d20 Tau Conversions

Discovery

The first Imperial contact with the Tau race came roughly six thousand years ago in 789.M35, when the Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator vessel, Land’s Vision, discovered and categorized what is now their home world of T’au. Initial investigations revealed the planet to be dry and arid with few lush areas and an abundance of oceanic, aerial and terrestrial xenomorphs. The first Adeptus Mechanicus teams to explore the planet noted that the savannah dwelling aliens had mastered the use of primitive weapons and discovered fire, but nothing of worth was perceived in their continued existence and the world was earmarked for routine cleansing and colonization. Seeding ships were dispatched to begin the colonization of T’au but, before they arrived, freak warp storms of unimaginable fury engulfed them and, despite the presence of highly skilled navigators and captains, every vessel in the colony fleet was lost. Rather than simply blowing themselves out, the warp storms continued to make space travel impossible for light years in all directions, and many whispered that this was a sign the planet was cursed. In any case, the cares of the Imperium soon turned to more pressing concerns.

The 361st High Lord of the Administratum, Goge Vandire had proved to be a paranoid megalomaniac and led the Imperium into one of the bloodiest periods in its war-torn history, the Age of Apostasy. This is not the place to speak of Vandire’s Reign of Blood, suffice to say that he was eventually overthrown and stability restored to the Imperium when Sebastian Thor was elected Ecclesiarch. The rebuilding of the Imperium was to take many hundreds of years and, while this work was under way, the warp storms cutting T’au off from Imperial scrutiny continued to rage, concealing the nascent development of the Tau race.

Advanced Evolution

On the forgotten backwater of T’au, the species first cataloged by the Adeptus Mechanicus grew bigger and stronger, some plains tribes migrating further and further afield as hunting grounds grew scarcer in response to the increasing population. As the centuries passed, each branch of the Tau began developing in their own way, displaying a unique talent for rapidly adapting to their chosen environment. High on isolated mountain peaks, Tau soared on thermals, rising up from the hot plains on thin, membranous wings, and found plentiful employment amongst the other Tau as messengers and scouts. Those whose migrations had carried them to lush river valleys began establishing well-constructed farming communities, developing their metallurgical, toolmaking and mining skills to create the first Tau settlements. Others realized that different communities could produce what they could not and negotiated trade agreements between the disparate tribes, recognized the inherent value in each others’ skills. The larger Tau who remained on the plains grew stronger still, becoming skillful and aggressive hunters. They took what they wanted and if they had to fight in honorable battle to get it, so much the better.

For some unknown reason, Technological innovation was at a more accelerated pace than would normally be expected for a newly emergent race. The Tau who had begun building the first communities quickly escalated to use fortresses and simple black powder weapons to defend their settlements from marauding tribes of plains dwellers allied with the Tau of the air. Trade routes were cut and the Tau who negotiated between the various tribes were attacked to prevent alliances from being formed. Soon vast inter-tribal wars ravaged the main continent, with Tau tribes turning on each other in savage battles utilizing primitive firearms.The wars dragged on for many years, thousands dying on every side and with no end to the slaughter in sight. Squalid conditions caused by the fighting and a lack of fresh food and water allowed a virulent plague to spread rapidly across the continent until more Tau were dying of disease than were being killed in battle. As the savagery of the fighting escalated, it seemed as though the Tau race would surely extinguish itself in the fires of its own barbarity.

The Ethereals

The Tau now entered their darkest age, when the entire race was being destroyed by war and disease. As the 37th millennium drew to a close, many strange portents and omens were observed such as flickering lights in the night sky and half-glimpsed figures in the mountains. Many believed that these were signs that they were living in the last days, that extinction was nigh. ‘The Ethereals of Fio’taun’ is one of the foremost legends amongst the Tau and tells of how their race was pulled back from the brink of annihilation.

The legend tells that on a mountain plateau called Fio’taun, an alliance of plains dwellers and air Tau laid siege to the mightiest fortress-city of the builder Tau. Nearly seven thousand beings dwelt in the great citadel and, in vain, the traders attempted to negotiate with the plains warriors. Their blood was afire and they would brook no settlement save that delivered at the end of a rifle. For five seasons the cannons of Fio’taun held the attackers at bay, but supplies were low and disease was rife within the city walls. As night fell upon another bloody day’s fighting, the leaders within Fio’taun prayed for a miracle. Little did they know that on this night their prayers would be answered.

