Post by gatalis on Apr 25, 2012 21:07:53 GMT -5
Source: Expanded Psionics Handbook
This entry is part of the Applicant Race Project, and thus needs an application to play it. This is the entry for 4/24.
Thousands of years ago, the githyanki and the githzerai comprised a single humanoid race held in thrall by the dreaded mind flayers. After the mythic hero Gith led the race to freedom from their illithid masters, the ancient gith divided into the two rival races they have been ever since. While the githyanki pursued a path of cruel aggression, martial power, and arcane might, the githzerai turned their attention to the mysteries of the inner self and became a race of ascetics who harness the power of the mind and the spirit. They travel far and wide across the planes, opposing the sinister plots of both mind flayers and their own githyanki kin.
Personality:
Githzerai rarely use two words when one will do. They tend to be cynical and suspicious, and they generally expect the worst in people. Githzerai don’t waste time on fools, and are rarely moved to help those unprepared to help themselves. They are pragmatic to a fault, slow to give trust, and cautious in their dealings with others. Many githzerai disdain creature comforts and live their lives in ascetic discipline. Their settlements and strongholds resemble monasteries more than villages.
Physical Description:
Githzerai closely resemble githyanki. Like their kin, they are tall, gaunt humanoids averaging a little over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 160 pounds. They have rough, green/yellow skin and russet hair, although they habitually shave their heads. Their noses are almost flat, their eyes are dull yellow or gray, and their ears are pointed. Githzerai favor drab robes and avoid ostentatious dress.
Relations:
Unlike githyanki, githzerai are not particularly contemptuous of Material Plane races and rarely trouble Material Plane inhabitants. They simply view Material Plane folk as irrelevant and don’t waste much time on them. Those Material Plane natives who demonstrate discipline, resolve, and an understanding of the planes are given the respect their abilities merit. While githzerai are usually calm and disciplined in their conduct, they feel nothing but cold, purposeful hatred for githyanki and mind flayers. They also have a bitter rivalry with the slaadi; despite that, the two races cooperate sometimes when faced with a common danger.
Alignment:
Githzerai tend to be pragmatic and selfserving, but they are not malicious and do not look to get ahead at the expense of others. Most are neutral with respect to good or evil.
Githzerai Lands:
Githzerai are native to the plane of Limbo, where they dwell in drifting cities and monasteries amid the swirling protomatter. Like githyanki, they must use psionic plane shift or similar dimension-crossing effects to come to the Material Plane (it is assumed that any githzerai player character has already done so at the beginning of his career).
Religion:
Githzerai are not particularly religious and rarely venerate any deity. Instead, they seek enlightenment within their own minds. They revere the immortal wizardking of their race, but they do not worship him and do not gain divine spells from their reverence.
Language:
Githzerai speak Gith, a language they share with the githyanki. They also speak Common.
Names:
Githzerai do not place much importance on family or clan, preferring to organize their society by merit. They have developed a wealth of traditional titles and ranks that are awarded to individuals as they become warranted, and they refer to one another by simple names in daily life.
Example Titles: Zerth, Ur-zerth, Fell Hand, Master of Elements, Planewalker, Swordthane, Spellthane, Rrathmal, Storvakal.
Example Male Names: Dak, Duurth, Ferzth, Greth, Hurm, Kalla, Muurg, Nurm, Shrakk.
Example Female Names: Adaka, Adeya, Ella, Ezhelya, Immilzin, Izera, Uweya
Adventurers:
Githzerai are self-sufficient and form few attachments to home or family. As a result, many are noted wanderers who need little reason to set off on journeys across the planes. To a githzerai, the physical journey is a metaphor for the inner one, and many adventurers are content to pass year after year in remote Material Plane lands.
GITHZERAI RACIAL TRAITS
(Alternatively in the core rules they can have +8 dexterity and +4 wisdom at a level adjustment of +4)
SoS rough translation
As always, this is simply how I'd go about it. These are non-give player skin methods.
Take Elf race, subrace Githzerai, give it greenish or yellowish skin.
give +4 DEX, +2 CON, +2 WIS, -2 INT
Give it the darkvision feat
remove the following:
Sleeplessness
Hardiness vs. Enchantments
Bonus Proficiencies (Elf)
Skill Affinity (Listen)
Skill Affinity (Search)
Skill Affinity (Spot)
Keen Senses
Low-light Vision
This entry is part of the Applicant Race Project, and thus needs an application to play it. This is the entry for 4/24.
Githzerai
Thousands of years ago, the githyanki and the githzerai comprised a single humanoid race held in thrall by the dreaded mind flayers. After the mythic hero Gith led the race to freedom from their illithid masters, the ancient gith divided into the two rival races they have been ever since. While the githyanki pursued a path of cruel aggression, martial power, and arcane might, the githzerai turned their attention to the mysteries of the inner self and became a race of ascetics who harness the power of the mind and the spirit. They travel far and wide across the planes, opposing the sinister plots of both mind flayers and their own githyanki kin.
