How to roleplay a yuan-ti?

[Entessa]

I'm talking to the way they behave, especially towards "lower" races. If one were to join a party, how should he be/act and what are some good starting points for a player to RP an interesting character?

[OldTrees1]

Biological considerations:
You are a reptile. Mentally flip how we IRL consider mammals and reptiles. There is nothing wrong with kicking a puppy. Hurting a lizard on the other hand, that is terrible.

You are psionic. However you species has notable biodiversity within itself. Merely being different might not lead to a superiority complex.

I don't know if Purebloods are warm/cold blooded, but the majority of Yuan-ti are cold blooded.

Yuan-ti have defenses against poisons, alongside the snake traits, that can lend itself to you using poison rather than avoiding it like the toxin it is.

Mixed considerations:
If it is a Yuan-ti Pureblood, you might be acting as a diplomat or infiltrator and thus try to appear as human as possible whenever possible.

Cultural considerations:
Oddly the sleeping Merrshaulk (Yuan-Ti deity planning to destroy the world) only finds evil as sacred (acts that help them awaken) if they don't provide tangible benefits to the yuan-ti doing the act. Selfless evil as sacred. As a result venerating Merrshaulk might be difficult to do as a PC in a party. I suggest talking with the GM, not only might they be using different lore, they might see problems with frequent selfless evil. Working with the GM you might find a way to modify the lore to lead to a more interesting and less disruptive character. (Or maybe your character does not venerate Merrshaulk at all, that itself could be an interesting characterization hook)

Additionally usually yuan-ti cultures prey upon other populations. They use those others as victims. What are your character's thoughts on that? Do you see them as a supply of victims? Should you help maintain their usefulness by protecting them from destruction but also preventing them from getting stronger?

[KorvinStarmast]

How to roleplay a yuan-ti?

The same way you role play a dwarf. You aren't a dwarf, but you can put on your dwarf hat/mask and play one. Put on your snake hat/mask and play. Make sure to stretch out the s when sspeaking. Itsss a sssnake thing.

[OldTrees1]

Oh, coincidentally ran into more advice today:

Yuan-Ti saw snakes as calculating and deliberate. That caused them to promote clear thought and emotional detachment as cultural virtues. Maybe your Yuan-Ti exemplifies those traits with cold calculation?

[GeoffWatson]

Yuan-ti are inspired by old racist depictions of Oriental villains.
Think Fu Manchu, Ming the Merciless and so on.

In a party, be racist in a condescending way. "You did well, for a mammal".

[Millstone85]

Yuan-ti are inspired by old racist depictions of Oriental villains.
Think Fu Manchu, Ming the Merciless and so on.

In a party, be racist in a condescending way. "You did well, for a mammal".

Then I would say that recent depictions instead parody South American empires.

Spoiler: A yuan-ti temple from fifth edition.

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[OldTrees1]

Then I would say that recent depictions instead parody South American empires.

Spoiler: A yuan-ti temple from fifth edition.

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Above ground yuan-ti temple is an homage to south American step pyramids. Underground is another story. Sharing architecture details since they are interesting. I like the Dragon's Eye's snaky corridor.

Spoiler: Dragon's Eye

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Spoiler: Chult Pyramid inside

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[Lord Torath]

Cultural considerations:
Oddly the sleeping Merrshaulk (Yuan-Ti deity planning to destroy the world) only finds evil as sacred (acts that help them awaken) if they don't provide tangible benefits to the yuan-ti doing the act. Selfless evil as sacred. As a result venerating Merrshaulk might be difficult to do as a PC in a party. I suggest talking with the GM, not only might they be using different lore, they might see problems with frequent selfless evil. Working with the GM you might find a way to modify the lore to lead to a more interesting and less disruptive character. (Or maybe your character does not venerate Merrshaulk at all, that itself could be an interesting characterization hook)

Wait, so the yuan-ti must perform evil that doesn't benefit himself? So kicking puppies literally helps Merrshaulk?

Or the balloon animal bit from from Despicable Me?

[OldTrees1]

Wait, so the yuan-ti must perform evil that doesn't benefit himself? So kicking puppies literally helps Merrshaulk?

Or the balloon animal bit from from Despicable Me?

From what I read, yes. The Yuan-ti don't have to do such acts, but only the selfless evil acts contribute to the awakening and end of the world.

Although I would not be surprised if a Yuan-ti decided not to venerate Merrshaulk.

[Millstone85]

Above ground yuan-ti temple is an homage to south American step pyramids. Underground is another story.

And with that I realize my utter ignorance of how real-life cultures have handled their basements.

Oddly the sleeping Merrshaulk (Yuan-Ti deity planning to destroy the world) only finds evil as sacred (acts that help them awaken) if they don't provide tangible benefits to the yuan-ti doing the act. Selfless evil as sacred.