Emerging from the darkness, a Tau of unusual appearance walked into the besiegers’ camp, asking to see the army’s commander. He was softly spoken, yet it is said that he had an undeniable authority and the sentries to whom he had announced himself found themselves compelled to escort him to their leader. At the same time, within the walls of Fio’taun, a similar individual presented himself to the guards of the fortress. How he had penetrated the defenses of the city he would not say, all he asked was that he be allowed to speak to the castellan of the fortress. Again, his request could not be denied and he was permitted an audience with the city’s leader. Within the hour, the fortress gates were opened, the stranger guiding the citadel’s leaders towards the torch-lit camp of their attackers.

As the gates opened, they were met by a party from their enemy, led by a figure who was the stranger’s twin in all respects. The two newcomers called themselves Ethereals and bade the others sit. Beneath a maiden moon of purest white, they began to speak, explaining that the talents of each of the tribes could be harnessed. They spoke of a Greater Good that could be achieved if they would put aside their warlike ways and work together. The two strangers talked through the night, their words carrying great power, and as the sun crested the horizon, a truce had been agreed between the warring factions.

Fio’taun was just the beginning. Soon, more of the Ethereals emerged and the message of peace and greater good began to spread to every corner of the globe, the battles slowly dying out as the new philosophy took hold. Within the space of a year, the wars were over and the Tau flourished like never before. Well-constructed towns and cities sprang up throughout the continent, commerce routes were re-established by the traders and communications maintained by the air Tau.The warriors of the plains were the hardest to convince that this was the forward, but as they saw the civilized wonders being created by the other castes, they finally agreed to the Ethereals’ entreaties that they become honor bound defenders of the Tau. It was decreed that from that day forth each of the tribes would be known by the element that most befitted its role in the greater good. The builders and artisans would be the Earth caste, the traders the Water caste, the messengers and scouts would become the Air caste while the warriors of the plains would be known as the Fire caste. Having saved the Tau from a slow racial extinction, the Ethereals were revered with the utmost devotion by the other castes, binding and guiding them as they looked towards the future with a new found sense of hope.

Dynamic Expansion

The next thousand years saw an almost unprecedented renaissance of scientific discovery and cultural and philosophical advancement. Working together for the greater good became the cornerstone of Tau society, the ultimate ideal to strive for. It enabled the Tau to fully utilize each caste’s talents and allowed them to send their first rockets into space. The Air caste were heavily involved in the early exploration of space and, within a short period of time, orbital communities established and the colonization of the nearest moon, was well underway. With orbital docks, larger vessels could be constructed and Tau ships ventured further and further afield, with communities developing on almost every viable moon, world and planetoid within reach. Air caste astrogators produced the first stellar maps,of nearby celestial bodies, revealing that their home world lay within a globular cluster of densely packed stars. The attendant risks of novae and supernovae prompted further expansion and the Earth caste began the construction of even larger colony ships.

The expansion of the Tau empire continued at an explosive rate, with the Tau making contact with a number of alien races and, despite the destruction of several ships, the empire continued to advance. Many less advanced alien races were incorporated within its borders and most of these willingly became part of the Tau empire. The Orks were a notable exception to this and the Tau fought many battles with the Greenskins before finally abandoning their attempts to subsume them into the empire. After the successful navigation of a warp rift, the Ethereals and Air caste worked to refine the technique of traveling through warp space but, without the specialized mutation of the Navigator gene, their colony ships could only make short ‘hops’ into warp space, skimming the edges of the immaterium. With the tightly packed nature of the Tau empire, this did not prove to be a problem and protected them from many of the inherent dangers of warp travel.

Given their limited exposure to the warp, the Tau found it difficult to comprehend the hallucinogenic effects it had on other races and the terrible threat it could represent to psykers. Such talents were a mystery to the Tau as they had no psychic abilities whatsoever, their minds barely even registering in the warp at all.

Soon the Tau empire stretched over a little more than three hundred light years and incorporated eight heavily settled systems known as septs.These formed the hub of the empire, with colonies outposts and waypoints established throughout Tau space.

At the frontiers of Tau space, on the world of Pech, traders with an escort of Fire caste warriors encountered a Kroot enclave and fought alongside them in a battle against Ork raiders. In the Kroot, the Tau recognized a strength they could harness, and soon Kroot warspheres began to appear with more regularity in Tau expeditionary forces. While the thought of the Kroots’ cannibalistic tendencies repulsed the Tau, they valued and respected their strength as warriors, perhaps believing that continued contact with the Tau would eventually show the Kroot the error of their ways.

