Vanara (8 RP)

Vanaras are intelligent, monkeylike humanoids that live in deep, warm forests and lush jungles. A vanara’s body is covered in a thin coat of soft fur, and individuals with chestnut, ivory, and even golden coats are common. Despite their fur, vanaras can grow lengthy hair on their head just as humans can, and both male and female vanaras take pains to wear elaborate hairstyles for important social functions. The hair on a vanara’s head matches the color of its fur. All vanaras have long, prehensile tails and handlike feet capable of well-articulated movements. A vanara stands slightly shorter and weighs slightly less than a typical human.

Random Starting Ages
Adulthood Intuitive1 Self-Taught2 Trained3
14 years +1d4 years
(15 – 18 years)
+1d6 years
(15 – 20 years)
+2d6 years
(16 – 26 years)

1 This category includes barbarians, oracles, rogues, and sorcerers.
2 This category includes bards, cavaliers, fighters, gunslingers, paladins, rangers, summoners, and witches.
3 This category includes alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, magi, monks, and wizards.

Random Height and Weight
Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier
Male 4 ft. 8 in. +2d8 in. 105 lbs. +(2d8×5 lbs.)
(115 – 185 lbs.)
Female 4 ft. 2 in. +2d8 in. 90 lbs. +(2d8×5 lbs.)
(100 – 170 lbs.)

Table: Race Point Costs
Racial Traits Race Point Cost
Type Humanoid (vanara) 0
Size Medium 0
Base Speed Normal 0
Ability Score Modifiers Standard (+2 Dex, +2 Wis, –2 Cha) 0
Languages Standard 0
Skill Bonus Acrobatics 2
Skill Bonus Stealth 2
Misc. Climb 1
Senses Low-light vision 1
Misc. Prehensile tail 2
Total 8

Standard Racial Traits

  • Ability Score Modifiers: Vanaras are agile and insightful, but are also rather mischievous. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma.
  • Type: Vanaras are humanoids with the vanara subtype.
  • Size: Vanaras are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Speed: Vanaras have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.
  • Languages: Vanaras begin play speaking Common and Vanaran. Vanaras with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Celestial, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Sylvan. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

Senses Racial Traits

  • Low-Light Vision: A vanara can see twice as far as a human in dim light.

Other Racial Traits

  • Prehensile Tail: A vanara has a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with her tail, but the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

  • Acrobatic: Vanaras are often extraordinarily agile, capable of dancing around slower-moving humans with playful grace. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Escape Artist checks. This racial trait replaces nimble. Source PPC:BotB
  • Change Size (Su): One vanara in every 500 is gifted with limited shapeshifting ability. Such a creature can adjust her size at will. She gains the change shape ability and the shapeshifter subtype. Instead of changing appearance, she can use change shape to reduce her size category to Small. Her ability scores don’t change, only her size (and thus her weapon damage); normal size penalties and bonuses to AC and CMD and on attack and skill rolls apply. Changing size or returning to her true size is a full-round action. This racial trait alters the vanara’s type and replaces nimble. Source PPC:BotB
  • Risky Troublemaker: Some vanaras can choose to roll twice on Use Magic Device checks. If they do, they take the higher result unless either die roll is a natural 1, in which case the check automatically fails. This racial trait replaces prehensile tail. Source PZO9280
  • Tree Stranger: Some vanaras have spent their lives among humans in centers of learning instead of traditional treetop homes. These vanaras treat all Knowledge skills as class skills, but lose their climb speed racial trait.
  • Whitecape: The rare whitecape vanara clans have more in common with savanna-dwelling baboons than the jungle-dwelling monkeys that most vanaras resemble. Their stooping build grants them a +4 racial bonus to CMD when resisting a bull rush or trip. These vanaras usually have a thick mane of hair on the head and shoulders (called a “cape”) and shorter tails. This racial trait replaces prehensile tail.

Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Racial Archetype

The following racial archetype is available to vanaras:

Racial Feats

The following feats are available to a vanara character who meets the prerequisites.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Race Guide © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Hal MacLean, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, and Russ Taylor.

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