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This looks very different. I have to admit, I'd have never thought of the lamia (lamiae?) as a PC race.
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Thanks Mikaze! :)
@ Eric Hinkle - You are absolutely correct! Lamia are certainly not your typical player race! I wanted to do something really interesting this time.
Basically, this goes into a great amount of detail about what typical lamia culture, society and religion is like. It also details the lamia commoners, lesser versions of lamia, who make up the tribes or groups lead by the lamia matriarchs.
Most Lamia commoners, as with the lamia matriarchs who rule over them, are sadistic, unpredictable, and self‑indulgent. They are self-serving, pleasure-seeking hedonists, who have little regard for the feelings or welfare of other races. In truth, most lamia see other races as existing solely for their twisted amusement. Concepts such as remorse and compassion are alien to most lamia.
It's with all that in mind that we then learn about those extremely rare Lamia adventures who are most often outcast lamia commoners who have struck out on their own or escaped the wickedness of their brethren.
I think such a character makes a perfect dark hero - one who constantly fights against the ways of his people and strives to be a hero.
I REALLY got into the lamia culture, society and mystery cult/moon centered quasi religion and I’m really, REALLY proud of the results!
I hope everyone checks this out :)
Contributor; Publisher, Kobold Press; RPG Superstar Judge
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The Advanced Races series has done gearforged automatons and tengu-style birdfolk, so I'm thinking that lamia aren't all that far afield. Though I agree that their origins as monsters (and their associations with Lamashtu in Golarion) might make playing a lamia PC more of a reach for some than others.
OTOH, nagafolk, serpent folk, and others in that style are very common PC races in, say, the Legend of the Five Rings RPG, so it depends on what sort of campaign you run.
I suspect it's a niche, but a popular niche. Guess we'll see!
So the blurb says "everything you need to be an adventurer". Since the Lamias as a PC race are not in core pathfinder products or the Midgard CS book, is it safe to assume that the book contains the stats for the 0 HD version? I assume so but it never hurts to ask
This is very unexpected, though not unwelcome!
I'll echo Eric Hinkle, I never considered the Lamia a player race. I'll add this to my short list. All the Advanced Races books are very well done.
-Kcinlive
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So the blurb says "everything you need to be an adventurer". Since the Lamias as a PC race are not in core pathfinder products or the Midgard CS book, is it safe to assume that the book contains the stats for the 0 HD version? I assume so but it never hurts to ask
Oh absolutely! We've got you covered!
I second the call for harpies, especially if you include a wingless variety.
I also did a blind sonar cave harpy in Wayfinder #9... with some judicious application of echolocation could make an awesome chassis for a Blind Monk/Zato Ino type.
@Marc - what are the PrCs in this PDF?
But ... according to Golarion's lore, there are no Male Lamia.
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@Marc - what are the PrCs in this PDF?
Good question! The two prestige classes are:
MOON TOUCHED - a mystic who dedicates his or her life to the watchful moon, delving ever deeper into its great, unknown mysteries and eternally seeking to harness its spiritual power. The ultimate dream of every moon touched is to one day transcend his or her earthly body and transform into pure spiritual moonlight, becoming forever one with the moon itself.
and ...
SERPENT BLADE - masters of the lamia propensity for fighting with two swords. They move with a hypnotic grace unmatched by most foes, spinning and weaving their dual blades in a deadly dance of death. They may wear armor, but generally shun bulky protection because their skill allows them to dodge their opponents with ease. The path to the serpent blade is most natural for lamia fighters and rangers, since those classes tend to share the serpent blade’s love of combat with two blades.
In fact, the two lamia on the cover could each easily represent members of these two prestige classes.
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So how much is the expanded over the (excellent) 5-page article on lamias from Kobold Quarterly 24?
Thank you!
I don't know if I can come up with a detailed and comprehensive list (I wrote lots of little additions and expanded bits through out) but if I remember correctly, the Serpent Blade prestige class, the Favored Class Options, the Alternative Racial Traits and the class-by-class analysis detailing how each class does (or in some cases does not) work for lamia adventures were not in the original article ...
There is also a nice full-page sidebar (complete with an awesome illustration) which talks about Lamia PCs in Midgard. In fact, one element detailed in this sidebar (the powerful lamia serpent blade warrior known only as Va’zesh (“swaying death”) who leads the small group of outcast lamia commoners said to inhabit the Isle of Kyprion) will even get some additional love and attention very soon ... Mr. Oceanshieldwolf might be able to shed some additional light here :)
Hope that helps!
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Contributor; Publisher, Kobold Press; RPG Superstar Judge
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But ... according to Golarion's lore, there are no Male Lamia.
True! However, not a major factor here, as many many Pathfinder campaigns run their own homebrew worlds regardless.
