5e: Stamina Check Variant Rule (Take 2)

This post was updated on 04/02/2019 to reflect changes to the house rule based on feedback received. 

I've got the results of a random thought experiment for you today: what if when you level you roll an ability check to determine hit points gained? With no skills tied to the Constitution ability score, very few constitution checks ever happen in the game (concentration checks aside, most constitution-based rolls are saving throws). This proposed rule would give you new reasons to roll a Constitution check: whenever you gain hit points upon leveling, and whenever you want to spend a Hit Die.

Stamina Checks

This house rule replaces rolling Hit Dice with an ability check. The results don't map exactly to traditional Hit Dice rolls as it's impossible to perfectly replicate those odds using an ability check, but a character should still find their hit point rolls competitive, and often better. As a character's proficiency grows, their results become even more favourable, particularly if they're in a class which multiplies the proficiency bonus to the check.

You roll a Stamina Check when you gain hit points upon leveling up, adding the result to your hit point maximum. Instead of gaining Hit Dice to spend on healing during a Short or Long Rest, you gain Stamina Points. During your rest you can spend Stamina Points in the same way you would have spent your Hit Dice. Each Stamina Point spent lets you roll one Stamina Check and recover hit points equal to the result. As you would have done with Hit Dice, keep a separate pool of Stamina Points for each class a multiclass character possesses. When you spend a Stamina Point from one of your classes, the bonus you receive to your check is determined by that class. Once again, the results will tend to favour the PCs at higher levels, making their natural healing more effective.

At the DM's option, they can also call for a Stamina check whenever a character is attempting a feat of endurance, rather than simply calling for an untrained Constitution ability check.

Summary

Here's how Stamina checks work:

• A Stamina check is a constitution ability check. Your class determines whether you have proficiency or expertise on the roll, as shown on the Stamina Check Modifiers table. 
• Your result determines the number of hit points you gain, as shown on the Stamina Check Results table. 
• You don't add your Constitution bonus to your Hit Points. Instead, your Con modifier has been factored in to the check itself. Note that this does mean that using this house rule, a character's Constitution bonus doesn't translate to hit points on a 1-to-1 basis. It's still important, but doesn't weight your result quite as significantly. Each +1 to Con effectively becomes a +0.5 to hit points. However, the proficiency bonus and the weighting of the results table pick up that slack. 
• Optionally, if the DM allows you to take the average result and you wish to do so you can treat the result as though you had rolled a 10 and added all your modifiers (eg. a passive check/Take 10). 

The formula used for the Check Results table is hit points = ability check result / 2. It's impossible to perfectly simulate the same spread of results as standard hit dice, so the important thing is for the formula to hew as closely as possible, erring on the side of generosity. A consequence of this is that characters sometimes get more hit points than would be possible in the normal rules, so before implementing this house rule be aware that characters may end up being more resilient and heroic, especially as they gain levels and the influence of their proficiency bonus on the check rises.

Stamina Check
Modifiers

Class (HD)	Modifier
Sorcerer/Wizard (d6)	You add your proficiency bonus -2 to the stamina check.
Bard/Cleric/Druid/Monk/Rogue/Warlock (d8)	You add your proficiency bonus to the stamina check.
Fighter/Paladin/Ranger (d10)	You have expertise, allowing you to double your proficiency bonus to the stamina check.
Barbarian (d12)	You triple your proficiency bonus to the stamina check.

Stamina Check
Results

d20 Roll	Hit Points		d20 Roll	Hit Points		d20 Roll	Hit Points
0	0		15	8		30	15
1	1		16	8		31	16
2	1		17	9		32	16
3	2		18	9		33	17
4	2		19	10		34	17
5	3		20	10		35	18
6	3		21	11		36	18
7	4		22	11		37	19
8	4		23	12		38	19
9	5		24	12		39	20
10	5		25	13		40	20
11	6		26	13		41	21
12	6		27	14		42	21
13	7		28	14		43	22
14	7		29	15		44	22
						45	23

