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expanded additional psionics bruce r cordell acrotv handbook deriraercttiosrtdesignteam david noonan development dawn murin henry higginbotham interior rich baker mike donais andrew finch ed stark jonathan tweet ditores michele carter gwendolyn f.m kestrel charles ryan additionalmanagingdesigneditingeditor jennifer clarke wilkes kim mohan managermanagerrpgr d steven belledin brian despain wayne england lars grant-west heather hudson jeremy jarvis chuck lukacs david martin monte moore jim pavelec wayne reynolds arnie swekel sam wood dawn murin artistsgraphicdesigner graphic production specialist ed stark developmentdirectorofimage erin dorries technician andrew finch bill slavicsek robert jordan productionmanagers josh fischer randall crews playtesters alan anderchuk paul barclay jason bazylak ted bolstad playtest lead vern brooks in spirit wayne dawson voin despotovic prince elcock playtest lead skaff elias darryl farr michael friedrich dale friesen playtest lead karen friesen john gillespie linda gillespie curt gould kirk hockin bryan kelley paul may steven mombourquette jennie nicholson phillip nicholson sulenna nicholson wes nicholson playtest lead eric paquette mike piazza ashwyn rajagopalan jeff richardson tagg richardson mark templeton playtest lead rob watkins kristian williamson worth wollpert special thanks andy collins michael donais prince elcock rob heinsoo david noonan jonathan tweet james wyatt sources include the psionics handbook by bruce r cordell various mind s eye articles on www.wizards.com/dnd by mark a jindra scott brocius and luis oyola mind lords of talaron by stephen kenson in dragon® magazine #281 expand your mind by bruce r cordell in dragon® magazine #287 dungeon master s guide player s handbook and monster manual by monte cook jonathan tweet and skip williams the new forgotten realms® campaign setting by ed greenwood skip williams sean k reynolds and rob heinsoo complete psionics handbook by steve winter planewalker s handbook and guide to the astral plane by monte cook the illithiad and dragon® magazine #245 mindstalkers by bruce r cordell psionic artifacts of athas by kevin melka and bruce nesmith the will and the way by rich baker city by the silt sea by shane hensley monstrous compendium annual vol 1 2nd ed monstrous manual 2nd ed and fiend folio 1st ed based on the original dungeons dragons® rules created by gary gygax and dave arneson and the new dungeons dragons game designed by jonathan tweet monte cook skip williams richard baker and peter adkison this product uses updated material from the v.3.5 revision this wizards of the coast® game product contains no open game content no portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission to learn more about the open gaming license and the d20 system license please visit www.wizards.com/d20 u.s canada asia pacific latin america wizards of the coast inc p.o box 707 renton wa 98057-0707 questions 1-800-324-6496 european headquarters wizards of the coast belgium t hofveld 6d 1702 groot-bijgaarden belgium +322-467-3360 620-96666-001-en 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 first printing april 2004 dungeons dragons d&d dragon dungeon master d20 d20 system wizards of the coast player s handbook dungeon master s guide monster manual and expanded psionics handbook and their respective logos are trademarks of wizards of the coast inc in the u.s.a and other countries all wizards product names characters character names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of wizards of the coast inc distributed to the hobby toy and comic trade in the united states and canada by regional distributors distributed in the united states to the book trade by holtzbrinck publishing distributed in canada to the book trade by fenn ltd distributed worldwide by wizards of the coast inc and regional distributors this material is protected under the copyright laws of the united states of america any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of wizards of the coast inc this product is a work of fiction any similarity to actual people organizations places or events is purely coincidental printed in the u.s.a ©2004 wizards of the coast inc visit our website at www.wizards.com/dnd

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contents introduction 4 what is psionics 4 the expandedpsionics handbook 4 chapter 1 races 5 choosing a race 5 racial characteristics 5 dromites 6 duergar 8 elans 9 githyanki 10 githzerai 11 half-giants 12 maenads 13 thri-kreen 14 xephs 15 age height and weight 16 chapter 2 classes 17 the classes 17 the power point reserve 17 abilities and manifesters 18 starting gear 18 psion 19 psicrystals 21 psychic warrior 24 soulknife 26 wilder 29 epic-level psionic characters 32 epic feats 34 chapter 3 skills and feats 35 skills and psionics 35 skill descriptions 35 autohypnosis 36 concentration 37 knowledge 38 psicraft 38 use psionic device 38 feats and psionics 39 psionic feats 39 psionic item creation feats 40 metapsionic feats 40 feat descriptions 41 chapter 4 psionics 53 manifesting powers 53 choosing a power 54 concentration 54 manifester level 54 power failure 54 the power s result 55 special power effects 55 combining psionic and magical effects 55 power descriptions 56 name 56 discipline subdiscipline 56 [descriptor 58 level 58 display 58 manifesting time 59 range 59 aiming a power 59 duration 61 saving throw 61 power resistance 62 power points 63 powers and power points 63 adding powers 64 using stored power points 64 special abilities 65 variant psionics is different psionic campaigns adding psionics to your game psionic creatures 65 66 66 68 chapter 5 powers 69 psion/wilder powers 70 psion discipline powers 72 egoist discipline powers 72 kineticist discipline powers 72 nomad discipline powers 72 seer discipline powers 73 shaper discipline powers 73 telepath discipline powers 73 psychic warrior powers 73 chapter 6 prestige classes 141 cerebremancer 141 elocater 142 fist of zuoken 144 illithid slayer 146 metamind 147 psion uncarnate 148 pyrokineticist 151 thrallherd 153 war mind 155 chapter 7 psionic items 157 using items 157 saving throws against psionic item powers 159 damaging psionic items 159 repairing items 159 intelligent items 159 cursed items 159 charges and multiple uses 160 magic items for psionic characters 160 psionic item descriptions 160 psionic item names 161 random psionic items 161 armor and shields 161 weapons 164 cognizance crystals 167 dorjes 167 power stones 168 psicrowns 169 psionic tattoos 170 universal items 171 cursed items 178 psionic artifacts 178 creating psionic items 180 special materials 182 chapter 8 monsters 185 the psionic subtype 183 aboleth psionic 185 astral construct 185 creating an astral construct 185 blue 189 brain mole 190 caller in darkness 191 cerebrilith 192 couatl psionic 193 crysmal 194 dromite 194 duergar psionic 195 elan 196 folugub 197 githyanki psionic 198 githzerai psionic 199 gray glutton 200 half-giant 200 intellect devourer 202 maenad 203 mind flayer psionic 204 neothelid phrenic creature phthisic psicrystal psion-killer puppeteer puppeteer flesh harrower temporal filcher thought eater thought slayer thri-kreen udoroot unbodied xeph yuan-ti psionic 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 210 211 212 213 214 215 217 217 table of contents appendix spells and deities 219 spells 219 bard spells 219 cleric spells 219 cleric domains 219 sorcerer/wizard spells 219 spell descriptions 219 deities 221 zuoken 221 ilsensine 222 index 223 list of numbered tables 1­1 racial ability adjustments 6 1­2 random starting ages 16 1­3 aging effects 16 1­4 random height and weight 16 2­1 ability modifiers and bonus power points 18 2­2 random starting gold 19 2­3 the psion 20 2­4 the psychic warrior 25 2­5 the soulknife 27 2­6 the wilder 30 3­1 skill points per level 35 3­2 skill synergies 35 3­3 skills 36 3­4 feats 42 4­1 items affected by psionic attacks 62 4­2 power points by power level 63 6­1 the cerebremancer 142 6­2 the elocater 143 6­3 the fist of zuoken 144 6­4 the illithid slayer 147 6­5 the metamind 148 6­6 the psion uncarnate 150 6­7 the pyrokineticist 152 6­8 the thrallherd 153 6­9 the war mind 155 7­1 magic­psionics equivalencies 160 7­2 random psionic item generation 161 7­3 psionic armor special abilities 162 7­4 psionic shield special abilities 162 7­5 psionic melee weapon special abilities 164 7­6 psionic ranged weapon special abilities 165 7­7 cognizance crystals 167 7­8 dorjes 168 7­9 power stone types 168 7­10 powers imprinted in a power stone 169 7­11 power stone levels 169 7­12 psicrowns 169 7­13 psionic tattoos 171 7­14 minor universal items 171 7­15 medium universal items 171 7­15 major universal items 172 3

