I am running a one-off T20 / 2320AD game for some friends based upon the ideas in S. Andrew Swann's Moreau Omnibus, along with some inspiration from d20 Modern/Future (which itself borrows his ideas wholesale).
1. They are too rare to be PCs.
2. They vary too wildly to be done easily.
I would love other people's feedback about these stats. Bear in mind however that I was not trying to balance them (except through Level Adjustments) and that they are based on real animal abilities (as best as I can tell).
See the Moreau Timeline for its similarities to 2320AD.
MOREAU STATS
Below are the stats for various moreau types. I have included a list of special abilities (many of which are common) at the bottom of the list. In some cases the moreau is better than the combination of animal + human species, consider this due to good genetic engineering. Scientists in each nation concentrated on animals that were strongly identified with their country because:
a) Breeding stocks with diverse genetic heritage were available.
b) Morale of human troops serving with the moreaus.
c) Easy friend-or-foe identification.
These are all moreaus found in Australia as a result of the Pan-Asian War, Korean ones are missing (because they lost, and all S. Korean ones were killed - N.Korean ones are the same as Chinese), America has not officially created any moreaus (but if they did then they would at least have the Brown/Polar Bear and Wolf ones), and Australia has not officially created any moreaus (hence no Dingoes). If development of moreaus had not stopped they may have started to exhibit more extreme modifications, such as tissue regeneration and other features that scientists would love to give human soldiers, but don't dare try to engineer in - and now can't try to put into moreaus.
Also, in case you're wondering, the current campaign date is around December 2055.
I recommend http://www.wikipedia.org as an extremely good online encyclopedia resource for listing information about each base species, including photos. For sounds and video http://www.junglewalk.com may be helpful (or not).
Base Species: Tiger (Panthera tigris).
Known For: Used extensively by Indian special forces, and to a lesser extent by the Russian and Chinese, the tiger moreaus are known for their physically imposing appearance, extreme strength, and general physical ability. The most famous is Datia Rajastahn who led the Rajastahn airlift back in 2027. Tiger moreaus are relatively social people, although they prefer to be able to maintain their privacy.
Size: Large (7-9' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +3.
Stat Mods: +6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Tiger Empathy.
Skills: Tiger moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +8.
Nationality: Indian (common), Russian (rare), Chinese (rare).
Level Adjustment: +4
Base Species: Leopard (Panthera pardus) & Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia).
Known For: Slim, very fast and agile breed of moreau, the leopards were bred by many African nations for use as special forces. Russian scientists picked up on the success of the breed and started their own group, as did the Chinese with snow leopards at the end of the Pan-Asian War. Problems exist with their socialisation skills as they are mostly loners.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d3), Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +1.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Leopard Empathy.
Skills: Leopard moreaus have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks. A leaopard moreau can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. They also get a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +8.
Nationality: African (common), Russian (rare), Chinese (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Lion (Panthera leo).
Known For: Among the most social of the feline moreaus, few lions were ever produced, perhaps because of fear that they would be too effective as leaders of other moreaus. This theory is borne out by the fact that most African forces used them in command positions.
Size: Large (7-8' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d6), Bite (2d4).
Natural AR: +3.
Stat Mods: +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Lion Empathy.
Skills: Lion moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of dry long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +12.
Nationality: African (rare), Indian (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +4
Base Species: Afghan Hound (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Noble in bearing, but the least social canine moreaus, Afghan Hounds have attracted a reputation as bloodthirsty killers, who seem more in touch with their animal side than many other moreaus.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -6 Intelligence, -6 Education, -2 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Afghan Hound moreaus have a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common), Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Tibetan Mastiff (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Large and strong canine breed that is ferocious and aggressive to enemies, but loyal to comrades in arms. Problems with genetic weaknesses caused many to die very young.
Size: Medium (6-6.5' tall).
Move: 9m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +4.
Stat Mods: +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Dog Empathy.
Skills: Tibetan Mastiff moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Nationality: Chinese (rare).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Black Russian Terrier (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Large and strong canine breed that is very social and loyal, but still aggressive. They are fond of working with humans, and take social rejection more passively than many other moreaus. Russian forces used them extensively as their line troops.
