Dexterous Species Template

There's always one creature type with greater control over their movements than others in a fantasy setting. Elves usually serve this purpose, but also commonly dexterous creatures include goblins, centaurs, and small robots. These Dexterous Species make up for a lack of physical strength through technical skill, and they fine-tune their movements to consume as little energy as possible.

## Characteristics

Dexterous Species have the following adjustments to their Base Characteristics:

* Body: -3. Maximum Cap: -6 to Body cap
	+ Part of why the Dexterous Species focuses on honing their technical skills is to minimize the amount of energy they consume. Because of this, they lack the Stamina of other creatures.
* Dexterity: +3. Maximum Cap: +6 to Dexterity cap
	+ The fine tuning of movement necessitates having a high Dexterity, which governs motor controls and efficiency. The fine the control, the higher their Dexterity needs to be.

## Skills

Skill Bonuses: +1d6 Acrobatics.

* The Dexterous Species' fine motor controls helps them to keep their balance through more efficient movement.

Skill Penalties: -1d6 Tactics.

* The Dexterous Species' movements are so fine tuned and technical that it's difficult for other creatures to keep up and do exactly what they want.

## Suggested Abilities

Dexterous Species make excellent Martial Arts and ranged fighters because they're capable of mastering techniques most creatures don't have the skill to pull off. These characters should consider investing in a Grab maneuver to make up for their lack of Strength in maintaining or escaping grapples. Characters of this species capable of channeling should consider developing Blasts, Entangles, and other powers requiring Accuracy checks to take advantage of their excellent odds of hitting targets.

## Ecology

### Physical Description

The proto-typical animal Dexterous Species are going to be based off of are primates, particularly chimpanzees and capuchins that rely on tools to get food. These creatures are most easily identified by their long arms and fingers, perfect for handling objects and reaching out to grab things. Their faces are going to be flat and human like; they aren't likely to be prey because they prefer to live in colonies, and they need forward facing eyes to focus on whatever project they're working on.

* Height Range: Dexterous species are going to be of similar height to a human, if a little shorter because of their decreased muscle mass. The average male will probably stand around 5 feet, 6 inches (about 1.63 meters), while females average about 5 feet (about 1.52 meters). Height for the Dexterous Race ranges between 4'10" (1.47m) and 5'10" (1.78m) for men, and 4'6" (1.37m) and 5'6" (1.68m) for women.
* Weight Range: The lack of body mass in comparison to humans is going to make the Dexterous Race lighter than a normal. A healthy weight range for males lies between 100 and 140 pounds (45 and 63.5 kilograms), with the smallest weighing as little as 75 lb (34 kg) and heaviest going up to 160 lb (72.5 kg). Females of average height weigh between 80 and 113 pounds (36 and 51 kilograms), the smallest can weigh as little as 60 lb (27 kg), and the tallest weight upwards of 140 lb (63.5 kg).

### Habitat

Dexterous Species thrive in forests, where they can construct tools and evade predators by living in trees. In forests, their preferred food sources will consist of fruits, nuts, and the occasional small mammal for protein. Coastal homes with abundant sources of shellfish, crustaceans, and small fish are also popular environments for Dexterous Species, who use spears to fish and rocks to break open muscle shells and exoskeletons for crabs.

### Organization

Where other prey animals see large groups as a predator magnets, Dexterous Species see safety in numbers. These communes have strict hierarchies, where children are assigned to observe adults to learn skills needed to survive and be passed on to new generations. These societies tend not be neither patriarchal nor matriarchal; one pair of mates will lead the colony, but otherwise males and females enjoy equal freedoms. Civilizations for Dexterous Species trend towards socialism, as they see every individual as possessing their own unique talents that benefit society equally.

### Behavior

Within their own societies, Dexterous Species treat each other as family even if two individuals aren't related by blood. One's duty to their enclave is paramount, and petty hatreds only serve to hurt the collective. However, their reliance on tools from the environment puts the Dexterous Species at odds with their neighbors, cultivating war-like mannerisms when dealing with other creatures. Other creatures can work peacefully with them, but the Dexterous Species is more likely to view them as vassals or slaves than as equals.