Jungle/Wilds Themed Races?

[SovelsAtaask]

I'm planning out a game that involves the PCs being transported from a wasteland world ruined by the abuse of magic, to the world's moon that was terraformed before everything got ruined and out of control nature magic and growth has turned it into a jungle world populated by lizard people, dinosaurs, nature spirits, and other goodies. Between all the various things that can ruin your day in the jungle, someone's probably going to die sooner or later, but it's not like they can just phone to call for a replacement. One player is insisting on being a Commoner class farmer, so PC death will probably happen sooner rather than later.

Since there's a rather limited supply of humans, elves, dwarves, and other smooth-skin normal races, I have to come up with a list of races that would be appropriate to choose from. I've already decided that lizardfolk exist on the world in abundance. Yaun-ti as well, but they're a bit powerful for PCs. Killorens are on the jungle moon too, and I'm using goblins are little green moon men. I'm considering allowing someone to play as a Ghostwalk ghost with modifications, as a ghost of one of the mages that helped terraform the moon. What else could I use? Not looking for anything with a Level Adjustment higher than 1, unless there's a strong argument for making the LA 1 because Level Adjustment is all sorts of messed up.

What I'm looking for: Reptilian races, plant themed races, nature spirits, elemental races, races that could easily be fluffed as aliens from the moon, Lizardfolk subraces that I probably haven't heard of, good monster classes that aren't overpowered, good homebrew, Level Adjustments of 1 or less.

What I'm not looking for: Jungle themed subraces of the core races, overpowered messes

Feel free to ask questions.

[Inevitability]

Kobold is obvious.
Genasi have 1 LA and are element-themed outsiders.

Also, there's a lizardfolk subrace in... Dragon Magic, was it?

[frogglesmash]

MMI: Gnolls

MMII: Needle Folk (no listed LA, but still a great choice imo)

MMIII: Goat Folk, Forest Kith Goblins, Kenku, A whole bunch of lizardfolk variants, Shifters

Planar Handbook: Bariaurs, Mephlings, Wildren

Races of the Wild: Cat Folk, Raptorans

[SovelsAtaask]

Kobold is obvious.
Genasi have 1 LA and are element-themed outsiders.

Also, there's a lizardfolk subrace in... Dragon Magic, was it?
Ah yes, kobolds, I knew I was forgetting to mention something. Maybe I'll make them destructive little nature hating troublemakers, at war with the world's nature spirits because they think the spirits are trying to ursurp their dragon overlords. The spirits just see the kobolds as annoying little pests most of the time.

And how'd I forget genasi? I love those guys, even though I never really get to use them. I wonder if there'd be any mechanical balance issues to changing their type to Fey for fluff purposes...

I believe you're talking about the Viletooth Lizardfolk? I'm aware of them, and they're definitely included in. Just have to figure out how they fit in with everything...

Keep the suggestions coming!

[Inevitability]

And how'd I forget genasi? I love those guys, even though I never really get to use them. I wonder if there'd be any mechanical balance issues to changing their type to Fey for fluff purposes...

Probably not. For the purpose of effects directed at them it won't matter much, and for the purpose of their own options fey might be slightly better (Charming the Arrow and things like that), though elementals get Rapidstrike.

I don't see any major issues that would make Genasi unplayable or overpowered.

[Troacctid]

Dusklings. Feytouched. Hadozee. Mountain/River Spirit Folk. Volodni.

[atemu1234]

The jungle subraces from UA.

[Sian]

Killoren from Races of the Wild seems like a good pick for viable race, mildly refluffed Uldra from Frostburn for the colder areas is another


The jungle subraces from UA.

OP explicitly said that he wasn't interested in variants of core races

[Hiro Quester]

Are there large bodies of water on the moon? If so, you might also consider the Darfallen and Aventi from Stormwrack.

And Hadozee for sure.

[frogglesmash]

Killoren from Races of the Wild seems like a good pick for viable race, mildly refluffed Uldra from Frostburn for the colder areas is another.

OP already said he was using Killoren.

[Ruethgar]

Dryads are only an ECL 4, little high, but at least it's only their RHD.

Life Shaped creatures blend the lines between animal, plant, and construct and are playable according to the book they appear in but no LA is given. A basic Small one can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?413420-Incarnate-Life-Shaped-Level-Adjustment) and is reasonably LA +0. They are crafted, but breed true so they can look like anything from a plant to a dragon.

Dragon Magazine #318 pg 64+ has new dinosaurs and pg 74 has an ECL 0 Lizardfolk listing along with a Lizardfolk monster class that lacks the specifics as to weather it follows the Savage Species rules or Savage Progressions and thus should default to normal rules and be 100% optional.

The Anthropomorphic Raven and Lizard are both LA +0 and fit perfectly for dinosaurs and reptiles respectively. Also Toad, if anyone actually wants to play that.

Awakened Lizards and Toads, although a little on the powerful side, are ECL 0 races and presumably one could apply the Aquatic Escape fish modifications to the toad to have a fish option as well. Also note that a single Needletooth has the stats of a Lizard plus a 1 round 1 damage bleed effect so easy enough to say that the ECL listing for Lizards can apply to them as well and cover Birds/Dinosaurs, Lizards, Amphibians, and Fish. Just missing Snake.

Hengeyokai are literally animal spirits that have taken humanoid form and it wouldn't be too far off to change the animals they are based on. For example, Crane, Sparrow, Lizard, Small Constrictor, Fish, Rhamphorhynchus(or Dimorphodon with the same stats because they look cooler).

Oh, almost forgot, it's not an actual plant, but you could give Warforged all a Flaw(say Love of Nature) and the Ironwood feat. That would make them pretty plant-like.

[SovelsAtaask]

Lots of good suggestions from all of you. There's definitely lots of things here that I've either never heard of or just haven't thought of. That should be enough options to keep my players occupied. Now I just have to figure out how to work together the things I like without everything looking like a jumbled mess...