Shifter

Tribes of nomadic Humans that raise herds of horses on the southern plains, the Horse-Men are known as the breeders of the best horses in Crescent. They are fierce warriors with a highly developed sense of honor.

Appearance

No two horse-men look the same. They are roughly humanoid, composed of a composite of materials - obsidian, iron, stone, darkwood, silver, organics. They move with a surprising grace for their bulk. They typically have no gender attributes, though their personality might read more masculine or feminine. The horse-men themselves seem unconcerned with matters of gender. They do not naturally age, though their bodies do slowly breakdown even as experience and time sharpens their mind.

horse-men also have the ability to modify their bodies, though magic and training. They can attach heavier metal plates as armor, and permanently mount weapons if they desire.

Alignment

horse-men are generally neutral, though experience and time may move them towards a more extreme alignment.

Attitude

horse-men are brand new, no more than three years old. All of them - and there aren't very many - are struggling with finding a place for themselves in a world that doesn't seem to need or want them. The few that have left the Iron Hills have mostly taken to adventuring, reasoning that adventurers, in addition to being themselves somewhat outcast, value anyone who can increase their odds of survival.

Religion

Few horse-men have taken to worshiping the Gods, though it's not impossible. Generally, the attitude seems to be one of distant respect. Of those who have become believers, Mehana and Nevari are by far the most commonly worshiped; Crustan's church has taken an antagonistic stance regarding the few horse-men that have come to their attention. The one known cleric of Phealas is a horse-men, known only as George.

horse-men Racial Traits

Living Construct Subtype (Ex)

horse-men are constructs with the living construct subtype. A living construct is a created being given sentience and free will through powerful and complex creation enchantments. horse-men are living constructs that combine aspects of both constructs and living creatures, as detailed below.

Features

As a living construct, a horse-men has the following features:

A horse-men derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws and skill points from the class it selects.

Traits

A horse-men possesses the following traits:

Unlike other constructs, a horse-men has a Con score.

Unlike other constructs, a horse-men does not have low-light vision or darkvision.

Unlike other constructs, a horse-men is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

A horse-men has immunity to poison, sleep effects, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain.

A horse-men cannot heal damage naturally.

Unlike other constructs, horse-men are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.

As living constructs, horse-men can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as though that target constructs. Damage dealt to a horse-men can be healed by a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a horse-men is vulnerable to both disable construct and harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure hit point damage or ability damage provide only half their normal effect to a horse-men.

The unusual physical construction of horse-men makes them vulnerable to certain spells and effects that don't normally affect living creatures. A horse-men takes damage from heat metal and chill metal as if he were wearing metal armor. Likewise, a horse-men is affected by repel metal or stone as if he were wearing metal armor. A horse-men is repelled by repel wood. The iron in the body of a horse-men makes it vulnerable to rusting grasp. The creature takes 2d6 points of damage from the spell (Ref half, DC 14+caster's ability modifier). A horse-men takes the same damage from the touch of a rust monster (Ref half DC 17). Spells such as stone to flesh, stone shape, warp wood, and wood shape affect objects only, and therefore cannot be used on the stone and wood parts of a horse-men.

A horse-men responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit point. A horse-men with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. It can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When its points are less than 0 and more than -10, a horse-men shuts down and is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and cannot perform any actions. However, an inert horse-men does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to it.

As a living construct, horse-men can be raised or resurrected.

A horse-men does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions.

Although horse-men do not need to sleep, a horse-men wizard must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.

Attributes

+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma - resilient and powerful, horse-men have difficulty relating to other creature.

Size - Medium

As medium constructs, horse-men have no special bonus or penalties

Speed

horse-men base land speed is 30 feet.

Composite plating

The plating used to build a horse-men provides a +2 armor bonus. This plating is not natural armor and does not stack with other effects that give an armor bonus (other than natural armor). This composite body plating occupies the same space on the body as a suit of armor, and thus the horse-men cannot wear armor or magic robes. horse-men can be enchanted just as armor can; the character must be present for the entire time it takes to enchant him.

The composite plating also provides a horse-men with a 5% arcane spell failure chance. Any class ability that allows a horse-men to ignore the arcane spell failure chance for light armor lets him ignore this penalty as well.

Natural Weapons

A horse-men has a natural weapon in the form of a slam attack that deals 1d4 points of damage (it is possible to upgrade this).

Automatic languages

horse-men speak Common and Gnomish.

Favored Class

Fighter

Special Feats and Items

horse-men feats and items are available to enhance your horse-men character. Some of these feats must be chosen at first level, so plan ahead. Details are available in horse-men Additions Pack .