Soon to the a published comic author!

For about a year now, Amanda Webb has been publishing her webcomic, Legends of Aukera.

http://legendsofaukera.com/2015/07/27/pg114/

She recently published a trade paperback collecting the first story arc, in which in addition to the previously seen material, she included design art and an original 8 page back up story. I'll have a similar 8 pager story in the second trade paperback volume. She's almost done with the story. She's got the first 5-6 pages inked, colored and lettered, page seven waiting on lettering, and 8 awaiting illustration. She told me the second TPB will be printed and ready for sale sometime in mid-October, in time for a local comic con- the Grand Rapids Comic Con.

In the mean time, take a look at the first two pages of my story.

Blessed Be,
CHRIS

Psi-Threats 2: All the Agents

 Okay, I just put up book two in a series of bestiaries for the Psi-Watch Campaign Setting. Psi-Threats Book 2: All the Agents just went up for sale on Rpgnow, and seems to be selling better than the first one.

All the Agents was a ton of fun to write. It's a nice collection of modern/superheroic assassins, spies and superagents, inspired heavily by comics like Stormwatch, Wild CATs, Bloodstrike and the like. I'll be doing volume 3 in the series soon enough- anything you want to see?

In addition to the cover, I wanted to post one of my favorite pieces of interior art. John Picot did this illustration of the Metamorphosis North V-Elite- a heavily armed air superiority cyborg type. After that, we've got a cool Anthony Cournoyer image, Fatality. He's a mixed tribute to Raiden from Mortal Kombat and Kaon (from IDW's More than Meets the Eye series), who'll be appearing in Rapists of Black Tokyo as well as in future Battlechangers products.
CHRIS

Finally Revising and Revamping Fursona

Okay, I've had a few fans as well as some of my artists ask me if I ever planned to consolidate Fursona and its follow-up releases, and do some more stuff with it?

I'd been hesitant, because of all the work I'd have to do to update the orders, the long-ass lists of favored and non-favored major racial traits. Ugg. Just book keeping on top of book keeping. So I'd been putting off doing a Fursona update, despite the fact that it's one of my best-selling and most popular products, because I knew it wouldn't be really fun for me to do. 

Well, I got to thinking of how I converted Battlechangers to Pathfinder. Instead of long ass lists of alt modes, I made a modular 'build your own' alt-mode creation system and it worked great. Well received, fun to write, easy to play with.  

So why not do the same for Fursona? Ditch the whole concept of Orders and racially favored major traits? Make char-gen a little quicker, include all or at least most of the options from the prior 3-5 Fursona releases (depending on what you count as part of that subline)? Even better, by cutting the bulky list of orders, I leave more room in the book for world-building information, furry story telling tropes, spells, gear, and other fun toys?

Well, lets take a look at a very rough draft of what I'm calling Ultimate Fursona. Consider this an open call for playtest. I've got a rough but usable text document that'll feed in the book. As of this morning,it has a good number of racial options, though I haven't ported in everything from the prior books yet, by any means. Right now, its all crunch, no real flavor text or world info. However, if you want to take a look at the rough draft and make some comments or ask questions, please email me at 

chrisfieldotherverse@hotmail.com 

Please put Ultimate Fursona Playtest in the subject line and I'll be happy to send you a rough draft, or hear your suggestions or just generally shoot the shit. 

So lets take a look at some of the Ultimate Fursona racial write up. This isn't everything I've written yet, by any means, but should give you an idea of where I'm going with this racial sourcebook. 

CHRIS

Begin Excerpt.....

Ultimate Fursona is a complete and comprehensive revamp of the most popular, D20-based furry character creation system ever written! Building furry heroes with Ultimate Fursona is quicker, easier and more flexible than ever before. A new character creation system reduces book-keeping, pares down a lot of unneeded rules text, and allows for deeper, multi-faceted anthropomorphic characters. Hybrid creatures, blending the traits of multiple animal species, are easier than ever to imagine.

Where the first edition of Fursona defined anthropomorphic characters by their Order (the species type they belonged to), Ultimate Fursona allows for a more modular character creation. Players choose a unique ability score package for their furry hero or heroine, based on its animal nature. Size is chosen similarly, allowing for everything from Tiny rodent rogues to Huge elephant clerics. Finally, the player chooses several Gifts of Nature for their anthro, the amount of which is determined by the anthro’s size. Disadvantages allow the acquisition of additional Gifts of Nature, while optional templates offer further opportunities for customization.

Anthros

Tiny to Huge Humanoid (Anthro)

Anthros aren’t simply one species. Instead, the term is an umbrella for a variety of mostly interfertile, highly adaptable and exuberant hominids with bestial traits and a partially animalistic appearance. Anthros hail from every corner of the multiverse. Some Anthro bloodlines are products of science: genetic uplifts from animal stock, while others are creatures of parallel evolution on distant world, or mystical hybrids created by sorcery.

Regardless of their origins, Anthros marry the natural instincts and survival adaptations of the animal kingdom with the cunning and intellect of humanity.

Appearance

Anthro appearance varies wildly. Size and body morphology is extremely varied, from petite ermine Anthros barely larger than a human child to hulking baleen whale Anthros whose steps shake the floor when they clamber up onto dry land. Most are bipedal and basically humanoid, but glorious exceptions abound, from multi-tentacled octopod Anthros to frightening tarantula Anthros with their strange proportions, tripartite bodies and additional arms.

