Mantellian Savrip (beast)

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Mantellian Savrips are a type of large humanoid native to the planet of Ord Mantell. Despite walking upright on two relatively short legs, Savrips are able to move with surprising speed. Their arms, by comparison, are long, and their hands nearly drag across the ground as they walk. They have long necks and reptilian heads that, when combined with their formidable claws and thick armored hide, only adds to their intimidating appearance. When standing straight up, Savrips can reach up to 4 meters in height. However, they spend much of their time hunched over, a practice that exaggerates their already prodigious mass.

     Savrips are a long-lived species. Some specimens are thought to be as much as five hundred years old, though such elderly Savrips are rare, given the violent lives that they often lead. The creatures speak a primitive language composed of roars, shrieks, and growls. This language, known as Savrip, is largely incomprehensible to other creatures. Although modern translation equipment and droids have had some success in deciphering simple linguistic concepts, the Savrip language continues to baffle linguists. Rumors of Savrips that have learned to speak Basic have yet to be confirmed by any legitimate source.

     Though considered to be only semisentient by most galactic authorities, Savrips are actually a sentient, albeit primitive, species. They represent the original natives of Ord Mantell, which were forced to flee into the wilderness of their homeworld when it was colonized by the Old Republic thousands of years ago. Violent conflicts arose between Ord Mantell’s colonists and the Savrips almost immediately following the initial drive to colonize the world. The Savrips, being an aggressive species, were partially to blame for this friction, while the expansionist mindset of the colonials also played a large part in the initial conflict.

     Given the Savrips’ limited technology, they stood little chance against the weapons that were available to the colonists. Sizable bounties were place on Savrip hides, a practice that continues well into the Rebelljon era. Big game hunters from as far away as Rodia came to the planet to test their skills against the famed Mantellian Savrip. Thousands of hunters, professional and amateur alike, were killed by Savrips in the decades that followed, but the death toll for the Savrips themselves, though never recorded, was easily in the tens of thousands. As the Savrip population declined, encounters with colonists became less frequent. Big game hunters, which had been a large source of planetary income for decades, took their guns elsewhere. Ord Mantell’s economy recovered in short order, but the Mantellian Savrip population continues to remain low.

     Ord Mantell’s surviving Savrip tribes are passionately territorial, and they tend to attack intruders on sight. Though Savrips have always been aggressively protective of their tribal lands, the fact that most of the intruders that they encounter actively hunt the Savrips has only reinforced their behavior. Savrips display absolutely no fear of their enemies, and even juvenile Savrips will fight to the death, even if an escape route is available. Savrips manufacture simple hand weapons, such as clubs and other bludgeons, and they set traps and snares that often prove deadly for unwary travelers.

     Given their sinister reputation, Savrips are popular features in underground blood sports and gladiatorial arenas across the galaxy. Though trade in Savrips is illegal on most civilized worlds, such activity has nonetheless allowed them to spread to systems beyond Ord Mantell. As a result, Savrips feature prominently in galactic lore. They are widely perceived as one of the strongest creatures in the galaxy, and images of them have been adopted as heraldic symbols by noble houses, education institutions, mercenary units, and sports teams. In fact, one of the most powerful pieces in the game of Dejarik is the Mantellian Savrip.

Mantellian Savrip Encounters

Mantellian Savrips are thought to display little in the way of tactics, but this assumption could not be farther from the truth. The typical Savrip, upon confronting an intruder, lets out a deafening roar before charging blindly into the fray. Savrips are not concerned with the number of opponents they face, nor are they intimidated by displays of superior firepower. In many cases, a Savrip’s terrible reputation is the most effective weapon it possesses.

     Victims who stand their ground against an enraged Savrip risk being pulverized by the advancing creature, while nearly sixty percent of those who flee manage to escape with little or no injury. Given their speed and power, it is unlikely that Savrips would be unable to catch their quarry unless they didn’t want to. Conversely, Savrips have also been known to set simple traps, such as camouflaged pits, to catch enemies and prey. These traps are always placed along the most convenient avenue of escape. A Savrip, during its initial charge, attempts to herd its prey in the direction of the trap, and foes that retreat blindly are often ensnared.

     Though they are native to Ord Mantell, Savrips can often be encountered on other worlds. They are popular attractions in underground fighting rings, and gamblers will bet thousands of cred its on the outcome of a fight that features one or more Savrips. They are excellent hand-to-hand combatants and prefer to use their claws when fighting. When facing particularly foridable foes, Savrips sometimes use large clubs or rocks in addition to their natural weaponry. They can sustain a surprising amount of damage before being disabled, which guarantees that a fight featuring a Savrip is never a dull or anticlimactic affair.

Mantellian Savrip           (CL 6)

     Threats of the Galaxy, page 117.

Large beast 6

Initiative: +2; Senses: Perception +6

Defenses: Ref 16 (flat-footed 16), Fort 15, Will 8

Hit Points: 39; Damage Threshold: 20

Speed: 8 squares

Melee: claw +8 (1d6+7) and
bite +8 (1d8+7) or

Melee: claw +8 (2d6+7) with Mighty Swing

Fighting Space: 2×2; Reach: 2 squares

Base Attack: +4; Grapple: 13

Attack Options: Mighty Swing, Power Attack, poison

Abilities: Str 18, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 4

Special Qualities: ferocious, primitive, survivor

Feats: Mighty Swing, Power Attack, Toughness

Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +2, Survival +1

Ferocious—A Mantellian Savrip can choose to reroll any failed attack roll with one of its natural weapons, but the result of the reroll must be accepted even if it is worse.

Poison—If the bite of a Mantellian Savrip deals damage to a living target, the target is also poisoned. If the poison succeeds on an attack roll (1d20+10) against the target’s Fortitude Defense, the target moves −1 step along the condition track. A target moved to the end of the condition track by the poison is immobilized, but not unconscious. The poison attacks each round until cured with a successful DC 15 Treat Injury check.

Primitive—Mantellian Savrips do not gain Weapon Proficiency (pistols, rifles, or heavy weapons) as starting feats at 1st level, even if their class normally grants them.

Survivor—A Mantellian Savrip can choose to reroll any Perception, Stealth, or Survival check, but the result of the reroll must be accepted even if it is worse.

Mantellian Savrips as Heroes

Unlike many other beasts, Mantellian Savrips can be played as heroes. Anyone who wants to play a Mantellian Savrip as a heroic character can use the following species traits.

Species Traits

Mantellian Savrips share the following species traits:

     Ability Modifiers: ≄4 Charisma, +4 Constitution, ≄2 Dexterity, ≄4 Intelligence, +4 Strength, ≄4 Wisdom.

     Large Size: Large creatures take a −1 size penalty to their Reflex Defense, a −5 size penalty on Stealth checks, and a +5 size bonus to their damage threshold. Their lifting and carrying limits are double those of Medium characters.

     Speed: Mantellian Savrip base speed is 8 squares. They also have a swim speed of 4 squares.

     Natural Armor: Savrips have a tough hide that protects them from harm. They gain a +2 natural armor bonus to their Reflex Defense. A natural armor bonus stacks with an armor bonus.

     Natural Weapons: A Savrip can rake with one of its claws instead of making an unarmed attack. The claw attack deals 1d6 points of slashing damage (plus Strength modifier) and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Due to the presence of its natural weapons, a Savrip is always considered to be armed for the purposes of threatening adjacent squares and making attacks of opportunity. Natural weapons are considered simple weapons.

     Poison: If the claws of a Savrip deal damage to a living target, the target is also poisoned. If the poison succeeds on an attack roll (ld20 + the Savrip’s character level) against the target’s Fortitude Defense, the target moves −1 step along the condition track. A target moved to the end of the condition track by the poison is immobilized, but not unconscious.

     Primitive: Savrips do not gain Weapon Proficiency (pistols, rifles, or heavy weapons) as starting feats at 1st level, even if their class normally grants them.

     Rage: Once per day, a Mantellian Savrip can fly into a rage as a swift action. While raging, a Savrip temporarily gains a +2 rage bonus to melee attack rolls and melee damage rolls but cannot use skills that require patience and concentration, such as Mechanics, Stealth, or Use the Force.
          A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the Savrip’s Constitution modifier. At the end of its rage, a Savrip moves −1 persistent step along the condition track. The penalties imposed by this condition persist until the Savrip takes at least 10 minutes to recuperate, durng which time the Savrip can’t engage in any strenuous activity.

     Automatic Languages: Savrip (speak only)

As Large creatures, Savrips take a −1 size penalty to Reflex Defense and a −5 size penalty to Stealth checks.

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