sandmote
2018-11-16, 01:21 AM
I've been trying to put together a few races with interesting mechanical abilities in combat, particularity for martial classes or gish-like builds. I've set up a race with a bonus toward holding weapons, one that inflicts a non-magical status effect, and one with odd forms of vision. That said, I'm not particularly experienced with balancing, so I'm expecting I'll need some major tweaks to make these reasonable.
A primate-like race, these arboreal humanoids are known for their prehensile tails.
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size
Ceboids have a rather short stature even when standing up straight, ranging from 3 to 4 feet tall. Your size is small. You weight between 35 and 40 pounds.
Arboreal Heritage
Due to the tree climbing lifestyle of Ceboids, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet.
Flying Ape
Your jump height and distance are doubled, and you can make a long jump or high jump after moving only 5 feet.
Dextrous Tail
Your tail is extremely dexterous, able to use tools or wield a weapon with the Light property. Additionally, you can wield a weapon with the Two-handed or Versatile property in one hand and your tail, gaining the benefits of holding the weapon in two hands. However, you cannot lift a shield or manage the precise movements required to cast a spell with somatic components using your tail.
The main mechanic above is the tail, allowing two weapon fighting with a shield or using a versatile weapon's hit dice when going sword and board. I'm not sure if I should add that the tail can't be used to help hold heavy (or even two handed) weapons using the tail, or if the penalties from wielding a heavy weapon as a small creature are enough.
An insectoid race, wielding vicious stingers on the ends of their abdomens.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Flight
You have a flying speed of 35 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Stinger
Wesper have large stingers on the ends of their torsos. You can attack with your stinger, dealing 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. Additionally, you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw against a save DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is poisoned until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, (a minimum of once) you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
People of the Trees
Wespers are intrinsically reverent to their natural homes. You know one druid cantrip of your choice.
Fairly simple; the wasps get to poison targets for a short while. A lot of creatures are immune to poison, and the aarakocra are better at flying (hence the added cantrip). I'm considering allowing them to fly in medium armor just so they get punished less for getting in melee range to use their main ability.
Arachneans are spider-like humanoids, and most have eight eyes, despite only having four limbs. Most live fairly solitary lives.
Ability Score Increase
Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Darkovision
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 can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Web Sense
While in contact with a web, the you know the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker
You ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Nomadic Traveling Arachneans, willing to travel anywhere not permanently covered in ice. Males tend to be brightly colored, and their hairs allow them to sense their surroundings.
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Keen Sight
Jumping Arachneans have among the strongest vision of all Arachneans. You are proficient in Perception (Wisdom).
Sense Vibrations
Jumping Arachneans can sense vibrations in the surrounding area, granting them tremorsense for 30 feet.
Size
Jumping Arachneans are among the smallest Aracheans, and average about 3 feet tall. Your size is small.
Long Jumper
Jumping Arachneans can jump incredible distances, hence their names. You can add your proficiency modifier to the height, length, and any checks made to jump or successfully land a jump. In addition, you can cast the Jump spell on yourself without requiring material components, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Proud hunters, these night-dwelling creatures entangle their prey in thick webbing before attacking. Most are tan or brown, with slightly ogre-like faces.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Web Spinner
Ogre-Faced Arachneans are proficient with nets, and can attack with a net as a bonus action. Additionally, you have expertise with weaver's tools.
Superior Darkvision: Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Tarantuloids are some of the largest Arachneans. They are typically brown or dark gray, sometimes with creamy stripes or greenish-cobalt markings.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.
Powerful Build
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Tarantaloid Hair
Tarantuloids are covered in long hairs granting them precise tracking of their surroundings. You have blindsight for 10 feet.
These guys are built around funky forms of sight. In addition to web sense, they each get some bonus to targeting nearby enemies: tremorsense, blindsight, or simply making an attack to restrain as a bonus action. I was going to allow them to make an attack to paralyze once per long rest, but that felt unnecessary given how much they have already.
A primate-like race, these arboreal humanoids are known for their prehensile tails.
Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size
Ceboids have a rather short stature even when standing up straight, ranging from 3 to 4 feet tall. Your size is small. You weight between 35 and 40 pounds.
Arboreal Heritage
Due to the tree climbing lifestyle of Ceboids, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet.
Flying Ape
Your jump height and distance are doubled, and you can make a long jump or high jump after moving only 5 feet.
Dextrous Tail
Your tail is extremely dexterous, able to use tools or wield a weapon with the Light property. Additionally, you can wield a weapon with the Two-handed or Versatile property in one hand and your tail, gaining the benefits of holding the weapon in two hands. However, you cannot lift a shield or manage the precise movements required to cast a spell with somatic components using your tail.
The main mechanic above is the tail, allowing two weapon fighting with a shield or using a versatile weapon's hit dice when going sword and board. I'm not sure if I should add that the tail can't be used to help hold heavy (or even two handed) weapons using the tail, or if the penalties from wielding a heavy weapon as a small creature are enough.
An insectoid race, wielding vicious stingers on the ends of their abdomens.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Flight
You have a flying speed of 35 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Stinger
Wesper have large stingers on the ends of their torsos. You can attack with your stinger, dealing 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. Additionally, you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw against a save DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is poisoned until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, (a minimum of once) you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
People of the Trees
Wespers are intrinsically reverent to their natural homes. You know one druid cantrip of your choice.
Fairly simple; the wasps get to poison targets for a short while. A lot of creatures are immune to poison, and the aarakocra are better at flying (hence the added cantrip). I'm considering allowing them to fly in medium armor just so they get punished less for getting in melee range to use their main ability.
Arachneans are spider-like humanoids, and most have eight eyes, despite only having four limbs. Most live fairly solitary lives.
Ability Score Increase
Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Darkovision
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 can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Web Sense
While in contact with a web, the you know the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker
You ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Nomadic Traveling Arachneans, willing to travel anywhere not permanently covered in ice. Males tend to be brightly colored, and their hairs allow them to sense their surroundings.
Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Keen Sight
Jumping Arachneans have among the strongest vision of all Arachneans. You are proficient in Perception (Wisdom).
Sense Vibrations
Jumping Arachneans can sense vibrations in the surrounding area, granting them tremorsense for 30 feet.
Size
Jumping Arachneans are among the smallest Aracheans, and average about 3 feet tall. Your size is small.
Long Jumper
Jumping Arachneans can jump incredible distances, hence their names. You can add your proficiency modifier to the height, length, and any checks made to jump or successfully land a jump. In addition, you can cast the Jump spell on yourself without requiring material components, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Proud hunters, these night-dwelling creatures entangle their prey in thick webbing before attacking. Most are tan or brown, with slightly ogre-like faces.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Web Spinner
Ogre-Faced Arachneans are proficient with nets, and can attack with a net as a bonus action. Additionally, you have expertise with weaver's tools.
Superior Darkvision: Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Tarantuloids are some of the largest Arachneans. They are typically brown or dark gray, sometimes with creamy stripes or greenish-cobalt markings.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.
Powerful Build
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Tarantaloid Hair
Tarantuloids are covered in long hairs granting them precise tracking of their surroundings. You have blindsight for 10 feet.
These guys are built around funky forms of sight. In addition to web sense, they each get some bonus to targeting nearby enemies: tremorsense, blindsight, or simply making an attack to restrain as a bonus action. I was going to allow them to make an attack to paralyze once per long rest, but that felt unnecessary given how much they have already.