Imperial Contact

With such rapid expansion of their empire, it was only a matter of time until Tau colony ships entered Imperial controlled space. System defense ships stationed at Devlan in the Ultima Segmentum detected the arrival of an alien vessel which did not halt at the designated checkpoints, and immediately attacked it. Unprepared for such an aggressive response, the Tau ship fled, but was unable to make good its escape as Imperial Navy ships summoned by the planetary governor destroyed it in an engagement at the system’s edge, An Imperial investigation was launched into this technologically advanced race when Adeptus Mechanicus Genetors discovered that genetic samples taken from the corpses on the alien ship matched those of the primitive xenos discovered six thousand years ago by Land’s Vision.

Further, less violent contact with the Tau was made by Rogue Traders and merchants exploring the darkness of the eastern fringes. Far from the guiding light of the Astronomican, warp travel so far in the galactic east was treacherous and word of such contact was slow to filter back to the Administratum. Members of the Water caste had established trade agreements with Imperial worlds on the frontier and exchanges of goods and technology were common. Alarmed by the threat of alien contamination, the Administratum readied a suitable response and almost a century later, the Damocles crusade smashed into Tau space, destroying several outlying settlements and pushing deep into the Tau empire. But when the Imperial fleet reached the sept of Dal’yth, the crusade ground to a bloody stalemate as the formidable numbers and high technology of the Tau and their Kroot allies thwarted every attempt to capture the system. After many months of terrible fighting, with nothing gained on either side, Imperial commanders eventually agreed to requests from the Water caste for peace talks. The negotiations were successful and the Imperial fleet withdrew from Tau space, partially in response to the negligible chance of victory, but also due to the impending approach of Hive Fleet Behemoth. As the fleet withdrew, Tau forces, one of which was led by the infamous Commander Farsight, followed in its wake and retook their lost worlds, assimilating groups of Human deserters and renegades in the process.

The Tau empire continues to expand its borders, pushing ever further into space and establishing colonies on every world capable of sustaining life. However, a new threat has arisen in the form of Tyranid splinter fleets from Hive Fleet Kraken and the Battle of Ichar IV. Attacks from the Tyranids have fallen upon several Tau worlds and the terrible danger these voracious super-predators represent has quickly been realized by the Ethereals. As contact is lost with yet more colonies, the Tau empire girds itself for war.

The Caste System

As decreed by the Ethereals, Tau society is divided into four castes, each based on one of the four elements of nature. Tau are born into their caste and breeding between the castes is forbidden by the Ethereals. By use of the caste system, not only are the Tau performing the most basic form of genetic engineering, but they also reinforce the individual’s belief that they have a position to fill in the empire and that their efforts are rewarded. The four castes are as follows:

• Fire -The Fire caste are the warriors of the Tau. It is the duty of these warriors to protect the other castes. Centuries of selective breeding has led to the Fire caste being the biggest and strongest of the Tau. The Fire warriors are strongly motivated by a strict code of honor in battle, but they are not mindless thugs. They see ranged combat as preferable to the somewhat brutal affair of close combat, as they are not naturally equipped for such fights, preferring to use advanced weaponry rather than brute force to win battles. A warrior starts life as a young line trooper, a Shas’la, and after surviving four years ‘on the line’ they must take their first Trial by Fire. If they survive this ordeal then they are fit to don the full battlesuit. If they survive a further four years, they take the second Trial and successful participants become Shas’ui. A veteran who manages to survive yet another four years, becomes eligible to take part in a third Trial if he wishes and, if he is still alive by the end, will become a Commander, or Shas’el. Commanders who survive four years are allowed to retire from active service, join the council of advisors and play a greater part in Tau politics Other than death, this is the only way to leave the Tau military.
• Earth -The Earth caste are the artisans and laborers of the Tau. It is they who build the machines, erect the dwellings and provide the food for the rest of society. Without the Earth caste, the farms would not produce, the factories would sit idle and the work would remain undone. None of other castes would be able to live without their continued existence. Engineers and scientists beyond compare, to the Earth caste are responsible for the maintenance of Tau technology but, unlike the Tech-priests of the Imperium, they fully understand the workings their machines and are capable of more than simply reproducing ancient designs.
• Water -Water is the element that can be found in all living things,flowing continously to allow life to function. So it is that Water caste members are bureaucrats, politicians, negotiators and administrators. They are the merchants and diplomats, moving in and around the other castes to make sure that society functions smoothly. Water caste members often accompany Tau expeditionary forces to negotiate safe transit through alien systems and smooth the passage of Tau merchants and colonists.
• Air – The Air caste members were traditionally messengers and couriers but now, with the march of technology, they are the Tau equivalent to the Imperial Navy. They are pilots and spaceship crews, transporting goods and warriors to where they are needed. They are the unseen force that can lay waste to towns and cities, bombarding them from orbit. Air caste members live almost entirely off-world, except for pilots of atmospheric craft (although they frequently live in orbital stations).They are the invisible caste, normally unseen but essential nonetheless.
• The Ethereals -The Tau word ‘Aun’ translates variously as the Celestial or Ethereal caste, but originates from the mysterious individuals who united disparate Tau tribes. These are the rulers of the empire, headed by a council of the wisest Ethereals.They are advised by members of the highest families within the different castes, but have ultimate sovereignty over all the Tau. It is speculated that they exert some kind of pheromone based or latent psychic control over the other castes, as loyalty to the Ethereals is absolute and unswerving. If an Ethereal were of such a mind, he could order another Tau to kill himself and would be obeyed immediately. The Adeptus Mechanicus and Adeptus Arbites are very interested in this aspect of Tau culture.

