Yuan - ti halfblood < / ref > Halfbloods , also known as malisons , were a subrace of the yuan - ti , a psionic race of serpent - men . Halfblood was not a precise category but generally referred to a yuan - ti with half human - like and half snake - like features , which shared certain common abilities . Description . There was great variety among the yuan - ti halfbloods . Not only did they come in several general body types , but they also tended to show variations in scale patterns and colors , much like natural snakes . Four in ten halfbloods had the body of an agile , sharp - featured human but with a serpent head and scales . Some varieties had hoods like cobras , such as those halfbloods who were members of House Hss ' tafi . The remaining 60 % of halfbloods fell into three remaining variations . Some had the lower body of a snake instead of legs , others had a snake - like tail , and still others had snake - like arms in place of normal arms . Halfbloods tended to have body masses and sizes in the same range as human s . Abilities . Like all true yuan - ti , halfbloods had psionic powers . All yuan - ti , by force of will alone , could morph their bodies into the form of any viper and sense the presence of any poison nearby . Moreover , they were innately resistant to magic . In addition to these common powers , halfbloods could psionically entrance animals and instill fear or suggest actions to those of weak will power . They could also control small plants , wines , and weeds by thought , much like the " entangle " spell , call forth magical darkness , and neutralize any poison . Halfbloods could change the color of their skin and scales to match their environments , much like a chameleon . Their bodies also oozed an acidic secretion , and they had poisonous bites . Halfbloods from House Sseradess could breathe underwater . Snake - headed halfbloods from House Se ' Sehen could spit their venom . Those halfbloods with tails could use them to constrict opponents or to climb or swim . Some of them , particularly many from House Eselemas , had prehensile tails . Those with snake torsos in place of legs from House Sauringar were known to be able to puff up their bodies to look larger and more threatening . Halfbloods with snake - like arms could bite with the fangs at the end of each appendage . Life Cycle . Like all yuan - ti , halfbloods hatched from eggs and grew to adulthood by twelve years . They could live as long as 120 years , but the average lifespan was 80 years . Personality . Like most yuan - ti , halfbloods tended to be self - absorbed and arrogant . They tended to be far more intelligent than their pureblood kin — though slightly less intelligent than the abominations — and were always plotting and scheming . Combat . Yuan - ti in general favored high - quality weapons . Halfbloods favored scimitar s and composite longbow s and often wore studded leather armor . It was not uncommon for them to poison their blades and arrows . In combat , they let the weaker purebloods fight first , while they stayed in hiding and used range weapons or their psionic abilities to confound their foes . If the purebloods failed , then they would join into melee combat . Society . Yuan - ti followed a strict hierarchical system : The halfbloods receive orders from the abominations , and in turn the halfbloods rule over the purebloods . The halfbloods often served as captains or elite troops and were the bulk of yuan - ti defenses . Language . Halfbloods spoke the Yuan - ti language , Common , and any local languages . They often learned Abyssal or Draconic as well . Religion . The vast majority of yuan - ti , halfbloods included , worshiped the god Sseth . Halfbloods played a special role in the religion of Sseth in that almost all of his priests were halfbloods of the serpent - headed variety . History . Like all true yuan - ti , halfbloods were created millennia ago by the sarrukh , one of the creator race s , in magical , controlled breeding experiments combining humans , serpents , and sarrukh themselves .