2 ri D&D HEROES | NEW PC RACES Frrseririeaaaee ee Xbox Goodies LM aol Shifters Miniature: It's a Whole New Game a Uh mf Vi iy ra a NOU) Og: is! Fi a, mel / 4 < he e W oD ie al Ce dd lorrors . ee . » Oa Ich | . ae eae DCs rts : EXPANDED i ANT) I (és ZN , New Powers and Cr Nga — os wi UTA) iN fi, 100% DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: teat Bt AN ears er of Your et OC I | | WINi.I iDRAGON Ereneatareeed coe cal rye vase evry oO eee re nee eer emer paptioednr me nen wand amare erence Corea aera) Peer ites) ary Franklin rave Cerne pono eter rent Pemcrertaraeire tment FOSTHASTER SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO eprteersseereinteeeesren ee DRAGON’ CONTENTS ON THE COVER GAME ROOM 6 Wyrm's Turn Matt gives us 2 glimpse into the joy of playing exotic races. Scale Mail Buzz about the upcoming Dasx ‘SUN issue, as well as prai for issue #315, Up On a Soapbox Clever orcs, an outsmarted image, a rain of fireballs—need say more? FEATURES 16 Countdown to Eberron An introduction to one of Esemnon’s new Iycanthrope-tike shifter 22 Xenophilia Hug a tree, wreak fey-ish havoc, get rock-hard abs, and find out who that masked lizardman is with these four new PC races. 30. Urban Druids You got your druid in my city You got your city in my druid. Two conflicting ideas come together at lstFEATURES CONTINUED. 80 38 Truenames and Fetishes Know thy name, know thy power. 84 Power Components Never pay for spells or magic items again 88 Body of Knowledge Three prestige classes that really let you put your back (among other parts) into it Magic’s High Note Mystical musical machines make your bard a maestro of mayhem. 62. Beasts of the Sun Six new nightmarish monsters from Central American myth. 68 ‘Toke up the reins with Furyondy’s ranger knights 70 Silicon Sorcery ‘DExD Heroes reverse engineered for your game, ‘76 Battleguard of Tempus The consumate warrior-cleric of Faerdn's god of battle. ¢ Ranger Knight of Furyondy v R Issue #317 » March 2004 Vol. XXViil - Number 10 EXOTIC HEROES Faiths of Faerdn ‘Alook at the faith of the Red Knight, Lady of Strategy. Under Command Making the most of summon- ers in skirmishes and D&D. Expanded Psionics Preview #3 ‘New psionic powers and ways to use them. ‘WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP 92 The Play's the Thing No warriors? No problem! How to have an effective party withour Fighters or rogues. 96 Dungeoncraft Give your players something to do in those vast stretches of land between dungeons. 100 Sage Advice ‘The Soge gives solid answers about incorporeal creatures and tower shields. 104 Advertiser Index comics 8, 12 Zogonia 13. Dork Tower M1 NodwickEee ete pore Pee ar ee Pre ws Se Reed iver maraereees ome sinkrs. Do Part ieee eee i per eee ete os aes 6 March 2004 WYRM'S TURN FROM THE EDITOR PLAYING DIFFERENT PCS haughty elf the stalwart fighter, the greedy rogue, the holier-than-thou paladin te list goes on and on. There are even clichés for more exotic heroes: the mysterious drow. the adage-quoting monk. the rage-filed half-ore. These kinds of characters can make for great games. You know how to roleplay them, and others know how to interact with them. Your character's essence is recognizable, and the other players bring a clear understanding of the archetype that you can use as a contrast fo your character's identity Yet roleplaying these characters, using the same standard abilities, and pullng up to the fable to play yet another version of a character you or your friends have played a dozen times before can become tiresome. Sometimes, you need 10 play something unique, something with more pizzazz. You need to play something truly exoric. na new campaign run by Christopher Perkins (former editor of Ouvacow and now a design manager for Wizards of the Coast) everyone is playing a wildly ‘exotic character. As usual, Chris went overboard designing the wor'd, and somewhere in the 100-page-or-so reference document he gave us, he presented several new races for the Underdark setting where we'd start our adventures. AS a resul, the party currently consists of a dragon-warped Kobold wih dire bat ‘wings grafted to his back, an insane albino drow, a construct with the soul of a dwarf, @ bugbear, and two cyclopean rock beings that can turn themselves into puddles of goo. say “currently” because Mat Smith keeps getting his kobold taken Cut in the first round of combat, and pretty soon hel fal all his stabilization checks and have to. make a new PC. ‘We're al stil exploring our characters’ portrayals and personalities, Without the clichés to fall back on, we're earning about our PCs as we go. | play Crown, a member of a construct-like race that Chris created, and during the first session, | learned something important about my character: Crown doesn't breathe. This was hhandy when Crown got grabbed by a giant snake and pulled underwater. While fatal to