| Racial Traits | Race Point Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Humanoid (reptilian) | 0 |
| Size | Medium | 0 |
| Base Speed | Slow | -1 |
| Ability Score Modifiers | Standard (+2 Str, +2 Cha, –2 Dex) | 0 |
| Languages | Standard | 0 |
| Defense | Natural Armor (x2) | 4 |
| Defense | Sleep/Paralysis Resistance | 1 |
| Defense | Elemental Resistance (Variable) | 2 |
| Feat and Skill | Skill Bonus x2 (intimidate and diplomacy) | 4 |
| Movement | Flight x2 (40ft poor) | 8 |
| Movement | Gliding Wings | 3 |
| Offense | Bite | 1 |
| Offense | Breath Weapon (Scaling) | 6 |
| Offense | Claws | 2 |
| Senses | Low-Light Vision | 1 |
| Senses | Darkvision | 2 |
| Total | 33 | |
Syricta are considered a race of great presence and ability, but driven by greed and arrogance. Such a young race should be humbler, or at least less demanding. And yet, the syricta have fought and won so many battles that their arrogance is justified. Their penchant for battle and their success at seizing plunder make many wonder whether they are especially favored by the gods.
Syricta are powerful scaled humanoids, clawed and fearsome in size and strength. As might be expected, the resilience and arrogance of humes fused with the scaly magic and toughness of dragons is a powerful combination. Most syricta have gray, brown, tan, gold, silver, or black scales; rarely, some display red-orange, green-yellow, or star-like blue-and-black scales.
The syricta divide themselves into four elemental types, supposedly purebred lineages of syricta, though there is a great deal of mixing among them as well and hybrids are not uncommon. The flame or fire syricta (who bear yellow, golden, or orange scales, with red crests) are the most common, followed by wind or storm syricta (blue, white, silver, or gray scales, with black crests). The stone or cave syricta are relatively uncommon (brown, gray, black, or rarely white scales, with purple or white crests). Rarest of all are the wave or tide syricta breeds, gold, blue, or green-scaled with bright green or yellow crests. More common than the purebreds and outside the traditional elemental divisions are the soldier syricta, who sport brassy or tan scales with black or rust-colored crests.
Syricta males and females are distinct. All have clawed hands and feet, their faces are dominated by short snouts, and their eyes are deep and golden or black. Beyond that, though, male syricta are larger, horned or crested, and considerably heavier. Their tails are short and often spiked. Female syricta are faster, smaller, and wiry, with longer lashing tails. They sometimes have a frill or collar of contrasting color.
Syricta wear armor normally, since their own scales are only slightly more protective than human or dwarven skin. All syricta are heavy and slow for their size, but they also exude a commanding presence, a sense of destiny that scalykind and non-scaly races alike find compelling.
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Strength, −2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma: Syricta are strong and exude presence, but they are not quick.
- Size: Syrictas are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Type: Syrictas are Humanoid creatures with the reptilian subtype.
- Base Speed: Slow; Syricta have a base speed of 20 feet on land, and their speed is never modified by encumbrance or armor. They also have a fly speed of 40 feet (poor), an syricta’s wing span is typically 12 feet, and cannot fly in an area that does not allow them to fully extend their wings.
- Languages: Syricta begin play speaking Common and Draconic. Syricta who have high Intelligence scores scores can choose from the following: Dwarvish, Elemental, Elvaan, Infernal, Kobold, Minotaur, and Undercommon. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Defense Racial Traits
- Dragonhide: Syricta have a +2 natural armor bonus.
- Dragon Resistances: Syricta gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws versus paralysis and sleep effects.
- Elemental Resistance: Syricta must choose earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind element at 1st level. They have elemental resistance 5 against that element type.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
- Draconic Presence: Syricta gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate and Diplomacy checks. Fly is always a class skill for syricta.
Movement Racial Traits
- Gliding Wings: Syricta take no damage from falling (as if subject to a constant non-magical choco feather spell). While in midair, syricta can move up to 5 feet in any horizontal direction for every 1 foot they fall, at a speed of 60 feet per round. Syricta with gliding wings cannot gain height with these wings alone; it merely coasts in other directions as it falls. If subjected to a strong wind or any other effect that causes a creature with gliding wings to rise, it can take advantage of the updraft to increase the distance it can glide.
Offense Racial Traits
- Bite: Syricta gain a natural bite attack, dealing 1d6 points of damage. The bite is a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the syricta is wielding manufactured weapons.
