Flora Sapiens

Plants are living organisms, lacking voluntary motion, usually rooted to the soil.  Flora sapiens are the exception to this rule.  They are sentient humanoid plants with intellect and bipedal locomotion.  Some believe that they are a natural evolution of plant life.  Others think they were created by arcane experimentation.  Flora sapiens are most commonly found in areas of natural wilderness, but some live within suburban greenhouses and city parks.  Flora sapiens exist everywhere that plant life can flourish.

Physical Description

Flora sapiens are roughly humanoid and resemble the plants from which they evolved.  They are not as tall as full grown treants and most stand at 3ft to 9ft tall.  Their exact appearance is determined by the species of origin.  Most flora sapiens have two eyes, five fingered hands, at least one pair of arms, and a single pair of legs.   Instead of hair the creature has leaves or needles of green, red, orange, or yellow.  Instead of fingers or toes the creature has roots and fronds.  The skin can very from a waxy green to a crusty brown.  If the creature sprouts flowers they will be scattered about its body.  Its eyes are usually yellow but can be any shade of the rainbow.

Social Relations

Flora sapiens vary in temperament and morality as much as any humanoid race.  Most plant people highly value natural purity of water and air.  Many are part of druidic circles and tribal societies.  Evil druids resent the influence of mankind and wish to hoard natural resources for themselves.  Good druids seek to protect what exists and educate mankind to respect nature.  Flora sapiens often establish a fixed territory that they defend from all comers.

Flora Sapient Creation

Creature Type

The creature type of flora sapiens is Fey (Flora Sapient) and has the following qualities. 

Fey (Flora Sapient) Traits: As a fey creature, it is invulnerable to effects that specifically target humanoids such as daze, charm person, enlarge person, reduce person, or hold person. A flora sapient is immune to sleep effects and has low light vision.  It also possesses a +2 racial saving throw bonus against poison, polymorph, paralysis, and stunning attacks.  Flora sapiens are also vulnerable to any damaging effect that specifically targets plants such as blight as well as “fey” specific effects.  Unlike other plants the complex nervous system of a flora sapient renders it vulnerable to critical hits, stunning, and paralysis.

Photosynthesis: Like all plants this creature relies on photosynthesis rather than food for sustenance.  It still requires a normal ration of water every day and will begin to starve if denied direct daylight.

Rooted: The plant creature must stay inactive and rooted in soil for 4 hours per day to gain the nutrients it requires to survive.  This replaces the need for sleep.

Plant Logic: Flora sapiens suffer a -2 penalty to Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, and Sense Motive checks when dealing with animals rather than plants. 

Climate Acclimated: The flora sapien performs best in one specific temperature range.  Every step away from its native climate the creature suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throw checks.

• Hot Climate: Blazing Temperatures (110* Fahrenheit or higher)
• Warm Climate: Summer Temperatures (80* to 110* Fahrenheit)
• Temperate Climate: Alternating Warm and Cool seasons.
• Cool Climate: Winter Temperatures (60* to 30* Fahrenheit)
• Cold Climate: Freezing Temperatures (30* Fahrenheit and below)

Native Camouflage: This species has a skin coloring which is so suited to a particular terrain that they gain substantial Hide bonus when they are on their home turf. When within the confines of a set type of terrain, a race with Native Camouflage gains a +8 Hide Bonus.

Terrain Types

Forest

Desert

Subterranean

Mountain/Steppe

Aquatic

Urban

Plains or Prairie

Swamp

Armor Defoliation: Flora sapiens are naturally uncomfortable in armor.  When you wear any type of armor, decrease the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus by 2 and increase its armor penalty by 4. The plant fey can only wear body armor for a maximum of CON modifier hours before it must make a Fortitude Save (DC = 10 + number of hours the armor is worn) each hour or the creature suffers -1 CON damage.

Hit Dice

The hit dice of the plant creature is determined by the character’s class. All flora sapiens are considered +0 ECL creatures.

Choose Your Attribute Modifiers

Flora sapiens display a wide range of physical and mental attribute scores.  When designing your specific race, you can choose a single +2 bonus for one of your attributes, other than Strength, in exchange for a penalty of -2 to another attribute.  If you choose a +2 bonus for Strength attribute then you must take a -2 penalty to two other attributes.  The choice of attribute modifiers should reflect the characteristics of the plant.

Choose Size

The size of the flora sapiens is related to the size of the plant of origin.  Potted plants, flowers, and small tufts of vegetation become “Small” sized characters.  Bushes, hedges, and shrubs become “Medium” sized characters.  Trees, palms, and giant ferns become “Powerful Build” creatures.

Small Size:  The plant fey stands 3ft +2d4in tall and weighs 40 +2d4lbs.  Its base land speed is 20ft.  As a small creature the flora sapien must either take a -2 STR penalty or sacrifice its minor ability.

Medium Size: This plant fey is the same height and weight as a standard human.  Its base land speed is 30ft. 

Powerful Build: You become as large as your size category allows (8 feet tall for Medium Creatures). However, you function in many ways as if you were one size category larger. Whenever you are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), you are treated as one size larger when it is advantageous to you. You are also considered to be one size larger when determining whether special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect you. You can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty (for example, a Medium-size character with this mutation can wield a Large weapon one-handed).  This plant fey is pushing the envelope for a medium creature, but it does not change in face or reach.  It must wear “large” sized armor and punches as a “large” creature. In exchange for a powerful build the creature must sacrifice either 2 DEX points or lose its minor ability and all powerful build must wear “large” sized armor.  The basic dimensions of a powerful build creature is 7ft +2d12in tall and weighs 200lbs plus 3d6 x5lbs.

