Racial Template: Cactus-Folk

You thought I'd use some cactus guy
from a video game that is really
popular, didn't you? Well, you are right.

I feel like there are not enough plant people templates, which is weird. If you want to play a topsy-turvy pastiche of anachronistic fantasy hodgepodge, then a few plant people ought to be in order, right? I mean, they even got so many interesting pros and cons, so it seems almost natural. Let's see what happens when we try to make a plant people, specifically, a cactus.

Inspiration

Well, actually there aren't many closely related playable races when it comes to plant characters (that I know of,) so I took a smattering of traits from a bunch of different plants, but still trying to leave enough that he is still able to contribute. I think I want to focus on the spines, the ability to forego water for long times, and not needing to eat, using carbon dioxide, and being somewhat clumsy but healthy. Altogether we get this:

Cactus-Folk	25 points
Attribute Modifiers:  DX-1[-20] HT+1[10].
Secondary Characteristics:  Basic Move -1[-5].
Advantages:  Claws (Talons)[8]; Damage Resistance 4(Tough Skin) [12]; Doesn't Breathe[20]; Doesn't Eat Or Drink[10]; Doesn't Sleep[20] Spines(Long)[3]; Payload 1[1]; Terrain Adaptation (Sand)[5]
Disadvantages: No Fine Manipulators[-30]; Restricted Diet (Sunlight, Very Common)[-10] Perks: Hospitable Hollow[1] Features: Temperature Comfort Zone 65° to 120°, Armor is incompatible with most races. Affected by spells that affect plants instead of those that target mundane races.

Hospitable Hollow means that a creature SM-3 or less can treat the cactus like a tent for sleeping purposes. Because it doesn't sleep, it can continue walking while safely carrying a pet, ally, or familiar in comfort through the night.

Power-Ups

• Fine Manipulators - You have developed uncanny finesse with your talon like spines and can operate your branches as if they were arms with hands. Cost varies. This is an expensive upgrade and will cost at least 30 points plus:
• 4 points for each additional ST bought beyond 10.
• 8 points for each DX bought beyond 9.
• Projectile Spines: You may build an innate attack that does any of the piercing or impaling types of damage. 
• Requires at least cost 1 Fatigue or 1 HP.
• Appropriate modifiers for this ability:
• Armor divisor up to 2.
• Increased Range
• Overhead
• Rapid Fire
• Selectivity
• Variable
• Maximum damage: 4d
• Multiple versions may be taken as alternate abilities, or you may use Selectivity
• Retractable Spines[1] Adds Switchable to the Spines advantage so friends can get close, to, for example, use first aid.
• Plant Empathy[5]
• Speaks With Plants[15]
• Extra Arms[10] You can grow a new branch and thus an extra arm.
• Regrowth[40] no limb or body part is ever lost forever.

Other Thoughts and Closing

I think this is a tricky but game-changing racial template. It could probably work well with a Martial Artist if they buy up the lowered dexterity, or as a caster class, especially if that caster wants to keep a pet. Most of it's big benefits are pretty passive, but allow a cactus-folk to survive some harsh situations. On the other hand, No Fine Manipulators is a huge disadvantage, but one that can be worked around.