Thri-Kreen
Thri-kreen
CR ½ CN Monstrous Humanoid (kreen)
This humanoid mantis is a dusty yellow color. It has four arms, but two seem to be its primary ones. It wears little clothing and carries multiple strange weapons.
The thri-kreen are sometimes called “mantis warriors”, as this describes both their physical appearance and their cultural values. Thri-kreen are nomadic hunters, and combine keen loyalty with a fierce need for competition. Members of a clan would hardly consider betraying one another, but they jockey constantly for position, and fights to the death are not unheard of to obtain a leadership role from a leader considered past their prime. They are skilled and patient hunters, moving frequently to avoid depleting prey items or causing undue ecological stress. Thri-kreen mate for life, and the care of the young is shared between all members of the clan. They grow to adulthood quickly, being mature within 5 years of age, and are considered ancient if they live to the age of 35. Thri-kreen often decorate their chitin exoskeletons with etchings and paints, the latter only for special occasions.
Thri-kreen prefer to attack from ambush, using their ability to change color to hide and their remarkable leaping ability to spring to the attack. The weapons of a thri-kreen are among their only possessions, and are thus well cared for. The primary melee weapon used by thri-kreen is a two-headed, crescent-bladed polearm called a gythka (treat as an orc double axe). As ranged weapons they use oversized shuriken known as chatkcha (treat as a starknife). Unusually, armor is only worn by the boldest and most confident thri-kreen, as it interferes with their camouflage abilities.
Thri-kreen advance by character class. Most of them choose classes with a full base attack bonus, like fighter, ranger or brawler. Their spellcasters are typically psychics, especially with the lore or self-perfection disciplines. Those that cast divine spells are usually druids—they do not trust gods, which they cannot see or taste, as opposed to natural forces which they can.
Thri-kreen as Player Characters
Thri-kreen do not have racial Hit Dice, and advance by character class. A thri-kreen character has the following attributes
+2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Cha Thri-kreen are nimble and tough, but have alien minds and emotions.
Monstrous Humanoid Thri-kreens are not subject to spells and effects that target humanoids only
Medium Size A thri-kreen gains no benefits or penalties from its size
Low-light vision
+1 natural armor
Normal Speed
Bite A thri-kreen gains a bite attack as a primary natural weapon that deals 1d4 points of damage
Chameleon Skin (Ex) A thri-kreen can change the color of its carapace to match its environment. It gains a +4 racial bonus to Stealth checks if it is wearing no armor and only light clothing. If wearing light armor, or clothing that covers the body, it gains a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks. If wearing medium or heavy armor, it gains no bonus.
Master Leaper (Ex) A thri-kreen gains a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump. It takes no penalty to Acrobatics checks made to jump without taking a running start. If it does take a running start, it doubles the distance covered.
Secondary Arms (Ex) The secondary arms of a thri-kreen cannot be used to wield weapons or shields, but can be used to draw or stow small objects as a swift action. They can be used to provide somatic components even if both hands are full.
Weapon Familiarity (Ex) A thri-kreen treats starknives as a simple weapon, and treats orc double axes as a martial weapon.
Languages Thri-kreen start play speaking Kreen. A thri-kreen with an Intelligence bonus may choose from the following languages: Common, Dwarf, Elven, Gnoll, Halfling, Sylvan.
Statistics for a sample thri-kreen character, and feats for thri-kreen characters, under the cut
Thri-kreen ranger 1 CR ½
XP 200
CN Medium monstrous humanoid (kreen)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, Perception +5
Defense
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 12 (1d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee double axe +3 (1d8+3/19-20), bite -2 (1d4+1) or double axe +1 (1d8+2/x3), double axe +1 (1d8+1/x3), bite -2 (1d4+1) or bite +3 (1d4+3)
Ranged starknife +4 (1d6+2/x3)
Special Attacks favored enemy (magical beasts +2)
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis12, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 16
Feats Two-Weapon Fighting
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+8 when jumping), Climb +6, Heal +5, Knowledge (nature) +4, Perception +5, Stealth +11, Survival +5 (+6 following tracks); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Stealth
Languages Kreen
SQ chameleon skin, mighty leap, track +1, secondary arms, weapon familiarity, wild empathy -1
Ecology
Environment warm deserts and plains
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-6), patrol (7-12 plus 1 leader of 3rd level) or clan (13-40 plus 50% noncombatants, plus 1-3 leaders of 3rd-7th level)
Treasure NPC gear (double axe, two starknives, other treasure)
Thri-kreen Feats
A thri-kreen’s body and mind can develop in unexpected ways over the course of their lives, enhancing their natural abilities. Thri-kreen may choose from the following feats
Chitinous Claws (Combat Feat)
Your fingers end in sharp claws instead of dull points.
Prerequisites Improved Unarmed Strike, kreen subtype
Benefit: Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage, as you choose.
Effective Limbs (Combat Feat)
You have trained your secondary limbs until they are as strong as ordinary arms
Prerequisites Str 17+, base attack bonus +6, kreen subtype
Benefit You may use your secondary limbs to wield weapons, hold shields and do anything else a limb can do.
Improved Chameleon Skin
You have great control over your ability to change color
Prerequisites Wis 13+, character level 3rd, kreen subtype
Benefit Your racial bonus to Stealth checks when unarmored increases to +8. When wearing light armor or covering clothing, it decreases to +4.
Improved Venomous Bite (Combat Feat)
You can produce paralytic enzymes at an incredible rate
Prerequisites Con 15+, base attack +9, kreen subtype, Venomous Bite
Benefit You may use the poison from your Venomous Bite feat a number of times per day equal to your level + your Constitution modifier.
Tohr-Kreen Casting
You can tap into the magic of the mantis nobles
Prerequisites Intelligence 13+, character level 5th, kreen subtype
Benefit You gain the following spell-like abilities. 3/day—mage hand; 1/day—blur, invisibility. You use your Hit Dice as your caster level, and your Intelligence modifier for concentration checks.
Venomous Bite (Combat Feat)
You can produce paralytic enzymes in your saliva
Prerequisites Con 13+, base attack +4, kreen subtype
Benefits You may choose to inflict poison on a creature you hit with your bite attack a number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier
Kreen Poison; bite—injury; save 10 + ½ Hit Dice + Constitution modifier; duration 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex damage; cure 1 save.