The Triclopes: Ancient mystics of the Third Eye [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Triclopes: Ancient mystics of the Third Eye [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Findail
06-03-07, 10:22 AM THE TRICLOPES
The members of this race (plural, "triclopes": singular, "triclops") are known by many different names on many different worlds: the Old Ones, the First Ones, the Builders, the Stone Lords, the Ancients, the Dawn People. On many worlds, they were either the first humanoid race to arrive on that world (subsequently bringing other races to that world), or the first to bring culture and civilization to primitive peoples. Usually, they then retire into obscurity, often by mingling and interbreeding with other races. Centuries later, "throwbacks" can occasionally occur, where apparently normal members of those races can spawn an individual with the Half-Triclops template: a pair of Humans with this template can produce a pureblood Triclops. There are also family groups and small villages of purebloods who live underground, on remote islands, or among other races (often using illusion magic to blend in). They have an aptitude for megalithic architecture, and high-level spellcasters among them have an aptitude for the casting of mighty epic spells.

Physically they resemble Humans, but are slightly larger (increase height by 10% and weight by 20%) and have elongated skulls, elongated earlobes, flattened noses and fuller lips. They are also completely hairless. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a third eye in the middle of the forehead. They are naturally psychic: if the Feat-based "The Gift" psychic system is being used, they have The Gift (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/The_Gift_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%29), Clairvoyance (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Clairvoyance_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%29), and Clarity Of Vision (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Clarity_Of_Vision_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%2 9) as bonus feats (and they lack the usual penalties associated with The Gift). Clarity Of Vision is associated with the third eye, and won't work if this eye is covered or blinded (or not present, if the character has changed form). For conventional 3rd Edition psionics: Triclopes gain See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline (i.e. costing 1 power point per use) associated with the third eye, plus the ability to treat Search and Spot as class skills, and gain 2 bonus power points per hit die (even when not pursuing a psionic class). The third eye also gives them a minor gaze weapon which can be activated once per day for a period of up to 10 rounds (1 minute): during this time, an opponent who meets the gaze of the third eye will be affected by Lesser Confusion (as the spell) for one round (save DC is 11 plus the character's Charisma bonus). This can be upgraded to a usable-at-will psychic ability by spending a feat. They also have Epic Spellcasting as a dormant bonus feat, unusable until the normal requirements for gaining the feat are met. They tend to be of Lawful alignment. They are a long-lived race (determine age as for Dwarves).

Triclopean Heritage: pureblood Triclopes are well-educated. They are always literate (even Barbarians) and are able to treat all Knowledge skills as class skills: they also receive a free Skill Focus feat in the Knowledge(history) skill. Half-Triclopes may or may not receive this education, depending on where (and by whom) they were raised: for them, Triclopean Heritage is treated as a Feat which must be taken at 1st level (or not at all). For a Half-Triclops, this feat also confers knowledge of Common and Triclopean in addition to any languages normally known by the base race, and the character isn't limited to the usual race-dependent set of additional languages: without the feat, a Half-Triclops is treated as a normal member of the base race with regard to literacy and languages.

The Triclopes have the following racial characteristics:
• Medium Humanoid: No special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Triclopes are stronger and tougher than Humans, and have significant mental powers.
• Triclops base land speed is 30 feet.
• Bonus feat: Epic Spellcasting (dormant).
• Naturally Psychic/Psionic: either The Gift, Clairvoyance and Clarity Of Vision as bonus feats, or See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline plus Search and Spot as class skills plus 2 bonus power points per hit die.
• +2 on Search and Spot checks (from the third eye).
• Lesser Confusion gaze weapon (1/day, upgradable).
• Stonecunning: This ability grants a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A Triclops who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a Triclops can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A Triclops can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
• Triclopean Heritage: literate, all Knowledge skills are class skills, free Skill Focus (Knowledge(history)) feat.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Triclopean (a.k.a "Dawn Tongue" etc). Bonus Languages: Any.
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclassed Triclops takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
• Alignment: usually Lawful.
• Level Adjustment: +2.