The typical Anthro (if there is such a thing), is roughly human-sized and shaped. They have animalistic skulls, though sometimes the muzzle is shortened, giving the Anthro a somewhat more human profile. A pelt usually covers every inch of their bodies, with the exception of the palms of their paws and their genital region. Fur coloration, thickness and texture varies wildly, and sometimes colors and patterns never seen in nature emerge on the fur. Anthro tigers with thick, soft pelts of green and gold aren’t unknown, nor are magenta rodents, nor songbirds with ice blue plumage that glows a cold cobalt. While fur is the dominant skin covering for Anthros (hence, the race’s most common slang epithet: furry), other bloodlines might boast colorful plumage, a variety of reptilian and piscine scales, or even a chitin exoskeleton.

Anatomical details vary wildly between subspecies, and sometimes, even between individual families within an extended bloodline. For example, some Anthro females display a pair of human-like mammae, while others might suckle their young from a double line of small nipples running the length of their abdomen. Additionally, many Anthros have dog-like, digitigrade legs, while other breeds have a basically human shin and ankle structure. Other anatomical quirks, too many to ever catalogue, differentiate rival Anthro bloodlines.

Anthros tend to be somewhat vain, and are usually proud of their bodies. Most dress stylishly, often mimicking human fashion (or the fashions of another culturally dominant humanoid race), modified to fit Anthro anatomy of course. Out of necessity, most Anthro clothing includes straps, snaps and slits to accommodate wings, tails and other appendages. Ordinary clothing is easily modified, and Anthro armorers are skilled at customizing even full plate for the needs of their kind, but on high tech worlds, finding specially modified powered armor and space suits designed to accommodate a long, fluffy tail or impressive rack of antlers can be a struggle.

Biology and Reproduction

Though different species, most breeds of Anthros are similar enough they can interbreed successfully. In most cases, the hyperfertile Anthros are also capable of bearing viable offspring with baseline humans, and possibly with other humanoid races, such as Elves.

Most Anthros reproduce in typical mammalian faction, giving birth to live young after a pregnancy lasting between six and ten months. Usually, multiple births are the norm. Egglaying Anthros, including amphibian and reptilian ‘scalies’, insectoid ‘clickies’  and avian species produce clutches of up to a dozen eggs, of which varying numbers come to term.

Multiple Anthro species experience a mating or rutting season, during which time they experience a nearly perpetual arousal as well as hyper-fertility. Out of season, Anthros can enjoy sex for pleasure, but when they enter their heat period, the urge to mate can become nearly overwhelming. Older Anthros control their desire through experience and willpower, but younger Anthros are edgy, distracted and prone to violent displays to improve their place in the sexual pecking order.

As a people, Anthros tend to be very sexually open, with few of the sexual taboos common among non-furred races. Most of their taboos are fairly common-sense prohibitions against crimes like rape and incest, rather than complex ethical prohibitions. Depending on the individual, sexual attitudes can range from wanton exhibitionism to a simple confidence and acceptance of their own desires.

Anthros tend to be widely accepting of homosexual and cross-species relationships. Sexual exploration and sequential monogamy, especially among young Anthros are accepted, and polyamorous relationships are perfectly acceptable among most breeds. Harem relationships and pack-based family structures are common among species as diverse as great cat Anthros and bee or other eusocial insect Anthros.

As most Anthro bloodlines are cross fertile, hybrids are extremely common. Hybrid Anthros are usually the same phenotype as the mother, but often display elements of their father’s phenotype. For example, the son of a canary Anthro mother and a stag Anthro father might be a golden feathered avian distinguished by short, blunt horns rising from his forehead. Pelt or body coloration and patterning changes in complex, often unpredictable ways when breeding across Anthro breed-lines.

The one thing virtually guaranteed in hybrid births is that the offspring will be even more beautiful, vibrantly colored and strange, then their already beautiful parents. Intentionally breeding for hybrid beauty and vigor is common among some noble bloodlines, and many Anthro families consider themselves amateur eugenicists.

Lifespan

Most Anthro breeds live and die in less than a century, and mature at a similar rate to baseline human children. Smaller breeds, such as rabbit and songbird Anthros, live shorter lives and mature much faster than other Anthros. Conversely, Anthros from truly massive species, such as whales, elephants and tortoise breeds can live for several centuries. A very few Anthos, usually products of cutting edge genetic engineering or potent magic, have pronounced healing gifts that make them virtually ageless and immortal.

Military

Anthros can be exceedingly war-like, expansionistic and brutal, or they can be committed pacifists. Anthro warriors take full advantage of their natural gifts: compared to humans, they tend to be larger, stronger, and equipped with natural weapons. Most tend to be faster or more agile as well. More exotic gifts, ranging from winged flight to mystical abilities like invisibility or psi-talent are displayed by a few bloodlines, and taken full advantage of by those lucky Anthros.

Anthros are pragmatic and tactically clever. They take full advantage of their natural gifts when they fight, and prefer to choose a battlefield that gives them the advantage rather than fighting on an enemy’s terms. Most are especially comfortable in the native terrain of their animal forebears, and fight most fiercely there.

