Gnolls

Gnolls are nothing short of brutal, savage and beastly. They are the definition of monstrous and bestial nature, a pack of ravaging animals. Possibly the children of Hornafel as they encompass his nature perfectly. Many gnolls are only driven by their insatiable hunger. Their rough living conditions do not make things easy for them and so they have adapted to this world with their physical strength and great senses. Most gnolls spend their lives hunting and scavenging to survive within their small clans and virtually all gnolls have no concern in world politics. Because of the Second Demon War, gnolls have become a revered enemy of the south, much like the eastern orcs that they share their lands with. Gnolls are popular in slave trade, as their physical strength makes them both excellent gladiators and workers. They are also relatively easy to control through fear and power. They grow fast and breed extensively even in captivity, which can make it profitable to start growing a "gnoll kennel" if one has the capability to control them. However, they can also cause great amounts of damage to those that are unable to keep them on a leash.

## Physical description

Gnolls are not abnormally tall or heavy, but their bodies are built tough. They reach around 180 centimeters in height and weigh a little over 90 kilograms. Males and females tend to reach the same sizes and sexual dimorphism among gnolls is minimal, unlike many other humanoid races. Most gnolls have a noticeably hunched posture, which can make them appear smaller than they actually are. Both sexes appear to be virtually the same from the outside and gnolls distinguish each other through smell. Gnolls can actually be quite smart and have decent learning abilities compared to other monstrous and bestial races. However, free-thinking gnolls might find themselves as outcasts of their own society where complex intellectual practice is frowned upon.

Physically gnolls have varying fur patterns and spots, with every gnoll usually being unique in some small way. Their fur colors range from a murky blonde to dark brown and their eyes are generally black, with other colors being an extremely uncommon occurrence. Gnolls reach maturity at 8 years old and have a maximum age of around 60 years, being one of the most short-lived humanoid races to be found.

## Society

After the Second Demon War, gnolls have had an extremely hard time surviving. They live in small packs and do not like to congregate in large numbers which makes them easy to eliminate in batches. Frequent infighting and the blasted lands of the east certainly do not make it any easier for them. Sometimes a strong leader might unite a few packs under his command, but gnoll empires are short-lived and weak compared to a proper kingdom. They have a tough future ahead and many are calling them a dying race. Only time will tell if they have the ability to adapt and defy the odds.

## Rules

* **Ability Score Modifiers:** Gnolls are powerful physical specimens geared towards hunting and scavenging but their bad reputation and nasty attitude can give them a hard time. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution and -2 Charisma.
* **Type:** Humanoid, gnoll
* **Size:** Medium
* **Base speed:** 30 feet
* **Languages:** Gnolls begin play speaking Gnoll. Gnolls with a high Intelligence score can choose from the following: Abyssal, Common, Goblin, Orc, Dwarven and Sherdanian.

* **Thick Hides:** Gnolls gain a +1 natural armor bonus to their AC.
* **Hyena Friend:** Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks with hyenas, and Handle Animal is always a class skill for them.
* **Bite Attack:** Gnolls can make a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage as a primary attack (or secondary attack, if the gnoll uses a weapon).
* **Bloodthirst:** Gnolls have a limited scent ability, which only functions for bleeding and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points).
* **Information Hunter:** Gnolls gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information, and Knowledge (local) is always a class skill for them.
* **Weapon Familiarity:** Gnolls are proficient with any flail, including the dire flail, and they treat any weapon with the word “gnoll” in its name as a martial weapon.
* **Darkvision:** Gnolls can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

### Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any new options.

* **Civilized:** Outcast gnolls have learned to better integrate with society in an attempt to find a new pack. Gnolls with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks. This racial trait replaces Weapon Familiarity.
* **Influential:** Exceptionally clever gnolls take up the mantle of shaman for their tribes and use their gifts to more readily enslave gnoll captives. Gnolls with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks and add +1 to the saving throw DCs for their spells of the enchantment school that they cast. This racial trait replaces Weapon Familiarity.
* **Loper:** Gnolls find success by moving faster than their kin, sometimes at the expense of the thick fur protecting them. Gnolls with this racial trait gain a +10 bonus to their base speed, and they gain an additional +10 foot racial bonus when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. This racial trait replaces Thick Hides.
* **Light Build:** Some gnolls are light and proportionately weaker but more agile. Gnolls with this racial trait gain a +2 Dexterity bonus. This racial trait replaces the +2 Strength bonus.

## Gnoll Racial Feats

**Note:** The Triflail Competence feat chain is highly experimental and subject to change!

* **Bone-Crushing Jaws**

*Those caught by your jaws will certainly feel the pain.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 13, base attack bonus +2.

**Benefit:** The damage of your bite attack improves to 1d8. In addition, whenever you deal maximum damage or confirm a critical hit with your bite attack, it also deals 1 bleed damage.

* **Inescapable Bite**

*Your bite is so strong that you can use it to hold your opponents down.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 15, Bone-Crushing Jaws, base attack bonus +5.

**Benefit:** Your bite attack gains the grab special ability.

* **Leg Bite**

*By targeting the legs of your opponents with your powerful bite, you can bring them down more easily.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 17, Bone-Crushing Jaws, base attack bonus +8.

**Benefit:** Your bite attack gains the trip special ability.

* **Triflail Competence**

*Your training with triflails is starting to show.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +1.

**Benefit:** You no longer receive a -2 penalty when attacking with a triflail and you may choose which of the three chains you use on your attacks.

* **Improved Triflail Competence**

*Controlling the three chains of your triflail feels natural to you, as if they were a single weapon.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 17, Triflail Competence, Two-Weapon Fighting, Double Slice, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6.

**Benefit:** You gain your full Strength bonus on damage rolls made with the third chain when attacking with a triflail. In addition, you increase the damage dice of each chain by one step.

**Normal:** Without this feat, you only gain half your Strength bonus on damage rolls made with the third chain.

* **Greater Triflail Competence**

*When you get swinging, heads start rolling.*

**Prerequisites:** Gnoll, Str 19, Triflail Competence, Improved Triflail Competence, Two-Weapon Fighting, Double Slice, Two-Weapon Rend, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +12.

**Benefit:** You can hit your target multiple times with the third chain of a triflail.

## Gnoll Weapons

#### Triflail, gnoll

**Cost**: 120 gp **Weight:** 15 lbs.
**Damage:** 1d8/1d6/1d4 (small), 1d10/1d8/1d6 (medium) **Critical:** x2 **Type:** bludgeoning, piercing or slashing
**Category**: two-handed **Proficiency:** exotic
**Weapon Group:** double
**Special:** disarm, double, trip
*A truly terrifying weapon, a gnoll triflail is difficult to use effectively. This big flail is split into three different parts; the first chain looks to be a typical flail, one chain ends in a ball resembling a morningstar, and the last seems to be a collection of razor-sharp blades mashed together.*
You take a -2 penalty on attacks with a triflail unless you have the Triflail Competence feat.
The first chain of this weapon (1d10) deals bludgeoning damage, the second chain (1d8) deals slashing damage and the third chain (1d6) deals piercing damage.
If you have the Triflail Competence feat, you may choose which chain/chains you use when attacking. Without the feat, you always use either the bludgeoning chain, or the bludgeoning chain and the slashing chain.
When using a triflail as a double weapon with the Trifail Competence feat, you must choose which two chains of it you will use on a full attack. You can never use all three chains on the same attack.
A triflail gains additional damage with successive hits. When performing a full attack action and using the triflail as a double weapon, if you successfully hit your target with both chains, you also automatically hit them with the third chain. This effect can only trigger once per round. The third chain counts as an off-hand weapon.