Tortle Alternate Racial Traits

Ironshell Prophet: Racial Ability Scores become (+2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Dexterity). Modifies Racial Ability Scores.
Their shells hardening and almost fusing with their thick, leathery skin, some Tortles lose some of the innate might their kin possess in favor of unyielding durability, and a natural glibness and charisma that often leads them to leadership positions within their tribes.

Razorback Tortle: Gain Armor Spikes on your shell armor that deal normal(1d6) damage for a medium-sized creature. You are always proficient in their use. Whenever a creature successfully attacks you and deals damage with a non-reach melee weapon, natural attack, or unarmed strike, they automatically take 1d4 + STRMOD piercing damage. These spikes automatically count as being made of whatever special material your shell armor is made of, if any. Replaces Shell Protection.
Rather than hide inside their shells to wait for danger to pass, some Tortle grow bold and instead prefer to utilize the unique, chitinous spikes that dot their shell to puncture and pierce those who try to attack them. More akin to giant spiked wrecking balls than cowards who hide in their shell, these Tortles are fearsome indeed.

Aerodynamic Shell: Base land speed increases to 40ft, but your speed can now be modified by armor and encumbrance. Replaces Shell Protection.
Their shells more streamlined and narrow and thus incapable of allowing them to hide themselves within it, these such Tortles become quicker on their feet thanks to their lighter and less overtly massive shells.

Sandshell Nomad: Gain a +2 on Reflex Saving Throws versus effects that burst out and damage a large radius(Fireball, etc). Gain DR 5/-. Replaces Shell Protection.
On their wanderlust-inspired journies, it is not uncommon for some Tortles to spend an extended period of time in the deserts of Zheng-Kitar...the sandstorms there often whittle their shells down to a smooth, even dome on their backs that lets them become highly adept at utilizing it to shield themselves from attacks.

Old Salty Dog: Become capable of breathing underwater. Profession(Sailor) is always a class skill for you, and you can make any knowledge check untrained if it pertains to the ocean or a creature that dwells within it in some way(GM Discretion). You and all creatures within line of sight to you that follow your instructions and understand you gain a +2 on all skill checks made to navigate, as well as all checks made onboard and pertaining to the running of an ocean-bound vessel. You become capable of empathetic communication with Aquatic Animals, Ships, and other seafaring vessels. Replaces Lords of the Ocean.
"Old Salty Dog" is a common Tortle turn of phrase used to denote one of their kin who has spent most, if not their entire lives, on the sea. These Tortle are natural born seafarers, and have an almost supernatural connection to the ocean and what dwells within it...indeed, the simple fact that the mere presence of these Tortle onboard a ship can increase the effectiveness of the crew and ship both make them a highly sought after asset by all manner of Searfarers alike.

Sailor of the In-Between: When in contact with a small body of water large enough to fit you inside of it, you may, as a full-round action that does not provoke AoO, submerge yourself within the water and emerge in any other sufficiently large body of water(Connected to the one you entered or otherwise) within a five-mile radius of your entry point. You know instinctively of the surroundings within a 10ft radius of the body of water you are exiting, and this movement happens instantaneously. Gain a racial +2 on all survival and swim checks. Replaces Lords of the Ocean.
Occasionally appearing within the fringe tribes of the Tortle as gifted but strange Tortles with the power to access what their people refer to as the "Ancestral Corridors", these Tortles instantly move across bodies of water and appear elsewhere as if through teleportation...for this reason, they are invaluable to their tribe as scouts and rangers and are valued equally high by Sailing Crews, who use them as specialized attack infantry to teleport onto the deck of other ships in intense storms, and similar purposes.

Scrimshaw Artist: Gain Craft(Tattoo) as a class skill, and gain a racial +4 to all checks involving it. Replaces Weapon Proficiency.
A common talent for Tortle on the high seas and who go out and adventure and explore, the time-honored Tortle tradition of Tattoos and Scrimshaw is a beautiful thing, and Tortle masters of the craft are legendary across the the continent for their intricate artwork and beautifully decorated skin, more akin a tapestry upon their flesh than mere artwork.

