Gnoll PC race

[Rogerdodger557]

I know a couple of you have homebrewed a gnoll race for pcs, I just can't remember which ones. I am in need!

[Requilac]

I have never used this idea before, but I think the easiest way to create a gnoll is to slightly modify the half-orc race in the PHB. Keep darkvision, relentless endurance, savage attacks and the ability scores improvements but change menacing and languages. Remove menacing and instead give proficiency in survival (perception may also make sense). And instead of learning orc they learn gnoll.

Edit: I originally stated that the gnoll should have slightly different ABI’s than the half-orc and that they should be given a choice of multiple languages.

[Deleted]

I know a couple of you have homebrewed a gnoll race for pcs, I just can't remember which ones. I am in need!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...en-Oh-my!)(WIP)


Anytime you want to find homebrew stuff, check here...

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...w-Compendium-2

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

This is my version of the race that I've been trying to get critique on for ages:

Gnoll
Ability Score Modifier: +1 Constitution, +1 Dexterity
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Vision: Darkvision
Filth-Eater's Gullet: You have Resistance to Poison and Advantage on Constitution checks against Poison and Disease.
Ripping Jaws: You can choose to Bite as an Unarmed Strike, which causes the attack to inflict 1d4 Piercing damage.
Rampage: When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points on your turn with a melee attack, you can spend a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack against an enemy that is within range at the end of this move.
Ghostly Whispers: You can imitate the voice of any creature you have heard speaking, so long as you speak the same language as that creature.
Subrace: Choose between the Butcher’s Brood or Hyena’s Soul subraces to determine the rest of your racial traits.

Butcher’s Brood Gnoll
Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength
Blood Frenzy: Once per turn, if you have taken damage from an enemy attack, you can use your Reaction to deliver a bite attack to an enemy in reach.

Hyena’s Soul Gnoll
Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
Far-Roamer: Increase your base movement speed to 35 feet.
Bred to Hunt: You have Proficiency in Perception and Survival.

[plisnithus7]

Here's one I did a little while back:

Gnoll Traits
Your gnoll character has an assortment of inborn abilities due to their monsterous nature.
ABILITY SCORE ADJUSTMENTS. Your Dexterity and Strength scores increase by 1.
AGE. The lifespan of a gnoll is about 60 years maturing around 15 years of age.
ALIGNMENT. Most gnolls are chaotic.
SIZE. An adult half-ogre stands 5 to 5 1/2 feet tall and weighs 150 to 180 pounds. Your size is medium.
SPEED. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
LANGUAGES. You can speak, read, ad write Common and Gnoll.
DARKVISION. 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.
BITE. Your teeth are natural weapons that you are proficient with, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with a bite, you deal piercing damage equal to ld4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
RAMPAGE. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on your turn, you can take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack.
​

[MagneticKitty]

I recommend kobold press's Southland heroes 5e. Looks darn near official. I can email it to you but it looks like the free link is down.

[The Shadowdove]

Just use half orc.

Replace one the half-orc's racial abilities with the rampage ability from the Gnoll stat block.

Now you have a character that isn't a fan boy creation, and is balanced.

[Seekergeek]

I'd be tempted to do a light reskinning of the lizardfolk from Volo's. I'd replace the swim speed with darkvision and the natural armor with the rampage ability from the MM.

[Deleted]

Just use half orc.

Replace one the half-orc's racial abilities with the rampage ability from the Gnoll stat block.

Now you have a character that isn't a fan boy creation, and is balanced.

And isn't a Gnoll.

So you're basically telling a player that yes they can play a Gnoll by not letting them play a Gnoll.

Also, since when have the races been balanced? That's hilarious to think the half orc us on par with the vuman, genome, or even the half elf.

[JNAProductions]

Just use half orc.

Replace one the half-orc's racial abilities with the rampage ability from the Gnoll stat block.

Now you have a character that isn't a fan boy creation, and is balanced.

Shadowdove, I'd agree that there are plenty of unbalanced homebrew creations.

I'd say the two presented here aren't the best balanced-the first was a bit too strong, the second a bit too weak.

But neither is going to break your game. The deviations in rolling luck and player skill are going to matter more than a slightly powerful/weak race.

5E is a well-balanced game, for the most part, but its balance is reasonably robust. Little tweaking or minor creations aren't going to break anything.

[The Shadowdove]

Shadowdove, I'd agree that there are plenty of unbalanced homebrew creations.

I'd say the two presented here aren't the best balanced-the first was a bit too strong, the second a bit too weak.

But neither is going to break your game. The deviations in rolling luck and player skill are going to matter more than a slightly powerful/weak race.

5E is a well-balanced game, for the most part, but its balance is reasonably robust. Little tweaking or minor creations aren't going to break anything.

I agree with you 100%. I was being too black and white with my reply. I love that homebrew allows people to adjust their to whichever playstyle they prefer. I also really appreciate the balance within 5e(for the most part) and try not to change too much. As such, I like to make only minor changes to base stats when a player or dm at the moment.

The dmg uses simply reskinning base races to accomplish similar playable creatures. I'd like to believe this to simplify any potential and unintentional balance problems that may come with someone who loves a race but may not be the best judge of how to handle their creation.

Are all races perfectly balanced as printed? No, they're usually very different from one a other. However they're all playable without being completely handicapped in any form or given abilities that allow for obscene advantages that are hidden within the text. So slight alterations of these races is safe for someone concerned about a game that flows well within the printed adventures or while using solely printed monsters and any form of APL.

That being said, I love homebrew races and classes homebrew games. They can potentially add a lot of fun and flavor that isn't printed. On top of that, those who purely homebrew such things seem to get a lot of personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment through their creations. Also amazing, as long as it doesn't develop a blind bias while allowing oversights in regards to actual game balance.

Some people love to reign as good over their games and have Chuck Norris characters acting as heroes with personally tailored classes and magical items.

I prefer simplicity and that's purely preference. As do the older crowd of players I play with. Not better, not worse. Amusingly it seems to be the younger players who want to munchkin every aspect of their character and become the avatar of some fictional entity at level one, as opposed to developing a strong character that Compliments their stats and becoming something even more impressive through that characters growth via actions and interactions.

If I were to play a gnoll, I'd be perfectly happy playing with any str based existing race's current stats. I wouldn't need anything other than that. My way of making the character come to life would be by researching gnolls as a race in whichever setting, understanding where they originate from and their cultures, and creating an in depth persona and backstory based upon that. My strong role-play and reinforced understanding of how that character would behave in any situation based upon their culture, tolerance for other races, and background would allow them a strong personality and give them presence.

[Rogerdodger557]

I agree with you 100%. I was being too black and white with my reply. I love that homebrew allows people to adjust their to whichever playstyle they prefer. I also really appreciate the balance within 5e(for the most part) and try not to change too much. As such, I like to make only minor changes to base stats when a player or dm at the moment.

The dmg uses simply reskinning base races to accomplish similar playable creatures. I'd like to believe this to simplify any potential and unintentional balance problems that may come with someone who loves a race but may not be the best judge of how to handle their creation.

Are all races perfectly balanced as printed? No, they're usually very different from one a other. However they're all playable without being completely handicapped in any form or given abilities that allow for obscene advantages that are hidden within the text. So slight alterations of these races is safe for someone concerned about a game that flows well within the printed adventures or while using solely printed monsters and any form of APL.

That being said, I love homebrew races and classes homebrew games. They can potentially add a lot of fun and flavor that isn't printed. On top of that, those who purely homebrew such things seem to get a lot of personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment through their creations. Also amazing, as long as it doesn't develop a blind bias while allowing oversights in regards to actual game balance.

Some people love to reign as good over their games and have Chuck Norris characters acting as heroes with personally tailored classes and magical items.

I prefer simplicity and that's purely preference. As do the older crowd of players I play with. Not better, not worse. Amusingly it seems to be the younger players who want to munchkin every aspect of their character and become the avatar of some fictional entity at level one, as opposed to developing a strong character that Compliments their stats and becoming something even more impressive through that characters growth via actions and interactions.

If I were to play a gnoll, I'd be perfectly happy playing with any str based existing race's current stats. I wouldn't need anything other than that. My way of making the character come to life would be by researching gnolls as a race in whichever setting, understanding where they originate from and their cultures, and creating an in depth persona and backstory based upon that. My strong role-play and reinforced understanding of how that character would behave in any situation based upon their culture, tolerance for other races, and background would allow them a strong personality and give them presence.

I can understand where you're coming from, since before I went to 5e, I was playing 3.5. It was too easy to break the game, especially if someone knew what they were doing.

If it makes you feel any better, it's for a one shot of Death House from Curse of Strahd. The DM said we could make what we wanted(lvl 1), and I went for pure laughs. I'll probably use the desert variant from the first one, and make a sun-addled mystic. One of my friends I'll be playing this with is going for something that has no seriousness as well.

[The Shadowdove]

I can understand where you're coming from, since before I went to 5e, I was playing 3.5. It was too easy to break the game, especially if someone knew what they were doing.

If it makes you feel any better, it's for a one shot of Death House from Curse of Strahd. The DM said we could make what we wanted(lvl 1), and I went for pure laughs. I'll probably use the desert variant from the first one, and make a sun-addled mystic. One of my friends I'll be playing this with is going for something that has no seriousness as well.

Sounds like a blast. Your dm seems like a rad dude.