Vril?

[Zaq]

Drow of the Underdark (a book with great crunch and terrible fluff), pages 123-126, mentions Vril, a kind of goblinoid found in the Underdark, including rules for using them as a player race and even a handful of racial feats for them.

The problem? Two of their primary abilities (skinshift and shriek) appear to not actually exist. If they do exist, they're definitely not on those pages I mentioned. From the names and the feats, you can sort of extrapolate what these abilities do (skinshift provides some kind of DR, and shriek is some kind of sonic-based attack that normally takes a standard action), but that's not actually enough.

Does anyone have any more info on this? There doesn't seem to be any errata (and with 4e, I doubt any is forthcoming), which is sad, because they seem like an interesting race. Are they mentioned (and more importantly, statted) in any other books, specific adventures or anything?

[sonofzeal]

Yup, it appears to be missing. By extrapolation though, "Skinshift" is DR 5/???, where ??? is one of "bludgeoning", "slashing", or "piercing", at your choice. Basically you get to choose, but can only have one at a time. Hope that helps...

[Allerdyce]

The only Shriek ability I'm familiar with is the Shrieker ability (MM, p 113), which apparently just lures prey to it. It is sonic based, but doesn't seem to do anything.

[KillianHawkeye]

The information you seek can be found here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20070504a).

I got this a while back. I couldn't find the link by searching through the old Wizards site, but Google didn't fail me. :smallbiggrin:

[Seffbasilisk]

For those unwilling, or unable to use the link:


Skinshift (Ex) Once per day as a move action, a vril can alter the consistency of its flesh for a number of rounds equal to 3 + its Con modifier. For the duration of the effect, it gains damage reduction 5 against its choice of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Starting at 4th level and every four levels thereafter, a vril can use this ability one extra time per day (2/day at 4th, 3/day at 8th, 4/day at 12th, and so on).
Shriek (Ex) Once per day as a standard action, a vril can emit a horrible shriek, either as a 15-foot-radius burst centered on itself or as a 30-foot cone. Any creature in the affected area takes 1d6 points of sonic damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the vril’s character level + the vril’s Con modifier) reduces the damage by half. A vril barbarian can use its shriek when raging.
The shriek’s damage increases by 1d6 at 3rd level and every three levels thereafter (2d6 at 6th, 3d6 at 9th, and so on), up to a maximum of 4d6 points of sonic damage at 12th level.