Creator Race (CR 9)

Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Languages: Crabman

AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +4 mage armor), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44 hp)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +7
Speed: 30 ft.
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +8; Grapple +3
Attack: Scimitar +8/+3 melee; or ray +11 ranged touch
Full Attack: Scimitar +8/+3 melee; or ray +11 ranged touch
Damage: Scimitar 1d8; ray (by type)
Special Attacks: Nexus rays, spells
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 17
Special Qualities: Mage armor, magic nexus, nexus empower
Feats: Combat Casting; Silent Spell; Spell Penetration; Still Spell; Weapon Focus (rays)
Skills: Concentration +10, Hide +11, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +12, and Spellcraft +12
Advancement: By character class
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm mountains and underground
Organization: Solitary, party (4-6), camp (10-20), settlement (100+)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard

Source: Dragon #303

The creator race hails from an ancient time, long before the rise of humans and the arrival of elves. The race craved supremacy and control of the world, and so they waged war against the only enemy who matched them in power and numbers - the great wyrms. In time, the death tolls on both sides grew to extraordinary numbers. In desperation, the creators devised a plan: They would put themselves into a trance and sleep for centuries, and meanwhile, time would destroy what they could not. Now the centuries have passed, and curious adventurers have discovered their crypts, brought light to their long-closed eyes, and loosed them again on the world. It is a world not only where the dragons have survived but also where dominance has passed to strange, monkey-like beings. The creators still desire to have ultimate control over the world, and so they have once again begun preparations for war.

Creators are a reptilian race, and they closely resemble lizardfolk. They stand roughly 6-7 feet tall, have the same head ridge as lizardfolk, and possess a tail. However, a creator's snake-like scales are finer and softer than a lizardfolks scales. Creators claim that this difference marks them as a more highly evolved species, but it also means they lack the strong natural protection of their barbaric descendants.

Creators excel in the arcane arts and are natural spellcasters. Even with years of study, few can hope to match the might of an accomplished creator sorcerer. Some even whisper that it was the creator race that created the art of arcane magic in the first place, and that sorcerers have the blood of creators not dragons in their veins, although this is a matter of pure conjecture.

Creators speak Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, and Infernal.

Combat

Creators prefer to strike from cover, giving them protection from missile fire, preventing foes from charging them, and buying them more time to attack with spells. Their first targets are often rival spellcasters, although they are intelligent enough to alter their tactics as the situation requires.

Mage Armor (Su): Even when not protected by the magical nexus, magical energy clings tightly to creators. Members of this race are treated as if constantly under the effects of the mage armor spell cast by an 8th-level sorcerer. If dispelled, a creator may renew the effect as a standard action.

Magic Nexus (Su): Creators seem to be made for magic. It literally flows about them when they call to it. As a standard action, creators can summon a swirling mass of magical tendrils about themselves. These weaving strands of magical energy are composed of fire, ice, and the essence of death, and the nexus they form grants the creator the effects of a fire shield (both chill and warm) and negative energy protection as per the spells cast by an 8th-level sorcerer. A creator can use this ability at will.

Nexus Rays (Su): As a standard action, a creator can draw upon the nexus of energy swirling about him and fling a ray of energy from his pointed finger. Once a creator flings a ray, he must succeed at a ranged touch attack. Whether the ray successfully strikes or not, the creator can't fling another ray for 1d4 rounds. A creator may choose one of the following three rays to project:

Nexus Empower (Su): As a move- equivalent action, a creator may tap into one of the strands of magic that winds around him and weave it into a spell or nexus ray he casts in that round. The creator must have his magic nexus swirling about him at the time of use. This ability can be used to empower (as the Empower Spell feat) any Necromancy spell or any spell with the fire or cold subtype, or to cause a nexus ray to deal maximum damage. This does not cause a nexus-empowered spell to take a full-round action to cast nor does it require a higher-level spell slot. Spells so empowered cannot be additionally empowered by the Empower Spell feat. When a creator uses this ability, he loses his mage armor and magic nexus and must renew them (by taking the usual standard action to activate the ability) to gain their benefits.

Spells: All creators cast spells as 8th-level sorcerers.

Creator Society

Creators live in a magocracy, and magic holds sway over all aspects of their lives. They place as much emphasis on intellectual achievement as most human societies place on the physical. Their pastimes are mostly devoid of physical activity and instead focus on puzzle and strategy games, often with arcane themes. The most learned are the most revered, and the dim-witted warrior is intellectually abused throughout his life.

Because of this focus on intellect, creators prefer to have others do their menial chores; such tasks are not worthy of minds such as theirs. Slavery is a common practice, and most creators assume it is only a matter of time before all life bows to them in servitude and worship.

The majority of the race still slumbers in its mystically induced hibernation, but they are slowly returning to the world. Upon awakening, a community of creators typically seeks to dominate all intelligent life around them (within reason, their arrogance does have limits) in order to build their slave network. These slaves serve as hunters, laborers, and warriors.

Although most of the race remains underground, their natural habitat is in the mountains. As the creators' communities grow in power, they begin moving to higher ground and braving the outside world in an attempt to reclaim their ancient homelands.

Creator Characters

The creator's favored class is sorcerer. When a creator takes levels as a sorcerer, he gains spellcasting ability at a level equal to his sorcerer level +8. The creators have no gods, believing themselves the only thing worthy of worship. Creator clerics are oddities and outcasts, worshiping other races' deities.