The Advanced Races are designed for any setting, and, because they are a player race, they offer both genders for players.
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But ... according to Golarion's lore, there are no Male Lamia.
That's true, but remember lots of people play in campaign settings other than Golarion. Many folks play in the Midgard setting from Kobold Press, or one of the many other published settings ... not to mention the COUNTLESS number of homebrew settings that are out there! Heck, there are even plenty of folks that DO play in the Golarion setting but alter certain aspects to better fit their campaign!
Plus, material from Advanced Races: Lamia could still be incorporated even into a strict cannon-only Golarion game with just a little work. For instance, as detailed within, the Lamia Matriarchs (which are indeed all female) lead the less powerful lamia commoners with an iron hand. These lamia commoners are the ones that can be both male or female, although even among the lamia commoners, females strongly outnumber the males.
Marc, How tied into alignment are these mechanics? I applaud the cool design space in making them playable, but I'm interested in jazzing up my evil NPC creatures. Would your product assist in that?
Again this is no premature criticism, I'm just checking the flexibility.
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Marc, How tied into alignment are these mechanics? I applaud the cool design space in making them playable, but I'm interested in jazzing up my evil NPC creatures. Would your product assist in that?
Again this is no premature criticism, I'm just checking the flexibility.
Thanks Jim! No worries - good question!
Alignment is really not that tied in at all actually. The vast majority of lamia commoners, just like the Matriarchs that rule them, are thoroughly vile and evil. Every once in a great while though, a lamia commoner is born who does not share his people's taste for evil and debauchery. It's kind of assumed that a PC lamia commoner will be one of these rare, non-evil lamia commoners. However, there's nothing built in that forces any alignment.
As for a cool, evil NPC ... a lamia commoner would make a GREAT evil NPC! There would in fact be a pretty large number of very cool options for such an evil NPC - everything from an important henchman or bodyguard all the way up to the big, final adversary him (or her)self!
Heck, I would LOVE to see (or even write) an adventure featuring just such an evil lamia commoner NPC (or, more likely, multiple such NPCs!)
Please let me know if you do end up creating an evil lamia commoner NPC - I'd love to hear how it goes!
But ... according to Golarion's lore, there are no Male Lamia.
I play in three PF games as often as work allows...
One is all but Homophobic, a second requires ALL characters to be some sort of LGTB (I play a sexless/anysex shapechanger) while the third is made up of players from both the others and is rife with 'seat-of-the-pants' play. A male Lamia would be almost unnoticed in any of them.
When mine gets back in play mode, every one of these races will be there, the backgrounds are just too ripe for the RPs I prefer.
Here come all the snake jokes :)
"Why did it have to be snakes?"
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Fine! I bought it! Are you happy?
Curse you Kobolds and your quality gaming products!
-Kcinlive
Fine! I bought it! Are you happy?
Curse you Kobolds and your quality gaming products!
-Kcinlive
Heh, so here's MY curse ...
I've been formulating what I think would make a really cool lamia-centered adventure ... but I don't see having any time to write it any time soon:(
I bought it too... and I even created a lamia character... but I am not really sure when or where I would ever be able to play the character.
I would do a review, but I never know what to rate stuff.
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Fine! I bought it! Are you happy?
Curse you Kobolds and your quality gaming products!
-Kcinlive
Heh, so here's MY curse ...
I've been formulating what I think would make a really cool lamia-centered adventure ... but I don't see having any time to write it any time soon:(
I bought it too... and I even created a lamia character... but I am not really sure when or where I would ever be able to play the character.
I would do a review, but I never know what to rate stuff.
Cool! I'd love to hear what you created!
Hey, feel free to write that review anyway! Short and sweet is perfectly fine :)
I bought it too... and I even created a lamia character... but I am not really sure when or where I would ever be able to play the character.
I would do a review, but I never know what to rate stuff.
Cool! I'd love to hear what you created!
Hey, feel free to write that review anyway! Short and sweet is perfectly fine :)
Ok, I did a review. I just listed the pros and cons (as I see them). I hope people find it useful.
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Marc, How tied into alignment are these mechanics? I applaud the cool design space in making them playable, but I'm interested in jazzing up my evil NPC creatures. Would your product assist in that?
Again this is no premature criticism, I'm just checking the flexibility.
Hey Jim - so when do we get to see your first lamia NPC in action??? :)
So is this race independent of the Lamia from the Bestiaries or are these actually player options for the 9 HD monstrous humanoids?
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So is this race independent of the Lamia from the Bestiaries or are these actually player options for the 9 HD monstrous humanoids?
Basically, this describes a new 'sub' race of Lamia Matriarch, the Lamia Commoner. These Lamia Commoners, who are less powerful than their Lamia Matriarch leaders, are who are suitable and balanced as a PC race.