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introduction you ve read the player s handbook the dungeon master s guide and the monster manual and yet you are not satisfied why because you believe that magic is only part of the equation the dungeon master s guide and the monster manual hint at another factor that tantalizing word psionic the power of mind over matter you knew there had to be more and you were right welcome to the marvel of your mind simply put psionics is the art of tapping the mind s potential a psionic character is blessed with a form of innate ability that enables him or her to use mental power to achieve goals or perform tasks that nonpsionic characters can accomplish if they re even capable of doing them at all only by using gross physical skills such as brute strength or raw agility or by using intellect or force of will distinct from the natural power of the mind itself your character s mind is an infinite metaphorical plane where all things are possible it may be that all characters have within them the potential for harnessing the energy of the mind but only those who succeed in tapping into that potential can become psionic characters a psionic character knows the mental pathways that lead to amazing edifices of thought and energy knowing the path the psionic character walks it like a flare being thrown off a star a power is manifested from a psionic character s energy of consciousness what is psionics about powers if this book is your first exposure to psionics in the d&d® game the following information will serve as a brief explanation of how psionic powers work a psionic power is a one-time psionic effect similar in this respect to a spell activating a power s effect is known as manifesting that power the psionic version of spellcasting every psionic character or creature has a daily supply power points that he or she can spend to manifest powers the character has learned a power known to a psionic character can be used as many times as he or she has power points to pay for it a power is manifested when a psionic character pays its power point cost some psionic creatures automatically manifest powers called psi-like abilities without paying a power point cost with this handbook you can learn everything you need to know about the psionic art then let all the world stand in awe of your character s mental might as you will it so it is done races chapter 1 this chapter introduces four new psionic races dromites elans half-giants maenads and xephs it also provides psionic versions of the dwarf in the player s handbook duergar and three creatures in the monster manual githyanki githzerai and thri-kreen classes chapter 2 this chapter presents four psionic character classes the psion the psychic warrior the soulknife and the wilder skills and feats chapter 3 psionic characters can use all the skills in the player s handbook and they have exclusive access to a few new skills detailed here including autohypnosis knowledge psionics psicraft and use psionic device the feats section provides more special abilities for psionic characters as well as feats that enable nonpsionic characters to combat the power of psionics psionics chapter 4 this chapter discusses how psionic characters learn and manifest powers and provides some guidelines for rules adjudicating special situations powers chapter 5 this chapter describes nearly three hundred powers from 1st level to 9th level for psions psychic warriors and wilders prestige classes chapter 6 take your psionic characters in exciting new directions with the illithid slayer metamind the psion uncarnate pyrokineticist or one of the other options presented here psionic items chapter 7 both psionic and nonpsionic characters might be interested in some of the items described here psionic armor weapons cognizance crystals dorjes power stones psicrowns tattoos universal items and artifacts are presented in a format similar to that of chapter 7 of the dungeon master s guide this chapter also contains rules for creating your own psionic items monsters chapter 8 here are psionically endowed monsters to challenge all characters nonpsionic and psionic alike favorites from earlier versions of the game including the githyanki and githzerai are provided as well as several new monsters the phrenic template allows you to turn almost any d&d monster into a psionic creature introduction why a revision the new psionics system debuted in 2001 in the three years since we have observed the reaction to the rules seen the release of various d20 systemtm products that attempted to steer psionics in new directions and of course seen a revision in the core dungeons dragons® game if for no other reason than a need to remain true to the core system the psionics rules also required a revision of their own and what a great opportunity this revision was three years of feedback notes observations and new ideas could finally come to light in a completely expanded revised and updated version of the psionics handbook the inclusion of races more classes more prestige classes more feats more powers and so on was just as important as revising the original classes feats and other elements for instance if anyone had lingering doubts that psions were still weak compared to a wizard or a sorcerer all those doubts should now be dispelled do not fear for the balance of your game when you use the psionics handbook have at it and enjoy this book gives you everything you need to create and play psionic characters including psionic items and psionic foes it contains the following chapters the expanded psionics handbook 4

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illus by c lukacs he psionic races presented here are just as varied as the common races described in the player s handbook elans both more than and less than human conceal themselves in the hearts of humanoid cities only their mental arts let them survive when life should have fled their bodies githyanki and githzerai roam the world journeying across the planes from their extraplanar homes half-giant encampments are found in climates too harsh for those without inborn psionic adaptation maenads insinuate themselves into civilized societies finding the waging of war a fitting outlet for their unending angst on the other hand xephs are rarely accepted into civilization they must subsist on the edges getting by as best they can with trickery and psychic contrivance even farther removed from normal civilization are the dromites and the thri-kreen two races with insectoid features and characteristics along with humans dwarves elves gnomes half-elves half-orcs and halflings those of psionic heritage can be found embroiled in life and politics of many lands according to race see table 1­1 racial ability adjustments and continue detailing your character your character s race determines some of his or her qualities racial characteristics race adjustments find your character s race on table 1­1 racial ability adjustments if your character has a racial level adjustment add that number to the character s class level and racial hit dice in the case of a thri-kreen character to determine the character s effective character level ecl see monsters as races page 172 of the dungeon master s guide apply the ability adjustments given on table 1­1 to your character s ability scores if these changes raise your score above 18 or below 3 that s okay except in the case of intelligence which does not go below 3 for characters if your githzerai character would have an adjusted intelligence of 1 or 2 make it 3 instead in addition table 1­1 gives each race s favored class and automatic languages a character s favored class doesn t count against him or her when determining experience point penalties for multiclassing see xp for multiclass after you roll your ability scores and before you write them on your character sheet choose your character s race at the same time you ll want to choose his or her class since race affects how well a character can do in each class once you know your character s race and class assign your ability score rolls to particular abilities alter those abilities choosing a race 5

