Ancient

Among every race there are beings that live far past their alloted lifespan. Whether through magic, luck, or divine favor, their long lifespans have enabled the ancients to accumulate a store of knowledge and wisdom far greater than most of their kind.

Ancient creatures are old and wizen, with thinning hair, gnarled joints, and wrinkled skin. Their eyes are often white and clouded, though their sight may be as keen as ever. Reptilian and avian creatures have faded and patchy scales or plumage.

Creating An Ancient Creature

“Ancient” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, aberration, animal, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, plant, or vermin of neutral alignment (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

An ancient creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: An ancient creature’s size and type do not change.

Speed: An ancient creature’s speed in all forms of movement is reduced by ½ (rounded down).

Special Attacks: Ancients gain one additional use of each of their spell-like abilities.

Special Qualities: Ancients are immune to charms and compulsions.

Abilities: Change from the base creature as follows: Str –8, Dex –8, Con –8, Int +6, Wis +6, Chr +6. These changes do not stack with the aging effects from the Core Rulebook I. None of the creature’s physical abilities can be reduced below 1 in this way.

Skills: An ancient gains 8 bonus skill points at his first HD, and 2 bonus skill points per HD thereafter. Ancients have a +2 modifier to all Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) checks.

Feats: An ancient gains a bonus feat at 1 HD, 3 HD, and every 3 HD thereafter, chosen from the following list: Alertness, Animal Affinity, Deceitful, Diehard, Diligent, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (any Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma skill). An ancient must meet the prerequisites to take a bonus feat.

Challenge Rating: +0 if the creature has spellcasting abilities or relies heavily on spell-like abilities (has more than 10), otherwise –1.

Level Adjustment: +1 if the creature has spellcasting abilities or relies heavily on spell-like abilities, otherwise +0