Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kravell 04-16-07, 10:59 AM	The patoren are a panther-like race designed for use with the ToB. They are usable in campaigns that don't use the ToB as well. After playtesting the patoren which was based on the catfolk, I've made some changes to the race. Basically, I don't like the way the catfolk is written in Races of the Wild. Too cute and cuddly and +1 LA. I like the idea that the patorens don't use animal companions, however that concept can be dropped if using the Player's Handbook II is not desired. Wizards has posted all the maneuvers on the website, so the race can be used even outside a world using Tome of Battle. Patoren • +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma. • Base land speed is 40 feet. • Low-Light Vision. • Bonus maneuver: Wolf Fang Strike 1/encounter. • Clawshield is considered a Martial Weapon. • Automatic Languages: Common, Patoren. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Sylvan. • Favored Class: o Hunter: swordsage. o Priest: ranger. o Warrior: barbarian. • Standard Alternative Class Abilities (Player’s Handbook II): o Druid: shapeshift. o Monk: decisive strike. o Paladin: charging smite. o Ranger: distracting attack. o Sorcerer: metamagic specialist. o Wizard: immediate magic (even if not a specialist). Patorens, a blending of elf and panther, were created by the zern. Humanoid, they are covered completely in hair, have muzzles with sharp teeth, and pointed ears on top of their heads. The zern wanted centaurs to carry patorens into battle. Neither species turned out the way the zern wanted. In the Land of Nine Swords, patorens control a vast realm called Thess inside the Deluge Jungle. They have left their animal origins behind them They refuse to use any terms related to cats when referring to themselves. Calling them catfolk or saying they live in prides is a grave insult. The patorens have evolved a caste based system. The castes are distinguished by the body hair patterns of each patoren. The three castes are hunter, priest, and warrior. Hunter Hunters have black body hair with small tan circles. They follow traditions of skill and stealth. All others, including aura users and martial adepts without BAB +1 are hunters. Priest Priests have black hair covering their bodies and pursue magic using professions. All casters, whether using invocations or arcane or divine spells, fall into the priest caste. Warrior Warriors have black hair with light orange bands and are the fighters of the patorens. All fighters without magic (BAB +1 a level) fall into the warrior caste. Patorens who take have more levels in a class outside their caste then a class inside their caste are exiled from Thess. Many of these outcasts travel the Land of Nine Swords as sellswords and freespells. Because the patorens have erased all connections to animals, their religion has evolved into a unique institution. They worship Bria as Thessana, goddess of the hunt. Calling her a harvest goddess is another grave insult. Druids, rangers, sorcerers, wizards and other classes with animal followers do not follow those traditions in patoren society. Having a companion that is meat is not an option for patorens. In addition, patoren druids will not use wildshape to turn into an animal. A druid who does so is exiled. When using shapeshift they appear draconic in form. Way of the Dragon The patorens follow a draconic tradition called the Way of the Dragon. Patoren monks and swordsages train in a hard style of martial arts. They take their painkill emotion (see below) and channel it into energy or ki. Instead of flurry of blows, they usually train in decisive strike, which they call dragonstrike. Patoren warblades are sent to the hobgoblin warblade school of Ur-Thaldaar for training. Rare crusaders of Thessana train alongside monks and swordsages. Painkill A human with mild sadistic tendencies is considered aberrant. A patoren with the same trait is considered normal and healthy. Painkill is an emotion found in all patorens. It is the struggle between the instinct to play with an enemy before killing them and the civilized notion of putting an enemy down quickly to win a battle. All patorens have a cruel streak of some kind in them. Monks tend to control painkill the best, while many warriors embrace painkill with relish. Dragonhearts are patorens who master painkill and channel it into ki. Their emotion does not master them; instead they master their emotion and use it in battle. Painkillers are patorens who embrace painkill. Fighters may take Improved Disarm and Improved Trip to draw out combats. Other patorens simply become barbarians, rage, and revel in slaughter. Paradoxically, controlling or embracing painkill are both considered honorable pursuits in patoren society. The patoren Dragonheart who struggles to master painkill and the Painkiller who sharpens its effect are both admired for their strength and spiritual prowess. Painkill is not an acceptable emotion to feel toward other patorens however, only the enemy. A patoren who is caught experiencing painkill while fighting another patoren is put to death. Race Relations Patorens hate the zern. They respect the centaurs, but cannot understand how they can refer to themselves as stallions and mares that live in herds. The old adage is, “Patorens and centaurs can be powerful allies but never friends.” Patorens and the wild elves have an uneasy relationship. The elves are uncomfortable with what the zern did to their ancestors and the patorens don’t like to be reminded of the fact. Interactions between the races range from occasional joint raids against the zern to conflict resolved using the Sublime Way. Patorens and hobgoblins get along well. Both races are martial and respect tradition and status. Patoren warblades train at Ur-Thaldaar and hobgoblin swordsages learn the Way of the Draconic Fist. Patorens find most humans patronizing and annoying. Only the most adventuresome patorens travel to human cities and they must struggle constantly to keep their painkill in check. The fact that hobgoblins and patorens get along so well doesn’t help humans accept them either.
Kravell 04-16-07, 03:28 PM	Exotic Weapon: Clawshield Light Melee Weapon Cost 16 gp Dmg (S) 1d4 Dmg (M) 1d6 Critical 19-20/x2 Range Increment -- Weight 4 lb. Type Slashing Clawshield: A clawshield looks like the claw of a dragon and is usually painted either in a chromatic or metallic color. It is strapped on the arm like a heavy steel shield with the claws pointing toward the end of the arm. A clawshield can be used either as a weapon or as a heavy steel shield. Proficiency in the weapon does not provide shield proficiency, which must be taken normally. The weapon claws and the shield section can be made masterwork or enchanted separately as a weapon or a shield respectively. Many patorens use a clawshield as an off hand weapon with their Wolf Fang Strike maneuver when combat begins, then use it as a shield if they have proficiency for the rest of the fight.
DarkRhystar 04-18-07, 02:10 AM	Exotic Weapon: Clawshield Light Melee Weapon Cost 16 gp Dmg (S) 1d64 Dmg (M) 1d6 Critical 19-20/x2 Range Increment -- Weight 4 lb. Type Slashing Dang. That's gotta hurt.