Last blog we shared with you some kits for new Dark Sun races. This week we’re presenting new kits for the standard Dark Sun races, namely aarakocra, dwarves, half-elves, half-giants, halflings, and pterrans. Kits for elves and thri-kreen can be found in Elves of Athas and Thri-Kreen of Athas.

Here are two of the kits we’re sharing this time – the half-giant brutal thug and the pterran pterrax rider. The others are all in the pdf attached at the bottom of the blog. Enjoy!

Brutal Thug

Half-giants have an unfair reputation for being dim-witted bruisers who only care about pounding smaller folk into the dust. Not all are lumbering oafs, good for little more than casual murder, their fists several times larger than their brains. The brutal thug, however, is exactly that kind of half-giant.

Brutal thugs have taken enthusiastically to their stereotypical role in life. They know that they are bigger and stronger than anyone else around and they love it. These half-giants make the most of their incredible physical prowess, and take a grim delight in demonstrating it at the slightest provocation.

Many brutal thugs make their way into the employ of individuals or organisations keen to take advantage of these tendencies. Crime lords, bandit chiefs, and even merchant houses have these startlingly aggressive half-giants on the payroll. More discerning employers know that half-giant thugs are more trouble than they are worth, and steer clear.

Some of these half-giants try to find other paths in life, striving to leave behind their uncaring past. Of these, a fair few make their way into the ranks of adventuring parties, where they find ample opportunity to put their skills to use in service of a more meaningful cause.

Recommended Weapons: Half-giant thugs begin play with only two weapon proficiencies, one of which must be a greatclub. The thug acquires weapon proficiencies at the normal rate thereafter. Thugs favour large weapons that convey their message swiftly and simply. They are not given to flashy, gladiator armaments. A huge stick or overly large rock will do fine, thank you very much.

Recommended Non-weapon Proficiencies: The brutal thug begins play with only one non-weapon proficiency, which he receives free of charge – see below. Following this, the thug acquires non-weapon proficiencies at the normal rate.

Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: None.

Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Intimidation.

Equipment: The brutish thug begins with padded or leather armour, usually a little more than a large hide with a hole in the centre, slipped over his head to hang down his body. A brutish thug rarely uses a shield; it interferes with smashing things.

Special Benefits

Mental Resilience: The brutish thug saves at +2 vs. mind-affecting magics, due to targeting difficulties.
Thick Hide: The brutish thug receives a +4 natural Armour Class bonus.
Wild Brawl: When unarmed, the brutish thug can fly into a rage, flailing madly at a single target. Roll to hit once to determine if these attacks find their mark. Damage is 2d6 plus Strength Damage Bonus.

Special Hindrances

Language Limit: The brutish thug can only ever learn one language.
Limited Magic: A brutish thug cannot use magical items that require command words or concentration.
Lumbering: The brutish thug has movement 12.

Wealth Options: Standard.

Pterrax Rider

Pterrax riders are pterran warriors who dedicate their lives to becoming the ultimate mounted combatants aboard their pterrax steeds. Seen as heroes and daredevils by other pterrans, they enjoy an exalted status among their people.

Pterrax riders have a close kinship with their mounts, hand-rearing them from eggs. The close training they undergo means that the pterraxes and their riders develop an uncanny bond with each other. The pterrax rider’s specialisation in aerial combat means that he is of limited use in other areas, but when the pterrax can come into play, these warriors are potent opponents.

The pterrax rider is the elite warrior, and commands a lot of respect among his own kind. Outside pterran lands, however, pterrax riders are very definitely outsiders. Their unusual mannerisms and obvious and very unusual friendship with their mounts set them apart from most societies. Because of this, the pterrax rider may become especially attached to adventurers (if they treat him as an equal and not a freak), even if he’d never admit it.

Recommended Weapons: Pterrax riders favour weapons commonly associated with mounted warriors, such as bows, cavalry flails, maces, and picks, lances, spears, swords, and the pterran slodak and thanak.

Recommended Non-weapon Proficiencies: Animal lore, healing, hunting, survival, tracking.

Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: Any one fighting style specialisation from the Mounted Fighting Style.

Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Animal handling, riding (airborne).

Equipment: At start of play, the pterrax rider may only have light armour. Later in the campaign, he may switch to more advanced forms of armour, so long as his mount can carry him and the armour both, of course. When first created, he may have only weapons from the recommended weapons list above. The pterrax rider also starts play with a pterrax mount.

Special Benefits

Animal Empathy: The pterrax rider receives a –5 reaction bonus with all pterraxes. On a die-roll result of 9 or less (on the Hostile column of the Encounter Reactions Table), he can even persuade attacking pterraxes to leave him and his allies alone.
Psychic Link: The pterrax rider has a telepathic rapport with his steed. When in contact or visual line of sight with his mount, he can tell what it is feeling and thinking. He and the mount can communicate with one another without appearing to. When the two are not within sight of each other, each knows the other’s emotional state, whether or not the other is hurt, and the direction and distance to travel to find their friend.

Special Hindrances

Psychic Vulnerability: Should the pterrax rider’s mount ever die, the pterrax rider immediately takes 2d6 points of damage and must make a saving throw vs. spells. If he fails, he behaves as if he were a magic-user hit with feeblemind for the next 2d6 hours. The pterrax rider can seek out another pterrax mount, but this must take place through play.
Reaction Penalties: The pterrax rider is out of place in most societies and suffers a +3 reaction penalty when meeting NPCs from any culture but his own.

Wealth Options: Standard.