Featured Creature -- Panda

Pandas are to their fellow bears as cheetahs are to other cats: technically a relative, but "weird" enough compared to them that they stand apart. Unlike other bears, they do not hibernate for the winter, and almost never eat meat. They also have strange "thumbs" that have become legendary among those who study the history of life.

Pandas are serene and ponderous (other bears say, "lazy"), and have an even greater association with meditative and spiritual practices than their cousins in other lands. Almost purely vegetarian, they are peace-loving and playful to a fault, but still capable of handling themselves in a fight if necessary.

     AC: 6  
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d5 [1d6]), 2 claws (1d3)
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Temperate forest and mountains
     MV: 6
     SZ: Medium

Species Traits:

• Calming Presence: Pandas inspire stillness in others.  Simply being in their presence grants other animals a +2 bonus on Seer checks or other lore checks that involve concentration, and a +1 bonus on Fear saves and other rolls to resist a forced shift in Attitude.
• Low-Light Vision
• Panda's Thumb: Pandas have a "mutant" radial sesamoid bone that functions almost like a thumb, and makes them better at grasping small objects than other bears.  They get a +1 bonus on all lore checks that involve tool use or manipulation of objects (but not trap-springing, sleight of paw, or other uses that mimic the use of true hands).
• Scent
• Still Mind: It's difficult to get a panda riled up.  Storyteller lore checks attempting to shift their Attitude in a more hostile direction suffer a -2 penalty.  Pandas also get a +2 bonus on Fear saves. 
• Unique Diet: Pandas are the only bears naturally capable of eating bamboo, their favorite and almost only food.  They get a +2 bonus on all Herbalist lore checks involving the use of bamboo, and with a successful Challenging Healer lore check, can boost their natural healing capability by 50% per day by eating a dose of bamboo. 
• +2 bonus on all lore checks that involve climbing.  This becomes +4 if climbing rocks or trees.
• Suitable Niches: Guardian, Healer, Herbalist, Seer

Featured Creature -- Snake (Venomous)

Venomous snakes are far more dynamic than their constrictor kin, and often greatly more feared by others, as well.  For while constrictors are a lethal threat only to animals smaller than them, venomous snakes have the potential to kill opponents much larger than themselves. This gives them a much eviler reputation among non-snakes, and some venomous varieties embrace this perception and lead lives devoted to cruelty and terror.

Nonetheless, like constrictors, they are also regarded as symbols of change and wisdom, and tend to deliberate for as much time as they can before committing to an action.

     AC: 6

     AT (Dam.): bite (1d3)

     Beginning HP: 7 [8]

     Habitat: Temperate to Tropical (any)

     MV: 4; crawling, climbing, swimming 

     SZ: Tiny

 

Species Traits:

All venomous snakes share the following abilities in common.

• Diminished Profile 
• Low-Light Vision 
• Natural Armor: Improve AC by 1 point at 1st, 3rd, and 5th Total Levels. 
• Niche Restriction:  Because they lack limbs, snakes cannot choose Herbalist as their niche. 
• Spit Venom: Some venomous snakes have an additional use for their poison attack. Instead of delivering their poison through a bite, they can choose to spit their venom as a ranged attack.  On a successful hit, the target must make an Average Poison save or become blinded.  The blindness lasts for 1d5 [1d6] turns, but only if it gets cleaned out within 1d5 [1d6] minutes.  Otherwise, the blindness is permanent.
• Steady Growth: Venomous snakes can increase in SZ once per level, but can never grow larger than Large SZ without the aid of magic or other exceptional means.  They cannot skip a level of growth and resume it later, however; once they stop at a particular SZ, it remains their natural length until death. 
• Stealthy:  +1 bonus on Trickster lore checks to hide in shadows and move silently.  
• Threat Display: Some of the most famous venomous snakes (cobras, rattlers) have some natural method of making themselves seem more menacing or threatening, especially towards those larger than them.  This gives these snakes a +2 bonus on all lore checks to frighten or intimidate foes. 
• Venom Attack: Venomous snakes can make an envenomed Bite attack a number of times per day equal to 3x their Healer lore level, to a minimum of three times per day. Victims of a SZ category two larger than the snake or smaller must succeed on a Challenging Poison save or die within 1d10 turns. For creatures one SZ category larger, the save is Tough; for two categories larger, the save is Average; and at three or more categories larger, the save is Easy. 
• Suitable Niches: Healer, Runner, Scout, Seer, Trickster, Warrior.

Featured Creature -- Eagle

There's a dearth of avians and sea creatures here at the G&S HQ, so let's remedy that with this week's entry.  And since it's still 4th of July week in the U.S., I'll do my patriotic duty and stat out our national dinosaur bird.

Eagle
Among the noblest and most majestic of raptor birds, eagles range most of the world and prey on all manner of species.  They have even been known to attack prey larger than themselves, and are in fact one of the physically strongest flying birds in all the animal kingdom.

In fantasy realms, eagles often ally with elves and other fey creatures, especially in times of war against goblins, orcs, and the twisted worg wolves who serve them.

To small terrestrial species, eagles are a nightmare from the sky, but they are also respected for their courage.  Potential prey approaching an eagle would do well to shower the bird with flattery, as eagles are quite susceptible to their own self-image as the kings of the birds.

     AC: 7
     AT (Dam): 2 claws, 1 bite (1d2/1d2/1d4)
     Beginning HP: 5 [6]
     Habitat: Sub-arctic to sub-tropical
     MV: 2; flying 12
     SZ: Small

Species Traits:

• Excellent Vision: Eagles can see three times better than a longpaw under normal conditions, granting them a +4 bonus on all lore checks to spot hidden objects or track moving targets on the ground from great heights. 
• Flyby Attack
• Great Strength: Eagles are among the strongest flying birds in existence; some have been known to lift targets three times their own body weight into the air.  They get a +2 bonus on all lore checks involving airborne feats of strength made against targets on the ground.
• Low-Light Vision
• Spatial Awareness: Like other flying birds and most sea creatures, eagles can easily think and fight in three dimensions. They suffer no penalties in "aerial" combat against land-dwelling creatures who enter their habitat.
• Swoop: Eagles can mount a flying charge attack against creatures at a lower altitude.  This gives them a +2 to hit and lets them inflict double damage on their target.  However, it imposes a 2-point penalty on their Armor Class.
• Ultravision
• +6 bonus on all move silently checks while airborne
• Suitable Niches: Herbalist, Runner, Scout, Warrior

Featured Creature -- Rats!

Rats are living paradoxes: individually fastidious, but notorious as plague-carriers; brave when facing bigger opponents, but always willing to run and hide when not being watched; adorable, yet feared by many species.

Rats exploit their reputations for skullduggery and deceit for maximum effect, and some even embrace the role of thugs towards smaller rodents like mice.  Nonetheless, they are exceedingly loyal to those who see past this veneer to their true selves, and will think nothing of rushing into battle in defense of their friends, no matter how fearsome the opponent.

They typically live in large communities, and are experts in the geography of longpaw settlements.

     AC: 9
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d6 + disease)
     Beginning HP: 3 [4]
     Habitat: Any
     MV: 4 (3 climbing, 2 swimming)
     SZ: Tiny

Species Traits:

• Courageous: Rats are notoriously brave (some would say foolhardy) when facing foes larger than themselves.  They get a +2 bonus on all Fear saves.
• Disease Carrier:  Though not individually unclean, rats are widely known as disease carriers by other species.  When a rat character is first created, the BM should make a secret core dice roll (2d10); on a result of 2 (or 1, if using the classic 1d20), the rat character carries a disease of the BM's choice that does not affect the rat herself, but can infect other animals.  Anyone bitten by such a rat must make a Poison save against the disease's listed Threat Level, or become infected.  Diseases commonly carried by rats include leprosy, plague, and rabies.  Note that a rat PC does not necessarily know that she is a disease carrier; if and when she finds out, she can take any actions she chooses to be healed of the affliction.
• Iron Stomach: Consummate omnivores, rats are highly resistant to the effects of spoiled food, and can often eat things that are totally inedible to other species.  Rats get a +2 bonus on all Poison or other saves against the effects of spoiled foods, and with a successful Healer check, can eat an object or substance that other species find impossible to digest.
• Low-Light Vision
• Natural Climber: +1 bonus on all climbing checks.
• Primitive Hands
• Scent
• Sneaky: Rats get a +2 bonus on all Scout or Trickster checks that involve hiding or moving silently.
• Suitable Niches: Herbalist, Scout, Seer, Trickster

Return of the Blog! + Featured Creature -- Manta Ray

Apologies for my long absence.  This project is still alive and well.  Meatspace commitments and problems drew me away for a while, but I hope to keep this on track until it's ready to go to crowd-funding and beyond.

Incidentally, hiccups like this are the reason I didn't start with a crowd-funding; if you go into crowd-funding on something like this without having a huge portion of the work done beforehand, you're running a bigger risk of an uncompleted project and wasted money.  Doesn't seem fair to anyone involved to impose that risk, so I'm holding off on the crowd-funding step until the entire manuscript has been written, edited, and laid out without art.  That document will be a PDF available for free on the crowd-funding site, and the fundraising will be, first, to hire and pay some artists; and second, to produce and distribute hard copies and PDFs with art for distribution.

So, without further ado, I'll re-launch with a modest entry: another Featured Creature from the pages of the old Rules Cyclopedia, the manta ray!

This one presents kind of a conundrum.  The RC monster entry for manta rays is biologically inaccurate, attributing to them behaviors (hiding on the sea floor) and natural abilities (poisonous stingers) they don't possess in real life.  So, do I convert this monster as is and just call it a sting ray, or create an entirely new, and more accurate, entry for mantas and leave the sting rays for another time?

I split the difference with this entry. Since many of the RC version's stats are for an animal roughly the size of a real manta ray, I kept them intact.  But I added in Species Traits closer to what real mantas are like.

Manta Ray
One of the most fearsome-looking animals in the sea is also one of the most docile.  Manta rays, sometimes called "devil fish" by land-dwellers because of their "horns," are gentle filter-feeders with little interest in or talent for violence.  Often, they are as playful as dolphins or whales, and are known to breach the ocean's surface like those animals, too.  Mantas give birth to live young, who are left to their own devices once emerging from the mother's oviduct.

Manta rays are also one of the smartest sea species in the world, and are renowned among fishes as keepers and teachers of knowledge ancient and new.  Their reputation among fish is similar to that of whales among sea-dwelling mammals: wise, gentle, and honorable to a fault.

     AC: 6
     AT (Dam):  1 slam (1d3 [1d4])
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Temperate, tropical, or sub-tropical oceans
     MV: 8
     SZ:  Small

Species Traits:

• Brain Power: Manta rays have the largest brain-to-body mass ratio of any fish species, making them among the most intelligent animals in the sea.  They get a +2 bonus on all lore checks involving complex problem-solving or tactical thinking.
• Cold Resistance:  Mantas possess a mammal-like network of blood vessels in their brain called the retia mirabilia, which helps keep them warm.  This grants them a +1 bonus on all saving throws to resist magical or natural cold.
• Growth Spurt: Mantas become Medium in SZ at 4 Total Levels
• Pressure Tolerance: Mantas can dive to depths of up to 2000 m (roughly 6500 ft) without suffering any MV penalties due to increased water pressure.
• Scent
• Spatial Awareness: Like birds and most sea creatures, manta rays think and fight in 3 dimensions.  They suffer no penalties in "aerial" combat against land-dwelling creatures who enter their natural habitat.
• Suitable Niches: Any.

5e Animal PC -- Baboon Warlock

Because why not, that's why.

Baboon Warlock
Small beast, Chaotic neutral

Armor Class 12 
Hit Points 8 (1d8) 
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 

STR 8 (-1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 11 (+0) INT 10 (+0) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 15 (+2)

Skills Deception +2, Intimidation +2
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Saving Throws Wisdom, Charisma  

Cantrips This baboon warlock knows the chill touch and eldritch blast cantrips.
Otherworldy Patron This baboon warlock serves the Archfey. 
Fey Presence This baboon warlock can cause each creature within 10 feet of it to make a Wisdom save against its spell save DC of 12, or become charmed or frightened by the baboon until the end of their next turn.
Pack Tactics The baboon warlock has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the baboon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and isn't incapacitated.
Spells This baboon warlock knows the 1st-level spells ray of sickness and witch bolt. 

Actions
Bite Melee weapon attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit 1 (1d4-1) piercing damage

5e Animal PC -- Bat Rogue

As with the Frog Wizard and Reindeer Paladin, this 1st-level character takes an animal from the 5e monster entries, re-rolls its mental stats where applicable, and applies a character class.  It's ready-made for a 5e animal fantasy campaign.

Bat Rogue
Tiny beast, Neutral

Source

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (1d8 -1)
Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR 2 (-4) DEX 15 (+2) CON 8 (-1) INT 12 (+1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 14 (+2)

Skills Acrobatics +2, Deception +2, Perception +1, Stealth  +2

Senses blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Common

Echolocation The bat rogue loses its blindsight ability if it cannot hear.
Expertise The bat rogue doubles its proficiency bonus when making Charisma (Deception) & Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Keen Hearing The bat rogue has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Sneak Attack +1d6 damage vs. any target the bat rogue hits when it has advantage on the attack roll.

Actions
Bite Melee Weapon attack +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature
Hit 1 piercing damage

The Foundling -- A Niche For Longpaw PCs

A majority of longpaw children lost or abandoned in the wild can expect little but a horrible death unless they are rescued by their kin or species-mates.  But sometimes -- just sometimes -- an orphaned human or demi-human child gets adopted by a community of beasts and reared as one of their own.

This niche is optional, but can be a great way to bring in players who simply aren't sold on the idea of animal PCs.  Let them play Mowgli or Tarzan instead!

The Foundling
On rare occasions, animals will adopt an orphaned human (or other longpaw) child as one of their own.  Such unique individuals will grow up to prefer the company of their animal family and its species, and have a great deal of trouble interacting with members of their own... especially if they have witnessed longpaw crimes against their adoptive animal family.  Nonetheless, they can become ambassadors of sorts between their parent species and their adoptive species.  Indeed, such Foundlings often become legendary heroes among longpaws, thanks to their unique abilities.

Niche Ability:  Select a Species Trait of your adoptive animal family. This ability is now an inherent trait for you, but comes at the expense of a normal longpaw trait, such as the Versatility of Men, the Tunnel Sense of dwarfs, the Fey Magic of elves, or the Halfling attack bonus with missile weapons.  The longpaw trait you lose and the animal trait you gain are both your choice, but remain permanent throughout your adventuring career.  

In most circumstances, you can use this new Species Trait as effectively as any actual member of your adoptive species.  You can also acquire spandrels based on this adoptive Species Trait, but otherwise must gain rewards and treasure in the standard longpaw ways.

Some Species Traits, such as natural flight or water breathing abilities, are only available in classic fantasy or other high-magic settings. 

Other Abilities:  Add your Foundling level (plus your Foundling niche die result, if any) to all lore checks involving communication between longpaws and your adoptive species, to attempts to communicate with animals other than longpaws and your adoptive species, to find food or water in your adoptive species' preferred habitat, and to applied knowledge about the the geography and other features of the wilderness where you grew up.

Saving Throw: Fear

Threat: Average (+6). This increases to Tough (+3) at 2nd total level, Challenging (+0) at 5th total level, and Formidable (–3) at 8th total level.

5e Animal PC -- Reindeer Paladin

This animal PC uses the Monster Manual entry for deer as its base, with re-rolled scores for INT and CHA, and an antler attack added in.  She'll probably advance into the Oath of the Ancients at 3rd level.

Reindeer Paladin

Source

Medium beast, Neutral good

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 10 (1d10)
Speed 50 ft.

STR 11 (+0) DEX 16 (+3) CON 11 (+0) INT 11 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 16 (+3)

Skills Intimidation +3, Persuasion +3
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Cervid

Charge If the reindeer paladin moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits with her ram attack, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage.  If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Divine Sense A total of 4 times per day, this reindeer can know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet that is not behind total cover. Within the same radius, she can detect the presence of any object or place that has been consecrated or desecrated, as per the hallow spell.

Lay On "Hands" The reindeer paladin can restore a number of lost hit points equal to her paladin level x 5.  Alternately, she can expend 5 hit points from her healing pool to cure the target of one disease or neutralize on poison affecting it.

Actions
Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage

Ram Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage

Christmas Creature -- Reindeer

Someone's already gamified Santa into a playable OSR class, so here's the skinny on some of his most famous helpers.

Reindeer

Also known as caribou, reindeer are among the hardiest animals in the world, thriving in climes that would end lesser herd beasts.  They grow and shed their famous antlers seasonally on both sexes (another unique feature of the species), and have been symbols of strength and wisdom among longpaws for millennia.  

In classic fantasy settings, reindeer often serve powerful fairy lords or even deities as mounts or sleigh-pullers.  The greatest of these reindeer have been granted natural flight abilities, and possibly even other magical powers.  Young bucks and does aspiring to such heights have excellent motivations for adventuring.

     AC: 7
     AT (Dam): antlers (1d7 [1d8]), bite (1d2 [1d3]), hooves (1d5 [1d6])
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Arctic & subarctic land
     MV: 10
     SZ: Medium

Species Traits:

• Low Light Vision
• Scent
• Ultravision
• Unique Diet: Reindeer are the only mammals naturally capable of eating lichens, their favorite being reindeer moss.  They get a +2 bonus on all Herbalist lore checks involving the use of lichens, and with a successful Challenging Healer lore check, can boost their natural healing capability by 50% per day by eating a dose of reindeer moss.
• +2 on all lore checks to detect hidden or hear noise
• +2 on all saves to resist cold, either magical or natural
• +2 bonus on Warrior lore checks to push, pull, drag, break, or otherwise use their raw muscle power on heavy objects.
• Suitable Niches: Any

Featured Creature: Dolphin

Dolphins have a reputation among longpaws as playful, benevolent sea creatures with great affection for land-dwellers.  But at best, they only half-deserve this reputation.

Much of it comes from the dolphins' ancient feud against shark-kind; whenever a dolphin or group of dolphins protects a swimming longpaw from sharks, it is mostly to deny the shark a meal and not because they have any special affection for humanoids.

Dolphins are also predators, so from the point of view of many fish species, they are fearsome monsters.  Even among themselves, dolphins are prone to violent rivalries and even sexual assault, with losers of conflicts often finding themselves in lonely exile for the rest of their lives.

Nonetheless, dolphins are highly intelligent and social creatures, usually forming strong bonds of friendship within their pods.  In classic fantasy-style campaigns, they can even become Magic-Users, and often form alliances with longpaw races like merfolk and sea elves.

     AC: 5
     AT (Dam): 1 head butt (1d7+1 [2d4])
     Beginning HP: 9 [10]
     Habitat: Oceans
     MV: 12 swimming only
     SZ: Medium

Species Traits: 

• Air Breathers:  Unlike most sea creatures, dolphins cannot breathe water.  They must surface every 15 minutes to take in fresh air.  They can extend this time between breaths by 1 minute per Total Level, after which they must begin making Trauma saving throws.  Failure on this save means they have begun drowning, and must be aided to the surface by companions or they will die.
• Detect Magic: In high fantasy campaigns, dolphins can detect magic to a range of 360 feet underwater.
• Echosight: Dolphins can "see" by means of a natural form of sonar that has a range of 120 feet, enabling them to detect objects or creatures within this range.  If blinded, they can even rely on this echosight to continue acting normally with a successful Scout lore check each round (or other relevant unit of time). This ability is negated by spells or other effects that create areas of unnatural silence.
• Far Speech: Dolphins can communicate with each other over a range of 50 miles underwater, using their language of clicks and whistles (related to whale speech).
• Growth Spurt:  Dolphins become Large in SZ at 3rd Total Level/Hit Dice.
• Legless:  Dolphins have no natural means of moving about on dry land.   Without the aid of magic or super-science, they are confined entirely to aquatic environments.
• Low-Light Vision
• +2 bonus on all Warrior lore checks to formulate plans against sharks and their allies.
• +1 bonus on all attacks vs. sharks and their allies.
• +2 bonus on all lore checks to detect hidden objects or hear noise while underwater.
• Suitable Niches: Healer, Runner, Scout, Seer, Trickster, Warrior.

Featured Creature: Cheetah

Cheetahs are about as un-cat-like as an animal can get and still be considered a cat; indeed, some big cats and great cats consider them freaks of nature, while cheetahs themselves take pride in the features that set them apart from other felines.  Cheetah evolution diverged from that of big cats and great cats some five million years ago, and has continued distinguishing them ever since.

Unlike other cats, cheetahs primarily rely on great speed to capture their prey, and they make poor warriors against other animals of their size.  If a fight cannot be won right away, cheetahs will flee the conflict at top speed.  Though this gives them a reputation for cowardice among other cats, cheetahs like to point out how much their speed is envied by them, too.  Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in existence, and they don't let anyone forget it.

     AC: 6
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d5 [1d6]), 2 claws (1d3 [1d4])
     Beginning HP:  7 [8]
     Habitat: Savannah
     MV: 12
     SZ: Small

Species Traits:

• Epic Sprint:  When taking a charge or run maneuver, cheetahs can travel up to 10 times their base MV in a single round.  They can do this a number of times per day equal to their Total Level; if they exceed this amount, cheetahs have to make a Trauma save or suffer the effects of fatigue (-2 on all lore checks involving feats of strength or endurance) until they obtain a full 8 hours of rest.
• Growth Spurt: Cheetahs increase to Medium SZ at 3rd Total Level/Hit Dice.
• Low-Light Vision
• Scent
• Special Maneuvers: Charge, Claw/Claw, Pounce, Rake, Wrestle
• Ultravision
• +4 bonus on all lore checks to make quick turns, sudden stops, or other fast movements during a combat round.
• +1 bonus on all lore checks to climb, hide in shadows, or move silently.  The bonus is +3 in tall grass or other thick foliage.
• Suitable Niches: Runner, Scout, Seer, Trickster.

Featured Creatures: Back To The Cats

Next in alphabetical order from the old RC was the entry for Cats.  I've already covered small cats and the great cats, so that leaves us with the big cats in the middle... along with one very odd kitty out, the cheetah.

I'll cover the big cats in this post, and cheetahs in the next one.

Cats, Big
The name "big cat" covers a range of feline predators in various climates and habitats who are larger than domestic cats but smaller than the great lions and tigers.  This includes bobcats, cougars, jaguars, leopards, lynxes, mountain lions, ocelots, and panthers.

 
Like their kin at either end of the feline size range, big cats tend to be curious, patient, solo hunters adept at stealth and ambush tactics.  They are good climbers with reputations for both ferocity and wisdom in equal measure, and love a good prank at the expense of their kin or even potential prey.

     AC: 4
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d7 [1d8]), 2 claws (1d3 [1d4])
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Any, varies by species
     MV: 10
     SZ: Small

Species Traits:

• Growth Spurt: Except for bobcats and lynxes, big cats become Medium at 2nd Total Levels/Hit Dice
• Low-Light Vision
• Nine Lives: Cats can re-roll nine critical failures over the course of their career.  Often, this will mean the difference between life and death; hence, the name nine lives.  Once these “lives” are used up, they cannot be restored.
• Scent
• Special Maneuvers: Claw/claw, bite/claw/claw, pounce, rake, wrestle
• Ultravision
• +2 bonus on all lore checks to climb, hide in shadows, and move silently. The bonus is +4 in tall grass or other thick foliage.
• Suitable Niches: Any 

Featured Creature: Chameleon

A few weeks back, a reader inquired if I planned to stat out chameleons, geckos, and other lizards.  I thought I might create a stock "Lizard" entry with sub-headings for different species, the way I've done with apes, cats, and monkeys.  It's quite a challenge, though, because lizards are an amazingly diverse clade; aside from being squamate reptiles, there is little that all lizards have in common.  So, I've decided to go with individual species entries instead.  First up is chameleons.

Chameleon
Like many of their kin, chameleons are deliberative -- indeed, seemingly inactive -- taking their time to reach any decision.  But once decided on a course of action, they act swiftly.  This is especially true where acquiring food is concerned.

Though they are fully capable of terrestrial movement, chameleons prefer spending as much of their time as possible hidden among the flowers and leaves of their canopy home.  When long journeys are called for, they demand to be carried by larger, stronger, faster beings at every opportunity, and thus have a reputation for laziness.

     AC: 6
     AT: Bite (1d2)
     Beginning HP: 3 [4]
     Habitat: Tropical forest
     MV: 4
     SZ: Tiny

Species Traits:

• Adaptive Camouflage
• Independently Focusing Eyes: Chameleons have amazing eyesight.  Because they can focus each eye independently, they have 360 degree vision, and can only be surprised while asleep.  Further, they are immune to sneak attacks, unless both of their eyes are engaged in paying attention to the same target. In addition, chameleons get a +2 bonus on all lore checks that involve detecting things by sight.
• Low-Light Vision
• Prehensile Tail
• +4 bonus on all lore checks involving climbing.
• +2 bonus on all attack rolls against targets smaller than themselves.
• -4 penalty on all lore checks involving feats of strength 
• Suitable Niches: Any 

A First Look At The Longpaws

I've received several private inquiries as to how I plan to stat out humans and demihumans in Great & Small.  Here's a preliminary look.  These are only first drafts, and don't necessarily reflect what will end up in the final version of the rules.

Longpaws 
“Longpaw” is a slang term for humanoid, believed to have been coined by the first dogs.  It is used when referring to any bipedal, mostly hairless, tool-using creature that does things like hunt with weapons, construct and live in buildings, wear clothing, practice agriculture, domesticate other species, and so on.  In some settings, humans will be the only species of longpaw.  In others, typically ones inspired by classic fantasy, the term will also refer to dwarfs, elves, halflings, orcs, goblins, and any number of other humanoid creatures.

Aside from dogs, farm creatures, horses, and small cats, most animals see few relevant distinctions between the different kinds of longpaws.  Nearly all of them are disruptive invaders or upstarts from animals’ point of view, best avoided or driven off when possible.  However, some smaller species – like mice, raccoons, rats, pigeons, and squirrels – have managed to make homes for themselves on the fringes of longpaw settlements, living off of the scraps that longpaws foolishly cast aside as waste.

Although Great & Small is not a game about longpaws, it can be useful to know their game stats anyway, as they make excellent antagonists. Also, some groups may prefer mixed games in the style of Russian fairy tales, Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar stories, or C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles Of Narnia, which often feature humans and talking animals adventuring alongside each other.

To that end, the four main longpaw races of the classic fantasy game – man, dwarf, elf, and halfling – are detailed below.

Unless otherwise noted, all longpaws have the following default game stats.

     AC: 9 or by armor type
     AT: Unarmed (1d2), or by weapon type
     Beginning HP: 7
     Habitat: Any
     MV: 8
     SZ: Medium 

Species Traits:

• Bipedal:  Longpaws walk on their hind legs at all times, making them especially susceptible to trip attacks.  They receive no bonuses to resist such assaults.
• Encumbered: Lacking naturally tough hides, longpaws have invented armor to protect themselves.  However, this slows them down in a fight.  Longpaws add their AC rather than their MV to Initiative rolls.
• Tool Users:  Longpaws never have to make lore checks to understand or properly use levers, latches, doors, springs, or any other simple tools.  They automatically succeed at such tasks.

Men
Humans like to think themselves the measure of all things, and the masters of all they survey.  Rarely considering other species, they will move into an area and struggle epically to master it by establishing settlements and farms.  This activity drives out some animals, but creates opportunities for others.  In some settings, animals are divided over the question of Man’s existence; those who travel and live alongside Men – notably, dogs, their most loyal companions – are set against those who are driven out by them.  Nearly all animals marvel that individual men are able to survive at all, lacking as they do any claws, teeth, or tough hides.  Weak though they may be compared to some other animals, though, men are nearly unstoppable in large numbers, as many great beasts have learned to their detriment.

Species Traits:
In addition to the standard longpaw traits above, men also possess the following abilities.

• +2 on all lore checks to interact with dogs, even feral ones.
• +1 on all lore checks to interact with small cats, even feral ones.
• +1 on all lore checks to interact with horses and farm creatures.
• Versatility: Men have a permanent +2 bonus on all lore checks with a single lore of their choice outside their niche, chosen at 1st level and remaining the same throughout their life.
• Suitable Niches: Any.  

Dwarf
Dwarfs are a longpaw race only found in fantasy worlds where magic and monsters are real.  In such worlds, they are a race of miners who prefer to live underground, and value gold, gems, and mineral wealth above almost all other things (such is their reputation among fellow longpaws, anyway).  They are gruff, surly, and stocky of build, average about 4 ft. tall, and weigh about 150 lbs. as adults.  Their males prefer to grow and decorate their beards.  They tend to have hostile relations, often unintentionally, with subterranean animals, but are not especially cruel towards them when encountered. 

Species Traits:
In addition to the standard longpaw traits above, dwarfs also possess the following abilities.

• Darkvision:  Dwarfs can see without the aid of any light at all, out to a range of 60 ft.  This vision is black & white only.
• Tunnel sense: Thanks to their long experience living underground, dwarfs get a +2 bonus on all lore checks to notice unusual earthenworks, such as traps, recent mining, unsafe tunnels, and so forth.
• +4 bonus on all saves vs. magical effects.
• +1 bonus on all lore checks to interact with burrowing animals.
• Suitable Niches:  All dwarfs are trained as Warriors at 1st level.  They make take levels in other lores after this, but Warrior remains their niche.

Elf 
Like dwarfs and halflings, elves are a longpaw race usually only found in settings where magic and monsters are real.  They fancy themselves a people of the forests and woodlands, self-appointed “protectors” of such realms.  And to be fair, many animals feel that elves are less bad than other longpaws when it comes to respecting other species’s territory… but not by much.  Like all longpaws, elves have certain animal species they like more than others, and will alter their forest homes to favor such species.  They are nearly as tall as men, on average, and have long, pointed ears and slender, graceful frames.

Species Traits:
In addition to the standard longpaw traits above, elves also possess the following abilities.

• Darkvision:  Elves can see without the aid of any light at all, out to a range of 60 ft.  This vision is black & white only.
• Fey Magic:  Every elf knows one 1st level magic-user spell of her choice.
• Ghoulbane:  Elves are immune to the touch attacks of ghouls.
• +2 bonus on Scout lore checks to spot secret doors; merely passing near such a door entitles an elf to an unmodified Scout lore check to spot it, as though she had been looking the entire time.  The bonus applies if she is actually actively searching.
• +1 on attack rolls made with long bows or swords
• +1 on all lore checks to interact with forest or woodland animals
• Suitable Niches: Familiar, Magic-User, Scout, Trickster, Warrior.

Halfling

This race of small longpaws is usually only found in classic fantasy settings, where magic and monsters are real.  They resemble men in their proportions, but are notably shorter as adults, average about 3 ft tall in maturity.  They are known for their love of fine food and drink, their gentle disposition, and their adeptness with slight-of-hand tricks.  Notably for longpaws, they often do not cover their feet in shoes or boots, unless it is exceptionally cold.  They normally burrow their homes into the sides of hills, which sometimes causes them to disrupt communities of burrowing animals.

     AC 7 (or by armor type)

     Beginning HP: 5

     MV: 6

     SZ: Small

Species Traits:
In addition to the longpaw traits above, halflings also possess the following abilities.

•  Darkvision:  Halflings can see without the aid of any light at all, out to a range of 60 ft.  This vision is black & white only.
• +4 bonus to saves vs. magical effects
• +2 bonus on Trickster lore checks to climb walls, hide in shadows, and move silently
• +1 on all attack rolls using missile weapons
• +1 on all lore checks to interact with burrowing mammals
• Suitable Niches: Herbalist, Scout, Storyteller, Trickster, Warrior.