Just a little, nearly epic level, PC race. With goodies included.
Druatha
Druatha are a mysterious and beautiful species that seem to derive from both fey and plant alike. Around average human height and possessed of striking features, there would be no mistaking them for any other race, although, if they chose, they could easily disguise themselves as humans, provided they hid their subtle plant-like features and sharply pointed ears. Perhaps their most strikingly inhuman quality is their tendency to grow vines from their hair, or mayhaps it is their sap-like emerald blood. Though many sages still debate which is more distinguishing, it is enough to say that they are the druatha.
Druatha culture is centered around clan, crystals, family, magic, nature, peace, pistols, plant-life, psionics, and steel these things they cherish above all else. When asked to leave their wild homelands, they often stare in abject horror at the very notion. This is not to say that they care nothing for other sentient races, they just prefer their own ways to the ways of others. Shaping their environs in aesthetically pleasing ways, they form their very homes from the living plants that surround their peoples. In larger communities of druatha, entire villages or even cities are formed from the native wilds they dwell in. In nearly all instances, these dwellings are decorated with crystals and steel.
Druatha are forbidden to intentionally harm any plant, as it may be a relative, and even consider the eating of vegetable matter to be cannibalism. Resultantly all druatha are carnivores and often come into conflict with races that eat plants. For this reason above all others, druatha are considered to be quite savage, although in truth, it is, from the druatha's perspective, quite other way around. Though they try to avoid killing the “less enlightened” species, it is, at times, simply unavoidable. Perhaps because of this reason, more than any other, druatha avoid most other sentient species.
Druatha are often misunderstood by other species. The most popular misconception is in regard to their profound love of all plant-life. Such as it is, it is commonly thought that druatha even hate stepping on grass, while this is true to an extent, they will do so if they must. Druatha druids of high enough level do not concern themselves with such trivial matters, since their footsteps do not bring harm to smaller plant-life, thanks to their “Trackless Step” ability. These druatha are the ones most commonly found exploring other cultures. They are also more tolerant of the ways of the other species, seeing the eating of plants as natural.
Druatha druids are highly respected by all druatha, though were it not for the profound truths behind druidic wisdom, druids would be cast out of their clans for this “backward” thinking. As the most powerful members of any druatha community, druatha druids are seen as guides, mentors, and in rare cases icons worthy of worship. In each clan seven druids rule the clan and one “High Druid” rules them all. This “High Druid” is always the eldest druatha druid and never leaves the security of the clan. “High Druids” are in turn ruled by the “Arch Druid”, who is the eldest druatha druid in all the world. This druid is Eglynysta of the Gynyryen clan and she is seldom seen by any not of her own clan.
Druatha, though peaceful, are far from naive. They do wield potent magicks and powers, with almost effortless proficiency. Furthermore, they have a profound interest in the singularly most unusual aspect of their culture...pistols. While they do not relish most technologies, in fact disdaining them almost entirely, they possess an almost obsessive love of personal firearms. Though for them, this obsession stems not from war, but from their fascination with the ease with which they may defend their homes, using personal firearms, without inflicting overwhelming damage upon their beloved plants. Their primary exports are crystal, steel, and wild boar.
Druatha Traits (Ex): Druatha initially possess the following racial traits.
- Fey type, Psionic subtype.
- Medium size (No adjustments due to size).
- +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
- A druatha’s base land speed is 30 feet, their climb speed is 15 ft.
- Low-Light Vision: A druatha can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish
color and detail under these conditions.
- Immunity to sleep powers / spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment / mind-affecting spells or effects.
- Power resistance equal to 10 + class levels.
- Spell resistance equal to 10 + class levels.
- +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
- Spell-Like Abilities: Druatha can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: detect magic, obscuring mist, plant shape (as wood shape, except, all plants). Caster level equals the druatha’s class levels.
- Psionics
ruatha receive the Wild Talent feat for free. Furthermore, they possess the following psi-like abilities, each usable once per day: crystal shard, empathy, and object
reading. Manifester level equals the druatha's class levels.
- Weapon Proficiency: A druatha is automatically proficient with the pistol, the longsword, and the short sword.
