Orboids (3.5e Race)
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| an Orboid |
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| By SaltyCupcake/CupcakeTheSalty |
Orboids
Personality
Orboids tend to act free of fear of judgment. They are often curious, playful and kind, seeking to serve assistance to those in need. As very social creatures, they seek to make friends and avoid confrontation. Orboids love to entertain others, and they are usually good listeners as they are good talkers. They are not the best in persuasion, but they are good in maintaining and improving relationships. However, some may have an attachment problem, and if they like someone way too much, their naivety can be exploited. Their exploring and curious nature drives them to wanting to know and experience new things, or really deepen themselves into a specific topic. Orboids have no inherent sex, but they can associate themselves with a gender if they indentify as so.
Physical Description
Orboids appear as floating spheres of light, ranging in about 3 feet in diameter, and weighing a little over 1 lb. Two orboids are rarely equal in appearance. Some have a very deep color inside, looking like a hollow glass, while others may appear very opaque, as if they were made of porcelain. Their surface's texture may appear as a flowing liquid, or as some sort of compact glittering sand, or a combination of both. Regardless of color and texture, all orboids have two luminous circles that represent their eyes, and a two dimensional appendix that represents their mouth. These luminous features move according to the orboid's speech and expression. Despite not having bodies, the orboids love to decorate their spherical shape with helmets, crowns, tiaras, and occasionally use necklaces as headgear. They have an acquaintance for colorful attire, many use precious stones, bright flowers, and sometimes fine fabric. They try to use their limited wear as effectively as possible, to show their personalities through these decorations, which without they'd be just mere spheres. Damage and strain is visible within a orboid's body. When fatigued, or near death, the texture goes pale, and the light flickers. A dead orboid appears as a gray stone with no shine. Orboids reach bodily maturity as soon as 5 years old, but mental maturity may take as long as a regular human.
Relations
Orboids may appear endearing and adorable to some, but annoying and invasive to others. They are good acquaintances with the more playful and magical races like halflings, gnomes and pixies. They have a hard time with dwarves, and other races that are hard to entertain with jokes and plays. To some elves and orcs, they may appear as a pet or as a funny cute animal, some orboids are happily living as familiars, though others wish they were acknowledged as equals. An exceptional orboid can earn the respect and awe of "greater" races through trial and accomplishment.
Alignment
The instinct to help pushes orboids to be good-aligned, usually neutral. Lawful orboids have a sense of duty, chaotic orboids are more spontaneous with their desire to help, and neutral ones just like to see everything end well. Neutral orboids in the good-evil axis are uncommon, but these ones like to mind their own business and keep out of trouble, having a more select group of people they trust, instead of trying to befriend everyone. Evil orboids are nearly non-existent, but they are very emotional, drowning themselves in their anger and sadness; though it is hard for an orboid to earn respect among evil peers.
Lands
It's uncommon for orboids to gather in a complex social structure. The few organizations they got were in forests, particularly ones that have colorful fauna and stunning views, gathering usually around a body of water.
| Orboids gathering in a lake |
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| By SaltyCupcake/CupcakeTheSalty |
Religion
Orboids vary in their relationship with devotion. They can be curious about it, and then lose interest as they see the activities as chores. But they can also be very enthusiastic about faith, embracing their deity to the fullest. Deities of good, light, magic and nature are favored by orboids.
Language
The orboids' main language is elven, or a crude and simplified version. Orboids rarely write, so they rely a lot in being clear with their words and intentions. They learn to use their body and expressions to convey emotions and subliminar ideas. Even if an orboid's vocabulary is poor, their gestures can communicate a lot. Due to their unique physique, humanoid races have a hard time replicating this visual language. Some orboids may understand Sylvan and Aquan with a bit of effort.
Names
Orboid names are either simple, or refer to something colorful. They usually do not have a second name, since there's no formal family structure in orboid society. Orboids name themselves, until then, they are referred only as their external color. Some assume the color name, or make their name based on it (such as going from "Blue" to "Cerule"). Gender is not a strong factor in an orboid deciding their own name, but they may take it in account as to put emphasis on their identity.
Example Names: Zippe, Haru, Fuchsia, Rose, Toto, Lilac, Aquamarine, Nom, Jaby
Adventurers
Although a lot of orboids are content with their lives as pets, mascots, companions and familiars, a few seek to be more, to achieve greater things, and not to live in the shadow of someone else. These are particularly more cunning and skillful than their peers, either by natural talent or by sheer willpower and dedication. Their will to help others, their curiosity about the world, or just sheer boredom, are usual motives for why orboids seek adventure.
Orboid Racial Traits
- +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, −4 Strength, −2 Intelligence: Orboids are agile and endearing, but they lack both brain and brawn.
- Outsider (Native): Orboids transcend the Material Plane, but they are still tied to it.
- Small: As a Small creature, an orboid gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
- Orboids have a fly speed of 60 feet. They may roll in the ground with a 10 feet base land speed.
- Glowing Body (Ex): Orboids shine a light of their respective color, as strong as a torch. As a swift action they can dim the light to be as strong as a candle's. This light is not able to dispell darkness effects such as Darkness.
- Nurture (Ex): Orboids breathe and sleep as other beings, but when it comes to eating, they nurture themselves from natural energy. 10 minutes of uninterrupted repose surrounded by a natural element, such as direct sunlight or clear water from a river, counts as a meal for the orboid.
