Check out my 5e custom race, the Wildkin.
So being the furry that I am I wanted to include beast races in my homebrew setting. Came up with the concept of the Wildkin as one of my fey races along with Elves and Gnomes. They are innately magical and look like anthropomorphic versions of their respective animal type.
Wildkin
Ability Score Increase: +2 Dex
Age: Maturity at 15 and live to 80.
Speed: 40 ft
Darkvision: 60 ft
Keen Senses: Proficiency with the Perception Skill.
Claws: All Wildkin can deal 1d4 slashing damage using their claws. Treat as a light finesse weapon.
Wild Speech: Speak with animals of its type.
Subraces. SLAs at 1, 3 ,5. 1/Long Rest.
Kitsune (Fox) - +1 Cha, Dancing Lights, Disguise Self, Invisibility. Charisma based.
Wolven (Wolf) - +1 Wis, Guidance, Sanctuary, Speak with dead. Wisdom based.
Aviel (Bird) - +1 int, Mage Hand, Identify, Detect Thoughts. Intelligence based.
Lazeran (Lizard) - +1 Con, Poison Spray, False Life, Protection from Poison. Wisdom based.
Katahn (Cat) - +1 Dex, Resistance, Feather Fall, Enhance Ability (Should I limit it to Cat's Grace?). Charisma based.
Ursan (Bear) - +1 Str Mold Earth, Heroism, Barkskin. Wisdom Based.
Is the race too strong? I think the flavor is certainly in the right place but unsure about the rest. I want to think of a disadvantage for the race like the Drow's light sensitivity to put it on the same power budget.
Wildkin
Ability Score Increase: +2 Dex
Age: Maturity at 15 and live to 80.
Speed: 40 ft
Darkvision: 60 ft
Keen Senses: Proficiency with the Perception Skill.
Claws: All Wildkin can deal 1d4 slashing damage using their claws. Treat as a light finesse weapon.
Wild Speech: Speak with animals of its type.
Subraces. SLAs at 1, 3 ,5. 1/Long Rest.
Kitsune (Fox) - +1 Cha, Dancing Lights, Disguise Self, Invisibility. Charisma based.
Wolven (Wolf) - +1 Wis, Guidance, Sanctuary, Speak with dead. Wisdom based.
Aviel (Bird) - +1 int, Mage Hand, Identify, Detect Thoughts. Intelligence based.
Lazeran (Lizard) - +1 Con, Poison Spray, False Life, Protection from Poison. Wisdom based.
Katahn (Cat) - +1 Dex, Resistance, Feather Fall, Enhance Ability (Should I limit it to Cat's Grace?). Charisma based.
Ursan (Bear) - +1 Str Mold Earth, Heroism, Barkskin. Wisdom Based.
Is the race too strong? I think the flavor is certainly in the right place but unsure about the rest. I want to think of a disadvantage for the race like the Drow's light sensitivity to put it on the same power budget.
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Comments
Fear of the Unnatural: Disadvantage against spells of the Necromancy and Evocation schools.
I'd say having one or two of them use spell abilities is probably fine, but more than that and they start to lose their distinctiveness.
It probably would be better and to go through and give each subrace a unique set though. Thanks for the input~
I did wonder, however, how come the wolf got "Speak With Dead"?
One thing I will keep though is the Wolven's speak with dead. The reason is that I was thinking for inspirations and I remember in Wizardry 8 the Rawulf race had a high piety if I recall. This made me think of a society of cleric-based wolf people. From there I went in to think about an idea of ancestral worship and thought that this would come about from literally being able to speak to their ancestors with speak with dead.
This will also cause the Wolven to be more familiar with necromantic effects and possibly not receive disadvantage against it since they themselves practice such powers.
I'll probably commission some art of each race and their "stereotypical" class.
Ability Score Increase: +2 Dex
Age: Maturity at 15 and live to 80.
Speed: 30 ft
Darkvision: 60 ft
Keen Senses: Proficiency with the Perception Skill.
Claws: All Wildkin can deal 1d4 slashing damage using their claws. Treat as a light finesse weapon.
Wild Speech: Speak with animals of its type.
Fear of the Unnatural: Disadvantage on Saving Throws Versus Evocation and Necromancy spells.
Subraces.
Kitsune (Fox) - +1 Cha, Proficiency with the Deception skill. Dancing Lights at lvl 1, Disguise Self at lvl 3, Invisibility at level 5. 1/day each, Charisma based.
Wolven (Wolf) - +1 Wis, 40 ft movement, no Disadvantage on saves vs Necromancy spells, Speak with Dead 1/day. Wisdom based.
Aviel (Bird) - +1 int, Aviel can fly at half their movement speed.
Lazeran (Lizard) - +1 Con, Poison Resistance, Poison Spray Cantrip, Wisdom based.