Size: Medium (6-6.5' tall).
Move: 9m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +4.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Black Russian Terrier moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: African Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus).
Known For: Having a squeaky voice and wildly varying spot patterns in their fur. They were one of the less successful canine moreaus, being both very hard to train and prone to rebelliousness. Despite that many African nations found them easy to breed due to their extreme toughness.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +1.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -8 Education, -6 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: African Hunting Dog moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: African (rare).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta).
Known For: Very social people, Spotted Hyena moreaus tend to prefer socialising in packs, and made very good line troops for many African nations. They do tend to clash with canine (which they are not) and feline moreaus and are one of the more clannish moreau breeds. They are also known for the party tricks they can perform usng their extremely strong jaws.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 15m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d8).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Spotted Hyena moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: African (common).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Mongoose (Herpestidae).
Known For: Mongoose moreaus were bred to become Indian fighter pilots and specialist medical staff (mainly surgeons). African ones were mainly pilots as well. Those that survived the Pan-Asian War are sought after as small but intelligent moreaus that can bring incredible speed, dexterity and agility to bear.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +8 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -4 Strength, -2 Constitution, -2 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Scent, Poison Resistance.
Skills: Mongoose moreaus have a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks and can burrow at the rate of 3m per round.
Nationality: Indian (common), African (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Chinese Crested Dog (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: One of the least successful moreau breeds, the small and somewhat stupid Chinese Crested Dog breed's hairless trait was originally intended to solve the problem of moreaus having too much fur, and taking too long to breed. Deployed in large, poorly equipped units, the Chinese Crested Dog moreaus were typically physically overawed by larger opponents and failed to be more than nuisance forces. Most moreaus of this breed have an inferiority complex.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d2).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, -6 Strength, -6 Intelligence, -8 Education, -8 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Dog Empathy.
Skills: Chinese Crested Dog moreaus have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Spot and Jump checks.
Nationality: Chinese (common).
Level Adjustment: +0
Base Species: Šarplaninac (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: A calm, but capably ferocious breed, the Šarplaninac (pronounced "shar-pla-NEE-natz", sometimes just called "shar") moreaus were deployed as Russian military police amongst other moreau groups. Many have ended up in police or private investigative positions.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence, -2 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Šarplaninac moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Wolf (Canis lupus).
Known For: Obviously wolf moreaus embody the very essence of the werewolf myth come to life, and they certainly have the ferociousness and natural ability to justify fear of them. They are also one of the more attractive moreau breeds because the idea of them has been with humankind for so long (and indeed they have their fans). They also are very social creatures, and accepting of most other moreaus (particularly canines). Health issues include problems with regular shedding of fur, and a very thick fur layer that precluded their successful deployment to most warm areas.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 15m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Wisdom, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Wolf Empathy.
Skills: Wolf moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common), Chinese (rare), Afghanistan/Pakistan (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Jerboa (Dipodidae)
Known For: Jerboa moreaus were bred to be mobile desert troops. They are unusual in their ability to hop, burrow and survive without water. Unlike most moreaus, they are omnivores, which makes them slightly easier to cater for on the march.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 9m, burrow 3m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +4 Dexterity, -6 Strength, -2 Constitution, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Water Free.
Skills: Jerboa moreaus have a +8 racial bonus to Jump checks and double normal jumping distances, they also have a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks and can burrow at the rate of 3m per round.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).
Known For: Chosen as fast-breeding experimental troops, Brown Rat moreaus were very popular troop types in China and South America. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus, and unlike some small moreau breeds they were unafraid of larger opponents, provided there were enough Brown Rats available to help. They proved especially adept at dealing with water and many ended up serving in naval vessels for this reason.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m, swim 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -6 Strength, -6 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Brown Rat moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Swim checks. A Brown Rat moreau uses its Dexterity modifer rather than its Strength modifer when making Climb or Swimming checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered, and they can use the run action whilst swimming in a straight line.
