I... I <3 Yuan-Ti... *hangs head in shame*

[elliott20]

I have a confession to make... I love the Yuan Ti... not in that way, you pervs! But I love using them in my games as the ancient arcane race. the flavor works so well for me that I can even overlook some of the more overt evil goofiness that permeates 99% of the monster entries.

As such, in a lot of my campaigns, whenever I needed an ancient race that was either wiped out by magic, corrupted by magic, or is basically just some enigmatic figure that is shrouded by the arcane, I reach for the yuan ti.

It didnt' work out so well when one group I played with started giving all the Yuan Ti villains GI Joe villain names, but most of the time, they work out fairly well.

What is your favorite use of the yuan ti in your game?

[BobVosh]

Jerky. Mmmmmm.

Honestly I have only played one game with em.

[Myshlaevsky]

I have a confession to make... I love the Yuan Ti... not in that way, you pervs! But I love using them in my games as the ancient arcane race. the flavor works so well for me that I can even overlook some of the more overt evil goofiness that permeates 99% of the monster entries.

As such, in a lot of my campaigns, whenever I needed an ancient race that was either wiped out by magic, corrupted by magic, or is basically just some enigmatic figure that is shrouded by the arcane, I reach for the yuan ti.

It didnt' work out so well when one group I played with started giving all the Yuan Ti villains GI Joe villain names, but most of the time, they work out fairly well.

What is your favorite use of the yuan ti in your game?

I'm totally going to have to stat out the GI Joe Villains as Yuan Ti leaders now. Thanks a lot.

I don't actually use Yuan Ti much. I statted up a religious group of them as minor antagonists for the PC's once and in another game I had a lone Yuan Ti assassin. They probably don't appeal to me in the same way as they appeal to you. For the roles you described in your post, I would more commonly use Beholders, Illithids or Rakshasa as the 'nobility' of a less sophisticated, brutish underclass.

In the current worldbuilding I'm doing, the role of 'ancient arcane race' is going to be taken by the gnolls. I'm expanding on their demonic background somewhat to put them there.

[jmbrown]

I forgot where I read it but I'm pretty sure Gygax admitted somewhere the yuan-ti secretly control the universe. They're not as old as aboleths or as dominating as mind flayers but unlike all the aberrations, dragons, and other BBEG races yuan-ti are actually, you know, pro active in screwing things up and it doesn't take them centuries just to enact a single plan.

[Kalbron]

Great. Now all I can think of when I ponder Yuan-Ti is "Cobra LALALALALALALALALALALALA!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDabIEc6yh4) :smallbiggrin:

They will never be scary again!

[Fiendish_Dire_Moose]

I love Yuan-ti as well, but I'm more awesome because I love them in both ways.
And yes, I've done the Cobra Commander thing too.

[AstralFire]

I love Yuan-Ti because they're fairly nifty as villains and Shulassakar (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040920a) ROCK as allies.

[Tam_OConnor]

I love them snakey (traditional) or tentaclely (twisted by mind flayers). Mind you, I've never been able to have them as a featured villain, but I love them just the same... both ways. :smalltongue:

[woodenbandman]

I have a soft spot for Neraphim.

I mean, come on! A LA+0 Outsider with racial bonus on jumps, Natural armor, and a free feat? Heck yeah!

[Optimystik]

No. D&D has enough furries (and scalies) as it is.

[Myshlaevsky]

No. D&D has enough furries (and scalies) as it is.

This strikes me as pretty ridiculous. The only way the influence of a particular subculture is getting into your game is if you allow it. My Yuan Ti have never been, and never will be, "furries" or "scalies".

[kamikasei]

No

...What was the question?

[AstralFire]

...What was the question?

To be or not to be. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JD6gOrARk4)

[Optimystik]

...What was the question?

I'm using definition 2 (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/no) here, not definition 1.

[Brauron]

I love Yuan-Ti, have never gotten around to using them because I rely so heavily on the SRD while DMing.

[Zeful]

I'm using definition 2 (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/no) here, not definition 1.

Actually it's definition 10: "to express disapproval", as definition 2 would require a negative statement, which your next sentence is not.

On Topic: I also like the Yuan-ti.

[AstralFire]

I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

[Optimystik]

Actually it's definition 10: "to express disapproval", as definition 2 would require a negative statement, which your next sentence is not.

Meh.


I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

:O

[Guancyto]

I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

!

May I sig that?

[AstralFire]

!

