Tandda [Race, Feats, PrC]

[Stratovarius]

This is, hopefully, a fun little collection of material that can be dropped in deep underground in any setting.

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Tandda

Not much is known about the Tandda, and nothing at all except by the Tokunnir and those who have discovered some of the secrets of the Tokunnir. For the Tandda come from the very depths of the earth, below even the dwarven kingdoms, and vanish into those same depths just as quickly. Thus, absolutely nothing is known about the makeup or culture of the Tandda, except by the Tandda themselves.

Tandda are a hive culture, driven by a rising heirarchy of matriarchs who control subservient groupings of females. Males are few and far between, serving only the queens of the Tandda as breeding fodder. Because of the hive-like conditions through which the Tandda thrive, there is almost nothing in the way of culture, art, technology, or otherwise. Indeed, the Tandda seem to spurn those very things, although that may be a result of their resistance to magic as much as anything else.

Personality
The average Tandda is a worker animal, doing as the queen and colony needs, and selflessly putting others above of itself. Free time does not particularly exist for these creatures, and so they tend not to develop much in way of humor. The conversation between various forms of worker Tandda revolves around tasks that need completing, overarching goals, and other items generally to the benefit of all members of the colony.

Physical Description
Tandda are well-adapted to their underground existence, and, indeed, would suffer away from it. They have an exquisite sense of smell, but are blind. Their limbs are thin and short; however, they are highly adept at moving underground and can move backward as fast as they can move forward. Their large, protruding teeth are used to dig and their lips are sealed just behind the teeth, preventing soil from filling their mouths while digging. They have little hair and wrinkled pink or yellowish skin, which lacks an insulating layer.

Relations
Simply put, there are none. When Tokunnir intrude into a Tandda domain, they are forcibly ejected if possible. Otherwise, the behaviour or even existence of other races in Arhosa is of no concern to the Tandda.

Religion
The individual colonies of Tandda worship the solitary queens who rule over them, but otherwise have no concept of religion as it is understood by the surface races. Given that all magic springs from the gods, and that the Tandda are actively resistant to magic, it is perhaps thought that they are not of the gods at all, but how can that be when the gods created everything?

Language
A language all their own, one involving scent and touch as much as sound, seperates the Tandda from the cultures around them.

Adventurers
Tandda generally don't adventure, except when in a grouping controlled by a matriarch or one of her offspring. Although some Tandda have wandered away from their colony or become lost when unforeseen actions occur, and it is through studying those few Tandda that even the little that is known about them exists.

Tandda Racial Traits
+2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence -2 Wisdom -4 Charisma
Monstrous Humanoid [Earth]
Tanddas have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when underground
Medium: As Medium creatures, Tandda have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Tandda base land speed is 20 feet, and they have a burrow speed of 10 ft.
Blindsight 20 ft.
Enhanced Scent: Tandda, because of their blindness, see the world through senses other than their eyes. Tandda can detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes within 60 feet. For strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, double the range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. They can pinpoint the location of a scent when within 30 ft.
Slight Build: The physical stature of Tanddas lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a Tandda is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the Tandda is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A Tandda is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A Tandda can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a Tandda remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of runes, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
Swarmfighting: All Tandda start with the Swarmfighting feat.
Blind: A Tandda is sightless, but because it is sightless, a Tandda is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attacks that rely on sight.
Unto the Earth: If a Tandda is killed, one minute after its death its body dissolves into a fluid mess. If it does so, the Tandda cannot be brought back to life except by miracle or true resurrection. For one hour after its body dissolves, the square the body occupies and every immediately adjacent square is treated as if stinking cloud had been cast in it, except that the ability is extraordinary.
Underground Dweller: Used to the controlled environment of their homeland, Tandda treat climates as if they were one step colder than they actually are.
Magical Void: Tandda counter the existence of all forms of magic. Any magic user (spells, psionics, supernatural maneuvers, runecarvers, ritualists, etc.) who attempts to create a spell or effect within 10 ft. of a Tandda has a 5% chance of failure for every Tandda within 10 ft (maximum 50% chance). Any ongoing spell or effect has that same chance of being suppressed inside the 10 ft. area. A Tandda can never have levels in classes affected by this ability.
Automatic Languages: Terran. Bonus Languages: None
Favored Class: Barbarian.

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Blackness
Prerequisites: Warrior Breeding
Benefit: The Inky Murk ability from Warrior Breeding increases in area by 5 ft., the concealment it applies is now always total concealment, and the Balance DC is now 15. In addition, the ability can be used twice per hour.

