New troglodytes

[Rechan]

I actually like trogs being the brutish, bulky lizard guys. Reminds me of crocodiles/komodo dragons.

Meanwhile, to me lizardfolk are sleek and anole-like.

 

[Rechan]

trogs are the lovecraftian Tsathoggua-worshipping subterranean degenerate elder evil race.

Huh, I thought that's what grimlocks were.

 

[Blair Goatsblood]

I just don't get the buff lizard hype that seems to be present in 4e

Ditto, for me the distinction was/is

Lizardmen: Humanoid body, although scaled/tailed/clawed, with lizardy head

Troglodyte: Blasphemous lizard that walks upright and uses tools

The other rmain distinction:

Lizardmen are like pulp savages (but more "cold-blooded"), they may try to cook and eat you or you might hire them as guides. Neighboring humans know about them, may know some lizardtongue, and some lizardmen speak pidgin versions of human tongues. Most lizardmen are neutral swamp dwellers, but there have been a couple lizardman adventurers, gladiators, mercenaries, etc. A lizardmen could become lawful good, a wizrad, a monk, what have-you.

With Troglodytes, nobody (aiside from eldrich horrors and sages who study obscure races) knows their language (which also uses scent, posture and color-changing skin to communicate). Trogs don't ordinarily communicate with other races, they just kill them, take their stuff, eat the bodies and sometimes take live captives to sacrifice. Trogs are ALWAYS chatic evil...they serve as a servitor/puppet race for demonic horrors (Demogorgon, Tsathoggua, Laogzed, Jubilex, etc). Trogs don't leave their nests and see the outside world, they don't have families, they don't drink alcohol or gamble, they don't really have possessions, they have a sort of chaotic evil "hive mind."

 

[Dog Moon]

Am I the only one who's never used a trog outside the long-ago D series? Smelly lizardmen just seem like a waste of space, or a sub-entry under regular lizardmen.

I've used them once. Became a memorable fight for our group, though not NECESSARILY in a good way. Trogs have a decent Natural Armor bonus, but when you add Full Plate and put them up against low-level PCs....HARD as heck to hit. Never seen as much Assisting to attack rolls as I did in that fight.

 

[Blair Goatsblood]

Huh, I thought that's what grimlocks were.

Thing is, I've already got enough evil subterranean races. Grimlocks haven't made the cut so far IMC.

But yeah, they'd be the descendents of "furry pre-human" Tsathoggua worshippers that went underground.

EDIT: Another reason I love using trgolodytes....they can make PCs vomit with their odor!!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've used both trogs and lizardmen plenty. Lizardmen are the savage dinosaur-people that live in the jungles and marshes, trogs are the lovecraftian Tsathoggua-worshipping subterranean degenerate elder evil race.

I call that cultural differences, myself, or a cultural difference with the "stinky" quality attached, whether it be by a 3E template or 4E special ability or something.

 

[Nyaricus]

Ditto, for me the distinction was/is

Lizardmen: Humanoid body, although scaled/tailed/clawed, with lizardy head

Troglodyte: Blasphemous lizard that walks upright and uses tools

The other rmain distinction:

Lizardmen are like pulp savages (but more "cold-blooded"), they may try to cook and eat you or you might hire them as guides. Neighboring humans know about them, may know some lizardtongue, and some lizardmen speak pidgin versions of human tongues. Most lizardmen are neutral swamp dwellers, but there have been a couple lizardman adventurers, gladiators, mercenaries, etc. A lizardmen could become lawful good, a wizrad, a monk, what have-you.

With Troglodytes, nobody (aiside from eldrich horrors and sages who study obscure races) knows their language (which also uses scent, posture and color-changing skin to communicate). Trogs don't ordinarily communicate with other races, they just kill them, take their stuff, eat the bodies and sometimes take live captives to sacrifice. Trogs are ALWAYS chatic evil...they serve as a servitor/puppet race for demonic horrors (Demogorgon, Tsathoggua, Laogzed, Jubilex, etc). Trogs don't leave their nests and see the outside world, they don't have families, they don't drink alcohol or gamble, they don't really have possessions, they have a sort of chaotic evil "hive mind."

Well, that's definitely *yoinked*!!

cheers,
--N

 

[Steely Dan]

Why do I think of a chubby saurial when I look at the 4th Ed trog?

…But they do look better than the potbellied versions we've had so far, IMO.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

There's something else I associate with these trogs that the old ones never gave me.

That little bugger looks like he can dig!

 

[Nifft]

I haven't really used Trogs in 3.0e or 3.5e -- though I do use them in DDM skirmish play.

IMHO there were too many humanoid races in the MM. I'd prefer if WotC cut down on the number of those, possibly including Trogs. Humans are worth XP, too!

Cheers, -- N