May I sig that?

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessed

[Jergmo]

<3 Yuan-Ti :smallsmile:

[Set]

I never really 'got' Yuan-Ti, but the Serpentfolk from the Freeport adventurers (and the Asaatthi of the Scarred Lands setting) really appealed to this old-time Robert E Howard fan.

The whole 'degenerate remnants of ancient mystical culture that once ruled the world' thing appeals to me, both from 'read too much Lovecraft as a kid' standpoint, and in a gaming sense as a source of ancient and baroque ruins and alien forgotten magics.

[KIDS]

They look cool, but I've never used or seen them in my games. The only encounter with them was in Baldur's Gate 2, where the normal Yuan-Ti were only so-so dangerous, but their mages give me shivers to this day :)

No need to hang head in shame though, they're awesome :P <3

[The Mentalist]

I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

With this and the Mermaid jump thing I am starting the AstralFire Fanclub.

[Gnomo]

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessed
Ohmigod, it's AstralFire!

Sorry, I had nothing to add to this thread, is just that Corona girl made the phrase kind of popular so i didn't wanted to be left out the trend.

...

Actually I had something to add to this thread, I dislike the Yuan-ti, I'm into Illithids myself.

Wait... that didn't came out right... ... whatever.

[Elfin]

Honestly, I'm not much for Yuan-ti.
This thread has got me interested, though...maybe I'll throw them into the next game I DM.

[RagnaroksChosen]

I've always wanted to run them ina currupt plot line... but i don't know if i have the skill to run them. Plus i enjoy running sandbox games to much.

[erikun]

Actually I had something to add to this thread, I dislike the Yuan-ti, I'm into Illithids myself.

Wait... that didn't came out right... ... whatever.
Hey, we won't think any less of you.

I don't see why liking Yuan-Ti would be a bad thing. They have some great flavor, a bunch of ways to encounter them, and they can adapt well to just about any setting. Plus, their history practically encourages creating homebrew material for them. (half-Yuan-Ti/half-Medusa?)

Also:

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessedOhmigod, it's AstralFire! :smalltongue:

[Guancyto]

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessed

Much obliged, sah.

[hamishspence]

I liked Serpent Kingdoms handling of them (Serpent Kingdoms is notorious for Sarrukh ability which is the base for Pun-pun, but it did have some interesting bits on backstory and society.)

[sofawall]

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessed

Ohmigod, it's AstralFire!

Tell us when it gets annoying :P

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I've never really encontered any in any game I've played. The last campaign had us frying tons of Cybermen...excuse me, Clockwork Servants.

[Altima]

I like Yuan-ti as well. The purebloods are my favorite, I think. Go, go infiltrators! I like the fact that they can take normal humanoids and turn them into mindless abominations. I particularly enjoy using that trick on people (and towns) PCs tend to like.

If you're interested, NWN2's second expansion, Storm of Zehir, focuses heavily on the Yuan-ti. The setting for the first half of the game is Samarach, a jungle-based human civilization who have been so royally screwed by the yuan-ti that they have become incredibly xenophobic. It features the yuan-ti fighting amongst themselves as their absent god--Sset--is having his territory encroached by the new 4e deity, Zehir.

Of course, FR 4e being what it is *of course* destroyed Samarach. And Chult (the jungle). Most of the peninsula. And the gnomish island nation, just for emphasis.

[Jergmo]

They look cool, but I've never used or seen them in my games. The only encounter with them was in Baldur's Gate 2, where the normal Yuan-Ti were only so-so dangerous, but their mages give me shivers to this day :)

No need to hang head in shame though, they're awesome :P <3

*Seethes at memories of Yuan-Ti mages*

[wizuriel]

they sound pretty cool, think will need to use them somewhere in my game.


Though tend to use Kython as my elder race

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I liked Serpent Kingdoms handling of them (Serpent Kingdoms is notorious for Sarrukh ability which is the base for Pun-pun, but it did have some interesting bits on backstory and society.)It also came with Venomfire, one of the more unbalanced spells in the game.

[FMArthur]

What's the big deal about Yuan-Ti? I always found the snake-people about as interesting as catfolk, goatfolk, or any other anthropomorphic animals.

[Piedmon_Sama]

I like Goatfolk though, they chew on scrap metal and headbutt to show love. :V

[The Mentalist]

I like Goatfolk though, they chew on scrap metal and headbutt to show love. :V

Don't we all?