List of Tau NPCs

All of the NPCs detailed below represent typical Tau characters of a given type if they are ordinaries, or rare exceptional characters if they are heroic.

Shas’la (Tau Fire Warrior: Fast Ordinary 3)

CR 2; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8 + 3; hp 16; Mas 13; Init +2; Spd 30ft; Defense 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 dex, +4 class); BAB +2; Grap +1; Full Atk +1 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +4 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], pulse rifle); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, DR/DRT: 14/+3 (fire armour); Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3; Ld +0; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Fire Caste

Skills: Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Jump +7, Knowledge (tactics) +5, Knowledge (tau) +5, Move Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Tumble +10.

Feats: Athletic, Pistols Proficiency, Longarms Proficiency, Tau Armour Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency.

Gear

Fire Armour: Tau Fire Caste armour provides a damage reduction of 14/+3. In addition the helmet includes a monitor which acts as a photo-visor and motion detector. As long as the Tau is wearing the armour he cannot be caught flat-footed by an opponent detected on the motion detector.

Pulse Rifle: This weapon deals 2d12 energy damage, is a rapid fire weapon (so can be fired on semi-automatic if the fire warrior moves or on automatic as a full round). It has a range increment of 90ft and a 20/x2 critical type.

Tau Laser Sight: Firewarriors have laser sights attached to their guns, but only gain the +1 benefit on attack rolls within 50ft. This is not included in the statistics above.

Shas’ui (Tau Fire Warrior Veteran: Fast Ordinary 4 / Dedicated Ordinary 2)

CR 5; Medium-size humanoid; HD 4d8 + 2d6 + 6; hp 31; Mas 13; Init +3; Spd 30ft; Defense 20, touch 20, flat-footed 17 (+3 dex, +7 class); BAB +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +7 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], pulse rifle); Full Atk +3 ranged (4d12 [drp 2], pulse rifle burst); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, DR/DRT: 14/+3 (fire armour); Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5; Ld +0; Str 8, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Fire Caste

Skills: Escape Artist +9, Hide +9, Jump +8, Knowledge (tactics) +6, Knowledge (tau) +5, Move Silently +9, Sleight of Hand +9, Tumble +11, Listen +9, Spot +9.

Feats: Athletic, Pistols Proficiency, Longarms Proficiency, Tau Armour Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire.

Gear

Fire Armour: See Shas’la

Pulse Rifle: See Shas’la

Laser Sight: See Shas’la

Shas’vre in XV15 crisis suit (Tau Fire Caste Hero: Fast Ordinary 4 / Dedicated Ordinary 4 / Strong Ordinary 1)

CR 8; Medium-size humanoid; HD 5d8 + 4d6 + 27; hp 63; Mas 16; Init +5; Spd 80ft; Defense 29, touch 24, flat-footed 24 (+5 dex, +9 class, +5 stealth suit); BAB +7; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d4 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +12 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], burst cannon) or +8 ranged (5d12 [drp 2], burst cannon burst); Full Atk +12/+7 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], burst cannon) or +8/+3 ranged (5d12 [drp 2], burst cannon burst); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, DR/DRT: 20/+4 (XV15 armour); Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5; Ld +0; Str 10, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Fire Caste

Skills: Escape Artist +11, Hide +21, Jump +63, Knowledge (tactics) +6, Knowledge (tau) +5, Move Silently +11, Sleight of Hand +11, Tumble +13, Listen +9, Spot +9, Search +9, Investigate +9.

Feats: Athletic, Pistols Proficiency, Longarms Proficiency, Tau Armour Proficiency, Tau Battlesuit Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire.