most it-level PCs, for Crown the encounter was merely a nuisance. Taking that lesson to heart, | sed it several sessions later during a massive bale at @ fortress in the middle of a lake, Crown walked underwater to the main fot, intending to clmb the side and attack the lead villain, The villain noticed Crown and actually winched the construct up, no doubt eager for a more formidable ‘opponent (he'd just knocked out Ma's kobokd-in the first round, of course). When Grown reached the top, my construct character took its readied action and _grappled the foe. Then Crown fell hackward-into the lake. A mere 14 rounds later, the vilain was drowned and Crown was none the worse for wear. It was a ghastly way to beat the bad guy, but Crown is lawful neutral and a construct to bot. I started play with the idea that Crown might be something lke Data from Star “Trex, but as play progresses is becoming clear that my character is closer to Maximilian from The Black Hole. Yet, despite crazy characters and a world that’s wildly diferent from the standard campaign, the game stil fels lke DEXD. in fact, it feels tke DOID at its best With this issue, we're presenting some of the more exotic articles we've received to give you cool tools to make your games and characters as unique a5 you lik. | hope you find them as interesting as we did and that they help bring the best out of your games. © I 's fun to play a cliché, and DB1D has a lot of clichés. The gruff dwarf, the Matthew Sernett Editor-in-ChiefZGGGNIA LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. YOURE Gouna TIME ME FIGKING H's PADLOCK. ANO Ie 2m SLOWER THAN THIS Curr wins, rm our? WHEEE!! x WoN It! ow US's TIME How Fast CAN DELveR A COUP DE GRACE WITH THIS AGED PIECE OF METALS 8 March 2004 SCALE MAIL READERS TALK BACK ISSUE #315, DARK SUN, AND CIRCUSES HAIL THE RISE OF DARK SUN I received my copy of issue #315 and ‘could not be more pleased with all the ddfferent campaign settings represented in one form or another. I've always had a soft spot for both RavENtorT and Dark ‘SUN, and seeing the great color map oF Castle Ravenloft, 3 well as the awesome picture of a defiler in action for Dank ‘SUN, made me want to see more! Since RaviNtor is already being con- tinued with Dao supplements by another publisher, I would really ike to see more Cf Dark Sun, which | believe stil has a great following among gamers. | cant wait for any addtional articles that would grace the pages of DaAcow and ‘Dunokow magazines One of the coolest things would be to see Wizards bring out a line of minia- tures of half-gants, mul, thr-kreen, and 0 on. That would allow us fo create the ‘arena-type battles that are famous on the world of Athas! Okay, enough dreaming: time 10 get back to running my next Da8k SUN session ‘Thanks for a great issue that took me down memory lane. Kosta Kalogeropoulos Tampa, FL Thanks, Kosta, We're glad you Iked the issue. A thei-kreen miniature appears in ‘the Harbinger ser, and since the half- lant is detailed in the upcoming Expanded Psionics Handbook, @ half- giant mini might also be on its way. ‘Check out DRAGON for Future sneak ‘peeks of the miniatures sers yer fo Matthew Sernett Editor-in-Chief YOU'RE NOT ALONE This message isto let you know that ‘Dracow #315 isthe best issue that | have seen! | really enjoyed reading about the campaign serings. | am a huge Dares Sus fan, and I iked the article about defers. Tm realy looking forward to seeing Darx sve For cae SUN 3.5 in your May issue. Treating the nations of KARA-TuR like the Rokogan clans was a great idea | much prefer KanacTun to Rokogan, and ths gives me ‘ideas for a great Oriental Adventures ‘campaign. | also appreciated seeing the background of how all those campaign settings were created. It was very inter esting to read, have played or run games in most of those settings, and i's good to see that they aren't forgotten Keep up the great work, and if you have to put some Das SUN material nto the magazine every once in 2 while, | know at least one DM (and a group of players) that would not mind at all! Paul Zellem Florence, SC | share your love ofthe campaign ser- tings of yesteryear, Pau. It was the reo: son | proposed the Issues theme to esse Decker when he when he was Editor-in-Chief. I've played in nearly all the settings presented in that issue, and 1 have products on my bookshelves from ai but two. (Alas, Blackmoor and Taledes ‘evade my grasp.) 