Yautja

**Yautja (35 RP)**

*The dreaded Yautja, referred to colloquially as Predators or Hunters, are a feared race of highly advanced predators that hunt other races for sport. To an outsider they seem barbaric, but those that have interacted with Yautja outside of a hunt realize they are much more civilized than most would expect.*

​*They are more physically capable than most races in all regards, and are incredibly perceptive and intuitive, but they are ugly motherfuckers.*

**Type (3 RP):** Aberration

**Ability Scores (4 RP):** +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +4 Wis, -2 Cha

**Size (0 RP):** Medium

**Speed (3 RP):** 40 ft base speed, Climb 20 ft (+8 racial bonus to Climb checks)

**Languages (-1 RP):** Yautja begin play speaking Yautja. Yautja with high Int may select Intergalactic,

**Darkvision:** Yautja have darkvision out to 60 ft.

**Xenomorph Hunter (4 RP):** Yautja gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against aberrations, a +1 bonus to attack rolls against aberrations, and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to grapple aberrations. In addition, Yautja gain an additional +4 dodge bonus to AC against creatures with the Hive or Xenomorph subtype.

**Worthy Game (4 RP):** Whenever a Yautja is reduced to half its hit points or fewer and has no conscious ally within 30 feet, it gains a +2 racial bonus on melee attack rolls and to Armor Class.

**Natural Armor (3 RP):** Yautja gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC

**Stealth Mastery (10 RP):** Yautja reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this trait). In addition, Yautja gain a +6 racial bonus on Stealth checks, and Stealth and Perception are always class skills for a Yautja.

**Yautja Weapon Familiarity (1 RP):** Yautja are proficient with all Yautja racial weapons, and gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with them. A Yautja racial weapon is any weapon that's name begins with "Yautja".

**Warrior Race (5 RP):** Yautja gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

**Honor bound (-1 RP):** A Yautja must follow a code of honor (see Yautja Honor Code). Breaking this code typically requires the Yautja commit suicide, however there are those that do not. If a Yautja breaks its code of honor and does not kill itself, it will be hunted by other Yautja to be returned to the home-world for judgement. Any Yautja that encounters another that has broken the code immediately abandons whatever it was doing to bring the code-breaker to justice, or simply kill them if it would be impractical or inconvenient to bring them in. To break the code is to stop being a "true" Yautja, and such digressions typically result in the individual being executed, although in some cases transgressors will merely be excommunicated from their clan and summarily banished from all civilized Yautja society. Falsely accusing an individual of breaking the honor code is viewed as being almost more serious than breaking the code itself, and can even result in the accuser being torn limb from limb when the fallacy is discovered.

### Half-Breed Rules:

Dominant: Lose Xenomorph Hunter (-4 RP)

Non-Dominant: Gain Worthy Game (+4 RP)