Examples

Let's take a look at some of the possible results:

• d6 Class (using a +0 Con Wizard as an example):
• A 2nd level wizard with 0 con can get a result between 1 and 20. Their hit point range is between 1 and 10. They gain 5 hit points if they use an average/passive check instead of rolling.
• At 5th level, the wizard's possible results are between 2 - 21. The minimum hit point floor remains 1 (albeit with less likelihood), but their maximum and average increase by +1. 
• At 9th level, the wizard's potential results are 3 - 22. The minimum hit point floor increases to 2, while their maximum and average remain the same, though with increased likelihood of achieving those numbers.
• The pattern repeats at 13th and 17th level, increasing the wizard's minimum and maximum results by +1 each time. By 17th level, the wizard's possible results are 5 - 24. Their hit point range is  3 - 12. They gain 7 hit points if they use a passive check instead of rolling.
• d8 Class (using a +0 Con Bard as an example):
• A bard's progression is very similar to a wizard's, except their minimum, average, and maximum stamina check results are all higher by +2. This means that their minimum, maximum, and average hit points at any level are 1 higher.  At 1st level their hit point range is  2 - 11, and they gain 6 hit points if they use a passive check instead of rolling. By 17th level, the bard's hit point range is  4 - 13, with a passive check of 8. 
• d10 Class (Using a +0 Con Fighter an example):
• A 2nd level fighter can get a result between 5 - 24. Their hit point range is  3 - 12. They gain 7 hit points if they use a passive check instead of rolling.
• At 5th level, the fighter's possible results are between 7 - 26. Their  minimum, maximum, and average hit points all increase by +1. 
• At 9th level, the fighter can achieve results of 9 - 28, increasing their minimum, maximum, and average hit points by a further +1.
• The above pattern repeats at 13th and 17th level, increasing the fighter's minimum and maximum results by +2 each time. By 17th level, the fighter can achieve results of  13 - 32. Their hit point range is 7 - 16. They gain 11 hit points is they use a passive check instead of rolling.
• d12 Class (Using a +0 Con Barbarian an example, however unlikely!):
• A 2nd level barbarian can get a result between 7 - 26. Their hit point range is  4 - 13. They gain 8 hit points if they use a passive check instead of rolling.
• At 5th level, the barbarian's possible results are between 10 - 29. Their minimum hit points increases by +1, while their  maximum, and average hit points both increase by +2. 
• At 9th level, the barbarian can achieve results of 13 - 32, increasing their minimum hit points by +2, while their maximum and average hit points increase by +1.
• The above pattern repeats at 13th and 17th level, increasing the barbarian's minimum and maximum results by +3 each time. By 17th level, the barbarian can achieve results of  19 - 38. Their hit point range is 10 - 19. They gain 14 hit points is they use a passive check instead of rolling.
• Characters with Constitution bonuses:
• Refer to the examples above, but: 
• Each +1 to Constitution increases the minimum and maximum floor of the results by +1.
• A +1 to Constitution is effectively worth half a hit point. The proficiency progression of the Bard example shows what happens when a character gains an additional +1 to their result. Depending on the character's level, it either increases the average and maximum hit points by +1, or increases the minimum hit points by +1. 
• Each +2 to Constitution is guaranteed ot increase the character's minimum, maximum, and average hit points by 1. 

Consequences & Implementation

A house rule can have wide-reaching consequences, particularly when it alters something as mechanically fundamental as hit points. These impacts should be considered carefully, and the advantages and disadvantages to your game weighed before implementing the rule. What seems like a worthwhile trade for one game may not be a good fit for another.

