Noble Baboon

Baboons are ground dwelling and are found in open savannah, open woodland and hills in the tropics and sub-tropics. Their diets are omnivorous, but mostly herbivorous, yet they eat insects and occasionally prey on fish, shellfish, hares, birds, vervet monkeys, and small antelopes. They are foragers and are active at irregular times throughout the day and night.

All baboons have long, dog-like muzzles, heavy, powerful jaws with sharp canine teeth, close-set eyes, thick fur except on their muzzles, short tails, and rough spots on their protruding buttocks, called ischial callosities. These calluses are nerveless, hairless pads of skin that provide for the sitting comfort of the baboon. All baboon species exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, usually in size, but also sometimes in colour or canine development. Males of the hamadryas baboon species also have large white manes.

Species Descriptions

The largest and most distinct of the monkeys, the baboon has a spotty reputation among the noble wild.

A noble baboon will tend to be fiercely loyal to his family and troop, but can be quite chaotic and capricious when dealing with others. A noble baboon’s fury is a frightening thing to behold.

When not involved in a direct conflict, noble baboons seem to get along with most other species, with the exception of noble leopards, who are their ancestral enemy. By extension, most noble baboons do not trust felines of any species.

Some baboon troops, led by a noble, have entered into service with gnolls and other evil humanoids. This can cause trouble for otherwise innocent baboons.

These rules can also be used to represent mandrills and other large monkeys.

Noble Baboon Species Traits

• Ability Score Modifiers: -2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom; Noble Baboons are quick, but not very bright.
• Size: Small.
• Base Speed: 30 ft., Climb: 30 feet
• Natural Weapons: Bite (1d4).
• Hands: Unlike most animals, noble baboons and other primates have hands to grasp tools. While their “natural” cousins still have not grasped the higher concepts involved in using tools, a Noble Baboon can use tools and weapons with a -2 awkwardness penalty.
• Senses: low-light vision (Ex), scent (Ex).
• Bonus Feat: Alertness.
• Skills: +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and they can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Cannot Swim. Like most apes, the noble baboon has insufficient body fat to stay afloat in water, and therefore cannot swim. Noble Baboons cannot purchase ranks in the Swim skill and automatically fail Swim checks.
• Family: Mammal.
• Noble Animal Type: Noble baboons have the noble animal type except where superseded by other species traits and features.
• Social Group: Troop.
• Automatic Languages: High Fauna and Simian.
• Bonus Languages: Bat, Camel, Canine, Common, Crocodilian, Elephant, Equine, Feline, Herdspeak, Hyena, Lizard, Monitor, Raptor, Serpent, Songbird, Ursine, and Woodland.

Noble Baboon Class

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The noble baboon’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Noble Baboon

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+2	+0	Size increase (Medium), speed increase +10

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the noble baboon class.

Size Increase

At 1st level your size increases to Medium.

Don’t forget to adjust the character’s ability scores and natural weapon damage to match their new size. Noble Baboons do not have a Size Threshold; this is the only way for a noble baboon character to grow to Medium size.

Speed Increase

At 1st level your Base Speed increases by 10 ft.