Core Races | Other Races

Aphorites Source Planar Adventures pg. 224 Monster Entry Link The primary inhabitants of the perfect city of Axis are the race known as axiomites, outsiders born of lawful neutral souls whose primary focus is to serve Axis in one of three ways: the construction and tending of inevitables, the expansion and maintenance of the city itself, and exploring and calculating the laws and constants that underpin all reality in hopes of using this knowledge to bring order to the Great Beyond. But the axiomites are ill-suited to interactions with mortals. As creatures of pure order, they find it difficult to deal with creatures who have the free will to choose their own destinies and to interpret (or even willfully ignore) laws. Ancient axiomites long pondered a solution to problematic encounters with visitors from the Material Plane. The answer they arrived at was the creation of a new form of life—a melding of their own perfection of order with the unpredictable and fragile bodies and minds of mortal humanoids. Thus, the first aphorites came to be. Although these women and men were always welcome in Axis, the perfect city was not their true home. Infused with a spark of mortality and the influence of the Material Plane, aphorites were created to serve as diplomats, translators, and envoys between the axiomites and the myriad cultures of the countless Material Plane worlds. As native outsiders, aphorites have free will of their own, and they live and die just as other mortals do. Though akin in many ways to other native outsiders such as aasimars, ganzis, and tieflings, the aphorites differ in that they are not the results of unions between outsiders and mortals. While the original population was forged in Axis by the axiomites, new aphorites are born to aphorite parents. In cases where an aphorite and a humanoid have a child, the offspring is either a newborn aphorite or a member of the humanoid parent’s race. Originally, the aphorites were created with nearly uniform physical appearances, but they have diversified as a result of generations spent on the Material Plane. Today, an aphorite always appears humanoid in form with golden skin that flickers and periodically coruscates with sparkling crystalline dust, and eyes and hair that tend toward metallic hues (with copper, gold, and silver being common colors). Beyond this, they can appear similar to dwarves, elves, and humans, or any other Medium humanoid race. The heritage of the immutable order of Axis has long prevented the formation of aphorites of other sizes, but exceptions have occurred with increasing frequency as each new generation of aphorites is born on the Material Plane. Aphorites do not exist in large numbers on most Material Plane worlds, and Golarion is no exception. The first aphorites to arrive on Golarion did not seek to establish their own race as a distinct cultural element, but instead to assimilate into established societies to help guide the formation of laws and bolster potential interactions with the citizens of Axis. But as the aphorite race spread, something that the axiomites should have anticipated occurred: as native outsiders with the ability to choose their own destinies, many aphorites became intrigued by the societies they were living in. There are some limits to this acceptance of new societies; aphorites who embrace chaos are considered outcasts and troublemakers by their kin, despite the fact that these aphorites are natural expressions of mortals’ defining characteristics. Smart and strong, aphorites are as likely to become the focus of attention and admiration as they are the victims of jealousy and hatred. Their ordered and structured personalities often cause strained relations with more capricious or mischievous neighbors and can be a source of conflict with cultures who highly value individual expression of thought, such as that of the elves. Races with stronger tendencies toward law typically build stronger bonds with aphorites. Dwarves in particular enjoy the company of aphorites and find the birth of an aphorite among their own kind a welcome event, as aphorites have an intuitive understanding of the crafting so integral to dwarven society. While not all aphorites are inherently lawful, most relish structure and order in their lives. Ideas of morality, however, are less clear cut to aphorites. While most can appreciate scholarly studies of the philosophy of good and evil and recognize the differences between them, this divide does not influence them to the same extent that the structure of law versus the disorganized madness of chaos does. Consequently, most aphorites are lawful neutral. Typically, aphorites drawn to theology choose lawful gods as patrons, with the worship of Abadar in particular resonating with their inherent desires and goals of building a perfect society. When an aphorite embraces chaos, other aphorites often treat their wayward kin with a mix of curiosity, horror, and pity. Chaotic aphorites themselves tend to be loners and have little interest in the traditions of their own kind, instead seeking out other societies to join. Most aphorites, no matter the culture they are raised in, eventually experience a longing to see the world beyond the boundaries of their birthplace. Be it by choice or chance, aphorites seem predisposed to the life of an adventurer. Always seeking to better understand not only the world, but themselves as well, aphorites excel when they are placed in situations where their intellects might shine. Being both cunning of mind and naturally strong, aphorites gravitate toward classes which blend the arts of spellcasting and combat, such as magus or warpriest. Aphorite names typically reflect the society they are raised in, so an aphorite raised among humans would have a name befitting a human child, while an aphorite raised by dwarves would have a name drawn from dwarven heritage. Aphorite Racial Traits +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, –2 Dexterity: Aphorites are strong