Opposite of a Rakshasa? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Opposite of a Rakshasa? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GreatOne
07-18-07, 12:48 PM Hi all. I was wondering what you guys think is the oppisite of a rakshasa?

I would like to see your opinions so it can help me with a new game I will be running. It will include alot of Rakshasa and I need to know what the opposite monster for them would be.

Thanks in advance.
Zen_Hydra
07-18-07, 01:30 PM Well...in the Eberron setting it would seem to be the coatl.

I think that it should be a good outsider of some sort. Rakshasa are masters of illusions and deception, so their opposite would be empowered to see through these things while being forthright and honest.

I am away from my books, but I think a NG outsider with truesight as a SLA is a good way to go.
penchant
07-18-07, 02:34 PM The Couatl is in the MM and is very close in construction to the Rakshasa, so I would say the correlation goes beyond Eberron. Its interesting that both are from specific ethnic mythologies from the opposite sides of our world.

Both have a +7 LA with the Couatl having 9hd as opposed to the rakshasa's 7 with both having free sorcerer levels equal to their HD. Both are lawful and pleased to let others do their work. Now all you need is a PrC that requires making peaceful contact with a Rakshasa (Rainbow Servant for the Couatl). This is cool.
TheQuickBrownFox
07-19-07, 12:59 AM I had always considered the Hound Archon to be the good counterpart to the Rakshasa due to their similar qualities; damage reduction, spell resistance, natural armor, et cetera. Plus, I'm amused by the idea of human-like cats and human-like dogs fighting like...you know. :D
Propane
07-19-07, 01:12 AM I would think the Djinn. In a lot of games they seem to be racial enemies.
Orchomenos
07-19-07, 08:26 AM A Rakshasa has a humanoid body with a tiger head. What about a Lammasu? They have a lion body with a humanoid head, they are LG, and they have more or less equivalent HD, CR and LA...
JadeSpider9643
07-19-07, 12:08 PM Rakshasa are "cat-people" of a sort, so the opposite would be "dog-people" of a sort...Gnolls? Werewolves?
GreatOne
07-19-07, 01:35 PM thanks for the replies my friends. Since Im going to be playing an Eberron game I think I will stick with the Caoutl as the opposite. I did look over their stats and the Caoult is near the same as a the rakshasa in almost everyway expect for alignment.
TheCarrionCrawler
07-19-07, 01:55 PM Ahhh. You're obviously looking for the little-known Asah' Skar, from 1st edition. It was, in many ways, a manticore but instead with a tiger's body. Also, instead of spikes on it's tail, like a manticore, it had razor-sharp bony plates (kinda looked like those that a stegosaurus had) that it could fling like frisbees.

CC
dknight100
07-19-07, 04:52 PM note: rakshasa's are Big Cat People, not just cat... so for the nonsensical vote, i say a gnomish werewolf in hybrid form.
JulesCARV
07-19-07, 05:07 PM Well, if you want to keep things within hindu mythology, devas. ;)

Although within D&D, which should avoid paying too much attention to such things, Coautls.
Warforged Goblin
07-20-07, 06:47 AM I notice that a lot of people are saying "Rakshasas are cat-headed outsiders, so their opposite must be a canine-themed creature...". This is a miconception. According to the "Ecology of the Rakshasa" from both Dragon Magazine and "Monster Ecologies", rakshasas can have a tiger head, but they can also have a mantis head, an ape head, and I think a humanoid head (although that may only be their deity). I don't have my books with me, could anyone back me up on this with an actual quote/better info?
penchant
07-20-07, 02:15 PM A rakshasa's current form is ALWAYS temporary. I think the tiger theme is merely yet another rakshasa conspiracy.

Besides, its only contemporary culture that associates dogs and cats as opposite pairs. This is because they are the two most common household pets. Ask some asians what the opposite of dog is and he might say "noodles."

