Acr0ssTh3P0nd
First Post
Hey guys, I thought I'd share these will all y'all. I got bored a week or so ago and hammered out some homebrew for my favorite "weird" races for D&D 5th Edition. Hopefully I did the work right and they aren't too over-powered and/or boring!
Feedback is always greatly appreciated!
EDIT: Oh wow, noted in the front-page news - guess these aren't too broken, then
! Thanks, guys!
Changeling
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2. One other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Changelings originally spawned from the union of a doppelganger and a human. In your natural form, your features are eerily soft, pale, and unformed, although you do have a mouth, nose, and eyes. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.
Shapechanger. You are a shapechanger; you can alter your appearance. As such, you are subject to effects and conditions that affect shapechangers.
Mental Defense. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Change Shape. You can use your action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid you have seen, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than your size, are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. You revert to your true form if you die.
Kobold
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size. Kobolds are tricky little blighters, always setting up ramshackle dwellings in places you wouldn’t think they’d fit. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Tricksy. Kobolds might not be particularly bright, but you and your kin possess a rudimentary cunning and sense of teamwork, particularly around the subject of “hitting things that are bigger than you”. You have advantage on melee attacks against enemy creatures that have twice as many hit points as you do while an ally of yours that is able to take actions is adjacent to that creature.
Subrace. The subraces presented here are not actually two different types of kobolds, but rather the predominant mindsets that kobolds tend towards. Choose one of the following options:
Trapsy
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Trapsy Traps. You pride yourself on your ability to create remarkably effective snares and traps from the materials you have on hand. You can create one of the following devices during a short rest: a springrazor, a clawsnapper, or a sparkspinner. The DC to avoid these traps is equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. You have enough raw materials to create up to three of these traps; once you run out, you must spend an hour scavenging your surroundings for more materials.
Springrazor: This device is a delicate, spring-loaded mechanism that expels razor-sharp fragments into the feet and legs of any creature unfortunate enough to step on it, forcing them to make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d2 piercing damage at the end of each of their turns. The creature can use its action to stem the bleeding and end this effect.
Clawsnapper: This mechanism tends to resemble a miniature bear trap. Any creature that steps on the triggering plate in the center must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have their speed reduced by 10 feet.
Sparkspinner: This contraption is essentially a small amount of phosporus and a crude flintlock striker that is set off by a tripwire or triggerstick. The resulting sparks ignite the phosphorus, which explodes with a blinding flash of light, dazzling the creature that set it off. The triggering creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn.
Dragonsquee
Dragonsquees are what kobolds call other kobolds that are particularly enamored with dragons. The word itself is derived from the noise of excitement such kobolds make when the topic of conversation turns to dragons, things related to dragons, or any word that could potentially be overheard as “dragons”.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Dragons? Squeee! You may add your proficiency bonus to Intelligence checks related to dragons.
This One Knows His Stuff. As annoying as your extensive knowledge of dragon-lore might be, it also causes other kobolds to begrudge you an inherent respect, and even dragons might be apt to look upon you with a certain fondness (albeit a fondness usually found between a powerful mage and the lowly apprentice that will literally lick the mage’s boots clean for a scrap of praise) . Using the correct balance of long words and dragon-related facts, you may gain advantage on one ability score check to influence kobolds or dragons. There is no hard limit on how many times you can influence such creatures with your draconic lore; however, overreliance on this tactic will end up with everyone annoyed at you. As a general rule, you can influence an individual kobold by spouting dragon-related knowledge no more than about once per hour, and a dragon no more than about once per week.
Revenant
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2. One other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Revenants resemble more slender versions of their past forms, with a supernatural toughness that contradicts their build. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. The entity that recreated you has gifted you with uncanny sight. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Undead. You count as an undead creature as well as a living creature for the sake of effects that specifically target undead; however, you have advantage on saving throws against such effects.
Unnatural Vitality. When you are reduced to zero hit points, you don't fall unconscious until the end of the turn on which you roll your first death saving throw. During this turn, you may move and take actions as normal.
Past Life. Choose a race other than Revenant. You gain one language proficiency and one racial trait from that race. For the purposes of this feature, you may not choose the Ability Score Increase or Subrace as your racial trait, although you may choose a trait specific to a subrace.
Shadar-Kai
Ability Score Increase. Grown shadar-kai have great strength of spirit - their brethren that do not usually succumb to the darkness and gloom of their shadowy realm long before they reach adulthood. Your Charisma score increases by 2. Two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.
Darkvision. The darkness of Shadar-Kai realms has forced your race to develop uncanny sight. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Invigorating Pain. Strong pain guarantees strong emotion, the most surefire defense against the gloom of the Shadowfell. Like all Shadar-Kai, you learn to channel pain into something more useful. When your current hit points are reduced to below half your hit point maximum, you have advantage on your next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. You must take a short rest to regain the use of this feature.