Nationality: Chinese (common), South-American (common), African (rare), Indian (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +0
Base Species: Brown Bear (Ursus arctos).
Known For: Designed for heavy weapons positions, the Brown Bear moreaus developed a reputation as incredibly tough soldiers, able to shrug off damage that would fell most humans or other moreaus. The reality is that they have their limitations, a lower than normal Dexterity being one of them. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Large (8-9' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +5.
Stat Mods: +10 Strength, +6 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Brown Bear moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +5
Base Species: Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus).
Known For: With a similar reputation to Brown Bear moreaus, and surprisingly good at handling warmer areas, Polar Bear moreaus were used by Russia in many special forces operations, but are less common than their Brown Bear moreau cousins. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Large (8-9' tall).
Move: 12m, swim 9m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +5.
Stat Mods: +12 Strength, +6 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Improved Scent,
Infrared Invisible.
Skills: Polar Bear moreaus have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check. They can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered, and they can use the run action whilst swimming in a straight line. Their white coat provides a +12 racial bonus to Hide checks in snowy areas.
Nationality: Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +6
Base Species: Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus).
Known For: Based one of the smaller breeds of bear, the Asiatic Black Bear moreaus were intermingled with other forces in a heavy weapons capacity due to their relatively high strength. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature (this is less true in the Asian region, where their base species is known to be made up of deadly wild animals). Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall)
Move: 9m, climb 6m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d4), Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +6 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Asiatic Black Bear moreaus have a +6 racial bonus to Climb checks, and can take 10 on climb checks, even when distracted or endangered.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common), Chinese (common), Indian (rare), Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
FAILED MOREAUS
The following base species proved to be unreliable sources for genetic material:
* Cheetah.
* Egyptian Hound
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Here the special abilities are explained further:
<Animal> Empathy: Able to basically communicate with this type of animal, and have a +4 racial bonus on Charisma checks against this type of animal.
Bonus Feat (<Feat>): The character gets this feat for free as an extra bonus at 1st level.
Improved Grab: To use this ability, the character must hit an opponent who is one size smaller than them with a claw attack. They can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Improved Low-Light Vision: As per Low-Light Vision , except the range is six times normal human eyesight under these conditions. The mechanism that grants this ability, also makes their eyes shine when light is directed at them.
Improved Scent: As per Scent, but ranges are tripled, and the social check awareness bonus is increased to +4.
Infrared Invisible: Naturally (i.e. when not wearing or carrying heat-emitting devices) the character is invisible in the infrared spectrum.
Low-Light Vision: A character with low-light vision can see twice as far as a human n starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
Poison Resistance: The character has +4 to saves versus poison.
Pounce: When a character with this special attack makes a charge, it can follow with a full attack using their natural weapons (but not any other melee or ranged weapons).
Scent: This special quality allows a character to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Characters with this ability can identify familiar odours just as humans do familiar sights. Against characters without this ability, they have a +2 awareness bonus to social checks as they are more aware of their emotional state. The character can detect opponents withn 10m using their sense of smell (upwind 20m, downwind 6m). Strong scents can be detected at twice the range, overpowering scents at three times the range. Exact location is not revealed until the character comes within 3m of the source.
Water Free: The character is able to metabolise enough water to survive on from their food and does not ever need to drink water provided some food is available. However, they must make a Will save, DC10, in order to voluntarily drink any fluid.
===
So that's it, I hope someone else finds this useful, it took me long enough to bring it together!
NOTE: Copyright (C) 2004 Angus McDonald. Please do not republish this information without contacting me.
To that end I developed racial stats for Moreaus for T20 that make sense to me, rather than the 'balanced' stats from the d20 Modern rulebook. I have not developed stats for Franks as I have ruled that:
1. They are too rare to be PCs.
2. They vary too wildly to be done easily.
I would love other people's feedback about these stats. Bear in mind however that I was not trying to balance them (except through Level Adjustments) and that they are based on real animal abilities (as best as I can tell).
See the Moreau Timeline for its similarities to 2320AD.
