RACES OF ATHAS

Dwarf

Short but powerful, an average dwarf stands 4 ½ feet tall and weighs about 200 pounds, all corded muscle and dense, heavy bone. Most dwarves have little to no body hair, although some have small but thick patches of hair on their heads.

Male Names: Baranus, Brul, Caelum, Caro, Daled, Drog, Ghedran, Gralth, Gram, Jurgan, Lyanius, Murd, Nati, Portek, Rkard, Thalak.

Female Names: Ardin, Erda, Ghava, Greshin, Lazra, N’kadir, Palashi, Vashara.

• Ability score modifiers: +2 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
• Type: Humanoid (dwarf)
• Size: Medium

• Speed: 20 ft. A dwarf’s speed is never reduced by armor or encumbrance
• Automatic languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elven, Giant, Gith, Kreen, Terran.
• Hardy: Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.

• Stability: Dwarves gain a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.

• Stonecunning: Dwarves gain a +2 bonus to Perception to notice unusual stonework and can roll to detect such features within 10 feet even when not actively searching.
• Darkvision: Dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Focus: Dwarves gain great fulfilment from completing lengthy tasks and tend to commit to a goal or course of action with a singular focus. At 1st level, 8th and 16th level, a dwarf gains the Skill Focus feat in a skill related to his focus. If the dwarf’s task is completed and another goal chosen, those feats can be applied to a new skill or skills related to the dwarf’s new focus. In addition, once per day a dwarf may re-roll a failed skill check, attack roll or saving throw related to his focus.
• Wild Talent: Most dwarves begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

Elf

Athasian elves stand 6 ½ to 7 ½ feet tall, with long, lean limbs and features carved by the sand and sun of the wastes through which they run. Their reputation as raiders and con artists is well-deserved. Few leave their tribes to live among the walled-in cities of the slow races.

Male Names: Coraanu (First Elf, the Warrior Thief), Dukkoti (Wind Fighter), Haaku (Two Daggers), Lobuu (First Runner), Mutami (Laughs at Sun), Traako (Metal Stealer).

Female Names: Alaa (Bird Chaser), Ekee (Wild Dancer), Guuta (Singing Sword), Hukaa (Fire Leaper), Ittee (Dancing Bow), Nuuta (Quiet Hunter), Utaa (Laughing Moon)

Tribe (Clan) Names: Clearwater Tribe (Fireshaper, Graffyon, Graystar, Lightning, Onyx, Sandrunner, Seafoam, Silverleaf, Songweaver, Steeljaw, Wavedivers, Windriders clans); Night Runner Tribe (Dark Moons, Full Moons, Half Moons, Lone Moons, New Moons, Quarter Moons clans); Shadow Tribe; Silt Stalker Tribe (Fire Bow, Fire Dagger, Fire Sword clans); Silver Hand Tribe; Sky Singer Tribe (Dawnchaser, Dayjumper, Twilightcatcher clans); Swiftwing Tribe; Water Hunter Tribe (Raindancer, Poolrunner, Lakesinger clans); Wind Dancer Tribe (Airhunter, Breezechaser clans)

• Ability score modifiers: +4 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int
• Type: Humanoid (elf)
• Size: Medium

• Speed: 40 ft.
• Automatic languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Halfling, Gith, Kreen, Terran.
• Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus to Perception.
• Weapon Familiarity: Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), and longswords.
• Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
• Desert Runner: Elves receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as any other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst and hot environments.
• Fleet-footed: Elves receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus to initiative.
• Silent Hunter: Elves reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty.
• Silver-tongued: Elves gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Bluff. When they use Diplomacy to shift a creature's attitude, they can shift up to three steps rather than two.
• Wild Talent: Most elves begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

Half-Elf

Taller and leaner than humans but stockier than an elf, most half-elves on Athas grow up as outsiders, never truly accepted by either parent race. Intolerance breeds self-reliance, however, leading many half-elves to develop skills that play to the strengths of their mixed heritage.