Wait, so the yuan-ti must perform evil that doesn't benefit himself? So kicking puppies literally helps Merrshaulk?

Or the balloon animal bit from from Despicable Me?

Selfless evil seems like a difficult principle to live by. For example, Gru clearly delighted in that kid's disappointment. Wouldn't cruel satisfaction already count as a tangible benefit?

Same goes with selfless good, really. It would have to be a truly thankless sacrifice.

Or maybe your character does not venerate Merrshaulk at all, that itself could be an interesting characterization hook

Although I would not be surprised if a Yuan-ti decided not to venerate Merrshaulk.

In 5e, the three main gods of the yuan-ti are Merrshaulk, Sseth and Dendar.

Sseth is more calculated than Merrshaulk, to the point where Sseth's followers are seen as two-faced cowards even by other yuan-ti's standards. Meanwhile, Dendar is the one most associated with world-destroying schemes, being the snake that will one day eat the sun.

D&D has other cool serpent gods that could be worked into a yuan-ti's backstory:

• The World Serpent, Ouroboros.
• The Serpents of Law, Ahriman and Jazirian.
• The naga goddess Shekinester.

[OldTrees1]

Selfless evil seems like a difficult principle to live by. For example, Gru clearly delighted in that kid's disappointment. Wouldn't cruel satisfaction already count as a tangible benefit?

Delight/satisfaction/pleasure, etc are called out as being okay. However stealing candy from a baby would not count.

Also it was not a principle to live by. Only those acts were sacred, but they can do other things too.

In 5e, the three main gods of the yuan-ti are Merrshaulk, Sseth and Dendar.

Sseth is more calculated than Merrshaulk, to the point where Sseth's followers are seen as two-faced cowards even by other yuan-ti's standards. Meanwhile, Dendar is the one most associated with world-destroying schemes, being the snake that will one day eat the sun.

D&D has other cool serpent gods that could be worked into a yuan-ti's backstory:

• The World Serpent, Ouroboros.
• The Serpents of Law, Ahriman and Jazirian.
• The naga goddess Shekinester.

Nice. If the OP looks up those gods there is plenty of inspiration.

[Duff]

Yuan-ti have defenses against poisons, alongside the snake traits, that can lend itself to you using poison rather than avoiding it like the toxin it is.

Mixed considerations:
If it is a Yuan-ti Pureblood, you might be acting as a diplomat or infiltrator and thus try to appear as human as possible whenever possible.

Given many chemicals humans enjoy, such as nicotine, caffeine and capsaicin (from Chili plants) are produced by the plant as poisons, you could play with this.
Offers dried pufferfish jerky to a human. Then yanks it away "Oh wait, that spicy tingly stuff in it will probably kill you"
Chews on a sprig of wolfbane "to freshen my breath"
Nibbles on a poisonous fungus. "spicy!" Takes another nibble

[Bohandas]

How campy is the campaign? It may be worth taking a look at the snake people in the 1988 horror movie Lair of the White Worm

[Satinavian]

And with that I realize my utter ignorance of how real-life cultures have handled their basements.

In general pyramids are huge heavy blobs of stone. So while a couple of chambers can exist, it would be pretty much impossible to have elaborate basements under the whole complex without borderline fantastical building materials. Which is why basically no real-life pyramid culture ever built the kind of complex dungeons under it that regularly pop up in roleplaying games.

Many real world pyramids don't even have any interior at all. The important stuff happened outside or at the top (or in a building placed on top). People are just too used to Egypts burial chambers.

[Millstone85]

Many real world pyramids don't even have any interior at all.

Ah well then, that 5e yuan-ti temple does belong to fantasy.

Spoiler

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[Spore]

I will take another posters post to jump off of a race I know little of.

Biological considerations:
You are a reptile. Mentally flip how we IRL consider mammals and reptiles. There is nothing wrong with kicking a puppy. Hurting a lizard on the other hand, that is terrible.

Actually they would disregard any other lifeforms. For reptiles, size matters. Is it larger than you, it is a threat, smaller things are a snack. Of course Yuan-Ti are more sophisticated, and they are intertwined with magic and psionics to realize casters are often the largest threats. I would play them as cold and calculating creatures with little want for empathy. The largest praise they give is saying you are useful. The worst threat they give is trying to make you suffer (if said suffering takes extra effort).

You are psionic. However you species has notable biodiversity within itself. Merely being different might not lead to a superiority complex.

This requires a bit of DM help. A psionic character in my honest opinion should have a superficial knowledge of others emotional states, and a grasp of the otherworldly and even arcane. I would look for ways to be able to cast divinations (detect thoughts via telepathic feat, eldritch sight invocation from warlocks etc.) to look beyond the veil.