1 hope you're looking forward to the release of the EsenRon Campaign Setting as much as | am. it seems preity exoric and new, yet not so far from standard DEAD that it will lose the majority of the DOD audience. ve seen a litle more about the campaign than were revealing to readers right now, and the more { ee, the more interested I become. Then «again, fm a sucker for campaign settings. Marthew Sernert CHRISTMAS IN MAY? Iam a long time reader and a more recent subscriber, but | have never written in or given any feedback prior to ths. | wanted fo say how much | enjoyed issue #315, As a long time Player of DUNGEONS t DRAGONS, I have dabbled in just about all of the published ‘worlds, and it was great 10 see the arti- cles that were written for them. 1 am especialy excited about theprospects of the upcoming Dark Suv think it would be one thar would be crossover between Deacon and Dun- greatly enjoyed by fans of Deacon mag- ‘azo, and | await this with the anricipa- azine everywhere. tion of a child at Christmas. This has Shane O'Connor truly been a long time coming, Lexington, KY Hopefully, this trend will continue in the future, and other readers and poten- Thanks for the compliments, Shane. We tial subscribers will react with the same enjoyed purring rhar sue rogerher. level of excitement that | have. The DRAGON Annual was a great idea Matt MacGregor for subscribers and newsstand buyers, ‘Address withheld bur it was a terrible burden for the mag’ azine staff. The Annuals production hap- DrAcon will continue fo give irregular pened near the holidays at the end of NOR G LU ‘coverage to the various campaign set- the year, when absences due to ilhess ENN ore} tings currenily produced by Wizards of and well-deserved vacations always the Coast. They have lange followings occurred. This made the already difficult Ao among DOrD players, and we want to process of gering an issue published Rel opeal ‘support play for those readers. during that peri a nightmare by giving Due to the posiive Feedback we've us two issues to do at ence. I survived received about issue 4315, well also be through one such nightmare during my PUR ROEU Rem considering articles that support the first year withthe magazine, and lin not Rearhiy Wizards of the Coast serngs that are going fo lead the staff down thar path of Iie ro longer being produced. f you're peril and madness. [shudder] interested in writing such an article for On the other hand, Paizo is currently Daacon, keep in mind that we will only investigating the possibiliy of puring 3 ‘accept articles that consis largely of together compilation products, and I "cet ches material thar is easily portable to other know that campaign seri mareral has Lire campaigns and to homebrew worlds. been an option on the rable. IF you're " = Check out our writer's guidelines at interested in seeing products Ike thar, yen arty www:palzo.com, and email your query fo send an email to scalemail@ paizo.com, joneapaizo.com, and well consider your pur Kepah ltln ott! oe Matthew Sernett Matthew Sernett eee THE GHOST OF GREYHAWK VS. CHRISTMASES PAST FORGOTTEN REALMS Thark you for sue #216] AS a gamer Issue #915 was a grea issue wih very Ren ee ‘who jumped into DBtD with znd edition, cool features. They captured the reper I've missed the discontinued campaigns essence of the old marerial without es greatly. Seeing new content for them requiring intimate knowledge of the set= vous tfer ao long was a realy. can tgs in question, and they gave you 8 aes remember the ost tine ve acted craving for more. The great thing abou an ssue of Deaca'so much. | was run- these ares is how medular the options ning to the mailbox for days before | they presented were. I'l definitely be finally received my copy. | greatly look dropping the sha'ir, the defiler, and red forward tothe future Ssues that wll” Sea info GRe Mu canta the DA Sin set andthe Theenly part that bothered me was Oriental Adventures are the articles on setings that ar already Tstrangy urge you to print more _seetng heavy suport. There's a Airtel intel heed campaign setings | Fonorrey Raa rile every month are know you're reluctant to flood the maga- and DRAGONLANCE and RAVENLOFT have. ie zn vith content maant for specie. active product Ines | wouldve Ike to io wert (and with good reason and think ave seen the ful Gat regional the answer fo tha sin two words: feats aril ora Smeen aren AeA RRRI | Deacon Arua! If you resurrected the ther place el ove toate sus lke this TAMER | Arnuaissc, 1 would be the perfect more regularly, and fm defintely looking ice baretg ti place for an isu fly devoted tothe forward othe upcoming Das Suv {1d and edion campaign words! Al he crossover sues more so ance that was the orga focus MK. Argent ofthe Annual back when Draw was Address wild being published by TSR and Wizards of the Coast, Please consider this idea. The purpose of issue #315 was Yo pres- rab erp el bverpomne pzomo al as soe, Sbscrbe one aps com and save Frenne serv omer eee as 10 March 2004cent an homage 1o all the campaign ser tings that Wizards of the Coast and TSR produced, not merely 10 give support for sentngs no longer in production. it shouldn't surprise anyone that there were so many that we couldn’ get arti- cles for all of them or fir therm alin the ‘magazine. We lined up authors for Srauweeser and Counce oF Wass, but the