Character Background: Trewyggol Aristocrat

It's been months since my last post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been sculpting Aibhilon during the absence. Lately I've been working on the pantheons and deities, but there's still a lot to work out before there's something to present. So, as I get back to the business of updating this blog, I present a 5e background for characters whose noble lineage can be traced back to the fallen city of Trewyggol.

In Trewyggol, there was the aristocracy and then there was everybody else. Your family’s outlook may have changed when they escaped the riots and plague, or they may be as proud and elitist as ever. Either way, you have been raised to be accustom to a certain level of privilege.

Your family’s wealth and power are a shade of what it was before their flight; yet this hasn’t stopped them, or you, from standing above the common peasant. Fur-trimmed robes, artistic pursuits, intellectual studies, and a hedonistic vice or two signify your wealth and status to others. Whether you are a spoiled dandy or a hardworking magnate, you are comfortable navigating the gossiping and scheming of high society.

Skill Proficiencies. Persuasion, Performance

Tool Proficiencies. One type of gaming set, and either one musical instrument or one type of artisan’s tools.

Equipment. One set of artisan’s tools, musical instrument, or gaming set; a set of fine clothes; a signet ring; and a purse containing 15 gp

Lifestyle. Wealthy

Feature: Family Legacy

Even if other nobles don’t know you personally, they at least recognize where your family hails from. Those that don’t respect your loss still grant you a show of measured difference, whether out of pity or because they view your family’s plight as an amusing curiosity. Between Trewyggol’s displaced nobility, however, there is an unspoken bond of empathy. You can always secure an audience with a member of another noble family that had ties to Trewyggol.

d8	Personality Trait
1	Life can be tragic, but I will endure.
2	I can have anything I want, it's only a matter of how much it will cost.
3	Life is short; therefore I will enjoy it to the fullest.
4	If I work hard enough, I can better my life even more.
5	I come from a privileged family and frequently remind people of that fact.
6	I look down upon those who do not live in the same expensive life style as me.
7	I am appreciative of those who must toil to support my lifestyle.
8	My decorum is what sets me apart from the common peasant.

d6	Ideal
1	Protective: I must look out for those that are not as fortunate as I. (Good)
2	Reckless: I can survive any ordeal, no matter how perilous the situation. (Chaotic)
3	Authoritative: The role of a government is to protect people from themselves. (Lawful)
4	Selfish: People are just another tool for me to use to achieve my goals. (Evil)
5	Revitalized: The destruction of Trewyggol has given everyone the opportunity to change their lives if they chose to. (Any)
6	Superficial: It doesn't matter what you do, so long as you look good doing it. (Neutral)

d8	Bond
1	The fall of Trewyggol took nearly everything I had. I cannot let that happen again.
2	Compared to most noble families in Trewyggol, mine had a meager fortune. Escaping the ruin of that city has provided me with an opportunity to change that.
3	Everyone must work together, regardless of their wealth or power, if we are to endure.
4	To get ahead in life, it's all about who you know.
5	I have dedicated myself to the Church.
6	There is great evil in this world and it is something to be feared.
7	My family secretly supported the rebellion. I intend to honor them by continuing their fight against tyranny.
8	I must help the nobility maintain their power if order is to survive.

d8	Flaw
1	I am untrusting and fearful of anyone who appears to be ill.
2	I must always look and act the part of an aristocrat, regardless of what is happening around me.
3	People must believe that I am wealthier than I really am.
4	I only trust the word of people with money and social status.
5	Certain members of my family sided with the rebels. I am terrified of being ousted if someone were to learn my secret.
6	I am careless with my money and overly generous to those who need it.
7	I expect others to do things for me even when I am capable of doing it myself.
8	I go to great lengths and expense to ensure that I stay healthy.

New Life for the Ancient Dead: Skeletons (part 2)

This is the second half of the document I had started to share in my previous post. Part one offers some creative ways to modify a skeleton combat to make it more interesting than the typical "smash and grab" encounter. You can find that article here. Part two concerns itself with variant skeletons. The Pathfinder RPG Bestiary offers the bloody and burning skeleton variants; below are seven more variants that I have created.

Skeletons are the most basic form of undead to exist and one of the first types that a fledgling necromancer is likely to learn to create. Because the skeletal system does not decompose like living tissue, it can be animated regardless of how long ago the original creature perished. Although skeletons are the most simplistic form of living dead, much research has gone into the augmentation of these unnatural creations to make them more resilient and more dangerous.

