Before anyone asks, I searched for other attempts at homebrewing this race but didn't find any that I thought worked, so for better or for worse here are my concepts for the Protoss from Starcraft as a race in Pathfinder
Protoss
The Protoss are a race of psionic creatures crafted by the “Xel-naga” a progenitor race that endowed them with so Called Purity of Form. Tall and imposing, all Protoss are psionically gifted and until recently they all explored such paths until the splitting of their race and contact with other races caused some of them to expand their views.
The Protoss today are split into two distinct racial divisions, the Light Templar and the Dark Templar. Those of either race who can master the other’s power in addition to their own are known as Ascended Templar but such individuals are exceedingly rare.
The Protoss often begin their lives as Soulknives, which they refer to as Zealots, while the most adept of them become either Psions or Psychic Warriors, Often referred to as High Templar and Dark Templar respectively. All Protoss see the surges of Wilders too risky to pursue.
Racial Traits
Size: Medium
Base Land Speed: 30’
Mind Resistance: All protoss have +2 to all saves vs mind affecting abilities
Naturally Psionic: All Protoss gain the Wild Talent Feat for free at first level, if the protoss is of a psionic class they instead gain Psionic Talent for free at 1st level.
Ability modifiers:
Light Templar: Str +2, Con +2, Dex -2, Int +2, Cha -2. Light Templar are strong, resilient and fast learners but their bulky size and armor typically slows them down. Additionally, Protoss are both unappealing to outsiders and standoffish when dealing with non-Protoss.
Dark Templar: Str +2, Con -2, Dex +2, Wis +2, Cha -2. Dark Templar are strong and more agile but being disconnected from the psychic link they originally had and living in the shadows has made them more frail. They are wiser than light Templar but slower to approach things. Their aloofness makes it hard for them to relate to other races.
Ascended Templar: Str +2, Con +2, Dex +2, Int +2, Wis +2. Ascended Templar take the benefits of both races and at the same time learn to relate to others at a much better pace. One cannot simply start their adventuring career as an Ascended, they must journey and learn to wield the powers of both the Khala (light) and Void (dark) before they can become ascended. (a DM defined quest is needed but typically the quest involves spending time with high ranking members of both castes and learning their ways, usually one born to one caste spending an extended time with another.)
Meditation: Protoss do not sleep but instead enter a meditative trance for 4 hours per day where they focus and perfect their psychic abilities. (same as elf)
Telepathy: Protoss may communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language within 100 feet and any Protoss within 1 mile. A Protoss may shield their mind as a free action to prevent any Protoss within range from detecting their presence or speaking to them but they regain contact once in visual range. When communicating with non-Protoss the communication is one-way; Protoss cannot read minds without additional psionic training.
Nourishment and spellcasting: Having developed as a race of psionics the Protoss have no mouths and as a result they cannot communicate vocally nor do they consume food the way other races do. A Protoss subsists off of sunlight and moisture in the air; if they are trapped in an area that lacks one or the other they must consume 1 of their power points per day to stay nourished. Though doing so makes them uncomfortable they suffer no penalty unless cut off from both sunlight and water for more than a day at which point they begin starving as normal (their inborn psionic abilities can only help them so far). Dark Templar do not need sunlight but still must absorb moisture for nourishment and suffer starvation if deprived of water (Protoss carry waterskins to keep themselves hydrated which they do by pouring the liquid over their heads to absorb). Protoss may consume potions and elixirs but doing so requires a full round action to forcefully absorb the effect through their skin. Protoss are still susceptible to inhaled poisons but may hold their “breath” the same way a normal humanoid race does. Because they cannot speak Protoss have difficulty with non-psionic spellcasting, however they may take the “Psivocal speech” feat in order to project their words from their mind if they take a spellcasting class.
Powerful build: The physical stature of protoss lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a protoss is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the protoss is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A protoss is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A protoss can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
Psionic Shield: All protoss are trained from childhood to protect themselves by using their innate psionic energy to create a shield surrounding them that protects them from harm. By spending a minute in meditation, a protoss may spend 1 or more power points top surround themselves with a transparent field of protective energy that grants them 3 temperary hit points per psionic power point spent. A protoss may only spend as many power points on this ability as they have hit dice (alternate: A protoss may never have more temporary hit points than they have natural hit points).