Gear

XV15 Crisis Suit: This specially designed stealth suit causes the Tau to blend in with the environment around him. This counts as a ‘forcefield’ effect and provides a +5 bonus on defense and a +10 bonus on Hide checks. It also includes a Tau jump-pack. The jump pack provides a +50ft bonus to movement and a +50 bonus on jump checks. It also grants the virtual feats Spring Attack and Shot on the Run even if the Tau does not meet the normal requirements. The XV15 stealth suit is wired in and enhances the Tau’s combat ability scores. The Tau gets a +2 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Dexterity and a +2 bonus to Constitution. These modifiers have been included above. The helmet of the suit is identical to that of the Fire Warrior – see above.

Burst Cannon: This weapon deals 2d12 energy damage, and is a fully turbomatic weapon (so can be fired on turbo for +3 dice of damage even if the shas’vre moves). It has a range increment of 50ft and a 20/x2 critical type.

Laser Sight: See Shas’la

Markerlight: As an attack action the Shas’vre can fire his markerlight. The light strikes someone and all Tau helmets are sent the targets coordinates by immediate light transmission. Any Tau wearing a fire warrior helmet and attacking the target gain +5 insight bonus until the start of the Shas’vre’s next turn.

Shas’el in XV88 crisis suit (Tau Fire Caste Knight: Fast Ordinary 4 / Dedicated Ordinary 4 / Tough Ordinary 4)

CR 11; Large-size humanoid; HD 4d10 + 4d8 + 4d6 + 48; hp 102; Mas 19; Init +2; Spd 20ft; Defense 32, touch 22, flat-footed 30 (-1 size, +10 forcefield, +2 dex, +11 class); BAB +9; Grap +15; Atk +11 melee (1d8+2 [drp 0], slam) or +10 ranged (4d100 [drp 6], twin-linked rail gun) or +9 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], smart missile) or +5 ranged (6d12 [drp 2], smart missile burst); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+2 [drp 0], 2 slams) or +10 ranged (4d100 [drp 6], twin-linked rail gun) and +9/+4 ranged (2d12 [drp 2], smart missile); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, DR/DRT: 40/+5 (XV88 armour); Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +6; Ld +0; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Fire Caste

Skills: Concentration +14, Escape Artist +8, Hide +4, Jump +14, Knowledge (tactics) +6, Knowledge (tau) +5, Move Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Tumble +8, Listen +16, Spot +16, Search +9, Investigate +9.

Feats: Pistols Proficiency, Longarms Proficiency, Tau Armour Proficiency, Tau Battlesuit Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Heavy Weapons Proficiency, Burst Fire, Strafe.

Gear

XV88 Crisis Suit: This specially designed heavy suit is used for heavy support and normally comes wired in with a pair of twin-linked railguns and a smart-missile system (though this is sometimes traded in for plasma guns). All XV88’s also have a choice of optional gear. The one above has a Shield Generator. The XV88 battle suit is wired in and enhances the Tau’s combat ability scores. It makes the Tau large size, which gives him a 10 foot reach and -1 penalty to attacks and defense. The Tau gets a +6 bonus to Strength, a -2 penalty to Dexterity and a +4 bonus to Constitution. The suit can be used to make slam attacks doing the damage of a large construct (1d8). These modifiers have been included above. The helmet of the suit is identical to that of the Fire Warrior – see above – but has the following additional properties: receptors +2 listen and spot; targeting system +5 on all attack rolls; and weapons handler which allows the Tau to operate many varied weapons at once (see below). Land speed in an XV88 is reduced by 10 feet per round.

Weapons Handler: A Tau in an XV88 that makes a full attack action and passes a Concentration check DC 15 + damage suffered since last turn can fire all the weapons he has mounted on his suit at once without suffering normal penalties for multi-weapon fighting.

Shield Generator: This provides a +10 forcefield bonus to defense.

Twin-link Railgun: A rail-gun deals 3d100 points of damage with a DRP of 5. The damage is ballistic. A twin-linked rail-gun automatically treats the attack as being a double tap (4d100 points of damage), without actually affecting a -2 penalty on the attack roll.

Smart Missile System: This is a hypermatic missile system that uses the motion detector in the helmet to attack its target. It deals 2d12 damage and because it is hypermatic can be fired over a 15×15 foot area or strafed over a 10ft x 25ft area. Alternatively it can be burst fired for 6d12 damage. It has a drp of 2 and is considered explosive damage. Because it uses the motion detector the smart missile system uses the target’s Intelligence not his Dexterity for attack rolls.