I don't know if Purebloods are warm/cold blooded, but the majority of Yuan-ti are cold blooded.

Have your character seek warm spots, become sluggish during cold, find ways to warm yourself during travels. Along with the reptilian nature I would also refluff your own trail rations to be a bit more unrefined. You would be able to digest unheated meat. Plants however are less your thing (I think snakes need higher calorie density to excuse carrying around several pounds of meat in their bellies that make them slower). Maybe also talk to your DM if they allow you to eat before a long travel to roleplay a snakes ability to eat a gigantic meal and then skip a month's worth of food.

Yuan-ti have defenses against poisons, alongside the snake traits, that can lend itself to you using poison rather than avoiding it like the toxin it is.

Roleplaying Poison is always a good idea, but to truly lean into poison you will need homebrew, because even WITH with poisoner feat and powerful homebrew poisons, so much of the MM is immune to poison.

Personally I would just pivot towards acid. Acid spitting cobras are kick ass and you are a psionic magic humanoid super snake.

[Bohandas]

And with that I realize my utter ignorance of how real-life cultures have handled their basements.

Selfless evil seems like a difficult principle to live by. For example, Gru clearly delighted in that kid's disappointment. Wouldn't cruel satisfaction already count as a tangible benefit?

It seems to me then, that in this case the trick would not be to do evil oneself, but to trick (not tempt, that's for fiends) others into doing evil things but thinking that they are doing good (at least until the evil is accomplished and its deleterious effects become clear)

Convince someone that a child's guardian is a kidnapper, or that a type of harmless intelligent beings are dangerous beasts, or that medicine is poison and poison is medicine, and then send them out to "help" the world

[Telok]

Selfless evil seems like a difficult principle to live by. For example, Gru clearly delighted in that kid's disappointment. Wouldn't cruel satisfaction already count as a tangible benefit?

Nah, its easy. Once a tenday you get dressed up, visit the temple for an hour or so, murder a random stranger on the way home, then eat a nice meal. One the big sacred festival days you do the same thing but burn down an orphanage on the way home and the meal is a big production. The rest of the time you just go around being a normal person.

If you're evil-lite its a weekly mugging (donate the proceeds to team evil) and the big festivals are murder. If you're a zealot its 2-3 murders a week and the big ones are offing a good king to replace them with an evil nephew or a doppleganger. If you want affiably humurous evil you keep breaking the consecration on the good temple's graveyards, raising everyone as zombies to do conga lines down main street, and summoning major demons just to pants the mayor once a month.

[Satinavian]

Honestly, that particular religion sounds pretty stupid. Doing evil for evil's sake in a way you don't even get a profit from it to hasten the end of the world ? Meh, what is the point ? If i were playing a yuan-ti, i would probably choose another god or go for a not particularly religious/pious character.

[VonKaiserstein]

Have you by any chance seen Gremlins 2: The new batch?

To me, a yuan-ti is as the Brain Gremlin in his interview, explaining how all he wants is civilization, in an incredibly refined accent. Then, you know, shooting another gremlin in the face, not out of malice or anger, but simply to prove his point before calmly continuing with the interview.

It's not that you hate the individuals of the warmblood races, it's that they simply do not matter to you in the slightest. You have a plan, and you are one of the elites of your society sent out to accomplish that plan.

So go out there and spread cruelty and destruction in ways that are not beneficial to you at all. Hand out spoiled food to beggars. Hand out food poisoned with low grade poisons to beggars. Even better, place 2 delicious meals in front of some beggars, and tell them one is poisoned and they probably shouldn't eat it, before walking away. Sometimes it is poisoned, sometimes it isn't.

Capture some bedbugs, and leave them in the common room of the nicest inn in town. Pour a foul, but harmless flavoring in the water, so the town will waste enormous resources securing a new one.

Slightly deface a large number of legitimate currency, and start a rumor that worthless forgeries are circulating that can be identified by a certain scratch or scoring.

Dig a hole on the main road, and disguise it so someone hurts themselves, or a wagon wheel breaks, or a horse is lamed.

Also humans HATE witches. Give them half a reason, a failed crop field (pour saltwater on it at night) or a cow bleeding when milked (cut one of its udders that night) and they'll actually burn their own mothers and children!

Keep in mind, all of these things can easily be done in downtime, if caught in the act are unlikely to result in major consequences (just claim you bought the food at the last town and had no idea it was poisoned, or that you've been eating it for a week) and won't harm or disrupt the party. You can be a discreet, polite scourge on the land.


Your ultimate goal is the weakening and destruction of civilization, never lose sight of it, and always be heading towards anarchy for the warm bloods.

[Millstone85]

you are one of the elites of your society

If you are able to pass as human to do all this stuff, then you are automatically part of the lowest caste. Sorry.