Briar

Briar MaleBriar Female.jpgBriar Female
When the first world was abandoned by the gods unfinished and flawed in favor of the perfect material plane, its nascent beings were left behind to perish with the collapsing plane. The first world did not collapse however; the raw power of the chaotic world grew and thrived against all odds.  The prototypes of many creatures were created in the first world in preparation for the perfect forms of sentient life which now inhabit the mundus.  Elves were the imperfect, flesh and blood anticipation of Humankind… but there were others.  The Briars were created by another… formed of a different kind of life; sturdier than flesh and blood, as strong as the trees from which they were made.  Ultimately the Briars also were abandoned, and so they languished in the first world, half formed and half aware.  After epochs of time, the elves found the material plane and created the moongates so that their hunger, jealousy and hatred might be inflamed against humankind for whom they were rejected, but the Briars also perceived in their dim, quasi-understanding of dappled shades of light and darkness.  They saw the humans, and they loved them, and they dreamed dreams of becoming and understanding and yearning.  The raw power of creation of the first world infused their dreams, and their dreams became souls, and in gaining souls, the Briars became aware, and longed to be with those they loved.  In secret they came through the moongates, and it was not forbidden to them, and now they seek to watch and learn from the ones whose bright souls encouraged and nourished the yearning of their creation. Briars come in all the shapes, colors and textures of the trees from whence their physical forms sprang.

## Briar Classes:

```
Any class

```

### Type

Briars are humanoids with the fey subtype.

### Size

Briars are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

### Languages

Briars begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Briars with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Elven, Kitsune, Grippli, Terran, Treant and Vegepygmy . See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

### Photosynthesis (Su)

Once per day while in direct or indirect sunlight, Briars can heal 2 hit points per level. This ability can be activated even while unconscious.

### Low Light Vision

Briars have low-light vision allowing them to see twice as far as humans in dim light.

### Lifebound

Briars gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws made to resist death effects, saving throws against negative energy effects, Fortitude saves made to remove negative levels, and Constitution checks made to stabilize if reduced to negative hit points.

### Bramble Resilience

Briars gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.

### Taproot

Briars receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD when resisting bull rush or trip attempts while standing on the ground.

### Tree Limbs

Briars receive two slam attacks that deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage. These are primary natural attacks made with the Briar’s fists.

## Alternate Racial Traits:

Amber Sap: Some briars have very thick sap that rapidly hardens into amber when it is exposed to air. These briars gain immunity to bleeding damage and effects as well as blood draining abilities which deal con damage (like that of mosquitos, dire ticks, jaguars and vampires).  This trait replaces hardwood.
Autumnal Foliage: Some briars produce beautiful autumn foliage for hair, requiring deeper roots to support.  These briars gain +2 con, +2 wis, +2 cha and -4 to dex.  This trait replaces the racial ability score adjustments.
Bramble Thorns: Some briars grow sharp thorns instead of thick bark. Any creature that grapples these briars or strikes them in melee combat with a natural weapon or unarmed attack suffer 1d3 points of piercing damage. This trait replaces hardwood.
Darkwood: Some briars are descended from darkwood trees and gain DR 5/axes or cold iron. This trait replaces hardwood.
Fertile Soil: Instead of powerful limbs, some briars grow incredibly dense root systems to draw upon the mana of the world for greater power. Briar sorcerers with the verdant bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Briar wizards with the wood element specialty cast spells of the wood school at +1 caster level. Briar clerics with the Plant domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. This trait does not give briars early access to level-based powers; it only affects powers that they could already use without this trait. This trait replaces tree limbs and taproot.
Fruiting (Sp): Some briars can produce small cherry-like fruits which provide nourishment as if they were a normal meal for a Medium creature. The fruits also cure 1 point of damage when eaten. The briar can produce 2 fruits per level per day. The fruits last for 24 hours before going bad. This trait replaces photosynthesis
Living Steel (Ex): Some briars are able to biodegrade stone and metals as easily as organic material. Whenever they attack an object, they deal double damage before hardness. This racial trait replaces hardwood.
Mulching (Sp): Some briars have developed an enhanced ability to gain nourishment through the biodegradation of corpses. These briars gain death knell as a spell like ability useable 3 times per day. The save DC for this ability is 10 + ½ CL + constitution modifier.  This trait replaces photosynthesis.
Rune Carved: Some briars carve spiral runes of the first world into their flesh, reducing their natural armor, but granting them greater access to magical abilities. These runes allow them to cast enchantment spells at +2 effective caster level. This trait replaces hardwood.
Vernal Foliage: Some briars spend their energy learning and absorbing new knowledge, requiring deeper roots to support.  As a result, their foliage is always tender and bright. These briars gain +2 con, +2 wis, +2 int and -4 to dex.  This trait replaces the racial ability score adjustments.
Vine Symbiosis: Some briars have a special relationship with a breed of assassin vine. This vine grants the briar the constrict special quality, dealing 1d6+Strength damage on a successful grapple check. This replaces tree limbs.