In medieval times the two most loyal work animals was the dog and the horse. Cats were looked at in the same light as rats are. In fact it was cats who were being exterminated to try to stop the black plaque because they were seen to carry the disease (the actual culprit was the fleas that rode on the rats). Move back to egyptian times and you find cats being venerated as holy creatures along with jackals, serpents and ibises, while the dog was still a loyal work animal.
JulesCARV
07-21-07, 11:06 AM I think that the tiger appearance is so that rakshasas can make money from endorsing Frosted Flakes, so as to fund their evil plans. I read it somewhere on the Eberron boards -- maybe it's just Keith Baker's view and not in core D&D?
Qube
07-21-07, 01:14 PM human body, tiger head ... the opposite ... sphinx? :D
rex_subterrae1008
07-21-07, 01:17 PM I always figured it'd be something like Anubis... You know, jackal-headed...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GreatOne 07-18-07, 12:48 PM	Hi all. I was wondering what you guys think is the oppisite of a rakshasa? I would like to see your opinions so it can help me with a new game I will be running. It will include alot of Rakshasa and I need to know what the opposite monster for them would be. Thanks in advance.
Zen_Hydra 07-18-07, 01:30 PM	Well...in the Eberron setting it would seem to be the coatl. I think that it should be a good outsider of some sort. Rakshasa are masters of illusions and deception, so their opposite would be empowered to see through these things while being forthright and honest. I am away from my books, but I think a NG outsider with truesight as a SLA is a good way to go.
penchant 07-18-07, 02:34 PM	The Couatl is in the MM and is very close in construction to the Rakshasa, so I would say the correlation goes beyond Eberron. Its interesting that both are from specific ethnic mythologies from the opposite sides of our world. Both have a +7 LA with the Couatl having 9hd as opposed to the rakshasa's 7 with both having free sorcerer levels equal to their HD. Both are lawful and pleased to let others do their work. Now all you need is a PrC that requires making peaceful contact with a Rakshasa (Rainbow Servant for the Couatl). This is cool.
TheQuickBrownFox 07-19-07, 12:59 AM	I had always considered the Hound Archon to be the good counterpart to the Rakshasa due to their similar qualities; damage reduction, spell resistance, natural armor, et cetera. Plus, I'm amused by the idea of human-like cats and human-like dogs fighting like...you know. :D
Propane 07-19-07, 01:12 AM	I would think the Djinn. In a lot of games they seem to be racial enemies.
Orchomenos 07-19-07, 08:26 AM	A Rakshasa has a humanoid body with a tiger head. What about a Lammasu? They have a lion body with a humanoid head, they are LG, and they have more or less equivalent HD, CR and LA...
JadeSpider9643 07-19-07, 12:08 PM	Rakshasa are "cat-people" of a sort, so the opposite would be "dog-people" of a sort...Gnolls? Werewolves?
GreatOne 07-19-07, 01:35 PM	thanks for the replies my friends. Since Im going to be playing an Eberron game I think I will stick with the Caoutl as the opposite. I did look over their stats and the Caoult is near the same as a the rakshasa in almost everyway expect for alignment.
TheCarrionCrawler 07-19-07, 01:55 PM	Ahhh. You're obviously looking for the little-known Asah' Skar, from 1st edition. It was, in many ways, a manticore but instead with a tiger's body. Also, instead of spikes on it's tail, like a manticore, it had razor-sharp bony plates (kinda looked like those that a stegosaurus had) that it could fling like frisbees. CC
dknight100 07-19-07, 04:52 PM	note: rakshasa's are Big Cat People, not just cat... so for the nonsensical vote, i say a gnomish werewolf in hybrid form.
JulesCARV 07-19-07, 05:07 PM	Well, if you want to keep things within hindu mythology, devas. ;) Although within D&D, which should avoid paying too much attention to such things, Coautls.
Warforged Goblin 07-20-07, 06:47 AM	I notice that a lot of people are saying "Rakshasas are cat-headed outsiders, so their opposite must be a canine-themed creature...". This is a miconception. According to the "Ecology of the Rakshasa" from both Dragon Magazine and "Monster Ecologies", rakshasas can have a tiger head, but they can also have a mantis head, an ape head, and I think a humanoid head (although that may only be their deity). I don't have my books with me, could anyone back me up on this with an actual quote/better info?
penchant 07-20-07, 02:15 PM	A rakshasa's current form is ALWAYS temporary. I think the tiger theme is merely yet another rakshasa conspiracy. Besides, its only contemporary culture that associates dogs and cats as opposite pairs. This is because they are the two most common household pets. Ask some asians what the opposite of dog is and he might say "noodles." In medieval times the two most loyal work animals was the dog and the horse. Cats were looked at in the same light as rats are. In fact it was cats who were being exterminated to try to stop the black plaque because they were seen to carry the disease (the actual culprit was the fleas that rode on the rats). Move back to egyptian times and you find cats being venerated as holy creatures along with jackals, serpents and ibises, while the dog was still a loyal work animal.
JulesCARV 07-21-07, 11:06 AM	I think that the tiger appearance is so that rakshasas can make money from endorsing Frosted Flakes, so as to fund their evil plans. I read it somewhere on the Eberron boards -- maybe it's just Keith Baker's view and not in core D&D?
Qube 07-21-07, 01:14 PM	human body, tiger head ... the opposite ... sphinx? :D
rex_subterrae1008 07-21-07, 01:17 PM	I always figured it'd be something like Anubis... You know, jackal-headed...