Psionically Gifted: When a Protoss gains a level in a psionic favored class they may instead gain 1 power point instead of any other bonus for gaining a level in a favored class.
Starting Langauges: Common and Protoss (any suggestions for bonus langauges?). The Protoss language is a language created purely in thought and text; the actual sounds are nearly impossible for a non-psionic race to pronounce. Any attempt to speak the protoss language aloud only has a 25% chance of success and even then the vocalization sounds primitive and clunky.
Racial Feat
Psivocal Speech
Prerequisite: Protoss Race (or psionic race without a mouth)
Effect: This feat allows a protoss to use their inborn psionic powers to project their thoughts into sounds allowing them to speak common (or any non-protoss language) aloud via psychic projection, though the sound of their “speech” is still full of echoes. Protoss take this feat is they become arcane or divine spellcasters in order to cast spell with verbal components or if they spend their time around races that find any form of telepathy invasive.
I also have plans for a racial archetype of the Soulknive called the Zealot the main feature of which is the ability to trade levels in for levels of Psion or Psychic warrior starting at a certain level, among other abilities.
Also note that I chose not to divide up the race into the other castes from the games (Templar, Khalai, Judicator) or even by tribe (Ara, Shelak, Auriga, Furinax and so on) because I'm trying to represent the Protoss not as a sci-fi starfaring race but as a fantasy race in a psionic campaign setting.
Out of curiosity, do you intend these to be a playable race balanced against Human, Elf, Dwarf, et al.?
Well from what I've learned in the last few months, "perfect balance" is more a hindrance than a help. I do intend these to be a playable race but "balance" isn't an issue for comparisons. I have someone play9ing a doppleganger in my group.
the race is probably CR 1 without a class so take that as you will.
a group of commoner protos with telepathy could organize and kill a small party probably(2-3).
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Psionics is a large part of the Protoss flavor, without it, you might as well just call it something else, and start from scratch.
Very true... yet remember is this being converted to Pathfinder, which is a fantasy not science fiction setting. By the very nature of transplanting this race from Starcraft to Golarion, you change the framework of the world they are a part of and thus how they are a part of it.
I feel it isn't too unreasonable to suggest taking in consideration the race having psionic alternate abilities.
I feel it isn't too unreasonable to suggest taking in consideration the race having psionic alternate abilities.
Then again this IS the Homebrew forum. It is not meant to be an alteration or addition to the game rules in general but an idea shared for it's concept.
I think using psionics is completely fine for protoss if your gonna use protoss to begin with.
I feel it isn't too unreasonable to suggest taking in consideration the race having psionic alternate abilities.Then again this IS the Homebrew forum. It is not meant to be an alteration or addition to the game rules in general but an idea shared for it's concept.
I think using psionics is completely fine for protoss if your gonna use protoss to begin with.
Thank you
I think something to keep in mind when creating races, is that less is often more. For example instead of altering almost all of the races ability scores just try and think of the 2 or 3 that NEED to be altered. It is very easy to make an excuse for an ability score to be altered for almost any race but I have found that it ends up being more troublesome than enriching. I find this the same for additional abilities. Personally I would remove the powerful build ability because it just doesn't seem like a race defining trait for anything short of a half giant. Im not claiming to be an expert in starcraft lore (only played the first game) so I could very well be wrong but I don't remember getting that impression of them. Other than that though I think this is great and I may implement it in my games.
I think something to keep in mind when creating races, is that less is often more. For example instead of altering almost all of the races ability scores just try and think of the 2 or 3 that NEED to be altered. It is very easy to make an excuse for an ability score to be altered for almost any race but I have found that it ends up being more troublesome than enriching. I find this the same for additional abilities. Personally I would remove the powerful build ability because it just doesn't seem like a race defining trait for anything short of a half giant. Im not claiming to be an expert in starcraft lore (only played the first game) so I could very well be wrong but I don't remember getting that impression of them. Other than that though I think this is great and I may implement it in my games.
Thank you and I admit I'm not the best person to be making homebrew I just wanted to put it out there.
Here's a slight edit, removed the powerful build and edited the stats to the more standard two +2s and one -2, made their penalty being charisma the protoss always struck me as isolationist while Tassadar (the prototypical "ascended templar") was the first to really try to communicate with terrans in the games.