Katahn (Cat) - +1 Dex, Advantage on Dexterity saving throws, proficiency with stealth and acrobatics.
Ursan (Bear) - +1 Str Advantage on saving throws versus fear effects, cold resistance.
Was looking at the 5e races and saw there is another race that has flying at 50 ft but land movement at 25 (Aarakocra). Decided since my Aviel can move fast on land they have to move slowly when flying.
I also decided to make everyone's movement speed 30 with exception of the Wolven moving at 40ft.
I'll probably tinker with this more but here's the next iteration.
Some background lore for each. Going to try to keep it short.
Kitsune live alongside the forest gnomes of my setting and both have natural affinity towards deception and illusion.
Wolven are an ancestral people that favor necromancers and death domain clerics. They believe that walking with the dead is an honor and to have your body become a warrior after death means you can serve your people forever. Very Lawful society with Necromancy flavors.
Aviel are carefree scholars that live in the mountains. Spend lots of time studying and keep vast libraries.
Lazeran live in a poisoned swamp and have adapted to resist and use the poison. They are very militant and group minded.
Katahn live near Elven settlements but have become discreet as tension between the Elves and Humans rises.
Ursan live in the northlands with the Orcs and Dwarves. Sort of generic proud-barbarian people until I give them more depth.
I would narrow the scope of that penalty significantly, to maybe only confer disadvantage on spells (specifying "spells" is important) that cause the Frightened condition.
Here are my thoughts about the subraces:
Kitsune
This looks good. It matches the Drow subrace pretty closely, which is a good sign for it being balanced.
Wolven
I'd call their "no disadvantage" trait Fearless, and target it toward the same effects that most wildkin have disadvantage on: spells that cause the Frightened condition. But that overlaps with the Ursan subrace, so you might need to come up with something else. Maybe just advantage against "spells that cause instant death without dealing damage", a bit like the Death Ward spell.
I'd also reduce the speed to 35, which would match the Wood Elf subrace.
Speak With Dead sounds good to me.
Aviel
Flying speed is a huge boon. Aarakocra are unusually powerful as a starting race because of their flying speed. The 15-ft speed is a good offset, but I don't know that it makes a whole lot of sense in-world. (You also have an "Intelligence-based" note there, which you don't need anymore.)
I think if you want them to fly, make them fly well, and keep their flying speed the same as their land speed. But if you do that, I'd get rid of their Int bonus as an additional offset. (Yes, flying really is that powerful.)
Lazeran
Looks good to me.
Katahn
Advantage on all Dex-based saving throws is waaaay too powerful. Focus more on what you want the trait to represent. Is it the ability to escape a scuffle? If so, give them advantage on checks to avoid being restrained. Is it the ability to land on their feet? Give them advantage on checks and saves to avoid damage from falling.
Ursan
This one looks kind of weak, to be honest. Its bonuses are all passive; if they never see a cold or fear spell, their abilities are useless. I would consider giving them +1 HP per level, like the Hill Dwarf subrace. That might be too much with their other bonuses, though.
Ability Score Increase: +2 Dex
Age: Maturity at 15 and live to 80.
Speed: 30 ft
Darkvision: 60 ft
Keen Senses: Proficiency with the Perception Skill.
Claws: All Wildkin can deal 1d4 slashing damage using their claws. Treat as a light finesse weapon.
Wild Speech: Speak with animals of its type.
Fear of the Unnatural: Disadvantage versus spells that give the frightened condition.
Subraces.
Kitsune (Fox)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma
Nature's Trickster: You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Disguise Self spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Invisibility spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Fox's Deceit: You gain proficiency in the Deception Skill.
Wolven (Wolf)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
Deathless: Advantage on Death Saving Throws and Spells that cause instant death without dealing damage.
Quick: 35 ft movement speed.
Ancestral Guidance: You can cast the Speak With Dead spell once per day. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Aviel (Bird)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Intelligence
Scholar's Flight: You can fly at half your movement speed.
Scholar's Fatigue: You can only fly when wearing light or no armor.
Lazeran (Lizard)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution
Poison Skin: You have resistance to poison damage.
Swamp's Wrath: You can cast the Poison Spray Cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Katahn (Cat)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Dexterity
Quick Escape: You can use the Disengage ability as a bonus action.
Cat's Grace: You gain Proficiency with Acrobatics and Stealth
Ursan (Bear)
Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength
Bear's Resolve: +1 HP per level
Fearless: You have advantage versus spells that give the frightened condition.
Intimidating Roar: You have advantage on Intimidation checks.
I'm thinking for the Aviel their main form of locomotion is walking but that they can use flight in a pinch or to gain advantage. I imagine them as sort of frail and such which is why I want them to have the half-flight speed.
Edit: Derp I put Dex on the Kitsune by accident.