Personality:
Githzerai rarely use two words when one will do. They tend to be cynical and suspicious, and they generally expect the worst in people. Githzerai don’t waste time on fools, and are rarely moved to help those unprepared to help themselves. They are pragmatic to a fault, slow to give trust, and cautious in their dealings with others. Many githzerai disdain creature comforts and live their lives in ascetic discipline. Their settlements and strongholds resemble monasteries more than villages.
Physical Description:
Githzerai closely resemble githyanki. Like their kin, they are tall, gaunt humanoids averaging a little over 6 feet tall and typically weighing around 160 pounds. They have rough, green/yellow skin and russet hair, although they habitually shave their heads. Their noses are almost flat, their eyes are dull yellow or gray, and their ears are pointed. Githzerai favor drab robes and avoid ostentatious dress.
Relations:
Unlike githyanki, githzerai are not particularly contemptuous of Material Plane races and rarely trouble Material Plane inhabitants. They simply view Material Plane folk as irrelevant and don’t waste much time on them. Those Material Plane natives who demonstrate discipline, resolve, and an understanding of the planes are given the respect their abilities merit. While githzerai are usually calm and disciplined in their conduct, they feel nothing but cold, purposeful hatred for githyanki and mind flayers. They also have a bitter rivalry with the slaadi; despite that, the two races cooperate sometimes when faced with a common danger.
Alignment:
Githzerai tend to be pragmatic and selfserving, but they are not malicious and do not look to get ahead at the expense of others. Most are neutral with respect to good or evil.
Githzerai Lands:
Githzerai are native to the plane of Limbo, where they dwell in drifting cities and monasteries amid the swirling protomatter. Like githyanki, they must use psionic plane shift or similar dimension-crossing effects to come to the Material Plane (it is assumed that any githzerai player character has already done so at the beginning of his career).
Religion:
Githzerai are not particularly religious and rarely venerate any deity. Instead, they seek enlightenment within their own minds. They revere the immortal wizardking of their race, but they do not worship him and do not gain divine spells from their reverence.
Language:
Githzerai speak Gith, a language they share with the githyanki. They also speak Common.
Names:
Githzerai do not place much importance on family or clan, preferring to organize their society by merit. They have developed a wealth of traditional titles and ranks that are awarded to individuals as they become warranted, and they refer to one another by simple names in daily life.
Example Titles: Zerth, Ur-zerth, Fell Hand, Master of Elements, Planewalker, Swordthane, Spellthane, Rrathmal, Storvakal.
Example Male Names: Dak, Duurth, Ferzth, Greth, Hurm, Kalla, Muurg, Nurm, Shrakk.
Example Female Names: Adaka, Adeya, Ella, Ezhelya, Immilzin, Izera, Uweya
Adventurers:
Githzerai are self-sufficient and form few attachments to home or family. As a result, many are noted wanderers who need little reason to set off on journeys across the planes. To a githzerai, the physical journey is a metaphor for the inner one, and many adventurers are content to pass year after year in remote Material Plane lands.
GITHZERAI RACIAL TRAITS
- +6 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence: Githzerai are
incredibly quick and agile, and they trust intuition more
than logic. - Medium: As Medium creatures, githzerai have no special
bonuses or penalties due to their size. - Githzerai base land speed is 30 feet.
- Darkvision out to 60 feet.
- Naturally Psionic: Githzerai gain 2 bonus power points
at 1st level. This benefi t does not grant them the ability
to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through
another source, such as levels in a psionic class. - Psi-Like Abilities: 3/day—inertial armor, psionic daze, catfall,
concussion. Githzerai of 11th level also gain plane shift 1/day.
Manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st).
The save DCs are Charisma-based. - Power Resistance (Ex): A githzerai has power resistance
equal to her Hit Dice +5. - Automatic Languages: Common, Gith. Bonus Languages:
Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Slaad, Undercommon. - Favored Class: Monk.
- Level Adjustment: +2.
(Alternatively in the core rules they can have +8 dexterity and +4 wisdom at a level adjustment of +4)
SoS rough translation
As always, this is simply how I'd go about it. These are non-give player skin methods.
Take Elf race, subrace Githzerai, give it greenish or yellowish skin.
give +4 DEX, +2 CON, +2 WIS, -2 INT
Give it the darkvision feat
remove the following:
Sleeplessness
Hardiness vs. Enchantments
Bonus Proficiencies (Elf)
Skill Affinity (Listen)
Skill Affinity (Search)
Skill Affinity (Spot)
Keen Senses
Low-light Vision
