Jackal-headed desert scavenger race (3.5, PEACH)

[Frathe]

Anubid
Anubid, 1st-Level Warrior
Size/Type:Medium Humanoid
Hit Dice:1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative:+0
Speed:30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class:15 (+3 studded leather, +2 heavy shield), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple:+1/+2
Attack:Flail +3 melee (1d8+1) or bolas +1 ranged (1d4+1) or bite +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack:Flail +3 melee (1d8+1) or bolas +1 ranged (1d4+1) or bite +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach:5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:—
Special Qualities:Darkvision 60 ft., scent
Saves:Fort +4*, Ref +0, Will -1
Abilities:Str 13, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6
Skills:Knowledge (geography) +1*, Knowledge (nature) +1*, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +0*
Feats:Weapon Focus (flail), Track^B
Environment:Warm desert
Organization:Gang (4-9), band (10-100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level), warband (10-24), or tribe (40-400 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults, 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level
Challenge Rating:½
Treasure:Standard
Alignment:Often neutral or chaotic neutral
Advancement:By character class
Level Adjustment:+0

Anubids are jackal-headed desert nomads and scavengers that consume the corpses of the dead.

Combat
Anubids are rarely spellcasters, nor do they charge headfirst into combat. Instead, they prefer to work alone or from the sidelines in a way that befits their nomadic nature. Anubids are often not the most charming of comrades, due to their general isolation from other races, preference for solitude, and carrion-eating. However, they are undeniably tough, having survived in a harsh desert climate on a diet of decayed raw meat.

Anubid Characters
Anubid characters possess the following racial traits.

• +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
• Medium size.
• An anubid’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Scent.
• Desert Lore: Anubids gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), and Survival checks.
• Weapon Familiarity: Anubids treat bolas and khopeshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison and +4 racial bonus on saving throws against death effects and negative energy effects. *Not reflected in the saving throw numbers given here.
• Gains Track as a bonus feat.
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Orc, Ignan, Terran.
• Favored Class: Ranger.

The anubid warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

{table=head] Race | Adulthood | Barbarian/Rogue/Sorcerer | Bard/Fighter/Paladin/Ranger | Cleric/Druid/Monk/Wizard
Anubid | 20 years | +2d6 | +3d6 | +4d6
[/table]

{table=head] Race | Middle Age | Old | Venerable | Maximum Age
Anubid | 58 years | 85 years | 112 years | +3d20years
[/table]

{table=head] Race | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier
Anubid, male | 4' 11" | +2d10 | 110 lb. | x(2d4) lb.
Anubid, female | 4' 7" | +2d10 | 80 lb. | x(2d4) lb.
[/table]

[Frathe]

Check out my other Egypt-themed thread here!

[Xaotiq1]

Why the dire-flail and not the khopesh or blowgun as a familiar weapon? Other than that, me am make like this muchly!

[Frathe]

Why the dire-flail and not the khopesh or blowgun as a familiar weapon? Other than that, me am make like this muchly!

Because the god Anubis carries a flail. That's what he's holding in this picture:

Spoiler

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Maybe that's not the best reason, though.

I'm glad you like it (if that's what you mean)!

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Because the god Anubis carries a flail. That's what he's holding in this picture:

I'd pick a different weapon (Khopesh would indeed be a decent choice), because the flail wasn't really an Egyptian weapon: Anubis carries a farming flail, and I don't believe it was supposed to be used. In Egypt the flail was a symbol of sorts: it was part of the crook + flail combo that was a pharaoh's symbol of power. I suspect Anubis carries one for a similar reason.

That said, I like the race. Quite a bit, actually. Well done. Although I might shift the save bonus to saves against death effects and negative energy effects, just for the Anubis theme.

[Frathe]

I'd pick a different weapon (Khopesh would indeed be a decent choice), because the flail wasn't really an Egyptian weapon: Anubis carries a farming flail, and I don't believe it was supposed to be used. In Egypt the flail was a symbol of sorts: it was part of the crook + flail combo that was a pharaoh's symbol of power. I suspect Anubis carries one for a similar reason.

That said, I like the race. Quite a bit, actually. Well done. Although I might shift the save bonus to saves against death effects and negative energy effects, just for the Anubis theme.

Yeah, I know that's not the weapon-type flail, but if you look into the history, the weapon came directly from the farming implement. That said, I do agree the khopesh is a better choice; it's actually a weapon the Egyptians used. I've made the change.

I would suspect Anubis also carries a flail because of his connotations of rebirth, as tied into the soil of the Nile and farming; that's speculative, though.

The saving throw is against poisons because I figured carrion = poisonous. I'll consider the bonus vs. death effects. It's a good idea, but I'm not sure either way how far I want to take the god theme.