Mercy in Darkness.Whenever you roll a hit die to heal while in an area of complete darkness, you regain 1 extra hit point. In order to use this feature, you must be completely sealed off from any source of light, or at least 60 feet away from any direct sources of light, such as torches, lanterns, and magical effects.
Shifter
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Size. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Darkvision. Your lycanthropic heritage has gifted you with keen sight. Your eyes take in more light than other races, allowing you to see in near-total darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Animalistic Movement. All shifters contain a hint of lycanthropic blood, which universally affects their forms, gifting - or cursing - them with more powerful muscles. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Subrace. There are two distinct lineages of shifter, each descended from the most powerful lycanthropes. Longtooth shifters are descended from werewolves and wearbears, and razorclaw shifters are descended from weretigers and wererats. Choose one of these subraces.
Longtooth
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Longtooth Shifting. Your inner beast fights with your more controlled self, urging you on past serious wounds and causing you to lash out with greater ferocity. When your current hit points are below ¼ of your hit point maximum and you hit with a melee or spell attack or an enemy fails a saving throw against a spell of yours that deals damage, you deal 4 extra damage of the same type.
Razorclaw
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Razorclaw Shifting. Your inner beast enhances your reflexes and agility in deadly situations. When your current hit points are below ¼ of your hit point maximum, all damage you take is reduced by 2.
Warforged
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Composite Plating. You gain a +1 bonus to your Armor Class.
Living Construct. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe, although you may partake in any of these activities, should you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter a state of stasis for 4 hours. During this time, you are aware of the environment around you, although you must be roused from this stasis to move or take any actions, as if you were sleeping. You are also immune to disease.
Subrace. Two main models of Warforged were constructed during the Last War; Scouts and Soldiers. Choose one of these subraces.
Scout
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size. Scout warforged are smaller and lighter than their front-lines kin. Your size is Small.
Freeze. When you are hidden from an enemy and have not moved on your turn, enemies have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect you.
Soldier
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Size. You were built for front-lines combat, where it was essential that you be able to use standard-fitted gear without hindrance. Your size is Medium.
Creation Forge Training. You gain proficiency with one martial weapon and one tool kit of your choice.
Google Drive link, for those who might want a copy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y1Iz6QgTISJv8rKU_g_cSL02IhixUK2s2HHhvflf6sw/edit?usp=sharing
Feedback is always greatly appreciated!
EDIT: Oh wow, noted in the front-page news - guess these aren't too broken, then
! Thanks, guys!Changeling
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2. One other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Changelings originally spawned from the union of a doppelganger and a human. In your natural form, your features are eerily soft, pale, and unformed, although you do have a mouth, nose, and eyes. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.
Shapechanger. You are a shapechanger; you can alter your appearance. As such, you are subject to effects and conditions that affect shapechangers.
Mental Defense. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Change Shape. You can use your action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid you have seen, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than your size, are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. You revert to your true form if you die.
Kobold
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size. Kobolds are tricky little blighters, always setting up ramshackle dwellings in places you wouldn’t think they’d fit. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Tricksy. Kobolds might not be particularly bright, but you and your kin possess a rudimentary cunning and sense of teamwork, particularly around the subject of “hitting things that are bigger than you”. You have advantage on melee attacks against enemy creatures that have twice as many hit points as you do while an ally of yours that is able to take actions is adjacent to that creature.
Subrace. The subraces presented here are not actually two different types of kobolds, but rather the predominant mindsets that kobolds tend towards. Choose one of the following options:
Trapsy
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Trapsy Traps. You pride yourself on your ability to create remarkably effective snares and traps from the materials you have on hand. You can create one of the following devices during a short rest: a springrazor, a clawsnapper, or a sparkspinner. The DC to avoid these traps is equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. You have enough raw materials to create up to three of these traps; once you run out, you must spend an hour scavenging your surroundings for more materials.
Springrazor: This device is a delicate, spring-loaded mechanism that expels razor-sharp fragments into the feet and legs of any creature unfortunate enough to step on it, forcing them to make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d2 piercing damage at the end of each of their turns. The creature can use its action to stem the bleeding and end this effect.
Clawsnapper: This mechanism tends to resemble a miniature bear trap. Any creature that steps on the triggering plate in the center must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have their speed reduced by 10 feet.
Sparkspinner: This contraption is essentially a small amount of phosporus and a crude flintlock striker that is set off by a tripwire or triggerstick. The resulting sparks ignite the phosphorus, which explodes with a blinding flash of light, dazzling the creature that set it off. The triggering creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn.
