RAKASTA (Mystara)



"Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them."

The Rakasta are a race of anthropomorphic felines known for both their proud warrior tradition and their quality craftsmanship. Eyes are green and furs is generally light tan or brown.

RAKASTA RACIAL TRAITS
· +4 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Cha
· Medium
· Humanoid
· Low Light Vision
· Base Land speed 30 ft.
· +2 Natural AC Bonus
· Rakes (Ex): In a Grapple the Rakasta gains two additional Claw attacks at it's highest BAB.
· Pounce (Ex): Rakasta may perform a Full Attack with a Charge, including Rakes.
· A Rakasta has 2 Racial Hit Dice, giving it the following: 2d8 Hit Points, +1 base Attack Bonus, +0 Fort Save, +3 Ref Save, +0 Will Save, and (2 + Int modifier) skill points per level (with times 4 skill points for the first level). Class skills are Craft, Handle Animal, Jump, Listen, Ride, and Spot. It also gets 1 Feat.
· Rakasta have a Primary Claw attack doing 1d3 plus their strength bonus and a Secondary Bite attack doing 1d4 plus half their Strength Bonus. They get 2 Claws and 1 Bite with Full Attack. They are proficient with the Kasas.
· Rakasta gain a +2 Racial Bonus on Craft Checks. They also gain a +4 Racial Bonus Check on Jump Checks.
· Automatic and Bonus Languages: Rakasta automatically speak Common, and Rakasta. Bonus languages: Sylvan.
· Level Adjustment: +1
· Favored Class: Warblade

STARTING AGE
Adulthood: 14
Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer: +1d4
Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger: +1d6
Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard: +2d6

AGING EFFECTS
Middle Age: 45
Old: 60
Venerable: 90
Maximum Age: +2d8 years

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
Base Height: Male: 4'10" Female: 4'8"
Height Modifier: +2d8"
Base Weight: Male: 120 lbs. Female: 85 lbs.
Weight Modifier: x (2d4)

RAKASTA CHARACTERS
Rakasta are generally built for melee combat, though their Int Bonus makes them excellent Artificers or Arcane gishes as well.
Adventuring Race: Rakasta usually adventure for glory, to prove themselves, to acquire experience, wealth, revenge, etc. Their reasons vary as much as humans do.
Character Development: You make excellent chargers or mounted combatants. If you play a Scout or Ranger you make a decent archer as well.
Character Names: Male Names: Hirameki, Jiro, Kamaggi, Kaminari, Kenju, Myojo
Female Names: Kitahara, Lyn, Tamokka
Clan Names: Fuurifesu, Katamura, Katayama, Tomokato

ROLEPLAYING A RAKASTA
The Rakasta are very proud, and some would say quick to offend. While they take care to not start hostilities, they respond eagerly to anyone they believe has insulted them, and this has led to them having a reputation as being warlike and temperamental.
Personality: The Rakasta personality can easily be summed up by Sri'raka, their code of honor:

No challenge to fight is ever refused.
Wounded are never left behind; carry them or kill them.
Better to die in battle than in one’s sleep.
Give no mercy; never expect it.
Retreat is permissible only in order to regroup. A new attack must be launched against the other force within two sunrises.
Never surrender. Those who would exist as prisoners are not rakasta.

Beyond this they're like intelligent cats.
Behaviors: Along with being warriors, the average Rakasta is expected to be an artisan of some sort in order to produce goods that can be traded for necessities the tribe needs. So in addition to their endless training almost all Rakasta have some sort of craft skill or hobby that can be used to produce goods for money, and they zealously refine it given their reputation.
Language: Rakasta speak their own language and Common.

RAKASTA SOCIETY
The Rakasta are nomadic tribes dwelling in tent cities. They have a reputation for both violence and excellent craftsmanship, and they use this to their advantage when they encounter other races they can trade with. Many wish to but the Rakasta's goods, and the racial reputation for being easily offended and death prone makes others less likely to cheat them.
Alignment : The majority of Rakasta by far are True Neutral.
Lands : Most Rakasta live in warm or temperate plains and deserts.
Settlements : If somehow chased form their normal territories the Rakasta prefer wide open territories like the grasslands they currently inhabit.
Beliefs : Immortals worshiped by the Rakasta include Belbion (Vanya), Felidae (Calitha), Kagyar, Pax Bellanica (Tasrastia), and Tawnia (Ordana).
Relations: The Rakasta like elves and give most other races grudging respect if they are craftsmen or warriors (so long as they aren't cowardly in the eyes of the cat folk). They despise goblinoids and similar ambush tricksters. In general they tend to be disdainful of members of other races until they have proven themselves.

RAKASTA ADVENTURES
· A delegation from an Orc tribe called your ambassador something that rhymes with 'wussie'. 24 hours later you find yourself and a few thousand other Rakasta thundering across the prairie on the backs of Smilodons hellbent for delivering a whoopin'.
· The crafts your people rely on for trade have somehow gone south. They break or ruin quickly, and are developing an unexpected reputation for shoddy worksmanship! Obviously someone is out to get you, and you need to find out who they are quick.
· A Troll calls one of your village members a wimp, and gets soundly beaten within an inch of his life, escaping only because of his regeneration. 24 hours later and a herd of trolls is thundering across the prairie towards your village.


RAKASTA RACIAL SUBSTITUTION LEVELS

WARBLADE
Level 1: Add Handle Animal and Ride to the Class skill list. Also the Rakasta Racial Weapons (Kasas) can be used with the Tiger Claw style, and you are no longer proficient with Shields.

CAT BURGLAR
Level 1: Cat Powah works differently.
Cat Powah: Instead of Charisma based Skill Checks your Cat Powah Bonus may be used with Strength based Skill Checks.

KNIGHT
Level 6: Replace Shield Ally with Bonus Feat.
Bonus Feat: At Level 6 you may choose any one Feat you qualify for as a Bonus Feat.
Level 12: Replace Improved Shield Ally with Smilodon Companion
Smilodon Companion: At Level 9 you gain a Smilodon as a trusty companion and mount (see Frostburn)
Levels 5, 10, and 15: When choosing a Bonus Feat at these Levels you may also choose a Rakasta Racial Feat.



[size=10pt]KASAS[/size] (Exotic Light Weapon)
Cost: 2 GP
Dmg (S): 1d4
Dmg (M): 1d6
Critical: 19-20/x2
Weight: 2 lbs.
Type: Slashing

[size=10pt]HATRA SADDLE[/size]
Cost: 75 GP
Weight: 40 lbs.

This is identical to an Exotic Military Saddle with one exception. You may make a special leap attack from your saddle. While in the saddle you may make a Jump Check to attack an opponent as if you had the Leap Attack Feat.