| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Taking the lead from some other posters, I've decided to start a thread dedicated to housing all of my crazy and random homebrew stuff. I'm naming this post after it's first article, i.e. stuff all about Gnolls! Its entirely up to you to whether or not you use any of this crap, I just vainly hope that at least one of my non-sensical little pieces of dribble meet your discriminating tastes.
(Not all of it may be balanced, but I tried.)
(WARNING: some of this stuff is .... well, 'adult' material. I'm not sure if everyone thinks this qualifies for that label, but I'd rather be safe then sorry.)
Well now on to the good stuff, GNOLLS!!!!
Gnolls as a player race:
Gnolls are a race of tribal beast-men that inhabit desert wastes and sun-shrouded savannahs. Gnolls have a reputation among civilized races as being cannibalistic savages, more animal then humanoid, that practice horrible blood rites under the light of the moon in honour of their profane and monstrous deities. The sad fact is that this assumption is often correct.
Physical Description: The most apt description of Gnolls is that of an anthropomorphic hyena. They stand slightly taller then the average human, with builds ranging from lean and wiry to thickly-thewed and muscular. They sport speckled, furred hides of various colours. The colour usually depends on what tribe or clan they hail from, and can range from light tan, dirty yellow, dark brown to charcoal black. Clothing varies from region to region and tribe to tribe. For example, 'civilized' Gnolls wear clothing reminiscent of nearby human settlers, often sporting loose robes and colourful headscarves to keep the sun off the wearer. Barbaric Gnolls on the other hand wear rough hides and leathers, and carry crude bone adornments and fetishes, as well as trophies from defeated foes.
Society: Much like the hyenas they resemble, Gnolls are scavengers with a lazy streak a mile wide. Abhorring hard labour, they most often force slaves to perform the more unsavoury tasks. In Gnoll society, the strong rule the weak, and weak Gnolls must always show deference to their superiors. Despite worshiping a female deity, Gnoll society is misogynistic, and females either birth the tribes young or serve as clerics (and sometimes both).
Relations: Most civilized races consider Gnolls to be monsters, and thus are treated with suspicion at best and violence at worst. In cities where slavery is legal, Gnolls often come to sell slaves unsuited to their nomadic lifestyle and to acquire stronger, healthier slaves. Here they are treated as equals (usually), but suspicion always remains. Other monstrous races such as orcs and goblins often get along very well with Gnolls, and trolls in particular are often hired to serve as guards and enforcers in Gnoll bands.
Alignment and Religion: Most Gnolls fall within the Chaotic Evil range, rarely valuing things such as life or liberty, although Chaotic Neutral tribes are beginning to become more common. Even such progressive tribes still venerate the Gnoll racial deity, a being they call the 'Mother of Monsters', a dark goddess of blood and fertility, which they say birthed the Gnoll race and many others. Gnoll Clerics are almost universally female, and despite the misogyny of Gnoll society, are revered even above the band's chief.
Adventurers: For Gnolls, exile is the worst punishment imaginable, only reserved for the most horrific of crimes. Those Gnolls who are exiled often try to integrate themselves into other humanoid society to mitigate the loneliness. There also exists another breed of outcast Gnolls: those who leave the band of their own volition. These exceptional Gnolls are almost always females who find the gender constraints of Gnoll culture suffocating, and leave to seek their own destiny in the world. These individuals are a breed apart. For them, other humanoids are not always to be enslaved or eaten, the old ways are not always the best, and loneliness can harden ones soul. For what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.
Racial Traits:
-+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma; Gnolls are hardy and strong, but have abrasive attitudes and a reputation as savages.
-Type: Gnolls are Humanoids with the (Gnoll) subtype.
-Medium Size: Gnolls have no bonuses or penalties due to their size
-Normal Speed: Gnolls have a base speed of 30 ft.
-Darkvision: Gnolls can see in the dark up to a range of 60 ft.
-Natural Armour: Gnolls have thick, furred hides and thus have a +1 natural armour bonus.
