[True20] Anthropomorphic mammal backgrounds

[DnDChick]

I promised this a long time ago, so...

These are the Backgrounds for my Fauna campaign setting, which is a medieval fantasy world of anthropomorphic animals.

I created these using the guidelines set down on page 16 of the True20 core book.

*Yes... I know there are no birds or reptiles. That's because in my original "Fauna" setting, birds were pets and reptiles were beasts of burden and war. If you want birds and reptiles, I have provided pointers on background design in my next post.

*Also, I know that rabbits and bats are not rodents, and that red pandas and coatis are not "raccoons." They are just classed as such for convenience. Pardon the oversight. The species are meant to be as generic as possible so as not to have a ginormo-gargantuoid list even more ginormo-gargantuoid that this one already is. (Which is also another reason why I don't have birds or reptiles...)

*These can be used for True20 versions of games like Iron Claw and The Justifiers, or for genetic human-animal hybrids. If you're not into "furries" gaming, you can rename them to be whatever fantasy or alien race you want them to be.

Ape
Example: Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Orangutan
Size: Medium (5-7 ft. tall)
Abilities: Str +1, Dex −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Any one General feat of the player’s choice.
Favored Feats: Rage, Tough

Bovine
Size: Medium (6-8 ft. tall)
Example: Bull, Bison, Ox
Abilities: Str +2, Dex −1, Int −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Strike (hooves and horns)
Favored Feats: Spirited Charge, Tough

Camel
Size: Medium (6-8 ft. tall)
Example: Camel
Abilities: Dex −1, Con +1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one bonus skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Endurance
Favored Feats: Diehard, Tough

Canine
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Bloodhound, Labrador, Wolf, St. Bernard
Abilities: None for most species, but big canine breeds (St. Bernard, etc.) have Str +1, Dex −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Feats: Benefit 2 (Scent), Improved Strike (Bite)
Favored Feats: Chokehold, Elusive Target

Canine, Small
Size: Small (3-4 ft. tall); −1 size penalty on Toughness, −4 size penalty on grapple checks, +1 size bonus on attack rolls and defense, +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Example: Chihuahua, Dachshund, Pekingese
Abilities: Str −1, Dex +1
Speed: 20 ft.
Bonus Feats: Benefit 2 (Scent), Improved Strike (Bite)
Favored Feats: Chokehold, Elusive Target

Deer
Size: Medium (6-7 ft. tall, not including antlers)
Example: Antelope, Deer, Gazelle
Abilities: Dex +1, Cha −1
Speed: 35 ft. (bonus for the Improved Speed feat is already included)
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Improved Speed, Improved Strike (antlers)
Favored Feats: Seize Initiative, Spirited Charge

Equine
Size: Medium (6-7 ft. tall)
Example: Horse, Donkey, Zebra
Abilities: Str +1, Con +1
Speed: 35 ft. (bonus for the Improved Speed feat is already included)
Bonus Feats: Improved Speed, Improved Strike (hooves), Run
Favored Feats: Spirited Charge, Tough

Feline
Size: Medium (4-5 ft. tall)
Example: Housecat, Lynx, Jaguar
Abilities: Con −1, Dex +1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Feats: Improved Strike (bite, claw), Night Vision, Talented (Climb and Jump)
Favored Feats: Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth), Slow Fall

Feline, Big Cat
Size: Medium (6-8 ft. tall)
Example: Lion, Panther, Tiger
Abilities: Str +1, Dex −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Feats: Improved Grab, Improved Strike (bite, claw), Night Vision
Favored Feats: Chokehold, Sneak Attack
Level Lag: 1

Kangaroo
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Grey Kangaroo, Red Kangaroo, Wallaby
Abilities: Dex +1, Wis −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Move By Action, Skill Focus (Jump)
Favored Feats: Evasion, Elusive Target or Improved Evasion (choose at character creation)

Monkey
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Howler Monkey, Spider Monkey
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Acrobatics and Climb
Bonus Feats: Talented (Acrobatics and Climb), Skill Focus (Climb)
Favored Feats: Elusive Target, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth)
Special: A monkey has a prehensile tail, and can manipulate objects up to half her height away and hold her own weight with it. The tail provides a monkey with her Skill Focus (Climb) feat, so if for some reason a monkey cannot use her tail she does not gain the benefit of that feat.