Typhoon Breath: Gain a breath weapon that can be used once every 1d10 rounds as a standard action that does not provoke AoO that, when used, fires out straight ahead in a 5ft wide and 60ft long line dealing 3d6 points of magic bludgeoning/slashing damage. At 8th level, the damage increase to 4d6, and at 16th, it increases to 5d6. All creatures within the affected area must make an appropriate saving throw to avoid taking damage. The save DC against this breath weapon is 10 + 1/2 HD + the user’s Constitution modifier. Those who succeed at the save take half damage from the attack. This breath weapon ignores the first 15 points of hardness on objects and obstacles when dealing damage, and continues unimpeded if it destroys whatever impedes its progress. Replaces Snapping Jaws and Immovable.
Though their jaws are terrifyingly strong, many Tortle are born with the Sea in their veins and the might of a raging Typhoon in their lungs...with this blessing they become capable of blasting a stream of high-pressure water out like a deadly blade, crushing and slashing apart anything that stands before them with deadly power.

Hullpiercer Beak: Gain a +5 bonus on strength checks made to break items. Replaces Snapping Jaws.
Instead of growing up snapping up prey in their powerful jaws, more naturally destructive Tortles spend their youth utilizing the sharp beaks and thick shells their kind possess to render and destroy their surroundings. While their tribe may find this behavior annoying, they nonetheless become highly useful as singular wrecking balls, using their large weight and pointed beaks to destroy hulls of enemy ships and other items. Many unfortunate slavers who come to the Tortle's tribes to capture them have had their ship deconstructed around them due to a surprise underwater raid by these specialist Tortles upon their ship.

Lockjaws: As the 'Snapping Jaws' racial trait, but instead of being able to trip the bitten foe, you gain the 'Grab' Universal Monster Rule with your bite attack allowing you to automatically attempt to grapple a bitten foe(See Universal Monster Rules page for more info).
Famed for their grip that, once secured, is almost impossible to pry apart or break, Lockjaw Tortles bite with a grip strength so impressive that seldom few creatures can shake them off once they have locked their jaws around them.

Titanshelled: Count as one size category larger for determining whether creatures can use combat maneuvers on you, and two sizes categories larger for the purpose of using or being affected by special attacks that depend on size, such as swallow whole and trample. Replaces Immovable.
A common philosophical difference many Tortle share that splits them slightly from more traditional Tortles who emphasize stability and immobility, these Tortles abide by the simple and charmingly Tortle maxim of "No need to stay stable when you're too big to move anyway", and learn to throw their weight around more effectively to thwart attempts to utilize combat maneuvers against them.

Unstoppable Force: When you charge, you can move at triple your speed instead of double and may attempt a free strength check at a +2 to break any one obstacle in your path. If you are successful, you continue your charge unimpeded. Attacks of Opportunity made against you while charging that fail to damage you automatically deal 1d10 points of bludgeoning damage to the weapon used to attack you(Or to the creature directly, if they used an unarmed strike or natural attack), and pushes the attacker back 5 feet. Replaces Immovable.
Tucking their heads and arms into the shells as they charge, Tortles may be slow to start but once they begin moving at full speed their momentum propels them forward with all the force of an unstoppable wrecking ball. With their unique techniqe they repel those who miss them while they are on the move in this way, rocking their systems and damaging their weapons with the hardness of their shells.

