Yutu (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Yutu (Chinese: jade rabbit) is the name of the moon rabbit in Chinese mythology. The rabbit is associated with the moon in Korean, Japanese, and Aztec myth. A combination of wisdom, innocence, playfulness, and devotion characterizes most mythical rabbits.

Description

Yutu, also known as usagi or rabbit-folk, are humanoids with the physical characteristics of rabbits, much like tengu have the features of crows. They are known for their generosity and devotion.

Physical Description: Rabbit-folk are short, about 4'10, with the distinctive ears and tails of rabbits. Most also have human-like hair, marked incisors, and long digitigrade feet, but these trait is not universal. Beyond these common traits, yutu vary from human to very animal-like in appearance, some having skin, others fur, some having humanoid faces and others rabbit-like snouts or somewhere in between. Both animal-like and human-like rabbit-folk share the full color range of their human and animal parts, with very pale and and very dark colors both somewhat more common than in either rabbits or humans.

Society: Yutu live in tight communities, usually under conditions humans would consider cramped. They have a great need of social interaction and physical contact, tough this can be restrained and codified in structured societies. Generally serious workers, most yutu are simple farmers, with a special talent for gardening and cultivating rare plants. Ordered and predictable, yutu are generally appreciated by neighbors and often end up in positions of responsibility if not leadership.

Family: Yutu are born in litters and capable of very quick population growth, but normally only a few alpha does in a community are breeders. Mothers of successful litters become elders and are authority figures in yutu society. They may advice on day-to-day decisions, but their true responsibility lies in strategic decisions for the community and in maintaining the relationships with gods and spirits. The remaining population support these family groups and pursue individual careers with little distinction between genders. Kittens around the age of six seek mentors among the entire adult population, what looks to outsiders like a parent-child relation is often really an apprenticeship.

Relations: With a mix of tolerance and friendliness, yutu get along well with most other races. Their seriousness can annoy gnomes, while halflings sometimes resent their honesty. Elves look down fondly on yutu, while dwarfs like how yutu let themselves get drunk under the table. Even predatory creatures, like catfolk and gnolls, often appreciate yutu for their willingness to sacrifice, never realizing how dangerously well-organized a group of yutu can be until it is too late. While popular in most camps, yutu do not command respect or awe and are rarely leaders or politicians.

Alignment and Religion: Rabbit-folk are serious, devoted, and hard-working with a natural tendency towards lawful and good alignments. They can devote their loyalty to others even over alignment differences; a lawful yutu makes a good servant for a chaotic nobleman. Likewise, they show little alignment prejudice in matters of faith; they often worship patrons much more chaotic than themselves. Gods of the moon gain their special devotion and love. Many yutu honor their ancestors, champions and alpha does of the past, sometimes becoming ancestor worshipers.

Adventurers: Their loyal natures make yutu respond to calls of duty; the most common reason for a yutu to leave their society is for service in response to an obligation. Such yutu rarely return to their home and serve for life. If the cause for their call is lost, such as if a noble patron dies, they may become wanderers and adventurers. Others adventure in the service of their patron, being trusted to represent their interests far from home.

Male Names: Bai, Eiji, Gen, Hanasuke, Hatsu, Hirohito, Hirooshi, Hisao, Ichiro, Jiro, Makoto, Saburo, Shiro, Xueqin, Yusheng.

Female Names: Aiko, Aki, Anzu, Chikako, Hanako, Haya, Huilang, Kaiya, Kikue, Linh, Mingyu, Nuwa, Tami, Tu, Umeko, Yanyu, Yu.

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
• Size: Rabbit-folk are Medium creatures and gain no special advantages or disadvantages from size.
• Type: Yutu are humanoids with the yutu subtype.
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Languages: Yutu begin play speaking Common and Yutu. Yutu with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Catfolk, Dwarf, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan, and Tengu.
• Random Starting Age: Base age 12 years
  Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer +1d4
  Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger +1d6
  Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard +2d6.
• Aging Effects: Middle Age 35. Old 60. Venerable 90. Max 90+3d20.
• Height and Weight (not including ears): Male Height 4'5 Weight 120 lbs. Modifier 2d4 Weight Multiplier x2 lbs.,
  Female Height 4'3 Weight 115 lbs. Modifier 2d4 Weight Multiplier x3 lbs.

Offense and Defensive Racial Traits

• Parting Kick (2 RP): When doing the withdraw action, a yutu can make a trip combat maneuver as a swift action before moving. This does not trigger an attack of opportunity. A yutu with the Greater Trip feat do not cause the target of such a trip to trigger attacks of opportunity.

Movement Racial Traits

• Sprinter (1 RP): Yutu gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.
• Jumper (2 RP) Yutu are always considered to have a running start when making Acrobatics checks to jump.

Skill Racial Traits

• Disarming Humility (2 RP): Yutu are forthright and disarming, which wins them allies in the long run. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks.