articles simply didnt materialize in time for inclusion in the issue. The rest of the Gnevnawx feats will pear in Issue #399, though Matthew Sernert BRING IN THE CLOWNS. loved “Campaign Components: ‘Swashbucklers” from issue #301. The artwork and variations on character concepts were awesome! Looking back on that issue and watching Pirates of the Caribbean a few hundred times since purchasing it has made my D&1D blood boil for an adventure on the high seas. Why haven't you done a few more ari- cles similar to that one? | know you did ‘one on gladiators and one on knights, but they both paled in comparison to the thoroughness of the swashbuckler art cle. Could you bring back more articles CAPTION CONTEST Po eee berptomepasscom ofa 3). lke ths in furure issues? I would love 10 see a “Campaign Components: Traveling Circus” Jason Webb Fontana, CA hope you liked “Campaign Components Spies” in the last issue. “Campaign Components” isan irregular fearure in e magazine, much hke “Arcane Lore’ (an article of spells) or "Bazaar of the Bizarre” (an article of mé fim not sure how much potential the concept of a traveing circus has for Inclusion in mast DBD games. The "Campaign Components” articles are designed so that you can base an entire campaign around the idea or simply cherry pick ideas for an ongoing game. Tm trying 10 imagine how the circus concept would work like that, and all my ideas alternare from the ridiculously ‘humorous to the indescribably horrific. Matthew Sernett © gic items). Eee ee td oe Licenced By Richard Pett corre eae cs een 168 esc artes yee od te ckoon keen Ne wwwpaizocom/dragon 1ZOGGNIA START PACKING! T HAVE Locke aN ADVENTURE For THe UP ON A SOAPBOX BARRAGE BALLOON? THE END OF MURLYND’S MAYHEM sa clever player, Don Kaye soon had his character, Murlynd, tricked out quite well for a low- level adventurer. By dint of various sorts of adventuring, said magic-user had acquired a wand of fireballs and then a cherished pair of boots of levitarion. With such accoutrements, Don thought to gain yet more magical objects for his PC, so that Muriynd could ride roughshod over the adversaries encountered and become lord of all he surveyed. Of course, the motivation for that was not mere power-gaming, Don and | being boyhood friends, it was more 3 matter of honor, as with all our previous Contests that took place prior to the advent of the DExD game. Don was bent on besting my efforts ro have the ‘most potent mage in play. He was playing against both me as ‘Mordenkainen and me as one of the regular DMs, Having engaged in such contests with him since boyhood, there ‘was no cheating against Murlynd, but ro breaks either. In the first outdoor encounter after ‘Murynd had acquired his uplifting footwear, | was not as well prepared 95, | might have been. Up soared the mage, down rained fireballs, and there went my NPCs and most of their orc minions. Time to take a page from history, thought L When next the daring spellcaster lofted upward, things went Somewhat differently ‘Soon thereafter, Murlynd and his comrades Robilar, Terk, and Tenser, ‘came upon the main force of the orcs, ‘now without human leaders but forewarned by survivors of the earlier encounter. Upon sighting their camp, the “rain of fire” tactic was brought into play once again ‘As Murlynd floated majestically aloft, bt before he could get to a high altitude, orc cries of "Barrage balloon!” resounded, and flights of bolts and arrows sped skyward. His companions by Gary Gygax could not resist laughing at the orcs’ reaction fo the menace of the levitating attacker. Even as a firebal struck them, the humanoids were countering effectively. Murlynd was an easy target, and several shafts struck home. Down he came as quickly as possible, arrows and quarrels streaking every which way around hit. In due course, the PCs managed to defeat the many orcs, but it was a hard fight, and not a turkey shoot using fireballs from a height out of range of any counterattack, Don actually attempted to have Murlynd levitate above the ores a second time, with more warning shouts of “Barrage balloon going up,” and Murlynd returning to terra firma more quickly than before, a single arrow hit sufficient to discourage him. If there is a true moral to this litle anecdote, | suppose itis not fo attempt Using a questionable tactic twice, especially when the DM is someone with whom you are usually in some friendly contests: one with whom a rivalry has been actively pursued for a long, long time. Presenting a challenge as large as a dirigible just can't be ignored, no matter how disinterested @ Dungeon Master might otherwise be. it is worth adding that Muriynd was holding his own against his rival Morderkainen in the contest 10 be the most potent magic-user, for the lesson ‘was not lost on the Good Mr. Kaye, and ‘a mere whisper of “barrage balloon” ‘was sufficient to dissuade Murlynd