Shas’o in XV8 crisis suit (Tau Commander: Fast Hero 4 / Strong Hero 3 / Gunslinger

CR 15; Large-size humanoid; HD 8d10 + 7d8 + 60; hp 135; Mas 19; Init +3; Spd 90ft; Defense 23, touch 23, flat-footed 20 (-1 size, +3 dex, +11 class); BAB +12; Grap +23; Atk +13 melee (1d8+1 [drp 0], slam) or +24 ranged (2d20 [drp 5], plasma rifle); Atk +13 melee (1d8+1 [drp 0], 2 slams) or +24/+19/+14 ranged (2d20 [drp 5], left plasma rifle) and +24/+19/+14 ranged (2d20 [drp 5], right plasma rifle) or +20 ranged (4d20 [drp 5], left plasma rifle burst) and +20 ranged (4d20 [drp 5], right plasma rifle burst); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, DR/DRT: 25/+4 (XV88 armour); Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +6; Ld +0; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Fire Caste

Skills: Bluff +4, Demolitions +12, Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (tau) +12, Knowledge (tactics) +12, Jump +68, Listen +12, Move Silently +13, Sleight of Hand +13, Spot +12, Tumble +15.

Feats: Athletic, Pistols Proficiency, Longarms Proficiency, Tau Armour Proficiency, Tau Battlesuit Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Heavy Weapons Proficiency, Burst Fire, Strafe, Defensive Martial Arts, Combat Throw, Combat Reflexes, Far Shot, Dead Aim.

Talents: Increased Speed (x2), Improved Grapple Talent, Close Combat Shot, Greater Weapon Focus (plasma rifle), Defensive Position, Lightning Shot, Sharpshoot.

Gear

XV8 Crisis Suit: This specially designed to be the ultimate mobile offensive unit. All XV8’s also have a range of optional gear. The one above has a Multitracker and two plasma rifles. The XV8 battle suit is wired in and enhances the Tau’s combat ability scores. It makes the Tau large size, which gives him a 10 foot reach and -1 penalty to attacks and defense. The Tau gets a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution. The suit can be used to make slam attacks doing the damage of a large construct (1d8). These modifiers have been included above. The helmet of the suit is identical to that of the Fire Warrior – see above – but has the following additional properties: receptors +2 listen and spot; targeting system +5 on all attack rolls; and weapons handler which allows the Tau to operate many varied weapons at once (see below). The XV8 also has a jump pack that functions like the one on the XV15.

Weapons Handler: The weapons handler in this case has been hooked up to a special device called a multi-tracker. A Suit with a weapons handler hooked to a multi-tracker allows the user to automatically succeed on any Concentration checks he is required to make for using the weapons handler.

Plasma Rifle: A plasma rifle deals 2d20 points of damage with a DRP of 5. The damage is energy. It is a rapid fire weapon with a range of 60ft. This Shas’O carries a pair of mastercraft +2 to hit plasma rifles on his suit.

Laser Sight: See Shas’la

Tau Aun’o (Tau Ethereal Master: Charismatic Hero 3 / Smart Hero 2 / Negotiator 10)

CR 15; Medium-size humanoid; HD 5d6 + 10d8; hp 62; Mas 10; Init -1; Spd 30ft; Defense 14, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (-1 dex, +5 class); BAB +9; Grap +9; Full Atk +13 melee (2d6+6 [drp 0] 19-20, honour blade); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null, bonus leadership, bonus will, ethereal caste; Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +16; Ld +12; AP: 15, Str 10(18), Dex 8, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 20.

Background: Ethereal Caste

Skills: Bluff +15, Diplomacy +17, Gather Information +17, Intimidate +15, Investigate +13, Computer Use +7, Craft (chemical & eletronic) +8, Demolitions +7, Disable Device +7, Knowledge (sciences) 13, Knowledge (warp) +5; Knowledge (imperial) +6, Knowledge (tactics) +9, Knowledge (tau) +15, Knowledge (technology) +9, Listen +12, Spot +13, Repair +7, Research +7, Search +7, Sense Motive +12.

Feats: Simple Melee Weapons, Exotic Melee Weapon (honour blade), Improved Initiative, Great Leadership, Increased Massive Damage Threshold, Trustworthy, Quickdraw, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will, Defensive Martial Arts, Elusive Target.

Talents: Coordinate, Inspiration, Savant (Knowledge (tau) ), Conceal Motive, React First, Talk down all opponents, No sweat (+3 luck bonus on roll usable 3/day if you are not using action points), Sow Distrust.

Gear

Honour Blade: This elegent blade is used for ritual combat. It is so well-crafted that it adds a +8 bonus to Strength to anyone who wields it for the purpose of attack and damage. It is impossible to make an honour blade mastercraft – the bonus to strength should be considered a mastercraft bonus. In all other respects it functions identically to a katana.

Drone Controller: The Tau Aun’o has a drone controller and three shield drones. See the shield drone entries for more details.