MOREAU STATS
Below are the stats for various moreau types. I have included a list of special abilities (many of which are common) at the bottom of the list. In some cases the moreau is better than the combination of animal + human species, consider this due to good genetic engineering. Scientists in each nation concentrated on animals that were strongly identified with their country because:
a) Breeding stocks with diverse genetic heritage were available.
b) Morale of human troops serving with the moreaus.
c) Easy friend-or-foe identification.
These are all moreaus found in Australia as a result of the Pan-Asian War, Korean ones are missing (because they lost, and all S. Korean ones were killed - N.Korean ones are the same as Chinese), America has not officially created any moreaus (but if they did then they would at least have the Brown/Polar Bear and Wolf ones), and Australia has not officially created any moreaus (hence no Dingoes). If development of moreaus had not stopped they may have started to exhibit more extreme modifications, such as tissue regeneration and other features that scientists would love to give human soldiers, but don't dare try to engineer in - and now can't try to put into moreaus.
Also, in case you're wondering, the current campaign date is around December 2055.
I recommend http://www.wikipedia.org as an extremely good online encyclopedia resource for listing information about each base species, including photos. For sounds and video http://www.junglewalk.com may be helpful (or not).
Base Species: Tiger (Panthera tigris).
Known For: Used extensively by Indian special forces, and to a lesser extent by the Russian and Chinese, the tiger moreaus are known for their physically imposing appearance, extreme strength, and general physical ability. The most famous is Datia Rajastahn who led the Rajastahn airlift back in 2027. Tiger moreaus are relatively social people, although they prefer to be able to maintain their privacy.
Size: Large (7-9' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +3.
Stat Mods: +6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Tiger Empathy.
Skills: Tiger moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +8.
Nationality: Indian (common), Russian (rare), Chinese (rare).
Level Adjustment: +4
Base Species: Leopard (Panthera pardus) & Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia).
Known For: Slim, very fast and agile breed of moreau, the leopards were bred by many African nations for use as special forces. Russian scientists picked up on the success of the breed and started their own group, as did the Chinese with snow leopards at the end of the Pan-Asian War. Problems exist with their socialisation skills as they are mostly loners.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d3), Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +1.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Leopard Empathy.
Skills: Leopard moreaus have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks. A leaopard moreau can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. They also get a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +8.
Nationality: African (common), Russian (rare), Chinese (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Lion (Panthera leo).
Known For: Among the most social of the feline moreaus, few lions were ever produced, perhaps because of fear that they would be too effective as leaders of other moreaus. This theory is borne out by the fact that most African forces used them in command positions.
Size: Large (7-8' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d6), Bite (2d4).
Natural AR: +3.
Stat Mods: +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Pounce, Lion Empathy.
Skills: Lion moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, Listen and Move Silently checks. In areas of dry long grass or undergrowth the Hide bonus improves to +12.
Nationality: African (rare), Indian (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +4
Base Species: Afghan Hound (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Noble in bearing, but the least social canine moreaus, Afghan Hounds have attracted a reputation as bloodthirsty killers, who seem more in touch with their animal side than many other moreaus.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -6 Intelligence, -6 Education, -2 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Afghan Hound moreaus have a +2 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common), Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Tibetan Mastiff (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Large and strong canine breed that is ferocious and aggressive to enemies, but loyal to comrades in arms. Problems with genetic weaknesses caused many to die very young.
Size: Medium (6-6.5' tall).
Move: 9m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +4.
Stat Mods: +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Dog Empathy.
Skills: Tibetan Mastiff moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Nationality: Chinese (rare).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Black Russian Terrier (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: Large and strong canine breed that is very social and loyal, but still aggressive. They are fond of working with humans, and take social rejection more passively than many other moreaus. Russian forces used them extensively as their line troops.
Size: Medium (6-6.5' tall).
Move: 9m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +4.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Black Russian Terrier moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: African Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus).
Known For: Having a squeaky voice and wildly varying spot patterns in their fur. They were one of the less successful canine moreaus, being both very hard to train and prone to rebelliousness. Despite that many African nations found them easy to breed due to their extreme toughness.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +1.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -8 Education, -6 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: African Hunting Dog moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: African (rare).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta).
