| Racial Traits | Race Point Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Fey (sylph) | 2 |
| Size | Small | 0 |
| Base Speed | Slow | -1 |
| Ability Score Modifiers | Weakness (+2 Dex, +2 Cha, -4 Str) | -1 |
| Languages | Linguist | 1 |
| Defense | Energy Resistance (lightning) | 1 |
| Feat and Skill | Camouflage (forest) | 1 |
| Feat and Skill | Curiosity | 4 |
| Feat and Skill | Integrated | 1 |
| Feat and Skill | Quick Reactions | 2 |
| Movement | Flight | 5 |
| Senses | Low-Light Vision | 0 |
| Total | 15 | |
A diminutive people who dwell deep within the Black Shroud, sylphs resemble delicate dolls wrapped in vibrant leaves. They aren’t adept to physical combat but rely on more magic, illusions and healing abilities to fend themselves from their enemies.
Sylphs, being numerous around the Eastern Black Shroud and having the best relationship with the city-states of all of them. They speak a broken form of the common language and never use terms such as “I” or “We”, opting for terms such as “The Woken Ones”, “The Metal Ones”, “The Seedy Ones”, etc.
They nest in Moonspore Grove, which is blocked off by boulders. The pathways to the Grove have many sylphs that can be engaged in combat, and their houses can be easily seen glowing from tree trunks. A ground structure called the Goldleaf Dais can also be found in this area.
Due to the invasion of the Garleans in the Twelveswood and the following Calamity, some sylphs resorted to summoning Ramuh, the lightning-aspected primal. These sylphs have been ‘touched’, changing to a purple hue, and are fiercely defensive of their territory, only venturing outside to bring back untouched sylphs (which remain a green hue) into their fold. The untouched sylphs have since fled to a village called Little Solace, with the support of Gridania.
Although all feminine in appearance, sylphs are a dual-gendered species whose names reflect their gender. All male Sylph’s names end in with “xio” while all female Sylph names end in “xia.”
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Sylphs are quick to move around, very open to talk and form bonds with but are very physically weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and -4 Strength.
- Size: Sylphs are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on their combat maneuver checks and to Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
- Type: Sylphs are fey with the sylph subtype.
- Base Speed: Sylphs have a base speed of 20 feet. They also have a fly speed of 30 feet (clumsy).
- Languages: Sylphs start out with Sylvan and Common. Sylphs with high Intelligence scores can learn any languages they want (except Druidic and other secret languages).
Defense Racial Traits
- Elemental Resistance: Sylphs have lightning resistance 5.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
- Camouflage: Sylphs are very familiar with the treespeak and the wooded areas of the Black Shroud and gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks while within that terrain type.
- Curiosity: Sylphs are naturally inquisitive about the world around them. They gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) become class skills for them. If they choose a class that has either of these Knowledge skills as class skills, they gain a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead.
- Integrated: Sylphs can be quite forward when trying to strike up a conversation with a walking one and will do anything to get the info that they desire. They gain a +1 bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Knowledge (local) checks.
- Quick Reactions: Sylphs receive Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
Senses Racial Traits
- Low-Light Vision: Sylphs have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humes in dim light.
Alternate Racial Traits
The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.
- Breeze-Kissed: Breezes seem to follow most sylphs wherever they go, but some sylphs are better able to control these winds than others. A sylph with this racial trait surrounds herself with swirling winds, gaining a +2 racial bonus to AC against non-magical ranged attacks. The sylph can calm or renew these winds as a swift action. Once per day, the sylph can channel this wind into a single gust, making a bull rush or trip combat maneuver attempt against one creature within 30 feet. Whether or not the attempt succeeds, the winds are exhausted and no longer provide a bonus to the sylph’s AC for 24 hours. This is a supernatural ability. This racial trait replaces quick reactions.
- Flight: You only ever see a sylph flying around and never on their twig-like feet (unless mortally wounded). Sylphs gain an additional 20 foot of flight speed. In addition, their maneuverability improves by two steps. This racial trait replaces camouflage, curiosity, and quick reactions.
- Storm in the Blood: A sylph with this racial trait gains fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime she takes lightning damage (whether or not this lightning damage gets through her lightning resistance). The sylph can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces quick reactions.
- Tempered: Those who are followers of their false God gain 5 wind resistance. This racial trait replaces quick reactions.
- Whispering Wind: Some sylphs are especially thin and wispy, as though they were made more of air than flesh. Sylphs with this racial trait gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks. This racial trait replaces camouflage and integrated.
Variant Sylph Heritages
Although many sylphs follow the general model of the standard sylph, many more do not. Those of different lineages may evince dramatically different manifestations of their heritage, both in appearance and in ability. Here are 3 different potential heritages for sylph PCs. If you choose to use a specific bloodline instead of the general rules for creating a sylph, you should work with your GM to ensure that your character’s appearance reflects that bloodline.
- Alternate Skill Modifiers: While most sylphs gain a +1 racial bonus on Bluff, Disguise, and Knowledge (Local) checks, those of the variant heritages listed below gain a modifier to different skills.
Table: Variant Sylph Heritages
| Heritage | Ability Modifiers | Alternate Skill Modifier | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairy | +2 CHA, +2 DEX, -2 CON, -2 STR | Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand | Tiny little fey with insect-like wings and strange multicolored hair, fairies appear like tiny living humes, save for their incredibly small stature, exaggerated features, and gigantic grin. Fairies tend to live in communes in the wild, untouched places, far from where others may see or hear, though this doesn’t mean rumors of being seen elsewhere are totally unheard of. |
| Pixie | +4 DEX, -4 CON | Acrobatics, Disable Device, Stealth | Perhaps the best-known and most elusive of all fey creatures, pixies live in the deepest, most pristine forests, but their insatiable curiosity often leads them far from home. Most pixies stand just over 2 feet tall—though they typically fly about the eye level of creatures they’re conversing with in order to maintain eye contact—and weigh about 30 pounds. Pixies talk quickly and easily become overexcited. |
| Sprite | +2 DEX, +2 INT, -4 STR | Knowledge (Arcana), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device | Sprites gather in groups deep in forested lands, aligned to the cause of defending nature. Whole tribes of sprites deem themselves protectors of a certain person, place, or creature of importance in their lands, even if the being doesn’t actually want or need protecting. A sprite’s body is naturally luminous, although the sprite can vary the color and intensity of its body as it wishes. Shortly after death, a sprite’s body simply melts away to a twinkling vapor. |
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to sylphs:
- Aeromancer (Scholar; Sylph)
- Sky Druid (Druid; Sylph)
- Wind Listener (White Mage; Sylph)
Favored Class Options
The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.
- Bard: Add +1 to the bard’s total number of bardic performance rounds per day.
- Black Mage: Add one spell known from the black mage spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the black mage can cast.
- Druid: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks relating to weather and flying animals.
- Illusionist: Add +1/4 point to the veil pool ability.
- Red Mage: The red mage gains 1/6 of a new ruby arcana.
- Scholar: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- White Mage: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to the Plane of Air and creatures with the air subtype.