- Armor Proficiency:A druatha is automatically proficient in heavy, light, and medium armor. Druatha druids may wield metal weapons and wear metal armor without penalty,
for they are forbidden to intentionally harm any plant, as it may be a relative, and even consider the eating of vegetable matter to be cannibalism (all druatha are carnivores).
Furthermore, all druatha are considered to have Armor Mastery when using their own elaborate form of Banded Mail, though not with any other form of armor. Druatha favor
peace, but are always prepared for the inevitability of war.
- +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A druatha who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if he
were actively looking for it. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
- Automatic Languages: Druatha, Delgoran, and Folynaran. Bonus Languages: Kyteryn, Maegyer, Oldryn, Quedaryul, and Yrglastynoryun.
- Favored Class: Archivist, Druid, or Erudite.
- Level adjustment +5.
Upon coming of age, the onset of adolescence, a druatha automatically acquires the half-plant template and the eidothrope template (ignoring size restrictions for their “other form” in all cases, though also lacking the “Curse of Eidothropy” ability in all cases...though since such a curse exists, it is included for posterity, while their “Eidothropic Empathy” ability extends to all plants). There “other form” is always that of a mobile sentient plant of one variety of another, most often that of a treant of one variety or another, though other “other forms” do exist. An entire clan of druatha will all possess the same “other form”, there are no exceptions to this rule.
Druatha age 100x slower than elves, thus this event takes quite a long time to occur. These druatha are known as Elder Druatha, although, many are not much older than their own siblings. Elder druatha are the only druatha allowed to take part in any decisions regarding the clan, all other druatha must abide by these decisions or be cast out of the clan for all time, a horrifying thought for any druatha. Surprisingly there have only been a small handful of outcast druatha in all of druatha history, and these ones formed their own clans. Though they are no longer welcome in their original clans, they follow druatha tradition and are accepted by other druatha clans.
The oldest druatha known are of the Gynyryen clan. The elders of this clan possess “other forms” equivalent to elder treants and are greatly respected, indeed almost worshiped, by all other clans. Any outcast clans wrought by their laws have long since vanished, so all druatha are accepted by the Gynyryen's as beloved kindred.
Half-Plant
Half-plants live between the worlds of flora and fauna. They often have grass for hair, thorns for nails, leaves for ears, bark-like skin that comes in any of a hundred hues, and eyes that come in any color that flowers do.
Creating a Half-Plant
“Half-plant” is an inherited template that can be applied to any aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, or vermin (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
A half-plant uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Armor Class: Th e half-plant’s natural armor bonus improves by +1 over that of the base creature.
Special Qualities: Th e half-plant retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described here.
Fortification (Ex): When a creature becomes a half-plant, many of its internal organs are replaced by vegetable matter. Thus, whenever a sneak attack or critical hit is scored against the half-plant, there is a 50% chance that the extra damage is negated and damage is rolled normally.
Low-Light Vision (Ex): The half plant can see twice as far as a human in torchlight, starlight, moonlight, and other conditions of low light.
Plant Feeding (Ex): If a half-plant remains in the direct light of the sun for at least 4 hours, it does not need to eat that day.
Plant-like (Ex): A half-plant creature counts as a plant for the purpose of spells and effects that specifically affect creatures of the plant type. Half-plant creatures can use magic items with powers or abilities that work specifically for creatures of the plant type. A half-plant also has a +4 bonus on saving throws against poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, polymorphing, and mind-affecting effects.
Abilities: Change from the base creature as follows: Dex –2 (minimum 0), Con +4.
Skills: A half-plant has a +5 racial bonus on Hide checks in forests and flora-heavy settings.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +1.
Half-Plant Characters
A half-plant favors whichever class the base creature does.
Eidothrope
An eidothrope is a creature of humanoid form that can assume the form of another creature, or even take on a form that is a hybrid of the two. Natural eidothropes can control their forms and communicate the disease of eidothropy to other creatures with its natural attacks. Afflicted eidothropes are slaves to the phases of the moon, becoming monstrous beings at certain times regardless of their will.
