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Tiss'shar

Medium species · Tiss'sharl
sourceECsizeMedium
New in SW5eA brand-new SW5e species: an agile, predatory reptilian humanoid with natural sickle claws and keen senses. Socially ruthless and businesslike, they are tied to patron corporations and excel as assassins or gunfighters through resourceful efficiency and hunterlike instincts.✨
Tiss'shar
✨
Surprise-hit for 2d6 extra, then bonus-action bite for temp HP — a predator built to punish first strikes.
Descended from apex reptilian hunters of Tiss'sharl's jungles, these calculating businessbeings redirect predatory instincts into contracts, assassinations, and the art of the deal.
duelistscout
●●○weight · Surprise Attack, 1d6 finesse
Ability focusDexterity-first with a flexible secondary — finesse melee or a cunning skill build.
Standout traits
  • Surprise Attack — once per combat, a surprise hit deals an extra 2d6 damage
  • Tooth and Nail — 1d6 natural unarmed strikes; bonus-action bite grants temp HP equal to Con modifier
  • Predatory Talents — proficiency in Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Technology (your choice)
!Surprise Attack fires only once per combat and only on the first turn after surprising a target, so its value scales with how often you can set up ambushes.
natural-weaponsstealthydarkvisionmobile
Pairs witha Dexterity-based melee class · the Stealth or Scout archetype · ambush and initiative-focused builds

Biology and Appearance

Tiss'shar are bipedal therapods descended from predatory reptilians native to the humid jungle continents of Tiss'sharl. They are relatively strong and agile, with long necks, slender torsos, wider hips, and a short but wiry tail. Their mouths are filled with short, sharp teeth, and their large tongues are pink and constantly moving. Their large eyes appear glassy as a result of the clear, resilient film that covered and protected them. Many tiss'shar have prominent sickle-shaped claws on the first toe of their feet; some also possessed a crest of feathers atop their heads.

Society and Culture

Tiss'shar social structure is inextricably tied to business. Nearly all tiss'shar families have a corporation as a patron, which provides the family with its material needs in exchange for the dedicated labor of its members. Patron corporations regularly supply food, housing, health care, education, and security services. The predatory instincts of the tiss'shar, redirected into the realm of business, often serve them well. While no stereotype fully defines the species, they often were considered aggressive, resourceful, calculating businessbeings. These traits also made them excellent assassins and gunfighters, renowned galaxywide for their efficiency. Most tiss'shar had an appreciation for the art of the deal, and conducted their business legitimately; even those who chose the path of the assassin remembered that they were conducting business and respected their contracts.

Names

Tiss'shar names are segmented, with males receiving an additional "tail name." Surnames always come last.

Male Names. Si-Di-Ri, Tra-Skan-Lor, Geor-Dan-Thi

Female Names. Von-Ra, Ura-Vaza, Shu-Xangiz, Sav-Lork

Distinctions. Long necks, sharp teeth, colorful scales, tails

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma score increases by 1.

Age. Tiss'shar reach adulthood in their early teens and live about 80 years.

Alignment. Tiss'shar's moral flexibility causes them to tend towards balanced alignments, though there are exceptions.

Size. Tiss'shar typically stand 5 to 6 feet tall and generally weigh about 140 lbs. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Predatory Talents. You have proficiency in one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Technology.

Surprise Attack. If you surprise a creature and hit it with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait only once per combat.

Tooth and Nail. Your sharp teeth and claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Additionally, your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 kinetic damage. Lastly, as a bonus action, you can perform a special bite attack. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1), and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Galactic Basic and Tiss'shar. Tiss'shar is mainly formed of hisses, shrieks, and lisping vocalizations. As a written language, it has a violent-looking calligraphy of curves and sharp lines.