Alcor |
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Medium Humanoid
(Reptilian)
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| Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp) |
| Initiative: +2 |
| Speed: 25 ft (5 squares) |
| Armor Class: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3 |
| Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d3+1); or longspear +3 melee (1d8+1); or dart +4 ranged (1d4+1) |
| Full Attack: Tail slap +4 melee (3d4+1); or 2 claws +4 melee (1d3+1) and bite +2 melee (1d4+1); or longspear +3 melee (1d8+1); or dart +4 ranged (1d4+1) |
| Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft |
| Special Attacks: Downhill charge, tail sweep |
| Special Qualities: Arctic adaptation, skiing |
| Saves: Fort +2,
Ref +5, Will +0
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| Abilities: Str 13,
Dex 15, Con 13,
Int 4, Wis 8,
Cha 10 |
| Skills: Balance +7, Jump +8, Listen +1 |
| Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Finesse |
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| Environment: Cold hills and mountains |
| Organization: Solitary, pair, or band (2-8) |
| Challenge Rating: 02 |
| Treasure: 50% coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Alignment: Usually neutral |
| Advancement: By character class |
| Level Adjustment: +1 (for weapon-wielders only) |
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This tall humanoid looks like a cross between a powerfully built human and a pale-scaled lizard. Its most distinguishing feature is its large, flat tail.
The alcor is distantly related to lizardfolk, and has adapted itself to life in a frigid climate. The alcor is sometimes known as “the skier” due to its ability to balance on its tail and glide down snow-covered hills. Alcors otherwise only walk for short distances or if navigating flat terrain or going uphill.
Most alcors are not very bright, and concern themselves primarily with finding food. A few groups of alcor are of superior intelligence to their common cousins (Int 9), and have learned to fashion crude weapons from sharp stones and wood. These two types of alcor do not generally cooperate with or live near each other, but they will combine forces briefly against a common enemy.
An alcor is usually 6 to 7 feet tall with white or pale blue scales. It can stand and balance on its large, flat tail which is 3 to 4 feet long, and nearly 2 feet wide. An alcor can weigh from 200 to 250 pounds.
Alcors speak Draconic.
COMBAT
An alcor charges headlong into combat, attacking with its razor-sharp claws and bite. Its strong tail also makes an effective weapon for knocking foes off their feet, but this attack can only be used when the alcor is not skiing on it. If it knocks down an opponent, it will focus on that target and ignore all others while it is still down.
Most alcor tribes do not use weapons, but a few groups have learned the art of weaponry. These alcor usually carry javelins or darts to throw at their enemies before closing. A favored tactic of these smarter alcor is to charge downhill at their foes with a spear. They usually drop the spear after the charge and jump to attack with their claws.
Downhill Charge (Ex): When an alcor makes a charge while skiing downhill, its attack deals double damage in addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge.
Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows an alcor to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 5 feet, extending from an intersection on the edge of the alcor’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are Large or smaller. A tail sweep allows for a Trip Attack without provoking an attack of opportunity. Rather than making an opposed Strength check, any affected creatures can attempt a Reflex save to avoid the Trip (DC 12). Successfully avoiding the Trip does not allow for the opponent to make a Trip Attack of their own.
Arctic Adaptation (Ex): An alcor does not need to make Fortitude saves to avoid taking nonlethal damage in conditions between 40 degrees and -20 degrees. In conditions of extreme cold (below -20 degrees) they must make Fortitude saves like any other creature, but gain a +4 racial bonus on this save.
Skiing (Ex): By balancing itself on its large, flat tail, the alcor can glide rapidly across snow and ice while moving downhill. It can move as a run (x4) on slight grades (less than 45 degrees) or as a run (x5) on severe grades (45 degrees or more).
Skills: Because of their tails, alcors have a +4 racial bonus on Jump and Balance checks.
ALCORS AS CHARACTERS
An alcor's favored class is barbarian, and alcor leaders tend to be barbarians or druids. Alcor clerics can choose two of the following domains: Animal, Plant, and Water.
Alcor characters possess the following racial traits.
- +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, - 6 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom.
- Medium size.
- An alcor's base land speed is 25 feet.
- Racial Hit Dice: An alcor begins with three levels of humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +1, and Will +1.
- Racial Skills: An alcor's humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Balance, Jump, and Listen. An alcor receives a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Balance checks.
- Racial Feats: An alcor's humanoid levels give it two feats.
- +3 natural armor bonus.
- Natural Weapons: Tail slap (3d4), 2 claws (1d4), and bite (1d4).
- Special Attacks (see above): Downhill charge, tail sweep.
- Special Qualities (see above): Arctic adaption, skiing.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan.
- Favored Class: Barbarian.
- Level Adjustment +1. |
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1985 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #101 ("Creature Catalog III," September 1985, Michael Persinger). |
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