Post by sandcastles on Feb 19, 2012 23:21:07 GMT -5
Centaur
Regions: Chondalwood, Dalelands, Great Dale, High Forest, Tethyr.
Racial Feats: None, but the centaurs can acquire the Spirited Charge and Trample feats (ignoring the prerequisites) and apply the benefits to their own melee attacks.
Racial Hit Dice: 4d8.
Level Adjustment: +3
Centaurs are magnificent creatures. From the waist up, they appear like well-muscled humanoids. Their pointed ears suggest they were once related to elves. From the waist down, however, they have the bodies of horses. The centaur's humanoid skin is usually bronzed from many hours in the sun. Their equine coats vary greatly in color and pattern, just as much as any traditional horse. Many different species of creatures appear to be conglomerations of two or more other species, but few of these are as handsome, noble, and articulate as the centaurs.
Centaurs are usually honorable and affable people. They prefer to stick to their own kind, but they are not afraid to socialize with those from other races.
The main aim of most centaurs is to live in harmony with their forest homes. They are uneducated, but few are wiser than they in the ways of the woods. They care far more for the wilds in which they live than for what someone might have once written in some mouldering old book.
Centaurs mature early and live short but happy lives. Like horses, they can walk from birth, albeit on shaky hooves at first. They are considered children for only two years, after which they are adolescents for another three. Once they reach five years of age, centaurs are considered full adults. On average, centaurs live around 40 years, although some have been known to reach the ripe old age of 60.
From their chests to the back of their rumps, full-grown centaurs measure six to eight feet long. From their front hooves to their crowns, they are seven to eight feet tall. Centaurs weigh anywhere from 950 to 1,200 pounds.
Centaurs have the same life expectancy and age categories as half-orcs.
History
Human legend has it that the centaurs are the result of some mad cross between a wild elf and a wild mustang, but both the wild elves and the centaurs take umbrage at this suggestion. (The mustangs have no particular opinions on the matter.) As far as the centaurs are concerned, they have always been on Toril, caretakers of the forest in which they make their homes.
The centaur's territory has been slowly dwindling over the years, and presumably their numbers as well. According to centaur myth, the forests of Faerûn once ran thick with great tribes of centaurs. It is only since the encroachment of the "civilized" races that the centaurs have been forced to retreat into smaller and smaller ranges.
Outlook
Centaurs see themselves as the noble guardians of the forest. They are the royalty of the woods. Because of this, they feel protective of their homes and responsible for the defense of the creatures with which they share their space.
Male centaurs spend almost all their waking hours either hunting or out patrolling their lands, keeping their sharp eyes peeled for any outsiders who might be encroaching on their territory and doing the forest harm. If the centaurs believe that their "guests" are acting out of simple ignorance or carelessness, they confront the strangers and deliver them a warning to change their ways. But if the centaurs see these people acting maliciously against their people or the forest, the noble creatures attack without warning and without mercy.
Most centaurs who take up adventuring are young mares or stallions looking for a bit of adventure in their lives before they settle down. Perhaps they're hoping to find a mate from a tribe other than their own. Sometimes, centaurs who lose their spouses or families take up wandering about the world to distract them from their grief.
Centaur Characters
A centaur's favored class is ranger. Their closeness to the lands in which they live makes taking up this class an easy choice. However, there are nearly as many bards, and druids in their tribes. Centaurs enjoy their music almost as much as their woods.
Prestige Classes: Centaurs can become arcane archers, members of a prestige class normally reserved for elves and half-elves. They do not have any special prestige classes of their own.
Centaur Society
Centaur stallions may be hunters, but the mares actually run the tribe and supplement the local food supply with cultivated produce. They also bring some less common goods into their communities through trade. They pay with treasure stripped from the monsters or people who have been foolish enough to challenge them. They don't care to trade with humans, as centaurs consider them basically untrustworthy. They deal freely with elves, however, mostly for elven foods and wines.
Centaurs are massive creatures, and they eat and drink a lot. Unfortunately, they are notoriously wild drunks, given to high spirited rampages when overindulging. Noncentaurs should note that although centaurs have generally wonderful senses of humor, they are sensitive about their physiology. They take direct offense at any horse jokes. ("The horses don't tell us human jokes, you know. Nor do they ask if they can climb on our backs!") While centaurs can give most humanoids a ride in times of need - and are often willing to offer such assistance when it's needed - they are offended when asked to perform this service. They are noble and intelligent creatures, not beasts of burden, and they are touchy about anyone even insinuating otherwise.
Centaurs mate for life. Once they promise themselves to each other, centaurs are always faithful, even should one of the pair die. Divorce is unknown among these people.
Young centaurs are encouraged to play freely, and they mostly do so by running wild through the forests that make up their homes. As centaurs grow up, they are gradually asked to share more and more of the tribe's duties. When a centaur reaches the age of five, she officially becomes an adult, and the tribe hosts a large party to celebrate. Centaurs gallop in from miles around to eat, drink, and race.
As centaurs get older, they start to slow down. Eventually, when it's their turn to die, they drift off into the woods and expire peacefully and privately, offering their bodies up for the creatures of the forest to consume, just as they have consumed so many such creatures during their own lives.
Outside the tribe, most centaurs work alone, confident in their ability to handle most situations. They are often happy to join up with a band of adventurers, especially if they are are any elves in it. They know that they are unschooled in the ways of civilization and are always happy to be given a hand dealing with such situations.
Language and Literacy
Centaurs speak Sylvan among themselves, and most have learned enough Common to be able to converse with any who might impinge on the borders of their territory. After that, those centaurs inclined to pick up another tongue usually learn Elven so they can easily trade with their favorite non-centaur people. They might also learn Orc or Draconic so they can properly threaten their most hated foes.
Centaurs are illiterate, except for those with player character classes other than barbarian.
Abilities and Racial Features
Centaurs have the following racial traits:
- +8 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom: Centaurs are literally as strong, fast, and healthy as the proverbial horse. While they may not have a great deal of formal knowledge, their practical experience in the wild serves them well.
- Large: As large creatures, centaurs suffer a -1 size penalty on attack rolls and Armor Class. They also suffer a -4 size penalty on Hide checks. However, they can use larger weapons than humans can, and their lifting and carrying limits are twice those of Medium-sized characters.
- Centaur face is 10 feet, with a reach of 5 feet.
- Centaur land speed is 50 feet.
- Darkvision up to 60 feet.
- Proficient with all simple weapons, the longsword, the heavy lance, and the composite longbow.
- +2 natural armor.
- Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice: A centaur has 4d8 racial Hit Dice. A centaur character receives the maximum hit points for her first monstrous humanoid Hit Die, and rolls her other monstrous humanoid Hit Dice normally. She rolls all Hit Dice from class levels and does not automatically get maximum hit points on her first class level Hit Die. A centaur's monstrous humanoid Hit Dice also provide a +4 base attack bonus and saving throws of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4. Centaurs with class levels add their class attack bonus and save bonuses to their racial attack bonus and saves.
- Monstrous Humanoid Skills: A centaur's monstrous humanoid Hit Dice grant her skill points equal to (2+ Int modifier, minimum 1) x 7. Class skills for these skill points are Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival. A centaur does not get the x4 multiplier for skill points acquired from her first class level.
- Monstrous Humanoid Feats: A centaur's monstrous humanoid Hit Dice grant her 2 feats. A typical centaur chooses Weapon Focus (hoof) and Improved Natural Armor. A centaur with class levels gains feats based on her total Hit Dice.
- Natural Attacks: A centaur may make 2 hoof attacks, each dealing 1d6 points of damage plus the centaur's Strength bonus. A centaur can attack with a weapon in her hands at her normal attack bonus, and make 2 hoof attacks as secondary attacks (-5 penalty on the attack roll, and half Strength bonus on the damage roll).
- Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan, home region. Bonus Languages: By region.
- Favored Class: Ranger
- Level Adjustment: +3. Due to her racial HD, plus her size and phenomenal physical ability, a centaur has an effective character level of 7 plus her class levels. Thus, a 3rd-level centaur would have an ECL of 10.
Centaur Magic and Lore
Centaurs have no special spells exclusive to their race. Centaur arcane spellcasters prefer evocation and transmutation spells, since these allow them to affect both intruders and the weather, two constant worries in any centaur's life.
Centaur Magic Items
Centaurs can often make use of magic items intended for horses. For instance, they can directly benefit from horseshoes of speed and horseshoes of the zephyr. They may also use magical boots or shoes on their front or rear pair of hooves (while the items do alter to fit the centaurs' hooves, they look strange). Centaurs may wear gloves and similar items on their arms like any other humanoid. A centaur is still limited to one pair of boots, one pair of gloves, and so on, despite having an extra pair of limbs.
Centaurs cannot wear humanoid armor, but may wear magical barding. Barding costs four times as much as humanoid armor of the same type, but can be made magical or masterwork at the normal costs. For example, +1 studded leather barding costs 1,000gp for the magic portion of the item, 150gp for the masterwork price, and 100gp for four times the normal cost of studded leather armor, for a total of 1,250gp.
Centaur Deities
Centaurs are not terribly devout. Most of their religious leaders are druids, who also serve as the tribal leaders. When centaurs choose a patron deity, it is almost invariably Silvanus. They share the Oak Father's love for the deep forests and mighty trees of Faerûn and, like Silvanus, are not afraid to confront those who would injure the forests. Less often, centaurs choose members of the elven pantheon as patrons, such as Angharradh, Rillifane Rallathil, or Solonor Thelandira.
Relations with Other Races
Centaurs don't mind sharing territory with elves. In fact, the two races can even be said to be friendly with each other. However, centaurs do not hold other races in such high regard. They tolerate halflings and gnomes, who are rarely a threat to the centaurs, and are well known for their deep and abiding respect for nature. Centaurs don't care for humans or dwarves at all; when such people intrude upon a centaur's home, they are asked to leave, politely but forcefully.
Orcs, kobolds, and goblinoids, have earned an especially cold place in a centaur's heart. Most centaurs would not even consider parleying with these races, and attack them on sight.
Centaur Equipment
Centaurs prefer to use greatclubs, heavy lances, and mighty composite longbows. They also wear specialized centaur barding that is a combination of a standard suit of humanoid armor and standard barding. This costs four times what a medium-sized suit of normal armor costs, and it weighs twice as much.
Medium or heavy barding reduces a centaur's speed to 35 ft. When wearing heavy barding, a centaur can only move triple its normal rate instead of quadruple when using the Run Action. Removing or donning centaur barding takes five times as long as removing or donning normal humanoid armor. See Table 7-6: Donning Armor on page 105 of the Player's Handbook for details.
Animals and Pets
Centaurs do not raise domestic animals for food or as beasts of burden. They are friendly with all sorts of woodland animals, but they generally do not keep pets.
Source: Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerûn