Easy Hybrid Races – Part 6: Aberrations

by Tim Wallace

Originally, I had intended for this to be the last of the Easy Hybrid Races posts. However, due to various external stimuli, I was only able to complete the section on Aberrations.

Aberration Base Races

Here are a few Aberrations that I thought might make fun races to play in a monstrous and/or evil campaign. Aberrations are higher than everything but Constructs, Plants, Outsiders, and Undead in the type hierarchy, so many hybrid races including an Aberration base race will end up being Aberrations.

Chokers (standard ability scores: +4 Strength, –2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma; 1 RP)

Underground predators that often dwell on the outskirts of subterranean ruins or in the deep shadows of nameless cavern outposts, chokers lurk in the darkness and lash out with their long, rubbery arms to grasp prey as it passes by. They seldom attack multiple enemies at once, stalking their quarry until they can isolate a weaker victim from its pack.

Essential Traits (3 RP; 4 RP with standard ability scores)

-        Aberration (1 RP)

-        Small: Chokers are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

-        Slow Speed (–1 RP): Chokers have a base speed of 20 feet.

-        Climb (1 RP): Chokers have a climb speed of 10 feet, and gain the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks that a climb speed normally grants.

-        Darkvision (2 RP): Chokers can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

-        Languages: Chokers begin play speaking Undercommon. Chokers with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Dwarf, Elf, and Orc.

Standard Traits

-        Grab (4 RP): When a choker hits a creature up to two size categories larger than itself with a tentacle attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Chokers gain a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple. You must have the reach trait to take this trait.

-        Reach (1 RP): Chokers have a reach of 10 feet. You must have the tentacles trait to take this trait.

-        Strangle (1 RP): Chokers have an unerring talent for seizing their victims by the neck. A creature that is grappled by a choker cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components. You must have the tentacles trait to take this trait.

-        Tentacles (3 RP): Chokers receive two tentacle attacks. These are primary natural attacks that deal 1d4 damage.

Expanded Traits

-        Constrict (2 RP): Chokers can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage). The amount of damage is equal to its tentacle damage. You must have the grab trait to take this trait.

-        Quickness (4 RP): A choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra move action during its turn each round.

-        Rubbery Skin (3 RP): Chokers gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

Driders (standard ability scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom [male] or +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence [female])

Created from the body of a drow, warped and mutated through special poisons and elixirs to take on the characteristics of a giant spider, the drider is a dangerous creature. Driders are sexually dimorphic. A female drider's lower spider body is sleek and graceful, often similar to a black widow's body, while its upper drow torso retains its alluring curves and beautiful face (with the exception of sharp, poisonous fangs). A male drider's lower body is bulky like a tarantula, while its upper body is wiry and bears a hideous face more spider than drow, complete with fanged mandibles.

Essential Traits (12 RP)

-        Aberration (1 RP)

-        Large (7 RP): Driders are Large creatures and gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a –2 size penalty to Dexterity (in addition to their standard ability scores above). They take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A drider takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet.

-        Normal Speed: Driders have a base speed of 30 feet.

-        Superior Darkvision (3 RP): Driders can see in the dark up to 120 feet.

-        Spider Legs (3 RP): Driders possess eight legs and two arms, granting them a +12 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts. In addition, driders use weapons and armor as if they were Medium (instead of Large).

-        Light Blindness (–2): Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds driders for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

-        Languages: Driders begin play speaking Elven and Undercommon. Driders with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Gnome, or Goblin.

Standard Traits

-        Climb Speed (2 RP): Driders have a climb speed of 20 feet, and gain the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks that a climb speed normally grants.

-        Drider Immunities (2 RP): Driders are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

Expanded Traits

-        Ancestral Grudge (1 RP): Driders gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoids with the dwarf or elf subtypes because of their special training against these reviled foes.

-        Bite (1 RP): Driders gain a bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack; or a secondary attack if the drider is wielding manufactured weapons.

-        Blasphemous Covenant (3 RP): Driders gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made against unbound creatures with the demon subtype. Furthermore, demons conjured with any summon spell gain +2 hit points per Hit Die. Lastly, the cost of bribes or offerings for any planar ally spell cast by these driders to summon a demon is reduced by 20%.

-        Chitinous Armor (3 RP): Driders gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

-        Constant Detection (3 RP): Driders can use detect good, detect law, or detect magic as a constant spell-like ability, but they can only use one of them at any given time. The caster level for this effects is equal to the drider’s level.