• Ability score modifiers: +2 Dex, +2 to one other ability of choice
• Type: Humanoid (elf, human)
• Size: Medium

• Speed: 30 ft.
• Automatic languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Any.
• Keen Senses: Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
• Focused Study: Half-elves gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice at 1st, 8th, and 16th level.
• Low-Light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

• Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
• Multitalented: Half-elves choose two favored classes at first level and gain +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever they take a level in either one of those classes.

• Eye for Talent: Half-elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character's choice.
• Greater Wild Talent: Most half-elves display considerable natural psionic ability and may roll twice on the Wild Talent table. Alternatively, the character may roll once and gain an additional 3 PP.

Half-Giant

First bred as slave-warriors by an ancient sorcerer-queen, half-giants combine the strength and dull wits of their giant forebears with the agility and adaptability of humans. Easily swayed, half-giants tend to adopt the culture and attitudes of those around them. Most stand between 10 and 12 feet tall and can weigh almost a ton.

• Ability score modifiers: +6 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, -4 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha
• Type: Humanoid (giant, human)
• Size: Large. Half-giants gain a +1 bonus to their CMB and CMD, but suffer a -1 penalty to AC and to attacks, as well as a -4 size penalty to Stealth checks. They have a reach of 10 feet.

• Speed: 30 ft.
• Automatic languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarf, Giant, Gith.

• Giant Blood: Half-giants count as both giants and humans for any effect related to race.

• Low-Light Vision: Half-giants can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

• Flexible Alignment: Only one axis of a half-giant’s alignment - either law/chaos or good/evil - is fixed at character creation. The other portion is chosen when the half-giant wakes each day.
• Great Size: A half-giant must consume four times as much food and water as normal each day. Armor and clothing cost and weigh twice as much.
• Impressionable: Half-giants select an additional feat at 1st level. Each day, the half-giant can replace the bonus feat with another for which he qualifies, but the feat must be one possessed by one of the half-giant’s companions or by an opponent the half-giant encountered within the last week.
• Wild Talent: Most half-giants begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

Halfling

Ruled by witch-doctors and shamans, the feral halflings of the Ringing Mountains are known for their skill as hunters and propensity for viewing other intelligent races as sources of food. Typically standing about 3 ½ feet tall, halflings are muscled and proportioned like humans but with child-like features and wild hair.

Male Names: Basha, Cerk, Derlan, Drassu, Entrok, Kakzim, Lokee, Nok, Pauk, Plool, Sala, Tanuka, Ukos, Zol.

Female Names: Alansa, Anezka, Dokala, Grelzen, Horga, Jikx, Joura, Nasaha, Vensa.

• Ability score modifiers: -2 Str, +4 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
• Type: Humanoid (halfling)
• Size: Small. Halflings gain a +1 size bonus to AC and attacks and a +4 size bonus to Stealth checks. They suffer a -1 penalty to CMB and CMD.
• Speed: 20 ft.

• Automatic languages: Halfling. Bonus Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gith, Kreen, Rhul‐thaun.
• Fearless: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by halfling luck.
• Keen Senses: Halfling receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
• Sure-Footed: Halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks.
• Weapon Familiarity: Halflings are proficient with blowguns and slings.
• Blue Age Magic: Halflings gain a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and a +2 racial bonus on dispel checks.
• Nimble Attack: Halflings receive Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.
• Poison Use: Halflings are skilled with poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying it to weapons.
• Swift as Shadows: Halflings reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving at full speed by 5, and reduce the Stealth check penalty for sniping by 10.
• Stalker: Halflings always treat Perception and Stealth as class skills.
• Wild Talent: Most halflings begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

Human

Adaptable and varied, humans are the dominant race throughout the Tablelands. Facial features and skin tone vary widely, with minor mutations common among those exposed to the after-effects of defiling magic and other strange energies.

• Ability Score Modifiers: +2 to any two abilities of choice.
• Type: Humanoid (human)
• Size: Medium.
• Speed: 30 feet.
• Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Any.

• Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
• Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
• Breadth of Experience: Humans choose two extra class skills at 1st level and gain proficiency in two martial weapons or one exotic weapon of their choice.

• Greater Wild Talent: Humans display considerable natural psionic ability and may roll twice on the Wild Talent table. Alternatively, the character may roll once and gain an additional 3 PP.

Mul

Sterile cross-breeds prized as slave-laborers and gladiators, muls blend the muscle mass and dense bone structure of dwarves with the height and agility of humans. Typically hairless, with with the slightly-pointed, swept-back ears of dwarves, they are renowned for their ability to work tirelessly for long periods.

• Ability Score Modifiers: +4 Str, +2 Con, -2 Cha.
• Type: Humanoid (dwarf, human)
• Size: Medium.
• Speed: 30 feet.
• Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gith, Kreen.

• Dwarf Blood: Muls count as both dwarves and humans for any effect related to race.
• Ferocity: If a mul’s hit points fall below 0 but he is not yet dead, he can continue to fight. If he does, he is staggered, and loses 1 hit point each round. The character still dies when his hit points reach a negative amount equal to his Constitution score.
• Resilient: Muls gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease and poison and regain hit points at twice the normal rate.
• Tireless: Muls gain a +4 racial bonus to checks for performing extended physical activity. This bonus stacks with the bonus provided by the Endurance feat and also applies to Fortitude saves versus weakness, fatigue, exhaustion or enfeeblement. Muls can engage in up to 12 hours of strenuous activity before suffering fatigue.

• Darkvision: Muls can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Wild Talent: Most muls begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

Thri-Kreen

Possessing a communal mindset far different from most humanoids, the insectoid thri-kreen are feared throughout the wastes for their agility, fighting ability and aptitude for psionics.

• Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Int, -4 Cha.
• Type: Monstrous humanoid (thri-kreen)
• Size: Medium.
• Speed: 40 feet.
• Automatic languages: Kreen. Bonus languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Gith.
• Antennae: Thri-kreen gain Blind-Fight as a bonus feat.
• Carapace: Thri-kreen gain a +3 natural armor bonus. Their carapace is vulnerable to moisture. For each day spent in a moist or humid environment, a thri-kreen loses one point of natural armor bonus.
• Darkvision: Thri-kreen can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Efficient Physiology: Thri-kreen don't need to sleep and are immune to sleep effects. They need to consume ¼ of the amount of water a human needs to avoid dehydration.
• Exotic Frame: Thri-kreens’ multi-limbed bodies and exoskeletons make it impossible for them to use certain equipment  including footgear and robes designed for more common humanoids. Armor designed for a thri-kreen costs twice as much. Thri-kreen can never become proficient with armor, which means armor check penalties always apply as a penalty to their attacks. They may gain proficiency with shields and use them normally.
• Hatred (elves): Thri-kreen gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against elves.
• Intuitive Psionics: Thri-kreen may substitute Wisdom as their primary ability score when using psionics powers or psionic class abilities or determining bonus power points.
• Jumper: Thri-kreen are always considered to have a running start when jumping.
• Multi-Armed: A thri-kreen has four arms but only the top pair are dexterous enough to wield weapons. The second pair can be used to carry items or gesture. For the cost of one feat, the secondary arms become capable of carrying a shield or making secondary claw attacks; for the cost of a second feat the arms can be used to attack with a shield bash or off-hand weapon attacks.
• Natural Attacks: Thri-kreen begin with a pair of primary claw attacks (1d4 damage) and a secondary bite attack (1d4 damage). A thri-kreen’s bite is poisonous; a number of doses are available each day equal to the thri-kreen’s Constitution modifier and may be delivered by a successful bite attack or applied to a weapon as a swift action.

Paralytic Venom: Injury; save Fort DC 10 + the 1/2 user's Hit Dice + the user's Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.

• Stalker: Thri-kreen always treat Perception and Stealth as class skills.

• Weapon Familiarity: Thri-kreen are proficient with the gythka and chatka.

• Wild Talent: Most thri-kreen begin play with some psionic ability and may roll once on the Wild Talent table.

CHARACTER CLASSES

At character creation, any character may exchange medium and/or heavy armor proficiency for the Armor Optimization or Shield Focus feats. The character may regain the forfeited feat only by spending a feat gained at level up or as a class-based bonus feat, not simply by multiclassing into a class that grants automatic proficiency with medium or heavy armor.

The following classes (including psionic classes from Psionics Unleashed) are available, with changes listed in parentheses. A variety of archetypes are available, subject to DM review.