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table 1­1 racial ability adjustments race dromite duergar elan githyanki githzerai half-giant maenad thri-kreen ability adjustments +2 cha ­2 str ­2 wis +2 con ­4 cha ­2 cha +2 dex +2 con ­2 wis +6 dex +2 wis ­2 int +2 str +2 con ­2 dex +2 str +4 dex +2 wis ­2 int ­4 cha xeph humanoid +0 +2 dex ­2 str thri-kreen have 2 racial hd for a total ecl of 4 type monstrous humanoid humanoid aberration humanoid humanoid giant humanoid monstrous humanoid level adj +1 +1 +0 +2 +2 +1 +0 +2 favored class wilder fighter psion fighter monk psychic warrior wilder ranger soulknife automatic languages common common dwarven undercommon common common gith common gith common common maenad common thri-kreen common xeph chapter 1 races characters page 60 of the player s handbook some of the favored classes on table 1­1 are psionic classes presented in chapter 2 of this book all characters know how to speak common and many races speak racial languages as well smart characters those with an intelligence bonus speak additional languages one extra language per point of bonus select your character s bonus languages if any from the lists found in each race s racial traits summary literacy unless your character is a barbarian he or she can read and write all the languages he or she speaks psi-like abilities many of the races described in this chapter have psi-like abilities which function much like spell-like abilities for an explanation of how psi-like abilities work see page 65 dromites might be mistaken for halflings at a distance due to their diminutive stature however closer scrutiny reveals dromites to have hardened chitin-encrusted skin compound eyes like those of an insect and two small antennae protruding from their brows called bug-men by the ignorant dromites share far more traits with humans than they do with insects one major difference between dromites and most other races is their androgynous physiology aside from their grand queen female and their elected consort male dromites are genderless and possess no sexual characteristics personality dromites vary in their temperament but each usually exhibits one of four personality types depending on the caste that dromite eventually joins those of the fire dromites caste are often quick to anger but also quick to laugh and forgive those of the ice caste are analytical slow to make decisions but often right those of the voice caste are consummate artists reveling in all types of performance especially song those of the glimmer caste always move at high speed rarely resting in their pursuit of life s tasks each caste identifies with the energy type associated with its creed fire cold sonic and electricity respectively the four major castes are important to dromites but are not the race s only form of social organization despite being a sexless society dromites form close emotional bonds with others of their race especially within the confines of self-selected groups known as life bonds these relationships are similar to what other races refer to as marriages but a life bond usually contains more than two members as older members of a life bond die new members are brought in so a life bond persists long after the original members are no longer a part of it a single life bond may contain members of several castes physical description dromites stand about 3 feet tall they are essentially humanoid in appearance if a bit thin their chitinous skin provides dromites with some protection against injury dromites have no body hair where a humanoid might possess a head of hair a dromite has a thin coating of convoluted chitin that smoothly rises from its skin and extends down the back of its head neck and the rest of its body dromites are not fully covered in chitin but it is noticeable on their shoulders torsos the backs of their hands and other vulnerable spots including their heads a dromite s eyes are striking sparkling almost luminescent orbs subdivided into hundreds of tiny cells two small antennae sprout from its head they move in accordance with the creature s actions or moods they wear heavy boots and pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs the psionic elf in some campaigns you may want to create variations on the common races those described in the player s handbook that are specifically known for their psionic talent for example most elves are known for their skill with magic but in your game perhaps the illaeli elves of the thurek forest eschew arcane studies and instead concentrate on the power of the mind to create a race that is simply the psionic elf or the psionic dwarf all you need do is change out the favored class and substitute an appropriate class from this book for example the stonefire dwarves might be renowned wilders so dwarves of this clan have wilder as a favored class rather than fighter not all stonefire dwarves will be wielders of powers but many will have a level or two in wilder the duergar githyanki githzerai and thri-kreen have nonpsionic favored classes but those races could easily be reassigned psionic favored classes as given in the table below race duergar githyanki githzerai thri-kreen existing favored class fighter fighter monk ranger variant favored class psychic warrior psion wilder soulknife 6 pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs

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chapter 1 races illus by w reynolds dromite elan half-giant maenad xeph light clothing sometimes nothing more than a sturdy harness for holding and carrying gear relations dromites are accepting of other races though other races sometimes find them a bit too exotic giving rise to the derogatory term bug-man half-orcs and humans seem the most prone to using the name apparently acting out of some inner fear of or prejudice against insects despite the dromites nearly humanoid appearance alignment dromites tend toward no particular alignment not even neutral the best and the worst are found among them dromite lands dromite city-hives can be found under any land but are usually secret and have only a few openings to the surface or to some other subterranean location since dromites are naturally psionic and adherents of the psionic arts especially psychokinesis some city-hives have no physical outlets to the surface or surrounding subterranean tunnels dromites use permanent psionic portals and psionic powers to get into and out of these most secure city-hives despite the location of their hidden cities dromites have no particular desire to remain underground and in fact seem driven to spend at least some time on the surface thus some dromites may be found living temporarily or permanently in a humanoid community if it is one that accepts a variety of races each dromite city-hive contains at least one grand queen with female characteristics and one elected consort with male characteristics both queen and consort are elected on a yearly basis from a pool of the most prominent city-hive residents after participating in a special communal ceremony they take on titular leadership roles and assume their gender characteristics their most important responsibility is to provide a year s worth of dromite eggs which hatch in wellguarded nurseries located in the city-hive s core from the eggs come dromite infants which look more or less like most humanoid infants except that they have antennae religion dromites hold their grand queen and elected consort in highest regard almost as if deities because the grand queen and elected consort are almost completely occupied by their responsibility to keep the race populous they rarely make pronouncements as a true leader would but when they do have something to say about a topic everyone listens language dromites speak common some learn terran which allows them to better communicate with other creatures of the subterranean world names dromites when born are chosen from the nurseries by adult dromites who have entered life bonds the adopted dromite is named by its new parents according to the traditions of the life bond thus dromites have a first name and a life bond family name first names demisse elimu fela gebre idi idrissa kato matunda obi sefu vita xolu life bond family names adanech dedanech fanech gyalech marimech massawech nikech ulech adventurers dromites who are curious about life beyond the city-hive have little trouble securing permission to venture forth and seek their fortunes unless a city-hive is actively expanding its borders an excess of population leads to cramped quarters thus even the less than willing are sometimes pushed out into the world on a mission not of their choosing 7

