Lizardfolk
Lizard men are savage, semi-aquatic, reptilian humanoids that live through scavenging, raiding, and, in less hostile areas, by fishing and gathering.
Adult lizard men stand 6 to 7 feet tall, weighing 200 to 250 pounds. Skin tones range from dark green to gray to brown, and their scales give them a flecked appearance. Their tails average 3 to 4 feet long and are not prehensile. Males are nearly impossible to distinguish from females without close inspection.
Lizard man garb is limited to strings of bones and other barbaric ornament. Lizard men speak their own language.
Combat
In combat, lizard men fight as unorganized individuals. If they have equality or an advantage over their opponents, they tend toward frontal assaults and massed rushes. When outnumbered, overmatched, or on their home ground, however, they become wily and ferocious opponents. Snares, sudden ambushes, and spoiling raids are favored tactics in these situations. While individually savage in melee, lizard men tend to be distracted by food (such as slain opponents) and by simple treasures, which may allow some of their quarry to escape. They occasionally take prisoners as slaves, for food, or to sacrifice in obscure tribal rites.
For every 10 lizard men encountered, there will be one patrol leader with maximum hit points (17 hp) and a 50% chance for a shaman with 3 Hit Dice and the abilities of a 3rd-level priest. If one or more tribes are encountered, each tribe will also have a war leader of 6 Hit Dice, two subleaders with 4 Hit Dice, and a shaman of either 4 or 5 Hit Dice (50% chance of each). Any group of two or more tribes has a 50% chance for an additional shaman of 7 Hit Dice. Furthermore, each such group has a cumulative 10% chance per tribe to be led by a lizard king. If a lizard king is present, a shaman of 7 Hit Dice will always be present, and all patrol leaders from each tribe (i.e., 10% of the male warriors) will be combined into a single fanatical bodyguard for the lizard king.
Habitat/Society
Lizard men are typically found in swamps, marshes, and similar places, often (35%) dwelling totally underwater in air-filled caves. A tribe rarely numbers more than 150 individuals, including females and hatchlings. It is not uncommon for several tribes in an area to forge an informal alliance against outsiders, including other lizard man tribes.
Lizard men are omnivorous, but are likely to prefer human flesh to other foods. In this regard they have been known to ambush humans, gather up the corpses and capture the survivors, and take the lot back to their lair for a rude and horrid feast.
Ecology
Lizard men have few natural enemies. They prey on human, demihuman, or humanoid settlements if these are nearby. Lizard man eggs are bitter and inedible, as is their flesh, but their skin is sometimes worked as scale armor (Armor Class 6). Lizard men produce no art, artifacts, or trade goods.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Adult lizardfolk stand 6 to 7 feet tall, weighing 200 to 250 pounds. Skin tones range from dark green to gray to brown, and their scales give them a flecked appearance. Their tails average 3 to 4 feet long and are not prehensile. Males are nearly impossible to distinguish from females without close inspection.
Genetics and Reproduction
Lizardfolk hatch from eggs and grow quickly to adulthood; by 2 years of age, they are fully grown. A tribe maintains a communal incubator in which all the tribe’s eggs are sealed together. Young lizardfolk are raised together by the whole tribe. Parental relationships do not exist among lizardfolk.
Growth Rate & Stages
Ecology and Habitats
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lizardfolk are omnivorous, but are likely to prefer human flesh to other foods. In this regard they have been known to ambush humans, gather up the corpses and capture the survivors, and take the lot back to their lair for a rude and horrid feast.
Additional Information
Social Structure
A tribe rarely numbers more than 150 individuals, including females and hatchlings. It is not uncommon for several tribes in an area to forge an informal alliance against outsiders, including other lizard man tribes.
Lizardfolk have a patriarchal society in which the most powerful member rules the others as chieftain. Shamans and mystics commonly advise the chieftain.
Lizardfolk come in many varieties, including greenscale lizardfolk (the most common breed) and blackscales. Blackscales are dumb, hulking brutes that often inhabit the same swamps and marshes as their smaller kin. A blackscale tribe might be an enemy to a lizardfolk tribe, but more often the two work together or even intermingle in the same village. Blackscales rarely become leaders of mixed tribes since they are simply too dull-witted for the job, but they frequently accompany raiding parties or serve as bodyguards to the tribal chieftain or marsh mystic.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Lizardfolk eggs are bitter and inedible, as is their flesh, but their skin is sometimes worked as scale armor (Armor Class 6).
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Lizardfolk favor humid climates. They dwell in warm or temperate marshes, swamps, and jungles, or more rarely in flooded cavern systems.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Lizardfolk speak their own language.
Common Dress Code
Lizardfolk garb is limited to strings of bones and other barbaric ornament.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Lizardfolk do not worship gods, but large tribes often elevate one of their own to the status of a living deity. This figure becomes the tribe’s lizard king. A lizard king usually possesses unusual strength, ferocity, and cleverness and might be tainted by primordial or demonic influences. Powerful reptilian creatures such as dragons sometimes usurp this role and command a tribe’s loyalty.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Lizardfolk have few natural enemies. They prey on human, demihuman, or humanoid settlements if these are nearby. Lizard men produce no art, artifacts, or trade goods.
Lizardfolk are savage, semi-aquatic, reptilian humanoids that live through scavenging, raiding, and, in less hostile areas, by fishing and gathering.
Insular and fierce, lizardfolk rarely combine forces with other humanoids. However, they frequently tame reptilian creatures such as behemoths, crocodiles, or drakes, or serve more powerful monsters such as dragons.
Skin tones range from dark green to gray to brown, and their scales give them a flecked appearance. Their tails average 3 to 4 feet long and are not prehensile. Males are nearly impossible to distinguish from females without close inspection.