Senses Racial Traits

• Limited Tremorsense (2 RP): Through a combination of scent, hearing, and sensitive paws, yutu can sense the presence of creatures and objects in contact with the ground up to 30 ft. away, even if the creatures are invisible or have full concealment. This is not a precise sense; the yutu knows where creatures are, but still suffer normal concealment miss chance. Creatures can use Stealth normally against the Yutu by threading carefully.

Alternate Racial Traits

• Agile Feet (2 RP): The yutu gains Dodge as a bonus feat. This replaces jumper.
• Burrowing (2 RP) The yatu has a burrow speed of 10 feet., but only in soil. A yutu using burrow speed leaves a tunnel, but this tunnel is unstable and likely to collapse in 24 hours unless properly supported. This replaces disarming humility.
• Flee Forward (2 RP) The yutu gains a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to overrun an opponent and does not trigger an attack of opportunity when doing so. This bonus only applies while the yutu is on the ground. This replaces parting kick.
• Tall Ears (4 RP): The yutu has tall ears that add at least a foot to its total height. These yutu have low-light vision and gain a racial +2 bonus on Perception checks, increased to +4 on Perception checks related to hearing and spotting hidden enemies. This replaces limited tremorsense and jumper.
• Stability (1 RP): The yutu gains a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground. This replaces sprinter.

Yutu in Greyhawk

Yutu are relatively common in Nippon and the Nippon Territories, and exist Zindia and the Celestial empire. Individual yutu may travel to other parts of the world in the service of an employer.

Race Traits

Yutu can choose among the following race traits.

Bunny Hop (Race) Acrobatics is a class skill for you. You gain a +4 trait bonus on Acrobatics checks to jump.

Directional Hearing (Race) You are good at finding the direction of sounds. You gain a a +2 trait bonus to Perception checks against hidden and invisible enemies and to determine the direction of sounds.

Forager (Race) Like your ancient forebears, you can subsist on many kinds of green plants. You gain a +4 trait bonus on Survival checks to find food.

Stomper (Race) You can stomp the ground to create vibrations easily picked up with tremorsense, and can send messages to others with such senses up to ten times the range of their tremorsense. The Yutu language has special expressions transmitted this way; you can transmit fairly complex messages if both you and the listener knows the language.

Tunneler (Race) You can burrow through sand and soft earth at a speed of 5 ft., leaving a tunnel behind. This tunnel will collapse in an hour unless supports are added. If you have the burrowing racial trait, add 5 ft. to your burrowing speed and the tunnels you create do not collapse.

Favored Class Bonuses

Yutu bring insight and patient work to any profession.

This is a work in progress.

Alchemist: Shibaten enjoy bombs and the pure shock value of transformations, but recklessness and alchemy is a dangerous mix. Add +1/2 to Intimidate checks when using mutagen.

Assassin of Porphyra: (See Assassins of Porphyra, also by Purple Duck Games) A few quacks revel in fear and loathing and become assassins, usually gruesome assassins or rajuki dancers. 1/2 times per day, after damaging a creature with a sneak attack, the assassin can make an Intimidate check to demoralize the target of the sneak attack as a free action.

Barbarian: Shibaten don't see this class as barbaric; they see it as the normal and natural way to fight. Add +1/2 to Strength and Intimidate checks when raging.

Bard: The word bard doesn't cover duck-folk performers well, but think clown and they are the best! Add +1/4 to Intimidate and Perform (comedy) checks.

Bloodrager: Magically inclined shibaten thrive as bloodragers, and some parents go so far as to sneak eggs into the nests of monsters to give their ducklings that extra bit of magical power. Add +1/5 to the damage of melee attacks made in a bloodrage.

Brawler: Duck-folk love a good scrap. Add + 1/6 to the brawler's size category, but only to determine what size creatures the brawler can use combat maneuvers against. Aggressive stance stacks with other similar abilities, such as the In Your Face feat.

Brujo: (From Paths of Power I by 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming) Shibaten find brujo primitive, but enjoy the foreboding aura surrounding these wild witches. Add 1 point to the brujo's curse pool.

Cavalier: Duck-folk don't regularly keep animals suitable as mounts, but their neighbors often do and the shibaten sometimes learn from them. Add + 1/2 to CMD and Intimidate checks against the target of the cavalier's challenge.

Chi Warrior: (From Chi Warrior, also by Purple Duck Games) Now, this is what martial arts is all about! 1/2 times per day, but no more than once every two rounds, the chi warrior can make an Intimidate check to demoralize as a move action.

Cleric: Pro:I am the star. Con:Its not my show. Some shibaten play this for all its worth and just loves ceremony. Add 1 ft. to the range of the cleric's channel energy ability. Round this down to the closest increment of 5 ft.

Druid: Who are these guys, again? Add + 1/4 to both the druid's and her animal companion's Intimidate and Survival checks.

Fencer: (From Unarmored and Dangerous, also by Purple Duck Games) Ducks can make decent fencers, usually focusing on feints and repartee. Add + 1/7 use of parry each round.

Fighter: Another over-disciplined class, but oh so shiny! Add + 1/5 to the bravery bonus and on Intimidate checks.