-Acute Senses: Gnolls have highly developed senses, particularly their sense of smell. Gnolls receive a +2 racial bonus on perception checks, and have the scent universal monster ability.
-Savannah Runner: Gnolls receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue, exhaustion, or other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, or hot or cold environments.
-Stalker: Gnolls are renowned as hunters and trackers, spending long hours stalking their prey across the savannah. Perception and Stealth are always class skills for Gnolls.
-Languages: Gnolls begin play speaking only Gnoll. Gnolls with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Common, Giant, Orc.
Newl Feats:
Hunter's Speed (a.k.a. 'Do the Snuffle Shuffle')
You have learned to drop down to all fours to increase your speed.
Requirements: Gnoll, Dexterity 13
Effect: As a swift action you can drop to a quadrupedal shuffle, thus doubling you movement speed. While using this feat you cannot utilize your limbs for anything other then moving, and thus cannot carry anything in your hands.
Breeder's Scars
You have given birth 'the old fashioned way' enough times to develop a tough layer of scar tissue over your abdomen.
Requirements: Gnoll, Female, Must have given birth at least once.
Effect: You gain an additional +1 bonus to your natural armour. Also if your scars are visible you gain a +2 bonus on all bluff, diplomacy and intimidate checks against Gnolls and worshippers of Lamashtu.
Third Eye
Either you purposely drilled a hole in your forehead to better resemble you goddess, or perhaps you were born with an auspicious deformity. Either way, you now have a third eye with eerie magical powers.
Requirements: Gnoll, Wisdom 15
Effects: You receive a +1 bonus on perception checks. Also, you gain the ability to make a gaze attack a number of times a day equal to 1+ your wisdom modifier as a standard action. Any foe who meets your gaze must pass a will save (DC = 10 + your wisdom modifier + 1/2 you HD) or become shaken for 1 round.
New Archetypes
Tribal Mother (Cleric Archetype)
Requirements: Female, Must worship Lamashtu.
In the barbaric tribal societies, woman are often relegated to the role of breeders and property. In tribes that worship Lamashtu, there is also another route. Although females are still seen as chattel, clerics of the Mother of Monsters are almost always female, and are revered as honoured mothers, given as much respect as the tribe's chief, if not more. The majority of these clerics are Gnolls, but it has since spread to others of the Mother's Faith.
Tribal Mothers have the following class features.
Weapon Proficiency: Tribal Mothers are proficient in all simple weapons, as well as kukris and falchions. This replaces the cleric's standard weapon proficiencies.
Mother's Milk: Upon taking her first level of this class, the Tribal Mother's breasts become engorged with milk and begin to lactate, even if she is not pregnant. This breast-milk has magical healing properties. A number of times per day equal to her cleric level, she may lactate and collect the milk as a full-round action. The milk functions as a potion, and remains potent for 1 minute. Anyone who drinks it gains the effect of a cleric spell with a caster level equal to the Tribal Mother's cleric level. The Tribal Mother chooses the effect, and can choose effects from lower levels. This ability is taxing (and somewhat pleasurable) for the Tribal Mother, and after using it she is fatigued for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell duplicated.
At 1st level, it can duplicate a Cure Light Wounds spell.
At 3rd level, it can duplicate a Cure Moderate Wounds or Lesser Restoration spell.
At 5th level, it can duplicate a Cure Serious Wounds, Remove Blindness/Deafness, or Remove Disease Spell.
At 7th level, it can duplicate a Cure Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, or Restoration spell.
At 11th level, it can duplicate a Heal spell.
At 13th level, it can duplicate a Regenerate or Greater Restoration.
This ability replaces Channel Energy.
Beast Mother: At 1st level, the Tribal Mother gains the service of a faithful animal companion. This creature follows her on her adventures and vision quests, and serves her loyally and without complaint, whatever her needs may be. The Tribal Mother is restricted in her choice of animal companions, and must choose an animal sacred to Lamashtu, most often a hyena or jackal. This otherwise functions as a druid's animal companion, and the Tribal Mother treats her cleric level as her druid level for determining all the abilities of her animal companion.