Barbarian

Bard (may need tweaking, such as changing spellcasting to divine and refluffing as elemental singer)

Cleric (Must choose an elemental or paraelemental domain; May choose an appropriate favored weapon)

Druid (Modified list of animal companions)

Fighter

Ranger (Modified list of animal companions)

Rogue (Proficient with simple weapons, light martial weapons, finesse weapons, garrote, hand crossbow, shortbow and shuriken)

Wizard (Preservers are unchanged. Defilers can apply metamagic feats - up to ½ class level - without increasing spell level. Doing so destroys all plant life in an area with a radius equal to the “defiling bonus” squared in yards; double in areas with little vegetation, half in areas with heavy vegetation. Living creatures other than the defiler within the radius must succeed at a Fortitude save [DC equal to 10 + the level of the spell] or be sickened for 1 round. Preservers and defilers may substitute a metamagic feat for which they qualify in place of Scribe Scroll at 1st level)

Inquisitor (Substitute for templar. Must prepare spells; favored weapon as appropriate for each city-state and sorcerer-king)

Magus (Must be a preserver or defiler)

Oracle (Elemental mysteries only if flavored as an elemental priest; life, nature or wood may be allowed if flavored as a druid; individual revelations from other mysteries may be allowed on a case-by-case basis)

Cryptic

Psion

Psychic Warrior (Note: the meditant archetype makes a good monk substitute)

Vitalist

Wilder

Available Animal Companions (Rangers must choose from those listed with an *)

Ant, giant (antloid), aurochs (carru), axe beak (crodlu/erdlu)*, badger* (mole-boar/rasclinn), bat, dire, beetle, giant, bird* (dustgull, kes’trekel), cat, big (kirre), cat, small*, centipede, giant, chameleon, giant, crab, giant (dune crab), glyptodon (cha’thrang), hyena* (zhackal), iguanodon (inix, trade claws for bite), kank, mantis, giant, megalania, megatherium (Athasian sloth), monitor lizard, pteranodon (pterrax), rat, dire (jankx)*, rhinoceros (minotaur lizard), roc, scorpion, giant, snake, constrictor*, snake, viper*, spider, giant, thylacine*, wasp, giant (wezer), wolf* (jhakar)

New Animal Companion:

Kank*

Starting Statistics: Size Large; Speed 40 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 8; Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits

7th-Level Advancement: AC +2 natural armor; Ability Scores Str +2, Con +2; Special Attacks Grab, poison; Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution based.

Available Familiars

Aprig (as pig, grants +3 Survival); boneclaw, lesser (as armadillo); centipede, house; critic (as lizard); dunecrab (as crab, king); dustgull (as hawk, +3 Survival); fox; jankx (as weasel, +3 Sleight of Hand); kes'trekel (as hawk, +2 Reflex); kivit (as cat); rat; razorwing (as rhamphorhynchus); scorpion, greensting; sitak (as raven, +3 Diplomacy); spider, scarlet; viper

WILD TALENTS

Most creatures in Dark Sun have at least minor psionic ability, usually in the form of one or two low-level powers that can be used a few times a day. Characters without levels in a psionic class manifest their abilities as Wilders, using Charisma to determine the DC of their powers. Characters with wild talents but no psionic class levels do not gain bonus power points for a high Charisma.

(Roll 1d100)

01-05        No psionics. Choose one bonus feat for which you meet the requirements.

06-10         Psionic resistant. No powers, but you gain a +4 bonus to all saving throws vs. psionics.

11-15        You gain the Wild Talent feat and one psionic feat for which you qualify.

16-20        You gain the Wild Talent feat. Roll for a talent.

21-25        You gain the Wild Talent feat. Roll for two talents.

26-30         You gain the Wild Talent feat. Roll for three talents.

31-80        You gain the Wild Talent feat. Roll for a 1st-level power.

81-90         You gain the Wild Talent feat. Roll for two 1st-level powers.

91-98        You gain the Wild Talent feat plus 1 PP. Roll for a 2nd-level power.

99-00        You gain the Wild Talent feat plus 2 PP. Roll for a1st-level power and a 2nd-level power.

Random Talents and Powers