STICK BUG FOLK I am but a humble tree sapling! IGNORE MEH!" Stick bugs are anthropomorphic insects built to resemble tree limbs, saplings or foliage. This is because in their former home, a great many beasts saw them as food, and it was an arms race to find new ways of fending them off.
STICK BUG SPECIES TRAITS · +2 Str, -2 Dex
· Size Class: Medium
· Type: Monstrous Humanoid, giving them 60 ft. Darkvision
· Base land speed 30 ft.
· Base climb speed 30 ft.
· Detach Limb (Ex): If Grappled, you can make an Immediate Action to disconnect a limb, and immediately escape the Grapple. The limb grows back in 1d4 days. If the Stick Bug loses an arm, it cannot wield two handed weapons or items, and takes a -4 Circumstance penalty on Skill Checks that would require the use of both hands. If it loses a leg, it's land and climb speeds are reduced by half until the limb regrows. If it loses both legs, it can crawl at a speed of 10 feet. The Stick Bug will generally not willingly lose more than one limb, fleeing after it escapes the initial grapple. A Heal, Mass Heal or Greater Restoration spell will regrow the limb immediately.
· Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, you must hit with a claw attack. You can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
· Tremorsense 10 ft.
· Deaf: You automatically fail Listen Checks, but do not take a penalty to Initiative rolls.
· Scent
· +4 Natural AC Bonus
· A Stick Bug has 3 Species Hit Dice, giving it the following: 3d8 Hit Points, +3 Base Attack Bonus, +1 Fort Save, +3 Ref Save, +3 Will Save, and (2 + Int modifier) skill points per level (with times 4 skill points for the first level). Class skills are Climb, Hide, Move Silently, Spot and Survival. They also get 2 Feats.
· Stick Bugs have a +8 Species Bonus to Climb and Hide Checks, and may always Take 10 on Climb Checks. They also have a +4 Species Bonus to Move Silently and Spot Checks.
· Stick Bugs have a Primary Claw attack doing 1d6 plus Str modifier damage, and a Secondary Bite attack doing 1d4 plus 1/2 Str modifier damage. They get 1 Bite and 2 Claw attacks with a Full Attack.
· Automatic Languages: Stick Bugs speak Buggy and Common. Bonus Languages: Any nearby species.
· Level Adjustment: +1
· Favored Class: Scout
STARTING AGE Adulthood: 14
Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer: +1d4
Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger: +1d6
Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard: +2d6
AGING EFFECTS Middle Age: 30
Old: 45
Venerable: 60
Maximum Age: +2d10 years
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Base Height: 4'10"
Height Modifier: +2d12"
Base Weight: 180 lbs.
Weight Modifier: x(2d6) lb.
STICK BUG CHARACTERS With an LA and Racial HD, you won't make the best of casters, but you can be a pretty sneaky beatstick.
Adventuring Race: Stick Bugs adventures because they need something (or need to avoid something).
Character Development: You're pretty much built for stealth, so whatever class you end up playing be sure to save a few skill ranks for sneakiness.
Character Names: Stick Bug names are deliberately unpronounceable to other species. They don't like others knowing their business, not even their name.
ROLEPLAYING A STICK BUG You are all about the defense. Your species mages specialize in developing ways to mutate your people and give them superpowers. Which leads to some pretty weird stuff.
Personality: In the old world, many critters saw you as food (and the humans considered you vermin). This has led to some (un)healthy levels of paranoia. When it seems like everything wants to eat you, you tend to develop some weird coping mechanisms.
Behaviors: Stick Bugs are obsessed with not being eaten, and this colors every aspect of their existence. Many spend hours pretending to be saplings.
Language: Stick Bugs speak Buggy, and usually Common or one other language.
STICK BUG SOCIETY Stick Bugs spend most of their life pretending to be plants, nibbling on plants, or researching new ways they can mutate themselves defensively. They're an odd bunch.
Alignment : Stick Bugs are Neutral. They try not to get involved in other people's bidness.
Lands : Stick Bugs live just about anywhere there is appropriate amounts of vegetation.
Settlements : Stick Bugs are already just about everywhere.
Beliefs : Timmy is the overwhelmingly popular Gawd.
Relations: Being former prey, other species tend to make Stick Bugs unnecessarily nervous. They tend to live alone.
STICK BUG ADVENTURES · A local noble finds out your people have been his defacto garden for the last 20 years. Alas, he is an entomophobe, and now you lead your people on a quest for safety since thee eviction.
· The local association of would be Screwball Mages is advertising for Minions. Gain super powers it says. Be the best you can be it says. Your brother applied weeks ago, and hasn't been seen since.