### Yautja Honor Codes and Caste System

*Yautja society operates a class or ranking system, nominally based on an individual's hunting experience and prowess. Their titles include:*
* **Young Blood/Unblooded:** About 25% of male Yautja are Young Bloods. This means that the individual has made no distinguishable kills. Once a Yautja kills their first worthy target, usually a Xenomorph, and collects its head as a trophy, they become blooded. Young Bloods are typically adolescent or teenage Yautja sent on their rite of passage in threes to kill a Xenomorph.
* **Blooded:** About 45% of male Yautja are Blooded. These are warriors who have successfully hunted suitable prey and thereby passed into adulthood. In some clans, it is traditional for the individual to mark themselves in some way following the first successful Hunt, such as burning a symbol onto the forehead with the blood of a slain Xenomorph. Blooded Yautja are granted access to more advanced weaponry denied to Young Bloods, including the Plasmacaster.
* **Retirees:** About 10% of male Yautja are Retirees, Predators who have fought their time and now are too old and honored to hunt. Females commonly come under this section due to their roles as mothers and the driving force behind the homeworld's natural wasteland systems.
* **Elite:** About 15% of Blooded Yautja are Elite Predators. Elite Predators are often leaders in their clan, and are only elevated to the caste of Elite Predator once they have acquired the skull of a Xenomorph Queen. Elites specialize in a particular weapon, making that weapon their strong suit; for example, a Brawler is an expert with Wristblades, while a Spear Master uses the Combistick. Elite Predators often become retirees after a few decades.
* **Clan Leader:** Clan leaders comprise 5% of the Yautja society. Clan Leaders are only made by the Adjudicator's decision. The only way to become a Clan Leader is to clean out an entire Xenomorph Hive larger than 300 members with a maximum of two other Predators. When this has been proven, the surviving Yautja all become Clan Leaders. They become the forefathers of that clan and will repopulate with females of their choosing. In order to be eligible for the trials of a Hive cleansing, each member of the trio must have at least 3 Queen skull trophies. After this point, any Hive cleansings that the forefathers complete will give the clan greater honor and standing in the caste system.
* **Adjudicators:** Less than 1% of Yautja are adjudicators, due to their massive worldly role. The adjudicators are the administrators and law enforcers of the Yautja. They are world leaders and the ruling class in Predator society. At this point, they simply no longer have time to hunt off planet, but often foray into the underground hunting grounds, where the younger hunters train in order to lend experience to the young ones. Adjudicators are always the leaders of a clan and no adjudicators have ever risen to that position without first having completed at least five Hive cleansings.
* **Bad Bloods:** About 2% of Yautja are bad bloods. These are criminal Yautja who have been sentenced to death and escaped, and thus are still counted in the percentiles given above. The Predator justice system shows that crime is very low.
* **Apprentice:** These are honorable members of another species taken in by Predators to learn their ways.
* **Ancient:** Veterans of many Hunts, these Predators are nearly a 1000 years old and are are also leaders and retirees. Few Predators live long enough to become Ancients and those that do are highly respected.
* **Philosophers:** Not all Yautjas are hunters. Some attend to matters of the mind instead of the glory of the hunt. It is unclear how these Yautja are seen by their fellow non-hunters. They are incredibly rare to find.
2. **Failing in the Hunt:** Should the hunter fail in one's quest he usually takes his own life, preferring to die in honor than to live in shame. However, some cowards prefer to live in obscurity rather than die. This is considered to be dishonorable and suicide is then "assisted" by an Arbitrator.
3. **Claiming the Kill of Another Hunter:** To take the Trophy of another Yautja, living or dead, is considered to be a great insult. For example, two Un-Blooded go on their first Hunt: one Yautja takes on a Xenomorph Drone and both are mortally wounded. While the wounded hunter is dying, the other hunter conveniently finishes off the prey and claims the kill as his own, abandoning the wounded Yautja. This is the most embarrassing crime, and the hardest to prove.
4. **Murder of Another Yautja:** To kill another Yautja intentionally. This excludes self-defense and killing a foe in a wrestling match to settle a dispute. Murder is the worst crime for a Yautja to commit.
5. **Never harm the innocent:** Those who have done no harm should have no harm done to them. (It can be inferred that this rule must pertain only to harming other Yautja in their society, since they hunt and kill members of many species one could call "innocent". It can also be inferred that Bad Blood Predators would ignore this rule either in part or in whole).
6. **Hunting for Food:** When hunting for food, take only the weak. This is to purify the species' line.
7. **Wounded Game:** When coming upon game wounded by another hunter, and the prey is dying without sport, show honor to another's kill. If the game still shows sport, it is to be joint trophy if the original hunter allows you to join (see below).
8. **Joining Another Hunt:** Do not join another's Hunt, or Hunt in their territory, without their permission. All trophies taken in this manner are stolen trophies, and shall be dealt with by the rightful owner.
9. **Mercy:** Those who defeat you in a fair Hunt, or who are the victors in more dangerous hunts (such as a battle with the Xenomorph Queen), and show you mercy are to be considered our equals. You must either kill them and yourself, or bestow them with a reward.
10. **Code Violations:** Those who break the code are renegades, and no longer considered to be a Yautja. They are to be destroyed when encountered or brought to the home-world for trial.
11. **Never Harm the Ill or Offspring:** Yautja are known to have a very strict law on the killing of those pregnant with infants and those who are sick. Usually when they hunt and encounter both, the Yautja is to let them live. The only exception to the rule is if any ill prey pose a threat. Although the exception applies to the ill, Yautja are to never kill those who are baring children even if they are armed.