Monkey, Small
Size: Small (3-4 ft. tall); −1 size penalty on Toughness, −4 size penalty on grapple checks, +1 size bonus on attack rolls and defense, +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Example: Capuchin, Macaque, Rhesus
Abilities: Str −1, Dex +1
Speed: 20 ft.
Bonus Skills: Acrobatics and Climb
Bonus Feats: Talented (Acrobatics and Climb), Skill Focus (Climb)
Favored Feats: Elusive Target, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth)
Special: A monkey has a prehensile tail, and can manipulate objects up to half her height away and hold her own weight with it. The tail provides a monkey with her Skill Focus (Climb) feat, so if for some reason a monkey cannot use her tail she does not gain the benefit of that feat.

Moose
Size: Medium (6-8 ft. tall, not including antlers)
Example: Caribou, Elk, Moose
Abilities: Str +1, Dex −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Strike (antlers)
Favored Feats: Spirited Charge, Tough

Mustelid
Size: Medium (4-6 ft. tall)
Example: Ferret, Otter, Skunk, Stoat, Weasel
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Improved Grab, Night-Vision
Favored Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Sneak Attack
Special: A skunk can spray a foul-smelling chemical a number of times per day equal to his Constitution (minimum 1). This spray can be aimed at a specific target within 20 feet of the skunk, and requires an attack roll to hit. Anyone within 30 feet of the target must succeed on a Fortitude save with a Difficulty equal to 10 + twice the skunk’s Constitution or be nauseated for as long as they remain within that range. The target must succeed on the Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 day. The target also has a -4 penalty on social skills for 1 day, regardless of whether or not he succeed on the Fortitude save. Because of this special ability, a skunk has a level lag of 1.

Mustelid, Fierce
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Badger, Wolverine
Abilities: Con +1, Cha −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Tireless, Track
Favored Feats: Die Hard, Rage

Opossum
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Opossum
Abilities: Dex +1, Cha −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Bluff, Climb
Bonus Feats: Night-Vision, Skill Focus (Climb)
Favored Feats: Seize Initiative, Rage
Special: An opossum has a prehensile tail, and can manipulate objects up to half his height away and hold his own weight with it. The tail provides an opossum with his Skill Focus (Climb) feat, so if for some reason an opossum cannot use his tail he does not gain the benefit of that feat.

Pachyderm
Size: Large (8-10 ft. tall); +2 size bonus on Toughness, +4 size bonus on grapple checks, −1 size penalty on attack rolls and defense, −4 size penalty on Stealth checks.
Example: Elephant, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus
Abilities: Str +2, Dex −2
Speed: 20 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Depends on species.
Elephant: Improved Grab (trunk), Improved Strike (tusk)
Hippopotamus: Endurance, Improved Strike (bite)
Rhinoceros: Endurance, Improved Strike (horn)
Favored Feats: Spirited Charge, Stunning Attack
Level Lag: 1
Special: An elephant has a prehensile trunk. The strength of an elephant’s trunk is equal to his strength −2. The elephant can grapple and make unarmed attacks with his trunk, dealing +0 non-lethal damage.

Porcine
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Boar, Pig, Warthog
Abilities: Con +1, Cha −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice.
Bonus Feats: Endurance, Great Fortitude
Favored Feats: Rage, Spirited Charge

Raccoon
Size: Medium (4-6 ft. tall)
Example: Coati, Raccoon, Red Panda
Abilities: Dex +1, Wis −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Climb, Sleight of Hand.
Bonus Feats: Night-Vision, Talented (Climb, Sleight of Hand)
Favored Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Elusive Target

Rodent
Size: Medium (4-5 ft. tall)
Example: Beaver, Groundhog, Porcupine, Rabbit
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Feats: Depends on species.
Beaver: Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Swim), Talented (Craft, Swim)
Groundhog: Benefit 2 (Burrow speed 10 ft.), Night-Vision
Porcupine: All-Out Attack, Improved Initiative, Improved Strike (quills)
Rabbit: Run, Skill Focus (Jump), Talented (Acrobatics, Jump)
Favored Feats: Depends on species.
Beaver: Improvised Tools, Master Plan
Groundhog: Defensive Roll, Evasion
Porcupine: Attack Specialization (unarmed), Seize Initiative
Rabbit: Elusive Target, Evasion
Special: A porcupine’s back, tail, and arms are covered in sharp quills. Any creature striking or struck by a porcupine with an unarmed or natural melee attack must succeed on Reflex save (Difficulty 10 + porcupine’s combat bonus) or strike its quills for +1 damage. A creature with 1 or more points of natural or worn armor is immune to the quills, and the porcupine cannot use this ability while wearing armor with an armor bonus of +1 or greater.