I appreciate the praise!

[Frathe]

Based on Djinn's suggestion, I've added a racial bonus versus death effects and negative energy effects, but kept a lesser version of the bonus against poison.

Does anyone else have any comments?

[Durazno]

If you want flails to be significant to the culture and image of the Anubids, there might be a place for them in racial feats.

[Frathe]

If you want flails to be significant to the culture and image of the Anubids, there might be a place for them in racial feats.

Any suggestions on specifics? Would Two-Weapon Fighting, specially applying to only Dire Flail use, seem appropriate?

After some inquiries in the 3.5 forum, I have figured out that I did the skills wrong. I have now revised them; do they look right now?

[Durazno]

Not right offhand. Dire flails are kind of feat-intensive to use, though, so perhaps a feat that rolls proficiency and two-weapon-fighting (as you say, only for this weapon) together could work.

[nonsi]

Nice. Melike

One thing though.
Thematically, seems to me like darkvision would go along (better than lowlight vision) with the +4 vs. death/negative energy effects.


Also, you didn't specify age/height/weight details.

[Frathe]

Nice. Melike

One thing though.
Thematically, seems to me like darkvision would go along (better than lowlight vision) with the +4 vs. death/negative energy effects.


Also, you didn't specify age/height/weight details.

Glad ya like it! I agree about the darkvision and I've changed it; the low-light vision was a holdover from me copying the dog special qualities.

Didn't even think about age/height/weight tables. I've made some now and put them in the original post. How do they look, everyone?

[nonsi]

Glad ya like it! I agree about the darkvision and I've changed it

Still missing from the racial traits specification.

Didn't even think about age/height/weight tables. I've made some now and put them in the original post. How do they look, everyone?

Maybe it's just me, but I'd kinda imagine Anubids to be a bit taller on the average than humans.
I also don't think they should be stockier (in terms of height-weight proportion). Jackalheads are always portrayed as slender figures (Jackal are, in any case).

[Frathe]

Still missing from the racial traits specification.

Fixed.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd kinda imagine Anubids to be a bit taller on the average than humans.
I also don't think they should be stockier (in terms of height-weight proportion). Jackalheads are always portrayed as slender figures (Jackal are, in any case)

I see your point. I was sort of thinking of tough, sturdily-built beastmen, but I should probably tailor it more to the specific animal. I'll go make some changes.

Edit: How's it look now?
And another question: I was considering that maybe, with the Anubis and bonus-versus-death-effects theming, they should have exceptionally long lifespans. Thoughts?

[nonsi]

Edit: How's it look now?
And another question: I was considering that maybe, with the Anubis and bonus-versus-death-effects theming, they should have exceptionally long lifespans. Thoughts?

Saved it just in case you have any ideas of making changes

[Frathe]

Saved it just in case you have any ideas of making changes

I'm probably not gonna change it further. My brother convinced me against the long lifespans; he said that they're attuned to death, rather than opposed to it, so they should just die peacefully at a normal age. Maybe they'd know when their death was coming, but that doesn't really work in D&D.

[Frathe]

Just learned about Marruspawn in Sandstorm. Also desert-dwelling jackal-headed humanoids. Dang it, all my good ideas are taken.

[nonsi]

You still got my vote.
The Anubid is a solid LA +0 race, and no thanks on racial HD, LA or class features shoved down my throat.

You did a decent job here. Be good with it.

[Byzantine]

A player of mine (for Eternus, no less) is looking at playing an anubid, and I I must say I prefer them over marruspawn. Plus, all of the racial traits for anubids are laid out, versus reverse engineering them from the statblock. My only suggestion is to add heat endurance to them. (Unearthed Arcana, Heat Endurance: Members of desert races gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of hot weather.)

Alternately, they could gain the Heat Endurance feat (from Sandstorm) as a bonus racial feat. Comes out to roughly the same thing.

[nonsi]

A player of mine (for Eternus, no less) is looking at playing an anubid, and I I must say I prefer them over marruspawn. Plus, all of the racial traits for anubids are laid out, versus reverse engineering them from the statblock. My only suggestion is to add heat endurance to them. (Unearthed Arcana, Heat Endurance: Members of desert races gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of hot weather.)

Alternately, they could gain the Heat Endurance feat (from Sandstorm) as a bonus racial feat. Comes out to roughly the same thing.

The Anubid is already as high as LA 0 can tolerate.

Your suggestion seems interesting and appropriate, but how about the following suggestion:
The Anubid loses Track as bonus feat. Instead it gains Heat Endurance and Improved Heat Endurance as bonus feats the instance it fulfills the prereqs. This way, it's not too front loaded at 1st level and it enjoys a balanced benefit.

[enderlord99]

So... non-evil gnolls, basically?