Anthros are equally adept at fighting in species-segregated units (such as entire legion of tiger Anthro mercenaries, or a platoon’s worth of fast moving lapine scouts) or in mixed units. Most can get along well with other Anthro breeds, and in the rare occasion they can’t, detailed Anthro-specific laws lay out how predator and prey species interact. (In mixed breed Anthro societies, the necessity of such laws is obvious.)

Language

Anthro characters begin play speaking the most common language in the campaign (often Common, English, Galactic Common or Japanese) and one of several Anthro-specific dialects. Anthro languages have migrated across the multiverse, with only relatively small regional differences between realities. These Anthro languages are all considered part of the same linguistic family. The most common Anthro languages are:

·        Furroar: An aggressive, linguistically brutal dialect of Fursong, this language incorporates howls, roars and other aggressive sounds. Popularized by wolf and ursine Anthros and other predatory breeds.  

·        Fursong: A hissing, breathy language based on the vocalization of cats (with occasional growls or barks for emphasis). The most common tongue among feline anthros, but also common among mammalian anthros of all sorts.

·        High Chirp: A rapid-fire string of whistles, chirps and caws, sung in a high pitch. Popular among avian and some insectoid anthros, and even some bat anthros have learned to sing the language. This melodious language is popular among anthro singers of all breeds.

·        Skale: A low, throaty and guttural language preferred by reptilian and draconic anthros. Has some linguistic similarities to Draconic and shares some vocabulary.

Anthro characters with high INT scores may choose any language, except for secret languages like Druidic, as bonus languages.

Anthro Names

Anthro Religion

Anthro Racial Traits

All Anthros have the following racial traits.

Size and Type

Anthros are Humanoids with the Anthro subtype.

Optional Players may give their Anthro an additional subtype appropriate to its origins, if desired. For instance, a cobra Anthro might have the Reptilian subtype, or a human/coyote hybrid might have the Human subtype. Players are not required to give their Anthros an additional subtype.

Players choose their Anthro’s size at character creation. This size determines many of the Anthro’s physical characteristics. These include the character’s base land speed, reach and number of Gifts of Nature allowed, as well as the damage inflicted by their natural weapons.  

Game Master Note

The GM is free to restrict Anthro characters to a particular size range, as Tiny and Huge characters might be considered unbalanced in most standard campaigns.

Anthro’s Size Category	Anthro’s Base Landspeed	Anthro’s Reach	Anthro’s Natural Weapons (claw/hoof)	Anthro’s Natural Weapon (gore)	Gifts of Nature
Tiny	10 ft	0 ft	1d3+STR (20/x2)	1d6+STR (20/x3)	Three
Small	20 ft	5 ft	1d4+STR (20/x2)	1d8+STR (20/x3)	Four
Medium	30 ft	5 ft	1d6+STR (20/x2)	1d10+STR (20/x3)	Four
Large	40 ft	10 ft	1d8+STR (20/x2)	1d12+STR (20/x3)	Three
Huge	40 ft	15 ft	1d10+STR (20/x2)	2d6+STR (20/x3)	Two

Natural Weapons (EX)

All Anthros possess some form of natural weapon, provided by evolution.

Shippers receive two natural weapon attacks as primary natural attack forms. These either take the form of two claw attacks (slashing damage) or two hoof stomps (bludgeoning damage). Damage is based upon the Anthro’s size.

Alternatively, the Anthro can select a single gore attack that inflicts piercing damage based upon size, in the case of horned (rhinoceros) or antlered (deer, elk) derived Anthro species.

Lowlight Vision (EX)
Anthros have keen eyes, and possess lowlight vision.

Choose Your Ability Scores

Anthros are such a radically diverse assortment of creatures, with an equally diverse range of talents. Pick one ability score package for your Anthro; once chosen, this choice cannot be changed.

Optional You can also roll D8 to see what your ability score package suggests, if you need inspiration about what kind of Anthro you’ll build, and then select Gifts of Nature that mesh well with this concept.

(1) Adaptable

+2 to any ability score of choice. Anthros like this can excel in a wide variety of situations and environments.

(2) Chase Predator

+2 DEX, -2 CON, +2 WIS. These Anthros are nimble and have keen senses, but a hot-running metabolism saps their vitality.

(3) Domesticated

-2 STR, +2 INT, +2 CHA. These Anthros are clever and likable, but bred to be physically frail.

(4) Enduring but Dim

+4 CON, -2  INT. These Anthros can work all day without breaking a sweat, but aren’t the sharpest claw in the paw.

(5) Instinctual Hunter

+2 STR, -4 INT, +2 WIS. This feral Anthro gets by with instinct and a healthy capacity for violence rather than book learning or rational thought.

(6) Tough and Ponderous

+2 STR, -2 DEX, +2 CON. These Anthros are incredibly strong and healthy, but a bit slow and clumsy.

(7) Trickster

+2 DEX, -2 CON, +2 CHA. This Anthro gets by on guile and charm, but doesn’t know the meaning of hard work.

(8) Quick Witted

-2 STR, +2 INT, +2 WIS. The Anthro learns fast and has good senses, but isn’t a hard hitter by any means.