Each of the following skeleton types modifies the base skeleton in a few key ways. Except as noted, these variations can be stacked with one another.

Adamantine Skeleton

Skeletons are easily destroyed when subjected to even a moderate blow. However, some unique methods of preparing a skeleton before animation have been discovered for increasing its durability. One technique involves a special alchemical solution of liquid adamantine. Unsurprisingly, the precise formula is a closely guarded secret of alchemists and necromancers alike.

Prior to animation, the entire skeleton must be fully submerged in the emulsion, during which time it undergoes a process similar to natural petrification. As a result, the bones acquire a metallic sheen - a strong clue as to the skeleton's nature for those in the know. After 24 hours, the skeleton can be extracted and animated as the necromancer desires.

The adamantine variation cannot be combined with the fossilized variation.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +1.
Defensive Abilities: An adamantine skeleton loses its DR 5/bludgeoning and gains DR 10/-.

Blessed Skeleton

Some remote cultures consider it a mark of honor to serve one's community or diety after death. In these cultures, renowned individuals are chosen to be returned from the dead. The manner in which an individual is chosen varies between mores but, in every case, it is considered to be the greatest of proviliges. Unlike other undead, which are typically raised gainst the will of deities - if not the creature itself - these corpses are animated with the divine consent of a good- or neutral- aligned deity for a specific purpose, such as guarding over a holy site or to serve as a chieftain's elite body guard.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton.
Alignment: Always neutral good or true neutral, depending on the consenting deity. A blessed skeletal champion can be of any good or neutral alignment.
Defensive Abilities: A blessed skeleton gains the positive energy affinity ability. The creator of a blessed skeleton that is not of a good alignment may choose to give the skeleton this ability.

Positive Energy Affinity (Ex): The creature is not alive but is healed by positive energy and harmed by negative energy, as if it were a living creature.

Corrosive Skeleton

A corrosive skeleton undergoes an additional step in the preparation of its animation by being saturated with a caustic fluid. Typically this involved being submersed in a viscous acid for an extended period of time. A special alchemical additive prevents the corpse from being destroyed by the acid. Although this adds a significant delay in the animation process, the result is a formidable and feared monster. Corrosive skeletons do not wield weapons or wear armor as their caustic touch quickly decays the equipment. In addition to the standard changes for the skeleton template, make the following adjustments to the base creature.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +2.
Defensive Abilities: Corrosive skeletons gain immunity to acid damage.
Melee Attacks: A corrosive skeleton's melee attacks with natural weapons deal an additional 1d6 points of acid damage.
Special Attacks: Corrosive skeletons have the corrosive ichor special attack.

Corrosive ichor (Ex): Anyone striking a corrosive skeleton with an unarmed strike or natural attack takes 1d6 points of acid damage. Whenever a character strikes a corrosive skeleton with a manufactured weapon, the weapon takes 1d6 points of acid damage.

Exploding Skeleton

Clerics, mages, and necromancers harness negative energy to animate and control undead. When the physical corpse is destroyed, the necrotic power energizing it typically dissipates with minimal impact. Sometimes, whether done intentionally or as the result of a misstep in the animation process, the negative energy disperses with volatile consequences. The resulting explostion turns the remaining bone fragments into dangerous shrapnel.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +1.
Hit Dice: An exploding skeleton's Charisma is considered to be 4 for the purpose of determining its hit points.
Special Attacks: Exploding skeletons have the shrapnel special attack.

Shrapnel (Su): When an exploding skeleton is reduced to 0 or less hit points, it shatters into countless shards that cause 2d6 points of piercing and slashing damage to all creatures adjacent to it. A successful Reflex save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the skeleton's Hit Dice + the skeleton's Cha bonus) halves the damage.

Grinning Skeleton

One of the most unsettling aspects of a skeleton is the way its skull appears to be constantly smiling. Some sorcerers and necromancers enhance their minions by playing off this disturbing visage. In addition to the changes for the skeleton template, make the following adjustments to the base creature.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +1.
Aura: Grinning skeletons possess the unnerving countenance aura.

Unnerving countenance (Ex): Creatures within 10 feet of a grinning skeleton that have line of sight to it must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the skeleton's Hit Dice + the skeleton's Cha bonus) or, for the next hour, they become shaken whenever they are adjacent to any skeleton. Passing the saving throw renders the creature immune for 24 hours. This is a fear effect.