- Spherical Shape (Ex): Orboids have a ball shape, instead of being humanoid. They cannot use weapons, conventional armor or shields, and they only carry one object at a time. However, their body can accommodate a head or neck equipment, but only one at a time, and not at the same time as armor. Effectively, the orboid picks one to wear between headgear, neck gear, or armor. The orboid has a facing direction and can be flanked normally. Due to their unusual body, enemies do not deal extra damage from critical hits or Sneak Attacks against the orboid unless they succeed a 15 CD Knowledge (The Planes) check to recognize its weak spots.
- Light Ray (Ex): As a standard action, orboids can fire a light projectile that deals 1d6 of damage with a max range of 30 feet. This damage overcomes all types of damage reduction. This is the main form that orboid attacks, since using melee is nonoptimal.
- Low-Light Vision: An orboid can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
- +2 racial bonus in Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks. Orboids are acquainted with social interactions
- +2 racial bonus in Escape Artist. Their shape allows them to escape more easily from situations others find difficult.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Elven (speech only, an orboid with 13 or more intelligence can also write). Bonus Languages: Gnome, Hafling, Sylvan, Aquan, Undercommon
- Favored Class: Sorcerer or Favored Soul (Complete Divine pg. 6)
- Level Adjustment: +1
Vital Statistics
| Adulthood | Simple | Moderate | Complex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | +1d4 | +2d4 | +3d4 |
Orboids, Elemental
Most orboids are beings of light energy contained in a sphere, but due their strong link with nature, some come to be manifestations of elemental energy. An elemental orboid can manifest fire, water, earth or air.
Elemental Orboid Racial Traits
Elemental orboids are identical to the regular light orboids, except:
- They gain the Fire, Water, Earth or Air subtype, according to their inherent element. They do not, however, gain any special qualities associated with the subtype.
- Nurture (Ex): Elemental orboids can only nurture from the element they manifest. The element must be natural. An earth orboid, for example, cannot nurture from concrete.
- Elemental Ray (Ex): Elemental orboids fire a ranged touch ray attack that deals 1d10 of damage. The type of damage is based on the orboid's element. Fire deals fire damage, water deals cold damage, earth deals acid damage and air deals lightning damage. Otherwise, this ability is identical to the Light Orboids' light ray.
- They gain 5 energy resistance against the type of energy damage their Element Ray deals.
- +2 racial bonus in Hide checks when they are surrounded by the element they represent. The air orboid instead gains +2 in Move Silently checks when surrounded by clear air or flowing wind. This replaces the racial bonus Light Orboids receive in Escape Artist.
- Automatic Languages: Orboids learn to speak the language of their respective element.
| Light, Elemental and Shadow Orboids. |
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| By SaltyCupcake/CupcakeTheSalty |
Orboids, Shadow
In rare instances, even rarer than elemental, orboids can manifest in a form of shadow. Unlike many come to believe, shadow orboids do not have a natural inclination for evil, but due to being uncommon and sometimes feared, these dark variants tend to be neutral-aligned.
Shadow Orboid Racial Traits
Shadow orboids are identical to the regular light orboids, except:
- Nurture (Ex): Shadow orboids can only nurture while in natural darkness.
- Darkening Body (Ex): Squares adjacent to the shadow orboid's body have dimmer lighting. When it has shadowy illumination, it becomes total darkness. When adjacent to a light source, the shadow orboid cuts its effectiveness by a half. They can suppress this ability as a swift action. This replaces the light orboid's Glowing Body.
- Eldritch Blast (Sp): This ability is identical to the warlock's (Complete Arcane pg. 5) eldritch blast. If a shadow orboid gains level in the warlock class, they do not gain two eldritch blasts. Instead, count the shadow orboid as being one level higher to determine the damage of their Eldritch Blast. This replaces the light orboid's Light Ray.
- A shadow orboid is Invisible while in total darkness, and gains +4 in Hide checks while in partial darkness. These bonus replace all the racial bonus the light orboid has in their skills.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer or Warlock (Complete Arcane pg. 5)
Racial Feats
Swirling Spellcasting [Racial]
Glimmering Fortress [Racial]
Playing an Orboid
Orboids are a rather "niche" race, gameplay-wise. They lack a lot of basic character functions in exchange for unique traits and abilities. An orboid PC's weaknesses should be taken into account when it comes to being a detriment to the team. Talk with your table group before picking this race, since there are situations it leave others hanging. If your party really needs a humanoid, take the photoid template.
If your decision is fully embracing the orboid, then your best bet is a Sorcerer, and Swirling Spellcasting is a must-have. With a familiar, you're able to command them to do some tasks you can't do by yourself. Otherwise, you can take advantage of your stature and agility and play as a Rogue, as Sneak Attack damage will apply to your ray attacks, and you'll be even harder to catch, but face the fact you won't be able to use a lot of skills. Alternatively, you can pick the Fighter's Unearthed Arcana variant that gains Sneak Attack instead of bonus feats, having more precision with a high BAB and sturdiness to take hits.
The Warlock (Complete Arcane pg. 5) is also a great contender, as it'll bypass your somatic components issue and save you a feat. Same goes for the Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic pg. 24)
The Marshal (Miniatures Handbook pg. 11) will benefit a lot from your high Charisma, as will the the Dragon Shaman (Player's Handbook 2, pg. 11), which also pairs well with your high mobility to make well positioned breath attacks.
Use your strengths and weaknesses to make your playstyle unique. However, if you still feel that this too much effort for little result, you can talk to your DM to become a photoid.
See Also
Orboid Paragon Class
Ray Attack Mastery Feat
Photoid Template
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