I'll probably flesh out the "ascended Templar" later but in general it's more or less the "Drow Noble" of protoss, not a valid PC selection but good for NPC leaders or bosses.
Racial Traits
Size: Medium
Base Land Speed: 30’
Mind Resistance: All protoss have +2 to all saves vs mind affecting abilities
Naturally Psionic: All Protoss gain the Wild Talent Feat for free at first level, if the protoss is of a psionic class they instead gain Psionic Talent for free at 1st level.
Ability modifiers:
Light Templar: Con +2, Int +2, Cha -2. The Light templar's ritural training and strict education is boon to their society but they are standoffish and distrusful of outsiders.
Dark Templar: Dex +2, Wis +2, Cha -2. Dark Templar, having travelled far and wide have allowed themselves to absorb knowledge of the outside world while staying hidden, but they shy away from interaction with others
Ascended Templar: Con +2, Dex +2, Int +2, Wis +2. Very few protoss possess the ability to master both the Khala and void and even fewer manage to survive long enough to do so. But to those few who do can earn the respect and admiration of all their peers. Their experience also teaches them the tolerance needed to interact with outsiders as such most are assigned as dignitaries and ambassadors to other races.
Meditation: Protoss do not sleep but instead enter a meditative trance for 4 hours per day where they focus and perfect their psychic abilities. (same as elf)
Telepathy: Protoss may communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language within 100 feet and any Protoss within 1 mile. A Protoss may shield their mind as a free action to prevent any Protoss within range from detecting their presence or speaking to them but they regain contact once in visual range. When communicating with non-Protoss the communication is one-way. Protoss cannot read minds without additional psionic training.
Nourishment and spellcasting: Having developed as a race of psionics the Protoss have no mouths and as a result they cannot communicate vocally nor do they consume food the way other races do. A Protoss subsists off of sunlight and moisture in the air; if they are trapped in an area that lacks one or the other they must consume 1 of their power points per day to stay nourished. Though doing so makes them uncomfortable they suffer no penalty unless cut off from both sunlight and water for more than a day at which point they begin starving as normal (their inborn psionic abilities can only help them so far). Dark Templar do not need sunlight but still must absorb moisture for nourishment and suffer starvation if deprived of water (Protoss carry waterskins to keep themselves hydrated which they do by pouring the liquid over their heads to absorb). Protoss may consume potions and elixirs but doing so requires a full round action to forcefully absorb the effect through their skin. Protoss are still susceptible to inhaled poisons but may hold their “breath” the same way a normal humanoid race does. Because they cannot speak Protoss have difficulty with non-psionic spellcasting, however they may take the “Psivocal speech” feat in order to project their words from their mind if they take a spellcasting class.
Psionically Gifted: When a Protoss gains a level in a psionic favored class they may instead gain 1 power point instead of any other bonus for gaining a level in a favored class.
Starting Langauges: Common and Protoss (any suggestions for bonus langauges?). The Protoss language is a language created purely in thought and text; the actual sounds are nearly impossible for a non-psionic race to pronounce. Any attempt to speak the protoss language aloud only has a 25% chance of success and even then the vocalization sounds primitive and clunky.
Also an item:
Kydarin amulet: Cost 50gp: Headand slot (this is meant to be an early game item): The sacred Kydarin crystals are a gift from the Xel-Naga and are held in high esteem by the protoss for their ability to enhance their psionic powers. When worn by a Protoss with levels in a psionic class gains 4 extra power points each day. Even when not worn a protoss may use this to communicate with other protoss with kydarin crystals on the same plane or on one connected plane (from material plane to astral plane, shadow plane or estheral plane, astral plan to any plane except shadow or etheral planes, outer planes to the astral plane or either coterminous plane). Protoss High Templar (Psions) may purchase one as part of their starting equipment at half price.
Might want to consider making a short five level racial class out of the ascended. It will give you the room to accommodate what you want.
If it's just some stat bonuses, then its probably not worth it though.
If it's just some stat bonuses, then its probably not worth it though.
True, I might as well remove it from the standard set and create it as a "Boss characteR" in the same line as the "Drow NBoble" andif that's the case they'll probably have their stats buffed more to emphasize their "not for humans" setup.