Creating an Eidothrope
“Eidothrope” is a template that can be added to any living humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, or other creature with a generally humanoid form—namely, two arms, two legs, and a head (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The eidothrope template can be inherited (for natural eidothropes) or acquired (for afflicted eidothropes).
The eidothrope takes on the characteristics of some other kind of living creature (referred to hereafter as the werecreature). Th e werecreature can be any creature whose size is within one step of the base creature’s size. An eidothrope can also adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the base creature with those of the werecreature.
An eidothrope uses either the base creature’s or the werecreature form’s statistics and special abilities, as described here.
Size and Type: The eidothrope retains the base creature’s type and gains the shapechanger subtype and the subtypes of the werecreature if the base creature did not already have them. If two subtypes conflict (such as fire and cold), the eidothrope retains all immunities granted by the conflicting subtypes but loses them both. Size of the eidothrope is the same as the base creature in its normal form and the same as the werecreature in monster form. Its hybrid shape is the same size as the werecreature’s or the base creature’s form, whichever is larger.
Form: An eidothrope can take any of three forms: the base creature’s form (called normal form), a hybrid form, or the werecreature’s form (called monster form). The hybrid form has the base creature’s body shape and number of limbs and heads, but it shares certain characteristics of the werecreature form, including scales, fur, or skin tones. The hybrid form might also include smaller versions of the werecreature’s wings, horns, or facial features, or even vestigial limbs (or heads) of the werecreature form that the base creature form does not possess.
Hit Dice: An eidothrope has a number of racial Hit Dice equal to the base creature’s racial HD + the werecreature’s racial HD. All its racial HD are of the same type as the base creature’s racial HD. To calculate its hit points, apply the base creature’s Constitution modifier to the base creature’s racial HD and the werecreature’s Constitution modifier to the werecreature’s HD.
Speed: Same as the base creature or werecreature, depending on which form the eidothrope is using. The hybrid form retains the speeds of the base creature. If the base creature lacks a particular type of movement that the werecreature possesses, the hybrid form possesses that mode of movement at one-half the werecreature’s speed.
Armor Class: The eidothrope’s natural armor bonus improves by +2 over that of the base creature in all its forms. An eidothrope in hybrid form has a natural armor bonus equal to the werecreature’s or the base creature’s, whichever is higher.
Base Attack Bonus: Recalculate the eidothrope’s base attack bonus for its racial Hit Dice based on its creature type and number of racial HD, according to the following table. Add to this value the base attack bonus for any class Hit Dice it has.
Base Attack Bonus Creature Type
HD x 3/4 (as cleric) Aberration, animal, construct, elemental, giant, humanoid, ooze, plant,
vermin HD (as fighter) Dragon, magical beast, monstrous humanoid,
outsider
HD x 1/2 (as wizard) Fey, undead
Grapple: The eidothrope’s grapple modifier varies with the size and Strength of the form it is using. Th e size modifier for grapple checks is given on the following table.
Amalgam’s Size Size Modifier for Grapple Checks
Fine -16
Diminutive -12
Tiny -8
Small -4
Medium +0
Large +4
Huge +8
Gargantuan +12
Colossal +16
Attack: In normal or monster form, the eidothrope retains all the attacks of the form it is using, and the weapon and armor proficiencies of both forms. In hybrid form, it gains a bite attack with each head if the werecreature has a bite attack and a claw attack with each arm if the werecreature has a claw attack. The bite attack is primary if the creature has no other natural attacks, or secondary otherwise. Th e claw attacks (if any) are primary. Any other natural attacks it has retain the same primary or secondary status they had for the base creature. In hybrid form, an eidothrope usually attacks with a weapon, a natural attack, or a claw.
Damage: If the eidothrope gained bite or claw attacks for its hybrid form from the application of this template, the base damage for each is as given on the following table.