Special Attacks: Grinning skeletons have the maniacal laughter special attack.

Maniacal laughter (Su): Once per day, a grinning skeleton may unleash a spiteful cackle as a standard action. Any living creature within 30 feet of the grinning skeleton must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the skeleton's Hit Dice + the skeleton's Cha bonus) or become shaken for 1 minute. This is a sound-based, fear effect.

Fossilized Skeleton

The oldest of skeletons eventually undergo petrifaction. This natural process strengths the creature when it is eventually animated and makes it less susceptible to magic. In addition to the changes for the skeleton template, make the following adjustments to the base creature.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +2.
Defensive Abilities: Fossilized skeletons lose DR 5/bludgeioning and gain DR 5/adamantine.
Speed: Size Medium or larger fossilized skeletons reduce their base speed by 10 feet.
Special Abilities: Fossilized skeletons gain immunity to magic.

Immunity to magic (Ex): A fossilized skeleton is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A transmute rock to mud spell deals 1d6 points of damage per caster level to a fossilized skeleton, with no saving throw.
Transmute mud to rock immediately heals any and all damage currently suffered by a fossilized skeleton.
A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the skeleton's structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 round.

The fossilized variation cannot be combined with the adamantine variation.

Rime Skeleton

A rime skeleton is coated in a layer of hoarfrost that saps the warmth of nearby living creatures. In addition to the changes for the skeleton template, make the following adjustments to the base creature. The rime variation cannot be combined with the burning variation.

Challenge Rating: As a normal skeleton +1.
Aura: Rime skeletons possess an icy aura.

Icy Aura (Ex): Creatures adjacent to a rime skeleton suffer 1d6 points of cold damage at the start of their turn. Anyone striking a rime skeleton with an unarmed strike or natural attack takes 1d6 points of cold damage.

Defensive Abilities: Rime skeletons gain vulnerability to fire damage.
Melee Attacks: A rime skeleton's melee attacks (including both those made with a natural weapon and those made with a manufactured weapon) deal an additional 1d6 points of cold damage.
Abilities: A rime skeleton's Charisma is 12.

New Life for the Ancient Dead: Skeletons (part 1)

I was going through some of my old gaming documents this week and came across this little gem. I always like putting a new spin on things as it usually leads to the players doing a double take or scratching their heads as they wonder why their tried and true methods aren't working. Everyone seems to perk up and take notice once they realize not everything is as it seems. If it's done well - especially if it's done cool - they won't even mind that you might be taking some liberties with the rules as written, such as in the case of alternative spell effects.

The entire document I unearthed includes a number of skeleton variants that I'll make a second dedicated post about later. For now, here are some ideas on how to set the scene and plan out your next encounter that involves skeletons.

The average skeleton is a pretty straight-forward opponent. Being generally mindless, its tactics are simple - tear apart whatever living creature is within reach. It attack with its claws, maybe an old blade with which it died with long ago, and it protected by whatever armor it might have been wearing at the time. The standard array of undead traits aside, a skeleton's key defensive abilities include damage reduction and immunity to cold-based damage.

Rather than being just a "meatless"-shield between the PCs and their objective, a creature GM can find new purposes for this old monster. Below are a few ideas for how you can use skeletons in your next encounter.

Symbiotic Relations

 A swarm of insects may have taken up residence in the vacant skull or a coiled viper might drape itself over the rungs of the rib age. Either way, a meddlesome adventurer is going to find that he has disturbed more than just the restless dead when he goes to dispose of the next skeleton.

Alternatively, it's also possible that a "sleeping" skeleton gets caught up in the undulating mass of a passing ooze. The acidic secretions of these amoeboid creatures typically have no effect on non-organic material, allowing the skeleton to be carried for miles without incurring damage. Larger oozes may accumulate several skeletons over time, unwittingly travelling with its own small host of undead.

Walking Scrolls

Magic spells can be recorded on a variety of mediums, from rolls of papyrus and stone tablets to inked tattoos and illuminated decks of cards. Some clever necromancers have taken to inscribing important spells on their minions. Although this isn't as efficient as more traditional means, it does provide the spell caster with a certain element of surprise. Although the script is plainly visible, it's impossible for onlookers to interpret any of it while the skeleton is in action. On fact, only when the skeleton remains completely stationary, can the arcane script be read coherently.