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dromite racial traits · +2 charisma ­2 strength ­2 wisdom dromites are selfwilled go-getters but do not always show the best judgment · monstrous humanoid dromites are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only such as charm person or dominate person · small as a small creature a dromite gains a +1 size bonus to armor class a +1 size bonus on attack rolls and a +4 size bonus on hide checks but it uses smaller weapons than humans use and its lifting and carrying limits are threequarters of those of a medium character · dromite base land speed is 20 feet · chitin a dromite s skin is hardened almost like an exoskeleton and grants the character a +3 natural armor bonus to ac and one of the following kinds of resistance to energy cold 5 electricity 5 fire 5 or sonic 5 the player chooses what type of energy resistance is gained when the character is created this choice also dictates which caste the dromite belongs to this natural energy resistance stacks with any future energy resistance gained through other effects · naturally psionic dromites gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · psi-like ability 1/day energy ray a dromite always deals the kind of energy damage that its chitin has resistance to for example a dromite who has resistance to cold 5 deals cold damage with its energy ray manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dc is charisma-based · scent its antennae give a dromite the scent ability a dromite can detect opponents by scent within 30 feet if the opponent is upwind the range increases to 60 feet if downwind it drops to 15 feet strong scents such as smoke or rotting garbage can be detected at twice the ranges noted above overpowering scents such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench can be detected at triple normal range when a dromite detects a scent the exact location of the source is not revealed only its presence somewhere within range the dromite can take a move action to note the direction of the scent whenever the dromite comes within 5 feet of the source the dromite pinpoints the source s location · blind-fight its antennae also give a dromite blind-fight as a bonus feat · compound eyes this feature of its anatomy gives a dromite a +2 racial bonus on spot checks · automatic languages common bonus languages dwarven gnome goblin terran · favored class wilder · level adjustment +1 8 the duergar or gray dwarves are grim folk who lead lives of neverending toil in great underground foundry-cities the typical duergar realm is every bit as powerful cruel and wealthy as a great city of the drow duergar cities exist only for the manufacture of wealth through unending labor duergar are the preeminent smiths and traders of the underdark and duergar caravans travel vast distances deep beneath the surface duergar duergar are sullen insular and tireless workers they tend to be better neighbors than drow but they are always eager to acquire new slaves to supply their labor needs the duergar don t waste slaves in the sort of cruel spectacles other evil races enjoy they simply work their captives to death personality gray dwarves have few good points aside from courage and determination they are avaricious shorttempered sullen violent and ungrateful duergar nurse grudges for a lifetime and never stop counting the slights real or imagined they ve received they believe that might makes right and they have no pity for those who are too weak to defend their property or themselves on the positive side duergar believe in minding their own business so long as other folks don t have anything they want and working hard to excel at their chosen crafts no obstacle daunts a gray dwarf who has settled on a goal duergar may not have much loyalty to anyone other than themselves but they never leave a job half done physical description gray dwarves stand 4 to 4-1/2 feet tall but are lean and hard compared to other dwarves their skin is a dull gray and their eyes are black and cold male duergar don t have hair above their ears but they often boast short wiry beards of iron-gray or black most females are likewise bald but some have short-cropped hair of dull black relations duergar are universally disliked by all other societies and even have trouble getting along with each other they are churlish and hateful and they have nothing to do with folk of other races unless they stand to gain something by it of the other races commonly encountered underground duergar fi nd svirfneblin deep gnomes the least irritating since the gnomes are also outstanding artisans who value hard work duergar can t stand drow dark elves sensing condescension and mockery behind the elves courtesy duergar absolutely loathe other kinds of dwarves as well as mind flayers because according to duergar legends thousands of years ago the rest of dwarfkind abandoned the gray dwarves to thralldom and misery under mind flayer rule alignment gray dwarves are generally evil placing little value on the lives and property of others they are consumed by envy for those better off than they and have not a trace of pity for those not as fortunate a fair number of duergar simply want nothing more than to be left alone and so they lean toward hardhearted neutrality few gray dwarves are good-aligned religion the patron deity of the gray dwarves is laduguer a joyless deity of toil duergar spend little time or effort on any sort of religious observances feeling that the best way to venerate their grim god is to work language gray dwarves speak dwarven and undercommon names a duergar s clan name is often based on his or her chosen profession clan names can change over time as clans take up different occupations or win honors in battle male names bruthwol horgar ivar murgol thangardt female names brilmara dorthis olga ulara weltha clan names coalhewer firehand goldcrown hammerhead ironthew steelshadow adventurers few gray dwarves have any time for nonsense which is how they view adventuring however individuals with no stomach for a life of unceasing toil occasionally chapter 1 races

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appear in duergar society and these rare gray dwarves often find it expedient to strike out on their own before their fellows decide that they re not pulling their weight other gray dwarf adventurers are exiles or fugitives driven out of their home cities by the vicious feuds that arise between rival clans duergar racial traits · +2 constitution ­4 charisma duergar are hardy but sullen and mean-spirited · medium as medium creatures duergar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · duergar base land speed is 20 feet however gray dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load unlike other creatures whose speed is reduced in such situations · darkvision out to 120 feet · immunity to paralysis phantasms and poison · +2 racial bonus on saves against spells and spell-like effects · stability duergar are exceptionally stable on their feet a duergar receives a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground but not when climbing flying riding or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground · stonecunning this ability grants a duergar a +2 racial bonus on search checks to notice unusual stonework such as sliding walls stonework traps new construction even when built to match the old unsafe stone surfaces shaky stone ceilings and the like something that isn t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework a gray dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a search check as if he were actively searching and a duergar can use the search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can a duergar can also intuit depth sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up duergar have a sixth sense about stonework an innate ability that they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground homes · psi-like abilities 1/day expansion invisibility these abilities affect only the duergar and whatever he carries manifester level is equal to hit dice minimum 3rd · naturally psionic duergar gain 3 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs including half-orcs and goblinoids including goblins hobgoblins and bugbears · +4 dodge bonus to armor class against creatures of the giant type such as ogres trolls and hill giants · light sensitivity ex duergar are dazzled in sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell · duergar have a +4 racial bonus on move silently checks and a +1 racial bonus on listen and spot checks they have a +2 racial bonus on appraise and craft checks that are related to stone or metal · automatic languages common dwarven undercommon bonus languages draconic giant goblin orc terran · favored class fighter · level adjustment +1 elans are not born they are made living humans are selected from a pool of applicants and screened by a special elan council those who pass muster undergo a secret psionic process in one of several hidden elan enclaves where they abandon their humanity for a new psionically energized existence thus elans do not reproduce biologically but rather psionically through a mysterious psionic ritual known only to elans even then their children are usually already fully formed adult humans nonhuman elans are never created and it could be that the ritual simply doesn t work for any creatures but those