Born of the Horde
Prerequisites: Swarmfighting
Benefit: You are born to fight in the heavy morass of a horde frontline.
Packed Together: When you occupy the same space as another creature with Swarmfighting, you are treated as having partial cover as the enemy faces the mass of limbs flying forth. In addition, you gain a damage bonus to your attacks equal to the benefit your Swarmfighting feat grants to the attack roll.
Press the Weak Point: To use this maneuver, you must be within a single move of an ally with Swarmfighting who has just successfully attacked an enemy, and every square between you and the striking comrade must be empty or occupied by an ally. You can immediately take a single move action (as if you had readied an action to do so) to move into the square the ally occupies. If you cannot fit in the square because two allies already share the space, you may occupy an empty square or a square with an ally whose space you can share that threatens the struck creature. If none of these conditions can be met the ability fails.
Claw Them to Shreds: If an allied creature with Swarmfighting successfully critical hits an enemy, you may make a free attack against that creature with a -4 penalty if you are in melee range of it. You may only gain one attack a round from this ability.

Matriarch Breeding
Prerequisites: Tandda race, 1st level only
Benefit: You gain a +2 increase to your Intelligence, and Warcraft is always a class skill for you. In addition, the matriarch gains a cohort. This cohort is a Tandda warrior (the NPC class) with levels equal to the matriarch’s character level -2 (minimum level 1) and the standard array. If the cohort dies defending the matriarch, another will appear in 2d4 days. Otherwise it takes 2d4 weeks to replace a deceased cohort.
Special: You may not take Warrior Breeding or Worker Breeding if you take this feat

Prodigious Nose
Prerequisites: Tandda race
Benefit: You can use scent to detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes within 120 feet. For strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, double the range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. You can pinpoint the location of a scent when within 60 ft.

Shadow Stalker
Prerequisites: Hide 6, Move Silently 6
Benefit: You disappear into the darkness, even from melee.
Beneath Notice: If both you and an ally threaten an opponent, you can attempt to slip beneath your opponent's notice. On your turn, as a swift action, you can make a Hide check opposed by the threatened foe's Spot check. If you succeed on this check, your foe cannot attack you on his next turn as long as he threatens another active opponent. If you attack your foe for any reason before or during his next turn, you lose this maneuver's benefit.
Disappearance: Make an attack against an opponent as a standard action. If the attack hits, you may move up to twice your speed, and then attempt a Hide check with a +5 bonus. If the foe is adjacent to an ally of yours when you use this ability, increase the bonus on Hide to +10.
Silent Strike: You use an ally's distraction and your talent to move noiselessly and slip out of your opponent's field of vision for a single, crucial moment. To use this maneuver, both you and an ally must threaten a single foe. As a swift action, you make a Move Silently check opposed by your foe's Listen check. If you succeed on this check, you gain this maneuver's benefit. Your target loses his Dexterity bonus to AC against your first attack of the round so long as your ally still threatens him.

Spiralling Emptiness
Prerequisites: Tandda race
Benefit: Your magical void ability increases by 10% and also increases in range by 10 ft. (to 20 ft. if otherwise unmodified).

Swarmfighting
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Small size
Benefit: You can occupy the same 5-foot square in combat with any other allied Small creature that also possesses the Swarmfighting feat at no penalty. When you engage a Medium or larger creature in melee, and at least one other ally with the Swarmfighting feat threatens the target, you gain a +1 morale bonus on the attack roll. This bonus increases by +1 for each additional ally beyond the first with the Swarmfighting feat that threatens the same target. The total morale bonus imparted to your attack roll cannot exceed your Dexterity bonus.

Warrior Breeding
Prerequisites: Tandda race, 1st level only
Benefit: The benefit granted by Swarmfighting increases to +2, and is now restricted to twice your Dexterity bonus. The benefit to Hide and Move Silently doubles to +8 while underground. In addition, you gain the Inky Murk (Ex) ability.
Inky Murk (Ex): Once per hour as a swift action, you can expel a cloud of slippery black mist that fills the square you are in and every adjacent square. The murk is stationary once created, and obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target). Anyone other than a Tandda entering an affected square must make a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ character level + Constitution modifer) or fall prone. This save is repeated each round that the creature remains within the area. A creature can walk in or through an affected square at half normal speed with a DC 10 Balance check. Failure on the Balance check means the creature can’t move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls without a save. The murk lasts one round per character level.
Special: You may not take Matriarch Breeding or Worker Breeding if you take this feat.

Worker Breeding
Prerequisites: Tandda race, 1st level only
Benefit: Whenever an opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you can choose to replace that attack with an aid another action benefiting a single ally within range. In addition, whenever an opponent makes an attack against you, regardless of whether that attack hits or not, you may move up to your speed after the attack has been resolved. You can only move in this way once per turn.

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Tandda Elite

"Text"
– Am Shaegar, Tandda Elite

Text

Becoming a Tandda Elite
Text

Feats: Warrior Breeding or Matriarch Breeding or Worker Breeding, one other feat requiring Tandda race
Skills: Hide 6, Move Silently 6.
Race: Tandda

Tandda with Matriarch get the Matriarch table, Warrior get Warrior, Worker get Worker.

