Aarakocra
Aarakocras, also known as "how the fuck do you say that?" and "those fucking birdmen with the stupid name", are a race of monstrous humanoids from the days of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2e. They look like 5ft tall bipedal birds with clawed hands coming out of their wings, allowing them to use tools like human beings. Known for pissing people off with their habit of flapping in the air beyond reach and throwing javelins with pinpoint accuracy. They have an Athasian variant who look like giant humanoid vultures (7-8ft tall) with psionic powers (Clairsentience and Telepathy, if you gotta know).
Though they have had playable stats in AD&D (common aarakocras in the Complete Book of Humanoids, Athasian ones in the Dark Sun corebook), they've been mostly forgotten since 3rd edition rolled out. Surprisingly, for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, the "Elemental Evil Player's Companion" web-enhancement included Aarakocra as the obligatory "air elemental player's race". 5e Aarakocra gain +2 Dex and +1 Wisdom, are Medium sized, have a base land speed of 25 feet, can fly at 50 feet a round if they're not wearing medium or heavy armor, and their talons mean they are proficient with their unarmed attacks, which inherently do 1d4 slashing damage.
As the player's handbook openly states that they speak with birdlike noises in their speech, if you play one without squawking profusely you are not playing properly.
http://www.lomion.de/cmm/aarakocr.php - Basic Aarakocra MM stats
http://www.lomion.de/cmm/aarakath.php - Athasian Aarakocra MM stats
http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf - Elemental Evil Player's Companion download
Not to be confused with the arakkoa of World of Warcraft, who are basically the same thing.
Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Races | |
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Core | Dwarf • Elf • Gnome • Half-Elf • Half-Orc • Halfling • Human |
Dark Sun | Aarakocra • Half-Giant • Mul • Pterran • Thri-kreen |
Dragonlance | Draconian • Irda • Kender • Minotaur |
Mystara | Aranea • Ee'ar • Enduk • Lizardfolk (Cayma • Gurrash • Shazak) • Lupin • Manscorpion • Phanaton • Rakasta • Tortle • Wallara |
Oriental Adventures | Korobokuru • Hengeyokai • Spirit Folk |
Planescape | Aasimar • Bariaur • Genasi • Githyanki • Githzerai • Modron • Tiefling |
Spelljammer | Dracon • Giff • Grommam • Hadozee • Hurwaeti • Rastipede • Scro • Xixchil |
Ravenloft: | Broken One • Flesh Golem • Half-Vistani • Therianthrope |
Complete Book Series | Alaghi • Beastman • Bugbear • Bullywug • Centaur • Duergar • Fremlin • Firbolg • Flind • Gnoll • Goblin • Half-Ogre • Hobgoblin • Kobold • Mongrelfolk • Ogre • Ogre Mage • Orc • Pixie • Satyr • Saurial • Svirfneblin • Swanmay • Voadkyn • Wemic |
Dragon Magazine | Half-Dryad • Half-Satyr • Uldra • Xvart |