who were originally human when those who are still human seek the transformation to elans they must petition existing elans for the privilege of going through the process elans are a secret lot in this regard and do not publicly reveal their enclaves or places of making the elans select new aspirants and turn away those they feel are unsuited for life as an elan newly created elans retain the basic memories and personalities of their previous human lives but lose all their previous class levels skills and other characteristics a newly created elan is a 1st-level character free to reinvent himself as a member of his new race personality elans are nearly as adaptable flexible and ambitious as the humans from which they are made because their exceedingly long life spans sometimes lead the living to think the worst of them elans practice a certain restraint especially with regard to the subject of their origin otherwise their personalities vary widely physical description elans typically stand just under 6 feet tall and weigh around 180 pounds with males generally taller and heavier than females because the council members who make the selection of aspirants have their own preferences elans of a certain generation often share certain physical characteristics the current council members favor aspirants with pale skin red hair and a youthful quality overall elans vary in looks as widely as humans do an elan dresses in a style typical of the area in which she lives to all the better pass herself off as human including the adoption of unusual hairstyles fanciful clothes tattoos body piercing and the like elans have effectively unlimited life spans as long as they are not destroyed their mental arts could conceivably continually energize and rebuild their bodies for a thousand years or more elans do not sleep as members of most other races do instead an elan meditates in a deep trance for 4 hours a day an elan resting in this fashion gains the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep while in this trance an elan concentrates on suffusing her body with psionic energy healing the hurts of the day and restoring animation and resiliency to her tissues relations elans mix with members of other races especially humans it is probable that their relations would undergo a shift should their true nature become widely known so one of the essential tenets of elan existence is secrecy alignment elans tend toward no particular alignment not even neutral the best and the worst are found among them elan lands wherever humans are found there too are elans elans chapter 1 races 9

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religion elans are less likely to worship a deity than members of other races since they feel that any grace or continued existence they might hope for depends on their own efforts and the continual mastery of their inborn psionic talent language elans speak common they typically learn other languages including obscure ones and they are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues orc curses halfling culinary terms elven musical expressions dwarven military phrases and so on names elan names vary greatly and an elan s name is often simply the human name she possessed before entering into her new existence this is particularly true when an elan wishes to pick up her old life where it left off others view their second chance at existence as an opportunity to start anew and they pick new names titles though they are used only among themselves are important to elans freshly transformed elans have the title of newmade those who have lived at least a few decades after transformation have the title of made and those over a century old have the title of eternal those who belong to the council that chooses new elans have the title of culler adventurers elan adventurers are akin to humans in their daring and ambition because many effects that hurt humans leave elans unscathed elans sometimes seem extraordinarily brave to those who don t know their true natures elan racial traits · ­2 charisma elans despite their attempts to blend into the human population continue to come off as just a little unusual · aberration elans are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only such as charm person or dominate person · medium as medium creatures elans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · elan base land speed is 30 feet · elans unlike most aberrations do not have darkvision · naturally psionic elans gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · resistance su elans can use psionic energy to increase their resistance to various forms of attack as an immediate action an elan can spend 1 power point to gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws until the beginning of her next action for a definition of immediate action see page 59 · resilience su when an elan takes damage she can spend power points to reduce its severity as an immediate action she can reduce the damage she is about to take by 2 hit points for every 1 power point she spends for a definition of immediate action see page 59 · repletion su an elan can sustain her body without need of food or water if she spends 1 power point an elan does not need to eat or drink for 24 hours · automatic language common bonus languages any other than secret languages such as druidic elans past lives expose them to wide ranges of language · favored class psion · level adjustment +0 10 githyanki are an ancient race of martial humanoids residing on the astral plane from their astral citadels they launch countless raids against unfortunate material plane lands carrying off booty and slaves to serve them in their extraplanar castles widely known as planar travelers and marauders githyanki venture to all corners of the multiverse in search of power and wealth personality most githyanki are cruel rapacious marauders who revel in warfare and conquest they are extraordinarily arrogant and view other humanoids native to the material plane with nothing less than utter contempt even the most open-minded githyanki is smugly convinced of his own ability to handle any kind of trouble that might arise on whatever backwater plane he happens to be traveling through and many are bitingly sarcastic and rude to those they perceive as their inferiors while others may find them caustic and condescending githyanki are often ambitious clever and uncomplaining in adversity qualities that make them well suited to the vicissitudes of the adventurer s life they are not particularly loyal allies and make few friends but they are fearsome and tireless foes who don t know when to quit physical description githyanki are tall gaunt humanoids averaging a little over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 170 pounds they have rough yellow skin and russet hair which they often pull back into a pair of topknots their noses are almost flat their eyes have a sinister gleam and their ears are sharply pointed githyanki favor ornate and complex clothing and weapons relations most githyanki regard material plane denizens as ignorant bumpkins at best or at worst slaves that haven t been captured yet a few githyanki rise above these conceits and come to value the skills and knowledge of those they encounter in their travels but these individuals are uncommon to say the least regardless of what they think of material plane inhabitants githyanki burn with hatred for the ancient enemies of their race the mind flayers who once enslaved them and the githzerai who betrayed the teachings of the great leader gith as the githyanki see it no githyanki will pass up a chance to work harm against either of these foes in the presence of both they are inclined to first join with the githzerai to dispose of the mind flayers and then turn on their alienated kinfolk once the illithids are no more alignment most githyanki are ambitious cruel selfcentered and violent they favor evil alignments particularly neutral evil and chaotic evil those who have decided to turn their backs on their native society are neutral or chaotic neutral very few githyanki are lawful or good githyanki lands githyanki are natives of the astral plane they live in great drifting citadels and trade outposts clinging to odd bits of astral matter like rocky islands in a silver sea githyanki must use psionic plane shift or similar dimensioncrossing effects to come to the material plane it is assumed that any githyanki player character has already done so at the beginning of his career religion githyanki have little use for deities but all must pay homage to the terrible lich-queen who rules their race the lich-queen is not a deity and grants no spells to her followers but she jealously destroys any githyanki who openly venerates a god a few githyanki clerics exist worshiping deities who githyanki chapter 1 races

