Yoon-Suin Homebrew: The Crab-Folk

I like Yoon-Suin. It inspires me to pursue this reckless goal of randomizers atop randomizers that create something of emergent narrative value, and it is also a fun as fuck setting. I've been running it for about a month now with a really fun party, and to help make the setting stick out; I made a bunch of specific campaign classes for it. The Ivory Legionnaire was one such class, now serving as antagonists to the party. What follows is a take on the Crab-men of the setting, done up in a way that makes them a bit more fun to play as well as fun to fight/gamble on in the arena.

Shamelessly pilfered from Dungeons & Drawings

The Crab-Folk

Requirements: Constitution 10

Prime Requisite: Constitution

Hit Dice: d12

You are of a pitiful race, barely even above a beast in the eyes of ten thousand gods who yet reign over your world. You are a crab-folk, a creature of carapace and claw, a beast who is often forced into burden of human and inhuman masters who value your strength and care little for your toil. But locked beneath shell and synapses is an alien intelligence, one that could rival a man if it was given time and opportunity to utilize such cunning.

Arms & Armor: Crab-folk cannot wear armor unless it is specifically crafted for them. Such armor costs an additional 75% of the original cost and grants -1 AC from what the original amount would be. Crab-folk cannot deftly manipulate any weapon other than their own claws.

Carapace: Crab-folk possess heavy carapace that makes up the bulk of their weight. The natural To Hit AC of a Crab-folk is 13, rather than the usual 10.

Claws: Crab-folk make fine use of their bludgeoning claws. The damage caused by these claws is d8+STR Modifier.

Regrowth: Crab-folk may regrow any lost limb, taking 1d6 Constitution damage as the limb regrows soft and pink. Constitution damage lost this way may be recovered by resting and consuming copious amounts of food, gaining back 1 Constitution point a day.

Adaptation: Crab-folk adapt as they grow, gaining one of the following benefits on every even level.

Spiked Carapace: The shell of the Crab-folk deals 1d3 damage when struck by fists, claws, or any brawling attacks. Furthermore the Crab-folk can ram enemies to deal 1d3+STR Modifier damage.

Piercing Claws: The claws of the Crab-folk become honed and able to puncture enemies. The Crab-folk can choose to not add their STR Modifier to their claw attack damage and instead lower the AC of an enemy by that amount.

Jagged Claws: The claws of the Crab-folk gain brutal rending edges. If the Crab-folk attempts to grapple an enemy with its claws and succeeds, on the next round the Crab-folk’s claw attack against the enemy does 2d8+STR Modifier.

Brutal Claws: The claws of the Crab-folk become massive and powerful. If the Crab-folk rolls an 18-20 to Hit an enemy, they deal 1d12+STR Modifier+Level in damage.

Slime Excretion: The shell of the Crab-folk is able to produce a sickening mucus membrane. The AC of the Crab-Folk against melee attacks increases by +2. If the Crab-folk is in water, their movement speed is doubled.

Bubble Excretion: The Crab-folk becomes adapt at spewing forth a briny spray of bubbles. A number of times per day equal to the Crab-folk’s level, they may produce a cone of bubbles. Those struck by the bubbles take a -2 to Hit while in the cone, and they must also make a Save vs Breath Attacks or become sickened for 1d3 rounds.

Camouflage Markings: The Crab-folk’s shell looks like a great boulder covered in mildew, dead coral, and barnacles. The Crab-folk gains a +1 to Initiative rolls. If the Crab-folk attacks from ambush they gain a bonus to Hit and to Damage their target equal to their level.

Languages: Crab-folk can speak Crab and understand Haludi and its Pidgin. Crab-folk from the Topaz Isles understand Hayai rather than Haludi. A Crab-Folk of Intelligence 12+ can speak the Pidgin form of Haludi, but their voice is considered crass and repugnant on top of how insulting the Pidgin is to many groups already.

The Crab-folk
Level	Breath Attacks	Poison or Death	Petrify or Paralyze	Wands	Spells or Spell-like Devices
1-3	13	12	8	10	13
4-6	10	8	6	8	10
7-9	7	6	4	6	8
10	5	4	2	4	6

The Crab-folk
Level	Experience	Title	Hit Dice (d12)
1	0	the Bottomfeeder	1
2	2,000	the Clacker	2
3	4,250	the Snapclaw	3
4	8,500	the Bloodied	4
5	17,500	the Headcracker	5
6	35,000	the Free	6
7	70,000	the Killer of Man and Slug	7
8	140,000	the Tempest Fiend	8
9	275,000	the Dread of the Deeps	9
10	450,000	the Behemoth of the Bay of Morays	+4 HP Only

Race-as-Class: Woodgrue (Unofficial)

Disclaimer Note: A new, more updated and more supported version of this character class; more in-line with Old School Essentials, can be found on the Necrotic Gnome patreon's page and in the forthcoming Dolmenwood campaign books. Consider this a relic of early design, an alpha model of the class which now exists elsewhere in an official capacity with far greater polish.

Woodgrue (Race-Class)

Ability Scores: Minimum CHA 9, minimum WIS 9

Prime Requisite: CHA

Hit Dice: 1d6

Maximum Level: 10

Allowed Armour: Cloth and Leathers

Allowed Weapons: Any, though they prefer clubs and cudgels.

Languages: Woldish, Sylvan.