Choose Your Gifts of Nature

Gifts of Nature are the innate powers that Anthro heroes are blessed with. These gifts can range from a boa constrictor Anthro’s crushing hug, to a falcon Anthro’s powerful wings, or a Clydesdale Anthro’s speed and steel-crushing kick. Players choose a number of Gifts of Nature determined by their Anthro’s size. Players wanting more Gifts can choose Disadvantages, which allow them to select additional powers beyond the usual limit.

Most Gifts of Nature count as a single gift. If there’s no other notation in the ability write-up, that trait counts as just one Gift. If a particularly powerful gift counts as two or more Gift of Nature selections, that’s noted in the ability’s description.

Standard Monster Abilities as Gifts of Nature

The following standard racial abilities can be chosen as Gifts of Nature.

Alignment Subtype (any)

All Around Vision

Anthro Senses (gain Scent and Darkvision 60 ft)

Aquatic (gains Aquatic subtype, ability to breathe water and a Swim speed equal to base land speed)

Blindsight 30 ft (counts as two Gifts)

Blindsense 60 ft

Bonus Feat, Minor (0-1 prerequisite aside from ability score prerequisites, can be selected multiple times for extra feats)

Bonus Feat, Major (2 or more prerequisites aside from ability score prerequisites, can be selected multiple times for extra feats) (each feat of this type counts as 2 Gifts)

Burrow Speed (equal to ½ base land speed; can only burrow through loose earth or soil if chosen as 1 Gift, or through rock or hard-packed stone if chosen as 2 Gifts)

Climb Speed (equal to base landspeed)

Constrict

Evasion (counts as 2 Gifts)

Fast Healing 2 (can be selected multiple times)

Fast Speed (increase base speeds by 10 ft, can be selected multiple times)

Ferocity

Greater Starflight (counts as 2 Gifts)

Grab (with natural weapons- bite, paws or hooves only)

Immunity to Non-Magical Disease

Immunity to Poison

No Breath (counts as 2 Gifts)

Natural Armor (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, can be selected multiple times)

Pounce (counts as 2 Gifts)

Psionic (gain the Naturally Psionic and Psionic Aptitude racial traits and the Psionic subtype)

Push or Pull 5 ft (can be taken more than once)

Rake (requires two or more natural weapon attacks) (counts as 2 Gifts)

Rend (requires two or more natural weapon attacks) (counts as 2 Gifts)

Resistance (1 energy type) 10 (can be taken multiple times, either to stack or to acquire new energy resistances each time)

Regeneration 2, nullified by Acid/Fire (can be selected multiple times) (counts as 2 Gifts each selection)

Spell-Like or Psi-Like Ability (zero level, usable at will)

Spell-Like or Psi-Like Ability (1^st level, usable 3x/day)

Spell-Like or Psi-Like Ability (2^nd level, usable 1x/day)  

You may purchase the same 1^st or 2^nd spell- or psi-like ability multiple times to gain additional daily uses, or purchase different versions of these Gifts, representing different spell- or psi-like abilities.

Spell Resistance 10+level or Hit Dice (counts as 2 Gifts)

Starflight (counts as 2 Gifts)

Stability

Stench (can activate or deactivate Stench as a move action)

Stonecutting

Tremorsense 60 ft

Web 

Other Gifts of Nature

This is an alphabetical list of additional Gifts of Nature, which might range from something as simple as a venomous bite to wild powers as wondrous as teleportation. Unless specifically stated otherwise, you cannot take the same Gift of Nature more than once.

Caster/Manifester Level

Unless otherwise noted, if a Gift of Nature is a psi-like or spell-like ability, your caster level/manifester level is equal to your total character level.

Anthro Aptitude (EX)
Your half-animal nature gives you an edge when you need it most.

Once per day, you may activate Anthro Aptitude as an immediate action, to receive either a +1d12 competence bonus on a skill check or saving throw, or a +1d6 competence bonus on an attack roll or combat maneuver. You may declare the use of this ability after the roll is made, but before the results are revealed. However, you may only activate Anthro Aptitude when performing a feat appropriate to animals of your species.

The gamemaster has the ultimate authority whether or not a particular action would be appropriate to your animal type. If the action isn’t appropriate, this ability does not activate, and remains usable later.

Some examples:

An action that would always be appropriate. “I’m a wolf Anthro, I use Anthro Aptitude on a Survival check to find food.” “I’m a sugar glider Anthro, I use Anthro Aptitude on a Fly check.” “I’m a tiger Anthro, I use Anthro Aptitude with my melee attack.”

An action that’s probably appropriate. “I’m a beaver Anthro so I use Anthro Aptitude on a Craft (carpentry) check.” “I’m a stubborn mule Anthro, so I use Anthro Aptitude on my next WILL Save.” “I’m a eagle Anthro, and I use Anthro Aptitude on my Pilot check.”

An action that’s only appropriate if the player can justify it, and the GM agrees. “I’m a black bear Anthro, and since they’re healers in some Native American myths, I’m going to use Anthro Aptitude on this Heal check.” “I’m a turtle Anthro and I want to use Anthro Aptitude on an attack roll with my katana. We both grew up in the 80s, so come on, dude.”  

No way! “I’m a ferret Anthro, and since ferrets are really smart animals, I’m using Anthro Aptitude on a Knowledge (physical sciences) check to disarm this suitcase nuke.”

