Winged, Variant (3.5e Template)

Winged Variant (3.5e Template)

A winged variant template that provides some level options and fleshed-out abilities.

Winged Creatures

Winged creatures are flying creatures that generally prefer to live in mountainous and heavily forested regions. They can possess feathered, leathery, or even insectile wings. The appearance of the wing is not necessarily indicative of the character's alignment, sophistication, or attitude. A winged creature looks like a normal representative of the base creature, with the exception of a pair of wings upon their back. Intelligent winged beings may be primitive, nomadic, or as sophisticated as elves.

Creating a Winged Creature

This variant of 'Winged' is a three-tiered inherited template that can be applied to any animal, humanoid, giant, monstrous humanoid, or vermin (hereafter referred to as the base creature) that does not already have a flight speed. Such a creature possesses all the base creature’s statistics except as noted here. When applying the template, first choose the template level you wish to apply as a whole and then and select accordingly from the sections that offer such options. Sections that do not refer to the template level apply to any level chosen.

Size and Type

Monstrous humanoids and giants do not change their types. Animals and vermin become magical beasts, while humanoids, in turn, become monstrous humanoids.

Speed

A winged creature gains a fly speed equal to its land speed plus a bonus of 10 feet for each of the three levels of the template that's applied. For example a base creature with a 30 feet land speed and the 1st level of this template applied would have a fly speed of 40 feet, while the same creature with the 3rd level applied would have a fly speed of 60 feet. Maneuverability is based on the winged creature’s total dexterity, including any other racial or inherent bonuses in effect at the time of creation along with the one granted by this template itself, as per the following table:

Maneuverability	Required Dexterity
Perfect	17
Good	15
Average	11
Poor	7
Clumsy	6 or lower

Special Attacks

Dive Attack (Ex): A winged creature can make a dive attack. A dive attack works like a charge, but the creature must move a minimum of 30 feet and descend at least 10 feet. A winged creature can make a dive attack only when wielding a piercing weapon or possessing natural piercing weapons (ex. talons, horns, etc.); if the attack hits, it deals double damage.

Special Qualities

Gliding (Ex): A winged creature can use its wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Winged creatures glide at a speed of 40 feet, with a maneuverability as per their flight speed but at a maximum of average. Even if a winged creature's maneuverability is above average, it can’t hover while gliding. A winged creature can’t glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a winged creature becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, its wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. It descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.

Unerring Direction (Ex): Winged creatures have an instinctive sense of which direction is north, even when they are underground or otherwise unable to see the sky or other visual cues. Beyond the Material Plane, this ability doesn’t function.

Abilities

The abilities bonuses a winged creature receives vary based on the level of the applied to the creature, as follows:

Level	Abilities Bonus
1st	+4 Dex
2nd	+4 Dex, +2 Con
3rd	+4 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Wis

Note: The above bonuses are not cumulative. Only the bonuses for the specific template level chosen should be applied.

Skills

Wing-Aided Movement: A winged creature can use its wings to help with movement even if not in full flight. The extra lift from its wings gives it a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks.

Languages

Winged creatures, if they possess the ability to speak, automatically gain Auran along with any of the languages of their base creatures. Additionally they may choose Draconic or Tuilvilanuue as bonus languages.

Feats

A winged creature gains the Run feat and can use the run action while flying, provided it flies in a straight line.

Environment

Any mountain or forest.

Challenge Rating

The Challenge Rating of a winged creature is adjusted based on the template level applied, as follows:

Level	CR Adjustment
1st	Base creature’s CR +1
2nd	Base creature’s CR +2
3rd	Base creature’s CR +3

Advancement

A winged creature advances either by character class or not at all, depending on the base creature this template is applied to.

Level Adjustment

The Level Adjustment of a winged creature is based on the template level applied to the creature, as follows:

Level	Level Adjustment
1st	+1 LA
2nd	+2 LA
3rd	+3 LA

Author's Note

This template is based largely on the original Winged template] from the Savage Species publication, along with some aspects of the Raptoran race introduced in Races of the Wild. The two key points of this template are to offer some options in terms of how deep of an investment one wishes to make in this template, as well as to permit the template to be relevant with newer features released in subsequent publications.

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