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Creature Subtype Grafts

Many creatures have subtypes that distinguish them from other races within the same broad creature type. Generally, a subtype graft grants a few traits to a creature. Other subtypes don’t grant additional abilities but are important for interactions with other rules.

A creature subtype graft gives a description of the subtype, followed by specific traits innate to that creature subtype.

Grafts: Some subtypes grant additional subtype grafts; these are listed in this entry.

Traits: The listed traits are usually innate to all creatures of the subtype, so it is recommended that a creature with this subtype gain them. The special abilities included in the traits entry don’t count against the number of abilities granted by the creature’s array.

Aeon

Aeons are a race of neutral outsiders that maintain the balance of reality.

Traits: Immunity to cold, critical hits, and poison; resistance 10 to electricity and fire; bonus equal to CR to skill checks to recall knowledge; envisaging (see below); extension of all (see below).

Envisaging (Su)

Aeons communicate without language, first scanning beings for their thoughts and intentions and then projecting psychic flashes of a single concept in response. These flashes are usually a combination of visual and aural stimulation that communicate the aeon’s intent or understanding. An aeon’s envisaging functions as a nonverbal form of telepathy with a range of 100 feet, and it counts as a language for the purposes of telepathy and truespeech. Aeons can’t read the thoughts of creatures immune to mind-affecting effects.

Extension of All (Ex)

Aeons can communicate telepathically with other aeons over vast distances. This ability works even across planes, albeit less effectively, allowing the communication of only vague impressions and feelings.

Agathion

Source SF:AA4

Agathions are celestials, or good outsiders, native to Nirvana.

Traits: Low-light vision; +4 to saving throws against poison; immunity to electricity and petrification; resistance 5 to cold and sonic (CR 3+; increases to 10 at CR 7, 20 at CR 11, 30 at CR 15); healing channel (as per the healer mystic connection power); truespeech; speak with animals (below).

Speak with Animals (Su)

An agathion can communicate with animals and use language-dependent effects on them.

Android

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to androids and creatures related to androids.

Traits: Most creatures with this subtype gain darkvision 60 ft. and low-light vision; if the NPC is of the android race, it also gains the constructed, flat affect, and upgrade slot racial traits.

Aquatic

Source SAA3

These creatures are often native to environments that are mostly or entirely underwater.

Traits: Swim speed, water breathing, Athletics as a master or good skill; if it can breathe air, it also gains the amphibious universal creature rule.

Azata

Azatas are celestials, or good outsiders, native to Elysium.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; immunity to electricity and petrification; resistance 10 to cold and fire; truespeech.

Brenneri

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to brenneris and creatures related to brenneris.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., swim speed; if the NPC is of the brenneri race, it also gains the favored object and hold breath racial traits and Diplomacy and Sense Motive as master skills.

Cold

Creatures with this subtype are usually native to frigid environments.

Traits: Immunity to cold; vulnerable to fire.

Copaxi

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to copaxi and creatures related to copaxi.

Traits: If the NPC is of the copaxi race, it gains blindsense (scent) 30 ft. and the gravity adjustment racial trait.

Daemon

Source SF:AA4

Daemons are fiends, or evil outsiders, native to Abaddon.

Traits: Immunity to acid, death effects, disease, and poison; resistance 5 to cold, electricity, and fire (CR 3+; increases to 10 at CR 7, 20 at CR 11, 30 at CR 15); summon allies; telepathy.

Damai

This subtype is applied to damais and creatures related to damais.

Traits: Low-light vision; if the NPC is of the damai race, it gains the scrappy racial trait and Stealth and Survival as master skills.

Demon

Demons are fiends, or evil outsiders, native to the Abyss.

Traits: Immunity to electricity and poison; resistance 10 to acid, cold, and fire; summon allies; telepathy 100 ft.

Dessamar

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to dessamars and creatures related to dessamars.

Traits: Blindsense (scent) 30 ft., low-light vision. If the NPC is of the dessamar race, it can use the following spells as spell-like abilities: 1/day—charm person; at will—detect magic and telepathic message. A dessamar imago has a land speed of 20 feet and an extraordinary fly speed of 20 feet with average maneuverability, as well as the fragile limbs and twinkle racial traits. A dessamar instar has a land speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 30 feet, and a +2 racial bonus to KAC and saving throws against any effect that forces them to move or knocks them prone. An instar also has the dream dust and poor vision racial traits.

Devil

Devils are fiends, or evil outsiders, native to Hell.