Dragonsquee
Dragonsquees are what kobolds call other kobolds that are particularly enamored with dragons. The word itself is derived from the noise of excitement such kobolds make when the topic of conversation turns to dragons, things related to dragons, or any word that could potentially be overheard as “dragons”.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Dragons? Squeee! You may add your proficiency bonus to Intelligence checks related to dragons.
This One Knows His Stuff. As annoying as your extensive knowledge of dragon-lore might be, it also causes other kobolds to begrudge you an inherent respect, and even dragons might be apt to look upon you with a certain fondness (albeit a fondness usually found between a powerful mage and the lowly apprentice that will literally lick the mage’s boots clean for a scrap of praise) . Using the correct balance of long words and dragon-related facts, you may gain advantage on one ability score check to influence kobolds or dragons. There is no hard limit on how many times you can influence such creatures with your draconic lore; however, overreliance on this tactic will end up with everyone annoyed at you. As a general rule, you can influence an individual kobold by spouting dragon-related knowledge no more than about once per hour, and a dragon no more than about once per week.
Revenant
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2. One other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Revenants resemble more slender versions of their past forms, with a supernatural toughness that contradicts their build. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. The entity that recreated you has gifted you with uncanny sight. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Undead. You count as an undead creature as well as a living creature for the sake of effects that specifically target undead; however, you have advantage on saving throws against such effects.
Unnatural Vitality. When you are reduced to zero hit points, you don't fall unconscious until the end of the turn on which you roll your first death saving throw. During this turn, you may move and take actions as normal.
Past Life. Choose a race other than Revenant. You gain one language proficiency and one racial trait from that race. For the purposes of this feature, you may not choose the Ability Score Increase or Subrace as your racial trait, although you may choose a trait specific to a subrace.
Shadar-Kai
Ability Score Increase. Grown shadar-kai have great strength of spirit - their brethren that do not usually succumb to the darkness and gloom of their shadowy realm long before they reach adulthood. Your Charisma score increases by 2. Two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.
Darkvision. The darkness of Shadar-Kai realms has forced your race to develop uncanny sight. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Invigorating Pain. Strong pain guarantees strong emotion, the most surefire defense against the gloom of the Shadowfell. Like all Shadar-Kai, you learn to channel pain into something more useful. When your current hit points are reduced to below half your hit point maximum, you have advantage on your next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. You must take a short rest to regain the use of this feature.
Mercy in Darkness.Whenever you roll a hit die to heal while in an area of complete darkness, you regain 1 extra hit point. In order to use this feature, you must be completely sealed off from any source of light, or at least 60 feet away from any direct sources of light, such as torches, lanterns, and magical effects.
Shifter
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Size. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Darkvision. Your lycanthropic heritage has gifted you with keen sight. Your eyes take in more light than other races, allowing you to see in near-total darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet in front of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
Animalistic Movement. All shifters contain a hint of lycanthropic blood, which universally affects their forms, gifting - or cursing - them with more powerful muscles. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Subrace. There are two distinct lineages of shifter, each descended from the most powerful lycanthropes. Longtooth shifters are descended from werewolves and wearbears, and razorclaw shifters are descended from weretigers and wererats. Choose one of these subraces.
Longtooth
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Longtooth Shifting. Your inner beast fights with your more controlled self, urging you on past serious wounds and causing you to lash out with greater ferocity. When your current hit points are below ¼ of your hit point maximum and you hit with a melee or spell attack or an enemy fails a saving throw against a spell of yours that deals damage, you deal 4 extra damage of the same type.
Razorclaw
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Razorclaw Shifting. Your inner beast enhances your reflexes and agility in deadly situations. When your current hit points are below ¼ of your hit point maximum, all damage you take is reduced by 2.
Warforged
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Composite Plating. You gain a +1 bonus to your Armor Class.
Living Construct. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe, although you may partake in any of these activities, should you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter a state of stasis for 4 hours. During this time, you are aware of the environment around you, although you must be roused from this stasis to move or take any actions, as if you were sleeping. You are also immune to disease.
Subrace. Two main models of Warforged were constructed during the Last War; Scouts and Soldiers. Choose one of these subraces.
Scout
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size. Scout warforged are smaller and lighter than their front-lines kin. Your size is Small.
Freeze. When you are hidden from an enemy and have not moved on your turn, enemies have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect you.
Soldier
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Size. You were built for front-lines combat, where it was essential that you be able to use standard-fitted gear without hindrance. Your size is Medium.
Creation Forge Training. You gain proficiency with one martial weapon and one tool kit of your choice.
Google Drive link, for those who might want a copy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y1Iz6QgTISJv8rKU_g_cSL02IhixUK2s2HHhvflf6sw/edit?usp=sharing
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