[Fiendish_Dire_Moose]

I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

That....That just wins.

[Skorj]

Be my guest, be my guest, your demand is my request
It's been years since I've had anybody here
And I'm obsessed

On this note, a brief aside: there once was a homebrew Jester class. The Jester had an incredible meta-power: any action the player could describe while the DM was laughing too hard to say "no" happened. I forget now whether the Jester was only allowed to speak in rhyme, or the player just chose to, but that added much flavor.

Modern gaming needs more of this, IMO. :smallsmile:

[TheCountAlucard]

You know, it's threads like these that get me to use monsters I'd otherwise skip over... :smalltongue:

Also, Skorj, does it count if I offer bards roleplaying XP for providing music/songs for their Bardic Music?

[Caewil]

I like them because they remind me of some Conan cartoons I watched when I was much younger. In this cartoon, he had a sword that would force serpent people to reveal themselves. Then he would kill them, of course.

[elliott20]

ZOMG it's ASTRALFIRE IN MY THREAD!! *squeals like little school girl*

the thing is, catfolk or any other furry suspect race tends to be, well, supposedly otherwise fairly benign. Yuan Ti? You know something went wrong, however they came about. And they don't exactly make you feel all cuddly. In fact, they kind of scare you.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

On this note, a brief aside: there once was a homebrew Jester class. The Jester had an incredible meta-power: any action the player could describe while the DM was laughing too hard to say "no" happened. I forget now whether the Jester was only allowed to speak in rhyme, or the player just chose to, but that added much flavor.

Modern gaming needs more of this, IMO. :smallsmile:AQ:Jaern has a spell where the more shocked the DM is by your next action, the more rounds the enemy is immobilized for. Pretty fun.

Also, does anyone have a link to that homebrew?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I like Yuan-ti. I always thought that the Yuan-ti system of Pureblood/halfblood/abomination was the way to do demi-animals. In my completely redone setting and system, most of the half-whatevers are based on the Yuan-ti.

[waterpenguin43]

I like them in the Sertrous bit of elder evils, they blend in Soooooooooooooooooooooooo well with the story, but why the hell does Merrshaulk have the Plant domain? It doesn't really blend with Chaos, Evil and Destruction.
They also make good counterparts for couatls.

[waterpenguin43]

I like... Yuan-Ti and I cannot lie
All you other gamers just can't deny
Then when a snake slithers in
With a humanoid shape
And a paralytic poison in your face
You get stiff

Now I'm considering e-mailing that to my friend.

[arguskos]

I like them in the Sertrous bit of elder evils, they blend in Soooooooooooooooooooooooo well with the story, but why the hell does Merrshaulk have the Plant domain? It doesn't really blend with Chaos, Evil and Destruction.
They also make good counterparts for couatls.
Merrshaulk actually has the following domains, as per Serpent Kingdoms: Animal, Chaos, Charm, Destruction, Fate, Plant, Scalykind, War. He is the god of beasts, predators, and somnolence. Perhaps that helps you some?

[Sydonai]

I like Yuan-ti as well. The purebloods are my favorite, I think. Go, go infiltrators! I like the fact that they can take normal humanoids and turn them into mindless abominations. I particularly enjoy using that trick on people (and towns) PCs tend to like.

If you're interested, NWN2's second expansion, Storm of Zehir, focuses heavily on the Yuan-ti. The setting for the first half of the game is Samarach, a jungle-based human civilization who have been so royally screwed by the yuan-ti that they have become incredibly xenophobic. It features the yuan-ti fighting amongst themselves as their absent god--Sset--is having his territory encroached by the new 4e deity, Zehir.

Of course, FR 4e being what it is *of course* destroyed Samarach. And Chult (the jungle). Most of the peninsula. And the gnomish island nation, just for emphasis.

The Yuan-Ti god is Sseth/Mershualk, Set is posing as Sseth to become a Greater Power.

[erikun]

I really enjoy my serpent-villians (and serpent-allies) as much as the next guy, but not enough to Necro an eight month dead topic. :smallyuk:

[The Tygre]

No. D&D has enough furries (and scalies) as it is.

Yes. Damn those scalies. Damn them somehow controlling Dave Cook in 1981.

[Superglucose]

yuan-ti are the half-bloods that are dominant, right? I always thought that was really awesome, and is part of why I didn't appreciate the Asari very much from Mass Effect, they seemed like a cheap rip off.

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddingham: Thread necromancy