| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Formian (21 RP)
Type
Monstrous Humanoid (+3)
Size
Varies (0)
Base Speed
Normal Speed (0)
Ability Score Modifiers
Varies (0)
Languages
Standard (0)
Racial Traits
Defense Racial Traits
Natural Armor (+2)
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Hive Sense (+2) Homebrew
Static Bonus Feat (+2)
Offense Racial Traits
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision (-)
Blindsense 30 ft (+4)
Other Racial Traits
Quadruped (+2)
Pheromonal Communication (+2) Homebrew
Unusual Body Type (-2) Homebrew
Alternative Racial Traits
Builder (+2) Homebrew
Disgraced (+2) Homebrew
Natural Flier (+4)
Peerless Bearer (+2) Homebrew
Severed (+4) Hombrew
Taskmaster (+2) Homebrew
Caste Talents
Warrior (+6) = Toxic (+1), Sting (+1), Claws (+2), Improved Natural Armor (+1), Specialized (+1)
Worker (+6) = Burrow (+3), Small (0), Bite (+2), Specialized (+1)
Formian Racial Traits
Heightened Speed: Formian have a base speed of 40 feet rather than 30 since they posses four legs.
Superior Senses: Formian can see in the dark up to 60 feet and have blindsense up to 30 feet.
Exoskeleton: Formian have tough carapaces which grants a +1 bonus to natural armor to their Armor Class.
Hive Sense: A formian can automatically detect the presence and number of other formians within 120 feet, and can pinpoint their location with a Perception check (DC 25). Hive sense is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. A large gathering of formians (a dozen or more) can be sensed up to 1 mile away regardless of obstructions.
Biological Caste: Formians belong to a colony (society) and perform specialized functions predetermined by morphological distinctions. At character creation, choose Worker or Warrior caste, gaining the caste traits of the hive.
Pheromonal Communication: Similar to telepathy, Formians can wordlessly communicate with other creatures capable of communicating with pheromones.
Quadruped: Formians possess four legs and two arms, granting them a +4 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts. Formians are adversely affected by their ability to use standard feet slot magic items. The best way to deal with this is to create variant magic item versions of the various boots, shoes, and slippers that are approved by your GM. Your GM should allow you to find ankle bracelets of speed or horseshoes of spider climb that act just like their traditional magic item counterparts, but fit the new race’s form.
Unusual Body Type: Armor cost formians an additional amount due to their unusual body type. 25% more for Light Armor, 50% more for Medium Armor, 75% more for Heavy Armor.
Languages: Although formian are capable of understanding humanoid languages, they are only able to speak the common variants of basic language, and then only in a halting, somewhat garbled manner. Formians begin play speaking Common. Formians with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin, Terran, Thriae, and Undercommon.
Biological Caste
Warrior: Composing the fighting caste of the hive, they rank above the worker caste. Allowed independent initiative to better hone their battle skills, formian warriors have more latitude in following commands than many other formians. Owing to this latitude, formian warriors are more likely to chafe under hive strictures than workers and taskmasters. Formian warriors engrave their chitin with insignia depicting their rank and notable deeds.
○ +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma: Formian are swift and powerful but are inherently strange and unnerving.
○ Medium: Formian have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
○ Claws: Formian gain two claws attacks. These are primary natural attacks dealing 1d4 damage.
○ Improved Exoskeleton: Formian warrior carapaces resemble suits of armor, gaining an additional +1 natural armor bonus.
○ Acrobatic: Formian warriors gain Skill Focus (Acrobatics) feat as a bonus feat at 1st level.
○ Stinger: Formian gain a stinger that is a primary natural attack, dealing 1d4 damage plus poison. The poison can be used a number of times per day equal to Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day). The toxin that is injected is a paralytic venom. It can also be applied to a weapon as a swift action. The Fortitude save DC is 10 + ½ Hit Dice + Constitution modifier. The poison's frequency is 1/round for 6 rounds with an effect of 1d2 Dexterity damage and cure 1 save.
