Races of Wild

made for certain types of physical activity. Centaurs,despite their great strength, are not capable of climbingsheer surfaces, nor do they have much chance of walkinga tightrope. In these situations, the DM is the final arbiterof in-game logic.Character Names: Centaur given names are multisyllabicand commonly include the letters “z,” “x,” “r,” and “y.” Centaurfamily names usually have only one syllable. Centaurs use asingle given name and a family name.Male Names: Brynzin, Denryx, Kezzryn, Tyrrox, Zerrn.Female Names: Allyri, Byss, Rynna, Zerry.Family Names: Bri, Gyr, Hop, Tor, Zym.ROLEPLAYING A CENTAURThe most striking difference between centaurs andhumanoid characters is obviously their physiology, butthere are interesting differences in their outlooks as well.Centaurs cover great distances easily, and therefore theyhave less attachment to places and possessions than manyhumanoid races.Personality: Most centaurs tend to be easygoing, almostmild-mannered; they are usually uninterested in interactingwith members of the humanoid races. Centaur adventurers,however, have an innate curiosity that overcomes the typicalcentaur hesitation to interact with others, and they are generallyfriendly and outgoing. Even so, centaur adventurers tendto prefer halflings and elves over adventuring companionsof other races.As thinking, civilized creatures, centaurs frown uponthose humanoids who look on them as potential mounts.It is a grave insult to ask a centaur to serve as a mount, andcentaurs usually offer to carry their companions only indire circumstances.Roleplaying Application: You should roleplay the tensionbetween your own curiosity and the stereotypes that yourpeople hold toward members of other races. When youinteract with a member of another race, try to convey thatyou have preconceptions about the character but that you aretrying to keep an open mind.Serving as a mount is beneath you. Only when the lifeof a close companion is at risk should you deign to carrya humanoid.Behaviors: Centaur adventurers know that they can expecta cold welcome should they attempt to return to their homes,and for that reason many view themselves as permanentwanderers. This attitude is greatly comforting, rather thanconfining, to the swift-moving centaur adventurer. Becauseof this mind-set, however, such characters seldom own morethan they can carry on their broad backs.In combat, centaurs see running as the natural approach tobeginning a battle, using their speed to establish a comfortablerange before the fighting begins.Roleplaying Application: Use your increased carryingcapacity to be ready for any situation. You are comfortablemaking your home nearly anywhere, but you do not expectto stay in one place for long. You might seek to collecttokens or mementos from the exotic places that you visit,filling your backpacks with these items in the same waythat a human might line his mantle with mementos of hisown travels.In combat, you should encourage your companions to fightlike centaurs, even to the point of urging them to learn featssuch as Spring Attack and Shot on the Run.Language: Most centaurs are slow to share their thoughtswith others, but this reticence seldom hinders their socialskills. When communicating with most humanoids,centaurs keep their statements short and to the point;they are more comfortable and outgoing around halflingsand elves.Roleplaying Application: Although you are neither shy norintimidated by others, consider your thoughts carefullybefore sharing them. One carefully worded statement is betterthan a long, ill-advised discourse. Two favored centaur battlecries are “Swift!” and “Run fast, run sure!” Try to differentiatethe way you talk to most humanoids from the way youinteract with halflings, elves, and your trusted friends. Thereshould be a marked difference between the ways you interactwith these two groups.CENTAUR ENCOUNTERSCentaurs love running battles. The centaur courser describedhere makes an effective leader for a patrolling group ofcentaurs, especially when they are able to use their preferredtactic during a fight.EL 7: Four centaurs make up an EL 7 patrol group. Thecanny creatures move with more stealth than their largeforms would indicate, and they are quite capable of destroyingeven a more powerful party in a running combat if their foeslack the speed to catch them.EL 10: Centaur courser and four centaurs. This patrolgroup is led by a seasoned centaur barbarian leader, giving thegroup the ability to take on larger, more powerful monsters.Typically, the centaurs will all try to fight from long range,making one attack with their bows and then moving furtheraway from their foes. When facing enemies able to keep pacewith this tactic, the centaurs attempt to move around theenemy and provide flanking opportunities for the centaurcourser’s attacks.Centaur Courser: Centaur barbarian 3; CR 9; Largemonstrous humanoid; HD 4d8+12 plus 3d12+9; hp 64;Init +5; Spd 70 ft.; AC 22, touch 13, flat-footed 17; BaseAtk +7; Grp +17; Atk +13 melee (2d8+9/19–20, masterworkgreatsword) or +12 melee (1d6+6, hoof) or +12 ranged(2d6+7/×3, +1 composite longbow); Full Atk +13/+8 melee(2d8+9/19–20, masterwork greatsword) and +7/+7 melee(1d6+3, 2 hooves), or +12/+7 ranged (2d6+7/×3, +1 compositelongbow) or +10/+10/+5 ranged (2d6+7/×3, +1 composite longbowwith Rapid Shot); SA rage 1/day; SQ darkvision 60 ft.,fast movement, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CG; SVFort +8, Ref +11, Will +8; Str 23, Dex 21, Con 17, Int 6, Wis14, Cha 10.CHAPTER 4OTHERRACES97