Half-Dryads (3.5e Race)

Half-Dryads

Personality

Half Dryads are of varying temperament and motivation. Many take after their Dryad parent and only wish to remain close to the area where they were born, becoming in tune with nature in that area and acting as its protector. Others will feel the need to wander, and undertake a quest to figure out their identity and place in existence. They possess an inner sadness because they are unable to commune as closely with the trees as their Dryad parent, and will often leave the parent's grove because of this inner turmoil. For those that attempt to integrate with their humanoid society, they sometimes meet with success in one form or another, but they are always pulled towards the wilderness, which they can never be as close to as they desire.

Physical Description

Half-Dryads more closely resemble their paternal race than their mother's. By most standards they appear to be a child of normal birth. But the half-dryad's fey heritage always shows in one obvious detail, their hair. A half-dryad's hair changes with the seasons, in the spring and summer their hair comes in mixed shades of green, in the fall and winter their hair changes a varied blend of blonde, brown, and red. Leaves and flowers from their mother's root tree occasionally grow within a half-dryad's hair, for some it is mixed in among the strands of hair, for others it spreads to become foliage, their hair closely resembling a mass of verdant vines.

Relations

Half-Dryads are commonly used by their dryad parents as links to the outside world, as the former lacks the same dependency on an arboreal focus as the latter. Elves tend to look upon them with indifference; half-dryads are, obviously, part human and part dryad, so the reaction is mixed. Dwarves often express a noticeable dislike toward half-dryads, while humans have varied impressions depending on their own personal racial views.

Alignment

While their views differ, half-dryads are lifegivers by nature, not destructors. Most fall under Good and Neutral with no particular Law-Chaos alignment being more common than the others. It's not unheard of to have an evil half-dryad, but their ties to the earth often result in unpleasant backlashes to the destruction they cause. Chaotic Evil is therefore extremely improbable and highly painful for the half-dryad.

Lands

Half-Dryads feel most comfortable in places that have some respect for the land. Forests are a natural first choice, though grasslands, swamps, or even mountains or deserts could be home to half-dryads. They can inhabit smaller villages as well, but large cities often make them uncomfortable.

Religion

Half-dryads often worship the Goddess Ehlonna of the Forests, as many of their fey brethren do. Mielikki, Goddess of the Wilds is also a common choice.

Language

Half-Dryads may already speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

Names

Half-dryads typically take names from their father's race. If they do not, their mothers tend to come up with something outrageous they may have heard once before, or that was popular in their youth centuries ago. A common alternative is to hand down their own names to the child.

Racial Traits

• +2 Wisdom, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength. Half-Dryads have been blessed with long lives and thus plenty of time to learn about the world, but are a bit more "willowy" than a full human.
• Humanoid: Half-Dryads have weaker ties to the forest, and as such are more closely related to their human parent than their dryad one.
• Medium: Half-Dryads have no penalties or bonuses from their size.
• Half-Dryad base land speed is 30 feet.
• Half-Dryads gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival and Knowledge (Nature).
• Darkvision: 120ft
• Unearthly Beauty (Su). : This ability affects all humanoids within 30 feet of a half-dryad. Those who look directly at a half-dryad must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or be transfixed for 2d4 rounds. An enemy who is transfixed must focus entirely on who he is transfixed upon, and may not act harmfully against a Half-dryad unless the dryad acts harmfully to them.This works like a transfix spell.A half-dryad can suppress or resume this ability as a free action. The save DC is Charisma-based.
• Unearthly Grace (Su). : half dryad adds her Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class. (The statistics block already reflects these bonuses).
• Damage Reduction 10/cold iron.
• Wood Weapon Skill. : half-dryad begins play with proficency in any 2 weapons made out of wood (such as quarterstaffs and bows). as well, a nymph takes +2 on any attack and damage rolls with any weapon she uses made of wood (including ironwood weapons).
• Voice of the Earth (Ex): Half-Dryads retain some ties to the forest, if not much. If a half-dryad enters a zone where the ground is "poisoned" somehow (by chemical leaks, drought, lingering magical effects, etc.), they must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or be sickened until they leave the zone.
• Spell-Like Ability: Cure Light Wounds--3/day
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any.
• Favored Class: Druid or Ranger
• Level Adjustment: +4

Vital Statistics

Table: Half-Dryad Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
25 years	+1d6	+2d6	+3d6

Table: Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3</sup	Maximum Age
345 years	405 years	500 years	+5d300 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Half-Dryad Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5'8"	+2d8	90 lb.	× × (1d6) lb.
Female	5'3"	+2d8	85 lb.	× × (1d6) lb.

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