Stamina checks change the game in the following ways:

• On average, a PC should end up with higher hit points than they would normally have (the difference should be negligible at low level, lucky rolls aside, but more noticeable at higher levels. Because hit points are based purely on the check result and there are no caps by class, PCs can gain hit points in excess of the the limits imposed by the normal rules (or at least, defying the probability of their possessing enough Constitution to get such a result under the normal rules). A 2nd level wizard, for instance, could roll luckily and add 10 hit points to their maximum!
• There are similar consequences to natural healing on a Short or Long Rest, with the average amount of hit points recovered per Stamina Point exceeding the average for Hit Die + Con. 
• Warrior classes (d10 and d12 Hit Die) benefit the most from the house rule, since they double or triple their proficiency score respectively. This extra buffer is comparatively greater than the gains of less combat-oriented classes, particularly at higher levels where the multiplier to proficiency makes a significant difference.
• The value of a character's Constitution is slightly diluted. Normally, +1 Constitution = + 1 hit point. When using Stamina checks, +1 Constitution = +0.5 hit points. This is an unavoidable consequence of using an ability check. A high Constitution score is still worthwhile, but players may feel it is less of a priority. If they so wish, the DM can increase the value of Constitution again by making an active effort to increase the number of Constitution ability checks and saving throws they ask their players to make.  

The overall effect of Stamina checks is to make characters more resilient, which is either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how heroic you like your player characters to be: bigger pools of hit points and improved short rest healing will make the party tougher on the whole (though they must still protect their squishier casters). High level warriors who might feel a little underwhelming compared to casters who are capable of mind- and reality-bending spells are certain to appreciate their additional potency. You can pull out the stops to Go Big with gonzo action.

If you like the idea of Stamina checks but would rather the characters gain hit points that are still in line with the possible ranges of the core game, here are a few variants you could consider:

Implement the house rule but enforce passive checks at level up. 

Players don't roll to increase their hit point maximum, they always add their modifier to 10. This should result in hit points that are comparable or better than the standard rules, but do remain within the game's expected ranges. To take the most extreme example I can think of, a 20th level Barbarian with 24 Con:

• With Hit Dice, their average hit point result at 20th level is 14 (7 + 7 Con). They could attain up to 19 hit points (12 + 7 Con). 
• Using Stamina Checks, the barbarian's passive Check would be 35 (10 + 18 proficiency + 7 Con), resulting in 18 hit points. This is considerably better than a barbarian's normal average, but remains within the expected range of possible outcomes. 

Static Bonuses to proficiency, not multipliers.

d10 and d12 classes don't multiply their proficiency bonus. Instead, a d10 class adds its proficiency +2 to their roll. The +2 bonus amounts to +1 hit point compared to a d8 class. A d12 class adds its proficiency +4, or in other words +2 hit points.

Take 2 Changes

A previous version of this article used the formula hit points = ability check result / 2.5, rounded to the nearest whole number. I settled on this formula because it provided the correct average hit points for a character with +0 Con, but I had missed that it broke down at higher check modifiers and could leave characters with underwhelming average hit points compared to the default system. Thanks to reader J for pointing this out. 

A more generous formula of hit points = ability check result / 2 solves the issue, while simultaneously helping offset the difference caused by the reduced contribution of a character's Constitution bonus to their hit point total. It can, if anything, be too generous, but as discussed in the article that's a cost/benefit analysis each DM can make for themselves! 

As part of the overhaul, Barbarians now triple their proficiency bonus rather than adding advantage as previous. Advantage interacts strangely with the system in that it has very different consequences depending on whether you roll it or add +5 to a passive roll to get your average. It's fairer and cleaner for a Barbarian player to get the same benefits in either situation. 

Closing Thoughts

I really like this house rule and I think I'll try it out for my next game. If you use it, let me know how it goes for you!

5e: Spelljammer Races: Part III—Grav, Hadozee, and Kree'Uli

For the last few weeks I've been presenting conversions of Spelljammer races as an aid to your attempts to to run Dungeons & Dragons campaigns among the Crystal Spheres! Or you could just introduce one or more of these species as inhabitants of or exotic visitors to your world. Previous installments have introduced the Dohwar, the Dracon, the Grommam, and two Gith subraces: Pirates of Gith and Zerth Freebooters. You can find links to all posts in this series here.

Today I'm presenting conversions of the Grav, the Hadozee, and the Kree'Uli (although the special features of the Kree'Uli race are near-identical to the Hadozee, so I chose to present adaptation notes in a sidebar rather than a true write-up. Also included this week is a new spell, gravity control. As their name hints at, the Grav have an innate control over gravity, but as I figured out the mechanics of this feature I realised it was getting very complex for a racial trait, and was looking more and more like a spell. Doing it this way streamlines the Grav entry, brings it in line with official races with innate magic, and also opens the spell up to other characters.

Grav

Gravs are short and stocky humanoids  approximately the same height as dwarves. They have an almost square build, and wide heads with round ears, prominent brows, and noses that are broad flat. A grav’s body is exceptionally dense, and has three times the mass of a being of similar size. 

The Grav are most often encountered on asteroids and moons, which they mine for valuable metals and minerals. They use their innate powers over gravity to assist in their industry. The gravs keep the location of their homeworld a secret. It is a high gravity world on which territory is divided into fiefdoms, each one of which is ruled a single family of elites. 

Grav

Grav Traits

Your grav has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Gravs can live well into their second century, and come of age at 23.

Alignment. Grav have an ordered society that props up an elitist caste system. Grav are peaceful almost to a fault. Their rabble-rousers are quietly moved to new positions on remote, trivial worlds. As a rule, grav are lawful neutral.

Size. Gravs are around the same height as dwarves, with a near-square build. They weigh about the same as a muscular half-orc. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Attention to Detail. You are proficient in Investigation. 

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.

Gravity Mastery. Grav are innately able to control gravitational forces. You can cast gravity control with this trait, without requiring any components. Constitution is your spellcasting ability. Once you do so, you can’t cast it again until you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level you can cast gravity control twice with this trait between long rests, then three timer between long rest once you attain 5th level.

Additionally, when you are subject to sudden changes of gravity, including the effects of spells such as gravity control and reverse gravity, you can choose not to be affected. If you choose to be affected and you have one or more uses of gravity control remaining, you can spend your reaction to cast it on yourself as a reaction at any point during your fall. 

Minecraft. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the ore, gems, or the mining industry you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Grav. Grav is a language of guttural consonants and hard vowels.  

Gravity Control

2^nd-level transmutation  | Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a lodestone and iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You alter the gravity affecting a single creature or object within 60 feet that is no more than one size category larger than yourself. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you can either hold the creature in place or float it upward or downward by up to 30 feet.

While you concentrate on the spell, the target’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed. Furthermore, it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. On your turn you can spend a bonus action on your turn to hold the creature in place, or an action to float it up or down by up to 30 feet. If you float the target further from yourself than the spell’s range, your concentration is broken. The target may make a Strength saving throw against the original DC at the end of each of its turns, breaking your concentration on a success.

When your concentration is broken the target falls back down to the ground (or in the direction of the current gravity plane, if different).

Hadozee

Hadozee are tall and hairy ape-like humanoids whose fur comes in a variety of shades between bright orange to a chocolate brown. They have a shaggy mane around their head, which has a protruding muzzle and pronounced fangs. A hadozee possesses patagial skin flaps which hang between its arms and legs. When extended taut, these allow the hadozee to glide short distances. Hadozee tend to be nimble climbers with a head for heights and a good sense of balance. They are also known to be hard-working. These qualities make them excellent construction workers, as well as crew for seafaring or spelljamming vessels.

The Hadozee world is warmer than a world such as Toril, and much of it is covered by subtropical and tropical forests. Hadozee have an adventurous spirit and can be found all over their world, as well as all over space and dozens of other worlds throughout the known Crystal Spheres. Most hadozee encountered away from their homeworld have never even visited it, and never will. As individuals and as a species, hadozee care far more about where they’re going than where they have been.

Hadozee

Hadozee Traits

Your hadozee has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age. Hadozee live about as long as humans, but they are considered adults in their mid-teens. 

Alignment. Hadozee rarely concern themselves with deep contemplation over morality and ethics. They just want to be left alone to enjoy their lives, and prefer to leave others alone to do the same.  They are often neutral. 

