Seven Things To Know About Athas: 1. Life is cheap... and death is commonplace, but the people of Athas are hardened by the harsh environment and ubiquitous violence. Very few die a venerable age. There is no place for the weak.
2. Metal is rare... and extremely valuable. A steel dagger will fetch more coin than the lives of a few slave laborers. Athasians have long-ago learned to improvise with tools and weapons of bone, obsidian and chitin, among others.
3. Arcane magic is outlawed... and blamed for the slow death of Athas. Arcane energy is drawn from natural life, and centuries of careless defiling have drained away the world's vitality, leaving the barren waste it is today.
4. Religion is dead... and gods are a myth of the ancient times. Clerics worship the elements, drawing divine powers from the spheres of earth, fire, water and air.
5. Psionics are common... and nearly every Athasian creature possesses inborn psionic talents. Few, however, can afford the intensive training required to master the powers of body and mind.
6. Morality is a luxury... of the wealthy. 'Evil' and good' are relative terms. Most do what they need to do, if only to survive just one more day. Alignments have no place in Athasian society.
7. And, always remember... it's hot!
Character Creation:
Build Guidelines: 20 point buy, 2nd level, maximum hit points
Restrictions: Only races and classes listed in the tabs below, no alignments, no starting money or equipment
Question: How did you become a slave and end up in the arena pits?
Races:
Many thanks to tribeof1 for the builds!
Dwarves
Dwarves are short but extremely powerful. Athasian dwarves average 4 1/2 to 5 feet in height and tend to have a very large muscle mass -- a full grown dwarf weighs in the neighborhood of 200 pounds. Lives of hard work in the hot sun leave them with a rich tan and rugged, calloused hands and feet. Dwarves can live up to 250 years.
Dwarf Racial Traits
+2 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Medium: Dwarves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Stability: Dwarves receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
Stonecunning: Dwarves receive a +2 bonus on Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
Focus: Dwarves gain great fulfillment from completing lengthy tasks and tend to commit to a goal or course of action with a singular focus. At 1st level, 8th and 16th level, a dwarf gains the Skill Focus feat in a skill related to his focus. If the dwarf’s task is completed and another goal chosen, those feats can be applied to a new skill or skills related to the dwarf’s new focus. In addition, once per day a dwarf may re-roll a failed skill check, attack roll or saving throw related to his focus.
Languages: Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Elven, Giant, Gith, Kreen, Terran.
Wild Talent: Most dwarves begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
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Elves
Athasian elves stand between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 feet tall. They are slender, lean, and generally in terrific condition. Their features are deeply etched into their weather-toughened faces, and their skin made rugged by the windblown sands and baking sun of the wilderness.
Elf Racial Traits
+4 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int
Medium: Elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Fast: From an early age, elves are conditioned to run quickly and for long distances. Elves have a base speed of 40 feet.
Fleet Footed: Elves receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus to initiative.
Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Desert Runner: Elves receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as any other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst and hot environments.
Silent Hunter: Elves reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty.
Silver-tongued: Elves gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Bluff. When they use Diplomacy to shift a creature's attitude, they can shift up to three steps rather than two.
Weapon Familiarity: All elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), and longswords.
Languages: Elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Halfling, Gith, Kreen, Terran.
Wild Talent: Most elves begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
Half-elves are generally tall, between 6 and 6 1/2 feet tall, but more meaty than their elven counterparts. Their facial features are clearly more deeply defined than those of a human, but based solely on their countenance, a half-elf can usually pass for either an elf or a human.
Half-Elf Racial Traits
+2 Dex, +2 to one other ability score
Medium: Half-elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Focused Study: Half-elves gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice at 1st, 8th, and 16th level.
Keen Senses: Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
Multitalented: Half-elves choose two favored classes at first level and gain +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever they take a level in either one of those classes.
Eye for Talent: Half-elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character's choice.
Languages: Half-elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Half-elves with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want.
Greater Wild Talent: Most half-elves display considerable natural psionic ability and may roll twice on the Wild Talent table. Alternatively, the character may roll once and gain an additional 3 PP.
First bred as slave-warriors by an ancient sorcerer-queen, half-giants combine the strength and dull wits of their giant forebears with the agility and adaptability of humans. Easily swayed, half-giants tend to adopt the culture and attitudes of those around them. Most stand between 10 and 12 feet tall and can weigh almost a ton.
Half-Giant Racial Traits
+6 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, -4 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha
Large: Half-giants gain a +1 bonus to their CMB and CMD, but suffer a -1 penalty to AC and to attacks, as well as a -4 size penalty to Stealth checks. They have a natural reach of 10 feet.
Normal Speed: Half-giants have a base speed of 30 feet.
Giant Blood: Half-giants count as both giants and humans for any effect related to race.
Low-Light Vision: Half-giants can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Great Size: A half-giant must consume four times as much food and water as normal each day. Armor and clothing cost and weigh twice as much.
Impressionable: Half-giants select an additional feat at 1st level. Each day, the half-giant can replace the bonus feat with another for which he qualifies, but the feat must be one possessed by one of the half-giant’s companions or by an opponent the half-giant encountered within the last week.
Languages: Half-giants begin play speaking Common. Half-giants with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want.
Wild Talent: Most half-giants begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
Halflings are very short humanoids, standing no more than 3 1/2 feet in height. They are muscled and proportioned like humans, but they have the faces of wise and beautiful children. Halflings live to be as much as 120 years old, but once they reach adulthood, their features never succumb to their years -- it's very difficult for an outsider to determine a given halfling's age. A halfling weighs 50 to 60 pounds and is virtually always in peak physical condition.
Halfling Racial Traits
-2 Str, +4 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Small: Halflings are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Slow Speed: Halflings have a base speed of 20 feet.
Fearless: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear.
Keen Senses: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
Sure-Footed: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb skill checks.
Blue Age Magic: Halflings gain a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and a +2 racial bonus on dispel checks.
Nimble Attack: Halflings receive Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.
Poison Use: Halflings are skilled with poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying it to weapons.
Swift as Shadows: Halflings reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving at full speed by 5, and reduce the Stealth check penalty for sniping by 10.
Stalker: Halflings always treat Perception and Stealth as class skills.
Weapon Familiarity: Halflings are proficient with blowguns and slings.
Languages: Halflings begin play speaking Halfling. Halflings with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gith, Kreen, Rhul‐thaun.
Wild Talent: Most halflings begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
Adaptable and varied, humans are the dominant race throughout the Tablelands. Facial features and skin tone vary widely, with minor mutations common among those exposed to the after-effects of defiling magic and other strange energies.
Human Racial Traits
+2 to any two ability scores
Medium: Humans are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet.
Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Breadth of Experience: Humans choose two extra class skills at 1st level and gain proficiency in two martial weapons or one exotic weapon of their choice.
Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common. Humans with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want.
Greater Wild Talent: Humans display considerable natural psionic ability and may roll twice on the Wild Talent table. Alternatively, the character may roll once and gain an additional 3 PP.
A mul is an incredibly tough crossbreed of a human and a dwarf. They retain the height and cunning of their human parent, plus the durability and raw strength of their dwarven parentage. A full-grown mul stands 6 to 6 1/2 feet tall and weighs 240-300 pounds. They are fair-skinned, sometimes tending toward a copperish coloration. They are unmistakably human in appearance, but their dwarven heritage gives them sweptback and slightly pointed ears. Most muls have no hair whatsoever.
Mul Racial Traits
+4 Str, +2 Con, -2 Cha
Medium: Muls are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Muls have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Muls can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Dwarf Blood: Muls count as both dwarves and humans for any effect related to race.
Ferocity: If a mul’s hit points fall below 0 but he is not yet dead, he can continue to fight. If he does, he is staggered, and loses 1 hit point each round. The character still dies when his hit points reach a negative amount equal to his Constitution score.
Resilient: Muls gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease and poison and regain hit points at twice the normal rate.
Tireless: Muls gain a +4 racial bonus to checks for performing extended physical activity. This bonus stacks with the bonus provided by the Endurance feat and also applies to Fortitude saves versus weakness, fatigue, exhaustion or enfeeblement. Muls can engage in up to 12 hours of strenuous activity before suffering fatigue.
Languages: Muls begin play speaking Common. Muls with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gith, Kreen.
Wild Talent: Most muls begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
Hulking insect-men standing as tall as 7 feet at the shoulder, the thri-kreen 'mantis warriors' are the undisputed masters across large tracts of the Athasian wastes. The individual thri-kreen is a six-limbed creature with a tough, sandy-yellow exoskeleton. Its hind legs are the most powerful, used for walking, running and leaping. The four forward limbs each have a hand with three fingers and an opposable thumb. A thri-kreen's head has two large eyes, two antennae, and a small-but-powerful jaw. Their eyes are jet black and multi-faceted, separated to either side of the head.
Thri-Kreen Racial Traits
+2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Int, -4 Cha
Medium:
Thri-kreen are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Fast:
Thri-kreen have a base speed of 40 feet.
Darkvision:
Thri-kreen can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Insectoid:
Thri-kreen are considered a Monstrous Humanoid type.
Antennae:
Thri-kreen gain Blind-Fight as a bonus feat.
Carapace:
Thri-kreen gain a +3 natural armor bonus. Their carapace is vulnerable to moisture. For each day spent in a moist or humid environment, a thri-kreen loses one point of natural armor bonus.
Efficient Physiology:
Thri-kreen don't need to sleep and are immune to sleep effects. They need to consume 1/4 of the amount of water a human needs to avoid dehydration.
Exotic Frame:
Thri-kreens’ multi-limbed bodies and exoskeletons make it impossible for them to use certain equipment including footgear and robes designed for more common humanoids. Armor designed for a thri-kreen costs twice as much. Thri-kreen can never become proficient with armor, which means armor check penalties always apply as a penalty to their attacks. They may gain proficiency with shields and use them normally.
Hatred (elves):
Thri-kreen gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against elves.
Intuitive Psionics:
Thri-kreen may substitute Wisdom as their primary ability score when using psionics powers or psionic class abilities or determining bonus power points.
Jumper:
Thri-kreen are always considered to have a running start when jumping.
Multi-Armed:
A thri-kreen has four arms but only the top pair are dexterous enough to wield weapons. The second pair can be used to carry items or gesture. For the cost of one feat, the secondary arms become capable of carrying a shield or making secondary claw attacks; for the cost of a second feat the arms can be used to attack with a shield bash or off-hand weapon attacks.
Natural Attacks:
Thri-kreen begin with a pair of primary claw attacks (1d4 damage) and a secondary bite attack (1d4 damage). A thri-kreen’s bite is poisonous; a number of doses are available each day equal to the thri-kreen’s Constitution modifier and may be delivered by a successful bite attack or applied to a weapon as a swift action.
Paralytic Venom:
Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.
Stalker:
Thri-kreen always treat Perception and Stealth as class skills.
Weapon Familiarity:
Thri-kreen are proficient with the gythka and chatka.
Languages:
Thri-kreen begin play speaking Kreen. Thri-kreen with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Gith.
Wild Talent:
Most thri-kreen begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.
Classes:
Barbarian Role: As on other worlds of the multiverse, barbarians of Athas represent warriors at the fringes of civilization, surviving the harsh wilds by matching its brutal fury. Athas holds many examples of barbarians: savage muls escaped from captivity, champions of the gith tribes, and cannibalistic halflings of the Forest Ridge.
Class Features: Unchanged from Pathfinder Core Rulebook.
Available Archetypes: Armored Hulk, Breaker, Brutal Pugilist, Elemental Kin, Hurler, Invulnerable Rager, Mounted Fury, Savage Barbarian, Scarred Rager, Superstitious, True Primitive, Urban Barbarian, Wild Rager
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Bard Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Cleric Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Druid Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Fighter Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Inquisitor Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Psion Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Psychic Warrior Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Ranger Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Rogue Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Wilder Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
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Wizard Role: Class Features: Available Archetypes:
