Space Quest:D20 Manual/Original Version/Races

From Dead Pigeons Society

Xenonian

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language: Xenonian

The sentient species of the Earth-like planet of Xenon, Xenonians are highly adaptable, and as such can be found in almost any occupation and situation there is. They are quick learners, and therefore have extra feats and skills at their disposal.

Racial Modifiers

• 1 extra skill point per level (4 extra skill points at 1st-level): Xenonians are very adaptable, learning new skills and mastering talents quickly.
• 1 extra feat at 1st-level: The aforementioned trait also helps Xenonians to better absorb the specialized training needed to master many feats.

Andromedan

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language: Andromedan

The native inhabitants of Andromeda (the planet, NOT the galaxy), the Andromedans are as famous for their pig snouts and wild hairdos as they are for their technological savvy. If a machine needs fixing or a computer needs programming, you can bet there's an Andromedan who'll be getting to it Real Soon Now.

Racial Modifiers

• 1 extra skill point per level (4 extra skill points at 1st-level): Like Xenonians, Andromedans are versatile and quick to learn new skills.
• +2 racial bonus to all Computer Use, Demolitions, and Repair checks: Andromedans are innately good with computers and devices of all kinds.
• -2 racial penalty to all Sabotage checks: By the same token, Andromedans are so predisposed towards fixing things that they must work against their nature to unfix them.

Projectile Mucosa

Aside from just being cool-looking, Andromedan facial snouts can be used to launch projectiles of sinus mucous at enemies. Although these projectiles aren't powerful enough to actually harm a foe, they are quite disgusting, so much so that they effectively distract any opponent they hit.

An Andromedan may use this ability as a standard action in combat against an opponent within 30 feet (and NO farther). The Andromedan makes a ranged touch attack roll against the target. If the attack connects, the target must succeed at a Will save or suffer a -1 penalty to attack and Dodge AC for 12 seconds (2 rounds).

Other Andromedans are immune to the gross-out effect; although they can be targeted and hit with this ability, they do not suffer the aforementioned penalties. Rather, the "snot shot" serves as a means of insult in Andromedan society; striking a fellow Andromedan with it is the cultural equivalent of slapping a dueling glove in their face.

Using this ability leaves the Andromedan drained (literally). He/she must wait 3 minutes for his/her mucous reserves to build up before this ability can be used again.

Phleebhutinski

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language: Phleebhutinski

Easily recognizable by their blueish skin, lanky build, and penchant for "jawin'", the Phleebhutinski race was previously thought to be extinct. Recently, however, their species reappeared in galactic space, with the explanation that they had secretly been terraforming a new homeworld for themselves.

The Phleebhutinski are a perfect example of evolution gone wrong... their physiology is totally unsuited to their native desert world of Phleebhut. Faced with the threat of extinction from the hazards of their own planet, they instead made a mass exodus to find a new world and refit it to suit their needs. After years of working in seclusion, they have at last completed their task and settled on New Phleebhut, ready to rejoin galactic society.

Racial Modifiers

• +2 DEX, -2 CON: Phleebhutinskis possess slender, flexible limbs, and nimble fingers tipped with small suction cups that allow them to finely manipulate objects better than others. However, millenia of evolutionary maladaption have left their bodies frail, and wholly unsuited to most environments.
• +3 racial bonus to all Persuade checks: Phleebhutinskis are well-known for their ability to slicktalk just about anyone into doing just about anything.

Low-Light Vision

An interesting benefit of misdirected Phleebhutinski evolution has given their eyes an extra sensitivity to light. They can see twice as far as other races in conditions of low light, although they still cannot see in total darkness.

Pinkunz

• Small size
• Base speed: 20ft.
• Native language: ????? (unpronounceable)

The pygmy-like jungle dwellers of the undiscovered world of Labion were brought to the galaxy's attention when the Star Confederation came to investigate readings of a nuclear explosion in the planet's atmosphere. Upon arriving, Starcon found evidence of an illegal mining operation, made even more so by the fact that the Pinkunz had been used as slaves by the individuals responsible. Freed from their bondage at the hands of "The Bloated One", the Pinkunz established diplomatic ties with Starcon in hopes of gaining protection from any further encroachment on their liberties.

Despite their friendly status with Starcon, the Pinkunz are understandably distrustful of outsiders. Only a handful of aliens are allowed on Labion, and the Pinkunz as a group see no reason to leave their jungle paradise. Occasionally, however, a lone Pinkun experiences the urge to see the galaxy, and leaves to quell his wanderlust.

Racial Modifiers

• +2 CON, -2 DEX: Pinkunz have unusually thick skin, giving them a natural toughness. However, their small stature and thick skin tends to limit their effective dexterity.
• Damage reduction (-2 physical): The abnormally-tough hide of a Pinkun makes it difficult to injure them with physical blows.

Weapons

The tribal culture of the Pinkunz does not possess the advanced technology the rest of the galaxy uses; thus, they are trained extensively in the use of less advanced weaponry. A Pinkun receives a +1 racial attack bonus when wielding any "primitive" weapon (swords, clubs, spears, slings, bows, etc), but suffers a -2 racial penalty when wielding any non-primitive weapon (vibroblades, laser pistols, laser rifles, etc).

Additionally, Pinkunz characters do NOT receive the WP: PISTOL, WP: RIFLE, and/or WP: BIG GUNS feats for free at 1st-level, even if their class would otherwise entitle them to these feats. Instead, Pinkunz characters receive the WP: SLINGS/BOWS feat for free at 1st-level. Pinkunz characters CAN take the various 'gun' feats, but must do so by using their normal feat slots for their level.

Armor

Pinkunz are both unable and unwilling to wear conventional armors and other forms of protection. They cannot wear clothing, and can only equip special protective gear made especially for Pinkun use.

Nightvision

Because the Pinkunz spend much of their time in their underground dwellings, they have evolved a natural ability to see in the dark. A Pinkun can see up to 60ft away in conditions of total darkness. This vision is monochrome (black and white), but is otherwise just like normal sight.

Native Language

The Pinkunz native language is extremely complicated, and nearly unpronounceable by most other species. The Pinkunz language may only be taken as an extra language by Droid characters, who are the only ones capable of accurately reproducing the correct phonic sounds.

Vulgar

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language: Vulgar

The Vulgars are a nonviolent race who pride themselves (excessively) on their perceived intellectual superiority over their "less advanced" galactic neighbors. They fancy themselves scholars and scientists... but to most everyone else, they come across as insufferable snobs who love nothing more than to wander the galaxy correcting other people's grammar and spelling. Still, they are among the smartest beings in the galaxy, collectively speaking, and usually know what they're talking about... if you can fish out their advice from all the snide remarks and backhanded compliments.

Racial Modifiers

• +2 INT, +2 WIS, -2 Charisma modifier penalty versus non-Vulgars: Vulgars as a species are more intelligent, more wise, and just generally smarter than everyone else. However, their consistently condescending, "holier-than-thou" attitude towards other species results in a nearly universal dislike of Vulgars by anyone who isn't a Vulgar themselves.

Vulgar Neck Pinch

Because of their aversion to violence (and because they love showing off), Vulgars have developed a special martial-arts move capable of rendering an opponent unconscious instantly.

Any time a Vulgar attacks an opponent who is stunned or caught unawares (I.E. cannot use its DEX bonus to AC), the Vulgar may opt to use this ability as a standard action. The Vulgar makes a melee touch attack roll versus the target. If the attack connects, the target must make a successful Fortitude save at a DC of 10+the Vulgar's level, or instantly fall unconscious. Victims of a Neck Pinch remain unconscious for 1d8 hours on their own, but can be awakened early by a successful Heal check.

Because the Vulgar Neck Pinch targets a very specific portion of the target's anatomy - the neck - it can only be used against creatures that have necks. Additionally, since the Pinch requires the user to whisper into the victim's auditory receptors, it requires both for the user to be able to speak, and the target to be able to hear.

Droids cannot be affected by this ability. Additionally, any creature immune to critical hits is also immune to this ability.

Non-Vulgar characters may take the VULGAR NECK PINCH feat, which allows them to use this special ability as well. However, unless the character is a droid, they do so at a -2 attack penalty.

Estrosian (Latex Babes)

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language: Estrosian

The Estrosians are a race of humanoids who, phenotypically speaking, bear an uncanny resemblance to Xenonians; indeed, the genetic particulars of both races are so similar that crossbreeding is possible (some scientists suspect that Estros may be the result of a divergent group of early Xenonian colonists). The less dignified name given to them - Latex Babes - is the result of two peculiarities: first, that the overwhelming majority of Estrosians are female; second, that the overwhelming majority of those females resemble nothing less than living, breathing pin-up girls.

Since the odds of any single Estrosian female finding a mate among her own kind are abysmally low, most Latex Babes pursue the only viable alternative: Xenonian males. Unless otherwise tied to affairs on their homeworld, most young Estrosians venture out into the galaxy to seek out, seduce, and ultimately marry some unsuspecting Xenonian and bring him back home to Estros. Typically, they end up having quite a few adventures along the way.

Racial Modifiers

• Gender relations: They aren't called "babes" for nothing! Female Estrosians (even the comparatively ugly ones) are so incredibly attractive by galactic standards that they receive a +2 bonus to their Charisma modifier for any interaction versus males, regardless of species. Conversely, however, their looks provoke bitter jealousy (-2 to Charisma modifier) in other women (again, regardless of species).

These modifiers do not apply when dealing with gender-neutral creatures (such as droids), or species whose genders do not mirror the "normal" male/female setup.

• +5 racial bonus to all Swim checks: Because so much of Estros is covered in water, the Estrosians learn to swim at an early age, and continue to practice for most of their lives.

Bargain Hunter

Estrosians spend a great deal of their time shopping; as such, they are particularly skilled at bargain hunting, being able to smell a sale a mile away. Whenever an Estrosian wants to buy something from a merchant, they may make a Persuade check against the seller's Sense Motive check; a successful check result reduces the price of the item by 20%. Retries are not allowed for the same purchase.

This discount is impossible when buying from an impersonal vendor (such as a vending machine or through mail-order). Some merchants may be either unable or unwilling to haggle to any extent; checks against them automatically fail.

Sariens

• Medium size
• Base speed: 30ft.
• Native language - Sarien

Violent. Ugly. Green. These are all adjectives commonly referenced when discussing the Sariens, a warlike race of humanoids who love nothing more than violence and destruction. Formerly the dominant species of Xenon's sister world of Saria, the Sariens were never content to live peacefully, and eventually attacked their galactic neighbors, the Xenonians.

Thanks to StarCon's intervention, the Sariens were soundly defeated. Much of their race was destroyed, and those that remained were exiled from civilized space on pain of death. Ever the sore losers, they fled to the untamed regions of the galaxy and became space pirates, using hit-and-run tactics to rob any ship foolish enough to stray too far from StarCon's sphere of influence. To this day, Sarien pirate raids are a major thorn in the Confederacy's side, and numerous skirmishes have been fought against their powerful battle cruisers in a futile attempt to stop them for good.

Sarien society consists entirely of a single, well-oiled military machine. There are no civilians, no free agents... every last Sarien works either in or for the Sarien star fleet. Self-determination is a non-concept in their society... a Sarien follows orders from his birth until the day he dies.

There is much that is unknown about the Sariens, due to their tendency to kill anyone who asks nosy questions (not that they wouldn't kill them anyway). One thing that is known, however, is that once in a blue moon, an unusually individualistic Sarien decides that he doesn't like following orders, and abandons his post. Typically, these rogue Sariens seek amnesty in StarCon space, where they can be reasonably certain that their former fellows can't get to them. Of course, this forces them to contend with a galaxy that universally fears and despises their kind... but for some, this is an acceptable price to pay.

Racial Modifiers

• +1 to attack: Sariens, even the relatively unaggressive ones, are universally trained in the arts of brutal combat. As such, they receive an automatic +1 racial bonus to all attack rolls. This bonus is always active, but does NOT count as part of the Sarien's natural base attack bonus.
• -2 INT, -2 CHA: By the same token, however, Sarien society heavily dissuades intellectual pursuits; concepts like 'public education' and 'social skills' are alien to them. As such, even the most enlightened of Sariens generally comes across as being boorish and crude, if not outright rude.
• 1 extra feat at 1st-level: Like their former galactic neighbors, the Xenonians, Sariens are quick to master new abilities, especially those that grant them additional combat prowess.

Droids

• Native Language: Binary

These are some differences between Droid characters and 'normal' (non-droid) ones. There may be other applicable differences, as determined by the DM.

• Droids do not recover HP naturally, and cannot repair damage by using standard medpacks. To heal HP, they must use repair kits, medpack-like items that can only be used on droids. When using a repair kit, a character applies their Repair skill, not their Heal skill.
• Droids cannot use medkits, stimpacks, attribute boosters, or other similar biochemical items.
• Battle droids can wield any weapon usable by humanoids. Tech droids are not built for combat, and as such they cannot use normal weapons... rather, they are typically armed with special weapon-type droid parts.
• Droids cannot wield normal equipment. Instead, they equip Droid Parts, which function in a similar manner. Instead of Proficiencies, droids have Droid Upgrade feats that govern what sort of parts a droid may equip.
• Droids have effectively unlimited stamina. They can run for as long as they like, do not require sleep, and cannot become fatigued. As such, they need not make Endurance checks.
• Droids receive no damage from pulseray weapons.
• Droids are vulnerable to ion weapons; they receive extra damage from these weapons, as listed in the weapon's description.
• Droids are immune to poison and most other diseases. There are, however, certain electronic maladies that can affect them.
• Droids do not breathe, and as such they can survive underwater and in hard vacuum without protection (their bodies are sturdy enough to prevent sudden decompression). However, they still require some outside means of thrust in order to move through space.
• Droids do not eat or drink; rather, they draw power from built-in energy cells. A Medium droid can run for 18 hours on a full battery; Small droids can run for up to 24 hours. Droids can recharge from any standard power outlet (such as those found in buildings and starships), or from a portable droid recharging station; 8 hours of charging are needed to completely refill a droid's power reserves (if the droid's battery is only partly drained, figure out the appropriate charging time based on the remaining percentage of power). Droids are still "awake" while recharging and can carry out simple tasks, but the physical limitations of being plugged into a wall socket prevent them from engaging in strenuous activity.

If a droid runs completely out of power, it goes completely off-line (unconscious) and can do nothing until someone else recharges and reactivates it. A powerless droid cannot recharge by itself.

Droids can enter a sleep-like "shutdown" mode to preserve power. A droid in shutdown mode does not use any power, and can reawaken at any time (assuming it has power left), but is totally oblivious to the outside world.

Races

There are three "races" (builds) of droids: bipedal (Medium size), treaded (Small), and hovering (Small). Regardless of build, all droids are treated as part of the same racial group (droids).

Bipedal (or tripedal, or what have you) droids are more-or-less identical to humanoid creatures in terms of abilities. Their base speed is 30ft, and they abide by standard speed modifiers on all terrains. Bipedal droids cannot swim on their own; however, they can equip a 'buoyancy kit' droid part to grant this ability. Without such a part, bipedal droids can walk across the bottom of a body of water (or similar liquid) at one-third normal speed.

Treaded droids (base speed 30ft) can move at one-and-one-half times normal speed on clear, even ground (highways, roads, man-made floors), but are slowed to one-half speed on areas of soft, mushy ground (swamp, sand, etc.). Treaded droids can move unimpeded at normal speed on other terrain types. Treaded droids cannot swim, although they can roll across the bottom of water areas if possible (at one-half normal speed).

Hovering droids (base speed 20ft) float above the ground, and as such their speed is not affected by terrain. Additionally, they can hover over water and similar non-solid surfaces. Because of this, they have no need (or ability) to swim; however, they only move at one-half normal speed while hovering over non-solid surfaces in this manner.

All droids are assumed to have exactly 2 normal, articulated arms for holding and manipulating things. A droid may have additional arms for RP purposes, but these cannot be used to wield additional weapons or equipment, and grant no bonuses whatsoever.

Classes

BATTLE DROIDS are robots built for combat, the robotic equivalent of the Soldier class. Battle droid stats mirror those of a Soldier closely, with one major exception: they receive fewer feats. To compensate, however, battle droids have a built-in AC bonus that increases as they gain levels, and they can also use many droid-specific weapons, armors, and items.

TECH DROIDS are robots built to carry out tasks, such as repairing starships, interfacing with computers, and even treating the injured. As such, they are very skill-heavy, but lack the ability to do real damage in a fight. Tech droid stats closely mirror those of the Scoundrel, though they receive more feats. Like battle droids, tech droids can equip and use droid-specific items.