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reward ambition and power but they must conceal their practices while among their fellows language githyanki speak gith a language they share with the githzerai they also speak common names a githyanki s primary allegiance is to his clan so his clan name is usually given first when addressing strangers a githyanki also has an individual name to which he does not attach much importance clan names druustya fiden-sither githom-vaas totherka saamasal zuriith-movya male names baarya duuth fiden flomm kastya klavya saath zith zomm female names amith efromm ifrith iliss olavya ummon usamm ysviden adventurers the githyanki respect power and for many of them the path to power lies in the pursuit of magical and psionic abilities wealth and knowledge many githyanki strike out on their own to comb the planes for the power they need to gain station and prestige among their own kind more rarely githyanki who become disenchanted with their race s cruelty and callousness choose to leave and make their own way in the world in a remote corner of the material plane a githyanki expatriate might be simply an odd-looking traveler judged by his own deeds or misdeeds not the depredations of his malicious kind githyanki racial traits · +2 dexterity +2 constitution ­2 wisdom agile and hardy githyanki tend to be impatient and overconfident · medium as medium creatures githyanki have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · githyanki base land speed is 30 feet · darkvision out to 60 feet · naturally psionic githyanki gain 3 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · psi-like abilities as a githyanki advances in level he gains psi-like abilities as indicated on the table below the benefits are cumulative manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dcs are charisma-based level 1st 3rd 6th 9th psi-like abilities 3/day far hand psionic daze 3/day concealing amorpha 3/day psionic dimension door 3/day telekinetic thrust 1/day psionic plane shift · power resistance ex a githyanki has power resistance equal to his hit dice +5 · automatic languages common gith bonus languages abyssal celestial draconic infernal undercommon · favored class fighter · level adjustment +2 thousands of years ago the githyanki and the githzerai comprised a single humanoid race held in thrall by the dreaded mind flayers after the mythic hero gith led the race to freedom from their illithid masters the ancient gith divided into the two rival races they have been ever since while the githyanki pursued a path of cruel aggression martial power and arcane githzerai might the githzerai turned their attention to the mysteries of the inner self and became a race of ascetics who harness the power of the mind and the spirit they travel far and wide across the planes opposing the sinister plots of both mind flayers and their own githyanki kin personality githzerai rarely use two words when one will do they tend to be cynical and suspicious and they generally expect the worst in people githzerai don t waste time on fools and are rarely moved to help those unprepared to help themselves they are pragmatic to a fault slow to give trust and cautious in their dealings with others many githzerai disdain creature comforts and live their lives in ascetic discipline their settlements and strongholds resemble monasteries more than villages physical description githzerai closely resemble githyanki like their kin they are tall gaunt humanoids averaging a little over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 160 pounds they have rough yellow skin and russet hair although they habitually shave their heads their noses are almost flat their eyes are dull yellow or gray and their ears are pointed githzerai favor drab robes and avoid ostentatious dress relations unlike githyanki githzerai are not particularly contemptuous of material plane races and rarely trouble material plane inhabitants they simply view material plane folk as irrelevant and don t waste much time on them those material plane natives who demonstrate discipline resolve and an understanding of the planes are given the respect their abilities merit while githzerai are usually calm and disciplined in their conduct they feel nothing but cold purposeful hatred for githyanki and mind flayers they also have a bitter rivalry with the slaadi despite that the two races cooperate sometimes when faced with a common danger alignment githzerai tend to be pragmatic and selfserving but they are not malicious and do not look to get ahead at the expense of others most are neutral with respect to good or evil githzerai lands githzerai are native to the plane of limbo where they dwell in drifting cities and monasteries amid the swirling protomatter like githyanki they must use psionic plane shift or similar dimension-crossing effects to come to the material plane it is assumed that any githzerai player character has already done so at the beginning of his career religion githzerai are not particularly religious and rarely venerate any deity instead they seek enlightenment within their own minds they revere the immortal wizardking of their race but they do not worship him and do not gain divine spells from their reverence language githzerai speak gith a language they share with the githyanki they also speak common names githzerai do not place much importance on family or clan preferring to organize their society by merit they have developed a wealth of traditional titles and ranks that are awarded to individuals as they become warranted and they refer to one another by simple names in daily life titles zerth ur-zerth fell hand master of elements planewalker swordthane spellthane rrathmal storvakal male dak duurth ferzth greth hurm kalla muurg nurm shrakk female adaka adeya ella ezhelya immilzin izera uweya chapter 1 11 races

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adventurers githzerai are self-sufficient and form few attachments to home or family as a result many are noted wanderers who need little reason to set off on journeys across the planes to a githzerai the physical journey is a metaphor for the inner one and many adventurers are content to pass year after year in remote material plane lands githzerai racial traits · +6 dexterity +2 wisdom ­2 intelligence githzerai are incredibly quick and agile and they trust intuition more than logic · medium as medium creatures githzerai have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · githzerai base land speed is 30 feet · darkvision out to 60 feet · naturally psionic githzerai gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · psi-like abilities 3/day inertial armor psionic daze catfall concussion githzerai of 11th level also gain plane shift 1/day manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dcs are charisma-based · power resistance ex a githzerai has power resistance equal to her hit dice +5 · automatic languages common gith bonus languages abyssal celestial draconic slaad undercommon · favored class monk · level adjustment +2 12 half-giants are a cross between humans and giants bred into existence in a desert land by cruel sorcerer-kings intending to use them as warriors and laborers every half-giant who was born and survived early childhood could look forward to nothing but a life of suffering as with any people kept in bondage some half-giants found that their forced breeding had engendered within them a spark of psionic power with the aid of this secret power many half-giants escaped their circumstances to seek a new home deep in the desert where they are free to discover their own destiny personality half-giants for the most part retain human sensibilities they are curious interested in cooperation and communication and have a general tendency toward kindness of course there are exceptions they are quick to pick up the morals customs and habits of the areas in which they settle down physical description half-giants typically stand from 7 feet to nearly 8 feet tall and weigh from 250 to 400 pounds with men noticeably taller and heavier than women most half-giants have tightly braided black hair and deep coppery complexions half-giants often prefer grandiose dress when they can afford it sporting fanciful or intimidating clothing relations most other humanoids are put off by halfgiants due to their abnormally large size in fact many are first taken for young if strangely well-groomed hill giants upon getting past their initial trepidation however most other humanoids find half-giants of good alignment to be outgoing kind creatures half-giants alignment most half-giants are good-aligned but all alignments