Bariaur
by Christopher Perkins (Dragon #312)
The creature looks a bit like a centaur, but it mixes the forms of human and ram rather than a human and horse. From the waist down, it is indistinguishable from a powerful ram. From the waist up, it looks human, except for two curling horns emerging from the top of its forehead.
Bariaurs roam the plane of Ysgard, protecting its denizens and hunting down evil interlopers to slay in battle. Nomadic and prone to fits of wanderlust, bariaurs travel constantly. Flocks of bariaurs follow one leader who retains power as long as he or she can withstand opponents in a "clash of horns" (a sequence of charge attacks similar to a jousting competition). These celestial creatures love a good competition, especially those that focus on genial fun.
Bariaurs worship Ehlonna and are strict herbivores, although bariaur rangers sometimes eat the meat of woodland creatures they've hunted and slain themselves.
Making a Barlaur Character
Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Good)
Bariaurs are swift, even while armored, and they are capable combatants with or without weapons.
A bariaur character begins as a Medium creature, with two hoof attacks and racial skill bonuses. It gains Strength and grows to Large size before it is able to take levels in other classes.
Racial Traits
Bariaur characters possess the following racial traits.
- Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Con, -2 Cha. Bariaurs are hardy, but they have underdeveloped social skills.
- Medium size. At 4th level, a bariaur's size increases to Large.
- A bariaur's base land speed is 40 feet.
- Quadruped: +4 bonus on checks to resist bull rush and trip attacks. A bariaur has a carrying capacity 1 1/2 times greater than normal for its Strength. It must wear barding instead of normal armor (see Armor for Unusual Creatures) and cannot wear boots designed for humanoids.
- Hooves: A bariaur's hooves deal 1d4 points of damage (plus Strength modifier) until it becomes Large size.
- Darkvision out to 60 feet.
- +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. Bariaurs have keen senses.
- Automatic Languages: Celestial and Common.
- Favored Class: Bariaur. The best multiclassing choice for a bariaur is ranger, but bariaurs make competent barbarians and fighters as well.
Class Skills
The bariaur's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the bariaur monster class*.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Bariaurs are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy), and with all shields (including tower shields).
Feats: A bariaur receives one feat at 1st level and an additional one at 4th level. After 5th level, it gains feats normally according to its character level, as shown in Experience and Level-Dependent Benefits.
Charge (Ex): A bariaur can strike a foe with its horns during a charge. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the bariaur to make a single gore attack that deals bludgeoning damage (plus the bariaur's Strength modifier). Base damage varies by level (1d6 at 1st level, 1d8 at 2nd level, and 2d6 at 4th level).
Hooves: A bariaur has two hoof attacks that are natural weapons dealing the indicated damage plus Strength bonus.
Large Size: On reaching Large size (at 4th level), a bariaur takes a -1 penalty to Armor Class, a -1 penalty on attack rolls, and a -4 penalty on Hide checks, but gains a +4 bonus on grapple checks. It also occupies a space 10 feet across and gains 10-foot reach.
Spell Resistance (Ex): At 5th level, a bariaur gains spell resistance 11. Its spell resistance increases by each time it gains an additional level in any class.
| Level | HD | BAB | Fort | Ref. | Will | Skill Pts | CR | Special |
| 1st | 1d8 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | (8 + Int mod) x 4 | 1 | Feat, subtypes (chaotic, extraplanar, good), 2 hooves 1d4, charge 1d6 |
| 2nd | 2d8 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | 8 + Int mod | 2 | +2 Str, +a bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities, charge 1d8 |
| 3rd | 2d8 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | - | 2 | +2 Str |
| 4th | 3d8 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | 8 + Int mod | 3 | Feat, Large size, 2 hooves 1d6, charge 2d6 |
| 5th | 3d8 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | - | 3 | Spell resistance 11 |
*For information on Monster Classes see Savage Species
Other Races and Monster Races
Races of Faerûn
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Character Creation