Asymetric Weapon (EX)

Requires Natural Weapons (claws), Pincer trait

One of your natural weapons is massively oversized and deadly, like the dominant claw of a fiddler crab. The natural weapon (claw) on your dominant hand threaten a critical hit on a natural 18-20 and inflict x3 damage on a critical hit.

However, the bulk of your enlarged claw or pincer limits your manual dexterity. You suffer a -2 racial penalty on checks involving fine manipulation with your dominant hand, which stacks with the racial penalty for having pincers.

Bullet Proof Hide (EX)

Counts as 2 Gifts

Requires Natural Armor

Your leathery hide is dense enough to withstand even large caliber gunshot wounds. The worst gunfire does to you is briefly deform your skin. You gain Damage Reduction 10/- against ballistic damage, which stacks with more general Damage Reduction when protecting against gunfire.

Chameleon Skin (EX)

Your skin, scales, feathers or fur shift color in response to your surroundings. When motionless, you receive a +20 racial bonus on Stealth checks. When moving at half speed or less, this bonus is +10, and drops to +5 when moving at full speed or greater.

Clinging Climber (EX)
Requires Climb speed

Like a sloth or a bat, you can hang effortlessly from a branch or perch, even while dead asleep. As long as you don’t move, climbing ceases to be an action, so you can perform it even while asleep, stunned or otherwise unable to act. You can always take 10 on Climb checks.

Damn Tough (EX)

The Anthro has fast-clotting blood and organs that can take a real pounding and keep working. The Anthro automatically stabilizes and treats ability score drain as temporary ability score damage instead.

Elemental Fury (SU)
Can be taken as 1 Gift or 2 Gifts

Requires Energy Immunity (any)

Your furry body courses with potent elemental energies. Wisps of flame dance between your fangs, or perhaps lightning crackles down your arms and along the length of your tail.

Your natural weapon attacks gain one of the following magical weapon properties: corrosive, flaming, frost, pleasuring*, shock or thundering. This weapon property must match the Anthro’s Energy Immunity. For instance, an Anthro immune to Cold will manifest frost natural weapons.

If you take this quality as two Gifts of Nature, your natural weapon attacks gain one fo the following magical weapon properties instead: corrosive burst, flaming burst, icy burst, pleasuring burst*, shocking burst. This magic weapon property must match the Anthro’s Energy Immunity.

The player may choose either version of this Gift more than once, applying a new energy type each time. The Antro may choose to activate any Elemental Fury, or all Elemental Fury abilities possessed, at any given time.

Fearless (EX)
Counts as 2 Gifts

Your breed of Anthro is known and celebrated for its courage in battle. You are immune to fear.

Four Armed (EX)

A trait commonly possessed by myraid insect, spider, octopod and squid anthros, members of other breeds sometimes display multiple functional arms (or prehensile tendrils) as a useful mutation.

The Anthro receives Multiweapon Fighting as a racial bonus feat. The Anthro’s multiple limbs provide them with a +4 racial bonus on Combat Maneuver checks made to grapple or disarm.

This Gift of Nature can be taken more than once. Each time you choose this ability, you gain an additional pair of functional arms (or tendrils). This provides you with an additional +2 racial bonus on Combat Maneuver checks made to grapple or disarm. 

Anthro Traits

Traits are less powerful than feats, obviously, but they are also less potent (or at least, much more situational) than most Gifts of Nature. Several minor abilities present in the original draft of Fursona have become traits in Ultimate Fursona.

Instead of the usual limitation on traits: that players only choose one trait from each category, you might consider a variant rule that allows slightly more powerful Anthros. Players can choose traits from any category they desire, but one trait must be an extraordinary ability, and the other can be a spell-like, psi-like or supernatural ability.

Combat Traits

Big Paws

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race

You’ve got skull crushing, mighty paws like an alpha lioness or a polar bear. You may wield weapons sized for creatures one size category larger than your actual size category without penalty. You may wield a one handed weapon sized for a creature your actual size as a one handed light weapon, or a two handed weapon sized for a creature your actual size as a one handed weapon.

 

Biter

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race

You gain a bite attack as a secondary natural attack. This bite inflicts piercing damage equal to the Natural Weapons (claw/hoof) line for an Anthro your size plus ½ your STR modifier.

Herd Instinct
Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race

Your breed of Anthros are herd-based prey animals who depend on others of their kind for support. You receive a cumulative +1 racial bonus on Initiative checks (maximum +10 bonus) for each ally with this trait within 100 ft of you.

Survival Instinct

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Improved Initiative

You’ve lived this long by being cautious and light on your feet. Once per day, you may re-roll an Initiative check. You must accept the results of the second Initiative check, even if it is worse then the first.

Faith Traits

Nature Sense
Ability Type Extraordinary

You can smell a storm upon the wind. You receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks made to predict the weather. If you have or later gain the Scent racial trait this bonus increases to +12.

Magic Traits

Psionic Traits

Racial Traits

Blood Scent

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Scent racial trait

You can sense spilt blood at incredible distances. You are aware of the approximate distance to and general direction to any bleeding creature within 100 ft. If both you and the bleeding creature are underwater, the distance increases to 1 mile.