Traits: See in darkness; immunity to fire and poison; resistance 10 to acid and cold; summon allies; telepathy 100 ft.

Dirindi

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to dirindis and creatures related to dirindis.

Traits: Blindsight (electricity) 60 ft., low-light vision; if the NPC is of the dirindi race, it also gains the electrical affinity racial trait and Diplomacy and Perception as master skills.

Earth

This subtype is usually applied to outsiders with a connection to the Plane of Earth.

Traits: Burrow speed; blindsense or blindsight (vibration) with a varied range.

Elemental

An elemental is a creature composed entirely of matter from one of the four Elemental Planes.

Traits: Elemental immunities.

Entu Symbiote

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to entu symbiotes and creatures related to entu symbiotes.

Traits: If the NPC is of the entu symbiote race, it gains blindsense (emotion) 30 ft., limited telepathy with a range of 30 ft., and the limited augmentations and symbiotic enhancement racial traits.

Espraksa

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to espraksas and creatures related to espraksas.

Traits: If the NPC is of the espraksa race, it takes a –2 penalty to saving throws against mind-affecting effects, has a land speed of 30 feet and an extraordinary fly speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability, and gains the cold inured and snatch racial traits and the natural weapons (P) universal creature rule. An espraksa also gains Diplomacy and Sense Motive as good skills (although many espraksas have Sense Motive as a master skill).

Extraplanar

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to any creature when it is on a plane other than its native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane.

Creature entries assume that encounters with those creatures take place on the Material Plane.

Fire

This subtype is usually applied to outsiders with a connection to the Plane of Fire and creatures with a strong affinity to fire.

Traits: Immunity to fire; vulnerable to cold.

Giant

This subtype is applied to giants and creatures related to giants.

Traits: Low-light vision; many NPCs with this subtype gain Intimidate and Perception as master skills.

Goblinoid

This subtype is applied to humanoids of various goblinoid subspecies, such as hobgoblins.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft.; if the NPC is of the hobgoblin race, it also gains the battle hardened racial trait and Intimidate and Stealth as master skills; if the NPC is of the kanabo race, it gains the armor savant and kanabo magic racial traits.

Hadrogaan

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to hadrogaans and creatures related to hadrogaans.

Traits: If the NPC is of the hadrogaan race, it gains blindsense (vibration) 30 ft. and the dual nervous systems racial trait.

Incorporeal

Creatures with this subtype have no physical bodies.

Traits: Incorporeal.

Kami

Source SAA3

Kami are native outsiders that protect animals, plants, objects, and locations, which the kami call their “wards.” Kami have no need to drink, eat, or sleep.

Graft: A tsukumogami is a kami that permanently merges with a small object; these kami gain the tsukumogami template graft.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; fast healing (see below); immunity to bleed, mind-affecting effects, petrification, and polymorph; resistance 10 to acid, electricity, and fire; telepathy 100 ft.; no breath; merge with ward (see below); some kami gain other abilities from having specific wards.

Fast Healing (Ex)

A kami within 120 feet of or merged with its ward has fast healing. A kami of CR 10 or lower has fast healing 5, while one of CR 11 or higher has fast healing 10.

Merge with Ward (Su)

A kami has a specific ward—a creature with an Intelligence of –4 or lower, an object, or a location—listed in parentheses in the kami’s stat block. As a full action, a kami adjacent to its ward can merge body and mind with that ward. While merged, the kami can observe the surrounding region with its senses as if it were using its own body, as well as via any senses its ward might have. Typically, this trait allows a kami no control over its ward, although some kami (such as the tsukumogami) are exceptions. If the kami has no control over its ward, it can take no actions while merged other than to emerge from its ward as an action. The kami can emerge adjacent to the ward, provided the kami’s body is at least one size smaller than the ward. If the ward is a location, the kami can emerge at any point within that location. If the ward is destroyed while a kami is merged with it, the kami dies. If the ward is destroyed while the kami is not merged with it, the kami loses its merge with ward and fast healing traits, and the kami becomes sickened. It can take on a new ward by spending 7 days doing so, and it regains its traits and loses the sickened condition once it does. Some kami have additional abilities and limitations relative to their wards.

Native Creatures that have this subtype are outsiders native to the Material Plane. They can be returned to life (such as with the raise dead or mystic cure spells), just as other living creatures can be.

Khizar

This subtype is applied to khizars and creatures related to khizars.

