By this description, the AC9 Pachydermion is an average of the two new breeds (the only ones common on Mystara Outer World).
Thanks to Cobra CAO, Michael Diehm, Christopher Cherrington, Thibault Sarlat and all the others who contributed ideas to this work.
Pachydermion
by Giampaolo AgostaPachydermions are a race of large, heavy, elephant-like humanoids. They have grey skin, covered with patches of coarse grey hair. Pachydermions are mostly vegetarians, and only a few Maelephant-blooded can stand the taste of meat, or gain any nurture from it.
While their powerful physiques allow them to become good warriors, most Pachydermions share a pacifistic philosophy. They become often priests or craftsmen. Due to their bulky body, to their clumsiness in moving, and to their lawful and good tendencies, they never become thieves. They make mediocre wizards or bards, too, as they have little magical talent.
The Pachydermion societies are generally theocratic, though more primitive Pachydermion cultures exist, especially among tribes of Mammoth Pachydermions.
The most common subrace takes from the common Elephant, and is less biased or specialised than the others. Its members are especially good at crafts and make powerful priests of lawful good Immortals.
Maelephant-blooded Pachydermions are outstanding guardians. They make powerful warriors, but rarely choose different careers. They are extremely loyal, and never betray an employer. However, they are quite aggressive, and especially nasty, by Pachydermion standards (they are not evil, but they often walk quite near the border).
Baku-blooded Pachydermions (if psionics are allowed) extremely powerful psionicists, and can be good priests too. They are among the less common subspecies, and are usually travellers, wandering alone or in small family groups. Holy Baku are very intelligent, and are the best Pachydermion wizards.
Mammoth and Oliphant Pachydermions are stronger and tougher than their cousins, and also more aggressive. Mammoths are quite primitive, by Pachydermion standards, and live in subarctic regions, in small clans.
Oliphants are the warriors and soldiers of the Pachydermion nations.
They are more mercenary than most Pachydermions, with the exception of the Maelephant-blooded.
Pachydermions with the blood of Hollyphants are a faery people, weaker and gentler than the other subspecies, but strong supporters of Good.
Sindhi and Aryptian Pachydermions are the most common races on Mystara.
They are large (especially the Aryptian breed), and have a nomadic culture. Sindhi Pachydermions still maintain some hidden cities, where they come back for great gatherings of their race. Both breeds are known for their great intelligence and wisdom, and for their great knowledge of history. This knowledge is always oral, and is taught to the young by the elders, so that it is preserved through the generations. Their memory is faultless, to the point that they never forget an experience or information. Therefore, they are sometimes sought to get information, but they require large payments to share it.
| Stat | Min/Max | Adj |
| Str | 11/18 | +1 |
| Int | 3/17 | |
| Wis | 6/18 | +1 |
| Dex | 4/17 | -2 |
| Con | 10/18 | +1 |
| Cha | 3/18 | -1 |
Alignment: any non-Evil, usually Lawful
Racial Abilities:
Pachydermions fall in the range of Large creatures, therefore they suffer damage from weapons as Large opponents.
Prehensile trunk: can do simple to medium manipulation (can use a light weapon).
Distance communication: through trumpeting and emitting low-frequency sounds, the Pachydermions are able to communicate at great distances, much like lupins using their howling ability.
Infravision 60'.
Extra Hit Points: A Pachydermion receives X extra hit points at first level (where X is the number of Hit Dice of the Pachydermion in AC9)
| Bloodline | Freq. | Align. | Special Abilities |
| Elephant | 40% | Any | Bonus Skill: 1 craft skill at +2 |
| Maelephant | 6% | LN | +2 against surprise, can use Alarm spell 3/day |
| Good Baku | 8% | NG | Trumpet (as Rakasta Roar) vs Evil opponents |
| Holy Baku | 2% | TN | +1 Int |
| Mammoth | 10% | CG/NG | Bonus Skills: Survival (Subarctic Plains), Orienteering |
| Oliphant | 8% | LN/TN | +1 Str, -1 Cha, can use tusks in combat for 2d4 damage |
| Hollyphant | 2% | LG/NG | +2 bonus to ST vs Poison, Cure Light Wounds 1/day, -2 Str, +2 Cha |
| Aryptian | 20% | As AC9 | Infallible Memory |
| Sindhi | 6% | As AC9 | Infallible Memory |
Classes & Level limits:
| Elephant | Maelephant | Good Baku | Holy Baku | Mammoth | Oliphant | Hollyphant | Arypt | Sindhi | |
| Fighter | 12** | 15 | 10** | 10** | 12 | U | 8 | 12 | 10 |
| Ranger | 8 | -- | 12 | 12 | 14 | 8 | -- | 8 | 8 |
| Paladin* | 15 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 12 | -- | -- |
| Wizard | 6 | -- | -- | 12 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Priest | 15**** | 10 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 15**** | 12 | 15 |
| Psionicist* | 10 | 10*** | U | U | 8*** | 12*** | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Bard***** | 8 | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 4 | -- | 8 | 10 |
*These classes are optional.
**Fighters with Defender kit can reach level 15 if Elephant, level 12 if Baku.
***Must choose Kinetic or Metabolic as primary discipline ****Unlimited advancement for LG Priests *****Pachydermion Bards use the Trader kit, so they cast priest spells; Sindhi Bards may use the Loremaster and Riddlemaster kits, and gain wizard spells
Thief Skills Modifiers*
| >9' tall | 9'+ tall | |
| Pick Pockets** | -10% | -15% |
| Move Silently | -15% | -25% |
| Hide in Shadows | -10% | -20% |
| Climb Walls | -15% | -15% |
| Detect Noise | +10% | +10% |
| Read Languages | +5% | +5% |
*For Rangers and Bards
**I doubt they can really pickpocket anyone shorter than 7'; the modifier is mostly there for use with other creatures of Large size, and for prestidigitation; Pachydermions can use their trunks in sleight of hand tricks, getting a +5% bonus.
Height: 7' to 11'
Weight: from 500 lbs for short females to up to 1000 lbs for a very large male specimen
Eyes: usually dark (chestnut to black)
Hair: short and coarse, various shades of grey, only for Mammoth and Oliphant. Hollyphant-blooded sport patches of light, golden fur on their chest and back. Others have a grey, leathery skin, with little, if any, body hair.
| Av. Ht. | Climate | Location | |
| Elephant | 8' | (Sub)Tropical Jungle | Myoshima, Damocles |
| Maelephant | 9' | Any | Myoshima, Damocles |
| Good Baku | 8' | Tropical Jungle | Myoshima, Damocles |
| Holy Baku | 8' | Tropical Jungle | Myoshima, Sind, Skothar |
| Mammoth | 10' | Subarctic Plains | Myoshima, Damocles, Hollow World |
| Oliphant | 9' | Temperate/Subarctic Plains | Myoshima, Damocles, Hollow World |
| Hollyphant | 7' | Any Temperate | Myoshima, Sind, Skothar |
| Aryptian | 10' | Savannah | Aryptian Savannah |
| Sindhi | 8' | (Sub)Tropical Jungle | South-Western Brun, Sind, Skothar |
Skills available at standard cost even when out of class: Elephant, Maelephant, Good and Holy Baku, and Hollyphant: Religion, Ceremony, Reading/Writing.
Mammoth, Oliphant: Blind-Fighting, Tracking, Survival.
Aryptian, Sindhi: Ancient History, Local History, Sage Knowledge.