Hold Breath

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires CON 11+

You have extraordinary lung capacity, and can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to your CON score before needing to make FORT Saves to resist suffocation or drowning.

Impressive Weapons

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race, Natural Weapons racial trait

Your claws are razor sharp, your antlers truly majestic. Your natural weapons inflict damage as if you were one size category larger. (If this increases your effective size past Huge, increase the die size of the natural weapons by one step.)

Pincer

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race, Natural Weapon (claws)

Your natural weapon take the form of crab-like or lobster-like pincers. Your pincers provide you with a +1 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to maintain a grapple or sunder a weapon. Your pincers limit your manual dexterity, and you suffer a

-2 racial penalty on checks involving fine manipulation.

Prehensile Tail

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Anthro race

Your long tail is almost as clever as your paws! You have a monkey-like prehensile tail or maybe a useful tentacle- elephant Anthros might even boast a dexterous trunk. As long as your tail is free to move, you are considered to have a free hand for the purposes of abilities such as deflect arrows. Your prehensile tail cannot wield a weapon, but it does allow you to retrieve a stowed item from your person as a swift action.

Prehensile Toes

Ability Type Extraordinary

You were born with a beneficial mutation that makes your large, flat feet nearly as dexterous as your hands. You receive a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks, and may use your feet to perform most other skill checks, albeit at a -4 penalty due to your lack of manual dexterity.

Reproductive Traits

Reproductive traits obviously relate to the sexual lives and reproductive strategies of various Anthro species. If you want to run a strictly all-ages furry campaign, you can easily ignore traits of this type, or only allow relatively innocuous traits from this category as racial or social traits. If you want to get yiffy, include everything here.

Social Traits

Carrion Eater

Ability Type Extraordinary

Nothing’s tastier than garbage or rotting carcasses found by the roadside. You can eat garbage, rotting or spoiled meat and similarly foul things without risking illness. Your rough diet gives you a +2 trait bonus on FORT Saves against ingested poisons and food-borne diseases.

Heraldic Beast

Ability Type Extraordinary

Your anthropomorphic body is marked with the colors of your nation or noble house. Your fur might grow in the gold and blue check of your home city, or your tail feathers might have the check and star pattern of the queen you serve. No matter the case, your origin and loyalties are plain to see. Additionally, if your family coat of arms is ever divided by marriage, elevated by royal decree, or similarly modified, your body changes to reflect your altered status.

You have a keen instinct for heraldry and a fine memory for coats-of-arms. You receive a +10 racial bonus on Knowledge (nobility) checks made to recognize a specific coat of arms, personal rune, sigil or other identifying symbol.

Shiny! Mine!!

Ability Type Extraordinary

Requires Improved Steal

You like nothing better than taking shinies. Your paws especially attracted to shiny, iridescent and reflective things such as gems, jewels or even a polished piece of tin. If the object you are stealing is especially bright and eye-catching, as determined by the game master, you receive a +2 luck bonus on Sleight of Hand checks or Steal combat maneuver checks made to filch it.

 

Kitties!

I know intellectually the Ubasti are a seriously badass concept- a 700 lb war lion that's strong enough to up-end an SUV with one good swipe of its paws.

And I know that Vic Shane made this illustration (from the upcoming Culture of Choice sourcebook) awesomely dangerous looking (you see that fucking mace strapped to his tail?). But I see this and my brain goes "KITTIES!"
KITTIES!

CHRIS

Psi-Threats and new Anthros

Yesterday morning, I put Psi-Threats: Book One Mutant and Machine up for sale on RPGnow. This is the first in a line of short and mid-length bestiaries for the Psi-Watch Campaign Setting. Beneath the awesome Anthony Cournoyer cover, you'll find 35 pages of what's basically X-Men badguys with the serial numbers filed off for Pathfinder and Ultimate Psionics. This first sourcebook's highlights include great homages to the Sentinels, the Reavers, and...the Savage Dragon. I'm already working on Book Two, which will focus on psychic soldiers and special operatives for the various Psi-Watch factions.

Next up. What would you say to a completely revised, one book version of Fursona? The Pathfinder adaptation of Battlechangers got me thinking of new ways to build Anthro characters: more flexibility, no ever-expanding list of Orders. I started playing around with the Gravity Cats from Galaxy Command/Heavy Future, and came up with a revised Shipper player race. I'm thinking that when I eventually do revise Fursona, I'll rebuild Anthros in-line with the design philosophy you see here.

Take a look.

Shipper

Medium Humanoid (anthro)

“Shippers” is common slang for a myriad of interfertile semi-animalistic aliens with no clear home world or point of origins. Many Shippers hail from worlds either conquered or annihilated outright during the Great Galactic Darkness, or worlds that were lost to the relentless march of the Imperial Church of the Galaxy’s anti-anthro pogroms.

Shippers have organized themselves in a loose confederacy of generation ships and hollowed-out asteroid habitats as a matter of necessity. They survive as stellar nomads, trading service for passage, or occasionally, provisional citizenship. Mostly though, they ply the stellar trade routes, drifting between cold and distant stars, seeking their fortunes.

Appearance

Shippers are an assortment of anthropomorphic hominids, ranging in size from petite rodent-derived species that barely top 4.5 ft to massive ursiods and capricornoids that are 7.5 ft walls of muscle, fur and horn. The most numerous ethnic blocs within the Shipper confederacy seem to be derived from rodent-evolved or felinoid stock.

The various Shipper races are interfertile and often omni-fertile, suggesting either some common ancestry or genetic tinkering sometime in the distant past. As a result, details like fur and eye configuration, cranial shape, tail length and texture, the presence of horns, crests and other display appendages seems to vary wildly among individuals. Thanks to recessive genes, a family of grey-pelted lapine-derived Shippers might occasionally give birth to a larger than normal kit with crimson and gold tiger striping.

The one commonality among Shippers is their dress: space-worthy and highly practical. Shippers usually wear armored jump suits and custom fitted space suits designed around a rack of antlers or a long, semi-prehensile tail. They tend to carry everything they own neatly rolled up in an engineer’s bedroll or slid into one of their many jumpsuit pockets.

Homeworld

Shippers are a space born race. The species has no homeworld- some Shipper races lack any curiosity or nostalgia for their lost homeworlds. Others have mythologized what they have lost as ancestral paradise- a destroyed heaven for anthropomorphics of their genotype.

Shippers were forced to become galactic gypsies, who survive by selling their services (as everything from astronautics technicians to prostitutes to mercenaries) to the major stellar empires. Traveling in enormous ark ships carved from planetoids and ancient star cruisers, Shippers have crossed and re-crossed the Milky Way, and have visited every major planetary port of call.

Shipper society is based around the ark; the citizens of a single ark are considered part of a single extended family, regardless of their evolutionary lineage. These ‘ark families’ can include well over a hundred thousand Shippers, all unified in a quest for resources, profit and glory. Rivalries between ark ships can be deadly, especially when the clans are competing for scarce resources or some juicy contract.

Sex, Drugs and Violence

Shippers are an earthy, sexual people, with few sexual taboos. Most of their taboos are fairly common-sense prohibitions against crimes like rape and incest, rather than complex ethical prohibitions. Public displays of affection are not frowned on, and given the cramped conditions aboard most arcs, most Shippers politely look the other way if a neighbor is rutting.

The various Shipper lineages are interfertile, and many Shippers are pan-racial. Breeding outside the lineage is encouraged, as unexpected new genetic combinations that prove viable have the potential to uplift the race as a hole. Pregnancy and birth is celebrated among Shippers, and many arks are hotbeds of eugenic experimentation, as various Shippers strive to find the perfect mix of bloodlines. Complex, often polyamorous relationships that bind several allied crews are the norm.

Shipper pregnancies tend to last between six months and a year, and depending on the creatures involved, might produce a single birth, a litter of dozens of kits, or anything in between. Miscarriages and infant mortality are slightly higher than the galactic norm; given their genetic diversity, not every new Shipper mutation is a positive one. Lifespan tends to be commiserate with the Human Diaspora, though there both positive and negative exceptions.

Politics & Culture

Shippers hold a culture-wide loathing for the bigots of the ICG elite and have a deep suspicion of even everyday ICG faithful. The ICG has spent centuries trying to annihilate any blending of humanoid and animal, something they consider anathema, and many older Shippers can recite the names of ship-mates and friends lost to an ICG kill squad.

Despite this, Shippers will sometime do piecework for the ICG, if their ark can’t find a better contract somewhere. They don’t like it, and the ICG are bastards to work for, but in desperate times, the Shippers will grudgingly do it.

Shippers are on better terms with a variety of galactic factions, but aren’t truly trusted by anyone. Many Free Spacers have intermarried into Shipper arcs and vice versa. The race gets along well with the similarly space-based Proximites. In any port of call, anywhere in the dirty galaxy, you’ll find three races above all else: humans, Proximites and Shippers.

Names

Shipper names translate colorfully into Galactic Common. The aliens place a great deal of importance on family, and each ark family tends to earn a reputation based upon its members’ exploits. Individual Shippers are more likely to be stereotyped based upon their ark of origin then they are by their species as a whole. There isn’t much difference between male and female Shipper names.

Personal Names: Engine Whisper, Light Whisker, Plasma Horn, Star Paw, Sun Runner

Ark Surnames: Battlemoon Ark (always demands cash up front for merc work), Brightwarp Ark (great, if arrogant fighter aces), Meteorcrusher Ark (asteroid miners, but they steal), Novasong Ark (owe the Corporation Command big, most join the Command Fleet)

Languages

Shippers begin play speaking a trade language common to all arks, called Shipper Patois and Galactic Common. Shippers with high INT scores can choose any language as a bonus language, except for secret languages like Druidic.

Shipper Racial Traits

All Shippers share the following racial traits.

Size and Type

Shippers are Medium Humanoids with the anthro and psionic subtypes. As Medium creatures, Shippers receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

                                                               

Ability Score Modifiers

+2 to any ability score of choice

Shippers are a diverse collection of species, with many unique aptitudes and racial gifts. Like humans, they are resistant to pigeonholing.

Normal Speed (EX)
Shippers have a base land speed of 30 ft.

Evolutionary Ability (EX)
Shippers have many powers, unique to their animal breeds. Each Shipper selects one ability from the following menu of extraordinary racial abilities. Once chosen, this gift cannot be changed, as they reflect the Shipper’s lineage.

