Lizardfolk (plus Viletooth, Blackscale, Poison Dusk, etc)

[Surreal]

Lizardfolk


HD: d8
Skills: 2 + Int. Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Jump, Survival, Swim.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and shields.

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Lizard Body, Scales, Hold Breath, Reptilian Mind, +1 Str, +1 Con

Skills: Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump and Swim

Lizard Body: At first level a Lizardfolk loses all other racial traits and becomes a medium sized humanoid with Reptilian subtype. It has a base land speed of 30', natural weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and 1 bite (1d4)

Scales (Ex): A Lizardfolk is covered in strong protective scales which provide a natural armour bonus equal to its Con bonus.

Hold Breath (Ex): A Lizardfolk can hold its breath for four times its constitution score before it risks drowning.

Reptilian Mind (Ex): Though intelligent, a Lizardfolk's mind is at times more instinct than civilized thought. It is susceptible to any spell or effect that influences animals. However, it also gains a bonus on saving throws vs any mind or behaviour effects equal to 1 + 1/3HD.

Ability Bonus: A Lizardfolk gains a permanent +1 Str and +1 Con bonus at first level.

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The Reptilian Mind ability is my take on really distinguishing the Lizardfolk from the other humanoids from both a flavour and mechanics perspective. At first I thought of doing something with “cold blooded” but that felt played out.

[Surreal]

Viletooth Lizardfolk (racial variant)


HD: d6
Skills: 4 + Int. Class Skills: Balance, Craft, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Survival, Swim.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and shields.

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Viletooth Body, Gaunt, Water Breathing, Scales, Reptilian Mind, Corrosive, Blackblooded, +1 Con

Skills: Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump and Swim

Viletooth Body: At first level a Viletooth loses all racial traits and becomes a medium sized Humanoid with Reptilian and Dragonblood subtype. It has a base land speed of 30', swim speed 60',  natural weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and 1 bite (1d4).

Gaunt: All future hit die are reduced by one die step.

Water Breathing (Ex): A Viletooth can breath underwater indefinitely

Scales (Ex): A Lizardfolk is covered in strong protective scales which provide a natural armour bonus equal to its Con bonus.

Reptilian Mind (Ex)*: Though intelligent, a Lizardfolk's mind is at times more instinct than civilized thought. It is susceptible to any spell or effect that influences animals. However, it also gains a bonus on saving throws vs any mind or behaviour effects equal to 1 + 1/4HD.

Corrosive (Ex): A Viletooth's natural weapons deal acid damage (1d3) in addition to regular damage. The acid damage increases by one damage step every 3 HD (See weapon size table). Any creature striking the Viletooth with natural weapons suffers the appropriate acid damage.

Blackblooded (Ex): With an ancestry of Black Dragons in his blood, a Viletooth Lizardfolk gains acid resistance equal to its 5+HD, and adds +1 to his effective caster/manifester level should he later gain a casting/manifesting class.

Ability Bonus: A Viletooth receives a +1 Con bonus at first level.

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Blurb:
Dragon Magic - Lizardfolk mixed with Black Dragon.
Smarter but weaker. Smaller stat boost, lower hit die.
*Since they are a touch bit smarter, their reptilian mind bonus is slightly less than the other Lizardfolk.

[Surreal]

Blackscale Lizardfolk


HD: d10
Skills: 2 + Int. Class Skills: Balance, Jump, Intimidate, Listen, Spot, Survival, Swim.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons only

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Lizard Body, Fixate, Scales, Reptilian Mind, +1 Str, +1 Con
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Brute, Powerful Build, +1 Con
3 +2 +3 +1 +1 Growth, Robust, Reactive Scales
Skills: Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump and Swim

Lizard Body: At first level a Blackscale Lizardfolk loses all other racial traits and becomes a medium sized Humanoid with Reptilian subtype. It has a base land speed of 30', natural weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and 1 bite (1d4), and darkvision 60'

Fixate: A Blackscale becomes very focused on a single enemy in combat. When he attacks, he gains a +1 to attack bonus and saving throws vs a single creature that he attacks this round, but takes a -2 penalty to armour class and saves vs attacks and spells/effects from all other sources. At 6HD and 12 HD the bonus and penalty increase to +2/-4 and +3/-6 respectively.

Scales (Ex): A Blackscale Lizardfolk is covered in exceptionally strong protective scales which provide a natural armour bonus equal to its 2+Con modifier.

Reptilian Mind (Ex): Though intelligent, a Lizardfolk's mind is at times more instinct than civilized thought. It is susceptible to any spell or effect that influences animals. However, it also gains a bonus on saving throws vs any mind or behaviour effects equal to 1 + 1/3HD.

Ability Bonus: A Blackscale gains a permanent +1 Str and +1 Con at first level, and +1 Con at 2nd level.

Brute: Hit harder, not smarter. A Blackscale ignores an opponent's damage reduction amount up to his HD. A Blackscale's extra damage from critical hits is also purely damage rather than precision damage.

Powerful Build: The physical stature of Blackscales lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a Blackscale subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the Blackscale is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A Blackscale is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A Blackscale can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

Growth: A Blackscale grows one size category. It stacks with Powerful build.

Robust: At 3rd level and every two HD gained afterwards, a Blackscale may choose to gain either +1 Str or +1 Con.

Reactive Scales: A Blackscale's hide can tighten and harden moments before impact. Once per encounter as an immediate action, it gains a bonus to natural armour equal to its Str modifier against the next melee attack made against it. At 8HD it may use Reactive Scales twice per encounter, and three times at 16 HD.

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Blurb:
Growth comes early, but it doesn't grow any further. Instead it simply gets stronger
Compared to regular Lizardfolk at 1hd, only one stat bump, no armour proficiency, better scales, no hold breath, fixate

[Surreal]

Poison Dusk Lizardfolk


HD: d6
Skills: 2 + Int. Class Skills: Balance, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, Swim.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and shields.

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Lizard Body, Scales, Reptilian Mind, Compact, Hold Breath, Chameleon Skin, Sneak Attack, +1 Dex
Skills: Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Jump and Swim

Lizard Body: At first level a Poison Dusk Lizardfolk loses all other racial traits and becomes a medium sized Humanoid with Reptilian subtype. It has a base land speed of 30', natural weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and 1 bite (1d4), and low light vision.

Scales (Ex): A Poison Dusk's scales are softer and more flexible than other Lizardfolk, providing a natural armour bonus equal to its 1/2 Con bonus.

Reptilian Mind (Ex): Though intelligent, a Lizardfolk's mind is at times more instinct than civilized thought. It is susceptible to any spell or effect that influences animals. However, it also gains a bonus on saving throws vs any mind or behaviour effects equal to 1 + 1/3HD.

Slight Build: The physical stature of Poison Dusks lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a Poison Dusk is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the Poison Dusk is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A Poison Dusk is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A Poison Dusk can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a Poison Dusk remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Hold Breath (Ex): A Lizardfolk can hold its breath for four times its constitution score before it risks drowning.

Chameleon Skin (Ex): Poison Dusk can adjust the colour of their skin and scales to blend in with their surroundings. When not wearing armor or robes or other coverings, they receive a +2xHD racial bonus to Hide checks. At 5HD they have such find control that they can communicate through their skin*. At 10HD they can hide in plain sight even if they're being observed.

Sneak Attack: Gains +1d6 sneak attack at first level. This functions as the rogue special ability.

Ability Bonus: A Poison Dusk gains a permanent +1 Dex at first level.

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Blurb:
compare to regular Lizardfolk: smaller HD, less stat bonus, less nat armour, gains chameleon and sneak attack, compact ability
*look up some some youtube videos on cuttlefish

[Surreal]

Lizard Shaman (prestige class)

image source: http://wolfbeil.deviantart.com/art/Lizard-Folk-131958883
(why is it when I do a google image search for lizard shapeshifter I get a picture of the pope?)

Prerequisites:
- Must have the Reptilian subtype
- The ability to assume alternate forms

HD: d6
Skills: 2 + Int. Class Skills: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge, Ride, Spellcraft, Survival, Swim

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Companion +1 existing class
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Reptilian Soul +1 existing class

Companion: A Lizard Shaman's class levels and racial levels stack for determining the abilities of your familiar, psicrystal, animal companion, mount or other class associated creature companion. If you have more than one, you may choose to keep one and dismiss the others (without penalty) and combine their abilities into a single creature. If you had no such companion creature before entering the Lizard Shaman class, you gain a familiar (or a psicrystal if you are a manifester).

Casting: When a new Lizard Shaman level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in an existing casting class he belonged to. He does not however gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, unless otherwise noted. This essentially means that he adds the level of Lizard Shaman to the level of whatever other casting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

If the character had more than one casting class before entering Lizard Shaman, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Lizard Shaman for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Reptilian Soul: A Lizard Shaman retains his racial class features when in any form other than his own. Additionally, he may add his racial class levels to his caster level when casting any spell or effect which changes his form. For any class based ability which changes his form (such as a Druid's Wild Shape), he may stack his Lizard Shaman and racial class levels to determine the forms he can take.

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Blurb:
Since the Shaman is only two levels long, I don't foresee any supermount shenanigans arising from the Companion ability.

When I was originally working on the Lizardfolk, I was kind of working on a progression idea where you start as a basic Lizardfolk then take racial path levels to “evolve” to the next form (be it Viletooth, Blackscale, etc). One of my endpoint ideas was to cap it with druid ACF (which is the Lizardfolk preferred class) to allow wildshape to retain their reptilian features. I've since chopped out the pokemon idea though, but wanted to retain the Shaman idea. So that's why the Blackscale and Poisondusk have their odd size wordings and a lot of the race features were parsed out into separate class abilities.

Adaptation:
For a non-casting entry, change hit dice to d10 and...

Code: [Select]

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +2 Companion, Bonus Feat, Str +1
2 +2 +3 +0 +3 Reptilian Soul , Con +1

[Surreal]

reserved

[Surreal]

reserved

[oslecamo]

Wow you do love bringing them in packs! Will need some more time to properly check all of this, but for now some critiques at first glance:
-The viletooth seems much better than the base lizardfolk. Actual swim speed, complete water breathing, caster synergy, strong acid resistance, you name it. Three natural attacks, all of them adding +1d6 acid damage at first level, in particular, is just too much (at best, it should start as 1 point of acid damage, and then scale up to d3, d4, etc). Just -2 HP for the smaller die, a minuscle diference between 1/3 and 1/4, and -1 Str doesn't cut it.

-Blackscale lizardfolk Robust is too much as well. No single dip should give you +10 Str and +10 Con over your career like that.
-Replace Hulking with Powerful Build, you can copy-paste the text from the giants if you want. Yes, it's texty, but it's also more clear than starting to wonder what space an Hulking creature would take.
-Reactive scales should also be replaced by something else. Adding your Str and Con to AC at such early level isn't something I'm confortable with. It should have some special combat option by now instead of just "auto-attack"

-In the poison dusk replace compact with slight build (find it in the antromorphic animal). Again texty, but needed.
-Either scaling sneak attack or scaling hiding, but not both for a 1 level dip.

-Lizard shaman needs to specify in the features that it increases spellcasting, just to be safe, not on the table.

[Surreal]

-The viletooth seems much better than the base lizardfolk.

That was a problem I had with both the Viletooth and Blackscale; trying to add things to make them unique but unsure what to remove to balance it out.

I've reduced the Viletooth's future HD with the Gaunt feature, and acid damage is reduced to 1d3.

I've added the Fixate feature to the Blackscale which is ok early on but I think actually makes them a liability at later levels, so it's a valid reason not to choose Blackscale over the regular Lizardfolk.

-Blackscale lizardfolk Robust is too much as well. No single dip should give you +10 Str and +10 Con over your career like that.
-Reactive scales should also be replaced by something else. Adding your Str and Con to AC at such early level isn't something I'm confortable with. It should have some special combat option by now instead of just "auto-attack"

Ugh, I keep forgetting that you can "dip" these classes rather than take the whole thing. What if I move Hulking to 3rd level and got rid of Reactive Scales? Or I was thinking of making Reactive Scales progressive: move action activate at 3rd level, swift action at 7, always on at 11 (or maybe 8/13?). So it's still kinda useable, but downgraded.
edit: actually I changed it to an immediate action only against a single attack, 1/encounter

I was considering adding some sort of combat options, but the Lizards (Blackscales especially) just seem like meatsticks to me. That's why I went with the Robust and Brute and figured I'd leave the tricks to actual class levels/feats.

-Replace Hulking with Powerful Build,

You know, I actually had a mechanical reason for why I used Hulking and Compact over Powerful/Slight build... but for the life I me I can't remember what it was now. It might have been a holdover when I had things structured differently.

-Either scaling sneak attack or scaling hiding, but not both for a 1 level dip.

Whoopsee, that was a bad edit on my part. I had the sneak progression in there before I added the Chameleon progression and meant to leave just the single sneak.

[oslecamo]

Hmm, fixate is quite an interesting balancing factor. You're right, the penalty ends up hurting more than helping, but then you're potentially geting an extra +8 Con to help endure the pain, and I like the reactive scales as immediate action limited per ecounter.

Gaunt also looks a pretty nice idea, I may actually steal it for other monsters!

Only glaring problem I still see it's that Lizard shaman progresses spells per day, but not spells known, which is kinda a kick on those classes that don't automatically know their spell lists.

[Surreal]

Hmm, fixate is quite an interesting balancing factor. You're right, the penalty ends up hurting more than helping, but then you're potentially geting an extra +8 Con to help endure the pain, and I like the reactive scales as immediate action limited per ecounter.

Gaunt also looks a pretty nice idea, I may actually steal it for other monsters!

Only glaring problem I still see it's that Lizard shaman progresses spells per day, but not spells known, which is kinda a kick on those classes that don't automatically know their spell lists.

I was almost thinking that the penalties from fixate were too harsh, but hey whatever, it's not too different from playing a frenzied berzerker. Was considering putting Robust back to its original level to re-rebalance. I feel like I should at least make the stat boosts at 1st level the same as a vanilla Lizardfolk. Hmm, a FB Blackscale would be quite interesting.

In my head the Reactive Scales thing should work like a reflex where the body tightens before impact. I'm not totally satisfied with how immediate actions works with it, but I think it's the closest mechanic we have that isn't complicated.

And Shaman *should* progress spells known. At least I intended it to. I just copied over the text from the Eldritch Knight in the SRD.

[oslecamo]

Hmm, fixate is quite an interesting balancing factor. You're right, the penalty ends up hurting more than helping, but then you're potentially geting an extra +8 Con to help endure the pain, and I like the reactive scales as immediate action limited per ecounter.

Gaunt also looks a pretty nice idea, I may actually steal it for other monsters!

Only glaring problem I still see it's that Lizard shaman progresses spells per day, but not spells known, which is kinda a kick on those classes that don't automatically know their spell lists.

I was almost thinking that the penalties from fixate were too harsh, but hey whatever, it's not too different from playing a frenzied berzerker. Was considering putting Robust back to its original level to re-rebalance. I feel like I should at least make the stat boosts at 1st level the same as a vanilla Lizardfolk. Hmm, a FB Blackscale would be quite interesting.

It's already brutish enough as it is thank you very much. No other monster bets both powerful build and growth at 3rd level, yet alone scaling stat bonuses.

In my head the Reactive Scales thing should work like a reflex where the body tightens before impact. I'm not totally satisfied with how immediate actions works with it, but I think it's the closest mechanic we have that isn't complicated.

You could simply make it a triggered reaction with a reflex save involved (like the dreaded starmantle cloak), but I disgress. Keeping it as an immediate action is necessary so you can't simply spam it against every attack.

And since we're at it, I think the blackscale should have listen as a class skill.

And Shaman *should* progress spells known. At least I intended it to. I just copied over the text from the Eldritch Knight in the SRD.

Eldritch knight does not progress spells known. Compare to the archmage:

"When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige class level."

And loremaster

"When a new loremaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class."

[Surreal]

You could simply make it a triggered reaction with a reflex save involved (like the dreaded starmantle cloak), but I disgress.

I thought about that, but in the end I think the immediate action is the simplest.

And since we're at it, I think the blackscale should have listen as a class skill.

Sure. What about the others? The vanilla lizardfolk only has balance, jump and swim. Even the poison dusk which is rogue-ish doesn't have spot or listen.

Eldritch knight does not progress spells known. Compare to the archmage:

Changed it so Shaman does advance spells known now.

[oslecamo]

And since we're at it, I think the blackscale should have listen as a class skill.

Sure. What about the others? The vanilla lizardfolk only has balance, jump and swim. Even the poison dusk which is rogue-ish doesn't have spot or listen.

Now that you mention it, they could all use some more skills. They're sentient humanoids, they should get crafts and knowledges of some kind at least, plus stuff like climb and one of bluff/intimidate/diplomacy.

[Surreal]

Gave them all Survival and Craft (except for the Blackscales who seem more like the kind to bully others into making it for them,or claiming it from fallen enemies). Also...
vanilla: Climb,
Viletooth:
Blackscale: Climb, Intimidate
Poisondusk: Listen, Spot,

[oslecamo]

Can't think of anything more to polish, added to the index!

[Hushblade]

The black scale gets powerful build at level 3 and then grows at level four. I presume it loses its powerful build, no? That should be clarified.

[oslecamo]

I assumed they stack, since the blackscale is all about big brute and nothing said the abilities don't stack, altough Surreal would be the right person to ask. Edited in clarifying they stack.

Also corrected the typo in the Zenythri, thanks!

[Surreal]

Yes, I did intend for the growth and powerful build to stack. The Blackscale really doesn't have any fancy combat options... it just hits things.