and intelligent, but move and react somewhat stiffly. Native Outsider: Aphorites are outsiders with the native subtype. Medium: Aphorites are Medium creatures and have no bonuses of penalties due to their size. Normal Speed: Aphorites have a base speed of 30 feet. Darkvision: Aphorites can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Skilled: Aphorites gain a +2 racial bonus on checks with a single Craft skill of their choice. Spell-Like Ability: Aphorites can use protection from chaos once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aphorite’s class level). Aphorite Resistances (Ex): Aphorites have electricity resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saves versus poison and mind-affecting effects. Crystalline Dust (Su): An aphorite can manifest a haze of crystalline dust that forms into indistinct runes and glyphs surrounding its body. This effect grants the aphorite a 20% miss chance against melee and ranged attacks. Activating this dust is a move action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. The effect cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the aphorite is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. An aphorite can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to its Hit Dice, but the rounds do not need to be consecutive. Languages: Aphorites speak Common and either Celestial or Infernal. An aphorite with a high Intelligence score can choose from the following as bonus languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, or Terran. Aphorite Alternate Racial Traits Replaces Aphorite Resistances Share Knowledge Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14 Certain aphorites have a sliver of their creators’ ability to combine their collective intellect and solve problems they could not solve on their own. When an aphorite with this racial trait successfully uses the aid another action to aid a character on a Knowledge check the aphorite is trained in, the character receives a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2 bonus. As a result of this increased openness, aphorites with this racial trait don’t receive a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects. This racial trait modifies aphorite resistances. Replaces Languages, Skilled Planar Envoy Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14 Reflecting their original role as translators and intermediaries, some aphorites are especially skilled at communication. Aphorites with this racial trait begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, or Terran. Aphorites with this racial trait and a high Intelligence score can choose any languages at character creation (except for secret languages, such as Druidic). They learn two languages rather than one each time they gain a rank in Linguistics. This racial trait modifies languages and replaces skilled. Replaces Spell-Like Ability Eternal Smith Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14 Some aphorites retain knowledge of the techniques axiomites used to create arms to defend Axis. Aphorites with this racial trait choose either Craft (armor), Craft (bows), or Craft (weapons). When crafting items with the chosen skill, aphorites with this racial trait use the item’s gp value as its sp value when determining crafting progress (they do not multiply the item’s gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost). This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait. Urban Memories Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14 With vague memories of the Perfect City resting somewhere deep in their minds, aphorites with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks and can cast urban grace once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aphorite’s character level). This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait. Aphorite Favored Class Options Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, Aphorites have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class. The following options are available to all Aphorites who have the listed favored class. Alchemist (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 foot to the range increment of the alchemist’s thrown splash weapons (including the alchemist’s bombs). This option has no effect unless the alchemist has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5). Cleric (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to Axis and creatures with the lawful subtype. Fighter (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting disarm or trip attempts. Inquisitor (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/4 to the number of times per day the inquisitor can change her most recent teamwork feat. Investigator (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Gain a +1/4 bonus on damage rolls for critical hits made while using studied combat. Magus (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add one spell from the magus spell list to the magus’s spellbook. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level he can cast. Ranger (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 foot to the range of the ranger’s hunter’s bond ability when granting a bonus to allies. This option has no effect unless the ranger has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5). Rogue (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Use Magic Device checks related to glyphs, scrolls, symbols, and other magical writings. Warpriest (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/2 to the number of times per day the warpriest can use blessings, but he can use these additional blessings on only those from the Artifice, Community, Knowledge, Law, Magic, or Rune domains. Witch (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): The witch gains 1/6 of a new witch hex. Wizard (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/3 to the wizard’s caster level when casting spells with the lawful descriptor or spells that create magical glyphs, runes, or symbols.

Aphorites

Source Planar Adventures pg. 224
Monster Entry Link
The primary inhabitants of the perfect city of Axis are the race known as axiomites, outsiders born of lawful neutral souls whose primary focus is to serve Axis in one of three ways: the construction and tending of inevitables, the expansion and maintenance of the city itself, and exploring and calculating the laws and constants that underpin all reality in hopes of using this knowledge to bring order to the Great Beyond.

But the axiomites are ill-suited to interactions with mortals. As creatures of pure order, they find it difficult to deal with creatures who have the free will to choose their own destinies and to interpret (or even willfully ignore) laws. Ancient axiomites long pondered a solution to problematic encounters with visitors from the Material Plane. The answer they arrived at was the creation of a new form of life—a melding of their own perfection of order with the unpredictable and fragile bodies and minds of mortal humanoids.

Thus, the first aphorites came to be. Although these women and men were always welcome in Axis, the perfect city was not their true home. Infused with a spark of mortality and the influence of the Material Plane, aphorites were created to serve as diplomats, translators, and envoys between the axiomites and the myriad cultures of the countless Material Plane worlds. As native outsiders, aphorites have free will of their own, and they live and die just as other mortals do. Though akin in many ways to other native outsiders such as aasimars, ganzis, and tieflings, the aphorites differ in that they are not the results of unions between outsiders and mortals. While the original population was forged in Axis by the axiomites, new aphorites are born to aphorite parents. In cases where an aphorite and a humanoid have a child, the offspring is either a newborn aphorite or a member of the humanoid parent’s race. Originally, the aphorites were created with nearly uniform physical appearances, but they have diversified as a result of generations spent on the Material Plane. Today, an aphorite always appears humanoid in form with golden skin that flickers and periodically coruscates with sparkling crystalline dust, and eyes and hair that tend toward metallic hues (with copper, gold, and silver being common colors). Beyond this, they can appear similar to dwarves, elves, and humans, or any other Medium humanoid race. The heritage of the immutable order of Axis has long prevented the formation of aphorites of other sizes, but exceptions have occurred with increasing frequency as each new generation of aphorites is born on the Material Plane.

Aphorites do not exist in large numbers on most Material Plane worlds, and Golarion is no exception. The first aphorites to arrive on Golarion did not seek to establish their own race as a distinct cultural element, but instead to assimilate into established societies to help guide the formation of laws and bolster potential interactions with the citizens of Axis. But as the aphorite race spread, something that the axiomites should have anticipated occurred: as native outsiders with the ability to choose their own destinies, many aphorites became intrigued by the societies they were living in. There are some limits to this acceptance of new societies; aphorites who embrace chaos are considered outcasts and troublemakers by their kin, despite the fact that these aphorites are natural expressions of mortals’ defining characteristics.

Smart and strong, aphorites are as likely to become the focus of attention and admiration as they are the victims of jealousy and hatred. Their ordered and structured personalities often cause strained relations with more capricious or mischievous neighbors and can be a source of conflict with cultures who highly value individual expression of thought, such as that of the elves. Races with stronger tendencies toward law typically build stronger bonds with aphorites. Dwarves in particular enjoy the company of aphorites and find the birth of an aphorite among their own kind a welcome event, as aphorites have an intuitive understanding of the crafting so integral to dwarven society.

While not all aphorites are inherently lawful, most relish structure and order in their lives. Ideas of morality, however, are less clear cut to aphorites. While most can appreciate scholarly studies of the philosophy of good and evil and recognize the differences between them, this divide does not influence them to the same extent that the structure of law versus the disorganized madness of chaos does. Consequently, most aphorites are lawful neutral. Typically, aphorites drawn to theology choose lawful gods as patrons, with the worship of Abadar in particular resonating with their inherent desires and goals of building a perfect society. When an aphorite embraces chaos, other aphorites often treat their wayward kin with a mix of curiosity, horror, and pity. Chaotic aphorites themselves tend to be loners and have little interest in the traditions of their own kind, instead seeking out other societies to join.

Most aphorites, no matter the culture they are raised in, eventually experience a longing to see the world beyond the boundaries of their birthplace. Be it by choice or chance, aphorites seem predisposed to the life of an adventurer. Always seeking to better understand not only the world, but themselves as well, aphorites excel when they are placed in situations where their intellects might shine. Being both cunning of mind and naturally strong, aphorites gravitate toward classes which blend the arts of spellcasting and combat, such as magus or warpriest.

Aphorite names typically reflect the society they are raised in, so an aphorite raised among humans would have a name befitting a human child, while an aphorite raised by dwarves would have a name drawn from dwarven heritage.

Aphorite Racial Traits

+2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, –2 Dexterity: Aphorites are strong and intelligent, but move and react somewhat stiffly.
Native Outsider: Aphorites are outsiders with the native subtype.
Medium: Aphorites are Medium creatures and have no bonuses of penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Aphorites have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Aphorites can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Skilled: Aphorites gain a +2 racial bonus on checks with a single Craft skill of their choice.
Spell-Like Ability: Aphorites can use protection from chaos once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aphorite’s class level).
Aphorite Resistances (Ex): Aphorites have electricity resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saves versus poison and mind-affecting effects.
Crystalline Dust (Su): An aphorite can manifest a haze of crystalline dust that forms into indistinct runes and glyphs surrounding its body. This effect grants the aphorite a 20% miss chance against melee and ranged attacks. Activating this dust is a move action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. The effect cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the aphorite is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. An aphorite can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to its Hit Dice, but the rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Languages: Aphorites speak Common and either Celestial or Infernal. An aphorite with a high Intelligence score can choose from the following as bonus languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, or Terran.

Aphorite Alternate Racial Traits

Replaces Aphorite Resistances

Share Knowledge
Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14
Certain aphorites have a sliver of their creators’ ability to combine their collective intellect and solve problems they could not solve on their own. When an aphorite with this racial trait successfully uses the aid another action to aid a character on a Knowledge check the aphorite is trained in, the character receives a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2 bonus. As a result of this increased openness, aphorites with this racial trait don’t receive a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects. This racial trait modifies aphorite resistances.

Replaces Languages, Skilled

Planar Envoy
Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14
Reflecting their original role as translators and intermediaries, some aphorites are especially skilled at communication. Aphorites with this racial trait begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, or Terran. Aphorites with this racial trait and a high Intelligence score can choose any languages at character creation (except for secret languages, such as Druidic). They learn two languages rather than one each time they gain a rank in Linguistics. This racial trait modifies languages and replaces skilled.

Replaces Spell-Like Ability

Eternal Smith
Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14
Some aphorites retain knowledge of the techniques axiomites used to create arms to defend Axis. Aphorites with this racial trait choose either Craft (armor), Craft (bows), or Craft (weapons). When crafting items with the chosen skill, aphorites with this racial trait use the item’s gp value as its sp value when determining crafting progress (they do not multiply the item’s gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost). This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Urban Memories
Source Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 14
With vague memories of the Perfect City resting somewhere deep in their minds, aphorites with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks and can cast urban grace once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aphorite’s character level). This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Aphorite Favored Class Options

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, Aphorites have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored class.

The following options are available to all Aphorites who have the listed favored class.

Alchemist (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 foot to the range increment of the alchemist’s thrown splash weapons (including the alchemist’s bombs). This option has no effect unless the alchemist has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5).
Cleric (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to Axis and creatures with the lawful subtype.
Fighter (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting disarm or trip attempts.
Inquisitor (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/4 to the number of times per day the inquisitor can change her most recent teamwork feat.
Investigator (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Gain a +1/4 bonus on damage rolls for critical hits made while using studied combat.
Magus (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add one spell from the magus spell list to the magus’s spellbook. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level he can cast.
Ranger (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1 foot to the range of the ranger’s hunter’s bond ability when granting a bonus to allies. This option has no effect unless the ranger has selected it 5 times (or another increment of 5).
Rogue (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Use Magic Device checks related to glyphs, scrolls, symbols, and other magical writings.
Warpriest (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/2 to the number of times per day the warpriest can use blessings, but he can use these additional blessings on only those from the Artifice, Community, Knowledge, Law, Magic, or Rune domains.
Witch (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): The witch gains 1/6 of a new witch hex.
Wizard (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): Add 1/3 to the wizard’s caster level when casting spells with the lawful descriptor or spells that create magical glyphs, runes, or symbols.

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