Many fantasy campaigns have some appearance of Reptile Men, but who really gets into the culture and psychology of these mysterious desert dwellers?
This page is still under construction; please have patience. The last recorded update was 27 Jan 99.
Reptile Men have two sexes but little sexual dimorphism; the easiest way for a mammalian adventurer to discover a Reptile Man's gender is to inquire. Gender roles do not play a great part in Reptile Man society.
Reptile Men have ST +4 [45], HT +1 [10], and IQ -1 [-10]. They have the advantages of Claws [15], Damage Resistance 2 [6], Extended Lifespan [5], Peripheral Vision [15], and Temperature Tolerance 3 [3]; their disadvantages are Cold Blooded [-5], Shyness [-5], and Unusual Biochemistry [-5]. They are Proud [-1] and racially learn the skill Survivial (Desert) at IQ [2]. It costs 75 points to be a Reptile Man.
In the lands of other races Reptile Man characters will generally have the Social Stigma: Outsider disadvantage, lowering their point cost somewhat.
Prohibited traits, etc.: Many Reptile Men are illiterate but there is no reason they cannot learn to read if given the opportunity. Player characters should not take Youth (for reasons explained elsewhere).
Construction notes: Reptile Men drink very little, getting most of their moisture needs from their food, and are likewise efficient at the other end of the digestive system; while this qualifies them for the Reduced Live Support advantage, this isn't a big deal in a fantasy setting and it was costing quite enough to play a Reptile Man already! Likewise, their tails are considered a special effect; if it bothers you, model the tail as a striker with a DX penalty of -5, bringing the point cost to zero.
Since GURPS Fantasy Folk didn't keep Reptile Men the same between editions, why should I worry about it? :-)
Dominant Reptile Men are favored for mating by either sex. Less effort is needed, in some ways, by Reptile Man young than those of other races; most obviously, a clutch of eggs can be laid in a safe place and the mother go off on her own business.
Ritual dominance fights are not unknown and in some tribes have become quite formal. The Bloody Hand martial art style grew out of techniques developed in this venue.
Tactics
The GM should be inventive with this, of course.
Reptile Men are known to hide themselves under the sand to await their quarry; the only problem with this tactic is that everyone knows about it! Some groups of Reptile Men may have most of their warriors bury themselves first, letting the others camouflage their companions before going into the earth, thereby misleading any sharp-eyed opponents about the number of Reptile Men hiding nearby. A cunning leader might put the second group, intentionally poorly hidden, where it will redirect theenemy to a more tactically advantageous position. Sometimes the opposite trick is tried, with artfully arranged shed skins used to imitate real Reptile Men; the lack of motion can be a giveaway.
You can read about the Bloody Hand martial arts style. The idea of a Reptile Man martial artist seems to distress some players...
Note: For another view of Reptile Men, you can see the Reptile Men page of Steven Smith.
Ob. Disclaimer: GURPS and everything associated with it is copyright Steve Jackson games, so be nice.