Lizardith (Lizard Man PC)

One of the racial monsters I have long used is the Lizard Man. Just love these as the alternative main racial class in direct opposition to humans, not as a foe but someone able to compete with them. The way I've always pictured it: Elves are our higher level cousins, Dwarves are the lower level ones, but neither are really at the par as humans and their complexities. The Lizardith are our true competition. Civilization as broad and a culture as varied, they are just a threat on the high and low scale, wielding magic or in waves of numbers. When players see them their adventuring teams in dungeons, they can be a threat or potential ally. (And I have role played a hissing Lizardith scenario trying to communicate with players so many different times.)


Lizardith (Lizard Men)
Personality: Perhaps next to only humans, Lizardith are the most varied peoples of the domain. It is next to impossible to judge a Lizardith’s motivations before observing one. Every moral habit, weakness or strength is found within these cold-blooded peoples. While they are not xenophobic, they are wary of strangers because of their history.

Physical Description: Semi-aquatic reptilians weighing between 200 – 250 pounds with a 3-4 foot long non-prehensile tail. As they age, many seasoned warriors often sharpen their bodies, so that almost every body part becomes a weapon (claws, teeth & tail.) Most are covered by mottled light green scales, with dark patches of yellow, red or brown depending upon their tribe and homeland.

Relations: Lizardith are reclusive, simply because they have fought for so long and hard, they do not trust anyone fully, even their own people. Instead, a lizardith will judge the individual carefully before making a conclusion, and this is only about the individual, never their race. The individual human, elf or dwarf may earn their living in a lizardith community, just as easily, they may be killed for crimes against the lizardith people.

Alignment: As a race, they generally tend towards neutrality. But individuals may by as holy as saints or as evil as scoundrels.

Lands: Their original swamp cities are in tropical lands far south of the Phastian desert but they have expanded to everywhere including vast territories in the under-earth, caverns beneath the frozen domain.

Religion: While many are strongly druidic there is a small but fervent number of clerics in larger communities gathered around obelisks. Most druids worship Zeyla, the Egg-Mother while clerics worship idealistic gods similar to human faiths.

Language: They speak lizardith which mirrors Dragon linguistically. Individuals often learn dwarf, tenderfoot, callanna, faerie and yuan-ti. Some who travel in the frozen north, may speak a local human tongue but it is a minority.

Adventurers: Many differing lizardith heed the call for adventure. Some seek fame, wealth or power, while others live to serve their deity.

Racial Traits

+2 attack bonus if fighting 50% submerged vs land-based creatures

+3 attack bonus if fighting 100% submerged vs land-based creatures

Hold breath 10 X Constitution

+2 skill bonus to Balance, Perception & Swim

Level Adjustment: +0

Preferred Classes: Any

Lizard Men (Lizardith)

NG humanoid 

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2

DEFENSE

AC 13, touch 8, flat-footed 13 (+4 armor, –1 Dex, +0 natural

hp 5 (1d8+1)

Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. (Swim 40 ft.)

Melee greatclub +1 (1d8)

Ranged javelin +1 (1d8)

STATISTICS

Str 11, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 8

Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 13

Feats: Toughness

Skills Climb +7, Perception +5

Languages Lizardith

Standard Lizardith Tribal Advancement

2 HD +2 to any attribute; +7 in skills; Gain Lesser Feat

3 HD Increased Natural Weapon Damage (1d6 Claws); +1 in Natural AC

4 HD +2 to any attribute; +7 in skills; Gain Lesser Feat

5 HD Increased Natural Weapon Damage (1d8 Claws); +1 in Natural AC

6 HD +2 to any attribute; +7 in skills; Gain Lesser Feat

7 HD +1 in Natural AC; Gain Bite Attack (d4 / 19+)

8 HD +7 in skills; Gain Greater Feat

9 HD +2 to any attribute; +1 in Natural AC

10 HD +7 in skills; Increase Natural weapon Threat Range (17-20), Gain Greater Feat

11 HD Increased Natural Weapon Damage (1d10 Claws / 1d6 Bite); +1 in Natural AC

12 HD +5 to any attribute scores (no more than +2 to any individual) +3 in Natural AC; Gain Greater Feat, +7 in skills

+1 HD Add as per character classes

Lizardith can gain standard class levels at any point but if they do they are then unable to advance in their Racial Lizardith abilities. Many tribes will have individuals of both racial and class levels. This may

Base Skills: Acrobatics, Balance, Climb, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (geography, history, local, tribe), Perception, Stealth, Survival, Swim

Typical Lesser Feats: Power Attack, Multiattack, Natural Armor (+2), Tail Attack, Improved Initiative, Camouflage (+5 hide bonus in one environment), Improved Climb (+6), Increase Swimming Speed

Advanced Feats (Higher than 8 HD) Improved Camouflage (+10 hide bonus in one environment), Imp Natural armor (+4), Increase Claw Critical, Stunning Head-Butt, Breathe Underwater, Swing Tail, Advanced Swimming Speed

Breathe Underwater: A Lizardith grows gills and can breathe underwater

Tail Attack: Gain an attack at the same range as their primary claw attack. Can be used in any round during their primary attack focus if an enemy is immediately behind them. Does the same damage as their bite. They are unable to score critical attacks with a tail attack.

Tail Swing: If they have have Tail Attack, they can choose this as an advance feat. They attack every creature behind them, they cannot omit anyone, if they swing their tail they potentially attack everything. They roll one attack roll at a -2 penalty.

Increase Speed: Add +10 to their swim speed

Advanced Speed: Add another +10 to their swim speed

Camouflage is an auto-defense that happens when a Lizardith is in a natural environment, as their skin blends in if they are moving at less then half their maximum speed.