From taking undue risks, © {lntoeraaresoparacam Teen Do Sr 12. March 2004 rb im enrseproceé he magus yb ened rca gh Al ersWHAT'S WRONG, MATT? \ DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE HOW HARD ITAS TO. be DATING ANB YOUR HOBBIES, SIGH. MY GIRLFRIEND ES GAMING. porsn't Get tine 6, ARNE ERARBE a EDESBIBES GAMING! THAT MAY BE, BUT PROBLEMS TOO. nm HOW SO? YOUR GIRLFRIEND HATE GAMING! WORSE ‘THAN THAT. ©2004 SHETLAND PRODUCTIONS [email protected] —WWW.DORKTOWER.COM16 March 2004 by Mat Smith -iustrated by Dana Knutson, Steve Prescott, and Mark Tedin races populate the expansive world of Eaexion. Many are famil- lar, while others are unique to the setting. Regardless, each race has its own look, its own feel, and its own place in the world. Most impor- tantly, each race has its share of heroes ready for the pulp-noir action, adventure, and intrigue that await them in every corner of the cinematically ‘exciting Esenron Campaign Serting. FAMILIAR BUT DIFFERENT IF you explore any fantasy realm in any DEAD game, you can expect to encounter elves, dwarves, gnomes, half-eives, halflings, and haif-orcs, along with an assort- ment of humans. in that respect, the Eacaow Campaign Setting is no different from any other. AS you travel across the various continents of ESeRRON, you'll eventually encounter each of those standard races. Yer in the Escesow Campaign Serring, ll of these familiar character races have their own flavor and styletheir own place in the world. i's how and where each of those familiar character races fits into the tmagic-filed world of EseRRoN that gives them, and the world around them, a “feel” that’s distint to the setting. One of the truly unique things about the standard character races in the EBceRON Campaign Setting are the dragonmarks they carry. Unique, arcane sigils that mani fest on certain members of a particular dynastic family, dragonmarks grant magical abilities that provide both power and influence. Humans Like in many DOID worlds, humans are the most common character race in ESeRRON. ‘They are also the race that has most recently (ina historical sense) come to civi lization. The first human settlers sailed from their continent of Sarlona, arriving, in the region of Khorvaire now known as the Lhazaar Principalities. Humans slowly spread across the entire continent of Khorvaire, encroaching upon both elven empires and goblin kingdoms alike,Dwarves Expanding upon their traditional roles a8 miners and smiths, the dwarves of Esenaow have used their control of pre- ‘cious metals and skis atthe forge to become the most influential bankers and merchants in Khorvaire. A loose- knit confederation of dwarven clans living in the mountainous region of eastern Khorvaire form the backbone of the dwarven homeland known as the Mror Holds. Elves ‘Whether from the rainforest island-con- tinent of Aerenal, or from the human- influenced nation of Valenar, the elves (of EseRRON have distinct cultures. The ‘Aerenal are a traditional people closely tied to their ancestral heritage, so much ‘so that their ancestors continue to live among them as an undead link to ancient times. The horse-riding nomads of Valenar are a savage but sophis cated race of elves who have special tiesto their mounts. Many other elves have chosen to emigrate to the assorted nations across the continent, taking, up residence and integrating with the human-dominated civilizations. Gnomes Meticulous and curious, the gnomes of Exeron are possessed by a dire thirst for knowledge. As prolific, passionate gatherers of information, gnomes ore extremely well suited to occupations as librarians and accountants, and take up more adventurous roles as bards and arificers. The gnome homeland of 2itargo is known for its great libraries, schools of learning, and grand shipyards in which they construct vessels pow- ered by magically bound elementals. Half-Elves Hal-elves in the Exennow Campaign Setting are a distinct race descended from both human and elven ancestors. While some exhibit the boldness of elves, others are able to comfortably blend in with human society. The soci ety of the Aerenal and its fascination with death draws some half-lves to become accomplished necromancers, while others go to Valenar, choosing to help establish and expand the new ‘elven nation. Half-Ores ‘The humans and orcs of Khorvaire have never lived in close proximity to ‘ne another, which makes half-orcs somewhat rare in EseRRoN. However in regions such a8 the Shadow Marches and the western parts of the Eldeen Reaches and Droaam, half-ores are ‘more common. Despite their size and strength, half-orcs often look almost human and are just 2s civilized as the humans of any given region. While half-ores don't have a homeland of their own, they can be found in both core and human communities, even thriving within the larger towns and cities of Khorvaire. "Alter the