This replaces the Cleric's Domains ability
Fantastic. Also, stolen. Keep it coming!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sorry about the long hiatus. Been busy lately, what with.....ummm......cancer (don't worry, according to the doctors, I'm now cancer free!). I apologize to ThatWeirdGeckoGuy, my only poster, so I'll reward you with more playable versions of classic monster races!
Yet another Disclaimer! *gasp*: I am only now developing my writing 'style'. To paraphrase that glorious bastard treantmonk 'when writing this my tongue will be squarely planted in my check'. Basically you should only take this semi-seriously, because if you took everything I write really seriously, then you will think I'm some perverted weirdo (and you're probably right). Anyways, a lot of the comments and pictures (especially the pictures) are meant to get a laugh and a 'oh, thats kinda cool' from you, the reader. Oh, and my response to those who don't like cheesecake art: you can go suck a lemon (only joking, read the above disclaimer).
Feedback is greatly encouraged. As a lonely shut-in, I need to augment my self-esteem with compliments from strangers on the internet! Yay!
Lizardfolk
Seen as backwards savages by most, lizardfolk are a truly ancient race, their kind having developed sentience before humanity's ancestors crawled on their bellies from the sea. In the harsh swamps and jungles that they call home, survival is never guaranteed from day to day, and the lizardpeople have adapted to this brutal existence. Despite their bloodthirsty image, lizardfolk are not themselves evil, their nature merely the result of harsh conditions and the ever expanding mammalian hordes.
Physical Description:
Lizardfolk stand roughly 6 to 7 feet in height, and weigh between 200 and 250 lbs. Their rough, scaled hide is often of a colourful or vibrant hue, usually green or blue. Their features depend on ancestry and environment, some look like iguanas or komodo dragons, while others are more similar to crocodiles or alligators, or even chameleons. All lizardfolk posses thick, strong tails, that allow them to swim in water with ease, and those who have no tail, whether from injury or deformity, are often mocked and belittled. Lizardfolk clothing values function over form, some warriors even going nude save for crude leather harnesses.
Society:
Lizardfolk society is based around the tribal unit. The good of the tribe comes before all, and those that do not respect that are often exiled. Lizardfolk draw no difference between genders, but despite this tolerance males usually dominate most of their culture, as their is cultural stigma tied to females in leadership positions. This stems from the fact that lizardfolk eggs require constant protection and observation lest they become too hot or too cold, and this duty culturally falls to the females. The exception to this though, is if a female is sterile, which grants them great freedom, and they often go on to become great warriors to rival even the strongest male.
Relations:
Lizardfolk have no racial allies, but they also have no racial enemies. That is, save for one: Boggards. Lizardfolk hate boggards with a passion, and the feeling is mutual. Lizardfolk-Boggard conflicts get bloody and violent quickly, and often spill over into neighbouring areas. When it comes to the other races, lizardfolk tend to follow an isolationist policy. If they mind their own business the lizards will mind theirs.
Alignment and Religion:
Lizardfolk practice a form of animism, believing that everyone and everything has a spirit deserving of respect. This tends to colour their alignment as well, treating others' spirits with respect, just as they would like to be treated. The majority of lizardfolk are thus true neutral.
Adventurers:
Lizardfolk do not often leave the tribe, but those that prove too curious about the outside world are often 'encouraged' to seek out their curiosity, thus leaving and taking their crazy ideals with them. Many adventuring lizardfolk begin to see their companions as their surrogate tribe, and will defend them to the death. Lizardfolk favour the fighter, barbarian, and ranger classes, as well as the druid and oracle, especially the Juju mystery. Due to their lack of literacy, lizardfolk are rarely wizards or alchemists.
Racial Traits:
-+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence; Lizardfolk are robust and hardy, but their society often leaves them intellectually stunted.
-Medium Size: Lizardfolk receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
-Humanoid Type: Lizardfolk are humanoids with the (reptilian) subtype.
