[PF] Question about Rakshasas

[FantasyTropes]

So, I'm in the midst of fluffing up my own little world, and I plan on implementing the Rakshasa in very much as they are presented in the bestiary, cunning fellows they are.

However, I'm also inclined to throw in a sort of a 'foil' race to the rakshasa, or a more good-aligned race to strive against the materialistic ideals the raks embody. Personally, I'm thinking something along the lines of how Kami relate to Oni, or Angels to Devils.

Problem is, I have no idea what would work. So, could any of yall help me out? Preferably I'd like it to be a native outsider, and I suppose to counteract the greed-driven nature of the raks it would have to be a more selfless race, though that's not a terribly predominant detail as I'm not averse to some minor re-fluffling.

Thanks in advance:smallsmile:

[avr]

So another animal race? Werewolves, wererats or werebears could be community-oriented and good aligned with a new alignment and a little refluffing. Weretigers couldn't easily be community-oriented but the potential confusion with rakshasa could be useful. Alternately, good aligned dragons could do the job without needing to change a word of their descriptions.

If rakshasa are a hidden threat and are few in number, then your opposition needs to be few in number as well IMO. Dragons might work best. If they rule openly in places and may be met in numbers, hidden societies of werecreatures could do the job.

[Arbane]

Monkey-people, like Hanuman?

Alternately, the Devas or the Asuras might fit.

[Psyren]

Here's some food for thought on this:

- D&D Rakshasa are always LE, so a true opposite would be CG, though you could of course make them only opposite on the morality axis and not the ethical one for LG.
- In their natural/iconic forms, D&D Rakshasa are catlike, resembling humanoid tigers usually and with their paws turned backwards.
- D&D Rakshasa are powerful sorcerers both fluff- and crunch-wise. They are also martially powerful (it's no accident that they are enemies in ToB as well.)

With all three of those, I would have their opponents be a good-aligned canine race that uses divine magic. Most likely I would go for a doglike race, however dogs/wolves are typically lawful in theme (see Hound Archons, Blink Dogs) due to their obedient or pack-based structure, which would make them more LG and thus not polar opposites. Foxes however are canine and thematically chaotic. They're also considered weaker than dogs or wolves, which would be ideal as it would make the PCs want to help them.

Finally, to support the "secret war" aspect I would have the canines be just as adept at shapeshifting as the Rakshasa are, allowing them both to infiltrate mortal society.

[sonofzeal]

In Eberron fluff at least, one of the great enemies of the Rakshasa Raja were the Couatls - the two forces basically drove themselves to extinction millenia ago.

Couatls are about the right CR to serve as a foil, have enough spellcasting to be a good foil, are one of the few Good-aligned species worth talking about, and are generally under-utilized.

Oh, and they're freaking awesome. There's that too.

[BWR]

You might be interested in the L5R (http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Rakshasa)take on rakshasa.

[Arc_knight25]

I know in 4e(i shutter to mention anything from this edition) the Deva's were what opposed the Rak's/what became Rak's.

I remember reading that if a Deva became so evil that they would reincarnate as a Rak.

Other then that...Maybe make a race of LG dog like people with much of the same stuff as the Rak's.

[stack]

Here's some food for thought on this:

- D&D Rakshasa are always LE, so a true opposite would be CG, though you could of course make them only opposite on the morality axis and not the ethical one for LG.
- In their natural/iconic forms, D&D Rakshasa are catlike, resembling humanoid tigers usually and with their paws turned backwards.
- D&D Rakshasa are powerful sorcerers both fluff- and crunch-wise. They are also martially powerful (it's no accident that they are enemies in ToB as well.)

With all three of those, I would have their opponents be a good-aligned canine race that uses divine magic. Most likely I would go for a doglike race, however dogs/wolves are typically lawful in theme (see Hound Archons, Blink Dogs) due to their obedient or pack-based structure, which would make them more LG and thus not polar opposites. Foxes however are canine and thematically chaotic. They're also considered weaker than dogs or wolves, which would be ideal as it would make the PCs want to help them.

