The Cambion (3.5 E6 race, PEACH)

Heads up: I think tiefling is kind of a silly name. Though the cambion I present below isn't technically a cambion in strict D&D terminology, I prefer the name and its Latin roots to the German-derived tiefling. Given that my cambions are basically a race of indolent courtiers with a penchant for lies and backstabbing, it fits a little better. And yes, those of you familiar with Malamundus may recognize quite a bit - the distillation continues, slowly adapting that rather ramshackle setting into a more cohesive and E6-appropriate one.

The Cambion

• +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength - Cambions are cunning and fiendishly intelligent, but their specialized breeding has left them little in the way of athletic prowess
• Medium size
• 30' movement.
• Humanoid type.
• Low-light vision
• Bloodline: All cambions select a bloodline from the list below, which offer them different bonuses and abilities. This choice is permanent.
• Resistance to fire 5.
• Infernal Heritage: Cambions have a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based checks when dealing with elementals or evil outsiders, and cast all (summoning) spells at +1 caster level.
• Fiendish Resistance: At 3rd level, cambions gain damage reduction equal to half their level (minimum of one). This damage reduction may be overcome by good-aligned or magic weapons.
• Beyond the Void: At 6th level, cambions may summon an evil outsider or elemental with HD equal to or less than one-half their level once per day. The outsider follows the cambion's commands faithfully and remains for up to five minutes or until killed. This is a (Su) ability with a caster level equal to the cambion's HD and an effective spell level of two.
• +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Knowledge (the planes) checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, and Terran.
• Favored Classes: Black mage and noble

Bloodlines

Avernian
• +2 Constitution - Avernian cambions are solidly built and hardier than other cambions, with much larger horns
• Avernian cambions possess a natural gore attack that does 1d8 damage, double on a charge.

Disian
• +2 Wisdom - Disian cambions are cautious, somewhat reserved, and always on the lookout for danger
• Disian cambions possess a +1 bonus to natural armor.

Malbolgian
• +2 Charisma - Malbolgian cambions are supreme flatterers and liars, with the forked tongues to prove it
• Once per day, Malbolgian cambions may immediately reroll a failed Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check.

Minaurosian
• +2 Dexterity - Minaurosian cambions are quick and agile, with excellent manual dexterity - who wouldn't be with an extra limb?
• Minaurosian cambions possess a prehensile tail that may be used as a rudimentary extra limb. It may not grasp a weapon or make any sort of attack, but it may hold and manipulate objects and offers its owner a +2 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks.

Bound by Blood (Optional Epic Destiny)
Prerequisites: 6th-level character, twenty "epic" feats
Benefits: At the DM's discretion, a cambion character that has reached epic status may gain this ability. The cambion's type changes to Outsider, he gains a +2 inherent bonus to two ability scores of his choice, and his Beyond the Void ability may now summon evil outsiders or elementals with HD equal to or less than his own HD.

Personality: Cambions are quite similar to humans, and possess the same range of personalities that they do. However, due to their fiendish ancestry (however slight), they do tend to be sly, lascivious, and cunning. They excel at most intellectual pursuits, but can be arrogant and possess a certain moral flexibility that does not always leave them in the best graces of others. They are often eloquent speakers and expert negotiators, weaving tales and stories with grand, dramatic flourishes - cambions take to politics, law, and the theatre with notable frequency. They are also predisposed to the magical arts, and in particular excel at the calling and binding of extraplanar creatures - in fact, by calling on the power of their own blood, they may do so even without being trained in the ways of sorcery. Cambions tend to enjoy the easy route to things in life, and often use their prodigious talents at manipulation to avoid doing any sort of work themselves. Most cambions envision and desire a life of luxury, but they are driven to achieve the wealth and success that might potentially get them there - cambions are actually quite competitive, and enjoy the thrill of the game as much as the enjoy the spoils of victory (especially the money - Minaurosian cambions in particular are covetous of coin). Cambions also tend to be curious, even to a fault, and their prying often get them into trouble. At their best, cambions are sophisticated, erudite, inquisitive, graceful, and magnetic. At worst, they are vain, tyrannical, conniving, greedy, lecherous, and impatient.

Physical Description: Cambions resemble humans except for a faint reddish tint to their skin (which is usually olive-colored, though cambions with paler or darker skin are common), vestigial horns on top of their heads, sharp canines, and a tail. Not all cambions possess all of these traits, and some show no outward sign of their heritage at all beyond a dull red glow in their eyes and vertical slits for pupils. In others, physical fiendish traits are pronounced, and some cambions have elaborate curved horns, thick scaley skin, or forked tongues. In some, the tail is long, thick, and prehensile, acting as an extra limb. Most cambions have dark brown or black hair, though striking red hair is somewhat common and considered a sign of great beauty. Male cambions favor either short-cropped hair or keep it tied back, and often sport neatly-trimmed beards and goatees. Female cambions typically wear their hair up and in elaborate styles, often wrapping it around their horns in what some consider very fashionable styles. Both sexes prefer loose fitting clothing that allows their skin to breathe easily (one side effect of their fiendish blood is that their temperature often runs hot). They adore luxurious garments and jewelry, and see such things as a way to advertise their wealth and status to their peers. Avernian cambions tend to be more muscular and have pronounced horns. Disian cambions have thicker skin with a rust-red tint, and tend to be compact and solidly-built. Malbolgian cambions are tall, regal, and comely, but their lips hide a forked tongue and sharp, pronounced canines. Minaurosian cambions are wiry and thin, with a twitching, active tail.

Relations: Cambions are rarely viewed with the overt suspicion that fiendish races are on other worlds, though to say that they are loved and trusted would be a stretch. While cambions are personable, quick to make friends, and possess little prejudices themselves, they do have a reputation as swindlers, thieves, and lawyers that often precedes them. Among the urbane elite, this is no problem - they jockey for social position almost constantly, and deception is part of the game, though some people may find their constant prevarication to be tiring at best, and offensive at worst.

Alignment: Cambions can be of any alignment, though they do slightly favor lawful and/or evil alignments.

Lands: Cambions, as befitting their cosmopolitan leanings, are most often found in cities and large towns, though as one of the most prolific races they are a common sight all around the world. In some realms, cambions make up the upper crust of nobility, their heritage being seen as a mark of power and status.

Language: Cambions, with their natural intelligence and love of language, are natural linguists. Most are at least bilingual, and many speak three or four.

Names: Cambions typically have three names - their own name, typically first, an honorific (not all cambions possess one, and it is usually earned through deeds or reputation rather than given at birth, though it is occasionally used to denote birth order), and their family name (coming from the right family or the right house is a great boon in cambion society). Cambion names (and by extension, their society), do not hew strictly to patrilineal or matrilineal convention - the child is almost always named after the most powerful and influential member of the family, and so sons may end up being named after the mothers, daughters after their fathers, et cetera, though most names possess both a masculine and a feminine version. They tend to be elaborate, though not overly so, and almost lilt off the tongue.

Adventurers: Cambion adventurers are most often motivated by the acquisition of wealth. The second most common is boredom - cambions thrive on new experiences and enjoy the thrill of discovery and danger.

All done, ready for review.

Seems to line-up nicely with the Jotun, power-wise, at first glance.

The DR sounds powerful at fist glance, but at 6th level DR 3 that gets beat by magic basically doesn't exist verses any real threat. The fire resistance doesn't scale like the Jotun's elemental resistance (just observing, I don't think it needs to).

All in all they should work fine for anything other than a WIS-based caster.

I like how the bloodlines enhance various parts of the Cambion (horns, tail, etc). Just a thought, how powerful would a feat that let you have the ability of another bloodline be? Not the ability bonus, just the other stuff.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eldest

I like how the bloodlines enhance various parts of the Cambion (horns, tail, etc). Just a thought, how powerful would a feat that let you have the ability of another bloodline be? Not the ability bonus, just the other stuff.

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Probably not too bad - they are mostly minor, flavor-oriented abilities.