The yuan-ti are descended from humans whose bloodlines have been mingled with those of snakes. Their evilness, cunning, and ruthlessness are legendary.
Yuan-ti constantly scheme to advance their own dark agendas. They are calculating and suave enough to form alliances with other evil creatures when necessary, but they always put their own interests first.
All yuan-ti possess some snakelike features, and many have snake body parts.
Yuan-ti speak their own language, plus Common, Draconic, and Abyssal.
Yuan-ti are geniuses and fight as such. They plan elaborate traps and utilize their surroundings superbly in combat, preferring ambushes to direct confrontation. They also prefer ranged attacks and spells to melee.
In a mixed group, the least valuable and powerful attack first. This means that the purebloods go before the halfbloods, which go before the abominations. The group leader may order particular members forward before others if that makes for better strategy.
Alternate Form (Sp): All yuan-ti can assume the form of a Tiny to Large viper (see the Snake entry) as a psionic ability. The yuan-ti loses its natural weapons (if any) and gains the natural weapon of the viper form it assumes. If the yuan-ti has a poisonous bite of its own, it uses its own or the viper’s poison, whichever is more potent. See Alternate Form.
Detect Poison (Sp): All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (caster level 6th).
The favored class for yuan-ti purebloods and halfbloods is ranger. Yuan-ti abominations favor the cleric class. Yuan-ti clerics worship Merrshaulk. A yuan-ti cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Evil, Destruction, or Plant.
The yuan-ti are devout worshipers of evil. They also hold all reptiles in high esteem. The center of yuan-ti life is the temple, and their rituals often involve bloody sacrifices. They tend toward isolated, old ruins but have been known to build even underneath human cities. Yuan-ti are always secretive about the location of a city or temple. Their architecture favors curves, with ramps and poles replacing stairs.
The abominations rule over the yuan-ti and are the temple leaders, with the high priest above all. Purebloods take care of all outside negotiations, always pretending to be human.
The chief deity of the yuan-ti is Merrshaulk, who prompted and directed the formation of the line.
| Hit Dice: | 4d8 (18 hp) |
| Initiative: | +5 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 17 (+1 Dex, +1 natural, +3 masterwork studded leather, +2 masterwork heavy shield), touch 11, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +4/+4 |
| Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +5 melee (1d6/18–20) or masterwork longbow +6 ranged (1d8/×3) |
| Full Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +5 melee (1d6/18–20) or masterwork longbow +6 ranged (1d8/×3) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Spell-like abilities |
| Special Qualities: | Alternate form, darkvision 60 ft., detect poison, spell resistance 14 |
| Saves: | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4 |
| Abilities: | Str 11, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12 |
| Skills: | Concentration +7, Disguise +4, Hide +3, Knowledge (any one) +5, Listen +4, Spot +4; racial bonuses |
| Feats: | Alertness [bonus], Blind-Fight [bonus], Dodge, Improved Initiative |
| Environment: | Warm forests |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, gang (3–4), troupe (2–13 purebloods, 2–5 halfbloods, and 2–4 abominations), or tribe (20–160 purebloods, 10–80 halfbloods, and 10–40 abominations) |
| Challenge Rating: | 3 |
| Treasure: | Double standard |
| Alignment: | Usually chaotic evil |
| Advancement: | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +2 |
This being looks much like a slim-hipped, lithe human with sharp features and unblinking eyes. A closer look, however, reveals a forked tongue, pointed teeth, and scaly patches on the neck and limbs.
Yuan-ti purebloods appear human at first glance, with only very subtle snakelike features.
A pureblood is about the same height and weight as a human.
CombatPurebloods are the least intelligent of the yuan-ti, though they still pride themselves on being more intelligent than humans. Purebloods often disguise themselves as humans and work among them as spies for their abomination masters.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—animal trance (DC 13), cause fear (DC 12), charm person (DC 12), darkness, entangle (DC 12). Caster level 4th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Skills: A pureblood gains a +5 racial bonus on Disguise checks when impersonating a human.
Yuan-ti pureblood characters possess the following racial traits.
Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 263.
| Hit Dice: | 7d8+7 (38 hp) |
| Initiative: | +5 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 20 (+1 Dex, +4 natural, +3 masterwork studded leather, +2 masterwork heavy shield), touch 11, flat-footed 19 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +7/+9 |
| Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +10 melee (1d6+2/18–20) or masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) +9 ranged (1d8+2/×3) |
| Full Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +10/+5 melee (1d6+2/18–20) and bite +4 melee (1d6+1 plus poison); or masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) +9/+4 ranged (1d8+2/×3) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Poison, produce acid, spell-like abilities |
| Special Qualities: | Alternate form, chameleon power, darkvision 60 ft., detect poison, scent, spell resistance 16 |
| Saves: | Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +9 |
| Abilities: | Str 15, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 16 |
| Skills: | Concentration +11, Craft or Knowledge (any two) +14, Hide +10, Listen +16, Spot +16; racial bonuses |
| Feats: | Alertness [bonus], Blind-Fight [bonus], Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative |
| Environment: | Warm forests |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, gang (3–4), troupe (2–13 purebloods, 2–5 halfbloods, and 2–4 abominations), or tribe (20–160 purebloods, 10–80 halfbloods, and 10–40 abominations) |
| Challenge Rating: | 5 |
| Treasure: | Double standard |
| Alignment: | Usually chaotic evil |
| Advancement: | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +5 |
This being has the body of a lithe human with sharp features and unblinking eyes. Its skin is covered with gleaming scales, and a serpent’s head, complete with long fangs and forked tongue, rises from its shoulders.
Like purebloods, yuan-ti halfbloods appear mostly human, but they always have obvious snake features. The snakelike features of a halfblood may reflect any of a variety of venomous snakes, so a halfblood may have a cobra’s hood or a diamondback’s distinctive scale pattern. These features are usually consistent within a single troupe of yuan-ti, and often mark a troupe’s status within a tribe.
A halfblood is about the same height and weight as a human.
Halfbloods typically hang back out of melee while any purebloods accompanying them wade in, using their chameleon power to hide while softening up opponents with their spell-like abilities. If the purebloods all fall, the halfbloods wade into melee in their stead.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Produce Acid (Sp): A yuan-ti halfblood has the psionic power to exude acid from its body, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti’s body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—animal trance (DC 15), cause fear (DC 14), entangle (DC 14); 1/day—deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 17), suggestion (DC 16). Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Chameleon Power (Sp): A yuan-ti halfblood can psionically change the coloration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
Skills: Yuan-ti halfbloods using chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 264.
| Hit Dice: | 9d8+27 (67 hp) |
| Initiative: | +5 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 22 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural, +2 masterwork heavy shield), touch 10, flat-footed 21 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +9/+17 |
| Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +13 melee (1d8+4/18–20) or masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) +10 ranged (2d6+4/×3) |
| Full Attack: | Masterwork scimitar +13/+8 melee (1d8+4/18–20) and bite +7 melee (2d6+3 plus poison); or masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) +10/+5 ranged (2d6+4/×3) |
| Space/Reach: | 10 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Aversion, constrict 1d6+6, improved grab, poison, produce acid, spell-like abilities |
| Special Qualities: | Alternate form, chameleon power, darkvision 60 ft., detect poison, scent, spell resistance 18 |
| Saves: | Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +11 |
| Abilities: | Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 18 |
| Skills: | Concentration +15, Craft or Knowledge (any two) +17, Hide +8, Listen +19, Move Silently +12, Spot +19; racial bonuses |
| Feats: | Alertness [bonus], Blind-Fight [bonus], Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility |
| Environment: | Warm forests |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, gang (3–4), troupe (2–13 purebloods, 2–5 halfbloods, and 2–4 abominations), or tribe (20–160 purebloods, 10–80 halfbloods, and 10–40 abominations) |
| Challenge Rating: | 7 |
| Treasure: | Double standard |
| Alignment: | Usually chaotic evil |
| Advancement: | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +7 |
This creature looks like a big serpent, except that its eyes betray a baleful intelligence and it has two burly, humanoid arms.
Yuan-ti abominations are monstrous snakes with humanlike arms. The snakelike features of an abomination may reflect any of a variety of venomous snakes, so an abomination may have a black mamba’s glossy scales or a viper’s wedge-shaped head. These features are usually consistent within a single troupe of yuan-ti, and often mark a troupe’s status within a tribe.
A yuan-ti abomination is 8 to 12 feet long and weighs 200 to 300 pounds.
Abominations are the masterminds of yuan-ti society, and urge their lesser kin into battle from the rear. While their underlings fight, the abominations watch the proceedings carefully, identifying the most dangerous foes and their most worrisome abilities, then try to neutralize those enemies with their extensive spell-like and psionic abilities.
Aversion (Sp): A yuan-ti abomination can psionically create a compulsion effect targeting one creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or gain an aversion to snakes for 10 minutes. Affected creatures must stay at least 20 feet away from any snake or yuanti, alive or dead; if already within 20 feet, they move away. A subject unable to move away, or one attacked by snakes or yuan-ti, is overcome with revulsion. This revulsion reduces the creature’s Dexterity score by 4 points until the effect wears off or the subject is no longer within 20 feet of a snake or yuan-ti. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as the spell (caster level 16th). The save DC is Charisma-based.
Constrict (Ex): An abomination deals 1d6+6 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an abomination must hit a Large or smaller creature with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Produce Acid (Sp): An abomination has the psionic ability to exude acid from its body, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling, constricting, or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti’s body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—animal trance (DC 16), entangle (DC 15); 3/day—deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 18), suggestion (DC 17); 1/day—baleful polymorph (DC 19; into snake form only), fear (DC 18). Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Chameleon Power (Sp): A yuan-ti abomination can psionically change the coloration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
Skills: A yuan-ti abomination can always choose to take 10 on a Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
A yuan-ti abomination has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Yuan-ti abominations using chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 264.