What to do with an Anthro Snake

[Darth_Versity]

So my DM's campaign is starting up again and he has some interesting races as the main races.

All PHB races
Tieflings, Aasimars
Anthro bat
Anthro huge Viper

Now the huge viper is usually a waste of time but my DM has removed both the RHD and NA and there is no LA.

So thats a race that provides

-8 STR
+10 DEX
-2 CON
+4 WIS
-4 CHA

Large Size
Natural Bite with Poison
+4 Hide, Listen, Spot
+8 Balance, Climb (and swim for special manuevers)
Take 10 on Climb and Swim checks
Use DEX with Climb
NO LA


Now, I see Large Size and +10 DEX and cant help but think of the possibilities. Currently the ideas for a Swift Hunter or Daring Outlaw are swirling around in my head but the possibilities seem endless.

So I ask you playgrounders, with that race, what would you make?

[Yora]

How do you get large ith -8 Str? :smallconfused:

[Darth_Versity]

How do you get large ith -8 Str? :smallconfused:

See savage Species nto me. My DM just took the race and removed the hit dice and natural armor to keep it more in line with other races. He said he read somewhere in that SS that doing that would make it less powerful! :smallamused:

[Parra]

Im thinking Swordsage with Weapon Fineese and Shadow Blade feat, giving Dex to both hit and damage, as a starter

[Tokuhara]

+10 Dexterity and Large Size...

Spellthief 1/Sorcerer 6/Magical Trickster 3/Unseen Seer 10

Take Master Spellthief. You need to spend your points in Charisma and Constitution (you already get a hefty +5 modifier to Dexterity) and you SA & steal spells while having a reserve of your own

[GodGoblin]

+10 Dexterity and Large Size...

Spellthief 1/Sorcerer 6/Magical Trickster 3/Unseen Seer 10

Take Master Spellthief. You need to spend your points in Charisma and Constitution (you already get a hefty +5 modifier to Dexterity) and you SA & steal spells while having a reserve of your own

But with -4 Charisma thats probably not the best idea..

Swordsage comes to mind, using Shadow hand for Dex to damage and the usual oriental feel fits pretty well with the serpent theme.

[Anarchy_Kanya]

But with -4 Charisma thats probably not the best idea..

Swordsage comes to mind, using Shadow hand for Dex to damage and the usual oriental feel fits pretty well with the serpent theme.
And the +4 Wis adds to AC.

[GodGoblin]

And the large size gives you reach, as a combat class that is invaluable. Also Tiger claw manuevers include natural attacks as there weapons of choice (I think from skimming it a while ago correct me if im wrong) so that bite attack just got a bit more useful. It seems to play off your strengths and ofset your weaknesess.

I think we found the perfect class here actually...

[Anarchy_Kanya]

Also Tiger claw manuevers include natural attacks as there weapons of choice (I think from skimming it a while ago correct me if im wrong)
No, only unarmed strike.

[GodGoblin]

No, only unarmed strike.

Huh, is it maybe a Shifter special rule? Im sure I read it somewhere!

[Anarchy_Kanya]

Huh, is it maybe a Shifter special rule? Im sure I read it somewhere!
Maybe it was homebrew or a houserule.

[MesiDoomstalker]

If I was a DM, I'd rule that any school that has Unarmed as a favored weapon would include Natural Attacks as well. So you get Dex to damage and hit with your bite with Finesse and the Shadow Hand feat.

[Elric VIII]

No, only unarmed strike.

Not quite, claw attacks are also Tiger Claw weapons. Other natural attacks are excluded.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Swordsage 2/ Soulknife 2/ Swordsage 1/ Soulbow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060403a&page=2) X/ Swordsage Y. Use your maneuvers for mostly counters and boosts, and TWF with Mind Arrows. Be sure to put the Lucky property on them so every arrow that initially misses will get a reroll, and be sure to take Woodland Archer. Hopefully you'll get to add your full Soulbow level to your initiator level (ToB p39), so pick what levels to add more Swordsage based on which maneuvers you want to get.

[King Atticus]

I've never looked into the anthro's before...does this viper have hands? If no I'd find a way to overcome that strength hit and get improved grab and constrict. If yes the already mentioned swordsage would be pretty cool.

[Gavinfoxx]

Of course it has hands, it's anthropomorphic. Haven't you heard of furries? The females probably even have um, mammaries... =D =D

[Person_Man]

If homebrew is allowed, you may wish to take a look at my homebrew Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186505). It's a Tier 3ish stealth/melee class. It fits perfectly from a fluff perspective, and the class abilities are Dexterity based (not Wisdom), so it would also be a perfect fit for the crunch as well.

[Darth_Versity]

So large size with +10 dex and +4 wis all points at swordsage. Well thats sorted, now just to decide whether to stay with it or PrC out. Master of nine does look fun.

[nedz]

I kind of like the idea of a Warlock - mainly for the image of it all.

Putting the Wis and Dex to use you could consider a Ray Druid Spirit Shamen. If you have SpC then there are a few suitable spells.
Whilst Druid is more powerful, and Wildshaping would be a little spookey, the Snake Spirit Shamen has some quite nice flavour.

[Marnath]

How do you get large ith -8 Str? :smallconfused:

The way I read it, it looked like that's meant to cancel out the size bonus for a net +0 STR, but I could be wrong.

[Anarchy_Kanya]

The way I read it, it looked like that's meant to cancel out the size bonus for a net +0 STR, but I could be wrong.
Size bonus is already counted in.

EDIT: Wait. Somethings wrong... the stats of the animal and this anthro snake don't match... Are those typos or did the 3.0e huge viper have different stats?

[Marnath]

Size bonus is already counted in.

I don't see that stated anywhere. The tables only list racial bonuses, not standard ability arrays like a real statblock would have. In the text it says "Str by size change."

[Anarchy_Kanya]

I don't see that stated anywhere. The tables only list racial bonuses, not standard ability arrays like a real statblock would have. In the text it says "Str by size change."
Yes, when you convert an animal into anthro version. Here you have the stats of an already converted animal.
Wait. Somethings wrong... the stats of the animal and this anthro snake don't match... Are those typos or did the 3.0e huge viper have different stats?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Look back on page 215 under "Creating an Anthropomorphic Animal"

Abilities: Str by size change, Dex by size change, Con by size change, Int becomes 11, Wis +2, Cha +4. See Table A–58.
Apparently they've applied a rather extreme penalty to Str for going from Huge to Large, but a nice Dex bonus as well. This was probably so that the anthropomorphic Elephants and Whales wouldn't have to be assigned an unplayable level adjustment. Just accept the stats for what they are, they used their own system for determining what it would get and the 3.5 changes to individual animals don't change the anthropomorphic versions at all.