Traits: Blindsense (vibration) 30 ft., blindsight (life) 30 ft.; if the NPC is of the khizar race, it also gains the carbonic respiration, evergreen, and limited telepathy (including communication with non-mindless creatures of the plant type) racial traits, and gains Life Science and Survival as good skills.

Oni

Oni are evil spirits that take humanoid form to become native outsiders.

Grafts: Oni gain the humanoid subtype graft of the race associated with their physical form. For example, a ja noi oni takes the form of a hobgoblin and therefore gains the goblinoid subtype graft, even though it is not a humanoid or a member of the hobgoblin race. Oni also gain the shapechanger subtype graft, with their change shape ability generally limited to humanoids of similar size.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, regeneration (suppressed by acid or fire).

Orc

This subtype is applied to orcs and creatures who are related to orcs.

Traits: Most creatures with this subtype gain darkvision 60 ft. and the ferocity universal creature rule; if the creature is of the half-orc race, it also gains Intimidate and Survival as master skills.

Pahtra

This subtype is applied to pahtras and creatures related to pahtras.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; if the NPC is of the pahtra race, it also gains the nimble and wary racial traits, Acrobatics as a master skill, and Stealth as a master skill.

Phentomite

This subtype is applied to phentomites and creatures related to phentomites.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft.; if the NPC is of the phentomite race, it also gains the acclimated and heat tracking special abilities and Acrobatics and Athletics as master skills.

Plantlike

Source SAA3

Plantlike creatures have many of the characteristics of plants.

Traits: Most plantlike creatures have the plantlike universal creature rule.

Protean

Source SF:AA4

Proteans are serpentine outsiders of pure chaos native to the Maelstrom.

Traits: Blindsense (distance and sense varies by protean type); immunity to acid; resistance 5 to electricity and sonic (CR 3+; increases to 10 at CR 7, 20 at CR 11, 30 at CR 15); supernatural flight speed; amorphous; change shape; grab ability with its natural attacks.

Psychopomp

Source SF:AA4

Psychopomps are neutral outsiders who preserve the cycle of life and death.

Traits: Blindsight (life) 60 ft.; low-light vision; immunity to death effects, disease, and poison; DR 5/adamantine (CR 3+; increases to 10 at CR 9, 15 at CR 15); resistance 5 to cold and electricity (CR 3+; increases to 10 at CR 7, 20 at CR 11, 30 at CR 15); spirit touch (below).

Spirit Touch (Su)

Weapons wielded by a psychopomp (including natural weapons) function as if they have the ghost killer weapon fusion.

Pyric Revenant (CR 3+)

Pyric fire can turn a creature into a pyric revenant.

Required Creature Type: Undead.

Suggested Array: Combatant.

Traits: Immunity to fire, dimly illuminated, pyric fire, susceptible to water; melee attacks deal half fire damage and impart pyric curse; gains a pyric bolt ranged attack that deals fire damage; speaks Aklo and might retain one or more languages spoken in life.

AbilitiesBurning Attacks: A pyric revenant’s attacks have the burn critical hit effect that deals damage according to the creature’s CR, as follows: 3–5, 1d4; 6–10, 2d4; 11–15, 3d4; 16+ 4d4.

Suggested Ability Scores: Strength, Dexterity.

Pyric Wraith (CR 5+)

A pyric revenant can eventually become a pyric wraith. The example in this entry was once human.

Required Creature Type: Undead (incorporeal).

Suggested Array: Combatant.

Traits: See in darkness, immunity to fire, ash consumption, illuminated, pyric fire; gains a touch attack; gains a pyric ray ranged attack; attacks deal fire damage, impart pyric curse, and have the burn critical hit effect (see Burning Attacks); speaks Aklo and might retain one or more languages spoken in life.

AbilitiesBurning Attacks: A pyric wraith’s attacks have the burn critical hit effect that deals damage according to the creature’s CR, as follows: 3–5, 1d4; 6–10, 2d4; 11–15, 3d4; 16+ 4d4.

Suggested Ability Scores: Dexterity.

Shakalta

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to shakaltas and creatures related to shakaltas.

Traits: If the NPC is of the shakalta race, it has immunity to disease and poison, as well as void adaptation. It also has the aura of light, bonded souls, psychic shunt, shakalta telepathy, and starlight sustenance racial traits. A shakalta can use the following spells as spell-like abilities: at will—dancing lights and energy ray (electricity or fire only).

Shapechanger

This subtype is applied to creatures that can dramatically alter their forms.

Traits: Change shape (with specific details depending upon the creature).

