View source for Sybilliss (3.5e Race)


{{author
|author_name=the bluez in the dungeon
|date_created=28th December 2024
|status=Complete
}}

==Sybilliss==

[[Summary::Sybilliss are a race of human-sized snakes with arms, who have an inclination for magic, especially divination.]] They are usually considered a monstrous race, and are often in conflict with other races, but they don't have an inherently evil nature.

===History and Origins===

Despite their similarities with yuan-ti, sybilliss are completely different breed of snake-like creatures. Their origin is shrouded in mistery, as they're are as old as dwarves and have long lived in the ruins of even more ancient civilizations, lurking, spying, learning and generally instilling the fear of snakes and venom into other races. Traditionally they were, and sometimes are, called snakemen or just straight up confused for yuan-ti, but their history and culture slithers forward from the depths of the past. They don't have any unified origin myth, and the various groups of sybilliss have come with different explanations for where they come from.

===Physical Description===

Sybilliss are snakes of medium size, with humanoid arms, ending with four fingers per hand. They otherwise resemble generic serpents, with no hood, scaly, usualy green, sometimes brownish, yellow or other colors. They have big unblinking eyes, with slitted pupils, often black or yellow.

They wear few clothes, often opting for more garments on the upper part of their body, rather than on their lower half. They like to wear hats and headgears the most, but have a tradition of wearing jewelry on their tails, usually in the form of metal bands, specially fitted as not to hinder movement.

===Personality and Alignment===

They are extremely curious and love to learn new things, especially about magic or other creatures. Sadly for those, this curiousity usually ends up with kidnapping and eviscarating others as to discover new pieces of information. As such, they are often in conflict with other races, that see them as no more than evil and cruel beasts, with their cold, fixed gaze.

They are mostly lawful or neutral, with a tendency toward evil. Even good sybilliss are often weird and alien to other races.

===Customs and Society===

Living isolated from other races and other groups of theirs, they have very different lifestyles. Common traits can be found in the practice of sacrifices to obscure gods and beings, or the execution of magical and scientific experiments on living beings. Their small societies are usually ruled by high-priests or other magic users. When no casters are found among them, they usually resort to brigandage or serve powerful lords, usually evil ones.

===Lands and Relations===

Most sybilliss live in ruins and other ancient places, which they know every nooks of, and that provide shelter and safety, as well hiding them from prying eyes. Those that live under the rule of other creatures usually reside in their castles, camps or cities. They tend to prefer hotter climates, or at least temperate ones. Small communities or individuals may be found anywhere, either travelling or stable.

===Religion and Spirituality===

Sybilliss have a very practical view of religion. Their worship is heavily oriented at obtaining survival, protection and insight in their everthirsty quest for knowledge. They believe in secretive snake gods of magic, darkness, sacrifice and nature, for which they perform a lot of rituals, usually involving the killing of sentient creatures and other obscure practices.

Some communities develop a less bloody and cruel worship, usually reserved to more neutral nature's deities.

===Language and onomastics===

They speak a dialect of the Yuan-ti language, with a lot of influences from Draconic and Infernal. They know Common and other languages for the purpose of communicating and spying other people. Their speech uses heavily marked "s", which makes them sound as if always hissing.

Typical male names: Issilor, Masusi, Sioxinn.

Female typical names: Giassi, Nisiru, Boise.

===Racial Traits=== 

{{3.5e Racial Traits
|name=Sybilliss

|attribbonus1=+2
|attrib1=Dexterity
|attribbonus2=+2
|attrib2=Intelligence or Charisma
|attribfluff=Highly dexterous, sybilliss can be very acute and charming.

|type=Monstrous Humanoid
|subtype=Reptilian
|typefluff=As relatives of the girallon, arachnopitheci have incredible abilities that set them apart from other beasts.

|size=Medium
|basespeed=40
|othermove=

|vision=darkvision
|darkdist=60

|specialtext1= The unique anatomy of arachnopitheci allows them to manipulate multiple objects. Although all of their arms are equally developed, coordination prevents them from effectively using all of them simultaneously for manipulating any object. Instead, while all arms can hold one object each, only two per turn can actually use the objects held. When fighting with two weapons, they can wield one-handed weapons as if they were light weapons, assisting one of their arms with the other arm on the same side, which cannot hold another object. This ability does not extend to two-handed weapons, as these must be held with arms on opposite sides of the body, and a second weapon in the lower arms interferes too much with the first weapon.
|special1=Four-armed
|specialtype1=

|specialtext2=The tail of arachnopitheci produces a web similar to that of a spider, which is used for various purposes, but primarily as a weapon. As a standard action, an arachnopithecus can launch a strand of webbing with a range of 20 feet, hitting with a touch attack. If successful, the opponent is [[SRD:Entangled|entangled]] but can free themselves and move at half their normal speed using a full-round action to make a Strength or [[Escape Artist]] check with a DC of 15, or by dealing 15 slashing damage or 10 fire damage to the web. The web may not affect a creature three or more times bigger in size than the arachnopithecus. An arachnopithecus can use its web as a [[SRD:Grappling Hook|grappling hook]] with [[SRD:Adventuring Gear|silk rope]], with a range of 30 feet, and with a [[Use Rope]] check (DC is 5, +2 for every 10 feet of distance it is thrown). The tail is also precise enough to be used as a fifth arm, though it may merely hold light objects, but not use them effectively. If an item is held by the tail, the arachnopithecus may retrieve it as a swift action, or pass it from hand to tail.
|special2=Webspinner Tail
|specialtype2=Ex

|specialtext3=Like many primates, arachnopitheci can travel quickly from branch to branch thanks to their acrobatic skills. They receive the Brachiation<sup>[[Publication:Complete Adventurer|CAdv]]</sup> feat for free even if they don't meet the requirements.
|special3=Arboreal
|specialtype3=

|specialtext4=Arachnopitheci possess a pair of powerful fangs that, like those of a tarantula, can inject partially paralyzing venom. They have a natural weapon in the form of a bite that deals 1d6 piercing and bludgeoning damage, critical x2. Additionally, once per day, they can inject their venom into a creature damaged by the bite who must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC is 15) or be numbed for a minute. Its base speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it cannot fly if it uses wings to do so; it suffers -1 to all attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saving throws. It can't make attacks of opportunity. A creature immune to poisons or paralysis is immune to this poison, and a creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to it for the next 24 hours.
|special4=Spider Fangs
|specialtype4=Ex

|specialtext5=Arachnopitheci have two Magical Beast Hit Dice that grant 2d10 HD, a base attack of +2, and saving throws of Fortitude +3, Reflexes +3, and Will +0.
|special5=Racial Hit Dice
|specialtype5=

|specialtext6=Their racial hit dice grant them 2 + Int skill points per hit die, multiplied x4 to the first HD. Their skills are [[Balance]], [[Bluff]], [[Climb]], [[Craft]], [[Escape Artist]], [[Hide]], [[Intimidate]], [[Knowledge]] (nature), [[Jump]], [[Listen]], [[Move Silently]], [[Search]], [[Sleight of Hand]], [[Spot]], [[Survival]], [[Tumble]], and [[Use Rope]].
|special6=Racial Skills
|specialtype6=

|specialtext7=An arachnopithecus' racial hit dice grant one feat of your choice.
|special7=Racial Feat
|specialtype7=

|specialtext8=Arachnopitheci have a +2 racial bonus to Tumble, Balance, Move Silently, Hide, Spot, Jump, Climb, and Use Rope.
|special8=
|specialtype8=

|specialtext9=Their leathery and chitinous skin grants them a +1 natural armor bonus to AC.
|special9=
|specialtype9=

|specialtext10=Thanks to their connection to spiders, arachnopitheci are resistants to toxins and may evade webs more easily, and so they have a +4 racial bonus against poisons and webs or web-like substances.
|special10=
|specialtype10=

|specialtext11=Due to their unique physiology, if they wear armor they need to have it made especially for them, resulting into an increase of 50% of the base mundane price, before any additions.
|special11=Monstrous Body
|specialtype11=Ex

|autolanguage=Sylvan
|bonuslanguage=Any, except secret languages.
|favoredclass=Any
|la=0
|ecl=2
}}
}}
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===Vital Statistics===