Size. Hadozee average around 6 feet in height, though they have a naturally stooping posture that makes them seem slightly shorter than they really are. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Attention to Detail.  When you jump from a place that is at least 10 feet above ground level, you can glide rather than falling provided there is space for you to stretch your patagial flaps. When gliding you have a fly speed of 20 feet but you cannot fly upward. At the end of each turn you spend gliding you descend 5 feet closer to the ground.

Additionally, you can spend your reaction to begin gliding when you fall, provided there is space to do so.

Handy Feet. Your toes are very limber and your big toes are opposable. You can use your feet as though they are an extra pair of hands. In addition, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet.

Rigging Runner. You are incredibly agile on any surface, ropes and lines, and even in the air. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics. 

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Hadozee. Hadozee consists of hoots, barks, and low vocalisations, as well as simple body language. 

Kree'Uli

Kree’uli are a race of diminutive humanoids who resemble crosses between a raccoon, a monkey and flying squirrel.  They come from a jungle world and live in small treetop villages. Their special characteristics are pretty similar to the hadozee, so you can use hadozee racial traits with only a few changes to represent a kree’uli character. Apply the changes described below:

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score doesn’t increase, but your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. Kree’Uli have fairly short lives, living until roughly sixty. They reach maturity at age twelve.

Size. Kree’Uli are about the same size as halflings. Your size is Small.

Alignment. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Prehensile Tail. You can use your tail to grasp objects, but not to perform any tasks that require fingers or to make weapon attacks.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

In the same series:

• Dracon and Grommam
• Dohwar and Gith
• Hurwaeti, Insectare, and Spaceborn Lizardfolk

5e: Spelljammer Races: Part II—Dohwar and Gith

Last week I presented the Dracon and Grommam player races for Spelljammer campaigns. I continue the series this week with the Dohwar and two new subraces for the Gith! Also included: a space swine statblock, since I know a bunch of you will want a winged piggy companion for your dohwar!

Dohwar

The dohwar are an avian species that resemble four-foot penguins (most closely resembling a rockhopper penguin). Their oily feathers are black all over except for their chest, which is white, and their red eye plumes. A dohwar’s flippers have an prehensile digit which helps them grasp objects, but they lack fingers. They also have a pair of prominent fangs within their beak. Dohwar have a garish fashion sense, wearing brightly coloured harnesses which hold tools, pouches, and decorations. 

The dohwar homeworld is distant enough from its sun that aside from a temperate band at the equator, most of the world is subarctic or colder. Most dohwar abroad are mechants. Since dohwar tend to lack interest in social graces, they are obnoxious and persistent in their dealings: a standard tactic is for two dohwar to corner a prospective customer, using their ability to read surface thoughts to glean insights, and talking at their victim until they buy something just to get away. Even the dohwar have a warrior class, called Protectors, who are notable for their strange beak-borne shortswords and their flying space swine mounts. 

Dohwar

Dohwar Traits

Your dohwar has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. A dohwar can live until around 80 years of age. They mature early, reaching the age of adulthood at 13.  

Alignment. Dohwar can seem chaotic and disorganised to outsiders, but to the dohwar themselves the inner working of their society is very orderly and works to the benefit of their race. Dohwar tend towards neutrality. 

Size. The tallest Dohwar are around 4 feet in height. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Bite.  The fangs within your beak are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Cold resistance. You have resistance to cold damage.

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.

Diver. You can hold your breath for 20 minutes. Additionally, you can dive up to 2,000 feet (twice as far as most humanoids) before suffering any of the drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment.

Dohwar Metabolism. You are immune to the inebriating effects of alcohol, but suffer similar effects when you consume sugar. A single apple is as intoxicating to you as a strong beer. A teaspoon of honey or syrup is equivalent to drinking a shot of a strong spirit. 

Dohwar Weapon Training. You are proficient with the weega, a unique weapon of your race. The weega is a sword blade that fits over your beak. The weega has identical game statistics to the shortsword.

