Yuan-Ti Starting

[TheSandiestcomet]

Hi there. Recently got a greater award and decided I wanted to play a Yuan-Ti, as the duality on a spy like character I thought could be fun. I had planned to level in the UD, since I'd assumed they'd work like Svirfneblin.

They do not. A Yuan-Ti character can only start in Skal, Cordor, or Sencliff [As a level 6 pirate.]

If they go to the Underdark, which I did, all the NPCs treat them as a surface race, and not as a monster race. They are unable to use the boat system from Saltspar to get to Andunor (though they can use the one in Greyport to get to Saltspar, oddly.)

They thus cannot own UD property, or use the Andunor portal, or take writs there at all.

Personally, I'd like it if they were able to do what Svirfneblin are - To be able to exist in both communities just fine, seeing as they can have two entirely separate identities.

At the very least I'd like to be acknowledged as a monster whilst in humanoid yuan-ti form. In both locations.

[AstralUniverse]

Are there Yuan-ti tribes and communities in the Underdark? If so, then Andunour could be a legit starting location. But if not, then I'd say walking around as a human outcast in the Underdark means you're a terrible Yuan-ti (because they aim to infiltrate and conceal their nature). I dont think they should get the Svirf treatment either way. It makes no sense to me at all.

[Morgy]

Yuan-ti is a secretive race for certain. But they should have the option to play an outcast human as much as a regular human, imo.

I've seen a few walking about openly in their base skin, which I suppose from a lore perspective is odd, but then it's not a gated race so it's inevitable. Personally, I think they should be application based to the same standard as Rakshasa, as you really ought to prove some understanding of the race before you pick it.

[Flower Power]

I don't see what's unusual about Yuan-ti integrating themselves into Andunorian society preferring their snek-form; they're natural infiltrators and integrators - Andunor is a monstrous city, and they definitely have an easier time fitting in among the monstrous masses as a snakeperson than they do as a human (including, especially, among PCs.) As long as said yuan-ti is taking pains to keep their two personas separate so they can continue whatever illusion they need to keep up, it's fitting and lore-friendly.

But also, no. There definitely are no canonical large masses of yuan-ti in the Underdark that I am aware of. They prefer, much like their cold-blooded relatives, warmer climes and especially places where it's easier for them to be on top of the food chain.

[AstralUniverse]

I don't see what's unusual about Yuan-ti integrating themselves into Andunorian society preferring their snek-form; they're natural infiltrators and integrators - Andunor is a monstrous city, and they definitely have an easier time fitting in among the monstrous masses as a snakeperson than they do as a human

It's a bit contradictive in that they seek to conceal their monstrousness by infiltrating into cities, but in Andunour's case, their monstrous nature is their infiltration selling point so it's all backwards and I really dont know what I think about it.

It also sort of raises the question - should they have outcast tags if they are there for their monstrous nature and not for actually being a surface outcast? If they dont have tags (in the same manner that other monstrous races dont have tags) would it not make them super easy guess? "Dude just used the hub portal and has no outcast tag - must be Yuan-ti!"

[Eyeliner]

Lore aside I can understand why someone playing a yuan-ti would want to go somewhere they could actually use their non-human form once in a while. "Should" they, I don't know, but I would imagine playing one means being a human almost entirely in most cases. Which may be while they never appealed to me, I'd expect the character would be a human for six months, have a big reveal sabotaging whatever they are involved with and delete but not really be in yuan-ti form much at all, much less conniving with others of their kind.

Can they even spot other yuan-ti in disguise to help connect and network with them?

[Lexx]

When greater reward Yuan-ti released you could start in Andunor as an outcast. I did on one at the time. It's a shame they removed this.

[DM Snowcat]

Yuan-ti are supposed to be Surface monsters, therefore, they only can start on the surface. Yuan-ti aren't really native to Underdark like Svirfneblin.

[Ork]

*camera pans to gnolls, kobolds, goblins and hobgoblins*