Worker: These lowest-caste formians stand a little taller than a large dog, and their small mandibles are better equipped for slicing leaves, cutting fruit from the vine, and carving into flesh. Regardless, Their iridescent chiti is nearly featureless, marked only by small scarring as they age and a series of markings on their chest. A few more accomplished formian workers bear small gems proudly glued to their carapace, tokens granted them by taskmasters for particularly impressive accomplishments. The backbone of the hive receive the following traits:
○ +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Formian are hardy and powerful but are inherently strange and unnerving.
○ Small: Formian gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
○ Bite: Formian gain a natural bite attack, dealing 1d3 damage.The bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the creature is wielding manufactured weapons.
○ Miner: Formian workers gain Skill Focus (Profession - Miner) feat as a bonus feat at 1st level.
○ Burrow: Formain gain a burrow speed of 20 feet.
Note ♦ Pheromone Communication
The natural language of formians relies on a series of chemical excretions detected by scent, rather than sound. When a formian is in another formian’s presence, this communication is every bit as complex and detailed as spoken language. However, unlike spoken language, pheromone communication lingers in the air for several hours afterward, allowing someone to ‘listen in’ on a conversation for which they were not present or allowing a formian to leave messages for others of his kind. Unfortunately, the details of such communication fade quickly. Those not present when the pheromones are first created can only pick up very general details such as the presence of danger, food, enemies and the like. A general sense of direction or distance also lingers, allowing pheromones to be used to leave directions to other formians. The general emotional tone of the conversation can also be gleaned from lingering pheromones. Pheromones continue to linger in an area for up to a week. Heavy rain can wash them away in a matter of hours. Scouring the area with other strong odors in an effort to kill the scent will ruin lingering pheromones. A creature capable of pheromone communication can also use its own pheromones to ‘overwrite’ a lingering message, destroying it instantly.
Alternate Racial Traits
Builder (Worker Only): Formians with this racial trait can excrete a pliable resin that quickly hardens into a sturdy material. While not suitable for weapons or armor, this resin is relatively functional. It can be used as a crude building material or to create simple containers. A formian can produce up to one cubic foot of resin per character level per day. Excreting one cubic foot of resin requires a full round action. The resin remains flexible and sticky for one minute. At the end of this time, it permanently hardens. Hardened resin has 3 hardness and 8 hit points per inch of thickness. This trait replaces natural armor.
Disgraced (Warrior Only): Formians warriors who have fallen from their position and ranking become disgraced warriors, their markings gouged out and stinger torn away. Despite this you carry on in the face of fear and despair. As such, you gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects. Also, once per day, after a natural roll of 1 on a d20 roll, you may reroll and use the second result. This racial build replaces the stinger trait.
Natural Flier: A rare few among the colony have developed wings. The queen usually has wings but losses them after mating. These very rare formian have a fly speed of 30 feet with clumsy maneuverability. This ability replaces blindsense.
Peerless Bearer (Worker Only): Some standout formian workers are able to bear remarkable burdens for their size. They have a +5 racial bonus to Strength when calculating the effects of encumbrance. This ability replaces natural armor.
Severed: Inadvertently the queen passed on the quality of her intelligence and free will to a number of formians that promptly fled the hive rather than being slain. These independent formians, known as exiles, severed their connections to their kind completely and embraced the ways of other mortal races. Formians with this trait gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma instead of their normal ability score modifiers. They also gain a +2 racial bonus to all Diplomacy and Sense Motive skill checks. These traits replace hive sense and pheromonal communication.
Taskmaster (Warrior Only): Exceptional formian of a higher caste operate outside the hive as merchants, traders, diplomats, and spies, and particularly talented taskmasters may even advise the queen. With a stronger connection to the hive, taskmasters are not strong of mind. Formians with this trait gain +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma instead of their normal ability score modifiers. Add +1 to the DC of any enchantment spells they cast. Formians with a Charisma score of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—charm person, detect thoughts, sending (to the hive queen only), suggestion. The DC for the spells is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the caster’s Charisma modifier. These traits replace the bonus skill feat.
That's pretty neat. Though anyway to make them just a wee bit lower on the power scale? It works either way though, i could see them in a futuristic game. Granted there are the Formorians as monsters, i like seeing them as a written up race though. Totally might use these at some point and time.