Flippers. Your flippers can grab objects, but they are a poor substitute for nimble fingers. You have disadvantage on any attack rolls or ability checks that require the use of hands.

Space Swine

Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class

11 (natural armor)

Hit Points

11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed

40 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)	2 (-4)	9 (-1)	5 (-3)

Skills

Perception +4

Damage Resistances

Cold

Senses

passive Perception 13

Languages

—

Challenge

1/4 (50 XP)

Charge

If the space swine moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3 (1d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Keen Smell.

The space swine has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Relentless.

If the space swine takes 7 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.

Actions

Tusk.

Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.

Mind Reader. All dohwar have telepathic talent. You can telepathically speak to any other dohwar you can see within 30 feet of you.

You can also cast detect thoughts with this trait, without requiring any components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability. Once you do so, you can’t cast it again until you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level you can cast detect thoughts twice with this trait between long rests, then at 5th level you can cast detect thoughts three times with this trait between long rests.

Squawk Box. You are an incredibly persistent but irritating negotiator.  You are proficient in both Insight and Persuasion, and you may add your Wisdom bonus rather than your Charisma bonus to any Persuasion check you make, if it is higher.

Additionally, you may choose to add +10 to the result of a Persuasion check you make. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use this feature, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Until you finish a long rest you can’t use this feature against the creature again, and you have disadvantage on all subsequent Persuasion checks against them.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dohwar. Dohwar is a language of squawks, growls, and deep chirps.

Gith

When sages speak of the Gith, they talk of two factions: the githyanki and githzerai. There are in fact other branches of the race who, instead of settling among the outer planes, ventured out into wildspace.

The pirates of Gith were perhaps the most dedicated of the githyanki faction to claiming their revenge against the illithids. When the githyanki retreated to the Astral Plane after their war against the mind flayers, the pirates of Gith were those among them who refused to let the matter rest. They knew there were more illithids out among the stars, and so that is where they went. Like the githyanki, pirates of Gith take what they want. They are, if anything, more bloody and tyrannical than their cousins from the Astral Sea. Though mind flayers are their preferred prey, the pirates attack and steal from all spacefaring races. Some of them are even said to be cannibals.

When the pirates of Gith ventured out into wildspace, a faction of the githzerai volunteered to pursue them. In part, their role was to keep an eye on their cousins, but they were also keen to keep spacefaring illithids in check and prevent the conquest and enslavement of other peoples. This group would become known as the Zerth freebooters. The freebooters target pirates of Gith and illithids exclusively, and have little interest in other races one way or the other. They still maintain connections to their cousins in Limbo, and they are respected and even treated as folk heroes among common githzerai. They don’t like to visit, however, for they have become used to their freedoms and have no wish to capitulate to the rule of the Great Githzerai.

Pirate of Gith

Gith Traits

Your gith character has the racial traits of the core gith race, which appears on page 96 of Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes.

Pirate of Gith

The pirates of Gith are violent and sadistic raiders who treat others as cattle.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 2.

Alignment. Pirates of gith tend towards lawful evil. Their society is strictly regimented and harshly regulated. Most of their race are extremely xenophobic, even towards other gith. They attack and steal from other races, showing no mercy. Some crews even engage in cannibalism.

Carnage. After making at least one weapon attack on your turn, you can spend your reaction to make an additional attack. This attack is treated as an attack with a weapon you are wielding, but deals damage according to your character level: at 1st level, you deal 1d4 + your ability bonus. The die rolled increases in size as you gain levels: 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 9th level, 1d10 at 13th level, and finally 1d12 at 17th level. If the target of this attack is an illithid, you also double your ability bonus to the attack’s damage. 

Pirate of Gith Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait.

When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the expeditious retreat spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.  When you reach 5th level, you can cast the detect thoughts spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they don’t require components.

Piratical Weapon Training. You are proficient with scimitars (many pirates of Gith wield cutlasses, which use the game statistics of the scimitar).

