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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DnDChick" data-source="post: 3304040" data-attributes="member: 54">And since I know that eventually someone will complain that I don't have reptiles in Fauna, I'll walk through designing a monitor lizard background.Ability Bonuses*Whatever seems most appropriate. Try to make the net ability bonuses equal 0, or at the very most not more than a -1 or +1.Monitor lizards should be strong, but perhaps a little slow. I'll go with Str +1, Dex -1Bonus Skills*2 bonus skills, determined by the Narrator. They cannot be changed.--OR--*1 bonus skill of the player's choice*If the background gets no bonus skills, it gets another bonus feat of (see below)Monitor lizards are proficient climbers, and tend to be ambush predators. With that in mind, I think I'll give them Climb and Stealth as bonus skills.Bonus FeatsBonus feats can only be General feats or Favored Feats for the background*2 bonus feats, determined by the Narrator. They cannot be changed.--OR--*1 bonus feat of the player's choice--PLUS--*1 more bonus feat IF the background gets no bonus skillsTo reflect a reptile's slow metabolism, I'll give the monitor lizard Great Fortitude. Since reptilian ambush predators can react in a flash, Lightning Reflexes. Since it does have bonus skills, it only gets two bonus feats. Had I not given it bonus skills, it would have three bonus feats.Favored FeatsFavored feats cannot be General feats. They must come from the Adept, Expert, or Warrior feats.*2 favored feats, either determined by the Narrator or chosen by the player.--OR--*1 supernatural powerIn order to represent the scaly hide of a monitor lizard, I give it Tough as a favored feat. That alleviates any need to provide a natural armor bonus; if the player wants to invest the feats in toughening up his hide, he can. For the other favored feat, Seize Initiative. That fairly well duplicates the sudden, strike-like reactive attack of an ambush predator.Special: To further call out the animal features of an anthropomorphic animal background, I often like to give certain species a little something extra. In the case of the monitor lizard, they are cold-blooded, and therefore have a -2 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of environmental cold and heat. Reptiles cannot let themselve get too hot or too cold, as either one can be detrimental to them.So, here is the complete entry for the Monitor Lizard backgrond.Monitor LizardSize: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)Example: Goana, MonitorAbilities: Str +1, Dex −1Speed: 30 ft.Bonus Skills: Climb, StealthBonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Lightning ReflexesFavored Feats: Seize Initiative, ToughSpecial: Monitor lizards have a −2 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of environmental cold and heat.</blockquote>

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