can be found within their ranks half-giant lands half-giants recently settled in the deepest part of the hot deserts to the south of the land they came from half-giants speak little other than to say that where they live is similar to where they once toiled religion half-giants as a rule have a particular disdain for religion sometimes going out of their way to speak badly of a deity it s not that they don t believe in deities but that they don t believe that a deity always has the best interests of its worshipers at heart individual half-giants have enough courtesy and sensibility to keep their observations to themselves when in the company of a good companion with pious inclinations a few half-giants even take up the cloth themselves language half-giants speak common those with higher than average intelligence often learn giant names half-giants have a childhood name and a given name the latter usually bestowed by friends or by the community in which the half-giant originally grew up most half-giant names reflect some aspect of the desert land that the half-giants inhabit though a few strange place names are also thrown in apparently remembered from their former homes of long ago male given names sandking dunewalker sunharrower drywell stormrider desertstrider saltwalker raam female given names oasis sandrose breath goldflower sweetwater raincaller nibenay adventurers half-giants have already traveled far to found their desert settlements for some wanderlust is a way of life and seeking after glory fortune or even a life of high adventure is something any half-giant can understand and accept though most of them are content to stay in their settlements and listen to the tales of faraway lands from those who have adventured there chapter 1 races half-giant racial traits · +2 strength +2 constitution ­2 dexterity half-giants are tough and strong but not too nimble · giant half-giants are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only such as charm person or dominate person · medium as medium creatures half-giants have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · half-giant base land speed is 30 feet · low-light vision a half-giant can see twice as far as a human in starlight moonlight torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination he retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions · fire acclimated half-giants have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against all fire spells and effects half-giants are accustomed to enduring high temperatures · powerful build the physical stature of half-giants lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger whenever a half-giant 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 half-giant is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him a half-giant 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 half-giant can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty however his space and reach remain

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chapter 1 races illus by w reynolds duergar githyanki githzerai thri-kreen · · · · · 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 naturally psionic half-giants gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class psi-like ability 1/day stomp manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dc is charisma-based automatic language common bonus languages draconic giant gnoll ignan favored class psychic warrior level adjustment +1 maenads are a race rumored to be wildly emotional but perceived as extremely reserved by those who encounter them in fact both rumor and perception are true maenads have developed strict self-control as a means of holding their intense emotional turmoil at bay on the rare occasion when a maenad loses his control a flood of emotion rises to the surface often to be released in acts of stunning bravery or violence maenads have a strong martial bent useful for venting the passions they keep bottled up maenads know not the source of their spiritual anger but legend has it that they were terribly wronged by a higher power in some distant time some tales suggest that the maenads were a race of bestial creatures who were able to contain their mad frenzy only after overthrowing their own deity maenads personality maenads seem discreet and calm restrained and undemonstrative unwilling to use a sentence when a word will do and happier still with a gesture if words can be dispensed with altogether to maintain a life in civilized lands and even or especially among themselves maenads must practice a discipline of mental calm lest the fury of their racial memories break forth physical description maenads are tall and wiry standing over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 200 pounds with maenad males the same height as and only marginally heavier than maenad females they wear the dark hair on their heads long and braided and have no hair elsewhere on their bodies their skin is dusted with a peculiar sparkle as of gem dust giving them a striking luster in the right light this sparkle is a natural component of their skin which is flecked with bits of living crystal maenads possess grace and fine features and are almost elven in their beauty they prefer heavier clothing and wear armor if it s available relations maenads are most comfortable with humans finding that race s various temperaments not too dissimilar to their own they respect the dwarves ability to hold a grudge maenads are particularly taken with elves the elves lightness of being is a balm to the maenad spirit maenads don t dislike halflings gnomes or xephs but have a hard time understanding their capricious ways alignment maenads know that self-control is their best path to a fulfilling life thus they lean strongly toward law generally they value and protect others self-control as well as their own and so are good-aligned more often than not maenad lands for the most part maenads live in coastal communities with populations less than three hundred their 13

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well-hidden villages blend into the cliffs and surf they hunt some game inland but gather most of their nourishment out at sea in light cunningly built boats some maenads use their boats for commerce up and down the coast trading pearls and grown crystal sculptures maenads encountered in human lands are usually warriors for hire or adventurers religion maenads worship various minor deities of the sea obad-hai as he relates to the seas and oceans is also a deity known to the maenads language maenads speak a language governed by strict rules of grammar chants play an important part in their songmaking and literature they use the elven alphabet for their script names maenad names are given and used much like human names every maenad has at least one given name and a family name male names alberik alrik basilius erland gunnar isak ragnor rurik and tor female names agaton annalina blenda eleonora gala lena malin ragnara and vedis family names coebelliantus hjalmar kolbjorn perchnosius torborn valborg valentin xaljorn adventurers some maenads take up adventuring out of a desire to travel and see the world others become adventurers because they tend to get along easier with those less given to inner rage than with others like themselves commonly know the languages of their enemies and of their friends as well as draconic the language commonly found in ancient tomes of secret knowledge · favored class wilder · level adjustment +0 maenad racial traits · medium as medium creatures maenads have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · maenad base land speed is 30 feet · naturally psionic maenads gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · psi-like ability 1/day energy ray a maenad can deal only sonic damage with this ability it is accompanied by a tremendous scream of rage manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dc is charisma-based · outburst ex once per day for up to 4 rounds a maenad can subjugate her mentality to gain a boost of raw physical power when she does so she takes a ­2 penalty to intelligence and wisdom but gains a +2 bonus to strength · automatic languages common maenad bonus languages aquan draconic dwarven elven goblin maenads fierce hunters and faultless trackers the thri-kreen are a race of insect-folk sometimes known as mantis warriors they are inscrutable alien creatures those who do not know them well believe them to be bloodthirsty monsters nomadic folk who spend their brief lives roaming vast distances of the deserts scrublands and savannas of the south thri-kreen are near-perfect hunters personality each thri-kreen forms deep attachments with a handful of other individuals regarding them as