-        Darklands Stalker (4 RP): Driders may move through difficult terrain without penalty while underground. In addition, driders with a Dexterity of 13 or higher gain Nimble Moves as a bonus feat.

-        Drider Magic (4 RP): Driders gain with a Charisma of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire. The caster level for these effects is equal to the drider’s level. The DC for the spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the caster's Charisma modifier.

-        Poison (3 RP): When a drider hits with a bite attack, it can choose to poison the target in addition to dealing normal damage. A drider can use this ability up to a number times per a day equal to 1/2 the drider’s Hit Dice + the drider’s Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day). You must have the bite trait to take this trait.

§  Drider Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the drider’s Hit Dice + the drider’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.

-        Poison Use (1 RP): Driders are skilled in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.

-        Sneaky (5 RP): Driders gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.

-        Superior Spell Resistance (3 RP): Driders possess spell resistance equal to 11 plus their class levels.

-        Weapon Familiarity (2 RP): Driders are proficient with the hand crossbow, rapier, and short sword.

-        Web (2 RP): Driders can use webs to support themselves and up to one additional creature of the same size. In addition, driders can throw a web up to eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to Huge size. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst the web with a Strength check. Both are standard actions with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 drider’s level + drider’s Constitution modifier. Attempts to burst a web by those caught in it suffer a –4 penalty. Driders can create sheets of sticky webbing up to three times their size. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Perception check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section of web has a number of hit points equal to the Hit Dice of the drider that created it and DR 5/—. The strands of a web are flammable. A flaming weapon can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away one 5-foot square in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames. A drider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web. You must have the climb trait to take this trait.

Faceless Stalkers (standard ability scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence; 1 RP)

Ugothols (as faceless stalkers call themselves) are one of the many tools created and then discarded by the aboleths in their long war against the surface dwellers. Scorned by their former masters when the scheme for which they were designed unraveled, the faceless stalkers fled into swamps, marshes, or any other dark, wet places they could find—the closest they could come to the aquatic cities they once considered home.

Essential Traits (7 RP; 8 RP with standard ability scores)

-        Aberration (shapechanger) (1 RP)

-        Medium: Faceless stalkers are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

-        Normal Speed: Faceless stalkers have a base speed of 30 feet.

-        Darkvision (2 RP): Faceless stalkers can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

-        Change Shape (3 RP): A faceless stalker can assume the form of a Medium humanoid at will but requires 10 uninterrupted minutes to alter its body. Performing this transformation is somewhat painful, but the faceless stalker can maintain its new form indefinitely once it has achieved it. It can change back to its true form as a swift action and gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, and saving throws for 1 round after it does so. Faceless stalkers retain their own innate abilities when they assume their new form and do not gain any of those belonging to the creature they mimic. A faceless stalker gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks when they are used in conjunction with this ability.

-        Faceless (1 RP): In its natural form, a faceless stalker has no discernible facial features. It gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made to resist attacks or effects that target the senses. This includes gaze attacks, odor-based attacks, sonic attacks and similar attacks. This bonus does not apply to illusions.

-        Languages: Faceless stalkers begin play speaking Aquan and Common. Faceless stalkers with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Aklo, Aboleth, Goblin, Orc, or Undercommon.

Standard Traits

-        Blood Drain (1 RP): A faceless stalker drains blood at the end of its turn if it grapples a foe, inflicting 1 point of Constitution damage. You must have the grab trait to take this trait.

-        Grab (2 RP): When a faceless stalker hits a creature its size or smaller with a slam attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Faceless stalkers gain a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple. You must have the slam trait to take this trait.

-        Slam (2 RP): Faceless stalkers gain a slam attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. The slam is a primary attack or a secondary attack if the faceless stalker is wielding manufactured weapons.

Expanded Traits

-        Blunt Damage Reduction (1 RP): Faceless stalkers gain DR 2/piercing or slashing. This DR increases by 1/piercing or slashing for every three character levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of 5/piercing or slashing at 10th level).

-        Compression (2 RP): A faceless stalker can move through an area as small as one-quarter its space without squeezing, or one-eighth its space when squeezing.

-        Deceptive (2 RP): Faceless stalkers gain a +2 racial bonus on Disguise checks.

-        Rubbery Skin (3 RP): Faceless stalkers gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

-        Slippery (5 RP): Faceless stalkers gain a +4 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks.

-        Sneak Attack (4 RP): Faceless stalkers deal 2d6 extra precision damage anytime its target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the faceless stalker flanks her target. Should the faceless stalker score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. If a faceless stalker gets a precision damage bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.