-Speeds: Lizardfolk have a land speed of 30 ft and a swim speed of 30 ft. They receive a +8 bonus on swim checks.
-Agile: Lizardfolk receive a +4 racial bonus on acrobatics skill checks.
-Hold Breath: Lizardfolk can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times their constitution modifier before they risk drowning or suffocating.
-Natural Armour: Lizardfolk have a +2 natural armour bonus to AC.
-Jungle Natives: Survival and Swim are always class skills for lizardfolk. They receive a +2 bonus on survival checks, and this increases to +4 when in swamp or jungle terrain.
-Shamanistic Magic: Lizardfolk treat their level as 1 higher when casting spells of the divination or necromancy schools, and when using revelations of the oracle's Juju mystery. This does not grant lizardfolk early access to level-based powers, it only affects powers that they could already use without this quality.
-Languages: Lizardfolk begin play speaking only draconic. They can choose any of the following as bonus languages: Abyssal, Common, Elven, and Polyglot.
New Feats:
Death Roll
You can mimic the deadly hunting tactics of a crocodile.
Prerequisites: Lizardfolk, Strength 14.
Effect: When grappling a foe of your size or smaller, you can, on a successful grapple check, deal your bite damage and knock the creature prone. If you are successful, you maintain the grapple.
Chameleon Eyes:
Your eyes are massive and can move independently, just like your chameleonic ancestors.
Prerequisites: Lizardfolk, 1st level only.
Effect: You gain a +4 racial bonus on perception, and can make perception checks as a swift action.
Chameleon Hide
Your skin can shift colour to match your surroundings, greatly aiding in stealth.
Prerequisites: Lizardfolk, Chameleon Eyes
Effect: You gain a +4 racial bonus on stealth checks, which increases to +6 if you remain perfectly still.
Strength in Sterility
You are one of the few sterile lizardfolk females, and this often comes with certain advantages both physically and culturally.
Prerequisites: Female Lizardfolk, Strength 14, 1st level only.
Effect: Apart from the obvious? In fact, sterile females often have higher muscle growth and denser bone structures, more closely mirroring males in terms of strength. You gain a +2 bonus on strength checks and strength-based skill checks, as well as intimidate checks due to your large physique.
I leave you now with some pictures of cool lizardfolk......'cause I like perty pictures.....First up is a kick-ass lizardman in ceremonial armour, and the second is an example of a 'sexy' female lizardfolk 'warrioress'.....'cause I felt like it......sorry if it offends you or violates some rule or some such....*mumble mumble*........
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I must say, the first picture makes me want to play a lizardfolk, the second... makes me fear for my life.
That might have been what I was going for, who knows?......I sure don't......
Here is a Boss monster for an upcoming campaign I am GMing. He is a modified tobongo (Mwangi Treant). Though he shares many similarities as well as a name with a villain in an episode of Inuyasha, he has key differences as well (this might qualify for a conversion not homebrew, but I didn't feel like starting a new thread, and it fits in the topic of this one).
I'd like to know what you think, especially his devour ability, because there is a small chance he might see the light of day this monday.
(don't worry, no creepy pictures this time)
EDIT: feel free to steal him for your own game.
Nemenka, Vile Demon-Tree CR 13
Before you stands an immense tree, easily 20 feet high. Its bark is blackened and peeling, as if burnt, and it leaks thick sap the colour of blood. From nowhere you hear a slow, echoing laugh. “Ahhh, more nourishment” it says in a deep rumbling voice, and two glowing purple eyes open upon the tree's trunk. The its two largest branches form into great claw-like arms, and the ground buckles as its roots pull themselves free and transform into legs. The hideous tree-thing is terrifying to behold, and looks at you with hunger gleaming in its violet orbs.
