[3.5] Variant Rakshasa

[Thurbane]

Hey all,

Do you think it would be unbalanced (as a DM, for a NPC/MBEG) to let a Rakshasa have innate Beguiler casting, instead of Sorcerer? i.e. It's racial HD include casting as a 7th level Beguiler (all 0-3rd level spells on list known) instead of a 7th level Sorcerer (7/5/3/2 spells known).

I want to use a Rakshasa as an infiltrator, and I thought Beguiler casting would be better for this than Sorcerer, with increased access to stealth/mind-influence/illusion/misdirection spells.

Cheers - T

[atemu1234]

Hey all,

Do you think it would be unbalanced (as a DM, for a NPC/MBEG) to let a Rakshasa have innate Beguiler casting, instead of Sorcerer? i.e. It's racial HD include casting as a 7th level Beguiler (all 0-3rd level spells on list known) instead of a 7th level Sorcerer (7/5/3/2 spells known).

I want to use a Rakshasa as an infiltrator, and I thought Beguiler casting would be better for this than Sorcerer, with increased access to stealth/mind-influence/illusion/misdirection spells.

Cheers - T

If it's just the casting you'll probably be fine. It may even be weaker.

[afroakuma]

Go for it. It'll be interesting, if nothing else.

[Urpriest]

Should be fine, though I'd probably call it a distinct type of Rakshasa, since there's a tradition of making new types of Rakshasa with different types of casting. I'd switch around some of the skill points too.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A Naztharune Rakshasa in MM3 is a stealth focused, sneak attacking version that doesn't get any spells but has skills and abilities like a Rogue. It may be worth looking at for this sort of thing.

[Thurbane]

A Naztharune Rakshasa in MM3 is a stealth focused, sneak attacking version that doesn't get any spells but has skills and abilities like a Rogue. It may be worth looking at for this sort of thing.

More looking for subterfuge than stealth, but still a good suggestion.

I also had a look at the 1/2 Rakshasa template in Bastards and Bloodlines, but it's not really usable for my purposes.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

More looking for subterfuge than stealth, but still a good suggestion.

I also had a look at the 1/2 Rakshasa template in Bastards and Bloodlines, but it's not really usable for my purposes.

There's a Half-Rakshasa template in Dragon 313, in the same article as the infamous Half-Minotaur. That Half-Rakshasa has a +1 CR and +3 LA, but it doesn't really do anything unique. Just +2 Dex, Con, and Cha, +4 natural armor, claw attacks, Empathy* at will, Disguise Self 3/day, and DR/Magic or Piercing. *Empathy is a new 1st level spell in that same article, it's basically a Detect Emotions that gives you a +2 bonus to all Cha-based checks when dealing with anything you use it on.