THE BASSET FOLK "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man." The Basset Folk are humanoid Basset Hounds roughly the size of halflings. They are a fairly laid back folk, and don't see why most of the other races are always in a hurry or get so emotional over inconsequential things.
BASSET FOLK RACIAL TRAITS STARTING AGE Adulthood: 14
Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer: +1d4
Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger: +1d6
Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard: +2d6
AGING EFFECTS Middle Age: 30
Old: 45
Venerable: 60
Maximum Age: +2d10 years
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Base Height: Male: 3'0" Female: 2'10"
Height Modifier: +2d4"
Base Weight: Male: 40 lbs. Female: 35 lbs.
Weight Modifier: x1 lb.
BASSET FOLK CHARACTERS If you want an excellent Tracker (or at least a character based around perception), the Bassets are a good choice. They make for good Scouts, Rangers, and Druids.
Adventuring Race: Basset Folk are kind of laid back, so generally they go on adventures because they need money, help, or revenge. Particularly revenge. Never cross the Bassets.
Character Development: Basset Folk are a rural hunting society, and their initial class choices generally reflect this. Most of their available training comes in the form of some sort of wilderness based class, or maybe just fighting. Arcane classes, particularly of the flashier sort, are rare among them.
Character Names: Male: Abner, Abraham, Caleb, Elijah, Ephraim, Ezekiel, Hezikiah, Ichabod, Isaac, Jedediah, Jeremiah, Joshua, Josiah, Lucas, Luther, Noah, Phineas, Silas, Zadoc. Female: Abigail, Agnes, Alice, Betsy, Charlotte, Delia, Emily, Esther, Eunice, Harriet, Heather, Josephine, Judith, Lavinia, Louise, Martha, Mary, Priscilla, Sarah. Surnames: Surnames are generally what your family does for a living. For example if your first name is Emily, and your family are trappers, your full name might be Emily Trapsmith.
ROLEPLAYING A BASSET FOLK People tend to believe your dumb because you came from the woods and backwaters. You can sometimes use this to your advantage, but usually it just pisses you off. You don't judge people based on their appearance or background and you's like the favor returned.
Personality: Basset Hounds enjoy the good things in life: food, booze, friends, and family. They're laid back enough to ignore a lot of insults as they don't wish to leave behind the quiet life. But they rarely forget insults, and cross them often enough that they finally lose their temper, and they'll track you to the ends of the earth.
Behaviors: Basset Folk like huntin', drinkin', lovin', and playin' (not always in that order). Think of them as good natured hillbillies with some common sense and without the xenophobia.
Language: Like most of the Furry races, the Basset Folk speak Furry.
BASSET FOLK SOCIETY The closest real world culture to that of the Basset Folk is the North American Appalachian Mountains culture. They aren't quite as racist or xenophobic as the Appalachians are stereotyped as being. The Bassets are open and friendly as long as you don't cause trouble. If you do they'll ask you to move along or quiet yourself politely. Once. If they think you're a danger to the community, they'll personally boot you out.
Alignment : Bassets tend to follow the rules and help those in need, thusly the majority of them are either Lawful or Neutral Good. Truly Evil or Chaotic members of society are usually exiled or imprisoned.
Lands : Most Basset Folk live in the extreme backwoods, usually in Temperate Forests, Hills, or Mountains.
Settlements : If Bassets are forced to settle or relocate, they prefer areas similar to where they already live, although they will settle in Cold as opposed to Temperate, or in Marshes if they have too.
Beliefs : The Basset Folk tend to be devoutly religious. In my campaign they tend to worship the Nature and Furry Pantheons, and in other campaigns will likely do something similar.
Relations: The Basset Folk tend to be open and accepting. This means they don't judge people, it doesn't mean they trust them without them having proven themselves. They prefer races living in rural areas as they tend to respect nature more, and tend to be less corrupt than big city folk (and in the Bassets defense most of the large cities near them are pretty much dens of thievery).
BASSET FOLK ADVENTURES BASSET FOLK RACIAL SUBSTITUTION LEVELSRanger Level 1: Replace Track with Uncanny Sent
Uncanny Scent (Ex): The Basset gains Uncanny Scent (see Savage Species) as a bonus Feat.
Level 2, 6, 11: Gain additional option with Combat Style
Combat Style (Ex): In addition to the usual options the Basset Folk gain an additional path they can take with their Combat Mastery: Dawg. Bassets choosing Dawg as their Combat Style get the following Bonus Feats: Vexing Flanker (Level 2), Adaptable Flanker (Level 6), and Wolfpack (Level 11, see Races of Wild).
Barbarian Level 1: Replace Rage with Hound Rage
Hound Rage (Ex): Instead of the normal benefits of Rage you gain the following: You do not take Size Penalties when making Opposed Combat Checks, and Opposed Combat Checks you make do not Provoke Attacks of Opportunity. You may also fight and act normally at -1 to -9 hit points.
Level 11: Replace Greater Rage with Greater Hound Rage
Greater Hound Rage (Ex): When Raging you now get a +2 Circumstance Bonus when Flanking opponents or making Opposed Combat Checks.
Level 20: Replace Mighty Rage with Mighty Hound Rage
Mighty Hound Rage (Ex): The Bonus you get during Rage now increases to +4.
BASSET FOLK FEATSBasselopeYou were born different...
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Must be taken at 1st level
Benefits: You were born with small deer antlers. You cast spells whose Save DC is based on your Wisdom Modifier at +1 caster level. This stacks with other effects that increase caster Level.
Greater BasselopeYou were really born different...
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Basselope
Benefits: Spells your opponents cast whose Save DC is based on Wisdom are cast upon you at -1 Caster Level.
Mystic TrackingYou can track even opponents who can hide themselves magically
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Must be able to cast 1st level Arcane or Divine Spells or Manifest 1st level Powers
Benefits: You may track opponents who may not normally be tracked by non-magical means such as opponents under the influence of a Pass Without Trace spell or the Trackless Step ability.
Improved Mystic TrackingYou aren't easy to full with Illusion and Invisibility.
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Mystic Tracking, Wis 13+
Benefits: You gain a +2 Resistance Bonus against Illusion (Figment) spells, and Invisible opponents do not get their +2 Bonus to Attack rolls against you.
Wolf BiteYou have learned to bring prey to the ground with your Bite attack,
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Benefits: If you successfully hit with your Bite Attack you immediately get a Trip Attack as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity. If the Trip fails your opponents does not get an attempt to trip you in return if using this Feat.
Follow UpYou have learned to follow up with an additional attack once knocking your prey to the ground.
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Wolf's Bite
Benefits: If you successfully Trip an opponent or knock him Prone, you immediately get an Attack of Opportunity.
Dawg's BiteYour Bite is unusually hard to dislodge.
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Wolf's Bite
Benefits: You do Bite damage with your Grapple Checks, and get a +2 Circumstance Bonus to maintain Grapple Checks and damage rolls made in a Grapple.
Hamstring BiteYou can bite low to hobble opponents.
Prerequisites: Basset Folk, Wolf's Bite
Benefits: If you successfully Bite an opponent you can choose to do no damage, and instead choose up to two different Movement rates he possesses. Those rates are reduced by -10'.