[Template] Be wary and watchful my child...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I got the idea for this while I was doing a bit of hiking in the woods of this nature preserve thats literally in my backyard. It was getting dark and the area has always been a little creepy when suddenly several deer jumped out of nowhere not but ten feet in front of me and went pounding off in a panic.

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Wary

Wary creatures are common peoples and beast that have lived so long in the terrifying shadow of supernatural beings that they have evolved extraordinarily sharp instincts and been passed down skills to survive.

Wary creatures may be found within or on the outskirts of strange forests, nearby a vampire or lich's keep, or have a long history of invasions by horrible creatures for unknown reasons. Constant fear and dread is the norm, and stories and special training have been taught while drills continuously prepare for whatever may prey upon them.

Wild wary creatures have had to hone their instincts to a razor edge to survive and compete with the paranormal inhabitants with which they share the land.

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Sample Wary Creature

Wary Human Commoner 2
Medium Humanoid (human)
Hit Dice: 2d4 (5 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 11 (+1 dex), touch 11, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attack: Sickle +4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Sickle +4 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Fear innured, flighty, low-light vision, source of terror, wive's tale
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +4, Hide +5, Move Silently +5, Profession (farmer) +6, Spellcraft +3
Feats: Darkstalker, Improved Initiative, Open Minded
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Village
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

Johnson's family has lived on this bit of land on the far outskirts of the village for hundreds of years. A sturdy fence is built within a hundred feet of the nearby forest that overlooks his fields. Strange things have happened to folk who went exploring more than a mile or two within, and several times a year theirs a moaning or singing followed by the disappearances of a number of his livestock.

His granny told him many a story of the inscribed stones out there, and the beings who put them there. To die she said would not be the end of it, for many a body got up and was seen walking about after disappearing for weeks in them woods, fungus and slime molds growing on their graying skins.
He'd tried to sneak in with his friends, curious, and it was a night of terror that'd claimed half their number. Johnson remembers the grain sickle he'd taken with him, slashing at the shadows that fought. The ichor that'd been left on it wouldn't wash off and eventually dissolved the blade.
Since then he'd been cursed they said, and it was hardly a night he could sleep with peace without the windows rustling or dreams plaguing him.

Johnson speaks Common.

Combat
Anything that comes upon Johnson in the dark after that night in the woods risks being cut first and asked questions after. If snuck up on however he's likely to launch himself forward without looking back.

Fear Inured (Ex): Johnson has lived so long in constant dread that it is second nature to him. He gains a +4 bonus to saves against fear effects.

Flighty (Ex): During a surprise round Johnson, even if he would be caught flat-footed, may still roll for initiative. On his turn he may use the run action to flee at top speed that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, but may not perform any other action until the surprise round is over. Johnson may run at 5 times his base speed on these occasions. Once he stops running he is fatigued for a full minute.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): Johnson can see twice as far as a human normally would in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination.

Source of Terror (Ex): Johnson gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against Aberrations and Undead. He also gains a +4 bonus on all appropriate Knowledge checks to identify and gauge the abilities of creatures of this type. Likewise, he gets a +2 dodge bonus to AC against such beings.

Wive's Tales (Ex): Johnson gains a +5 competence bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering/religion) to identify and learn special powers or vulnerabilities of aberrations and undead. This Knowledge skill is considered trained for the purpose of this ability.

Skills: Johnson gains a +4 competence bonus on Hide, Move Silently and Spellcraft checks. These are considered trained skills.

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Creating A Wary Creature

"Wary" is a template that can be acquired or inherited and added to any animal or humanoid with no racial supernatural abilities, hereafter referred to as the base creature.

Size and Type: Creature type is unchanged. Size is unchanged.
Speed: All of a wary creature's speeds increase by 10 ft.
Special Qualities: A wary creature retains all qualities of the base creature plus the following qualities.
Fear Inured (Ex): A wary creature has lived so long in constant dread that it is second nature to them. They gain a +4 bonus to saves against fear effects.
Flighty (Ex): During a surprise round a wary creature, even if they would be caught flat-footed, may still roll for initiative. On their turn they may use the run action to flee at top speed that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, but may not perform any other action until the surprise round is over. The wary creature may run at 5 times their base speed on these occasions. Once they stop running they are fatigued for a full minute (minus a number of rounds equal to the wary creature's Constitution modifier. Minimum 1 round.).
Improved Scent (Ex): A wary creature with the scent ability has its range of smell doubled and can pinpoint the exact location of creatures of its source of terror at 15 feet.
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A wary creature can see twice as far as a human normally would in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. The wary creature retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. If the creature already has low-light vision the range of this vision increase by one half.
Source of Terror (Ex): A wary creature may select up to two types of beings that has caused its wariness (these creature types are drawn from the Ranger's favored enemy table plus Mage, which covers any creature type with levels in a spell using or psionic using class). The wary creature gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against beings of this type. These bonuses stack with any gained from a Ranger's favored enemy. They also gain a +4 bonus on all appropriate Knowledge checks to identify and gauge the abilities of their chosen source of terror. Likewise, the wary creature gets a +2 dodge bonus to AC against such beings.
If a specific creature falls into more than one category of source of terror, the wary creature’s bonuses do not stack.
Wive's Tales (Ex): An intelligent wary creature gains a +5 competence bonus on Knowledge checks to identify and learn special powers or vulnerabilities of creature that fall under the source of their terror. This Knowledge skill is considered trained for the purpose of this ability.

For example a wary creature with Monstrous Humanoids as their source of terror would be able to make a Knowledge (nature) check as a trained skill with a +5 bonus to identify a hag and recall her powers or vulnerabilities.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Dex +2, Wis +2.
Skills: A wary creature gains a +4 competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Sentient wary creatures also gain a +4 bonus on Spellcraft checks and consider it a trained skill.
Feats: A wary creature gains Darkstalker and Improved Initiative as bonus feats. Otherwise same as base creature.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature.
Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +2.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Considering the flavor text, shouldn't this also be an acqured template?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Considering the flavor text, shouldn't this also be an acqured template?

Well, its inherited is that these people have literally undergone a number of physical changes brought on by continual stress and the need for survival amongst superior beings.

Some of the skills maybe would be acquired, but even that could be natural instincts given an edge.

[I_Got_This_Name]

It's acquired if it's possible to gain it after you're born without a rebuild, with very few exceptions. If the guy ever didn't have this template, it should be acquired.

In a suprise round, I don't think you get a full-round action; you might want to cut down their run speed when surprised (possibly to x3)

For Source of Terror, I'd change the stacking note (for self-stacking) to simply say that it applies once; since the bonuses aren't different, anyway, neither will be higher.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

It's acquired if it's possible to gain it after you're born without a rebuild, with very few exceptions. If the guy ever didn't have this template, it should be acquired.

Its not possible to gain it after you've been born.

In a suprise round, I don't think you get a full-round action; you might want to cut down their run speed when surprised (possibly to x3)

You don't normally get anything but a standard action. However, when these people are surprised they take off like a shot as their only action. Its not standard procedure, but that is what a template is for to begin with. They get the speed because they are suddenly moving on adrenaline.

For Source of Terror, I'd change the stacking note (for self-stacking) to simply say that it applies once; since the bonuses aren't different, anyway, neither will be higher.

Well, except the ranger probably heard about tons of stories or experienced these horrors for himself as a child. Once he grew up and began studying them he learned some more basic info.

This is basically a phobia thats been taught them all their lives. Most rangers probably haven't been raised from the cradle prepared to survive against their favored enemy.

[I_Got_This_Name]

Alright, so the flavor text guy was born Wary.

I suppose 5x speed fits if it makes you fatigued for a minute afterwards.

I'm not complaining about stacking with FE; the text for stacking, for example, Undead and Mage seems a bit odd. You're bonus against one will not be bigger than your bonus against another, so saying to use the higher bonus is irrelevant.

[Jack Mann]

But since it stacks with favored enemy, one bonus may in fact be higher. For example, a wary ranger with favored enemy (undead) and source of terror (undead and mages) tracking, say, a lich would have a +4 bonus to his survival checks against undead, but only a +2 to his checks against mages.

[Evil_Pacifist]

But...But...Now I want to know what the things in the woods were!

[The Vorpal Tribble]

But...But...Now I want to know what the things in the woods were!

*grins*

I'm actually thinking of writing a thriller novella of sorts based on strange things that've happened around me and my area all my life but add a bit more sensationalism.

[I_Got_This_Name]

I got the equal bonuses by computing Source of Terror first, then stacking FE on top of that, instead of computing Source of Terror and FE together for each one.

I still think it'd be easier to say that things in more than one category only apply the bonus once.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Well, there are several PrC's that allow you favored enemy equivalents and say they stack with any bonuses gained from the Ranger class, so thought I might as well. Basically a wary ranger would be someone whoes been brought up from the cradle with training against these creatures. That'd actually make a pretty interesting main NPC...

[I_Got_This_Name]

The issue is with the wording for how SoT stacks with itself, not with how it stacks with FE and other abilities. Neither SoT bonus is going to be higher, so simply saying that it applies once (and then FE and the like stack on top of that) should cover it.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

The issue is with the wording for how SoT stacks with itself, not with how it stacks with FE and other abilities. Neither SoT bonus is going to be higher, so simply saying that it applies once (and then FE and the like stack on top of that) should cover it.

Oh, now I get what you're saying.

Had just copied that bit from the Ranger wording. Had forgotten that Rangers can choose to increase the bonuses for certain creatures.

[fangthane]

Not bad at all... Not sure if the goodies fully justify a +2 LA, but after all by 6th level a character can pay that off (using the alt rule) anyhow, so it's not so bad in that sense... Now the criticisms :)

Inured, not innured. :)
I actually really like the speed thing; it's profoundly unrealistic to run 200 feet in 3 seconds unless you're making like the proverbial BooH, and given that Olympic sprinters run 50% further in 200% longer time, dang skippy you're going to be panting for a while.

I can definitely see applying this template to some of the predators near the evil town and the hydra's lair... My players are NOT going to thank you though. :)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Not bad at all... Not sure if the goodies fully justify a +2 LA

Well, I mean, I was thinking a +1 LA, but then realized it got more goodies than just about any other +1 LA race.

You get:
Two stat boosts
Increase in speed
Ability to move in a surprise round, and quickly at that.
Low-light vision
Bonuses to skills and AC against certain broad creature types
+5 bonus to initiative
Ability to hide from creatures that possess even blindsense and scent which means a +5 bonus to hide and move silently against 'all' creatures reguardless of sight.

etc etc.

If it was only a +1 LA I can imagine others begging their DM to let them use it.

Inured, not innured.

Typos fixed.

I can definitely see applying this template to some of the predators near the evil town and the hydra's lair... My players are NOT going to thank you though. :)

Be sure to add it to the herbivores to. Nothing like a panicked cow.

[fangthane]

Oh, I know if it were only a +1 it'd get munchkinned unmercifully - I'm just concerned that at higher levels the +2 provides a bit less than most two-hit-dice options. It's not a critical concern because of course DMs can always rule-0 stuff, and because while player characters might be a teeny bit weaker, it's an excellent sauce to drizzle on NPC members of a dangerous society.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

And for your villages...

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Wary Dog

Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Improved scent, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +12, Jump +7, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Spot +6, Survival +2*
Feats: Alertness, TrackB
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5–12)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

The statistics presented here describe a fairly small dog of about 20 to 50 pounds in weight. They also can be used for small wild canines such as coyotes, jackals, and African wild dogs.

Combat

Fear Innured (Ex): A wary dog has lived so long in constant dread that it is second nature to it. It gains a +4 bonus to saves against fear effects.

Flighty (Ex): During a surprise round a wary dog, even if it would be caught flat-footed, may still roll for initiative. On its turn it may use the run action to flee at top speed that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, but may not perform any other action until the surprise round is over. The wary dog may run at 5 times its base speed on these occassions. Once it stops running it is fatigued for 8 rounds.

Improved Scent (Ex): A wary dog has its range of smell doubled and can pinpoint the exact location of creatures of its source of terror at 15 feet.

Source of Terror (Ex): The wary dog gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against magical beasts and monsterous humanoids. Likewise, the wary dog gets a +2 dodge bonus to AC against such beings.

Skills: Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. A wary dog also gains a +4 competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. *Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

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Wary Horse, Heavy

Large Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9
Attack: Hoof –1 melee (1d6+1*)
Full Attack: 2 hooves –1 melee (1d6+1*)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Flighty, improved scent, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +6, Spot +5
Feats: Darkstalker, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Run
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 1
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

The statistics presented here describe large breeds of working horses such as Clydesdales. These animals are usually ready for heavy work by age three. A heavy horse cannot fight while carrying a rider.

Combat

Fear Innured (Ex): A wary horse has lived so long in constant dread that it is second nature to it. It gains a +4 bonus to saves against fear effects.

Flighty (Ex): During a surprise round a wary horse, even if it would be caught flat-footed, may still roll for initiative. On its turn it may use the run action to flee at top speed that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, but may not perform any other action until the surprise round is over. The wary horse may run at 5 times its base speed on these occassions. Once it stops running it is fatigued for 8 rounds.

Improved Scent (Ex): A wary horse has its range of smell doubled and can pinpoint the exact location of creatures of its source of terror at 15 feet.

Source of Terror (Ex): The wary horse gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against fey and magical beasts. Likewise, the wary horse gets a +2 dodge bonus to AC against such beings.

Skills: A wary horse gains a +4 competence bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a heavy horse is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201–400 pounds; and a heavy load, 401–600 pounds. A heavy horse can drag 3,000 pounds.

[Eighth_Seraph]

"Dang storm clouds," said the farmer's son to his ox, hitching the plow and setting the bit "If this keeps up my crops will rot in the ground before they ever get out of the shoot."
The old ox grunted in reply, and with infinite patience began to carry the oppressively heavy load placed on his back, while the plow slogged through the damp autumn summer ground. The youth continued to walk alongside him, apparently intent on not allowing him any peace.
"You know, the last time that there was a summer this wet was when the worgs came, back in my daddy's youth. Turns out that it had been a brought out west, and there was no more food for them get over theah." The ox turned his head quickly to the boy, his ears turned back and his nostrils flaring.
"What's that? You 'fraid? An old bull like you scared of some old stories from your own childhood?" The ox snorted stubbornly, but its eyes widened and it stopped in its tracks, shaking all over.
"What's 'a matter, boy? Ya keep on plowin' now." The ox refused to respond, and stayed frozen in place. "What's all this? Ya keep on plowin, hyah!" The ox bayed suddenly, snorted, and broke off into a reckless trample through the very fields he had just plowed, the leather cords from the plaow napping as he charged through the fields and into the distance with the abandon of an orc.
"Sheeoot. What's gotten into that thing? Bah, now I gotta do all this again! Strange thing about the clouds though..." And then the wolves were upon him.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Being Halloween I thought I might bump up a few of my more appropriately themed critters.

[Captain van der Decken]

What happens to flighty if they have the run feat?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

What happens to flighty if they have the run feat?

Nothing. They just run fast naturally then. They stil lget tired though, because they are running on pure adrenaline. Otherwise they would have to wait for the surprise round to be over.