Ssilirians are a humanoid saurian race that resemble lizardfolk of other worlds.  They stand generally around human height, though they are heavier due to tails and other body parts humans lack. Ssilirians exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, which is the primary subject of this post.

Traits in common

All Ssilirians share some traits. They all have tails and sport three fingers on each hand, two toes on each foot, and a non-prehensile tail. Their eyes are usually yellow, though some have green or brown eyes. Their bodies are covered in thick, smooth scales that protect them from many of Ssilir’s natural hazards. Scale colors tend to be greens and browns, enabling them to blend into Ssilir’s jungles.

Ssilirians are fully amphibious. Many Ssilirians spend far more time in the water than on land. As mentioned last time, many of their cities are built on or near water, so the race has adapted well to amphibious life.  Ssilirians are expert swimmers who can move through the water about as quickly as they can on land. Water sports are a major part of Ssilirian entertainment.

Finally, the Ssilirians are a hardy, healthy people. Ssilir has erratic and often severe weather patterns. In addition, the tropical climate breeds dozens of flora, fauna, and diseases so the Ssilirians have developed resistance to many of these hazards.

3.5e Traits

- +2 Con: Ssilirians are a  healthy and hardy people
- Base land speed 30′
- Poison resistance: +4 racial bonus on saves against poison and disease
- Natural armor: +1
- Accelerated Natural Healing: Ssilirians recover hp at twice the normal rate during a rest.
- Adept Swimmers: Ssilirians have a swim speed equal to their land speed. They also have a +4 racial bonus to Swim checks to perform special actions or avoid hazards and may always take 10 on Swim checks, even when distracted or endangered. Ssilirians may also use the run action while swimming, provided they move in a straight line.
- Hold Breath: Ssilirians can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to 6x Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocation.
- +4 racial bonus to Hide checks underwater or in areas of heavy vegetation.

Male Ssilirians

Male Ssilirians stand taller than females but weigh a little less. Males are about 6 feet tall on average from foot to top of the skull and weigh around 170 lbs. Ssilirian men, like male avians, are visually striking and many Ssilirians believe they are descended from birds. Most Ssilirian men have horns, fins, and other protrusions on their heads that make them more noticeable. These protrusions are not factored into base height. Males coloration ranges across the green spectrum from bright grass green to deep forest green.

Men have a highly sensitive sense of smell that evolved from a need to detect female pheromones. Male Ssilirians have honed this sense for use in hunting and tracking.

Male Ssilirians have sleeker, more streamlined builds than females. Men generally appear more suited for water than land and are more agile and nimble than women.

Male 3.5e Traits

In addition to the general Ssilirian traits listed above, male Ssilirians have the following traits:

- +2 Dex: Male Ssilirians are athletic and agile
- Scent
- +2 racial bonus to Climb and Tumble checks.
- +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Female Traits

Female Ssilirians are shorter but broader and stouter. They are physically stronger than men and have low centers of gravity that make them especially suited to life on land. They are visually plain but they are capable of emitting powerful pheromones. They use these pheromones to attract or repel men, whose well-honed noses make them highly sensitive to women’s scents. Females are usually brown-colored and lack the fins and horns that men have.

Women usually have sharper eyes, though their senses of smell are not as finely-tuned as men’s.

3.5e Traits

- +2 Str: Female Ssilirians are physically strong and sturdy.
- Stability: Female Ssilirians have +4 on checks to resist being bull rushed or tripped while standing on the ground.
- Pheromones: Female Ssilirians can negate any bonuses a creature gets for tracking by scent. They can also create a false trail with scent and make themselves smell like other creatures.
- +2 racial bonus to Spot, Listen, and Search checks.