Shatori

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to shatoris and creatures related to shatoris.

Traits: If the NPC is of the shatori race, it has the conditioning, psychometry, and shared stillness racial traits. A shatori can use the following spells as spell-like abilities: at will—detect magic, grave words, and stabilize.

Shimreen

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to shimreens and creatures related to shimreens.

Traits: If the NPC is of the shimreen race, it gains resistance 5 to electricity and the amplify, radiant, and shift limb racial traits.

Skittermander

Source SAA3

This subtype is applied to skittermanders and creatures related to skittermanders.

Traits: Low-light vision; if the NPC is of the stridermander race, it also gains the camouflage, feeding tendril, and gorge racial traits.

Spectra

Source SAA3

Spectra are neutral outsiders native to hyperspace.

Traits: void adaptation; DR 5/chaotic, evil, good, or law (CR 8; increases to DR/10 at CR 13, increases to DR/15 at CR 18); immunity to electricity; resistance 5 to cold and sonic; spell resistance equal to 10 + CR; Computers, Engineering, and Mysticism as master skills; machine telepathy (see below); truespeech; slip drive; spaceflight (Mysticism).

Machine Telepathy (Ex)

A spectra can communicate with and through technological devices within a certain range (usually 100 feet), as well as with other creatures that have machine telepathy. A spectra can also attempt Computers and Engineering checks at this range.

Slip Drive (Ex)

A spectra has an internal biomechanical Drift engine that allows it to travel freely between hyperspace and other planes, as well as between two non-hyperspace planes, using the normal rules for hyperspace navigation. A slip drive has an effective Drift engine rating equal to the half the spectra’s CR, and a spectra need remain stationary for only 1 round (6 seconds) before engaging its slip drive.

Strix

This subtype is applied to strix and creatures related to strix.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft.; if the NPC is of the strix race, it also gains the strix mobility, suspicious, and tinkerer racial traits, and gains Perception as a master skill and Stealth as a good skill.

Swarm

This subtype is applied to any collection of Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creatures (usually vermin) that acts as a single creature.

A swarm has a single pool of Hit Points, a single initiative modifier, and a single EAC and KAC. It attempts saving throws as a single creature. A single swarm usually occupies a square (if it is made up of nonflying creatures) or a cube (if it is made up of flying creatures) 10 feet on a side, but its reach is 0 feet.

A swarm can move through cracks or holes large enough for its component creatures to fit through.

In order to attack, a swarm moves into an opponent’s space, which provokes an attack of opportunity. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a successful caster level check (DC = 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration, such as Computers, within the area of a swarm requires a successful DC 20 Will saving throw.

Traits: Swarm defenses, swarm immunities, distraction, swarm attack.

Tryziarka

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to tryziarkas and creatures related to tryziarkas.

Traits: If the NPC is of the tryziarka race, it gains the tattoo magic and tattoo transference racial traits.

Velstrac

Velstracs are lawful evil outsiders native to the Shadow Plane who feed on fear and pain.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, regeneration 5 (suppressed by good or silver), unnerving gaze (see below).

Unnerving Gaze (Su)

This gaze ability manipulates the perceptions of those who look upon a velstrac. Unnerving gaze has a range of 30 feet and can be negated by a Will save; the exact effects vary by velstrac. All velstracs are immune to this ability. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Vlaka

This subtype is applied to vlakas and other creatures related to vlakas.

Traits: Resistance 5 to cold; if the NPC is of the vlaka race, it also gains the buoy, cooperative, versed, and vlakan senses racial traits and Perception and Sense Motive as master skills.

Water

This subtype is usually applied to outsiders with a connection to the Plane of Water.

Traits: Swim speed, gains Athletics as a master or good skill.

Worlanisi

Source SF:AA4

This subtype is applied to worlanisi and creatures related to worlanisi.

Traits: If the NPC is of the worlanisi race, it also gains the limited telepathy, multiarmed (4), psychic reverb, worlanisi gamble, and worlanisi luck racial traits.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Starfinder Alien Archive 2 © 2018, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Alexander Augunas, Kate Baker, John Compton, Adam Daigle, Brian Duckwitz, Eleanor Ferron, Amanda Hamon Kunz, James Jacobs, Mikko Kallio, Jason Keeley, Lyz Liddell, Ron Lundeen, Robert G. McCreary, Mark Moreland, Matt Morris, Adrian Ng, Joe Pasini, Lacy Pellazar, David N. Ross, Stephen Rowe, Chris Sims, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor.