Ghariali - Crocodilian Riverdwellers (With Racial Weapons)

[Lord Slaw]

Lizardfolk are cool and all, but I couldn't help but feel that they were a little bit flat. Barbaric reptilian nomads - ho hum. So, I took the liberty of spicing them up a bit, and before I knew it, I had completely left them behind, maintaining only trace amounts of their former characteristics.

What I came up with are the now-named Gharialis - think Yuan-Ti, but with crocodiles. Specifically, gavials - an Indian variety of the alligator with a thin, elongated snout used for catching fish. Before I start writing up a racial history and explaining my choices, I want to get their racial traits clear first, as I'm shooting for LA +0 - one of the big points here is that I want to make them accessible to most players, albeit under unusual circumstances.

In short, I took inspiration from Lizardfolk, Darfellan, Gnomes, Yuan-Ti, and Sahuagin, along with taking a peek at the statistics block for crocodiles. Makes for an interesting mishmash, I would say. But, sadly, no bite attack - I did a little biological research, as well, and a gavial's jaws are not suited for anything other than small fish.

NOTE - The traits displayed below are updated with the latest revisions.

REQUEST FOR CRITICISM - Racial traits can always use polishing, and the racial weapons could do with a little critique. I'm not worried about the talwar, katar, khanda, or chakram, as these are all established weapons, but thoughts on the bagh nakh and urumi (especially the urumi) would be appreciated. This includes people who would like to point out mistakes in real-life use and cultural errors, since this is pretty closely tied with India, the native land of the gavial.

GHARIALI RACIAL TRAITS

· +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma. Ghariali are lithe and graceful, especially in the water, but their isolationist attitude and nature tends to make them stubborn and reserved.
· Medium: As Medium creatures, Ghariali have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
· Ghariali base land speed is 20 feet. Ghariali are primarily adapted for swimming, and are a little slow on land.
· A ghariali has a base swim speed of 40 feet. A ghariali has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. A ghariali can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.
· +2 racial bonus on Balance checks. A Ghariali's tail aids in its balance.
· A ghariali can lie in the water with only her eyes and nostrils showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.
· +1 natural armor bonus. A ghariali's scales are thick and tough, though not as much as those of their crocodilian cousins.
· Cold Torpor (Ex): Ghariali are cold-blooded creatures, acclimated to a warm environment. As such, they retain heat poorly in cold environments. Thus, a ghariali takes a -5 penalty on Fortitude saving throws made to avoid nonlethal damage from cold environments, and she takes double the normal amount of nonlethal damage for failing such a saving throw.
· Saltwater Sensitivity (Ex): A ghariali fully immersed in saltwater must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or become fatigued. Even on a success, she must repeat the save attempt every 10 minutes she remains immersed.
· Hold Breath (Ex): A ghariali can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to four times her Constitution score before she risks drowning. Any round that a ghariali spends completely motionless, taking no move or standard actions, only counts as half of a round for the purposes of holding her breath.
· Automatic Languages: Aquan and Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Sylvan.
· Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – speak with animals (crocodilian only, duration 1 minute).
· Favored Class: Druid. A multiclass gharial’s druid class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Druids are integral to ghariali culture, and many of their leaders are druids.
· Level adjustment +0.

RACIAL WEAPONS

Simple Weapons
Light Melee Weapons
Bagh Nakh | 2 gp | 1d3 | 1d4 | 19-20 | - | 1 lb. | Slashing
Katar | 2 gp | 1d3 | 1d4 | x3 | - | 1 lb. | Piercing

Martial Weapons
One-Handed Melee Weapons
Khanda | 15 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | 19-20 | - | 5 lb. | Slashing
Talwar | 15 gp | 1d4 | 1d6 | 18-20 | - | 4 lb. | Slashing

Exotic Weapons
One-Handed Melee Weapons
Urumi | 20 gp | 1d6 | 1d8 | 19-20 | - | 3 lb. | Slashing
Ranged Weapons
Chakram | 15 gp | 1d3 | 1d4 | x3 | 30 ft. | 2 lb. | Slashing

Bagh Nakh: A bagh nakh, otherwise known as a tiger claw, is a set of metal knuckles equipped with small, slashing blades along the knuckles.
With a bagh nakh, you recieve a +4 bonus on rolls to avoid being disarmed.

Urumi: An urumi is a long, thin, flexible strip(s) of steel with a cutting edge attached to a sword hilt.
Because an urumi can wrap around an enemy's leg or other limb, you can make trip attacks with it. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the urumi to avoid being tripped.
When using an urumi, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails.
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with an urumi sized for you, even though it isn't a light weapon for you.

Equivalencies
Katar - Punching Dagger
Khanda - Longsword
Talwar - Scimitar

FUTURE UPDATES - Standard info provided with core races, racial deity, general characteristics (weapon/armor preferences, etc.), and Monster Manual-style statistics block for various NPCs. Yep, this guy's going into one of my campaigns.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I worked up my own version a while ago. If you want to raid it for ideas or steal it wholecloth or make 'em a superior race of Gavials, be my guest.

 

[MrWildman]

I went "A'Wiki-ing" to look for pictures and the like and found the gharial (A.K.A. "Indian gharial" or "gavial"). Cool.

So. Some random thoughts based on your post and the Wiki stuff:

As they are described as "the most nimble and quick" in the world while in the water, I'd raise their swim speed to 40 feet, keeping land speed at 20.
Reveille's +4 LA Gatorfolk have some nice stuff, so let's take some little bits and give your gavials a +2 racial bonus to Balance and Swim checks. If your gavials have tails this could be described as benefiting from that.
The +4 to Handle Animal, +2 on Wild Empathy, Speak With Animals thing seems a little overkill to me. But that's just me, you know?
Finally, the Wiki article mentioned finding gems in the stomachs of gavials, collected by scavenging corpses, and a "See Also: Mugger Crocodile" so I'd like to propose Favored Class: Rogue.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Lord Slaw]

I worked up my own version a while ago. If you want to raid it for ideas or steal it wholecloth or make 'em a superior race of Gavials, be my guest.

Thanks for the source! My original idea was similar to the whole hulking reptilian bruiser concept, but I eventually went with more of a tribal kind of creature. I do intend on using a few of these concepts, though. In fact, I might even adapt these Gatorfolk as some of the Gavial's more "primal cousins" for use in an upcoming campaign.

As they are described as "the most nimble and quick" in the world while in the water, I'd raise their swim speed to 40 feet, keeping land speed at 20.

Hmm, that was bugging me. I was a little bit worried about that being a bit much, but it's incredibly situational. And that 20 foot land speed can really hurt. These guys aren't really intended for a full-on aquatic campaign, anyway - though they really shine in an amphibious one. But, like Darfellan, they function perfectly well on land - just maybe not in the frozen tundra.

Reveille's +4 LA Gatorfolk have some nice stuff, so let's take some little bits and give your gavials a +2 racial bonus to Balance and Swim checks. If your gavials have tails this could be described as benefiting from that.

The Balance I'd be willing to put it (seriously, how often does Balance come into play, barring Ninjas?). The bonus to Swim is already implied by the default +8 bonus due to their swim speed. Since the only thing a swim speed doesn't already do is allow immediate avoidance of hazards, that +2 wouldn't do anything but bring the +8 to a +10, which wouldn't make a lot of sense to me (Gavials being better swimmers than Sahuagin?).

The +4 to Handle Animal, +2 on Wild Empathy, Speak With Animals thing seems a little overkill to me. But that's just me, you know?

Oh, most definitely overkill! I dropped it in there purely for flavor. I always loved little insignificant abilities that one could creatively put to use from time to time. And it further cements their role as effective Druids and Rangers, which is what most of their society is based around.

Finally, the Wiki article mentioned finding gems in the stomachs of gavials, collected by scavenging corpses, and a "See Also: Mugger Crocodile" so I'd like to propose Favored Class: Rogue.

I like the fact that you're thinking along the same lines as me! After reading this, it struck me that these guys would make for fun and interesting Rogues. As such, once this version is done, I intend with penning up a cultural varient, which isn't quite as isolated and deals with other cultures a bit more.

