Lizardfolk, Emberscale (3.5e Race)

Emberscale Lizardfolk

Named for the reticulated black spots on their bright red skins, giving it the appearance of glowing cinders, emberscales inhabit many of the high hills and mountain sides of Tian, favoring volcanic regions in particular. Their spike-like claws and muscular builds let them scale cliffsides fairly easily, and they often lair in locations difficult for other creatures to access, or hunt prey also adept at climbing. Even for lizardfolk, their methods for determining and enforcing leadership amongst themselves are unusually brutal and merciless.

Personality

To Emberscales, the first question to ask is 'Can I smash it?' Almost everything is a contest of strength and endurance to them. As creatures of strength and endurance, Emberscales rarely become Wizards, Druids, or Clerics.

Physical Description

Standing nine feet tall on average, barely exceeding the limits of the medium size, Emberscales tower over their cousins. Emberscales have small red and orange scales, with larger black scales inbetween. A large, iguana-like head with small teeth in the front of the jaw, and larger ones in the back. The eye is usually yellow or green, but blue is not uncommon. A short neck supports the head, attached to a muscular body. Long, thick limbs support the frame. A tree-trunk sized tail sprouts from the back of the Emberscale and extends three to five feet back. It is dragged behind it as it walks.

Relations

Due to their brutal personality, Emberscales can be unfriendly to travelers who can not prove their strength. Humans, Elves, and Gnomes have been known to be their most common victims. While Dwarves and Orcs most often prove themselves, Halfling victims are rare because of their ability to simply talk their way out of the situation.

Alignment

Emberscales usually have bigger problems to deal with than ethics. As such, they are usually Neutral.

Lands

Emberscales always live near volcanoes, often at (or in) the base of a particularly large one.

Religion

Emberscales usually revere gods with the fire descriptor

Language

Most Emberscales are smart enough to learn Draconic, or at least enough to get by. Once in a while, someone will meet one who can speak common as well.

Names

Lizardfolk names are invariably Draconic nouns.

Racial Traits

Emberscale lizardfolk have the following racial traits:

• Type: Humanoid (Reptilian)
• Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom
• Size: 1-15 HD Medium, 16+ HD Large
• Speed: Base land speed is 30 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: An Emberscale can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Natural Armor: An ember scale's reptilian skin provides it with a +2 natural armor bonus to its Armor Class.
• Tail: An ember scale's tail gives it exceptional balance, granting a +4 racial bonus on all Balance and Jump checks.
• Spike Claws: Their hardened claws and strong grip give an ember scale a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks.
• Awkward Build: Due to their tails and bumpy, scaly bodies, ember scales must have armor custom made at an increased cost of 50% (including the cost of masterwork armor.)
• Languages: Common and Draconic. Bonus languages: Dwarvish, Gnoll and Terran.
• Favored Class: Fighter, Barbarian, Emberscale
• Level Adjustment: +2

Ember Scale Racial Class

Hit Die: d8

Emberscale Racial Class
Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Bonus Levels
1	+0	+2	+0	+0	Natural Weapons, +1 Natural Armor	+1 Fighter or Barbarian
2	+1	+3	+0	+0	Bonus Feat, Fire Resistance 2	+1 Fighter or Barbarian
3	+2	+3	+1	+1	+4 Str, +5 Natural Armor	+1 Fighter or Barbarian
4	+3	+4	+1	+1	Bonus Feat, Fire Resistance 5	+1 Fighter or Barbarian
5	+3	+4	+1	+1	Powerful Build	+1 Fighter or Barbarian

Skill points at 1st Character level: (2 + Int bonus) x 4

Skill points at higher levels: 2 + Int bonus

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Jump (Str), Survival (Wis)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ember scales are proficient with all simple weapons and shields.

• Natural Weapons: A 1st level ember scale can attack with its natural weapons, 2 claws (1d4) and a bite (1d4) as a secondary attack. The lizardfolk also qualifies for the multi-attack feat.
• Bonus Feat: At 2nd and 4th levels, an ember scale may select a bonus feat from the following list: Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack, Multiattack, or any of the listed Lizardfolk Feats
• Fire Resistance: Ember scales develop a resistance to fire at 2nd level which increases again at 4th.
• Ability Score Increase: At 3rd level, an ember scale increases its Strength score by 2 points. This is a permanent ability improvement.
• Powerful Build: The physical stature of emberscales lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a ember scale is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the lizardman is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. An ember scale is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. An ember scale can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. His natural weapons increase their damage as well. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.

Table: Emberscale Lizardfolk Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	4’ 10”	+2d8	110 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
Female	4’ 10”	+2d8	110 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

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