Vesk
The Vesk are a race from Starfinder who are totally not the Krogan from Mass Effect. Joking aside they're more like Klingons in their role as the big tough warrior race everyone is leery about suddenly being friends with. They fulfill the obligation for a reptilian race in all sci-fi settings and at the very least understand how to do that right.
The Vesk hail from their own system-spanning empire inventively called the "Veskarium", with some of those worlds being inhabited by vassal races. However, the Veskarium wanted to branch out to other systems and thus came to blows with the Pact Worlds. Even though they only recently stopped trying to murder all the other races, it's needless to say not everyone is thrilled they're hanging out now. The Vesk don't give much of a damn about this because they prefer to follow ancient honor codes which make them implacable allies even if they're getting crap for it. Their culture is highly regimented and most Vesk are some variant of a lawful alignment. Because they settle most social and legal issues with sudden and brutal duels, they don't much understand why other races are so slow to justice and organization. Vesk love dueling and seem to use it for everything from dire insults to parking spaces. They also like to do it in starfighters. As one might expect, they prize martial prowess above all else and most adventuring lizards are either warriors looking for a chance to prove themselves or non-warriors looking for peers who won't make fun of them and steal their lunch money. While they like all kinds of weapons, they ultimately prefer to get up close and personal with melee options. Despite the aforementioned hostility, Vesk see a lot of positive traits in most of the other Pact World races and generally get along with most of them if allowed to form a bond.
Physically Vesk are the big burly race. They sport a powerful jaw, tail and pair of claws. Their genders are only slightly different: females tend to be larger than males and have more exotic coloration while males tend to be subdued hues. They also tend to grow a fringe of horn spikes along the jaw for a beard/3.xe blue dragon look.
PC Stats
- Ability Score Modifier: +2 Constitution, +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence
- Bonus Hit Points: +6
- Size: Medium
- Base speed 30 feet
- Low Light Vision
- Armor Savant: Gain +1 AC when wearing armor. Reduce armor check penalty on heavy armor by 1.
- Fearless: +2 save against fear.
- Natural Weapons: 1d3 damage claws. At 3rd level when you get all your Weapon Specializations, they get a unique, buffed version.
Alternate Racial Traits
- Low-Gravity: Replaces Ability Score Modifiers with +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength
- Venomthought: Replaces Ability Score Adjustments with +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution
- Warblood: Replaces Ability Score Modifiers with +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma
- Expanded Lung Capacity: You can hold your breath for ten times the normal duration and can automatically do so in any instance. Replaces Armor Savant.
- Observant: Select either Perception or Sense Motive. You gain a +3 racial bonus to that skill. Replaces Fearless.
- Prehensile Tail: You can use your tail as a third arm. This replaces Natural Weapons.
- Vesk Venom: Once per ten-minute rest to restore Stamina points, you can coat your claws with venom that will be applied to anyone you hit. Replaces Armor Savant and Fearless and modifies Natural Weapons.
- Vesk Venom: Injury Posion, Save Fortitude (DC 10+half character level+constitution modifier). Track: Dexterity (special), Onset 1 round, Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds. Effect:Healthy->Sluggish->Stiffened->Staggered. Cure 1 save; all effects end 1 hour after cure.
Crunch
Vesk are tied with Shirren for highest base HP. Combined with a constitution bonus and a racial armor perk, Vesk are baselined for tanking. Soldier and Solarian both suit their stat spread and they can alternatively make for less-squishy mystics, operatives and envoys as well. Interestingly Vesk are one of the few big-scary-monster races in d20 to not wind up with a Charisma penalty meaning they can avoid the common paradox of an allegedly scary race being bad at scaring.