- Breath Weapon: Once per day, the syricta can breathe out a 15-foot cone or 20-foot line (chosen at 1st level) of elemental energy. Creatures within the area of effect take 1d6 points of damage per two character levels of the same type as the elemental resistance racial trait. A Reflex save (DC 10 + half the syricta’s class level + the syricta’s Constitution modifier) reduces this damage by half.
- Claws: Syricta gain a set of natural claw attacks, dealing 1d4 points of damage. The claws are a primary attack, or a secondary attack if the syricta is wielding manufactured weapons.
Senses Racial Traits
- Darkvision: Syricta have darkvision, allowing them to see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Low-Light Vision: Syricta can 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.
- Dragon Type: Some syricta have blood that is more draconic than humanoid, though this is not readily apparent. Magic and certain conditions interact with them differently because of their skewed heritage. These syricta are of the dragon type, rather than the humanoid type. As a result, they only gain immunity to paralysis and sleep effects. Furthermore, items, spells, and spell effects that interact specifically with creatures of the dragon type affect them as if they were true dragons, both for good and ill. This racial trait replaces elemental resistance, dragon resistances, and breath weapon.
- Evasive Maneuvers: Coastal syrictas often take to the air to defend their territory from intruding ships, and are forced to learn aerial maneuvers to avoid siege fire. They fly with an average maneuverability instead of clumsy, and they gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC and on Reflex saving throws against siege weapons. This racial trait replaces darkvision and dragon resistances.
- Greed: Most syrictas crave treasure, but for some, amassing wealth is a compulsion. Syrictas with this trait gain a +2 on racial bonus on Appraise checks, and Appraise is a class skill for them. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sleight of Hand checks when attempting to take items from other creatures. This racial trait replaces draconic presence.
- Memories of the Forgotten: Generations of syricta elders pass down tales that predate written history. While many ignore these or dismiss them as simple stories, others revere the lore of their elders. These syrictas consider it their sacred duty to study the lost histories and pass them down to others. They gain a +2 racial bonus on two Knowledge skills of their choice. Those Knowledge skills are class skills for them. This racial trait replaces flight.
- Neglected Heritage: Because of their dwindling population and cultural stagnation, some syricta have given up on their people, favoring a life among other races instead. These syrictas lose Draconic as a starting language, but gain a +1 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks when making requests and gathering information. They can’t take Draconic as a bonus language, but can learn it normally with Linguistics. This ability alters the syricta’s languages.
- Oppressive: Syrictas often have a natural talent for sensing how to unsettle and oppress other creatures. As a swift action, syricta can attempt a Sense Motive check against a DC of 10 + a creature’s Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier or a DC of 10 + the creature’s Bluff modifier, whichever is higher. On a success, the syricta gains a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks against that target and a +1 racial bonus to the DC of any fear effects she uses against that target. This racial trait replaces draconic presence.
- Weather Savvy: Some syricta are so in tune with the air and sky that they can sense the slightest change in atmospheric conditions. Syricta with this trait can spend a full-round action to predict the weather in an area for the next 24 hours. The syricta’s prediction is always accurate, but cannot account for spells or supernatural effects that might alter the forecast. This racial trait replaces draconic presence.
- Wing-Clipped: The flight of wing-clipped syricta is weaker than normal, whether from deformity or injury. Their fly speed is 20 feet (clumsy) instead of the normal fly speed, and they must make a DC 30 Fly check to fly upward. Ostracized by their own race and forced to deal with other races, these syricta compensate for their weakness by gaining a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Climb, and Diplomacy checks. This racial trait modifies fly speed and removes the Dexterity penalty.
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to syricta:
- Ishgardian Heretic (Red Mage; Syricta)
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 CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder attempt.
- Beastmaster: Add +1 to an animal companion’s CMD when adjacent to the beastmaster. If the beastmaster ever replaces his animal companion, the new animal companion gains this bonus.
- Dark Knight: Add +1/2 hit point to the dark knight’s harm touch ability (whether using it to heal or harm).
- Dragoon: Add +1/2 bonus to Acrobatic skill checks for jumping.
- Holy Knight: Add +1/2 hit point to the holy knight’s lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm).
- Knight: Add +1 to the knight’s total number of defensive stance rounds per day.
- Monk: Add +1/4 point to the monk’s ki pool.
- Red Mage: The red mage gains +1/6 of a new ruby arcana.
- Samurai: Add +1/2 to Perception skill checks.
- Warrior: Add +1 to the warrior’s CMD when resisting a disarm or sunder.