Lamia
Statistics
Str - Average (10) Dex - Low (6) Con - High (20) Int - Average (10) Wis - High (19) Cha - Low (6) Luck - High (22) Size - Average
Description
Note: This race was the product of Darkrose shortly after her terrifying run-in with monkeys. As such, the fur and cat parts may be delusional.
Lamias are an interesting crossbreed creature, consisting of one who is half-human and half-demon, and of partially leonine ancestry. They walk on human feet and use human hands, but their facial features are leonine, right down to the whiskers, sharp teeth, and keen eyes. Their bodies are naturally covered in an unusually large amount of fur which comes in shades of yellow, brown, and orange. In their natural form their tails are fully prehensile and often used to perform a variety of tasks such as swatting at things they dislike or gesturing for extra clarity or emphasis. Lamias are bigger than the average human but not by much, it is the fur that makes them seem bulkier than they really are. Due to their mystical heritage, Lamia are capable of some rudimentary shapeshifting, allowing them to alter their appearances quickly in times of need. Lamia can be extremely vicious when agitated or hungry, but for the most part they do not aim for trouble.
Their low dexterity makes them unsuitable for thieves, and their voices tend to have a roaring effect from their lion heritage which makes them insufficient bards. Otherwise, they are certainly smart enough to follow the pursuits of the elementalist, mage, or psion, and have the ability to service the higher beings by following the paths of the cleric or paladin. Though strength is not their best attribute, they can pass as a fighter if they so choose it. Due to their inherent demonic tinge, lamias are entirely incapable of being druids.
Commentary
Lamias were introduced to the game with the "A3" incarnation; they quickly became a very popular choice of race as all stats governing hp and sp are high except for two, which are average. As such, they start with high amounts of each, and with their high luck score, will almost certainly gain more hp and sp per level than other races. At present there is very little reason not to use lamia for your race beyond personal preference.
See also: Formshift (racial)