Fio’la (Tau Earth Caste Worker: Smart Ordinary 3)

CR 2; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6 + 9; hp 19; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30ft; Defense 12, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +0; Full Atk +0 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +2 ranged (1d4 electric [drp 1], stun gun – see d20 Modern book); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3; Ld +1; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Background: Earth Caste

Skills: Computer Use +9, Craft (chemical, eletronic, mechanical and structural) +11, Demolitions +9, Disable Device +9, Knowledge (tau) +9, Knowledge (technology) +9, Repair +11, Research +9, Search +9.

Feats: Toughness, Gearhead, Builder (x2).

Fio’vre (Tau Earth Caste Overseer: Smart Hero 3 / Techie 6)

CR 9; Medium-size humanoid; HD 9d6 + 27; hp 58; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 30ft; Defense 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 dex, +3 class); BAB +4; Grap +3; Full Atk +3 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +6 ranged (2d10 [drp 2], pulse pistol); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +5; Ld +2; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Background: Earth Caste

Skills: Computer Use +20, Craft (chemical, eletronic, mechanical and structural) +17, Demolitions +17, Disable Device +17, Knowledge (tau) +9, Knowledge (technology) +15, Repair +17, Research +17, Search +15.

Feats: Cautious, Studious, Pistols Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Toughness, Improved Toughness, Gearhead, Builder (x2).

Talents: Savant (computer use), Plan, Jury-Rig +2, Extreme Machine, Build Drone, Mastercraft.

Kor’la (Tau Air Caste Messenger: Dedicated Ordinary 3)

CR 2; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6 + 3; hp 13 Mas 12; Init +3; Spd 30ft; Defense 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +1; Full Atk +1 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +5 ranged (2d10 [drp 2], pulse pistol); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3; Ld +1; Str 8, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8.

Background: Air Caste

Skills: Drive +11, Pilot +11, Navigate +7, Knowledge (tau) +7, Listen +7, Spot +7

Feats: Vehicle Expert, Surface Vehicle Operation (skimmers), Aircraft Operation (small space farer and large space-farer).

Kor’vre (Tau Air Caste Pilot: Dedicated Hero 3 / Smart Hero 3 / Fast Hero 3)

CR 9; Medium-size humanoid; HD 9d6 + 9; hp 40 Mas 12; Init +4; Spd 30ft; Defense 23, touch 23, flat-footed 17 (+4 dex, +7 class, +2 dodge); BAB +5; Grap +4; Full Atk +4 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +9 ranged (2d10 [drp 2], pulse pistol); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +7; Ld +1; Str 8, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 8.

Background: Air Caste

Skills: Drive +18, Pilot +21, Navigate +14, Knowledge (tau) +12, Listen +12, Spot +12, Repair +17, Research +14, Balance +12, Sleight Hand +12, Knowledge (warp) +6.

Feats: Vehicle Expert, Surface Vehicle Operation (all), Aircraft Operation (all), Force Stop, Vehicle Dodge, Drive-by Attack.

Talents: Skill Focus (pilot), Alert, Savant (repair), Trick, Duck and Weave (2)

Por’la (Tau Water Caste Bureaucrat: Charismatic Ordinary 3)

CR 2; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6 + 6; hp 16; Mas 13; Init -1; Spd 30ft; Defense 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 (-1 dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +0; Full Atk +0 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +0 ranged (1d4 electric [drp 1], stun gun – see d20 Modern book); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +2; Ld +2; Str 8, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 17.

Background: Water Caste

Skills: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +11, Forgery +10, Gather Info +11, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (tau) +8, Perform (speech) +9, Search +10.

Feats: Toughness, Trustworthy, Deceptive, Meticulous

Por’vre (Tau Water Caste Magister: Charismatic Hero 3 / Personality 6)

CR 9; Medium-size humanoid; HD 9d6 + 21; hp 52; Mas 14; Init -1; Spd 30ft; Defense 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 (-1 dex, +3 class); BAB +4; Grap +3; Full Atk +3 melee (1d4-1 [drp 0] 19-20, knife) or +3 ranged (1d4 electric [drp 1], stun gun – see d20 Modern book); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: scent, psychic null; DR/DRT: 10/+2 (eldar mesh); Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6; Ld +8; Str 8, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18.

Background: Water Caste

Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Disguise +11, Forgery +15, Gather Info +17, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (tau) +10, Knowledge (business) +10, Perform (speech) +17, Search +13, Sense Motive +7.

Feats: Toughness, Trustworthy, Deceptive, Meticulous, Great Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will, Educated, Creative, Alien Armour Proficiency, Armour Proficiency Light.