-        Tongues (3 RP): Faceless stalkers have the ability to speak and understand the language of any intelligent creature as if subject to a continual tongues spell.

Sinspawn (standard ability scores: +4 Strength, –2 Intelligence , –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma [envy]; +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence , –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma [gluttony]; +4 Dexterity, –2 Intelligence , –2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma [greed]; +4 Charisma, –2 Strength, –2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution [lust]; +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma [pride]; +4 Wisdom, –2 Strength, –2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution [sloth]; or +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence [wrath]; 1 RP)

Sinspawn are corrupted products of magic used by spellcasters in a past era as shock troops for their armies. Literally the embodiment of a sin made flesh, they are sentient abominations of distilled ectoplasm imprinted with the soul-image of slain creatures that possessed an abundance of a particular sin.

Essential Traits (7 RP; 8 RP with standard ability scores)

-        Aberration (1 RP)

-        Medium: Sinspawn are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

-        Fast Speed (1 RP): Sinspawn have a base speed of 40 feet.

-        Darkvision (2 RP): Sinspawn can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

-        Sinspawn Immunities (2 RP): Sinspawn are immune to magic mind-affecting effects.

-        Sin-Scent (1 RP): Sinspawn have scent against creatures whose nature reflects the sinspawn's sin. For example, wrathful sinspawn can scent creatures using rage effects. The GM should adjudicate what creatures a particular sinspawn can scent.

-        Languages: Sinspawn begin play Aklo. Sinspawn with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Aboleth, Common, Gnoll, Goblin, Orc, or Undercommon.

Standard Traits

-        Bite (3 RP): Sinspawn gain a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack; or a secondary attack if the sinspawn is wielding manufactured weapons.

-        Sinful Bite (2 RP): A creature bitten by a sinspawn must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the sinspawn’s Hit Dice + the sinspawn’s Charisma modifier) overwhelmed with sinful thoughts. These emotions are so powerful that the target becomes sickened for 1d6 minutes. An affected target that is bitten a second time is staggered for 1 round if it fails its saving throw. Calm emotions, remove curse, or break enchantment negates the effects of sinful bite. This is a mind-affecting effect.

-        Weapon Familiarity (1 RP): Sinspawn are proficient with ranseurs.

Expanded Traits

-        Claws (2 RP): Sinspawn gain two claw attacks that deal 1d4 points of damage. These attacks are primary attacks.

-        Natural Armor (2 RP): Sinspawn gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.

-        Superior Spell Resistance (3 RP): Sinspawn possess spell resistance equal to 11 plus their class levels.

Example Races

Here are a couple examples made using these new rules.

Faceless Stalker/Sylph Hybrid

TYPE
	Outsider (native, shapechanger) [hybrid]	2 RP
SIZE
	Medium	— RP
BASE SPEED
	Normal	— RP
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
	Standard	— RP
	(+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution)
LANGUAGES
	Standard	— RP
RACIAL TRAITS
Defense Racial Traits
	Electricity Resistance	1 RP
	Storm in the Blood	3 RP
Magic Racial Traits
	Change Shape	3 RP
	Faceless	1 RP
Senses Racial Traits
	Darkvision	2 RP
TOTAL 12 RP

Orc/Sinspawn (Wrath) Hybrid

TYPE
	Aberration (orc) [hybrid]	2 RP
SIZE
	Medium	— RP
BASE SPEED
	Fast	1 RP
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
	Standard	1 RP
	(+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence )
LANGUAGES
	Standard	— RP
RACIAL TRAITS
Defense Racial Traits
	Sinspawn Immunities	2 RP
Offense Racial Traits
	Ferocity	4 RP
Senses Racial Traits
	Darkvision	2 RP
	Sin-Scent	1 RP
Weakness Racial Traits
	Light Sensitivity	–1 RP
TOTAL 12 RP

Wayang/Choker Hybrid

TYPE
	Aberration (wayang) [hybrid]	2 RP
SIZE
	Small	— RP
BASE SPEED
	Slow	–1 RP
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
	Standard	— RP
	(+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom)
LANGUAGES
	Standard	— RP
RACIAL TRAITS
Defense Racial Traits
	Dual-Minded	1 RP
	Light and Dark	1 RP
	Shadow Resistance	1 RP
Movement Racial Traits
	Climb	1 RP
Offense Racial Traits
	Reach	1 RP
	Strangle	1 RP
	Tentacles	3 RP
Senses Racial Traits
	Darkvision	2 RP
TOTAL 12 RP