Rodent, Small
Size: Small (2-4 ft. tall); −1 size penalty on Toughness, −4 size penalty on grapple checks, +1 size bonus on attack rolls and defense, +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Example: Mouse, Rat, Squirrel
Abilities: Str −1, Dex +1
Speed: 20 ft.
Bonus Feats: Depends on species.
Bat: Dodge Focus, Improved Defense, Uncanny Dodge
Mouse: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Night-Vision
Rat: Great Fortitude, Night-Vision, Talented (Acrobatics, Stealth)
Squirrel: Skill Focus (Climb), Talented (Acrobatics, Climb), Trailblazer
Favored Feats: Depends on species.
Bat: Defensive Roll, Elusive Target
Mouse: Seize Initiative, Elusive Target
Rat: Elusive Target, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth)
Squirrel: Elusive Target, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth)
Special: A bat has the Blindsight special ability. A bat can also fly at twice her ground speed, with Average maneuverability. Because of these special abilities, a bat has a level lag of 1.

Ungulate
Size: Medium
Example: Goat, Llama, Sheep
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Any one skill of the player’s choice. An ungulate’s bonus skill should represent the abilities of his species. For example, a mountain goat might take Skill Focus (Climb).
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Strike (horns)
Favored Feats: Spirited Charge, Tough

Ursine
Size: Medium (5-8 ft. tall)
Example: Black Bear, Brown Bear, Polar Bear
Abilities: Str +2, Dex −2
Speed: 20 ft.
Bonus Feats: Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Strike (bite, claw)
Favored Feats: Attack Specialization (claw), Tough

 

[DnDChick]

And since I know that eventually someone will complain that I don't have reptiles in Fauna, I'll walk through designing a monitor lizard background.

Ability Bonuses
*Whatever seems most appropriate. Try to make the net ability bonuses equal 0, or at the very most not more than a -1 or +1.

Monitor lizards should be strong, but perhaps a little slow. I'll go with Str +1, Dex -1


Bonus Skills
*2 bonus skills, determined by the Narrator. They cannot be changed.
--OR--
*1 bonus skill of the player's choice
*If the background gets no bonus skills, it gets another bonus feat of (see below)

Monitor lizards are proficient climbers, and tend to be ambush predators. With that in mind, I think I'll give them Climb and Stealth as bonus skills.


Bonus Feats
Bonus feats can only be General feats or Favored Feats for the background
*2 bonus feats, determined by the Narrator. They cannot be changed.
--OR--
*1 bonus feat of the player's choice
--PLUS--
*1 more bonus feat IF the background gets no bonus skills

To reflect a reptile's slow metabolism, I'll give the monitor lizard Great Fortitude. Since reptilian ambush predators can react in a flash, Lightning Reflexes. Since it does have bonus skills, it only gets two bonus feats. Had I not given it bonus skills, it would have three bonus feats.


Favored Feats
Favored feats cannot be General feats. They must come from the Adept, Expert, or Warrior feats.
*2 favored feats, either determined by the Narrator or chosen by the player.
--OR--
*1 supernatural power

In order to represent the scaly hide of a monitor lizard, I give it Tough as a favored feat. That alleviates any need to provide a natural armor bonus; if the player wants to invest the feats in toughening up his hide, he can. For the other favored feat, Seize Initiative. That fairly well duplicates the sudden, strike-like reactive attack of an ambush predator.


Special: To further call out the animal features of an anthropomorphic animal background, I often like to give certain species a little something extra. In the case of the monitor lizard, they are cold-blooded, and therefore have a -2 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of environmental cold and heat. Reptiles cannot let themselve get too hot or too cold, as either one can be detrimental to them.


So, here is the complete entry for the Monitor Lizard backgrond.

Monitor Lizard
Size: Medium (5-6 ft. tall)
Example: Goana, Monitor
Abilities: Str +1, Dex −1
Speed: 30 ft.
Bonus Skills: Climb, Stealth
Bonus Feats: Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes
Favored Feats: Seize Initiative, Tough
Special: Monitor lizards have a −2 penalty on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of environmental cold and heat.