Unfortunately, the destruction of the skeleton also means the destruction of the spell if it was not cast first. Since positive energy is notorious for reducing the undead to ash, there is no chance of recovering a spell bared by a skeleton that is annihilated in such a manner. The crushing damage of a weapon makes the recovery of a spell possible, although not necessarily easy. Between shattered ribs, crushed femurs, and broken phalanges, the task of piecing together a destroyed skeleton can be a daunting chore for even the most patient individual.

Alternative Spell Effects

Restore corpse
While this spell is traditionally used to prepare a skeleton corpse for animation as a zombie, it can also be used to bolster an existing animated skeleton. Although an animated skeleton cannot be turned into a true zombie with this spell, it can alter its appearance and increase its vitality. As the targeted skeleton regains flesh, it also gains temporary Hit Dice in accordance with its size. In addition, it replaces its DR 5/bludgeoning with DR 5/slashing. The DC to correctly identify a skeleton that has been affected by restore corpse, and its special abilities, increases by 5. Skill checks that fail by 5 or more misidentify the undead creature as a zombie. This use of the spell has a duration of 1 minute.

Skeleton Size	Temporary Hit Dice
Tiny or smaller	-
Small or Medium	+1 HD (4 hp) 1
Large	+2 HD (9 hp) 1
Huge	+4 HD (18 hp) 1
Gargantuan	+6 HD (27 hp) 1
Colossal	+10 HD (45 hp)1
1 This does not include bonus hit points from other sources, such as a high Charisma score or the Toughness feat.

Restore corpse can be countered and dispelled by decompose corpse.

Mythic: You may target the skeleton of a Large or larger sized creature.

20 Cursed Weapon Qualities

I recently stumbled upon the RPG Blog Carnival and was intrigued by this month's topic: Curses! Cursed Items, Spells, Campaign Stories (hosted at Roleplaying Tips). It's a fun topic from the game master's perspective so I thought I'd take part.

 

The intrinsic value of a magic item comes down to balancing its benefits against its costs. Cursed items that hinder or, worse, try to kill a character don't have much value and it's an easy call for the party to ditch it at their earliest convenience. However, to me, the best cursed items are ones that have a beneficial aspect to them as well. Suddenly, the players need to determine if they can deal with the difficulties of carrying the item with them (at least temporarily) in order to benefit from that item's more benevolent features.

 

As part of a creative exercise, I've created a list of 20 qualities that a GM might give a magic weapon that could render it cursed. Since they come from a brainstorming session, these qualities should be functional, but some may need a little refining to achieve better game balance and clarity. Not every quality is entirely negative, but all have some sort of cost associated with them. In some cases, it may be more dramatic to withhold the malevolent effects of the curse from the players, especially in the case where the effect is not immediately evident.

Arcane Beacon. All spell attacks made against you have advantage.

 

Bloodied. While you are holding this weapon, if you do not deal damage to a living creature before the end of your turn, you use this weapon to deal damage to yourself equal to it's average damage value. Do not apply your Strength modifier or other damage dice to this damage.

 

Blinding. A blinding weapon is made of highly polished metal that is exceptional at reflecting light. Its effects can only occur in areas of bright light. When you confirm a critical hit with this weapon, you may choose to deal normal damage and blind your opponent for 1d4 rounds. However, if your attack roll is ever a natural 1, you automatically blind yourself for 1d4 rounds.

 

Booming. This weapon issues a thunderous boom when it strikes true. When you score a critical hit with an attack from this weapon, the target and all creatures adjacent to it are deafened for 1d4 rounds.

 

Clumsy. If you miss with an attack with this weapon, you must succeed at a DC 12 Dexterity (acrobatics) check or fall prone.

 

Decapitating. All attacks that threaten a critical hit against you are automatically confirmed. If you die as a result of a critical hit, the blow removes your head.

 

Dulled. This weapon only deals bludgeoning damage equal to your Strength modifier.

 

Electrified. When drawn, veins of energy begin to dance along the blade and hilt as this weapon crackles with electricity. When you hit with an attack using this magic weapon, the target takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage. In addition, while you hold the sword, you take 3 points of lightning damage each round.

 

Exhausting. This weapon requires significantly more effort to wield in battle, although its blow tend to be much more devastating. All hits with this weapon threaten critical hits, but if you miss with an attack with this weapon, you gain 1 level of exhaustion.

 

Gaseous. This weapon carries with it an aura of noxious fumes. A powerful strike causes it to expel a poisonous gas cloud. When you hit with an attack with this weapon, the target must succeed at a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 round. If you ever roll a natural 1, you accidently inhale the fumes and are poisoned for 1d4 rounds.