HALF-TRICLOPS
This is an inherited template which can be added to any Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid or Giant. Half-Triclopes are physically identical to normal members of their base race, except for the third eye (which is frequently covered by a headband or similar disguise). Creature type is unchanged. They can be of any alignment, and if the base creature is naturally of Chaotic alignment, Half-Triclopes can be violently insane (there are tales of "three-eyed demons" among the Giantish races).

Half-Triclopes have the following racial characteristics:
• Reduced Mental Penalties: any racial penalties on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma are reduced by 2.
• Naturally Psychic/Psionic: either The Gift and Clarity Of Vision as bonus feats, or See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline plus 1 bonus power point per hit die (racial or class).
• +2 on Search and Spot checks (from the third eye).
• Lesser Confusion gaze weapon (1/day, upgradable).
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclassed Half-Triclops takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count (this overrides the base creature's Favored Class).
• Level Adjustment: +1.
Findail
06-03-07, 10:33 AM I haven't yet adapted this race to use the conventional psionic system, rather than my own Feat-based system. And I'm not really sure how to go about it: I don't want them to be weaker than a comparable Human psion (for a naturally-psionic race, that would be rather strange) but I need to provide some compensation for their +2 Level Adjust without making them overpowered as psions.

Also, for some reason, I'm having problems linking to the main "The Gift" page on D&D Wiki. It's possible to find it by clicking on the "Related to The Gift: an Alternative to "Psionics" (DnD Variant Rule)" heading in the individual Feat descriptions, and it's also in the forum archives here (http://boards1.wizards.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-89961).
Findail
07-03-07, 06:07 PM Update: I've added conventional psionics. They now have See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline, Search+Spot as class skills, and 2 extra power points per hitdie (half-Triclopes get 1 point per hitdie and don't automatically get Search+Spot). The bonus power points are similar to those of the Kalashtar of Eberron (they get 1 bonus point per hitdie, but with no Level Adjustment).