designers frsh their work on 3 bck, a three-person development eam spends tm reviewing the new game ee- ‘ments, comparing the book's goals withthe scr design. and adeesing any isues that ‘come up in ths process. "During the development process of ‘Een, our goal forthe ster was to make ‘sure that players were excited about using and improving thei sting abit. There were great ideas bul into the race already, So we ust wanted Yo emphasize what was already there The first thing we did was 10 mat shiting a free action, encouraging its use in combat. From thee, the mechanics of ‘he siting abiry began 10 lok 2 ot ihe the rmechonss forthe barbara’ rage aby. To fferentote berween the two, and 10 alow the siting abit 1 improve as the charac Jer increased in evel, we came up withthe dea that every shifting eat would abo ‘extend the duration ofthe character's shit- ing ably 2 wel es improve the shiting ower in some other way. This encourages ‘layers who bull thelr charactrs around the hing aity 1o foces more and more sources oni they go up in level and makes a shifer rogue or Fighter cifferent from a human rogue or Fier in a realy Investing way. You can see how this mechanic works nthe example Fats pro- ied in the article” dese Decker Halflings The expansive Talenta Plains are the homeland of ESeRRON’s cultured, nomadic race of halflings. Possessed of sharp wits and glib tongues, the halflings of EoeRton have: also taken up residence in virtually every city of Khorvaire. Whether riding domesticated dinosaurs across the vast pains or making 2 place in the most cosmopol- tan cities of the continent, these diminutive people are well established as merchants, politicians, baristers, healers, and criminals wwwpaizo.comidragon 17Because shifters aren’ specially Hed 10 any singe animal type, each ‘odivual may marfest best characteristics of ay ofa variety of predatory creatures. The choice of lyeathrope characteristics ‘Armored, Ser, Cimber, Render, Runner, or Tracker) provides 9 payer the lexi fo create ary sort of anmal-themed shifter desired. For ‘example 9 shfler descended from a ycamhropic cheetah might splay the Runner characteristic while a ft witha grizzly bear heritage could exhib the Ber or Tracker characteristic. A wide array of shifer feats offers adaional options to futher explore the feral rate of the ‘ter. By reinforcing 2 parcular sestheic or extending the general ‘east-ike qualities inherent in the race. each shifter you encounter can be # completely different animal ‘SHIFTER DEFENSE [SHIFTER] ‘By devng nto your shifter her- lage, you develop the bry ro ignore a ite damage from nearly every attack, Prerequisites: Sher, wo ‘other ster feats. Beneft: When shed, you hhave damage reduction 2/stver EXTRA LYCANTHROPE HEALING FACTOR CHARACTERISTIC (SHIFTER [SHIFTER] ‘When sing ends, you heat |. When shfing, you can manifest Aired aroun of damage. ‘one addtional Iycanthrope aby Prerequbites: Shier, Prerequisites: Shier, wo Constitution 3, ‘other shifter fats, Benefi: When a period of Benefit Selecta second fyean- shiting ends, you mmesiaely | thrope characterise from the Ist hea a number of fit points equal | in the hier race description, to your character love. The heal- | You manifest all ofthe benefits of ing factor dowsit ick nif you | the second characteristic except {eo tpn) prior tothe | forthe temporary bonus 1 your end of the shfing. abity score. GREAT REND [SHIFTER] ‘You know how 10 hit where i thurs with your claws. Prerequisites: Sher the Render characters, o4 base tack bonus. Benefit: if you hit with both of your claw attack in round, you ‘eal adtonal pons of damage cua 0 dg +2 of your Strength modifier, rounded down 18 March 2004 NEW RACES. In addition tothe seven standard races from the Player's ‘Handbook, Esc is also home to a handful of character races ‘unique to the setting. These new races exhibit powers and abil ties that are right at home in the Eaennow Campaign Setting, but they could also easily fit into any other DBD game. Changelings A race evolved from the mixing of humans and doppel- angers, changelings possess a limited ability to alter their ‘appearances at will This subtle shapeshifting ability allows changelings to easily create highly effective disguises, mak- ing them ideal spies and criminals. While not every cchangeling lives a clandestine life, most seek to avoid direct confrontations, preferring stealthy attacks and swift retreats. Their ability to adopt nearly any guise, coupled with a natural aptitude for learning languages and an inher- cent talent for interpersonal ski (such as Bluff, intimidate, nd Sense Motive, allow changelings to blend easly into virtually any society. Changelings have no homeland to call their own, and most commonly live among humans and the ‘other races in the larger cities of Khorvaire. The Kalashtar ‘An elegant and beautiful race, the kalashtar are created