Table 1: The Tandda Elite - Sentinel
Hit Die: d12

Code: [Select]

Level  BAB    Ref   Fort  Will   Special Abilities                           
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1    +1     +2    +2    +0     Depth Senses, Shield the Weak               
  2    +2     +3    +3    +0     Negate the Sighted, Born of the Horde       
  3    +3     +3    +3    +1     Underearth Warrior, Defender of the Colony   
Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Warcraft (Int)

Table 1: The Tandda Elite - Matriarch
Hit Die: d6

Code: [Select]

Level  BAB    Ref   Fort  Will   Special Abilities                           
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1    +0     +0    +0    +2     Servitors, Bonus Feat   
  2    +1     +0    +0    +3     Servitors, Bonus Feat   
  3    +2     +1    +1    +3     Servitors, Bonus Feat   
Class skills (6 + Int modifier per level): Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Warcraft (Int)

Table 1: The Tandda Elite - Worker
Hit Die: d10

Code: [Select]

Level  BAB    Ref   Fort  Will   Special Abilities                           
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
  1    +0     +2    +2    +0     Support the Heirarchy, For the Greater Good 
  2    +1     +3    +3    +0     Others Before Self, One for All 
  3    +2     +3    +3    +1     Resilient Support, Murine Pile 
Class skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)

Tandda Sentinel

• Depth Senses (Ex): Tandda Sentinels can feel the presence of enemies in the depths. At 1st level they gain tremorsense with a range of 20 ft. It increases by 20 ft. each level, reaching a maximum of 60 ft. at 3rd level.
  
• Shield the Weak (Ex): Tandda Sentinels are bred to protect the lesser Tandda workers and the Tandda matriarchs. Any Tandda within 10 ft. per class level gets damage reduction of 3/-. Also, all the squares that you threaten are treated as difficult terrain for your foes.
  
• Born of the Horde (Ex): You gain Born of the Horde as a bonus feat. If you already have this feat, choose another for which you meet the prerequisites.
  
• Negate the Sighted (Ex): It is the Tandda Sentinels who are the primary source of the Tandda's ability to suddenly disappear into the depths, but that only works if the foe does not see the Tandda depart. By expending your use of inky murk from Warrior Breeding, you can create a straight wall whose area is up to one 10-ft. square per class level. The wall and affected terrain otherwise acts as per the inky murk ability.
  
• Underearth Warrior (Ex): You gain Underearth Warrior as a bonus feat. If you already have this feat, choose another for which you meet the prerequisites.
  
• Defender of the Colony (Ex): If a Tandda Sentinel has at least three other Tandda of equal or lower character level under attack within 30 ft., it enters a state of deadly focus. During this state, all allied Tandda within 30 feet gain a bonus on saving throws equal to the Tandda Sentinel's base saving throw for the appropriate type of save. The Tandda Sentinel gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. All of these benefits last until the encounter is over or the Sentinel is no longer defending three or more Tandda.
  

Tandda Matriarch

• Servitors (Ex): At each class level, the Tandda matriarch gains another cohort as described in the Matriarch Breeding feat, to a maximum of 4 total cohorts at 3rd level.
  
• Bonus Feat (Ex): At each class level, the Tandda matriarch gains a bonus Warcraft feat. She must still meet all the prerequisites.
  

Tandda Worker

• Support the Heirarchy (Ex): Workers, even exceptional ones, always employ their talents to assist those who are greater than they are. Allies within 30 ft. per class level can add the Tandda elite's class level to their character or class level for the purpose of determining DCs for abilities that rely or character or class level. This does not increase those allies spellcasting level, runecarving level, or likewise, and only applies to extraordinary (Ex) abilities.
  
• For the Greater Good (Ex): The Tandda elite can aid another at a distance of up to 30 feet, and adds his class level as a to the bonus granted by aid another (a total of +3 at 1st level, to +5 at 3rd).
  
• Others Before Self (Ex): The Tandda elite can grant one ally within 30 feet the ability to take an immediate action of a specified type out of turn. If he invokes this ability as a swift action, the ally can take a 5-foot step. If he invokes it as a move action, the ally can take a move action. If he invokes it as a standard action, the ally can take a standard action.
  
• One for All (Ex): The Tandda elite can assist one creature per level whenever he uses the aid another action. All creatures he is so aiding must be within 30 feet of him.
  
• Resilient Support (Ex): When a Tandda elite uses aid another, he only has to spend a move action rather than a standard action. He can use more than one aid another in a single round, but he cannot assist the same ally multiple times.
  
• Murine Pile (Ex): If the Tandda Elite uses aid another to grant an ally a bonus on his next attack roll against an opponent both he and the elite threaten and the ally attacks and hits that enemy, the Tandda elite can make an immediate attack of opportunity against that target. The elite gains this benefit if his ally hits the foe before the start of his next turn. He gains an attack of opportunity only on the first successful attack.