Hooting and cavorting through the deep wold of the Dolmenwood are the capricious bat-faced goblins known as the woodgrue. These little men have a head and chest coated in soft downy fur while the rest of their appears like that of a child or little man. They are a frivolous and unsavory lot, known for their gallows humor and enchanting woodwind songs that lure folk even deeper off the trail and into the wood. While mannish folk are known to cautiously welcome these demi-fey into their towns, they know that barring them entry would cause only greater misfortune to follow. While a woodgrue celebrating is cause for concern, they are bound to the same code of hospitality as all faerie things and will only bring grave mischief with them if slighted.

Which is not to say that their general demeanor at a celebration is much better.

Woodgrue, by Andrew Walter

Prime Requisite:

A woodgrue with a CHA of 13 or greater gains a +5% bonus to experience gained. If the woodgrue’s CHA is 16 or greater, that bonus increases to 10%.

Class Abilities

Combat: A woodgrue can make use of any weapon in combat, though they are noted for their love of clubs and cudgels; generally constructed from pilfered or discarded “lesser instruments.” A woodgrue will gladly beat a man to death with a brass bugel or a lyre, but they would consider it sacrilege to use a flute to do so.

Dark Vision: A woodgrue can see normally in darkness, viewing the world as though it glows in faint moonlight.

Hiding: A woodgrue who hides in the woods or in shadows has a 3-in-6 chance of going unnoticed. If they are given a minute, a woodgrue may hide a small object (1’ around or smaller) in a cunning location. For anyone else to discover this hidden item, apply the rules for finding secret doors.

Woodwinding: Woodgrues can communicate on the winds by blowing a tune upon a woodwind instrument. Such communications can be heard by any indentured servant to the demi-fey, as well as by any woodgrue within a number of miles equal to the woodgrue's level. Such songs can be heard even in the Otherwold.

Mad Revelry: A woodgrue may engage in mad revelry for a number of rounds equal to their level, per day. While engaged in such revelry, the woodgrue is dancing terribly, likely playing their flute or fife, and hooting like an insane barn animal being skinned alive. Any individual who hears the mad revelry must make a Save vs Spells, on a failure they do one of the following (d8):

1. Imbibe!

Victims will consume any liquids, drugs, or mushrooms they have on them, be it potable or not. They will act as though it makes them drunk, granting them a -2 to Hit until the revelry ends.

2. Jubilate!

Victims will burst out into terrible laughter, preventing them from speech. If an affected character rolls a failure while laughing, they fall prone and into a laughing fit. They arise, lungs aching but fine, when the revelry ends.

3. Dance!

Victims begin dancing terribly, their footwork following a profane jig that doesn’t make any sense. Those affected cannot move while dancing, but gain a +1 to AC. The dancing stops when the revelry ends.

4. Jape!

The victim mocks the last action performed before their turn, such as a spell being cast or swinging a weapon. This action does not allow a character to do anything they cannot already do, and they suffer a -2 to any action performed. They also do this in a very mocking tone. This japery continues until the revelry ends.

5. Confide!

The victim speaks in a slurred voice, confessing a sin or secret about one of their allies or about some deeply hidden emotion. If offered a drink, they’ll go sit down and drink. If mocked, they go into a berserk rage, gaining +2 to Hit but -2 to AC while the revelry continues.

6. Strip!

Victims begin to doff any armor, feeling far too hot as though they were locked in a sauna. Doffed armor means lowered AC, as well as embarrassment certainly. The victims come to their senses when the revelry ends.

7. Revel!

Victims cannot speak, instead they bark out terrible scats of instruments in an attempt to keep up with the woodgrue. Movement speed is halved if they are not headed in the direction of the woodgrue. This lasts until the revelry ends.

8. Mount!

A victim will attempt to mount an adjacent creature, be it friend or foe, and ride it in the piggyback position. If the bottom creature is unwilling, it can buck the rider off to deal 1d4 damage. Riders come to their senses and lose their seating when the revelry ends.

Drawbacks & Weaknesses

Compelled to Jubilation: A woodgrue who witnesses a party, feast, celebration or festival must partake; they are utterly compelled with every fiber in their being. Save vs Paralysis can prevent a woodgrue from engaging in jubilation, but they feel drained and downtrodden for the length of the engagement. A woodgrue who does engage in such celebration, without hand-written invitation, will randomly cause one of its Mad Revelry effects to occur to an important party; gaining the wrath of the community to the woodgrue and associates.

Cold Iron: As demi-fey, woodgrue are vulnerable to iron weapons, suffering double damage on a successful hit.

Silver Sickness: While a woodgrue appreciates the color and sheen of silver, they find it horribly uncomfortable to touch. A woodgrue in contact with silver is sickened and suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws.

Code of Hospitality: Woodgrue are easily bound to ancient rites of hospitality and charity. If a woodgrue is invited into a place by way of handwritten invitation or swearing an oath of good behavior, they are unable to use their Mad Revelry for the duration within or until the next full moon.

Waxing Ears: Any individual who pours wax in ones ears, or dirt, or is naturally deaf, suffers no ill-effects from the woodgrues mad revelry. Many a charlatan and woodsman knows to do this when encountering a woodgrue or entering an area where they are known to frequent.

Level	XP	HD	Death	Wand	Paralysis	Breath	Spells
1	0	1d6	15	12	14	16	14
2	2,000	2d6	15	10	12	15	12
3	4,000	3d6	13	10	10	14	10
4	8,000	4d6	13	8	8	13	10
5	16,000	5d6	11	8	8	10	8
6	32,500	6d6	11	6	6	10	8
7	65,000	7d6	9	6	6	7	6
8	130,000	8d6	9	4	4	7	6
9	250,000	9d6	7	4	2	4	4
10	400,000	9d6+1	7	4	2	4	4