By Scott Moore

A few months back, we looked at the brownie, and its cousin race, the killmoulis. In this installment of Leylines, we look at the other Sylvan-speaking fey race mentioned briefly in the PHB, but not fully detailed anywhere in the core rules. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, let me present...the leprechaun, version 3.5!

Leprechaun
Tiny Fey
Hit Dice: 1d6+1 (4 hp)
Initiative: +2 Dex
Speed: 25 ft. (5 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-11
Attack: Club +2 melee (1d3-3/x2) or short sword +2 melee (1d3-3/19-20)
Full Attack: Club +2 melee (1d3-3/x2) or short sword +2 melee (1d3-3/19-20)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Last wish, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Awareness, greater invisibility, low-light vision, spell resistance 21
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 13
Skills: Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Escape Artist +6, Hide +6, Knowledge (nature) +7, Listen +4, Sleight Of Hand +8, Spot +4, Survival +4
Feats: Dodge^B, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), band (6-11), or clan (12-20)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard (convert coins to maximize gold and minimize copper)
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1-3 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: +8

This tiny elf-like creature has a pointed nose and ears, red hair, and is dressed in earthy tones of green, gray, and brown, from his unusual brimmed cap to his pointy-toed shoes. He carries a gnarled wooden walking stick, puffs on a long-stemmed smoking pipe, and stands no more than 2 feet tall.

Description
Leprechauns, like Brownies, are a cross between halflings and pixies, but with a strong mischievous nature. They are typically found near natural "edges", such as those between a forest and a field, shorelines (between land and water), dusk or dawn (between night and day), equinoxes and solstices, or when rainbows can be seen (between rainstorms and periods of sun). They tend to be friendly towards elves, gnomes, halflings, and other fey creatures, but mistrust dwarves and humans as those races seem to exhibit the strongest signs of greed. As long as they are not threatened, however, leprechauns will act quite civil. They have a strong affinity for weaker creatures and will never let a weaker animal or helpless character come to harm if there is any way they can prevent it.

Leprechaun lairs are typically well furnished caves with a hearth and plenty of warm, cozy rugs. They are always well hidden. Leprechauns are typically never encountered in their lairs (only 10% chance) and will take great pains to avoid leading any creatures they encounter to their lairs.
Like dragons, leprechauns love gold. It is always the primary ingredient in their hordes. If an opponent secures their treasure, leprechauns will beg and bargain in an attempt to get it back. As a last resort, leprechauns may offer to grant up to 3 limited wishes to a character, but only after they return their gold to them. Once the wishes have been granted, the leprechaun will praise their opponent's wise use of the wishes and offer to grant a fourth limited wish as a bonus. Once vocalized by their opponent, the effects of all previous limited wishes are reversed, and the opposing character (and their party, if applicable) are teleported 2d20 miles away in a random direction (no saving throw). The opponent (and their party) will never encounter that particular leprechaun, or find their lair, ever again.

A leprechaun's one great failing is their love of wine. If utilized properly, this weakness can frequently be exploited to an opponent's advantage.

A leprechaun stands 2 feet tall and weighs about 8 pounds.

Leprechauns speak Common and Sylvan.

Combat
Leprechauns are generally non-combative, but will defend themselves with magic, walking sticks (treat as tiny clubs) or short swords if forced to. As lovers of mischief, they love to attempt "lifting" items from those they encounter. If detected, the leprechaun will turn invisible and flee, discarding the item in order to put more space between themselves and their pursuers if need be.
Awareness (Ex): Leprechauns cannot be surprised.
Greater Invisibility (Su): Like pixies, leprechauns are always invisible, even when attacking, but can suppress this ability as a free action.
Last Wish (Sp): After being coerced into granting limited wishes, a leprechaun will praise their opponent's wise use of the wishes and offer to grant a fourth limited wish as a bonus. Once vocalized by their opponent, the effects of all previous limited wishes are reversed, and the opposing character (and their party, if applicable) are teleported 2d20 miles away in a random direction (no saving throw).
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Leprechauns can use the following spell-like abilities an unlimited number of times per day: limited wish (only used to grant the wishes of others in "last resort" scenarios), permanent image, polymorph any object (non-living objects only), ventriloquism. Leprechauns are treated as fifteenth level with respect to caster level.

Leprechauns as Characters
Leprechauns have some rather potent natural abilities and as such, should be strongly evaluated in terms of your individual campaign before being allowed as a PC race.
A leprechaun character exchanges its 1 HD of fey for its first class level, so a 1st-level leprechaun sorcerer, for example, has a d4 Hit Die, a +0 base attack bonus, the base save bonuses of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer's skill points and class skills.
Leprechaun characters possess the following racial traits:
- -6 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +6 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
- Tiny size. +2 bonus to Armor Class, +2 bonus on attack rolls, +8 bonus on Hide checks, -8 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 1/2 those of Medium characters.
- A leprechaun 's base land speed is 25 feet.
- Low-light vision.
- Skills: Leprechauns have a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sleight Of Hand checks.
- Racial Feats: A leprechaun receives Dodge as a bonus feat.
- Special Attacks (see above): Last wish, spell-like abilities.
- Special Qualities (see above): Awareness, greater invisibility, spell resistance equal to 21 + class levels.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Halfling.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer.
- Level Adjustment +8.

The leprechaun is based on popular folklore, as well as gaming material from the following sources:
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual by Gary Gygax, 1977: page 60. TSR Games. (now Wizards of the Coast, Inc.).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual, 1993: page 220. TSR, Inc. (now Wizards of the Coast, Inc.).