Gunslinger: The loud noise and short range of firearms appeals to shibaten. 1/2 times per day, when wielding a firearm, the gunslinger can make an Intimidate check to demoralize as a move action. The target of the Intimidate check must be within the first range increment of the firearm.

Hunter: Hiding in the green stuff with an animal seems awfully uncomfortable. Add + 1/4 to both the druid's and her animal companion's Intimidate and Survival checks.

Investigator: The investigator's ability as a know-it-all appeals to shibaten. Select 1/4 class skill. The investigator can use inspiration with this skill without expending a point of inspiration.

Inquisitor: Everybody hears the purple duck inquisitor! Add + 1/4 to the Stern gaze bonus.

Kineticist: Whoo-ho, quack and bang! The unlimited power of kineticism appeals to ducks, but few are called. Gain a bonus on Intimidate checks equal to twice the number of points of burn the kineticist currently has, to a maximum bonus of +1/2.

Kingpin: (From Kingpin, also by Purple Duck games) Take them out, oh my minions! Add 1 ft. to the kingpin's gang radius. Round this down to the nearest increment of 5 ft.

Magus: Look, its magic using swords! Win! Add a +½ bonus on concentration checks made to cast defensively.

Monk: The first rule of Quack-Fu; Quack! 1/2 times per day, the shibaten can make an Intimidate check to demoralize as a move action.

Occultist: You will never be forgiven for stealing those apples! A shibaten with the object reading class feature can read an object when making an intimidation check to gain a + ½ bonus on Intimidate checks against the item's former owner. This is a part of the action to make the Intimidate check. The information revealed is personal and significant to the target, but rarely to anyone else.

Oracle: And lo, God spoke to me, and he said "Let's party!" Add one spell known from the oracle spell list. This spell must have the sonic or language-dependent descriptor.

Paladin: Your doom has finally caught up with you, villain! Enemies in the paladin's aura of courage suffer a penalty of - 1/5 to saving throws against fear effects. Enemies in the paladin's aura of resolve take the same penalty on saving throws against charm effects.

Psychic: There are two kinds of psychic; I know how to party! Add 1 to the psychic's level to qualify for and use the detect thoughts, telepathic bond, and telepathy class features. This allows the psychic to gain these abilities at an earlier level. If the psychic's effective level for these abilities exceeds 20, add 10 ft. to the range of the telepathy ability for each effective level after 20.

Quartermaster: Oh, yes, it took some work to get here. But look at this go boom! 1/4 times per day, the quartermaster can make an Intimidate check as a swift action against all creatures that just damage from the quartermas­ter's dangerous devices ability.

Ranger: There is a whole world to explore out there. Add + 1/4 to both the druid's and her animal companion's Intimidate and Survival checks.

Rogue: I am the best rogue there ever was, and I just had to tell those guys! How was I to know they were guards? Add +1/4 to Bluff and Intimidate checks.

Shaman: Spirits are all right but do I really need to meditate? The shaman gains 1/6 of a new shaman hex.

Skald: We need bigger drums! All targets of the skald's raging song gain a + 1/4 bonus on Intimidate checks.

Slayer: I am trying to hide here! Nobody look, or you're all dead! 1/2 times per day, the slayer can make an Intimidate check to demoralize as a move when hidden using Stealth. This does not reveal his location.

Vigilante: Life is an endless masquerade! Gain 1/4 additional social talent.

Sacerdote: (From Legendary Classes Sacerdote by Purple Duck Games) "And the Lord shall lead the fool to his just reward" Look, God, this means you have to help me! Add 1/2 new spell from the nobility domain to the sacerdote's domain spell list, beginning with level 1 and working up. Cannot be picked if the sacerdote already knows this domain.

Sorcerer: I am of the brood of dragons, fear my power! 1/2 times per day, as a full-round action, the sorcerer can make an Intimidate check to demoralize and then gains a standard action to use a bloodline power or cast a spell.

Spiritualist: An immortal, incorporeal spirit does seem like a cool thing to be. But why would I want to serve one? Add + 1/2 to the number of rounds of bonded manifestation the spiritualist can use each day.

Summoner: I think of my eidolon as my greatest fan! Add + 1/2 to both the summoners's and her eidolon's Intimidate checks as long as the eidolon is within 30 ft. of the summoner.

Swashbuckler: Turning anger into panache is the ultimate high! 1/2 times per day, the swashbuckler can make an Intimidate check as a move action by aiming a light or one-handed piercing weapon at a target within 10 ft.

Warpriest: Why would I bother to bless others? Add + 1/4 to sacred weapon damage.

Witch: Behold my power! 1/2 times per day, as a full-round action, the witch can make an Intimidate check to demoralize and then gains a standard action to use a hex or cast a spell.

Wizard: The laws of nature dance at my command! Add +1 point of electricity damage to spells that deal electricity damage cast by the wizard. This additional damage is not multiplied on critical hits or affected by metamagic feats.

External Links

• Yutu @ Wikipedia.

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