Their species' stats are solid and follow what's been written about them, but doesn't take into account their subspecies that lack lungs! Rather than write up a variant species, I figured a character creation-only species feat could just as easily fit the bill. It's mostly in beta in terms of balance and cost, but I wanted to post it anyway. What follows is a hybrid Species/Martial Arts feat for Gand bounty hunters or Findsman as they are called. Thinking about it now, this might be better suited as a talent, but when I wrote it I was using other Martial Arts feats as guidelines.
Lungless Subspecies
You are member of the Gand subspecies that lacks lungs and does not respire, as you obtain all the metabolic ingredients needed through the ingestion of food. These materials aid in gas exchange and waste is passed through openings in the exoskeleton. Lungless Gands are thus immune to poisonous gases and are not required to wear respirators when venturing off-world. Some lungless Gands would
wear such equipment anyway, usually to maintain anonymity.
Prerequisite: Gand species. [This feat may only be taken during character creation.]
Benefit: You do not require specialized breathing equipment to survive off your homeworld, though you still require a transliterator to communicate in any language other than Gand. In addition you are immune to the effects of inhaled poisons and non-corrosive atmospheric hazards.
[GM Notes: Perhaps the Gand hero would get an additional 2000cr added to their starting credits for not requiring the breathing apparatus considering they wouldn't need to purchase it? (Though, yes, they would begin play with it at no cost.) Just considering if it'll give the feat a nice little something extra besides the cool but rarely used immunity for the price of your first level feat.]
Findsman Martial Arts Training
The Findsmen have developed a form of martial arts centuries ago that makes use of Gand biology. Findsmen sects subject their pupils to chemical baths and even genetic manipulation to induce the appearance of knob-like growths on specific portions of the exoskeleton. These serrated ridges, which were often located on the arms and legs and could measure four to five centimeters in length, would then be used as weapons in hand-to-hand combat. The tenets of the form are not fully understood to outsiders, though a few moves have been widely documented: "Striking Mist," allows the attacking Gand to get in close to their opponent so that the Gand's hits can not be parried or dodged. Another move, "Piercing Touch", is described as a powerful punch that could penetrate bone, chitin, and various armors.
Prerequisite: Gand species, Martial Arts I, One Talent from the Gand Findsman talent tree (see page 26 of Scum and Villiany).
Benefit: Whenever you deal damage with an unarmed attack to an adjacent target, treat that target as flat-footed until the end of your next turn but only in relation to you.
Once per encounter when you make a successful unarmed attack against an enemy, you ignore all DR when you deal damage.
[GM Notes: Not sure how balanced this as have not built a character around it nor play-tested it. But considering character has to be at least 9th level to take this feat it might make it a balanced mid-level ability.]
The next two came about in a slightly different way: Listed under the new species in The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide are the Nosaurian. When I first saw the species back when I first got the book I didn't think much of them. We see one briefly in Episode I, and I read a few minor things about them, but nothing stood out to me about them.
That is until I started reading the comic series that provides much of TFUCG's material: Star Wars: Dark Times. Aside from reading scatterings about, I first became interested in when I picked up Star Wars: Vector vol 1. [Another aside: Vector is a wicked story arc and a great hook for me to pick up the series' it crosses over.] Aside from most of the art from Dark Times being some of the best comic art I've seen; the story is phenomenal, not to mention (no pun intended) very dark. I was actually shocked by the ending of Volume 1! [No spoilers for you. >:) ]
Anyway, Nosaurians feature prominently into the story, and though the ability that I based this feat on appears only once in this series, it's just too cool to pass up! Without further ado: Nosaurian Flash.
Nosaurian Flash
You use your species' biological ability to emit a brilliantly bright phosphorescent light from your mouth to signal over great distances. The resulting flash is bright enough to briefly illuminate your surrondings and even blind foes, but it can not be sustained for long.
Prerequisite: Nosaurian species
Benefit: Once per encounter, for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum 1) you admit a blinding ray of light from the lining of your mouth, shedding illumination up to 6 squares like a glow rod. Each round this in effect, as a swift action, you may attempt to dazzle and blind a creature within 6 squares of you and in your line of sight. Make a ranged attack roll (ignoring any penalty from concealment & total concealment granted by poor lighting or darkness). If the result equals or exceeds the target's Reflex Defense, the target is considered flat-footed, and all other creatures have concealment from your target until the start of your next turn. Creatures that do not rely on eyesight to perceive (such as Miraluka) are immune to this effect.
[GM Notes: Functions like a short range, longer duration version of the Force Power: Blind. Balanced? Not sure. Considering adding "Each use of this ability (or each round using this ability) moves you -1 step down the condition track. Also, considering rewording it from a ranged attack roll to a 1d20 + 1/2 level + Dex Mod.]
Finally, whilst rooting around for more info on Nosaurians, I came across an old Revised Edition feat I updated into an arboreal-esque multi-species feat. This feat was originally from Coruscant and the Core Worlds; listed under the section on New Plympto.
Brachiation
You can move through trees, scaffolding, and other frameworks like a skilled Dug brawler, Nosaurian tree-fighter or Wookiee Katarn hunter.
Prerequisite: Dug species, Nosaurian species, or Wookiee species
OR Trained in the Climb Skill, Skill Focus (Climb), Trained in the Jump Skill, and Skill Focus (Jump)
Benefit: You can move at your base speed when climbing and jumping through trees, scaffolding, framework, and the like by using your arms to swing from one handhold to the other. To allow brachiation, the area you move through must be at least lightly wooded, framed, or latticed in a way, with appropriate grips and handholds no father apart than 3 squares. You may not use this ability while holding an item in either hand, or while wearing any armor other than light.
[GM Notes: Considering bringing the movement down to half of base speed, this way it's still faster than spending a full-round action to climb at half or a move action to climb at one-fourth, but not too fast. But consideration must be taken into account on how frequently this granted ability could be used. Perhaps best suited for NPC and opponent design.]
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