· You take the chance of revealing yourself to a beloved local monk one day, and surprise him so badly that he dies of heart failure. Now you're back in hiding, listening to plans by evil monks to take over the town now that he is gone, and the locals fretting about 'demons in the night'.
STICK BUG SPECIES SUBSTITUTION LEVELSScout Levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19: Replace Skirmish with Ambush
Ambush (Ex): In any round in which the Scout makes an attack against an opponent who is Flat-Footed or unaware of his presence he does +1d6 damage. He also gets this bonus to ranged attacks performed on any round in which he does not move. This extra damage increases by 1d6 for every four levels gained above 1st (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 9th, 4d6 at 13th, and 5d6 at 17th level).
The extra damage only applies against living creatures that have a discernible anatomy. Undead, constructs, oozes, plants, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits are not vulnerable to this additional damage. The scout must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. Scouts can apply this extra damage to ranged attacks made while skirmishing, but only if the target is within 30 feet.
At 3rd level, the applicable range for your Ambush attack increases by +20 ft.. This bonus improves by and additional 20' for every four levels gained above 3rd (+40 ft. at 7th, +60 ft. at 11th, +80 ft. at 15th, and +120 ft. at 19th level).
A scout loses this ability when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load. If she gains the skirmish ability from another class, the bonuses stack.
RANGER Level 2+: Gain a new option with Combat Style: Grappler.
Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd Level you gain Close Quarters Fighting (see Complete Warrior), at 6th Level you gain Multiattack, and at 11th Level you gain Improved Multiattack.
ROGUE Level 10+: When choosing the Rogue's Special Ability, you may now choose Camouflage (identical to the Ranger ability of the same name). Once you have Camouflage, at Level 16 or Higher you may also take Hide in Plain Sight (which is also identical to the Ranger ability of the same name).
STICK BUG FEATSChameleonYou can change color.
Prerequisites: Stick Bugs
Benefits: You can always Take 10 on a Hide Check.
Crush 'EmYou can smoosh people.
Prerequisites: Stick Bug, Str 15+
Benefits: You can do 1d6 plus Str modifier damage with a successful Grapple Check.
Death FartWhen you unexpectedly drop dead, you unleash a horrific stench that tells Animals and Vermin you are not edible.
Prerequisites: Possum or Stick Bug, Feign Death
Benefits: When you Feign Death, you secrete an oily, musk-like chemical that nearly every form of animal life finds offensive. All living creatures (except Possums) within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Fortitude save or be sickened for 10 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same Possum’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from the sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.
Feign DeathI'm dead. Yup. Yup. Go 'way now.
Prerequisites: Possum and Stick Bug
Benefits: As an immediate action, you can enter a catatonic state in which you appear to be dead. While feigning death, you cannot see or feel anything, but you retain the ability to smell, hear, and otherwise follow what is going on around you. While under the effect of this ability, you are immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, ability drain, negative levels, and death effects. Attempts to resuscitate you, such as raise dead or reincarnation, automatically fail, though resurrection and true resurrection immediately end your feign death ability. Spells and other effects that assess your current condition, such as status and deathwatch, indicate that you are dead. However, a character who succeeds on a Heal check (DC 15 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Con modifier) can discern that you are actually alive. You can remain in the catatonic state indefinitely, though you still require food, water, and air. Emerging from feigned death is a standard action.
Not A SnackYou taste
awful. Prerequisites: Stick Bugs, Con 15+
Benefits: You can leak blood and other bodily fluids as an Immediate Action. For the next 10 Minutes, any creature that can taste you (making a bite attack for example), must make a Fortitude Save (Save DC is Con based) or be Nauseated for 1d4 rounds. If the save is successful, they are Sickened until the beginning of your next turn instead.
Panic ScreamYou freak people out when you get freaked out.
Prerequisites: Possum or Stick Bug, Feign Death
Benefits: As a Standard Action you can unleash a hellish scream, and the nearest opponent of your choice must make a Willpower Save (Save DC is Cha based) or be Frightened one round. If he succeeds, he is immune to your scream for 24 hours. This can be combined with Feign Death, and you can do both as a Standard Action to make your 'death' seem realistic.
Power VomitYou have a nasty defense.
Prerequisites: Stick Bugs, Con 15+
Benefits: You can vomit up the contents of your stomach as a Standard Action (you must have eaten at least 4 hours earlier). This is a 15 ft. Cone doing 3d6 acid damage unless the creatures within the area of effect make a successful Reflex Save (Save DC is Con based). It does half damage on a successful Save. If the Save fails, the targets also take 1d6 acid damage per round for the next two rounds. Once used, you must eat a meal and wait 4 hours to use it again.