Male Unique Tobongo
CE Gargantuan Plant (Chaotic, Evil)
Init –1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12
AC 27, Touch 5, Flat-footed 27 (–1 Dex, +22 natural, –4 size)
HP 175 (14d8+112)
Fort +17, Ref +3, Will +9
Defensive Abilities plant traits; DR 10/slashing
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 slams +19 (4d6+12/19–20 plus grab)
Ranged rock +6 (4d6+18)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks Devour, Curse of Barkflesh, Rock Throwing (240 ft.), Shake the Earth, Trample (4d6+18, DC 29)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 11th, concentration +15)
Constant—Detect Magic, Telepathy
At will—entangle (DC 15)
Str 35, Dex 8, Con 26, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +10; CMB +26 (+28 to sunder); CMD 35 (37 vs. sunder)
Feats Alertness, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Perception +12, Sense Motive +9, Stealth –8 (+8 in forests); racial Modifiers +16 Stealth in forests
Languages Abyssal, Common, Polyglot, Sylvan, Treant; Treespeech, Telepathy 100 ft.
SQ
Animate trees (Sp) Nemenka can animate any trees within 180 feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a time. It takes 1 full round for a tree to uproot itself, after which it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights as a standard treant, gaining the treant’s vulnerability to fire (although it has only one slam attack and lacks the treant’s animation and rock-throwing abilities). If Nemenka terminates the animation, moves out of range, or is incapacitated, the tree immediately takes root wherever it is and returns to its normal state.
Devour (ex) If Nemenka begins his turn with a creature two sizes smaller then him grappled with both hands, he can attempt to cram them into his cavernous maw. This functions as the swallow whole universal monster ability, except they face an even more terrible fate. When a creature is swallowed by Nemenka, he inserts thorny tendrils into their flesh, and drains them of their vital fluids. The victim is pinned, and takes 1d4 points of strength, dexterity, and constitution damage every 24 hours they are inside Nemenka. Nemenka can, as a free action, reduce the ability damage to 1 point per 24 hours. He greatly enjoys this, for he finds the more pain and suffering his meal endures sweetens the flavour. Nemenka can only devour 1 creature at a time, and must wait a full day after the victim is dead before he can use this again (though he does not need to wait if his victim escaped). Creatures immune to bleed effects are immune to this ability.
Curse of Barkflesh (Su) Following a successful grapple, Nemenka can dig his spiky branches into his victim, infecting him with a foul and potent curse. Unless he succeeds at a DC 20 Fortitude save, the victim’s flesh immediately begins to harden and grow uncontrollably like tree bark, and he takes 1d4 points of Dexterity damage per day until his Dexterity reaches 0. At this point, the victim turns entirely stiff, grows roots, and transforms into a new, unintelligent tree, preventing any form of resurrection short of wish or miracle.
The effect can be slowed by pruning the victim once per hour, slicing off the strange growths. Pruning inflicts 1d6 points of damage on the victim, but it negates the need to make a new Fortitude save. If the victim goes without pruning for more than an hour, the barkflesh takes over and he must immediately make the Fortitude save for the day or suffer the Dexterity damage.
The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Curse of Barkflesh: Grapple—injury; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/ day; effect 1d4 Dex damage, when
Dex reaches 0, target transforms into a tree.
Double Damage Against objects (ex) When Nemenka or an animated tree makes a full attack against an object or structure, it deals double damage.
Shake the earth (ex) When rooted, Nemenka can, as a full-round action, uproot himself, buckling the surrounding earth in a 60-foot radius. Living creatures within the radius must make a DC 29 Reflex save or fall prone and take 1d6 points of damage. Man-made structures within the area of effect must make a DC 29 Fortitude save or take 4d6 points of structural damage.
Once uprooted, the Nemenka cannot use this action again until it re-roots itself. It takes the creature at
least 1 hour to root effectively. The save DC is Strength-based.
Treespeech (ex) Nemenka has the ability to converse with plants as if subject to a continual speak
with plants spell, and most plants greet him with an attitude of friendly or helpful.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Does it make me a monster that my first thought was that this thread had something to do with playing out the assassination of President Kennedy?
I was thinking of a gnoll with some sort of vegepygmy-like half-plant template, covered with plant growth. :)
You sir, have given me a great idea for a monster.