through the merging of humans and psychically projected entities from the alien plane of Dal Quor. Possessing keen intellects and a desire to perfect their minds and spirits, the kealashtar often seek to develop their natural psionic abilities. While the kalashtar population is relatively small, even in their homeland of Adar, they can still be found in the largest human cities. Natural-born diplomats, the kalashtar are able to get along well with members of all races across EBERRON, particularly the humans which they so closely resemble. Shifters Descended from individuals born from unions between humans and lycamthropes, the third character race unique to the Escrnow Campaign Seng is able to manifest bestial characteristics for short periods of time. Details of the shifters are below. Shifter Racial Description ‘Shifters, sometimes called “the weretouched,” are descended from humans and natural lycanthropes. Shifters cannot fully ‘change shape, but can take on animalistic features—a state they call shifting. Although descended from humans and the lycanthropes that are now nearly extinet on Khorvaire, shifters are a unique species that breeds true. They have a distinct culture with its own traditions and identity.Personality: Shifters’ personalities tend to be influenced by their animal natures. Many are boorish and crude, while others are quiet, shifty, and soli- tary. Just as most lycanthropes are carnivores, shifters have a predatory personality and think of most activities in terms of hunting and prey. They View life as 9 challenge to survive, striving to be self-reliant, adaptable, and resourceful. Physical Description: Shifters are basically humanoid in shape, but their bodies are exceptionally lithe, They offen move in a crouched posture, springing and leaping as their compan- fons walk, Their faces have a bestial cast, with wide, flat noses, large eyes and heavy eyebrows, pointed ears, and long sideburns (in both sexes). Their forearms and lower legs grow Yong hair, and the hair of their heads is thick and generally worn long. Relations: Many races feel uncom- fortable around shifters, the way they feel around any large predator. OF ‘course, some individuals grow to love individual shifters despite the natural aversion, and halflings in general get along well with them. For their part, shifters are used to distrust and gen- erally don't expect better treatment from members of the other races, although some shifters will try to earn respect and companionship through acts and deeds. ‘Alignment: Shifters are usually neutral, viewing the struggle to survive {as more important than moral ‘or ethical concerns about how survival is maintained. Shifter Lands: Shifters have no lands of their own. Being descended from human stock, they generally live in human lands. Unlike changelings, however, shifters often live in rural areas away from the crowded spaces of the cities. They are most commonly ‘encountered in the Eldeen Reaches and ‘other remote areas that can be found in all of the nations. Many shifters earn thelr way as trappers, hunters, fishers, trackers, guides, and military scouts, Dragonmarks: The fact that none of the dragonmarked houses includes shifters cements theit place outside the mainstream of society. Religion: Most shifters are inclined toward the druidic religion of the Eldeen Reaches, believing in the divinity of the earth itself, the elements, and the creatures of the earth. Many shifters who do revere the Sovereign Host are drawn toward Balinor and Bokdrei, while ‘others follow the Traveler. Language: Shifters speak Common ‘and are not often inclined to learn other languages. ‘Names: Shifters use the same names as humans, often names that sound rustic to city-dwellers. ‘Adventurers: Moving from the rugged, self-reliant life of a hunter to an adventuring lie big step. Many shifters find them- selves embarking on adventuring ‘careers after something happens to disrupt their everyday routines—a ‘monstrous incursion into their villages or forests, for example, oF a guide job one sour, Shifter Racial Traits +. +2 Dexterity, -2Ineligence,-2 Charisma, Shifters are like and agi, but their Fundamental bestial nature detracts From both their reasoning and their social interactions. + Medium: As Medium creatures, shifters have no special bonuses oF penalties due to ther size. + Shifter base speed is 30 feet. + Shifting: A shifter can tap into his Iycanthropic heritage to gain short bursts of physical power. Once per day, a shifter can enter a state that is superficially similar to barbarian rage. He gains one lycanthrope characteris- tic at st level that sets him apart ond ‘manifests when he is shifting and pro- vides a +2 bonus to one of his physi- ‘cal ability scores (Strength, Dexterity. ‘or Constitution). The ability score bboost is based on which lycanthrope. characteristic is selected. Shifting isa free action and lasts for 3 number of rounds equal o 3 + the shifter's Constution modifier. A shifter ‘can take Feats to improve this ability. ‘These feats are identified os shifter feats in Chapter 9: Heroic Characteristics. Every shifter feat a character takes increases the duration of shifting by t round. Every two shifter feats a char- ‘ecter fakes increases the number of times per day he can tap into the abil ity by 1. So, a shifter character with two shifter feats can shift two times per day (instead of the usual one) and the shifting lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 (instead of 3) + the shifter’s Constitution modifier: Shifting, although related 10 and developed from lycanthropy, is neither an affliction nor a curse. iis not passed on by bite or claw attacks, and a shifter can't be cured-shifting is a wwewpaizo.com/dragon 19aan "Mage 2 poweeul force the work f Es. thas nen incorporated io czar bu ti ao a prt of the natural worl. From he Begin, the goa wast races ha reflected the infloence of map on evelion. “Tve aways ben inrigued by the he of deppegager enluaons. Doppelganger are eigen humana, but peopl rarely slop orier wht ter cure might be te However, some of the abies of he doppelganger most ntb. deve hough at wi-can realy spd a {pe when placed in the hands ofa payer character. Changings were dered 0 hep the mystique of the depelgnger wile ang down the powers ht can rely rin a tory. 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This ao provides a Clear rlepiaying ook for your character: How is his bes tal nore reflec mis persorty? “Tach of thee three races brings someting new othe werd and ads a new dmersion ro stores an adventures Hopefuly youl enjoy using and interacting with her” ~Keth Baker 20 March 2004 natural ability for the race Shifting abilities are considered to be supernatural Shifters select their unique Iycanthrope characteristic from the following list: Armored, Biter, Climber, Render, Runner, or Tracker, as described below. ‘Armored (Su): While shifted, the shifter temporarily gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and mani fests a natural armor bonus equal to +2. Biter (Sul: While shifted, the shifter temporarily gains a +2 bonus 1 Strength and manifests fangs that can be used as a natural ‘weapon, dealing 146 points of dam- age (plus an additional + for every four character levels he has) with @ successful bite attack, He cannot attack more than once each round with his bite, even if his base attack ‘bonus is high enough to give him ‘multiple aracks. He can attack with his bite as a secondary attack (at 5 from his base attack bonus) while using a weapon, and suffers no penalty on other attacks that round. limber (Su): While shifted, the shifter temporarily geins a +2 bonus to Dexterity and manifests 2 climb speed of 20 feet. Render (Su): While shifted, the shifter temporarily gains a +2 bonus to Strength and manifests claws that can be used as natural ‘weapons. These claws deal dq points of damage (phis an additional + for every four character levels he has) with each successful attack. He can attack with one claw a5 a standard action or with two claws as @ ful atack action. He cannot attack more than once each round with a single claw, even if his base attack bonus is high enough to give him mutiple attacks. He can attack with a claw as a secondary attack with a light off-hand weapon while using a weapon in his primary hand, but all his attacks that round suffer a 2 penalty. Runner (Su): While shifted, the shifter temporarily gains 2 +2 bonus to Dexterity and manifests an increased base speed of +10 feet. Tracker (Su): While shifted, the shifter temporarily gains 9 +2 bonus to Constitution and the scent ability. This special quality allows the shifter to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. A shifter can identify faril- {ar odors just as @ human does familiar sights. The shifter can detect oppo- nents within go feet by sense of small. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to Oo feet iF downwind, it drops to 15 Feet Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, ccan be detected at triple normal range. These stronger scents block other scents, so they can sometimes be used to confuse or hamper this shifter ability. ‘When a shifter detects a scent, the exact location of the source isn't revesled-only its presence somewhere within range, The shifter can take 2 move action 10 note the direction of the scent. Whenever the shifter comes within 5 Feet of the source, he pinpoints the source's location. A shifter with the Track feat can follow tracks by smell, making ‘a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (regard- less of the surface that holds the scent), This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry's odor is, the number of creatures producing the odor, and the age of the trail