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Description
Zygodact

An unusual race from 2ed D&D for widely deviating from the normal humanoid races. They were introduced in Dragon Magazine #267 alongside the diopsid and sapromnemes. So what makes them weird... well their heads are in their hands. They also have a turtle like carapace and insect legs. While they have a deep reverence for magic that borders on the religious. The description of them makes me actually think of them as if they were a race of conjoined snails with some insect legs added on. So that's what I imagine them as a strange race of mollusks.

Things to change, the lamprey like mouth is changed to a mouth more like a snails, instead of teeth they possess toothy radula they use to rasp their food not bite. While omnivores, their primary diet is based on lichens, mosses, and fungus that they basically scrape off rocks.

While I could have fully converted everything from the original into third edition, things get cumbersome and ridiculous (like their natural armor being +7 when they withdraw into their shell or naturally +3, or gaining damage reduction from bludgeoning or fall damage) even with the reduction or changes of certain qualities below you end up with a lot of 'special case' problems of a race that is really weird. As my friend says "I like them as a race, but I would never want them to be a player race."

+2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Str, -2 Cha: Keen intellects and instincts, but a relatively weak body and truly alien personality.
Type: Abberation
Medium: Zygodacts have no bonus or penalty due to their size.
Normal Speed: Zygodacts move at a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: 120 ft
Two Heads... Hands: Zygodacts gain a +4 bonus to Perception skill checks. This bonus is negated if holding an object either hand. They possess a -2 on any task that requires two hands such as climbing. A zygodact that uses both hands to wield objects is blind (use GM discretion).
Good Hand-Eye: They are exceedingly good with fine detail work due to having eyes so close to their work. +2 to sleight of hand and disable device. (May be applicable to certain craft skill checks as well, but use GM discretion)
Natural Armor: The zygodacts have thick carapaces and tough spongy skin, granting them a +2 natural armor bonus.
Unusual Body: Their shells and unusual anatomy make finding armor near impossible and deny them the use of certain equipment such as magic items. They essentially lack a head slot and cannot wear most glove slot items. Neck and wrist slots count as the same slot, etc. (consult with GM to know what will or won't work).
Sprinter: Zygodact get a 10 foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw action.
Natural Weapons: Due to their evolutionary disadvantage of hands and heads sharing the same structure their primative ancestors defended themselves by striking with the spiked knee joints and talons of their legs. These are primary natural attacks that deal 1d4 damage each.
Radula: Whenever the zygodact makes a grapple combat maneuver check to damage an opponent, he can choose to bite his opponent, dealing 1d3 points of damage as if using a natural bite attack. As a standard action, the zygodact can bite a creature that is bound, helpless, paralyzed, or similarly unable to defend itself.
Languages: Zygodact begin play speaking Zygodact and Undercommon. Zygodact with high intelligence can choose from the following languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Aklo, Goblin, Dwarven. While Zygodact language sounds primarily reptilian with its abundance of sibilant hisses it is reliant on dual vocal chords for some words. Thus while other races can understand it, many require magical aid to actually speak it.

Racial Feats

Zygodact Spell
You can replace parts of a spell with a second verbal component.
Prerequisite: Zygodact
Benefit: You are adapt at modifying your spells to take advantage of your double vocal chord arrangement. You can replace the material components (that costs 1gp or less) with a second verbal component instead. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

Twincast Spell
You can cast two spells at once.
Prerequisite: Zygodact Spell
Benefit: Your double vocal chord arrangement allows you to cast two spells at the same time, and they go off at the same time. The cast time for both spells to go off is equal to the longest casting time of either spell.
Each twincast spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level. Twincast Spells can be prepared separately and then matched on the spot. You can only cast a twincast spell with another twincast spell, however.

Description
Zygodact

An unusual race from 2ed D&D for widely deviating from the normal humanoid races. They were introduced in Dragon Magazine #267 alongside the diopsid and sapromnemes. So what makes them weird... well their heads are in their hands. They also have a turtle like carapace and insect legs. While they have a deep reverence for magic that borders on the religious. The description of them makes me actually think of them as if they were a race of conjoined snails with some insect legs added on. So that's what I imagine them as a strange race of mollusks.

Things to change, the lamprey like mouth is changed to a mouth more like a snails, instead of teeth they possess toothy radula they use to rasp their food not bite. While omnivores, their primary diet is based on lichens, mosses, and fungus that they basically scrape off rocks.

While I could have fully converted everything from the original into third edition, things get cumbersome and ridiculous (like their natural armor being +7 when they withdraw into their shell or naturally +3, or gaining damage reduction from bludgeoning or fall damage) even with the reduction or changes of certain qualities below you end up with a lot of 'special case' problems of a race that is really weird. As my friend says "I like them as a race, but I would never want them to be a player race."

+2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Str, -2 Cha: Keen intellects and instincts, but a relatively weak body and truly alien personality.
Type: Abberation
Medium: Zygodacts have no bonus or penalty due to their size.
Normal Speed: Zygodacts move at a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: 120 ft
Two Heads... Hands: Zygodacts gain a +4 bonus to Perception skill checks. This bonus is negated if holding an object either hand. They possess a -2 on any task that requires two hands such as climbing. A zygodact that uses both hands to wield objects is blind (use GM discretion).
Good Hand-Eye: They are exceedingly good with fine detail work due to having eyes so close to their work. +2 to sleight of hand and disable device. (May be applicable to certain craft skill checks as well, but use GM discretion)
Natural Armor: The zygodacts have thick carapaces and tough spongy skin, granting them a +2 natural armor bonus.
Unusual Body: Their shells and unusual anatomy make finding armor near impossible and deny them the use of certain equipment such as magic items. They essentially lack a head slot and cannot wear most glove slot items. Neck and wrist slots count as the same slot, etc. (consult with GM to know what will or won't work).
Sprinter: Zygodact get a 10 foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw action.
Natural Weapons: Due to their evolutionary disadvantage of hands and heads sharing the same structure their primative ancestors defended themselves by striking with the spiked knee joints and talons of their legs. These are primary natural attacks that deal 1d4 damage each.
Radula: Whenever the zygodact makes a grapple combat maneuver check to damage an opponent, he can choose to bite his opponent, dealing 1d3 points of damage as if using a natural bite attack. As a standard action, the zygodact can bite a creature that is bound, helpless, paralyzed, or similarly unable to defend itself.
Languages: Zygodact begin play speaking Zygodact and Undercommon. Zygodact with high intelligence can choose from the following languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Aklo, Goblin, Dwarven. While Zygodact language sounds primarily reptilian with its abundance of sibilant hisses it is reliant on dual vocal chords for some words. Thus while other races can understand it, many require magical aid to actually speak it.

Racial Feats

Zygodact Spell
You can replace parts of a spell with a second verbal component.
Prerequisite: Zygodact
Benefit: You are adapt at modifying your spells to take advantage of your double vocal chord arrangement. You can replace the material components (that costs 1gp or less) with a second verbal component instead. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

Twincast Spell
You can cast two spells at once.
Prerequisite: Zygodact Spell
Benefit: Your double vocal chord arrangement allows you to cast two spells at the same time, and they go off at the same time. The cast time for both spells to go off is equal to the longest casting time of either spell.
Each twincast spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level. Twincast Spells can be prepared separately and then matched on the spot. You can only cast a twincast spell with another twincast spell, however.