Finally, to support the "secret war" aspect I would have the canines be just as adept at shapeshifting as the Rakshasa are, allowing them both to infiltrate mortal society.

Shapeshifitng fox-people? (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/uncommon-races/arg-kitsune)

[Gildedragon]

Archons, of the Hound variety?

Guardinals would be another good choice

[sonofzeal]

http://www.kaluta.com/pages/games/dnd/couatl10.jpg

Come on. You know you want to. :smallcool:

[Humble Master]

Need a good canine? One that casts 'spells'?
might I recommend:
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121001033338/okami/images/d/d8/Amaterasu.jpg

The Coatl idea works I guess. They even say in Complete Divine that there could be an Evil version of the Rainbow Servant (an arcane spellcaster who worships Coatls) called the Striped Servant (an arcane spellcaster who worships Rakshasas).I will say though that I like the fox people idea presented by Psyren. Maybe like a holy shape shifting guardian of the weak who uses illusions and tricks to defeat evil?

Edit: Crud, now I want to homebrew an Okami class.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

http://www.kaluta.com/pages/games/dnd/couatl10.jpg

Come on. You know you want to. :smallcool:

Don't be obnoxious, we heard you the first time.

But yes, I agree that couatls are probably the best fit for this role.

[Chained Birds]

Shapeshifitng fox-people? (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/uncommon-races/arg-kitsune)

Kitsune Oracle (Nature Mystery) VS Rakshasa Sorcerer (Rakshasa Bloodline; cause what else?)

May blood shed due to the overflow of Charisma being slung at one another.

[Rhynn]

Chaotic Good devatas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devatas): forest spirits, river spirits, mountain spirits, village protectors... good spirits of transcendent and natural things. Other subtypes would include the apsara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsara) and the gandharva (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharva).

Can't think of anything more fitting to oppose rakshasas, especially since Pathfinder takes them beyond the D&D standard of "tiger-headed fiend" and more back towards the actual, broader "Indian demon" concept.

[FantasyTropes]

Well first of all, thanks to everyone who responded. It would seem as though my original problem has been reversed - now I have a decision to make. :smallamused:


Chaotic Good devatas: forest spirits, river spirits, mountain spirits, village protectors... good spirits of transcendent and natural things. Other subtypes would include the apsara and the gandharva.

I like this. I really do. It fits thematically with the Indian motif that the Rakshasas carry. That certainly is something to consider


In Eberron fluff at least, one of the great enemies of the Rakshasa Raja were the Couatls - the two forces basically drove themselves to extinction millenia ago.

Couatls are about the right CR to serve as a foil, have enough spellcasting to be a good foil, are one of the few Good-aligned species worth talking about, and are generally under-utilized.

Oh, and they're freaking awesome. There's that too.

Annnnd somehow I completely overlooked these fellas in my initial search. Huh. Well, regardless of my perception being in the negatives, this could work very well. Mainly because it has shown itself to work very well. I do like the CR matchup, they both happen to be natives, and a supernatural hoarder vs. a spiritual templar seems like an interesting rivalry.


Kitsune Oracle (Nature Mystery) VS Rakshasa Sorcerer (Rakshasa Bloodline; cause what else?)

May blood shed due to the overflow of Charisma being slung at one another.

Not to mention the sheer amounts of charisma would make court intrigue simple divine. I also like the kitsune idea, mainly because it seems the most 'cloak and dagger'-ish option.

In fact, going off that, a few of the Agathions could work rather well. It could be a sort of Samsara-vs.-Nirvana event that gets endlessly repeated.

OH! Idea! - say the Couatls are indeed the counterpart to rakshasa, but in recent years, their ideal of knight templar style purges have proved ineffective against the rakshasa's growing influence in mortal politic, where they can make it seem like their the victims of the the cruel winged serpents. Fearing eventual defeat, the Couatls form a deal with a primal spirit (or fey) to grant them allies. So, they get the kitsune-or-some-variation-thereof, spirits designed to specifically combat the Rakshasa's in their own court.

Well. It would appear I have some thinking to do.