D&D 5E Pixie/Fairy Race

[Argus2968]

Pixie/Fairy



Pixie Ability Modifier: +2 Cha
Size: Tiny, can occupy same position as another creature larger than Tiny.
Age: The lifespan of fairies is mysterious, even to them. They may live to be as old as the forests, or come and go as quickly as the seasons. Although they may potentially live forever, a fairy will die if the forest it's born from is destroyed.
Language: Common and Sylvan.
Vision: Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being Charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Pixie Dust:

• You gain the Dancing Lights cantrip, Spell Save DC 8 + Charisma Modifier + Proficiency bonus.
• When you fly, a visible shower of magical sparkling dust follows in your wake like the glittering tail of a shooting star (read Stealth).
• By holding an object sized for a small or medium creature, sprinkling your pixie dust and concentrating on it for one minute you may shrink the object to suit your size while it is carried by you.

Stealth:

• You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
• You have disadvantaged on stealth checks while flying due to your glowing pixie dust.

Nimbleness: You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 15 feet.
Flight: You have a flying speed of 35 feet.

• To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor, or be encumbered ***See variant encumbrance rules.
• If your wings are removed, a painful three day ritual must be performed to grow them back.
• At first and second level you can fly 5 feet off the ground. Starting at level 3 you gain 5 feet of elevation per level. (Example, at Warlock 2/Sorcerer 1, you may go up to 10ft above the ground, at level 4 15ft, etc.) This limitation is removed at level 13.

***Variant encumbrance rules:

For each creature size above Medium, double the creatures carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or list. For a Tiny creature, halve these weights.
If your carry weight in excess of 5 times your Strength score, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10 feet.
If your carry weight in excess of 10 times your Strength score, up to your maximum carrying capacity, you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
​

Armor and Weapons:

• Armor: You are proficient with Light armor.
• You have disadvantage with Heavy weapons.

Sub-races (pick one):

• Trickster: +1 Dex. You gain the cantrip Minor illusion. Spell Save DC 8 + Charisma Modifier + Proficiency bonus) You gain expertise on Deception checks.
• Pacifist: +1 Wis. You gain the Healing Hands spell.

 

[transcendantviewer]

As pure mechanics, I'm not seeing any problems with this race immediately, but that's because I understand what you're going for. In terms of wording and comprehensive language, this is all over the place and feels somewhat rushed. Take your time to flesh out the race's description and then write the racial features in a manner like those found in the Player's Handbook and Volo's Guide to Monsters.

 

[Ed Laprade]

As pure mechanics, I'm not seeing any problems with this race immediately, but that's because I understand what you're going for. In terms of wording and comprehensive language, this is all over the place and feels somewhat rushed. Take your time to flesh out the race's description and then write the racial features in a manner like those found in the Player's Handbook and Volo's Guide to Monsters.

Pretty much this. I'd play such a character. (And name her Tink, of course.)

 

[cbwjm]

I like the basis of it, however there are some things I would probably change.

Weapons and armour, I would likely leave it at them being proficient with the shortbow if anything, and allow their class to provide any additional weapon or armour proficiencies.

I wouldn't restrict flying at all.

I think it is kind of odd that the pacifist is resistant to falling damage, seems an odd choice for a creature that can fly. I probably also wouldn't allow them to add their wisdom modifier to healing spells, unless you are prepared for them to add it twice as a life cleric.

For spell save DCs, I assume you just missed adding in the 8 at the beginning.

Otherwise, I think this would be a good race to add to a table.

 

[aco175]

I would still penalize strength -4. I know 5e doesn't do this, but they do not have tiny PC races as well. Unless you want to say that strength is teid to magic somehow and their pixie dust making them stronger than they should be.

 

[cbwjm]

Actually they do. Kobolds have a 2 point strength penalty in Volo's guide.

Sent from my SM-G925I using EN World mobile app

 

[Argus2968]

I would still penalize strength -4. I know 5e doesn't do this, but they do not have tiny PC races as well. Unless you want to say that strength is teid to magic somehow and their pixie dust making them stronger than they should be.

I considered it but used the Tiny creatures strength and variant encumbrance rules instead.

"For each creature size above Medium, double the creatures carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or list. For a Tiny creature, halve these weights.
If your carry weight in excess of 5 times your Strength score, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10 feet.
If your carry weight in excess of 10 times your Strength score, up to your maximum carrying capacity, you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution."

 

[Argus2968]

As pure mechanics, I'm not seeing any problems with this race immediately, but that's because I understand what you're going for. In terms of wording and comprehensive language, this is all over the place and feels somewhat rushed. Take your time to flesh out the race's description and then write the racial features in a manner like those found in the Player's Handbook and Volo's Guide to Monsters.

I think that's exactly what I did. I find the language straight forward and comprehensive, and reflective of that found in WoTC material - especially considering most of it is from WoTC themselves.. Could you give an example?

 

[transcendantviewer]

You shouldn't hard-wire encumbrance into a race. It's a variant rule to begin with. Instead, you should give creatures this size a carrying capacity reduction. Like the opposite of what Large-sized creatures get. Maybe make their carrying capacity 1/4th that of medium and small creatures as well as give them the -4 Str debuff. It's a pixie. They're supposed to be weak.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

If you need a fairy for your table and want to skip some of the work needed, try having a look at the design I made for DMsGuild last month. It's PWYW so donate however you wish or just download freely if you're on a tight budget.

The weakness of fairies and problems having to do with their size were addressed during the design process. I made the fairy into a hybrid race/class, making the first 5 levels mandatory as a "fairy class" - after which you can multiclass because of the 5th level feature letting you grow to a size where you can interact more freely with the Small and Medium races, as well as the items they make such as armor and weapons.

https://www.dmsguild.com/product/201050/Monstrous-PC-Races-5e--Fairy?