Zerth Freebooter

Zerth freebooters are passionate about their campaigns against their enemies, but indifferent to others.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 2.

Alignment. Zerth freebooters have no loyalty to anyone other than their crewmates, and they enjoy their freedom from the rules of githzerai society in Limbo. Most zerth freebooters are chaotic neutral. 

Magic Resistance. Zerth freebooters have developed a strong magic resistance, which gives them a distinct advantage against their foes. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Freebooter Weapon Training. You are proficient with scimitars (many Zerth Freebooters wield cutlasses, which use the game statistics of the scimitar).

Zerth Freebooter Psionics. You know the mage hand cantrip, and the hand is invisible when you cast the cantrip with this trait.

When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the heroism spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.  When you reach 5th level, you can cast the blur spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they don’t require components.

In the same series:

• Dracon and Grommam
• Grav, Hadozee, and Kree'Uli
• Hurwaeti, Insectare, and Spaceborn Lizardfolk

5e: Spelljammer Races: Part I—Dracon and Grommam

For a while now, official content for Dungeons & Dragons has been teasing the  spacefaring setting Spelljammer. For those not familiar, Spelljammer introduced the hobby to an innovative setting that found a way to connect all possible worlds. This was achieved by proposing a  fantastical version of outer space. Within it, groups of worlds (think of them as galaxies) exist within Crystal Spheres. With each Crystal Sphere is the vast emptiness between the worlds and stars of each Crystal Sphere. Outside the Spheres is the Phlogiston, a plane of turbulent gas. Ships with magical spelljamming helms are able to sail Wildspace and even cross the Phlogiston, carrying an air bubble and localised gravity with them.

Spelljammer campaigns are a great way to utilise sourcebooks from any official or unofficial setting, as well as providing complete creative freedom for DMs who love to homebrew. This is why a small but vocal subset of Spelljammer fans has been increasingly excited by references to and mechanical support for Spelljammer material. Speculation that we might see an official return to this old setting has been rampant for some time, though has met with official denial. We know that a campaign setting is coming in 2019 and some fans think it might be Spelljammer, though Nathan Stewart (Senior Director for the Dungeons & Dragons line) denied this.

Personally, I'm inclined to the opinion that setting might be Dark Sun. Spelljammer is beloved by some (including me), but it has a reputation for silliness which might make it a risky product to market compared to some of the more beloved settings. Maybe if we're lucky might eventually see a Spelljammer campaign that acts as a soft setting introduction, the same way that Curse of Strahd does for Ravenloft. Truthfully, I doubt that too. Though I'll be glad to be proven wrong!

So why then the Spelljammer content teases throughout the official line? What I think is happening is that the design team have seen the love some hold for Spelljammer and the calls for it to come back, and even share that affection for this quirky setting. Rather than giving us a setting book, they're instead slowly giving us official conversions for enough content that we can start to run Spelljammer games using 2nd edition reference materials. So far this official support includes spelljamming helms (Dungeon of the Mad Mage), Giff (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes), and Neogi (Volo's Guide to Monsters), and of course pretty much all other published game content is valid in a Spelljammer game: that's the point of the setting. New rules for ships and naval combat, recently released in Unearthed Arcana and due to be published officially in a book on waterborne adventures this year, will be equally useful for spelljamming vessels.

With the above in mind, you really can start running Spelljammer adventures right now if you're prepared for a little work! There may or may not ever be official player options for the setting, but I thought I'd help you along by converting some playable Spelljammer races. I'll be skipping the Giff (a highly militant and orderly race that resemble humanoid hippopotami), because James Haeck recently wrote about them and provided racial traits over on DnDbeyond. Please also bear in mind that these aren't full racial write-ups. I'm providing the mechanics you need to start playing and just enough lore for you to get a sense of the race, but resources are available for further information. I've also had to take a few small creative liberties, such as determining the Age sections for species where this information was unavailable.

Today, I present the Dracon and Grommam races!