A typical lamia 'cult' or tribe consists of a larger number of Lamia Commoners who are ruled with iron fists by a small group of Lamia Matriarchs.
Most Lamia commoners, as with the lamia matriarchs who rule over them, are sadistic, unpredictable, and self‑indulgent. They are self-serving, pleasure-seeking hedonists, who have little regard for the feelings or welfare of other races. In truth, most lamia see other races as existing solely for their twisted amusement. Concepts such as remorse and compassion are alien to most lamia.
It's with all that in mind that we then learn about those extremely rare Lamia Commoner adventures who have struck out on their own or rebelled against the wickedness of their brethren.
Does that help?
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So is this race independent of the Lamia from the Bestiaries or are these actually player options for the 9 HD monstrous humanoids?Basically, this describes a new 'sub' race of Lamia Matriarch, the Lamia Commoner...
So, what are the possibilities of a "Lamia Disciple" PrC for sorcerers that, like the DD, similarly turns the lamia commoner (or human/humanoid with lamia blood) into a lamia matriarch? Or synthesist summoner archetype that does the same?
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@ Eric Hinkle - thanks so much for the nice review!
@ Ambrosia Slaad - a "Lamia Disciple" PrC for sorcerers (lamia commoner (or human/humanoid with lamia blood) that slowly bestows the powers of a lamia matriarch is a pretty excellent idea actually!
I'll file that away for future use - who knows, there might be a future product which would require some additional lamia material some day :)
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I'm starting to flesh out some ideas for an adventure I'd like to write at some point (when time allows) and I needed a cool and mysterious mystic whose help the PCs need to enlist so I created a lamia commoner druid with a serpent animal companion and I gave her the Moon Touched archetype. She turned out even more interesting than I had hoped and I'm pretty stoked!
Just thought I'd share ... :)
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Hey everyone!
The good folks at Dungeonmastering.com approached me about doing a weekly blog about my work etc
It's called Pen & Pixel
Each week I’ll talk a bit about an illustration from my portfolio, explaining both the brainstorming and the backstory. Then, the reader who posts the Coolest Comment about it and/or that weeks blog (may be something serious or funny or insightful) gets the original illustration mailed to them, for free!
This week I talk about one of the illustrations that appears right here in Advanced Races #8: Lamia - the Lamia Serpent Blade Warrior
Be sure to head over to Dungeonmastering.com and post your comment for this week’s installment because one of those posts WILL win the Lamia Serpent Blade Warrior original art work!
Reviewed first on Endzeitgeist.com, then submitted to Nerdtrek and GMS magazine and posted here and on OBS.
You're welcome, Wolfgang! Great job on this one!!!
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Thanks from me as well End!
I can't tell you how pleased I was to read your comments - I really put a lot into this one, so it's awesome to see that it came through :)
You know, it occurs to me that in Midgard, there is a very strong lamia presence in Nuria Natal, which is in the Southlands ...
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Contributor; Publisher, Kobold Press; RPG Superstar Judge
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Funny you should mention that, I said something similar to Ben McFarland and Brian Suskind not that long ago.
A lamia presence seems pretty likely in Kush and among the serpent-scholars of Lignas. And perhaps in a few other locales, some of which would likely port into Osirion or Katapesh without a hitch.
+2 to Str and Cha, huh?
A Lamia could make a very unconventional paladin. :)
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A lamia commoner Paladin is an absolutely fantastic idea which actually fits rather well and could make a lot of sense as a PC!
Normally, the idea of a lamia becoming a paladin is complete anathema to the typical evil lamia matriarch or lamia commoner. The paladin’s love of both law and good contradicts and opposes everything the lamia stand for. There is, however, a rather strong tradition of anti-paladins among the lamia—warriors indoctrinated from a young age and forged into exemplars of evil and chaos.
As detailed in Advanced Races Lamia, however, occasionally a lamia commoner is born with a moral outlook which doesn't match his or her fellows. At best, such odd lamia commoners are mercilessly ridiculed and shunned by the rest of the tribe. In the case of those rare lamia tending toward good, a slow and cruel death by others within the tribe is almost certain. Inevitably, such good lamia commoners attempt to escape their people and live on their own as outcasts, mercenaries, or adventurers.
Since lamia adventures are almost exclusively made up of those rare outcast lamia commoners who have escaped the wickedness of their brethren, a PC lamia commoner who becomes a lawful good paladin seeking to truly renounce literally everything his people stand for would be an AWESOME character to play!
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Funny you should mention that, I said something similar to Ben McFarland and Brian Suskind not that long ago.
A lamia presence seems pretty likely in Kush and among the serpent-scholars of Lignas. And perhaps in a few other locales, some of which would likely port into Osirion or Katapesh without a hitch.
Speaking of the Southlands ...