 

Isolating. While you are holding this weapon, allies cannot approach within 10 feet of you. Any ally that is already within 10 feet of you when you pick up the weapon cannot move any closer.

 

Leeching. This weapon draws upon the life force of your allies to keep you safe. When you suffer hit point damage, you take no damage; instead, the closest ally within 30 feet of you takes an amount of necrotic damage equal to the damage you would have sustained. This damage cannot be reduced in any way. If there is no ally within 30 feet of you at the time you take the damage, you suffer the damage normally.

 

Lodestone. For each attack you make with any weapon other than this one, your speed is reduced by 5 feet. This reduction disappears once you make an attack with this weapon against a target that is within your reach.

 

Merciless. You have advantage on attacks made against any creature with less than one half of its maximum hit points, but attacks against you gain advantage if you have less than one half your maximum hit points.

 

Murderous. If you miss with an attack with this weapon, you strike yourself and deal damage as normal. On a roll of a natural 1, you score a critical hit against yourself.

 

Offensive. There is something about you having this weapon that other creatures find insulting or offensive. Creatures of one specific type (i.e. beast, fey, fiend, undead, etc.) chose to attack you over other targets.

 

Seppuku. At the end of any combat in which you did not adhere to the weapon’s honor, you must succeed at a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or impale yourself upon this weapon. If you fail the saving throw, you deal maximum critical damage to yourself. Roll on the table below do determine the weapon’s honor.

 

1 – Deliver the killing blow to at least one creature.

2 – Do not make an attack with advantage.

3 – All allies are alive at the end of combat (they may be unconscious).

4 – Do not attack a non-spellcaster so long as an enemy spellcaster is present.

 

Spell Loathing. When you are affected by a spell (even if you passed the saving throw), you have disadvantage on your attacks for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell slot that was used to cast the spell.

 

Vengeful. Each time you deliver the killing blow to a living creature while attuned to it, you suffer a cumulative 1 point of psychic damage.

 

Xenophobic. You have disadvantage when attacking creatures of a specific type (i.e. beast, fey, fiend, undead, etc.). In addition, you become frightened of any creature of that type that causes damage to you.

 

Talon

To me, Talon represents how a little bit of backstory and an interesting quirk can add a whole lot of flavor to an otherwise mechanically bland item. I can already imagine the awkward social situations that could arise when the PCs dine with a noble or at the royal court. And I don't think I need to mentioned that there are a minimum of three solid plot hooks that jump out at you.

 

Description

A carved ivory handle contrasts with the obsidian color of the dagger’s talon-like blade. Four figures, their likenesses worn beyond recognition, and a series of indecipherable hieroglyphs, encircle the handle.

History

This dagger started out as a ceremonial blade for a long-dead desert cult. Scholars know little about the cult aside from the fact that they venerated an individual known as the Prophet of the Red Sky. It is believed that the cult’s demise came when the congregation was buried alive in their temple by a powerful sandstorm. This dagger was discovered when the temple was unearthed and bought by a wealthy collector. It disappeared, however, when the collector’s manor was robbed.

Quirk

The wielder develops a habit of using Talon as a dining utensil.

TALON (5e)

Weapon (dagger), uncommon (requires attunement)
You gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

TALON (Pathfinder)

Aura faint evocation; CL 3rd
Slot none; Price 2,302 gp; Weight 1 lb.  

description

This magical dagger has a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls.

construction

Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft (weapons) or Spellcraft; Cost 1,302 gp

Shitstorm

I'm not a fan of vulgarity in a game just for the sake of it, so it's rather ironic that this magic weapon holds a special place in my gamer soul. It was originally introduced in the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft campaign I was running for my players some years ago as a plain old +1 longsword. It wasn't even something I added; just a basic magic weapon presented as part of a treasure horde from the book. Now, that group of players wasn't know for getting overly invested with the world in which their characters were busy hacking and slashing through. They tend to lean towards the "if it has hit points we can kill it" mentality. So it was with a great deal of surprise and pleasure as I watched this otherwise vanilla blade come to life over the course of a couple sessions.

 

Sure, they decided there was a constant swarm of flies buzzing about it and the cross guard was actually a pair of spigots that constantly dripped excrement, but they were getting into it! In fact, they were so invested in what they had created that nobody actually wanted their character to be wielding the odorous thing and they eventually they traded it to the local shop keep in exchange for a masterwork mace. All the while, it mechanically remained nothing more than a +1 longsword.

