Ape
Select Subtype:
Description:
Apes are primates with exceptional strength and reflexes and a high intelligence. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and appearances, from the small and cunning, to the enormous and brutish. All apes are exceptional climbers, though not all can swing from trees or leap among the branches. Many are fast and skilled enough to use their special abilities to move in from a distance, strike, and move back out of range. Generally, apes are cautious around humanoids, and will not necessarily attack unless frightened or provoked - however, they are unpredictable, and can become aggressive suddenly.
Variants:
As a general rule, the smaller apes rely more on their speed, cunning and intelligence to disrupt their opponenents and avoid being hit. Larger types of ape rely on their size and strength to overpower opponents and kill them as quickly as possible.
Baboon
Baboons may be small, but they are quick and cunning. Often encountered in family groups - sometimes numbering up to two dozen - they may attempt to relieve humanoids of their food and weapons using their speed and their ability to move among the trees, reposition and retreat. Baboons may be aggressive, but will almost never choose to fight to the death, always preferring to flee if things are going poorly.
Chimpanzee
The smartest, and generally the calmest of apes, chimps will rarely initiate combat, even if hungry. Chimps are also curious, and groups of them numbering up to a dozen will often follow humanoids moving through their territory, observing them from a distance. If attacked, however, chimps are quite dangerous. They use their speed and agility to outmaneuver enemies, often able to move in, strike and retreat without risk of being hit.
Gorilla
Gorillas are large, powerful apes, able to tear humanoids limb from limb with their bare hands. They are generally calm and docile, but are quite protective of their territory and their family group, which will number from half a dozen to a dozen. Gorillas do not like to be surprised, and become easily enraged when threatened. They will usually fight to the death.
1000-lb Gorilla
The so-called Thousand Pound Gorilla is a variation of the ordinary gorilla that is significantly larger and more powerful. 1000-lb Gorillas are never encoutnered with their family groups, and it is not clear whether they are their own species, or some sort of 'super-alpha' that dominates multiple gorilla families over a very large area.