASLOI

Tasloi are jungle inhabitants whose race is thought to be thousands of years old. They are quick and nimble in the trees and prefer to spend their time among the branches.

A tasloi stands about 3 feet tall and weighs between 30 and 40 pounds. They walk in a crouching posture, dragging their knuckles at times. Their skin is green and thinly covered with coarse, black hair. Tasloi have gold, catlike eyes.

Tasloi normally attack from above, dropping from the surrounding treetops onto their unwary opponents. If they gain surprise, they use their nets to ensnare adversaries, otherwise attacking with their short swords and javelins. They use hit-and-run tactics to wear down tough foes, always avoiding a stand-up fight. If they manage to down an enemy, tasloi always try to abscond with the body - food for the group.

The tasloi live in loosely structured bands consisting of several families. Their lairs are usually a series of large trees interconnected by vines and ropes. Each tree sports platforms, 50-100 feet above the ground, upon which the tasloi live. Some tasloi work and live on the ground, along with the village's "livestock." That livestock includes a number of dire rats and, occasionally, several spider eaters. The rats are kept as pets and used to aid in construction, maintenance, and protection of the community. Medium dire rats are used as mounts. If the village has any spider eaters, these beasts are reserved as steeds for the most powerful tasloi in the settlement.

Tasloi clerics worship an aspect of the goblin deity Maglubiyet and may choose to two of the following domains: Destruction, Evil, Planning, or Trickery.

TASLOI RACIAL TRAITS

-2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma.
Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
Tasloi base land speed is 30 feet. Tasloi have a climb speed of 20 feet.
Low-light vision.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Tasloi are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Tasloi have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. In thickly forested areas, the Hide bonus increases to +8. A tasloi uses its Dexterity modifier for Climb checks and has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A tasloi can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Automatic Languages: Tasloi. Bonus Languages: Common, Sylvan, regional dialects.
Favored Class: Rogue.