Lizardfolks in Dragon #268

[Shade]

Reading back over the original text...

Varanids are ambidextrous. When fighting with two weapons, they receive a -2 penalty with their off hands and no penalty with their primary attacks.

Are we sure we want to ditch Ambidexterity?

 

[freyar]

All looking good. Let's keep ambidexterity.

 

[Shade]

http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4023605&postcount=246.

Skills: 10
Because of their tails, varanids have a +4 racial bonus on Jump, Swim, and Balance checks.

Normal lizardfolk have Balance, Jump, and Swim as racial class skills.

How about Balance 1, Craft (trapmaking) 1, Hide 3, Jump 1, Move Silently 3, Swim 1?

 

[Maxxx26]

That sounds good, but why are we keeping the hold breath.
In the general rules part for all those lizardfolks varanids and geckonids are not mentioned to be good swimmers, probably as varans and geckos aren't good swimmers either.

 

[freyar]

I'm fine with dropping hold breath (if we also did for the geckonids). Otherwise, are these pretty much done?

 

[Shade]

Hold breath has been removed. I remember Maxxx26 suggesting the removal earlier, but somehow I left it in.

I think the varanid is done.

 

[Maxxx26]

yes, looks perfect. I will use it this weekend in my savage tides campaign

 

[freyar]

Who's next?

 

[Maxxx26]

Let's take Agrutha. They will probably have 4 HD and the racial stats that Shade posted. As special abilities I would say powerful build (like half-giants, as Agrutha will probably border large), some speed burst ability (also like one of the psionic races) and hold breath. Plus claws, bite and tail.

 

[Shade]

Added to Homebrews.

I'm not sure about the speed burst, as they seem to be modeled after crocodiles in the ambush method, and crocodiles lack an ability to represent the swift strike.

For the tail, do we want to simply give them a tail slap or something like the dragon's tail sweep, since the original text implied it could only be used from behind?

Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows a dragon of at least Gargantuan size to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 30 feet (or 40 feet for a Colossal dragon), extending from an intersection on the edge of the dragon’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A tail sweep automatically deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down). Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon).

If we use this, we'll need to scale it down to Medium size, though.