D&D 5E Customize Your Species

[Haldrik]

Here is a variant option, to choose the traits for the species of your character:

At level 1, you gain two feats of your choice.

For example, if you want your character to be a "High Elf", you can if you wish,

1) use one of these feats to improve the Dexterity ability score by 2
2) split the second feat into one half-feat to boost the Intelligence ability score by 1 and the left over half-feat
• either to gain Misty Step per short rest ( ≈ 4 skills)
• or to gain Darkvision ( ≈ cantrip ≈ 2 skills), Trance ( ≈ 1 skill), and Perception (1 skill).

Select whatever feats make sense to you for your species concept. Some Half Elves might have Darkvision while other Half Elves might not. You can pick a feat that isnt on the list of suggested feats.



The purpose of this thread is to organize all traits into convenient bundles of feats and half-feats to choose from. Each species should suggest at least two feats (or the equivalent such as four half-feats). You are welcome to invent a new trait, but if so, add the phrase "(Variant)" in parentheses after the title of the feat.

A player can select two half-feats in place of one feat, and can select a feat that isnt on the list of suggestions. While leveling and gaining new feats, a player can continue choose feats to further develop the species concept and power.

Tweak any and every feat or half-feat to make sure it is comparable in balance to every other feat or half feat.

Add a narrative description for each feat that evokes a feeling for why this feat is notable for the species. Perhaps the High Elf is normally nocturnal, and loves the light of sunless twilight.



If traits seem especially "cultural", you can instead create a new background, with any relevant skills, tools, languages, and a special ability. For example, a Tiefling Lawyer might have History, Persuasion, Infernal language, and the special ability to write up a binding contract that curses its violator, plus typical ideals, flaws, and quirks that are interesting for a Tiefling lawyer. Avoid combat traits in a background.



Explore official settings, or invent your own variants, and have fun.

 

[Haldrik]

[reserved to later compile feat lists for each species]

 

[Haldrik]

Here are examples, of Elven half-feats to choose from.



ELF

Half feats

Elven Senses
(Players Handbook, Variant)
Many elves roam forests nocturnally, and luxuriate in the sunless twilight that begins and ends each starry night. They attend to the lives and dangers around them.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cant discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Trance. Elves dont need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply [for 1 hour] a day. The Common word for such meditation is "trance." While meditating, [you remain fully aware of your surroundings]. You can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Perception. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Nature. You have proficiency in the Nature skill.

Fey Teleportation
(Xanathars Guide)
Drawing on your fey ancestry, you can momentarily stride through the Feywild to shorten your path from one place to another.
Misty Step. You learn the Misty Step spell and can cast it once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a short or long rest. [Choose any mental ability as] your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Sylvan. You learn to speak, read, and write Sylvan, [the language of the Feywild].

Elven Accuracy
(Xanathars Guide)
The accuracy of elves is legendary, especially that of elf archers and spellcasters. You have uncanny aim with attacks that rely on precision rather than brute force.
Elven Accuracy. Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, or Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once.

Elven Chainmail
(Variant)
High Elf knights weave magic into fine chainmail, supple as silk.
Mage Armor. You learn the Mage Armor spell and can cast it or dispel it, at-will as a reaction without any material component. Choose any mental ability as your spellcasting ability for this spell. High Elves traditionally make the Mage Armor appear as gleaming silver silk-like chainmail, over or under tunics of solid bold colors with trimming of subtle intricate embroidery to indicate the heraldry of family and town. Alternatively, the Mage Armor appears as only an aura of light radiating dim light out to 5 feet or bright light out to 30 feet.
High Elven Sword Dance. You gain proficiency with the longsword, and can wield it as if a finesse weapon, or wield it magically using Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma in place of Strength.

 

[Haldrik]

Dwarf

Half feats

Earthborn
(Players Handbook, Variant)
Born of earth, dwarves are rock hard and weighty. Skin appears as lustrous polished stone
Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Stonecuninng. Whenever you make a [skill] check related to stonework, you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Full feats

Dwarven Armory
(Players Handbook, Xanathars Guide, Variant)
Sacred ancestors honor dwarves who master the technology of war.
Inertial Armor. You are proficient with all metal armors and shields. Your speed is not reduced by wearing armor.
Smiths Tools. You gain proficiency with smiths tools. When you forge an item that is entirely of metal, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Dwarven Combat Training. You gain proficiency with one martial weapon of your choice. This weapon must be entirely metal or stone.

 

[Haldrik]

Dwarf

Full feats

Outlast
(Players Handbook, Variant)
You are tough and resilient.
Tough. Your hit point maximum increases by an additional 1 hit point, and increases by an additional 1 hit point every time you gain a level.
Resilient. When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the roll for each die.

 

[Haldrik]

I like this design. It turns the races into various feats to choose from.

Then feat choices allow vivid concepts, even at level 1. And, reduces problems relating to racist essentialism.

And, allows more personalization of the game.