Armored Hide (EX): The Shipper gains a +4 natural armor bonus to AC.

Bestial Senses (EX): The Shipper gains a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks to notice animate creatures or objects. They receive a check to notice movement whenever it happens within 50 ft of them, whether or now they are actively looking.  

Bonus Feat (EX): The Shipper gains a single racial bonus feat chosen from this list: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Nimble Moves, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (natural weapons only).

Climb Speed (EX): The Shipper gains a Climb speed of 30 ft and a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks.

Hearty (EX): The Shipper is immune to disease and gains a +2 racial bonus on FORT saves against poison. (This stacks with the benefit provided by a Scavenger metabolism.)

Insulated Hide (EX): The Shipper has a thick, water proof pelt that provides Cold Resistance 5.

                                                                                                            

Pounce (EX): The Shipper gains the Pounce racial quality.

Swift (EX): The Shipper’s base land speed increases to 40 ft.

Swim Speed (EX): The True Beast gains a Swim speed of 30 ft and a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.

Metabolism (EX)
Shippers are derived from an assortment of animal species, which defines their natural gifts. Most important among the distinctions between Shippers is their preferred feeding strategy. Choose one metabolism at character creation, which determines many of the Shipper’s traits (as well as the diet they demand from shipboard food replicators.)

Herbivore: Shipper herbivores receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks, and gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC.

Omnivore: Shipper omnivores receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics, Climb and Survival checks, and one of these skills is always a class skill for them.

Carnivore: Shipper carnivores gain Darkvision 60 ft and the Scent special quality and gain Weapon Focus (natural weapons) as a racial bonus feat.

Scavenger: Shipper scavengers gain the Scent special quality and receive a +4 racial bonus on FORT Saves against disease and poison. Scavengers can eat carrion, rotting meat or garbage and derive nutrition without ill effects.

Natural Weapons (EX)

All Shippers possess some form of natural weapon, provided by evolution.

Shippers receive two natural weapon attacks as primary natural attack forms. These either take the form of two claw attacks that inflict 1d6 + STR modifier points of slashing damage (20/x2) or two hoof stomps that inflict 1d6 + STR modifier points of bludgeoning damage (20/x2).

Alternatively, the Shipper can select a single gore attack that inflicts 1d10 + STR modifier points of damage (20/x3) in the case of horned (rhinoceros) or antlered (deer, elk) derived Shipper species.

Lowlight Vision (EX)
Shippers possess lowlight vision.

Skilled Spacer (EX)
Shippers are well adapted to life in space, and are most comfortable aboard a starship. They’re damn good spacers, the equal of any human Free Spacer or Proximite techie.

Shippers receive Zero G Training as a racial bonus feat. Shippers receive a +2 racial bonus on Pilot checks and Computer Use checks made to control shipboard systems.

Shippers Alternate Racial Traits

Shippers aren’t a single, monolithic species. Instead, this motley assortment of anthro spacers represents the infinite diversity of shapes that intelligent life can take in the galaxy.

Cosmopolitan (EX)
Replaces: Skilled Spacer

Shippers have a natural gift for languages and enjoy encountering new cultures: first contact is always a joyous occasion for these spacers.

She shipper begins play speaking 1d4+1 additional bonus languages, in addition to languages she earns for having a high INT modifier. The Shipper gains a bonus rank in Linguistic and a new language known each time she levels up.

Master Pilot (EX)

Replaces: Skilled Spacer

There’s nobody better behind the controls of a star fighter than a Shipper pilot: after all, there’s a good reason they call it ‘dog-fighting’, right? The Shipper is treated as having the Improved Initiative feat when at the controls of any spacecraft. If the Shipper already has this feat, the effects stack.

Naturally Psionic (EX)

Replaces: Either Evolutionary Ability or Skilled Spacer

The Shipper gains Wild Talent as a racial bonus feat. If she later takes levels in a psionic class, she gains Psionic Talent instead. Whenever the Shipper gains a new level, she may choose to gain an additional power point rather than a bonus skill point or Hit Point.

Skilled Engineer (EX)
Replaces: Skilled Spacer

The Shipper spends her time on the engineering decks rather than the bridge, fixing and jury-rigging, rather than piloting.

The Shipper receives Zero G Training as a racial bonus feat. The Shipper receives a +2 racial bonus on all Craft checks made to repair or upgrade a space vessel’s systems.

Station Sense (EX)

Replaces: Lowlight Vision

When aboard a space station, starship, or other large enclosed environment (such as a submarine), the Shipper attunes herself to the subtle vibrations of the engine and ever-present hum of life support. When in an environmentally sealed vehicle or environment, Shippers gain tremorsense with a 60 ft radius.

Telepathic Shipper (SU)
Replaces: Natural Weapons, adds subtype

Several Shipper breeds have evolved innate telepathic gifts, the better to bridge the communication gaps between the various Shipper lineages. The Shipper gains telepathy 100 ft and gains the psionic subtype.

Final business?
 Andrew, I read your suggestions for some APEX spells in the comments of a previous post, and dig your ideas. If you want to write the sourcebook, drop me an email. You've got some cool ideas, man.
chrisfieldotherverse@hotmail.com

Blessed Be,
CHRIS