Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Skratti
The Skratti are a distant relation of the goblins and hobgoblins; a race of minuscule goblinoids. Smaller than even goblins or halflings, they lack the brute strength of bugbears, the disciplined martial prowess of hobgoblins, or even the craven sneakiness of goblins. What they do have, however, is ingenuity, and lots of it. Skratti are among the most intelligent of the goblinoids. Their logical prowess is unmatched by all but the most learned scholars, and their capacity for magic and artifice is all but limitless. The Skratti race is small in numbers, as well as size–their reproductive rate is much smaller than that of their cousins.
Personality
Skratti, like most goblinoids, tend to be mean-spirited and cruel, if not outright evil. They do tend to be less malevolent than their cousins, but not very much so. They are, as a rule, clever and cunning, always scheming or planning. They avoid physical confrontation as much as possible, for obvious reasons, a trait which some call cowardice, and others call prudence.
Physical Description
Skratti tend to be no more than a foot or two high, and vary from four to eight pounds in terms of weight. Apart from their size, they resemble goblins, though they have less overall body hair and a darker, almost blue skin tone. Their bodies are extremely thin and lithe, with very little muscle and almost no body fat whatsoever.
Relations
Skratti maintain tenuous relationships with their goblinoid cousins. Small communities of Skratti are typically forced to depend on tribes of goblins or hobgoblins for defense. Typically, a tribe of a dozen or so Skratti will band together with a goblinoid village, bartering whatever magic they might be capable of for protection. The Skratti will also occasionally form such an alliance with a band of kobolds, the two races sharing a mutual respect of sorts. When it comes to the other humanoid races, most treat the Skratti no differently than they treat goblins, albeit small, highly intelligent goblins.
Alignment
Skratti are typically Lawful Evil or Lawful Neutral in alignment. Deviations from this norm are not unheard of, and perhaps more common in Skratti society than in that of any other goblinoid culture, but they still remain rare.
Lands
The Skratti lack the numbers or military strength to claim any significant territory for themselves. Some tribes have claimed small nooks or crannies of caves or secluded forests for themselves, creating minuscule villages, but most share territory with larger goblinoid tribes.
Religion
Most Skratti worship Maglubiyet, the dark god of all goblinkind. However, they also worship a lesser goblin deity of their own race, the cunning schemer Erlkonig, who is said to be counselor to Maglubiyet.
Language
All Skratti speak the Goblin tongue as a native language. However, most Skratti are intelligent enough to study and learn other languages. Skratti can learn Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Infernal, and Orc.
Names
Skratti names are similar to other goblinoid names, though they tend to be slightly more complex.
Sample Male Names
Golthos, Huran, Nassao, Skriven, Waugh
Sample Female Names
Anksasi, Dandurvag, Marre, Philigia,
Adventurers
Skratti have a natural drive for discovery and curiosity that causes many to take up a life of adventure. Regardless of their alignment, all Skratti have some love of adventure and exploration. Their small size makes it difficult, but their magical talents can make up for their lack of physical power.
Racial Abilities
*+2 Dex, +2 Int, -4 Str, -2 Con. Skratti are clever and nimble, but physically weak.
*Tiny: As Tiny creatures, Skratti gain a +2 size bonus to AC and on attack rolls, and gain a +8 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use Tiny weapons and their lifting and carrying capacity is one-half that of a Medium creature.
*Skratti base land speed is 15 ft.
*Darkvision 60 ft.
*+2 racial bonus on Craft, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device checks.
*Skratti may use the Use Magic Device skill untrained, but take a -4 penalty to their check when doing so.
*Skratti may add their Dexterity bonus, rather than their Strength bonus, to Climb and Jump checks.
*Spell-like Abilities: 1/day–detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st.
*Automatic Languages: Goblin. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Infernal, and Orc.
*Favored Class: Artificer. (If you lack access to the Artificer class, substitue Wizard)
*Level Adjustment: +1
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Why a +1 LA? Compared to a gnome, these guys are slower, have fewer SLA's and an ability that makes them not toally useless at jumping and climbing. The abilities aren't unbalanced, and an untrained UMD check with a -5 penalty has virtually no chance of success. So why the LA?
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Callix
Why a +1 LA? Compared to a gnome, these guys are slower, have fewer SLA's and an ability that makes them not toally useless at jumping and climbing. The abilities aren't unbalanced, and an untrained UMD check with a -5 penalty has virtually no chance of success. So why the LA?
I was wavering on that, because of their uberness at being a caster. Might bring it down to 0.
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Quote:
*Spell-like Abilities: 1/day–detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st. Saves are Intelligence-based.
Generally, spell-like abilities Saves are Charisma based, due to it being more personal power than ability to learn. I don't think I've ever seen Intelligence as the save modifier for a SLA (I could be wrong, though). Also, I don't believe any of these spells have saves, but I'm too lazy to look it up.
Unfortunately, it's a +1 LA, due to tiny size. It gives alot of benefits, particularly to casters (and the +2 Int helps staple it to being a wizard even more so). So, +1 LA has to stick, I think.
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Nice race, but I do have a question.
Quote:
+2 racial bonus on Craft, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device checks.
Does the +2 on Craft apply to all Craft skills, or just one that is chosen at creation?
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Black Mage
Does the +2 on Craft apply to all Craft skills, or just one that is chosen at creation?
All Craft skills.
Re: Tiny Little Buggers [Race]
I like it. It makes me think of rl gremlin legends. Evil little clever things.