 

[Lord Slaw]

OK, revised draft, and I came up with a name - Ghariali. Cool, flowing, tribal, and scientifically accurate! Hooray!

GHARIALI RACIAL TRAITS
· +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma. Ghariali are lithe and graceful, especially in the water, but their isolationist attitude and nature tends to make them stubborn and reserved.
· Medium: As Medium creatures, Ghariali have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
· Ghariali base land speed is 20 feet. Ghariali are primarily adapted for swimming, and are a little slow on land.
· A ghariali has a base swim speed of 40 feet. A ghariali has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. A ghariali can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.
· +2 racial bonus on Balance checks. A Ghariali's tail aids in its balance.
· +4 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks when working with crocodilians. Ghariali hold a deep respect for and understanding of their less advanced cousins, and often raise them for use as mutual guardians and mounts
· +2 racial bonus on Hide checks while in the water. A ghariali's coloration blends in well with an aquatic environment, but they are slightly brighter in coloration than most crocodiles.
· A ghariali can lie in the water with only its eyes and nostrils showing, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks.
· +1 natural armor bonus. A ghariali's scales are thick and tough, though not as much as those of their crocodilian cousins.
· +2 racial bonus on Wild Empathy checks to influence the attitude of crocodilian animals. Ghariali possess an innate understanding of all crocodilians, thanks to their shared ancestry.
· -4 racial penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of cold weather or exposure. Ghariali are cold-blooded and adapted to a warm climate, and do not tolerate extreme cold.
· Hold Breath (Ex): A ghariali can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to four times her Constitution score before she risks drowning. Any round that a ghariali spends completely motionless, taking no move or standard actions, only counts as half of a round for the purposes of holding her breath.
· Automatic Languages: Aquan and Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Sylvan.
· Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – speak with animals (crocodilian only, duration 1 minute).
· Favored Class: Druid. A multiclass gharial’s druid class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Druids are integral to ghariali culture, and many of their leaders are druids.
· Level adjustment +0.

 

[MrWildman]

Very cool, Lord Slaw. I like the concise yet evocative descriptions especially.

I'd play one. Whattaya think of a Swordsage? Seriously.
Given the gharial's origins and druid Favored Class I envision my Ghariali wielding a scimitar, head wrapped against the cold in layers of silk.

Again, very cool.

Peace.

 

[Lord Slaw]

I'm thrilled that you like it! In fact, I might expand upon this race a little bit more - give it all of the standard PHB info, some racial feats, racial equipment, a few variants, so on and so forth. Heck, eventually, I might move to get all of that expanded info slapped into a PDF and see if anyone wants to publish it.

As for the Swordsage, sounds like a fun idea! The scimitar is what I had in mind - definitely a racial favorite. However, for some warriors, especially those taking advantage of their natural underwater ability, halberds would probably be extremely popular; the axe head for use on land, the spear head for use underwater.

Wow, I'm liking this concept even more. For anybody reading this, however, don't be afraid to comment - I might still make revisions, and I intend on updating these guys further.

 

[MrWildman]

Yeah. Tonight I'm going to stat up the Swordsage. I can see him dual-wielding Talwar and Katar. I'm using the name "Dwalla Nayeffi" for now. What do you think?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Given the adjustments to the race, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they're powerful enough for at least a LA +1.

 

[Lord Slaw]

Given the adjustments to the race, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they're powerful enough for at least a LA +1.

Ah, thanks for the observation. What pushed it over? Almost all of their racial abilities are entirely situational - in fact, the only things you can really rely on are the +2 to Balance, the swim speed, the natural armor, and the ability modifiers.

Perhaps too many situational bonuses added up to too many bonuses period? I have been thinking that they need a drawback or two to be paired with this, since the only killers they have right now are a slow land speed and a big penalty in cold (also situational). Any suggestions on what could be cut and what could be added in to counterbalance?

Yeah. Tonight I'm going to stat up the Swordsage. I can see him dual-wielding Talwar and Katar. I'm using the name "Dwalla Nayeffi" for now. What do you think?

Name is up to you! I haven't put thought into racial naming procedures quite yet. But that sounds about right. Don't set those stats in stone quite yet - as you can see, there is still some work that must be done.