Size of Hybrid Form Bite Base Damage Claw Base Damage
Fine - 1
Diminutive 1 1d2
Tiny 1d2 1d3
Small 1d3 1d4
Medium 1d4 1d6
Large 1d6 1d8
Huge 1d8 2d6
Gargantuan 2d6 2d8
Colossal 2d8 4d6
Space/Reach: An eidothrope has the base creature’s space and reach in normal form and the werecreature’s space and reach in werecreature form. In hybrid form, the eidothrope has the space of either the base creature or the werecreature, whichever is larger. If the base creature is smaller than the werecreature but has a longer reach, the hybrid creature’s reach is equal to that of the base creature. If the werecreature is the larger form but has an unusually long reach, the hybrid form has the reach typical for a humanoid creature of the monster form’s size category. Otherwise, the hybrid form has the reach of the larger of the two forms.
Special Attacks: The eidothrope retains all the special attacks of the base creature or the werecreature when it is in normal or monster form, respectively. The hybrid form gains the special attacks of the base creature and the werecreature. Class abilities are retained regardless of form, although certain abilities may be severely hindered. For example, an eidothrope spellcaster cannot cast spells with V, S, or M components in werecreature form, or spells with V components in hybrid form, unless its werecreature form can cast spells in the same manner as the base creature can. The eidothrope also gains the following special attack while in the forms specified.
- Curse of Eidothropy (Su): Any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, or creature with a generally humanoid form (two arms, two legs, and a head) that is hit by the bite attack of a natural eidothrope in monster or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract eidothropy. If the victim is not within one size category of the monstrous eidothrope’s monster form (for example, a hill giant bitten by a weresprite), the victim cannot contract eidothropy from that creature. Afflicted eidothropes cannot pass on the curse of eidothropy.
Special Qualities: The eidothrope retains all the special qualities of the base creature or the werecreature when it is in normal or monster form, respectively. The hybrid form gains the special qualities of the base creature and the werecreature. Class abilities are retained regardless of form, although certain abilities may be severely hindered. For example, an eidothrope in hybrid or monster form loses the ability to make use of armor, unless their armor is either built for the form in question or is capable of magically altering it's form to suit their new form as they change. For this reason, many eidothropes tend to not wear armor, as any change in form destroys it, unless they are assuming a smaller form, while inflicting 6d6 damage upon the eidothrope. For similar reasons they tend to disrobe before changing form. The eidothrope also gains the following special qualities while in the forms specified.
- Alternate Form (Su): An eidothrope can shift into normal, monster, or hybrid form as though using the shapechange spell on itself, except that its gear is not affected, it does not regain hit points for changing form, and only one specific werecreature’s form can be assumed. The eidothrope does not assume the ability scores of the werecreature; instead, it adds the werecreature’s physical ability score modifiers (see Abilities, below) to the ability scores of the base creature when assuming either monster or hybrid form. A slain eidothrope either reverts to its normal form (50% chance) or does not revert to it's normal form (50% chance), although it remains dead. Separated body parts retain their current form (50% chance) or revert to their normal form (50% chance), as well. Afflicted eidothrope find this ability difficult to control (see the Eidothropy as an Affliction section on the next page), but natural eidothropes have full control over this power.
- Damage Reduction (Ex): An eidothrope in hybrid or monster form gains damage reduction equal to half their hit dice/silver. If the werecreature has damage reduction of another sort, the eidothrope becomes vulnerable to damage from silver weapons in all forms.
- Eidothropic Empathy (Ex): In any form, an eidothrope can communicate and empathize with normal creatures of its werecreature kind. This ability gives the creature a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks made to influence the creature’s attitude.
Saves: The eidothrope's base saves for its racial Hit Dice depend on its type, as given on the following table. Any saves not noted as good for a particular type are poor. See Chapter 3: Classes of the PHB for the progression of good and poor saves. Add to each of these values the corresponding base save bonuses for any class Hit Dice the eidothrope has, and apply the appropriate modifiers from ability scores and feats for whichever form the creature is using.