Choose Major Ability

The major ability of the flora sapien is based on the species of origin of the creature.  When generating the plant race, pick one of the categories below.

Algoid

Algoids are Aquatic subtype creatures formed from single cell organisms that feed by photosynthesis.  This group includes algae, plankton, and diatoms.  Algoids live in either fresh or salt water and can be red, green, yellow, or blue in color.  Algoids are Amphibious.  They gain a Swim Speed equal to their land speed, but creatures with this ability are only able to survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution,

after which they suffer the effects of drowning.

Autumnan

Autumnans are created from deciduous trees which loose their leaves during the winter time.  Autumnans have expansive canopies that extend the reach of the character by five feet.  Unfortunately, Autumnans are slower than ordinary flora sapiens and suffer a -10ft penalty to all speed scores.

Cactoids

Cactus plants are the origin of Cactoids.  Body spikes cover the creature and inflict 1d4 piercing damage on any creature that attempts to grapple or bull rush the cactoid. 

Ferancients

Ferancients come from ferns.  Fearns are midway between fungi and plants.  They reproduce by spores, but perform photosynthesis.  These ancient plants are the source of crude oil.  The antiquity and beauty of ferns grants them a +2 Leadership bonus if they acquire the Leadership feat.

Fungoid

Fungoids are birthed from mushrooms, molds, and fungi.  These are not plants and do not perform photosynthesis.  Instead they digest organic matter.  Unlike other flora sapiens they don’t need sunlight and gain darkvision to 60ft, but have Light Sensitivity (-1 AB in daylight conditions).

Garideans

Garideans are the evolved form of grasses.  Grass grows very quickly to recover from grazing and fires.  Bamboo, flowers, grains, and weeds are genetic variations of grass.  Garideans have the “Stamina” talent and heal 2 hit points for each evening of rest, 2 points of temporary ability damage per evening of rest, and awaken in half the normal time after being knocked unconscious.  In exchange for this rapid healing, the creature has a voracious appetite and requires twice as much food and water as any other humanoid.

Palmyst

A palmyst is an evolved palm.  The shape of the palm trunk and leaves allow it to survive tropical winds and sand storms.  A palm tends to bend rather than break.  Any palmyst can use its Escape Artist skill instead of Balance or Concentration skill checks, but the maximum weight they can carry is reduced by 25%.

Utuberan

Utuberans grow large bulbs or tubers.  This group includes tulips, potatoes, peanuts, carrots, and turnips to name a few.  The deep extensive roots of this plant increase its stability.  An utuberan can take root to resist tripping attacks and bull rushing (+10 bonus).  Taking root is a swift action, but while rooted the character can’t move and loses any Dodge bonus to its AC score.  It takes the creature 1d4 rounds to uproot itself.

Venusian

Venusians are man-eating hybrids bred from carnivorous plants.  Plant species of origin include Venus fly traps, pitcher plants, and sun dews.  Venusians gain the “Constrict” special ability.  A medium sized constrictor automatically inflicts 1d6+STR bonus bludgeoning damage to any target it successfully grapples.  Venusians must have one pound of fresh, uncooked, humanoid flesh every two days or suffer -1d4 points of physical attribute damage that will not heal until the creature is fed.

Vinyane

Vinyane are a mass of vines, moss, or lichens.  Vines cling to boulders, brick walls, and other plants.  Any flora sapiens derived from vines gains a climb speed equal to one half its land speed.

Minor Abilities

Pick one minor ability for the character that best represents the species of origin for your flora sapien.

Clinging Vines: The hybrid gains a +1 racial bonus when resisting disarming attacks.

Desert Plant: This plant hybrid has no need of drinking water.  It gains all the water it needs while rooted in the soil.

Flowering: +1 DC bonus on any “Charm” spells you cast.

Leaf Blade: +2 racial bonus on “Combat Feint” skill rolls.

Hardwood: Increase your maximum carrying capacity by 25%

Herbal: +2 racial save bonus versus Necromancy spells cast on you.

Parasitic: +1 DC bonus on any “Death” spells you cast.

Perennial: +2 on all Fortitude Saves from Massive damage.

Poisonous: Gains the “Use Poison” class ability (see Assassin).

Shamrock: +1 racial bonus on Bluff skill.

Root Mass: +2 stability bonus to resist bull rush and tripping attacks

Salt Tolerant: The plant creature can drink both salt and fresh water without penalty.

Softwood: +1 racial bonus on Tumbling checks

Thick Bark: A race with the Thick Bark trait has a dense bark or heavy waxy coating which protects them from Hot and Cold seasonal temperatures. The thick skin prevents a race from being effected by material plane environments of extreme heat or cold, negating any constitution damage which would be incurred from hostile temperature conditions. Strange planar environments, such as the plane of fire or ice, are not resisted in any way by a heavy coating of this creature.  The heavy coating interferes with the creature’s ability to react quickly and inflicts a -2 penalty to initiative and Reflex saves.

Thorny: The thorns are a natural weapon that inflicts 1d3 slashing damage for medium creatures (1d2 for small creatures and 1d4 for powerful build creatures).

Windblown: +1 racial bonus on Tumble skill checks

Choose a Favored Class

Flora Sapiens must choose a favored class which best embodies the qualities of the species of origin.  Druid is a common choice as well as rogue, sorcerer, barbarian, and ranger; but any core class is available.

All text in this document is considered “Open Game Content” in accord with the Open Game License 1.0a.