Gerudo (Pathfinder Race)

Gerudos

The Gerudo are a long-lived, survivalist people that often make their way on the fringes of society, scraping by in life, often by means that aren’t necessarily looked on kindly by the law. An unusual trait of their race is the rarity of males. Only about 1 in every 20 Gerudo born are male, and they are often raised carefully, given many wives, and bred to be great leaders, shamans, and even warlords. Gerudo are commonly found as thieves, mercenaries, bandits, treasure hunters, and explorers.

The Gerudo have a tendency to come across as arrogant and proud. Their self-assurance can take them far in some cases, but it can just as easily be their downfall, leading them to bite off more than they can chew in a situation, or earning them the ire of others. A pessimistic and cynical streak is also commonly seen. Most Gerudo have a marked distaste for men of other races, thinking them to be weak or condescending, inherited from wrongs done to them long ago. They also highly value their personal freedom, but sadly this is often coupled with an “every woman for herself” mindset. Something else they are known for is their love of horses, and every Gerudo is familiar and comfortable around them.

Physical Description

A Gerudo’s pigmentation is very distinctive, and usually gives her heritage way instantly, along with her prominent beauty. Their hair is usually of a flaming red or golden blonde color (with exceedingly rare exceptions, usually pitch black hair), and they tend to have a lot of it. Even those who live far away from the desert their ancestors originated from have inherited a tan or brown skin tone. Warm, unusual eye colors – orange, red, and yellow – are commonplace. Females tend to be built lithe and willowy, standing anywhere between six feet and nearly seven feet tall, and weighing 125 to a high of 200 pounds, often with a wiry strength belied by their frame. The rare males are large and hulking, their muscle more obvious as they measure at least six feet and can easily clear seven, weighing a bit more than females, but appearing to be much more than that. Surprisingly, considering their precarious lifestyle, the Gerudo also possess quite long lifespans, reaching maturity at 25 and commonly living to be 120 years old.

Society

The Gerudo originally came out of the desert near Hyrule that carries their name. It was their inhospitable home for many generations until they met a serious downfall when their attempt at invasion, led by their leader, the Dark Wizard Ganon, was denied and the wizard was slain in the very throne room of the ancient Gerudo city. Most remain in the desert, scraping by in life as best they can, but many have migrated elsewhere in search of greener pastures. Most of them are no better off, however, and still get by through raiding and thievery, living like scavenging wolves on the edge of society, always ducking the arm of the law.

Relations

With their habit of being isolationists and more than a little troublesome, the Gerudo have a hard time getting along with members of other races. Their reputation as thieves, the difficulty they have fitting in with most cultures, and the history of their race make them targets of suspicion when something ill happens.

Alignment and Religion

The Gerudo are rarely very religiously observant, having their survival to worry about instead. They identify the most with Din, Goddess of Power and Mother of the Earth, through their frequent use of strength and deceit to get by in life. Farore comes in second, as displays of courage in arms, however selfishly motivated they may be, are frequent for them. A Gerudo might breathe a prayer to either just before setting forth on a raid or breaking into a house, but organized religion is unheard of.

Adventurers

Gerudo have little difficulty taking up the life of an adventurer, since danger of being caught while on a raid or fighting off desert predators are what most have grown up and spent their whole lives around. The monetary benefits of adventuring are not lost on them, and the search for wealth is usually the strongest motivator. With their reputation of only looking out for number one, few Gerudo feel the need to adventure out for moral reasons.

Gerudo Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom: Gerudo are very agile, beautiful, and charming, but at the same time very overconfident and haughty at times. Gerudo males gain a +2 to Strength instead of Dexterity.
• Humanoid:
• Medium Size: As medium creatures, Gerudo do not have any special advantages or disadvantages for their size.
• Normal base land speed: 30 feet.
• Sneaky Rider: Gerudo are naturally adept at both horse riding and maneuvering silently while remaining lightly armored. They gain a +4 racial bonus to Ride and Stealth checks while wearing no armor or light armor, and a +2 racial bonus if wearing medium or heavy armor.
• Survivalist: Most Gerudo gain knowledge of their desert homeland from somewhere during the course of their life, be it from parents, mentors, or hands-on experience. They gain a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks made while in a desert terrain.
• Weapon Familiarity: Gerudo are always proficient with the shortbow, longbow, scimitar, and falchion.
• Mountaineer: Gerudo often make their homes in secluded mountain ranges or high cliffs. As a result, they are immune to altitude sickness and do not lose their dexterity bonus to AC when making Climb or Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or slippery surfaces.
• Automatic Languages: Gerudo begin play speaking Hylian and Gerudo. Gerudo with high intelligence can choose from the following bonus languages: Goron, Tokay, Subrosion, Moblin, and Draconic.

Vital Statistics

Table: gerudo Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple^1	Moderate^2	Complex^3
22 years	2d3	3d3	4d3
This category includes barbarians, oracles, rogues, and sorcerers. This category includes bards, cavaliers, fighters, gunslingers, paladins, rangers, summoners, and witches. This category includes alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, magi, monks, and wizards.

Table: gerudo Aging Effects

Middle Age^1	Old^2	Venerable^3	Maximum Age
60 years	80 years	95 years	+2d10 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: gerudo Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5'8' inches	+2d12	200 lb.	5lb × (2d4) lb.
Female	6'1 "	+2d6	160 lb.	3lb × 3d3 lb.

---

Back to Main Page → Pathfinder Homebrew → Races