Creature Type Good Saves
Aberration Will
Animal Fortitude and Reflex (and sometimes Will)
Construct —
Dragon Fortitude, Reflex, Will
Elemental Fortitude (Earth or Water) or Reflex (Air or Fire)
Fey Reflex and Will
Giant Fortitude
Humanoid Fortitude or Reflex or Will
Magical beast Fortitude, Reflex
Monstrous humanoid Reflex, Will
Ooze —
Outsider Fortitude, Reflex, Will
Plant Fortitude
Undead Will
Vermin Fortitude
Abilities: When a eidothrope is in werecreature or hybrid form, each of its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution) improves by an amount equal to the corresponding score for the werecreature –10 (if even) or –11 (if odd). If the werecreature lacks a certain ability (such as a Constitution score for a construct or undead), ignore this adjustment for that score. The eidothrope acquires the mental ability (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) bonuses (if any), though not penalties, of the werecreature in all three forms. The eidothrope may also gain additional ability score increases by virtue of its extra Hit Dice, just as any other character would.
Skills: The eidothrope gains a number of additional skill points from its added Hit Dice based on its type, as given in the following table. Skills given in the werecreature’s description are class skills for its werecreature Hit Dice, and all others are cross-class skills. The eidothrope retains any skill points gained from class levels. In any form, the eidothrope also retains the base creature’s and the werecreature’s racial skill bonuses, although conditional skill bonuses apply only in forms with the proper features. New racial bonuses, new size modifiers, and new ability scores all modify skill modifiers. In addition, any size change also changes the size modifier on Hide checks.
Creature Type Skill Points
Aberration (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Animal (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Construct (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Dragon (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Elemental (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Fey (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Giant (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Humanoid (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Magical beast (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Monstrous humanoid (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Ooze (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Outsider (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Plant (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Undead (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Vermin (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (HD +3)
Feats: The eidothrope retains the feats of both the base creature and the werecreature. If the eidothrope ends up with the same feat twice, it loses the duplicate feat unless it is one that can normally be taken more than once. If the eidothrope has more feats than its character level would allow, the “extra” feats are gained as bonus feats. If the eidothrope cannot meet the prerequisites for a given feat in a particular form, it still has the feat but cannot use it in that form. A eidothrope also receives Iron Will as a bonus feat if neither
the base creature nor the werecreature already has it.
Environment: Same as either the base creature or the werecreature.
Organization: Solitary, pair, family (3–4), or pack (6–10).
Challenge Rating: Same as the challenge rating of the base creature + the challenge rating of the werecreature.
Treasure: Standard or same as the werecreature, whichever is greater.
Alignment: Any, usually same as the werecreature.
Advancement: Same as either the base creature or the werecreature.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature plus either the level adjustment of the werecreature or +3, whichever is greater. The eidothrope’s effective level equals it's character level.
Treant
Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 7d8+35 (66 hp)
Initiative: –1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–2 size, –1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+22
Attack: Slam +12 melee (2d6+9)
Full Attack: 2 slams +12 melee (2d6+9)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Animate trees, double damage against objects, trample 2d6+13
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/slashing, low-light vision, plant traits, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +1, Will +7
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills: Diplomacy +3, Hide –9*, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8, Survival +8 (+10 aboveground)
Feats: Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary or grove (4–7)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: 8–16 HD (Huge); 17–21 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: +5
A treant’s leaves are deep green in the spring and summer. In the fall and winter the leaves change to yellow, orange, or red, but they rarely fall out. A treant’s legs fit together when closed to look like the trunk of a tree, and a motionless treant is nearly indistinguishable from a tree.
A treant is about 30 feet tall, with a “trunk” about 2 feet in diameter. It weighs about 4,500 pounds.
Treants speak their own language, plus Common and Sylvan. Most also can manage a smattering of just about all other humanoid tongues—at least enough to say “Get away from my trees!”
Combat
Treants prefer to watch potential foes carefully before attacking. They often charge suddenly from cover to trample the despoilers of forests. If sorely pressed, they animate trees as reinforcements.
Animate Trees (Sp): A treant can animate trees within 180 feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a time. It takes 1 full round for a normal tree to uproot itself. Thereafter it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights as a treant in all respects. Animated trees lose their ability to move if the treant that animated them is incapacitated or moves out of range. The ability is otherwise similar to liveoak (caster level 12th). Animated trees have the same vulnerability to fire that a treant has.
Double Damage against Objects (Ex): A treant or animated tree that makes a full attack against an object or structure deals double damage.
Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 22 half. The save DC is Strength-based. Skills: *Treants have a +16 racial bonus on Hide checks made in forested areas.
