Pterran

A pterran with a not-so-vestigial tail.

Pterrans are a race of humanoid reptiles originating from the Dark Sun setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Like the Athasian Aarakocra, they were not part of the original lineup of Athasian races, but were released with the "Revised Edition" version of the Dark Sun corebook, printed in the wake of the Prism Pentad novels. They subsequently received a 3rd edition update in Dragon Magazine #319, along with all of the other Athasian races.

Originating from hidden villages in the Hinterlands, pterrans are fundamentally humanoid in shape, standing 5'6" to 6' tall and covered in light brown-green scaly skin. Their hands sport three fingers and an opposable thumb, with all of the digits being clawed, and their feet are reptilian paws with three toes apiece. Their elongated snouts have a beakish aspect that, combined with their narrow necks and long, thing necks, gives them a certain bird-like appearance. They may or may not have short, vestigial tails, and the remnants of wings - either stumpy growths on their shoulders (2e) or leathery flaps of skin under their arms, the vestigial remnants of patagia (3e), suggests that they could once fly.

If this is leaving you scratching your head, there's a simple explanation. See, officially, lizardfolk don't exist on Athas, having been wiped out in the Cleansing Wars of Rajaat - at least until Mind Lords of the Last Sea retconned that, to much skub. But, at the same time, you'd kind of expect a reptiloid race in a desert world. Enter pterrans: the devolved descendants of pterafolk.

Ironically, pterrans are far nicer than their ancestors; although initially wary and subdued, a wise mentality when amongst strangers on Athas, amongst their friends they are open, friendly, caring, trusting and very polite. They are a deeply religious people, adhering to a rather halfling-like druidic practice that deifies Athas itself as "The Earth Mother".

Crunch

In AD&D, Pterrans had the following profile:

Ability Score Range: Strength 8/20, Dexterity 15/20, Constitution 5/20, Intelligence 5/20, Wisdom 5/20, Charisma 5/17

Ability Score Modifiers: +1 Strength, -1 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom, -1 Charisma (if this confuses you, you're not alone)

Class & Level Limits: Fighter (16), Gladiator (14), Ranger (12), Druid (Unlimited), Thief (10), Trader (14), Psionicist (Unlimited)

Base Movement Rate 12

Can make 2 claw attacks per round, each inflicting 1d4 damage on a hit.

Base Armor Class 8

3.5, meanwhile, gave them this profile:

Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom (again, equally baffling)

Medium

Humanoid (Reptilian)

Base land speed 30 feet

+5 natural armor bonus

Natural Weapons: 2 Claw Attacks (primary, 1d4), 1 Bite Attack (secondary, 1d3)

+4 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks

Inborn Power: 3 psionic power points at 1st level and the ability to cast Burst with them, with manifester level equal to character levels and keying off of Charisma. If the pterran takes a psionic class, add these +3 power points and Burst to the points & psionics granted by their class; additionally, a pterran psion or psychic warrior can choose to use their class's relevant ability score instead of Charisma to set save DCs.

Favored Class: Barbarian (seriously, the fuck?)

Level Adjustment: +2