Inheritor of Jade: When you are hit by an attack that deals 10 points or more of damage AFTER all defenses have been applied, you gain DR 3/- for every 10 points taken from this attack, up to a maximum of DR15/- from a single attack that deals 50 points or more of damage. This DR applies against that attack retroactively once this ability is triggered, and lasts for 1 round or until triggered again by a higher damaging attack, at which point the durations stack, but not the DR(You take the higher of the two). Replaces Weapon Proficiency and Immovable.
Special: This DR stacks with the DR gains from the 'Shell Protection' racial trait, but not DR from any other source.
With exotic shells carved from solid chunks of the mysterious jade that dots the coastlines of Zheng-Kitar, these rare Tortles have shells that harden in response to heavy blows, providing them protection that grows more protective the hardier the blow becomes.

Rumblesong Master: Gain Perform(Wind Instruments) and any other one Perform() skill as class skills, and gain a +2 to both. 1/day, you can play a deep bass note from your shell-pipes and force all hostile creatures within 30ft of you to succeed at a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + WISMOD) or take 2d6 sonic damage, taking half on a successful save. This damage goes up by one die for every 5 levels above first. Replaces Weapon Proficiency.
Carving their shells into ornate instruments in the form of carving long tubes throughout their shells that, when used in conjunction with a specially constructed 'Blowpipe' connected to the front of their shells, produces deep and bass-like rumblings like a very loud set of bagpipes, these musically-inclined Tortles enjoy playing their "Shell-Pipes" for all will listen, and often travel and wander the land collecting new pieces of music to play upon them.

Greenspeaker: Gain the ability to see up to 60 feet through thick plant matter as though it were transparent. Greenery, leaves, and vines—even lichen, moss, and slime—offer no concealment to the Tortle’s sight, though their vision still can be blocked by solid wood, such as trees or wooden structures. Undergrowth does not grant concealment to a creature against them. They are innately aware of sentient plant life(Treants, etc.) within a five-mile radius, as well as any significant nature-based corruption or areas of vile influence upon nature within this radius. Gain Treant as a bonus language, and you can communicate Empathetically with trees and other large plantlife. Replaces Storm-Savvy.
Spending their days within the bounds of forests and thick woods rather than on the Sea, these more Nature-oriented Tortles slowly lose their innate connection to the weather in exchange for a potent connection with primordial nature, which grants them sight through greenery and plants, and the ability to sense unnatural influence on the natural world.

Hatchery Warden: Gain a racial +2 bonus on perception checks, and it is always a class skill for you. You immediately become aware when an item is taken or removed from your person or a creature adjacent to you without your or their consent(Such as theft), even if you do not notice the act taking place. Replaces Weapon Proficiency.
Serving as the guardians of the sprawling hatcheries where Tortle children are birthed from egg clutches, these guardians possess a keen and watchful eye, and are quick to notice when they or someone near them has been relieved of one or more things without their knowledge.

Squire of the Empty Path: Gain a racial +4 on CMB checks made to grapple and on CMD checks on grapple checks made against you. Once an encounter when you are the target of a melee or ranged attack, you may make a CMB check as an immediate action against the attacking foe's CMD. If you pass the check, the attack misses you and you may choose another valid foe within range of your opponent to redirect the attack into targeting. Once targeted, the attack resolves against the new target as normal. If there is no other valid targets, the attack simply misses. Replaces Storm Savvy and Lords of the Ocean.
Much like the Jade-Shells of some of their fellow Tortles, the 'Empty Path' is a relic inherited by the Tortle from the odd ruins that the tropic locales of Zheng-Kitar. Though the mysterious tomes are not designed for them nor in a language they can understand, some Tortle manage to gleam a few secrets from the odd tomes and learn the ways of the Empty Path, which involves utilizing one's own innate mass to give advantages in combat...deflecting and redirecting blows like water flowing around rocks in a stream.

Ancestral Sage: Gain any three skills as class skills. Gain +2 skill ranks per level, or +1 rank per level if at least one class you have levels in gives 6 or more skill ranks per level. Replaces Storm-Savvy OR Lords of the Ocean.
Tracing their lineage back to the very earliest days of their people, these Ancestral Sages are so old as to be legend, having tales passed down to them from thousands of years ago, even before the advent of the spirit kings...