Frog People!

[TheArchmage]

Hey guys, I don't know if this has already been done (it probably has), but here's my take on the "frog-people" race for my campaign world!

Ranaeids

Ranaeids are humanoids with the characteristics of amphibians. Several subraces exist.

Swamp Ranaeid: The stereotypical "frog-person", these guys live in swamps in small villages.

+2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Int: Ranaeids are quick, agile and perceptive, but are lacking a little in the way of brains.
Medium size.
Land speed 20 ft., Swim speed 40 ft.: A swamp ranaeid's webbed feet are more suited for the water than the land. A swamp ranaeid may always choose to take 10 on Swim checks.
Low-light vision.
Hold Breath: A swamp ranaeid can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 x their Con score.
+2 bonus on Survival and Knowledge (nauture) checks having to to with the swamp.
Natural attack: Acid spit ranged attack, 1d6.
Favored class: Ranger.
Level Adjustment: +1.



Desert Ranaeid: This subrace of ranaeid has characteristic resembling a horned lizard. They prefer to live on secluded oases, close to the water.

+2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Cha. Desert ranaeids are quick and tough, but they are a little dumb and can be very blunt.
Medium size.
Land speed 30 ft., burrow speed 20 ft.
Natural armor +2. Desert ranaeids have extremely thick skin.
Heat endurance: +4 bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of hot weather.
+2 on Survival and Knowledge (nature) checks having to do with the desert.
Natural attack: Bite 1d6.
Favored class: Ranger.
Level adjustment: +1.



Jungle Ranaeid: The jungle ranaeid bears more resemblance to a tree or poison-dart frog than their swamp-frog kin. They live in large cities constructed in the canopies of their home jungles.

+2 Dex, -2 Con. Jungle ranaeids are quick but fragile.
Small size.
Land speed 20 feet, climb speed 30 feet. Being smaller than other races, jungle ranaeids are slower, but they are quite quick in the trees.
+2 on Survival and Knowledge (nature) checks having to do with the jungle.
+4 bonus on Jump checks.
Poison skin: A jungle ranaeid can consciously choose to secrete a natural toxin from their skin, which can be applied in two different ways. If they are grappled by an enemy and choose to secrete, the enemy must make a DC 16 Reflex save to avoid the poison and disengage the grapple. If the ranaeid wishes to continue the grapple and keep trying to apply their poison if the enemy succeeds their save, they and the enemy make opposed grapple checks. If the enemy wins, they disengage the grapple as normal. If the ranaeid wins, they apply their poison. If they want to forcibly apply their poison with no grapple, the ranaeid must make an unarmed melee attack. The poison requires a DC 19 Fortitude save to resist. 1d4 Con primary, 1d4 Con secondary.
Favored class: Ranger.
Level adjustment: +1.




Constructive criticism and feedback is welcome, what do you think?

[Vorpal word]

Awesome racial idea, but they are so different that it might be a good idea to sort of split them up as entirely different races. Sort of like blackscale lizardfolk vs regular lizardfolk or hobgoblins vs goblins.

Also, how do you avoid a jungle ranaeid's toxin in a grapple? I think if the creature is pinned, a successful grapple check by the ranaeid should remove the saving throw.

[DanielLC]

Can other party members poison their weapons with the Jungle Ranaeid? For that matter, can they use the acid from Swamp Ranaeids?

I'd expect more than a +2 bonus for jumping on something called frog people. Of course, this is because people who normally make frog people have a tendency to ignore the square cube law.

Swamp Ranaeids should probably have a racial bonus for swim and be able to take ten on swim checks, even if distracted or endangered.

[ChristosVictor]

Good Job!

I have a race of small frog people that live in the rainforest and you just made great stats for them, thank you.

[mr.fizzypop]

They look pretty good to me.

Your jungle frogs sound a lot like Grippli (http://everything2.com/title/Grippli) from second edition. Maybe you can get some ideas for organization or culture from them.

[TheArchmage]

@Vorpal: Good idea on the grapple check, I'll update that. In regards to the subrace vs. separate races question, I thought of that but it seemed more appropriate to keep them as subraces for story reasons in my campaign world. If others wish to adapt my froggies for their worlds, they can change this distinction as they see fit.

@Daniel: The use of a jungle ranaeid's skin toxin as a common weapon-coating is a deadly insult in their culture. It is possible to do, but earns the user the enmity of all jungle ranaeids. In regards to the swamp ranaeid acid, that stuff is basically really intense stomach acid. It wouldn't be very practical to coat one's weapons with.
On jumping: Maybe a higher bonus, I'll think about it. Remember, the jungle ranaeids aren't frogs, per se, but humanoids that are kinda like frogs.
On swimming: I'm not sure (I didn't actually double-check the swimming rules before making these guys :P), but doesn't having a swim speed ensure the use of taking 10s and such? If not, I'll update that.

@Christos: Thank you! :smallbiggrin:

@MrFizzypop: Hey, those Grippli look pretty cool. Thanks for the ideas!


I'll try to update these stats soon, and maybe start putting in some cultural details.

[TheArchmage]

Updated the basic stats.