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Knight of Roses
25th September 2004, 08:09 PM
Just to show I do more than just critique others. Here is the racial description for Centaur from my Isles of Reason (Mythic Greece) campaign:

Centaurs
the powerful half men half horses dominate the plains around their home city of Megopolis. Only recently organized into the Kingdom of Centaurs from a group of feuding tribes, they are still looked upon as being barely civilized by their neighbors. They are strong of body and of will, indeed many are too headstrong and willful.
Centaurs are half man, half horse, and according to them, the best of both halves. The Centaurs have only recently pulled themselves out of barbarism in the eyes of their neighbors. Now from the great city of Megopolis on the plains, the Centaur Regium has begun to expand its power and influence.
Unfortunately, centaurs are very fond of wine, but they tend to become violent when drunk. Fortunately, it takes a considerable amount of wine to make a centaur drunk. Much of centaur party etiquette revolves around maintaining an acceptable level of drinking. Those centaurs that survive the rough and tumble of early life and service in the army of the Centaur King are usually become more restrained and often grow wise.
Personality: Centaurs are larger than life in most ways, they are often loud and boisterous, and prone to eat and drink to excess. Yet, they are fascinated by philosophy and learning and are gifted healers.
Physical Description:
Relations: The Centaurs are proud of their military strength and of the vitality of their young kingdom.
Alignment: Centaurs tend to be free spirited, yet seeking of order, harkening back to the nature of horses. Centaurs who grew up in a polis tend towards law, while those in the wild are more usually neutral.
Centaur Lands: Centaur prefer plains and rolling hills.
Religion: Like all of the Sylva, the centaurs follow the Hellenic pantheon. Chief among their patrons are Artemis and Apollo, Zeus, Hera and Demeter. The Centaurs are especially found of portraying Artemis and Apollo, the twin patrons of archery, as centaurs.
Language:
Names: See Hellenic name list.
Adventurers:

Centaur Racial Traits
• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom: Centaurs gain the strength and stamina of their equine half, but they can be clumsy and have trouble controlling their passions.
• Large-sized: Centaurs as Large creature suffer a -1 penalty to their Armor Class and Attack rolls. Centaurs do not gain the benefits of their size for weapon usage.
• Centaur base speed is 50 feet.
• +2 Natural Armor: Centaurs are strong and resilient.
• Natural Weaponry, hoof strike 1d6: All centaurs are proficient with this attack and it can be used to the rear with a -2 attack penalty (but a +1 damage bonus as a Centaur’s rear legs are stronger).
• +2 racial bonus on Healing and Profession (Herbalist) checks: Centaurs are natural healers.
• -1 racial penalty on all Hide and Move Silently checks: Centaurs are not built to be stealthy.
• -8 racial penalty on all Climb checks: the great bulk of the horse half of the centaur makes them extremely poor climbers.
• Centaurs are quadrupeds: As such they considered to be mounted in combat and can take other feats as is they had the Mounted Combat feat. (Obviously, Centaurs can not take the mounted combat feat itself.)
• Centaurs gain the toughness of their horse half: Centaur characters receive the Toughness feat as a bonus feat at 1st level.
• Level Adjustment +1: Centaurs are slightly more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most other races.

Barrok
25th September 2004, 08:15 PM
thanks for that KoR, bow my classical knowledge might not be that great but I thought the centaurs were really good archers, if I am right should they have also proficiency in short bow and maybe weapon focus in it?

Knight of Roses
25th September 2004, 08:21 PM
Well, in the IoR campaign, short bows were simple weapons so most centaurs would be proficient with them. Especially as most were fighters.

I could give them prof in the short bow but they get enough as it is (I think they are near pushing LA +2) and if they want weapon focus they will have to spend a feat like everyone else.

Barrok
25th September 2004, 08:32 PM
I think I just have a thing for giving people weapon focuses, must try to refrain so much.. v interesting write up though

Enmesh
26th September 2004, 06:58 AM
I've also seen many greek portrails of them thoughing javelins.... so I don't think they are limited classically to just bows... :blink:

Sorloc
31st October 2004, 01:26 PM
In a land called Jaiman, there is a steppes region wherin live centaurs and halflings side by side. All efforts of mannish and dark elven races to annex portions of this territory have failed in the face of halfling archers mounted on centaur lancers.

That's all I have to say about that.

Samloyal23
21st December 2004, 02:44 AM
I've always like centaurs, but has anyone tried making a more civilised version? I like the idea of centaur cavaliers, with full plate armour, shields, lances, et cetera...

Knight of Roses
21st December 2004, 03:21 AM
These centaurs are quite civilized just not western European, so no plate armored knights, just breast plated companions and hoplites. But the racial profile could be applied to chivalric centaurs if that is what works in your campaign.

Sorloc
21st December 2004, 03:21 AM
Sam, try this one:
http://barroks-tower.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=918