BOZ said:
not sure if they should be humanoid or monstrous humanoid - i could see them working etiher way.
Some sample conversions of the rakasta:
http://www.dnd.starflung.com/rakas_3e.html (or was that
http://www.dnd.starflung.com/rakast3e.html?)
http://home.gwi.net/~rdorman/frilond/rul/dm/rakasta.htm (a 3.5 conversion)
http://66.34.111.89/Eric/conversions/rakasta_laney.rtf (appears to be the same as the first one above)
Just in case your interested, here is my personalized conversion of the Rakasta for my homebrewed world. It is based on the old free Savage Coast download on WotCs site, as well as the anthropmorphic template from Savage Species.
Rakasta
Medium-Size Monstrous Humanoid (Feline)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d3+1) or kasa +6 melee (1d6+1) or javelin +6 ranged (1d6+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d3+1) and bite +1 melee (1d6) or kasa +6 melee (1d6+1) and claw +4 melee (1d3) or javelin +6 ranged (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blind-fight (feat), improved grab, pounce
Special Qualities: Cat’s grace, code of honor, darkvision 60 ft., detect invisible foes, scent, water penalty, weapon familiarity (kasa)
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 13 (+1), Dex 19 (+4), Con 11 (+0), Int 11 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
Skills: Balance +9, Hide +9*, Jump +5, Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Spot +4
Feats: Grass Trekker, Multiattack (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Continent/Region: Any
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pride (6–10 plus 50% noncombatants plus 1 1st-level leader per 5 adults and 1–4 saber-toothed riding cats or giant lizards)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3
Rakasta are feline humanoids that populated most of the known regions of Kulan. They seem most prominent on the western continents and would be unique if encountered in the Fallenlands or Triadora. Western rakasta are a very rare sight in the Eastern Lands and are almost never encountered in Zakhara.
Rakasta fur, eye coloring, and skin tones are as diverse as a human’s are and almost any sort of variation is possible. Rakasta stand anywhere from five to 6¾ feet in height.
Rakasta speak their own racial language.
Combat
Rakasta fight for their pride but never because of their pride. They often ride into melee on saber-toothed riding cats or giant lizards, throwing javelins at their opponents or raking enemies with their kasa as they ride back.
Because of their keen senses, rakasta must make an additional Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) against attacks based on sound (such as a banshee's wail or a harpy's song) beyond any save normally required.
Bonus Feat: Rakasta characters automatically gain the Blind-Fight Feat at 1st level.
Cat’s Grace (Su): Rakasta have excellent balance and reflexes, taking only half damage from any fall.
Detect Invisible Foes (Ex): When confronted with invisible creatures, a rakasta receives a +4 bonus to any saving throws made for detection. A rakasta automatically gets a Will saving throw (with the bonus) when an invisible creature approaches within 10 feet and during every round the invisible being remains that close. The rakasta does not automatically know where the invisible creature is, just that it is close by; locating it still requires other clues. Rakasta can also use this ability to detect the presence of ethereal creatures, such as ghosts, phase spiders, or someone wearing plate mail of etherealness. They recognize the difference between things ethereal and those simply invisible but gain no special attack or defense capabilities against ethereal beings.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the rakasta must hit with its claw attacks.
Pounce (Ex): If a rakasta leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Scent (Ex): A rakasta can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Range is 30 ft. If upwind, the range increases to 60 ft.; if downwind, it drops to 15 ft.
Water Penalty: Most rakasta have an inherent fear of the water and suffer a -2 racial penalty to all skill checks and saving throws made while exposed to water deeper than 3 feet.
Skills: Rakasta receive a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +12. Rakasta also have a +2 bonus to the Listen skill (which they must still acquire normally).
One-handed Melee Weapon – Exotic
Weapon: Kasa
Cost: 10 gp
Damage (S): 1d4
Damage (M): 1d6
Critical: x3
Increment: -
Weight: 2 lbs.
Type: Piercing
Rakasta Society
Rakasta culture is unique, somewhat mystical, and concerned primarily with battle and honor. They never betray one of their own unless the rakasta in question is an outcast from the society he grew up in. However, since rakasta are so common in the west it isn’t inconceivable that an outcast rakasta could find kinship with other rakasta in a different part of the world, although some outcasts are branded to signify their dishonor.
If rakasta do not follow these principles set down by their ancestors they are branded and cast out of their society and have a -2 penalty to all Charisma based skills when dealing with other rakasta or the simbasta (see Simbasta entry). The rakasta Code of Honor is based on the following general principles.
• Never betray kin.
• Never kill for the sake of bloodlust or vengeance.
• Never battle a lesser foe if it can be avoided.
• Always honor the dead, even of the enemy.
• Life before death.
The rakasta of Harqual must also follow the following principles.
• Always defer judgement to the chosen of Rel and Cronn.
• Honor northerners with good hearts, with friendship.
The rakasta of Janardun must also follow the following principles.
• Never lie to a psionic knight or in front of the Council of the House.
• Always be vigilant against the dark ones and their allies.
Rakasta have a racial weapon known as a kasa, which they never sell to outsiders. On rare occasions, a pride will gift an ornamental kasa to another allied rakasta pride or very rarely to an ally from another race. (See above for the statistics of a kasa.)
Rakasta Characters
Rakasta favor the fighter class. They rarely become wizards, rogues, or sorcerers but may have levels in other classes such as bards, cleric, druids, and rangers. Rakasta barbarians are very rare but possible. Rakasta often become multiclassed fighter/clerics, fighter/druids, fighter/bards, or fighter/traders.
The rakasta of Kulan are the mortal children of the god Rel, Lord of the Rakasta. They aren’t forbidden from worshipping other gods, such as Bast, but most choose their divine liege as their patron. Rakasta clerics of Rel can choose two of the following domains: Community, Family, Good, and Protection. Rakasta clerics of Bast can choose two of the following domains: Chaos, Good, Feline, Protection, Retribution, and Trickery.