Talents: Fast-Talk, Dazzle, Unlimited Access, Bonus Class Skill (sense motive), Royalty (+400 creds), Winning Smile.

Kor’vesa (tau drones)

Shield Drone: CR 1; Small Construct; HD 3d10; hp 16; Mas –; Init +7; Spd 30ft; Defense 28, touch 18, flat-footed 21 (+1 size, +7 dex, +10 forcefield); BAB +2; Grap -2; Full Atk +2 melee (1d4 [drp 0], slam); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: intercept, DR/DRT: 10/+3 (natural); Fort –, Ref +8, Will –; Ld +0; Str 10, Dex 28, Con –, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 6.

Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7

Feats: Alertness

Special

Construct Traits: Drones pass all Will saves they are required to make and are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease and necromancy effects. Any effect that requires a fort save is harmless to a Drone. They are not subject to critical hits, energy drain, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain or the effects of massive damage. Unlike other constructs in the d20 Modern handbook, Drones have a primitive AI, and are skilled constructs and gain 4 skill points per level.

Drone Controller: Shield Drones require a Drone controller with which they must be in constant communication to receive orders. If they leave a 30ft radius of the drone controller they must spend their next actions as full move towards the drone controller until they are once again within its range.

Intercept: If a Shield Drone starts its turn adjacent to an ally he can shield the ally from intercepting fire. Anyone attacking the target must direct fire at the shield drone first, and only after the shield drone is dead can he attack the target. The shield drone uses his full defense (which may be higher than the targets) and can even use Intercept in combination with full defense for a further bonus of +4. A Shield Drone should declare which target he is protecting, he cannot protect two adjacent targets.

Gun Drone: CR 1; Small Construct; HD 3d10; hp 16; Mas –; Init +7; Spd 30ft; Defense 18, touch 18, flat-footed 11 (+1 size, +7 dex); BAB +2; Grap -2; Full Atk +2 melee (1d4 [drp 0], slam), -1 to +2 ranged (3d12 [drp 5], twin-linked pulse carbine); Reach 5ft AL: Tau; SQ: intercept, DR/DRT: 10/+3 (natural); Fort –, Ref +8, Will –; Ld +0; Str 10, Dex 28, Con –, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 6.

Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5

Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency

Special

Construct Traits: Drones pass all Will saves they are required to make and are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease and necromancy effects. Any effect that requires a fort save is harmless to a Drone. They are not subject to critical hits, energy drain, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain or the effects of massive damage. Unlike other constructs in the d20 Modern handbook, Drones have a primitive AI, and are skilled constructs and gain 4 skill points per level.

Drone Controller: Gun Drones require a Drone controller with which they must be in constant communication to receive orders. If they leave a 30ft radius of the drone controller they must spend their next actions as full move towards the drone controller until they are once again within its range. As an alternative the Gun Drones can use a collective intelligence. If there are 5 or more gun drones in a collective (at least one within 20ft of another drone) then the whole squad thinks as one individual with an artificial Intelligence score of the number of Gun Drones in the squad up to a maximum of 10. So 7 gun drones act collectively as a being with Intelligence ability score of 7. If the number drops below 4 they have an Intelligence of 4 and will behave as animals – defend themselves when attack, continue to pursue the targets they are pursuing, but be unable to make more complicated battlefield decisions. When in a collective squad a Drone squadron use Hive Mind rules as detailed in the Tyranid section (see Tyranids for more details).

Ranged Attacks: Drones do not have eyes, and do not use hand-eye-coordination as we do. Instead they have a complex array of sensors and interior logic to calculate trajectories. Gun drones thus use their Intelligence modifier, rather than their Dexterity, to determine their ranged attacks. A large squad of Gun Drones thus have better attack ratings. A team with a drone controller uses the Intelligence of the tau being operating the drone controller.

Pulse Carbine (gear): A pulse carbine is a fully automatic 30 foot range weapon. It deals 2d12 points of energy damage with a DRP of 2. It is fully automatic and can be autofired by a Gun Drone when it is more sensible to do so. Additionally pulse carbines have a special knock down rule. Any character that takes damage from a pulse carbine but is not killed must take a Balance check DC 15 or be knocked prone. The carbines held by gun-drones are twin-linked. This means they always count as being ‘double-tapped’ for +1 dice of damage when they are fired. This +1 dice of damage applies even for autofires and burst fires. Twin-linked weapons incur no additional penalties on attack rolls for this extra damage.

Originally produced by Daniel Saier in the fan-produced D20 Warhammer 40,000 Core Rulebook, further edited and modified by Dane of War.