SpiderclimbYou can crawl up walls and ceilings.
Prerequisites: Caterpillars, Fleas, Flymen, Roaches, Roaches (big), Slugs, Stick Bugs, Stink Bugs
Benefits: You permanently gain the benefits of the Spiderclimb spell, but you can move at your full climb speed.
WingsYou can fly. Sort of.
Prerequisites: Stick Bugs, Con 15+
Benefits: You gain a Fly speed of 20 ft. (Average)
STICK BUG FOLKBefore fleeing to the Jester's Realm, the Furry species (including the Stick Bug Folk) came from a world where Humans and the Furry Peoples were eternally at war. With the humans on the verge of wiping the Furry Peoples out, the Jester offered them a new home. They were quick to accept.
A SPECIES OF MUTATIONSThe Stick Bug Folk are anthropomorphic insects about the size of tall humans. A primary target of carnivores (apparently they taste like sugar), they ended up being eaten by humans as emergency rations. Fortunately (?) they had a cadre of Screwball Mages on their side, and a willingness to be experimented upon. And thusly, they now resemble plants well enough to be mistaken for them while standing still. The issue,of course, is that plants are still edible. But they still pursue their dreams even to this day.
PROFESSIONAL BUSHESFor now the Stick Bugs act as guards, a role they are well prepared for. Once the Mages get their stuff together, they hope to be superheroes! They've already learned the basics of changing color and sweating out their internal fluids to avoid being eaten. Surely the ability to cough up lightning s just around the corner.
STICK BUG FOLK NAMESStock Bug names are deliberately unpronounceable to other species. They don't like others knowing their business, not even their name.
STICK BUG FOLK TRAITSAbility Score Increase. Increase your Strength by +2, and your Wisdom score by +1.
Age. Stick Bug Folk reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
Alignment. Most Stick Bug Folk are Neutral.
Type. You are a Humanoid.
Size. You are Medium. You are around 6 to 7 feet tall and weigh around 150 to 200 pounds
Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. You also have a Climb speed of 30 feet.
Natural Armor. You have an exoskeleton. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
False Appearance. While you] remain motionless, you are indistinguishable from vegetation.
Keen Smell. Thanks to your sensitive eyes, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Survival), and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that involve smell.
Immune to Deafness. You are immune to Deafness, but you also can't hear.
Bite and Claws. You have a sharp bite and spiny limbs that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with it, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher) piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. If the target is a creature, it is considered Grappled.
Languages. You speak, read and write Buggy, and any one other language of your choice.
Mutation. (Prerequisite: Must be Stick Bug Folk)
This Feat an be taken more than once. Each time it is taken, chose one of the following options:
Chameleon. (Prerequisite: 12th Level) You can spend 1 round to change your color to match your background.
Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide as a bonus Action. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking actions. Once you move or take an action or a reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit.
Foul Taste. You can bleed strange fluids from your pores as a Reaction when another creature bites or tastes you. They must make a Constitution Saving Throw (Save DC is Con based), or be Incapacitated until the beginning of your next turn due to retching.
Scream. (Prerequisite: 8th Level) You can scream as an Action. Each creature of your choice that is within 30 feet of you and aware of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute (Save DC is Constitution based). A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to your scream for the next 24 hours.
Spiderclimb. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Vomit. Once per day you can vomit up the contents of your stomach as an Action (you must have eaten at least 4 hours earlier). This is a 15 ft. Cone doing 3d6 acid damage unless the creatures within the area of effect make a successful Dexterity Save (Save DC is Con based). It does half damage on a successful Save. If the Save fails, the targets also take 1d6 acid damage per round for the next two rounds.
Wings. When you fall at least 10 feet above the ground, you can use your reaction to extend your wings to glide horizontally a number of feet equal to your walking speed, and you take 0 damage from the fall. You determine the direction of the glide.
Stick Bug Folk"What's so special about this tree anyway?"
Just A Tree"That's no tree...""DAMMIT RALPH! Yer not supposed ta blow my cover!""Good evening sir or madam. We are looking for Bugtown."
"I'm a sir. Isn't it obvious?""You were obviously a plant till I saw you up close.""Fair enough. State yer business in our town.""Might be best we wait to do that till we meet someone higher up."
Obsessed With Getting Super Powers"Yer not here for the snake oil are ya?""Alas, we are not.""Aw crap. Ralph, run ahead and let people know we're coming."