clutch-mates companions to be defended with one s own life if need be all others outside this small group of companions are strangers and enemies although thri-kreen are intelligent enough to recognize that one traveling alone in the lands of other folk would be wise to keep such observations to oneself physical description a thri-kreen resembles a bipedal praying mantis its body s exoskeleton is sandy yellow in color of the body s six limbs the lower two are used for walking and the upper four end in four-fingered clawlike hands thrikreen have large dangerous mandibles and compound eyes two small antennae sprout from the tops of their heads they wear little clothing beyond simple harnesses for carrying weapons and equipment relations thri-kreen view themselves as noble hunters and judge other folk on the simple relationship of predator to prey they respect barbarians rangers and others who live off the land and treat the land with care on the other hand savage and evil races such as gnolls and orcs despoil the lands that should be hunted with respect and thus they earn the thri-kreen s enmity the mantis warriors generally regard city folk and farmers of other races as not-hunters and therefore not worth their attention but also unworthy of their enmity alignment thri-kreen have virtually no social structure other than the clutches they form with their closest allies the notion of sophisticated rules for social behavior is foreign to them they are almost always chaotic in alignment and often neutral with respect to good and evil thri-kreen lands thri-kreen like it hot they favor warm dry climates especially arid grasslands and plains that most other folk consider uninhabitable since they are a nomadic thri-kreen chapter 1 races pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs thri-kreen weapons thri-kreen warriors have invented two exotic weapons that are unique to their race the gythka and the chatkcha gythka this two-handed exotic melee weapon is a polearm with a blade at each end you can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons but if you do you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon a thrikreen can wield two gythkas at once as double weapons due to its four arms but takes penalties as if its off-hand weapon were a one-handed weapon not a light weapon chatkcha this exotic ranged weapon is a crystalline throwing wedge damage range weapon cost m critical inc weight type gythka 60 gp 1d10 ×2 25 lb slashing chatkcha 1 gp 1d6 18­20/×2 20 ft 3 lb piercing double weapon deals 1d10/1d10 damage 14 pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqrs

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race they make no permanent settlements and travel light carrying little more than tools and food from camp to camp religion thri-kreen strongly favor a druidic tradition instead of the myriad deities of other races thri-kreen druids serve as the spiritual leaders of the race language thri-kreen speak their own language thrikreen which is composed of clicks whistles and snaps of their mandibles thri-kreen player characters also speak common names thri-kreen make no distinction between male and female names and they do not use a surname thri-kreen names chak-tha drik-chkit kacht-ta kat chka pak cha pik-ik-cha ptekwe tak-tha tik-tik adventurers most thri-kreen adventurers are barbarians rangers or druids characters who do well in the wide-open spaces favored by the race on rare occasions a thri-kreen hunter falls in with an adventuring party and bonds with its new companions taking them as clutch-mates in place of its own kind thri-kreen racial traits · +2 strength +4 dexterity ­2 intelligence +2 wisdom ­4 charisma thri-kreen are strong and quick but they think differently from most humanoids and have a hard time relating to folk of other races · monstrous humanoid thri-kreen are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only such as charm person or dominate person · medium as medium creatures thri-kreen have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size · thri-kreen base land speed is 40 feet · darkvision out to 60 feet · immunity to magic sleep effects · +3 natural armor a thri-kreen s exoskeleton is tough and resistant to blows · multiple limbs thri-kreen have four arms and thus can take the multiweapon fighting feat page 304 of the monster manual instead of the two-weapon fighting feat thri-kreen can also take the multiattack feat these are not bonus feats · natural attacks thri-kreen can attack with four claws and a bite the claws deal 1d4 points of damage and the bite is a secondary attack that also deals 1d4 points of damage a thri-kreen can attack with a weapon or multiple weapons at its normal attack bonus and make either a bite or claw attack as a secondary attack for example a thri-kreen ranger with the multiweapon fighting feat who is armed with three short swords could attack with all three swords at a ­2 penalty the normal penalty for fighting with multiple weapons while using light weapons in its off hands and also make a bite attack at a ­5 penalty · poison ex bite initial damage 1d6 dex secondary damage paralysis dc 11 con modifier a thri-kreen produces sufficient poison for only one poisonous bite per day · leap ex thri-kreen are natural jumpers they have a +30 racial bonus on jump checks · weapon familiarity thri-kreen can treat gythkas and chatkchas see the sidebar as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons · naturally psionic thri-kreen gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level this benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source such as levels in a psionic class · psi-like abilities 3/day chameleon know direction 1/day psionic displacement metaphysical claw manifester level is equal to 1/2 hit dice minimum 1st the save dcs are charisma-based · racial hit dice a thri-kreen character begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid which provide 2d8 hit dice a base attack bonus of +2 and base saving throw bonuses of fort +0 ref +3 and will +3 · racial skills a thri-kreen s monstrous humanoid levels give him skill points equal to 5 × 2 int modifier his class skills are balance climb hide jump listen and spot · thri-kreen have a +4 racial bonus on hide checks in sandy or arid settings · racial feats a thri-kreen character has deflect arrows as a bonus feat in addition his monstrous humanoid levels give him one feat · automatic languages common thri-kreen bonus languages elven giant gnoll goblin halfling · favored class ranger · level adjustment +2 chapter 1 races xephs are acknowledged for their skill in feats of agility their uncontested ability at generating bursts of speed their matchless knowledge of movement and distance and their capacity for humor xephs are celebrated for the fabulous objects of subtle beauty they produce for trade their lands lie far to the east contained within a great rift that hides a broad valley permanently plunged into darkness except for several psionically illuminated forests despite the lack of sunlight in this environment xephs thrive personality xephs are quick to laugh or joke welcoming of strangers and especially charitable to those who really earn their confidence if they are betrayed by a friend xephs are dwarflike in their resolve to seek justice and redress xephs value artful sculpture beautiful paintings expensive clothing and other art objects they prefer to avoid a fight rather than wade in but they are not timid if combat is their only recourse physical description xephs stand about 5-1/2 feet tall and are slender and graceful usually weighing about 140 pounds males are typically taller and heavier than females xephs skin is typically brown and their eyes are dark their hair is usually black and straight some wear it clipped short while others shave their heads except for a topknot and weave that hair into a single long braid relations xephs get along well with humans half-elves and halflings they think that elves might be a little too good to be true while they view half-orcs and half-giants with some suspicion xephs and maenads tend to rub each other the wrong way xephs see maenads as too stiff little realizing the reason why while maenads envy xephs their free and easy attitude alignment xephs tend toward good those who take up the soulknife class learn to be lawful though on balance the race is somewhat chaotic xeph lands xeph cities are found far to the east across wide-open savannas then deep below the lip of a great rift where darkness reigns there they practice their arts and sing their songs under the boughs of a gloriously illuminated forest members of other races are welcome in the forest though xephs 15

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