Known For: Very social people, Spotted Hyena moreaus tend to prefer socialising in packs, and made very good line troops for many African nations. They do tend to clash with canine (which they are not) and feline moreaus and are one of the more clannish moreau breeds. They are also known for the party tricks they can perform usng their extremely strong jaws.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 15m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d8).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Spotted Hyena moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: African (common).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Mongoose (Herpestidae).
Known For: Mongoose moreaus were bred to become Indian fighter pilots and specialist medical staff (mainly surgeons). African ones were mainly pilots as well. Those that survived the Pan-Asian War are sought after as small but intelligent moreaus that can bring incredible speed, dexterity and agility to bear.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d4).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +8 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -4 Strength, -2 Constitution, -2 Education, -2 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Scent, Poison Resistance.
Skills: Mongoose moreaus have a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks and can burrow at the rate of 3m per round.
Nationality: Indian (common), African (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Chinese Crested Dog (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: One of the least successful moreau breeds, the small and somewhat stupid Chinese Crested Dog breed's hairless trait was originally intended to solve the problem of moreaus having too much fur, and taking too long to breed. Deployed in large, poorly equipped units, the Chinese Crested Dog moreaus were typically physically overawed by larger opponents and failed to be more than nuisance forces. Most moreaus of this breed have an inferiority complex.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d2).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, -6 Strength, -6 Intelligence, -8 Education, -8 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Dog Empathy.
Skills: Chinese Crested Dog moreaus have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Spot and Jump checks.
Nationality: Chinese (common).
Level Adjustment: +0
Base Species: Šarplaninac (Canidae lupus familiaris).
Known For: A calm, but capably ferocious breed, the Šarplaninac (pronounced "shar-pla-NEE-natz", sometimes just called "shar") moreaus were deployed as Russian military police amongst other moreau groups. Many have ended up in police or private investigative positions.
Size: Medium (4-5' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence, -2 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Dog Empathy.
Skills: Šarplaninac moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +2
Base Species: Wolf (Canis lupus).
Known For: Obviously wolf moreaus embody the very essence of the werewolf myth come to life, and they certainly have the ferociousness and natural ability to justify fear of them. They are also one of the more attractive moreau breeds because the idea of them has been with humankind for so long (and indeed they have their fans). They also are very social creatures, and accepting of most other moreaus (particularly canines). Health issues include problems with regular shedding of fur, and a very thick fur layer that precluded their successful deployment to most warm areas.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall).
Move: 15m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Wisdom, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Bonus Feat (Track), Wolf Empathy.
Skills: Wolf moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Jump checks, they have a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Nationality: Russian (common), Chinese (rare), Afghanistan/Pakistan (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
Base Species: Jerboa (Dipodidae)
Known For: Jerboa moreaus were bred to be mobile desert troops. They are unusual in their ability to hop, burrow and survive without water. Unlike most moreaus, they are omnivores, which makes them slightly easier to cater for on the march.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 9m, burrow 3m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +4 Dexterity, -6 Strength, -2 Constitution, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -12 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Water Free.
Skills: Jerboa moreaus have a +8 racial bonus to Jump checks and double normal jumping distances, they also have a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks and can burrow at the rate of 3m per round.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common).
Level Adjustment: +1
Base Species: Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).
Known For: Chosen as fast-breeding experimental troops, Brown Rat moreaus were very popular troop types in China and South America. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus, and unlike some small moreau breeds they were unafraid of larger opponents, provided there were enough Brown Rats available to help. They proved especially adept at dealing with water and many ended up serving in naval vessels for this reason.
Size: Small (2-3' tall).
Move: 6m, swim 6m.
Natural Attacks: Bite (1d3).
Natural AR: +0.
Stat Mods: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -6 Strength, -6 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -10 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Brown Rat moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Swim checks. A Brown Rat moreau uses its Dexterity modifer rather than its Strength modifer when making Climb or Swimming checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered, and they can use the run action whilst swimming in a straight line.
Nationality: Chinese (common), South-American (common), African (rare), Indian (very rare).