 

To honor that spontaneous and amazing feat of role playing, I decided I needed to provide this memorable weapon with some specific abilities that compliment it's story. So, here it is, updated for the newest edition.

 

Description

This longsword appears to have been poorly maintained through the years. The blade is pitted and tarnished while the metal hilt is dirty and rusted. The noticeable stench of excrement seems to cling to it. No amount of cleaning, magical or otherwise, seems to be able to abolish the longsword’s flaws. Despite the weapon’s depreciated mien, the blade is still razor-sharp.

History

The sword known as Shitstorm spent untold years in the basement laboratory of an evil necromancer, collecting dust until it was discovered by a band of adventurers. Many sages theorize that prolonged exposure to the refuse of magical experimentations may have infused the sword with its current powers. After the adventurers quickly rid themselves of the unsanitary weapon, it found its way into the hands of a city urchin who used it to carve out a name for himself in the back streets of Kaldia. Eventually the urchin drew the attention of the city guard and was eventual hunted down. Shortly afterwards, Shitstorm disappeared back into the dark alleys of the city.

Quirk

The wielder avoids bathing.

Shitstorm (5e)

Weapon (longsword), very rare (requires attunement)
You gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

The sword has 3 charges. When you hit a target with this weapon, you can use a bonus action to expend 1 charge in order for the weapon to expel a viscous pool of liquid excrement in a 5-foot radius around the target. Any creature that fails a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw falls prone. Those that fall prone must then make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or spend their next action retching and reeling. Creatures that don't need to breathe or are immune to poison automatically succeed on this second saving throw. The sword regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.

Curse. Once you are attuned to this weapon, you can't end the attunement unless you are targeted by the remove curse spell or similar magic. While attuned, you have disadvantage when attempting any Charisma checks or saving throws.

The Praell in Pathfinder

When I first created the praell, and the world of Aerth, I had intended to use them as part of a homebrew Pathfinder game. Using the guidelines laid forth in the Advanced Race Guide, I drafted the following traits and abilities. Since I have much more time for game design than I do for actual playing, it has yet to be play-tested. Should anyone be interested in using the praell in their own game, I’d love to get your feedback on the material presented below. You can find more information about the history and society of the praell in this blog post.

PRAELL RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence: Praells were bred for physical combat rather than academic prowess.

Praell: Praells are humanoids with the praell subtype.

Medium: Praells are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Praells have a base speed of 30 feet.

Arcane Incongruity: Whether or not it was as part of their creators’ design, praells have an unusually great difficulty in mastering the arduous art of spellcraft. Whenever a praell possesses levels in a class that grants the ability to cast spells, he treats his Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (as appropriate for the class) as two points lower (minimum 1) for all spell and class abilities.

Combat Bonus Feat: Praells select one extra combat feat at 1st level.

Fearless: Praells are immune to fear effects.

Praell Ferocity: Once per day, when a praell is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but is not killed, it can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. At the end of its next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, it immediately falls unconscious and begins to die.

Languages: Praells begin play speaking Common. Praells with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Gnoll, Goblin, Halfling, and Orc.

ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS

The following racial traits may be selected instead of typical praell racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

Battle-Hardened: Praells gain a +1 bonus to CMD. This trait replaces combat bonus feat.

Cornered Fury:  Whenever a praell is reduced to half its hit points or fewer and has no conscious ally within 30 feet, it gains a +2 racial bonus on melee attack rolls and to Armor Class. This trait replaces combat bonus feat.

Craftsman: Praells gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from metal or stone. This trait replaces fearless.

Sprinter: Praells gain a +10 feet racial bonus on speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks. This trait replaces praell ferocity.

FAVORED CLASS OPTIONS

The following options are available to all praells who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Barbarian: Add a +1 bonus on rolls to stabilize when dying.

Fighter: Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with a weapon of the fighter’s choice (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.

Gunslinger: Add +1/4 to the gunslinger’s grit points.

Monk: Add +1 to the monk’s CMD when resisting a bull rush or grapple attempt.

Ranger: Add +1/2 round to the duration of the bonus granted to the companions of the ranger using his hunter’s bond ability.

Rogue: Reduce the penalty for not being proficient with one weapon by 1. When the nonproficiency penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the rogue is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat for that weapon.