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<blockquote data-quote="ferratus" data-source="post: 4181561" data-attributes="member: 55966">I agree with this sentiment myself.&nbsp; I think that the rakshasa are one of the few monsters that suffered flavour-wise with the transition from 2e to 3e.&nbsp; They downplayed them as enemies of the gods, and instead played them up as evil masterminds.&nbsp;&nbsp; However, as far as shapechanging infiltrators go, dopplegangers do it better.&nbsp; As far as cannibal tiger-beasts disguised as humans go, were-tigers do it better.&nbsp; From Wikipedia:Legend has it that many rakshasas were particularly wicked humans in previous incarnations. Rakshasas are notorious for disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human beings, and so on. Their fingernails are venomous, and they feed on human flesh and spoiled food. They are shapechangers, illusionists, and magicians.This flavour text actually works very well with the ancient war between the primordials and the Gods.&nbsp; These would be demons that have a particular hatred of the gods and their churches, and thus attempt to desecrate rites and make a mockery of human civilization.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; With this flavour text, Demogorgon actually makes an excellent Rakshasa Rajah.&nbsp; Another place where rakshasas would fit would be the Shadowfell.&nbsp;&nbsp; Being reincarnations of evil beings, eating unclean things like human flesh and spoiled food, desecrating graves and using foul rituals makes them excellent denizens of that plane.&nbsp; Especially when you consider the fact that the Shadowfell is also going to be a source of illusion magic.&nbsp; You know, while I was writing the preceding paragraph, I realized who I'm going to replace the Shadar-Kai (who I hate) with as top dogs in the Shadowfell.&nbsp; I was going to use the drow, but this is much, much better.With either flavour text, I would certainly vary the animal hybrids.&nbsp; I would do it as follows:Controller - monkeySoldier - TigerBrute - Elephant (Thaskor mini would be an excellent Rakshasa brute)Striker - PantherLurker - CobraExtra heads would show the power of the Rakshasa by granting extra actions, and would bump any of them up to noble status.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="ferratus, post: 4181561, member: 55966"] I agree with this sentiment myself. I think that the rakshasa are one of the few monsters that suffered flavour-wise with the transition from 2e to 3e. They downplayed them as enemies of the gods, and instead played them up as evil masterminds. However, as far as shapechanging infiltrators go, dopplegangers do it better. As far as cannibal tiger-beasts disguised as humans go, were-tigers do it better. From Wikipedia: [I]Legend has it that many rakshasas were particularly wicked humans in previous incarnations. Rakshasas are notorious for disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human beings, and so on. Their fingernails are venomous, and they feed on human flesh and spoiled food. They are shapechangers, illusionists, and magicians.[/I] This flavour text actually works very well with the ancient war between the primordials and the Gods. These would be demons that have a particular hatred of the gods and their churches, and thus attempt to desecrate rites and make a mockery of human civilization. With this flavour text, Demogorgon actually makes an excellent Rakshasa Rajah. Another place where rakshasas would fit would be the Shadowfell. Being reincarnations of evil beings, eating unclean things like human flesh and spoiled food, desecrating graves and using foul rituals makes them excellent denizens of that plane. Especially when you consider the fact that the Shadowfell is also going to be a source of illusion magic. You know, while I was writing the preceding paragraph, I realized who I'm going to replace the Shadar-Kai (who I hate) with as top dogs in the Shadowfell. I was going to use the drow, but this is much, much better. With either flavour text, I would certainly vary the animal hybrids. I would do it as follows: Controller - monkey Soldier - Tiger Brute - Elephant (Thaskor mini would be an excellent Rakshasa brute) Striker - Panther Lurker - Cobra Extra heads would show the power of the Rakshasa by granting extra actions, and would bump any of them up to noble status. [/QUOTE]

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