Level Adjustment: +0
Base Species: Brown Bear (Ursus arctos).
Known For: Designed for heavy weapons positions, the Brown Bear moreaus developed a reputation as incredibly tough soldiers, able to shrug off damage that would fell most humans or other moreaus. The reality is that they have their limitations, a lower than normal Dexterity being one of them. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Large (8-9' tall).
Move: 12m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +5.
Stat Mods: +10 Strength, +6 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Brown Bear moreaus have a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.
Nationality: Russian (common).
Level Adjustment: +5
Base Species: Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus).
Known For: With a similar reputation to Brown Bear moreaus, and surprisingly good at handling warmer areas, Polar Bear moreaus were used by Russia in many special forces operations, but are less common than their Brown Bear moreau cousins. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature. Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Large (8-9' tall).
Move: 12m, swim 9m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d8), Bite (2d6).
Natural AR: +5.
Stat Mods: +12 Strength, +6 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -4 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Improved Scent,
Infrared Invisible.
Skills: Polar Bear moreaus have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check. They can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered, and they can use the run action whilst swimming in a straight line. Their white coat provides a +12 racial bonus to Hide checks in snowy areas.
Nationality: Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +6
Base Species: Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus).
Known For: Based one of the smaller breeds of bear, the Asiatic Black Bear moreaus were intermingled with other forces in a heavy weapons capacity due to their relatively high strength. Like most bear moreaus, public reaction to them is warmer than to many other moreaus, perhaps because of their perceived "cuddly" nature (this is less true in the Asian region, where their base species is known to be made up of deadly wild animals). Being omnivores they were easier to cater for than many other moreaus.
Size: Medium (5-6' tall)
Move: 9m, climb 6m.
Natural Attacks: Claw (1d4), Bite (1d6).
Natural AR: +2.
Stat Mods: +6 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, -4 Education, -2 Charisma, -8 Social Standing.
Special Abilities: Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent.
Skills: Asiatic Black Bear moreaus have a +6 racial bonus to Climb checks, and can take 10 on climb checks, even when distracted or endangered.
Nationality: Afghanistan/Pakistan (common), Chinese (common), Indian (rare), Russian (rare).
Level Adjustment: +3
FAILED MOREAUS
The following base species proved to be unreliable sources for genetic material:
* Cheetah.
* Egyptian Hound
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Here the special abilities are explained further:
<Animal> Empathy: Able to basically communicate with this type of animal, and have a +4 racial bonus on Charisma checks against this type of animal.
Bonus Feat (<Feat>): The character gets this feat for free as an extra bonus at 1st level.
Improved Grab: To use this ability, the character must hit an opponent who is one size smaller than them with a claw attack. They can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Improved Low-Light Vision: As per Low-Light Vision , except the range is six times normal human eyesight under these conditions. The mechanism that grants this ability, also makes their eyes shine when light is directed at them.
Improved Scent: As per Scent, but ranges are tripled, and the social check awareness bonus is increased to +4.
Infrared Invisible: Naturally (i.e. when not wearing or carrying heat-emitting devices) the character is invisible in the infrared spectrum.
Low-Light Vision: A character with low-light vision can see twice as far as a human n starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
Poison Resistance: The character has +4 to saves versus poison.
Pounce: When a character with this special attack makes a charge, it can follow with a full attack using their natural weapons (but not any other melee or ranged weapons).
Scent: This special quality allows a character to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Characters with this ability can identify familiar odours just as humans do familiar sights. Against characters without this ability, they have a +2 awareness bonus to social checks as they are more aware of their emotional state. The character can detect opponents withn 10m using their sense of smell (upwind 20m, downwind 6m). Strong scents can be detected at twice the range, overpowering scents at three times the range. Exact location is not revealed until the character comes within 3m of the source.
Water Free: The character is able to metabolise enough water to survive on from their food and does not ever need to drink water provided some food is available. However, they must make a Will save, DC10, in order to voluntarily drink any fluid.
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So that's it, I hope someone else finds this useful, it took me long enough to bring it together!
NOTE: Copyright (C) 2004 Angus McDonald. Please do not republish this information without contacting me.
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