What's a githyanki?

[aart lover]

ok so i heard from a friend that there's an actual playable race called a githyanki. i have no idea what that is or if it's even real. am i being duped?

[lokoone]

err monster manual?

[Tengu_temp]

What is a githyanki? A miserable pile of psionics!

Which edition is this about?

[Siosilvar]

3.5, it's Product Identity, so you can only find it in the Monster Manual, not the SRD.

Essentially a race of Astral Plane pirates.

[FoE]

If we go by 4E ...

Githyanki are a race of humanoids that occupy a city built upon the body of a dead god in the Astral Sea. Once, they were slaves to the illithids, but were able to overthrow their overlords thanks to the leadership of the warrior Gith. However, centuries of enslavement have made them extremely xenophobic and warlike; they believe that their race can only survive through military expansion and the enslavement of any race that could possibly threaten their own.

You're better being a githzerai, who are the more Good-aligned equivalent of the githyanki. Like the githyanki, they were enslaved by the mind flayers, but they chose to follow a more peaceful path advocated by their spiritual leader, Zerthimon. They dedicate their lives to martial training and developing their psionic abilities.

[Claudius Maximus]

Huh. They kept things basically the same in 4e as 3e then.

But yeah that's their deal. Pretty sure they're also ruled by a ruthless lich queen who kills any githyanki that reach a certain level (I think 16?).

[Lateral]

No, it's real. In 3.5, they've got a high LA, so don't play it. In any edition, they're evil-aligned.

[Dr.Epic]

It's in MM. It's a race. I forget if they make good fighter or good monks. There's another race that's listed right before or after it and they might be the monk or fighter.

[FoE]

Pretty sure they're also ruled by a ruthless lich queen who kills any githyanki that reach a certain level (I think 16?).

That's also the case in 4E.

They're also allied with red dragons.

[Irving]

Githyanki=psionic pirates.
Githzerai=psionic ninjas.

Take your pick.

[Siosilvar]

Githyanki=Chaotic Evil psionic pirate/wizards.
Githzerai=Lawful Neutral psionic ninja/monks.

Take your pick.

This is what it boils down to.

Githyanki are also the originators of the term "gish", for what it's worth.

[FoE]

Dat's them, though they tend to have more yellowish skin in the new edition.

[Greenish]

No, it's real. In 3.5, they've got a high LA, so don't play it. In any edition, they're evil-aligned.

It's not terribad at +2 LA (if you have buyout), though Githzerai are probably a better option.

[Dornath]

They're in the Monster Manual, or the Expanded Psionics Handbook in 3.5. The entries in the XPH differ from the MM entry though, difference is psionics through magic or power points.

No clue about 4E.

[Lateral]

They're in the 4e Monster Manual, at the back. Githzerai are also in the PHBIII, but Githyanki aren't.

[Yuki Akuma]

I am alarmed and ashamed that you have not played Planescape: Torment.

(One of the party NPCs is a Githzerai. If you do his optional mage training sidequest, you learn a lot of the Gith peoples' history.)

[FoE]

I am alarmed and ashamed that you have not played Planescape: Torment.

I haven't played it.

[Lurkmoar]

I haven't played it.

For shame.

[Thurbane]

Githyanki have been around since the 1E Fiend Folio (1979)...in fact, they're on the cover(s)!

[Large image]

Spoiler

Show

[GoatBoy]

Githzerai are lawful neutral, not good. They are so lawful neutral that they moved to Limbo, which is like a cleric of a god of sobriety living with dwarves. Their favoured class is monk, but there are many rogues as well.

Githzerai monasteries will provide food and shelter to visitors provided said visitors share in the housework. Presumably, this involves cleaning the toilets, but the rules do not specify.

Githyanki make swords out of silver, and these are the only manufactured weapons which can kill someone using astral projection without killing their body as well. If you have one of these swords and you're not a Githyanki, they will be mad. Githyanki tend to kill things when they get mad.

The lich-queen of the Githyanki "devours the essence" of any of her people who reach 16th level. Remember when I told you that your friend Bob went off to live on the "special farm"? I think you're old enough to know the real story now.

"Gish" is a Githyanki term that refers to warrior-mages. Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

Githyanki and Githzerai hate each other, but will form temporary alliances in wake of the threat of mind flayers. And probably Justin Bieber as well, as both have roughly the same effect on the brain. I think Bieber likes eating brains, too. I'll have to check my sources.

[aart lover]

thanks so much, guys. so i guess what it boils down to is yellow-skinned psionics with silver swords?

[Psyren]

thanks so much, guys. so i guess what it boils down to is yellow-skinned psionics with silver swords?

That really, really hate Illithids and Githzerai. (And everything else too, but definitely those guys as well.)

Githyanki and Githzerai hate each other, but will form temporary alliances in wake of the threat of mind flayers. And probably Justin Bieber as well, as both have roughly the same effect on the brain. I think Bieber likes eating brains, too. I'll have to check my sources.

Your ideas intrigue me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

[faceroll]

No, it's real. In 3.5, they've got a high LA, so don't play it. In any edition, they're evil-aligned.

Planar bubble + githyanki race = quicken your spells for free, if you so desire.

[Katana_Geldar]

Githyanki are playable through the 4E monster manual, like the Drow were at first.

[Xefas]

What's a githyanki?

In addition to what has already been divulged, "Githyanki" is also an array of pizza toppings and an erotic position.

1) White pizza (i.e. no tomato sauce, but a mix of mozzarella and ricotta seasoned with fresh basil and garlic) with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and black olives.

2) And a lot like 34 position.

[FoE]

Githzerai are lawful neutral, not good. They are so lawful neutral that they moved to Limbo, which is like a cleric of a god of sobriety living with dwarves. Their favoured class is monk, but there are many rogues as well.

In 4E they reside within the Elemental Chaos. While githzerai can be any alignment, they're most often on the side of Good.

[AslanCross]

thanks so much, guys. so i guess what it boils down to is yellow-skinned psionics with silver swords?

Extraplanar yellow-skinned psionics with silver swords.

[BobVosh]

Extraplanar yellow-skinned psionics with silver swords.

in SPAAAAAAAACE!

[Mando Knight]

I am alarmed and ashamed that you have not played Planescape: Torment.

(One of the party NPCs is a Githzerai. If you do his optional mage training sidequest, you learn a lot of the Gith peoples' history.)

Know that as bad as NWN2 may be at times, you get a Githzerai Cleric who also explains things about the Gith. The Githyanki are also a fairly important plot point in the game...

Know also that her verbal patterns reinforce the importance of knowing.

[Edge]

Know also that her verbal patterns reinforce the importance of knowing.

And if I remember correctly, some deleted (or maybe not, I forget) lines of hers refer very specifically to an individual you might recognise as having journeyed with the Nameless One.

EDIT: Found here. Spoilers for NWN2, obviously.