Spikers

Spikers are of the same general ancestry as bladelings (see Monster Manual II). Both races hail from Acheron, but scholarly speculation places their origins on the Nine Hells of Baator, the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna, or even some unknown metal-based plane.
Physical Description
The hue, spotted with patches of metallic spines. A spiker’s eyes are a deep violet, and its blood is black and oily. Spikers are about as tall as humans but are considerably heavier, with the average male weighing over 200 pounds and the average female about 40 pounds lighter. Spikers don’t reach adulthood until past the age of 30, and even the longestlived among the race don’t survive to see the end of their ninth decade.
Relations
Spikers are conservative about trusting other races, and they tend to be very cautious around anyone other than fellow spikers and bladelings.
Alignment
Spikers tend toward lawful alignments, gravitating toward lawful neutral or lawful evil. Lawful good and nonlawful spikers are uncommon, but not unheard of, though such characters usually choose to leave Acheron to travel the planes.
Religion
Hextor’s emphasis on law and war appeals to most spikers. Sometimes the sheer joy of battle fosters anaffinity for Kord, and many spikers who worship the god of strength choose to be barbarians.

Naming Traditions

Other names

Spiker names tend toward visceral or combat oriented words, with no gender differentiation. A spiker’s first name is usually a simple one (often a weapon or a combat-focused verb) given at birth. The second name is usually a nickname earned in adolescence or adulthood.
First Names: Dirk, Grip, Parry, Rend, Spike, Thrust.
Second Names: Bloodletter, Demonbane, Falldown, Fartraveler, Gutrender, Spellfodder.

• Humanoid (Extraplanar)

Spikers are humanoids native to Acheron. They gain the extraplanar subtype when not on Acheron.

• Darkvision

Spikers have darkvision out to 60 feet.

• Natural Armor

A spiker’s metallic hide offers protection from physical attacks in the form of a +1 bonus to natural armor.

• Resistance to Blunt Damage

A spiker’s spiny skin grants resistance to bludgeoning attacks, resulting in -2 damage from blunt attacks.

• Acid Resistance

Despite the metallic hue of their hide, spikers are not metallic in nature and receive a +5 to all attacks and effects from acid.

• Natural Spikes

A spiker’s skin is replete with sharp, jagged spikes. A spiker can deal extra piercing damage on a successful grapple check, or deal piercing damage with an unarmed attack, doing 1d4 damage.

• Armor Use

Because of their spiked skin, spikers have a difficult time wearing armor. Any armor not made specifically for Spikers imposes a -3 to all attacks and gives -1 to Armor Class.

• Languages

Common and Infernal, plus oner per point of Intelligence bonus: any, except secret languages such as druidic.

• Size

Medium

• Speed

30ft

• Typical Classes

Barbarian, Fighter, Gladiator

• Attribute Modifiers

+1 Strength, -1 Wisdom

Related Locations

• Acheron