{{3.5e Racial Starting Age
|name=<!-- insert race name 
|start=<!-- Starting age for PCs. 
|simple=<!-- Age modifier for simple classes (i.e. Barbarian, Rogue, and Sorcerer) 
|moderate=<!-- Age modifier for moderate classes (i.e. Bard, Fighter, Paladin, and Ranger) 
|complex=<!-- Age modifier for complex classes (i.e. Cleric, Druid, Monk, and Wizard) }} 

{{3.5e Racial Aging Effects
|name=<!-- insert race name 
|middle=<!-- starting age for middle age --
|old=<!-- starting age for old age --
|venerable=<!-- starting age for venerable age 
|maximum=<!-- max age modifier }} 

{{3.5e Racial Height and Weight
|name=<!-- insert race name --
|mHeightBase=<!-- male base feet height --' <!-- inches --"
|mHeightMod=<!-- male height modifier --
|mWeightBase=<!-- male base weight --
|mWeightMod=<!-- male weight modifier --
|fHeightBase=<!-- female base feet height --' <!-- inches ->"
|fHeightMod=<!-- female height modifier --
|fWeightBase=<!-- female base weight --
|fWeightMod=<!-- female weight modifier --}}

=== Racial Options ===

* [[Duskborn Bloodhunter (3.5e Racial Substitution Levels)|Duskborn Bloodhunter]]: A cabal of paladins formally untied from any particular spiritual institution and without any traditional religious belief, formed exclusively by crepusculars, who declare themselves heirs of their vampire-hunting ancestors and who have developed techniques to better hunt these monsters, combining training with alchemy.

* [[Duskborn Impaler (3.5e Racial Substitution Levels)|Duskborn Impaler]]: Duskborns who choose to train in martial weapons often learn the discipline perfected by the Dreadspears, who focus on using the spear and intimidation to bring their opponents to their knees.

====Feats====

* [[Night Fangs (3.5e Feat)|Night Fangs]]

'''Other feats'''

* [[Spearmonger (3.5e Feat)|Spearmonger]]

* [[Dread Thrust (3.5e Feat)|Dread Thrust]]

=== Pathfinder Options ===

In Pathfinder, duskborns also gain a +2 to a physical characteristic of their choice (Strength, Dexterity or Constitution) and a -2 to Constitution.

==== Alternate Racial Feature ====

* ''Night Fangs'': Some duskborns have more pronounced vampiric traits than others, starting with their teeth. They gain the [[Night Fangs (3.5e Feat)|Night Fangs]] feat for free. This alternate trait replaces the Impaler trait.

* ''Call of the Vampiric Blood'': Those who embrace their vampiric nature find they have more in common with these creatures than what meets the eye. They gain a +4 racial bonus against mind-affecting effects and a +2 on Charisma-based checks to influence vampires. They take only half damage from negative energy. They are perceived as evil undead by Divination effects and have a +2 racial bonus on Disguise checks to look like vampires. This alternate trait replaces the Sinister Nature trait.

* ''Night Lodge'': Not all duskborns fight vampires, on the contrary the members of the Night Lodge collaborate with them. They gain the [[Skill Focus]] (Knowledge Religion) feat for free and treat the [[Knowledge]] (Religion) skill as a class skill for all of their classes.  This alternate trait replaces the Enemy of Undeath trait.

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[[Category:3.5e]]
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Author	the bluez in the dungeon +
Effective Character Level	2 +
Favored Class	Cleric + and Sorcerer or Wizard +
Identifier	3.5e Race +
Level Adjustment	0 +
Racial Ability Adjustments	+2 Dexterity + and +2 Intelligence or +2 Charisma +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Size	Medium +
Subtype	Reptilian +
Summary	Sybilliss are a race of human-sized snakes with arms, who have an inclination for magic, especially divination. +
Title	Sybilliss +
Type	Monstrous Humanoid +