Grippli (CR 1)
Small Humanoid
Alignment: Usually neutral
Initiative: +1 (Dex); Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Listen +4, and Spot +4
AC: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +1
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +0; Grapple -5
Attack: Short sword +1 melee; or dart +4 ranged; or net +4 ranged
Full Attack: Short sword +1 melee; or dart +4 ranged; or net +4 ranged
Damage: Short sword 1d6-1; or dart 1d4-1
Special Attacks: -
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 9
Special Qualities: Marsh move
Feats: Alertness
Skills: Climb +8, Hide +0*, Listen +4, and Spot +4
Advancement: By character class
Climate/Terrain: Warm aquatic, forest, and marsh
Organization: Solitary, pad (2-5), float (6-11), or village (20-30 plus 35% noncombatants plus 1 3rd level cleric)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard
Source:
Converted
Grippli resemble small, intelligent, humanoid tree frogs. They are have a primitive culture and are non-aggressive.
They stand just over 2 feet tall and weigh 25 to 30 pounds. Their bodies are shaped like those of frogs, except for the human-like hands and hand-like feet. Their eyes are yellow with vertical slit pupils. Their skin is gray-green with camouflage stripes and swirling patterns. Although their skin looks wet and shiny, it is actually dry to the touch. Grippli smell of old, wet vegetation.
They love bright colors and eagerly acquire any such items. They wear clothing only for decoration or for a particular functional purpose, such as for pockets. A normal encounter with grippli outside of the village finds them wearing only thin belts or loincloths to hold weapons or acquired items.
They speak a language of croaks, groans, clicks, and squeaks. In a tribe there is usually at least one member that can speak Common or Sylvan.
Combat
Grippli defend themselves with snares, nets, poisoned darts, and the occasional sword or dagger. They have been known to use spears and blowguns on rare occasions. They never wear armor. Generally speaking the grippli prefer small weapons that don't get in the way of climbing.
They are very capable of formulating strategies and tactics to overcome a larger, more powerful force. Grippli prefer ambushes and traps to most other strategies. By trapping their opponents in snares and nets, they can hurl darts at them safely from high in the trees. If unprovoked, they attack only to steal various brightly colored baubles.
Marsh Move (Ex): Grippli suffer no movement penalties for moving in marshes or mud.
Grippli receive a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. *They receive a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks when in marshes or forested areas due to their coloration.
Grippli Characters
A grippli's favored class is rogue. Grippli leaders are usually rogues or rogue/fighters. Grippli priests are usually adepts. Grippli clerics have access to two of the following domains: Animal, Plant, Protection, and Travel.
Grippli Society
A grippli village is made of small huts of wood and mud built on the ground, in the deep shadows of large trees. On rare occasions, a grippli village is found in the strong limbs of the trees. Each village is led by a tribe mother, usually a 3rd-level cleric. She resembles any other grippli, save that she is 4 feet tall.
They have basic family units, just like humans, and each family has its own hut. The tribe mother's hut doubles as a temple to their small, frog-like deity. Other deities in the pantheon include evil snake gods and spider goddesses. Their naturally high intelligence enables them to learn new devices and weapons quickly and easily. As a race they have no desire to manufacture such items themselves. However, they will trade for them with other races. Trade items usually include rare fruits or other hard-to-get jungle specimens. They are extremely cautious and only develop trade relations with groups that they trust completely, such as elves or the rare village of humans in their area.
Grippli eat fruit and insects. They trap small insects in large quantities and hunt the giant varieties like humans hunt stags. Grippli themselves are hunted as well. Giant snakes and spiders are fond of grippli as meals. Grippli are rare in the world, mostly because of their low birthrate. They live to be 700 years old, but give birth to only six or so young in that time. Because of this, the grippli defend their young ferociously.
The Grippli first appeared in the Fiend Folio (1981).