Let's Make: Kenku as a race

[ColinChapman]

Kenku PCs. Here is what we can glean from the MM:
Mostly CN
Medium size, speed 30 ft.
Dex +2
Int +1
Lang: Auran, Common
Speechless: Cannot speak: uses mimicry/sounds
Mimicry: can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. Creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wis (Insight) check.
Soft Tread/Alert: Proficient in Stealth and/or Perception
Swindler: Proficient in Deception
Ambusher. Has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Thoughts on ensuring it all works/is balanced for a PC race?

 

[Wrathamon]

Kenku Traits
Your Kenku character has a variety of natural abilities that are awesome cause kenku are super cool!

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2
Size: Medium.
Speed: 30ft
Keen Sense: You have proficiency in Perception skill.
Languages: You can speak, read and write Auran and Common.
Mimicry You can mimic any sounds you've heard, including voices. Creature that hear the sounds can tell they are imitations by succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom Check (Insight). Or, make it a Contest deception vs insight.


Crow Clan
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Sneaky Bastards You are proficient in Stealth and Deception.
Masters of the Arrow All Crow Kenku are trained in the short or long bow.
Flock You Up: As a bonus action, you can grant an ally within 5ft of you Advantage on their next attack verse a creature you are adjacent to.
Carrion Calling Crow Clan kenku have a special connection with death and the dying. They can sense the dead and dying and can add double their proficiency bonus with Perception checks to locate dead or dying creatures within 1 mile of their location. In addition, they can cast Spare the Dying 1/day.

Hawk Clan
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Masters of Disguise: You are proficient in the Disguise kit tool and get a double proficiency bonus when making a disguise to look like a human (or similar humanoid).
Masters of the Blade: All Hawk Kenku are trained at birth with the sword. You are proficient with the Long Sword and Short Sword.
Glide: Kenku of the Hawk Clan have small wings that are normally curled up on their back and often mistaken for a backpack. Too small to grant flight, they can be used to glide for short distances. You can glide the same distance as your speed. As a reaction to falling, you can unfurl your wings and glide down without taking damage on a successful DC 10 Dexterity Check.
Innate Spellcasting: Intelligence is your spellcasting ability.
Level 3 - Eldritch Blast (1/day)
Level 5 - Alter Self (1/day)
level 7 - Invisibility (1/day)

 

[ColinChapman]

Nice work, matey. Not exactly how I'd do it (though to be honest, little is), but bloody good nonetheless. I'm going to dig out the Dragon article on Kenku ecology to see if it yields more insight.

 

[Wrathamon]

I went back to the old fiend folio and saw that they were hawks ... but the drawing always made me think they were parrot people.

 

[Wrathamon]

as for yours ... it might be under powered vs other races. Not sure if ambusher makes up for it. Mine might be op but it was a quick stab.

I love kenku, not sure why.