I also created a race-specific PrC for them, the Triclopean Planeshifter (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=861143), but I haven't mentioned that in the race article.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Findail 06-03-07, 10:22 AM	THE TRICLOPES The members of this race (plural, "triclopes": singular, "triclops") are known by many different names on many different worlds: the Old Ones, the First Ones, the Builders, the Stone Lords, the Ancients, the Dawn People. On many worlds, they were either the first humanoid race to arrive on that world (subsequently bringing other races to that world), or the first to bring culture and civilization to primitive peoples. Usually, they then retire into obscurity, often by mingling and interbreeding with other races. Centuries later, "throwbacks" can occasionally occur, where apparently normal members of those races can spawn an individual with the Half-Triclops template: a pair of Humans with this template can produce a pureblood Triclops. There are also family groups and small villages of purebloods who live underground, on remote islands, or among other races (often using illusion magic to blend in). They have an aptitude for megalithic architecture, and high-level spellcasters among them have an aptitude for the casting of mighty epic spells. Physically they resemble Humans, but are slightly larger (increase height by 10% and weight by 20%) and have elongated skulls, elongated earlobes, flattened noses and fuller lips. They are also completely hairless. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a third eye in the middle of the forehead. They are naturally psychic: if the Feat-based "The Gift" psychic system is being used, they have The Gift (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/The_Gift_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%29), Clairvoyance (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Clairvoyance_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%29), and Clarity Of Vision (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Clarity_Of_Vision_%28DnD_The_Gift_Feat%2 9) as bonus feats (and they lack the usual penalties associated with The Gift). Clarity Of Vision is associated with the third eye, and won't work if this eye is covered or blinded (or not present, if the character has changed form). For conventional 3rd Edition psionics: Triclopes gain See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline (i.e. costing 1 power point per use) associated with the third eye, plus the ability to treat Search and Spot as class skills, and gain 2 bonus power points per hit die (even when not pursuing a psionic class). The third eye also gives them a minor gaze weapon which can be activated once per day for a period of up to 10 rounds (1 minute): during this time, an opponent who meets the gaze of the third eye will be affected by Lesser Confusion (as the spell) for one round (save DC is 11 plus the character's Charisma bonus). This can be upgraded to a usable-at-will psychic ability by spending a feat. They also have Epic Spellcasting as a dormant bonus feat, unusable until the normal requirements for gaining the feat are met. They tend to be of Lawful alignment. They are a long-lived race (determine age as for Dwarves). Triclopean Heritage: pureblood Triclopes are well-educated. They are always literate (even Barbarians) and are able to treat all Knowledge skills as class skills: they also receive a free Skill Focus feat in the Knowledge(history) skill. Half-Triclopes may or may not receive this education, depending on where (and by whom) they were raised: for them, Triclopean Heritage is treated as a Feat which must be taken at 1st level (or not at all). For a Half-Triclops, this feat also confers knowledge of Common and Triclopean in addition to any languages normally known by the base race, and the character isn't limited to the usual race-dependent set of additional languages: without the feat, a Half-Triclops is treated as a normal member of the base race with regard to literacy and languages. The Triclopes have the following racial characteristics: • Medium Humanoid: No special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Triclopes are stronger and tougher than Humans, and have significant mental powers. • Triclops base land speed is 30 feet. • Bonus feat: Epic Spellcasting (dormant). • Naturally Psychic/Psionic: either The Gift, Clairvoyance and Clarity Of Vision as bonus feats, or See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline plus Search and Spot as class skills plus 2 bonus power points per hit die. • +2 on Search and Spot checks (from the third eye). • Lesser Confusion gaze weapon (1/day, upgradable). • Stonecunning: This ability grants a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A Triclops who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a Triclops can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A Triclops can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. • Triclopean Heritage: literate, all Knowledge skills are class skills, free Skill Focus (Knowledge(history)) feat. • Automatic Languages: Common, Triclopean (a.k.a "Dawn Tongue" etc). Bonus Languages: Any. • Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclassed Triclops takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count. • Alignment: usually Lawful. • Level Adjustment: +2. HALF-TRICLOPS This is an inherited template which can be added to any Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid or Giant. Half-Triclopes are physically identical to normal members of their base race, except for the third eye (which is frequently covered by a headband or similar disguise). Creature type is unchanged. They can be of any alignment, and if the base creature is naturally of Chaotic alignment, Half-Triclopes can be violently insane (there are tales of "three-eyed demons" among the Giantish races). Half-Triclopes have the following racial characteristics: • Reduced Mental Penalties: any racial penalties on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma are reduced by 2. • Naturally Psychic/Psionic: either The Gift and Clarity Of Vision as bonus feats, or See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline plus 1 bonus power point per hit die (racial or class). • +2 on Search and Spot checks (from the third eye). • Lesser Confusion gaze weapon (1/day, upgradable). • Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclassed Half-Triclops takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count (this overrides the base creature's Favored Class). • Level Adjustment: +1.
Findail 06-03-07, 10:33 AM	I haven't yet adapted this race to use the conventional psionic system, rather than my own Feat-based system. And I'm not really sure how to go about it: I don't want them to be weaker than a comparable Human psion (for a naturally-psionic race, that would be rather strange) but I need to provide some compensation for their +2 Level Adjust without making them overpowered as psions. Also, for some reason, I'm having problems linking to the main "The Gift" page on D&D Wiki. It's possible to find it by clicking on the "Related to The Gift: an Alternative to "Psionics" (DnD Variant Rule)" heading in the individual Feat descriptions, and it's also in the forum archives here (http://boards1.wizards.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-89961).
Findail 07-03-07, 06:07 PM	Update: I've added conventional psionics. They now have See Invisibility as a bonus 1st level discipline, Search+Spot as class skills, and 2 extra power points per hitdie (half-Triclopes get 1 point per hitdie and don't automatically get Search+Spot). The bonus power points are similar to those of the Kalashtar of Eberron (they get 1 bonus point per hitdie, but with no Level Adjustment). I also created a race-specific PrC for them, the Triclopean Planeshifter (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=861143), but I haven't mentioned that in the race article.