Dracon

A dracon is a centaur-like creature which has a lower body resembling a smaller-scaled brachiosaurus, a humanoid torso, and a head similar to that of a horned dragon. Each of its hands has six clawed fingers and a thumb.

Dracons hail from a dry, arid homeworld covered with grassy plains, deserts, and large but shallow seas. They are new to space and don't make spelljammers of their own. Most have little interest in travel beyond their world, for dracons prefer to stay with their herds and consider those that live alone to be abnormal.

Dracon

Dracon Traits

Your dracon has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. A dracon’s average lifespan is 158 years, and they aren’t considered adults until they are 22. 

Alignment. Dracons are highly civilized, with a strictly regulated society. They rarely have violent conflicts, and when they do such duels are regulated by a strict code of honor.  As such, dracons tends toward lawfulness and are rarely evil.

Size. When standing you are between 6 ft. 6 and and 7 ft. 6 tall. Your brachiosaurian body reaches a little over 4 feet at its highest point. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Monstrosity.  Your creature type is monstrosity, rather than humanoid.

Brachiosaurian build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag.

In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your brachiosaurian legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet, instead of the normal 1 extra foot.

Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

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.

Dracon weapon training. You have proficiency with the longsword, halberd, and glaive.

Herd instincts. When an allied creature is attacked by another creature who is within your melee reach, you can spend your reaction to run interference. The attack has disadvantage. If the attack hits, you can choose to take the damage on behalf of the original target.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

Grommam

The grommam are long armed, ape-like humanoids that resemble gorillas with copper-red fur. They are furred all over except their chocolate colored faces, palms, and soles. Grommam exhibit sexual dimorphism: female grommam are lighter and more physically agile, while male grommam have more powerful physiques.

They come from a world of grasslands and great forests. Grommam are equally happy dwelling on the ground or in tree houses, according to where they live. Grommam society is close-knit and family oriented, and they tend to be contemplative and religious. Their hierarchy is matriarchal at all levels: the eldest female of each family makes decisions for that family, the eldest of those in each clan (several dozen families) is the clan’s director. The directors of each clan within a House meet to decide larger affairs. Houses are largely self-regulating, but Gromman society as a whole is guided by demigods who live among their people, as well as the caste of Priestesses which serves them.

Grommam

Grommam Traits

Your grommam has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Grommam have a similar lifespan and rate of maturity to humans.

Alignment. Grommam are generally a peaceful and content people who have a great respect for their betters and society’s laws. They tend towards both lawfulness and good.

Size. Average height for a grommam is 5 feet. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Dimorphism. Grommam exhibit distinct physical characteristics between males and females beyond the differences of their sexual organs. You gain additional features which are dependent on your assigned sex.

Ambidextrous. You’re equally competent when using either hand. You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you’re wielding aren’t light. 

Climber. You have agile fingers and toes, as well as a powerful grip, making it possible for you to climb with great ease. You have a climbing speed of 20 feet.

Long-Armed. Your arm span is up to nine feet across, affording you improved reach compared to other creatures of your size. You have a reach of 10 feet, rather than 5 feet, but you gain no additional benefit when wielding a weapon with the reach property.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Grommish. When spoken, Grommish is primarily a language of physical expression, using posture, facial arrangement, and hand signing to convey its meaning. Hoots, grunts, screams, and other calls are impart additional context to the recipient, and sometimes act as an audio shorthand when signing is impossible (such as when signalling immediate danger).

Female Gromman

If your assigned sex at birth was female, you have the following additional racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Arboreal Grace. You have proficiency in Acrobatics.

Male Gromman

If your assigned sex at birth was male, you have the following additional racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Iron Embrace. You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks you make to grapple.




In the same series:

• Dohwar and Gith
• Grav, Hadozee, and Kree'Uli
• Hurwaeti, Insectare, and Spaceborn Lizardfolk

5e: The Explorer 2 is now on DMsGuild!

The Explorer 2 is now available for purchase on DMsGuild!

The Explorer 2. Cover Art © Jack Holliday. Licensed for use.

Late last year I released the Explorer: a complete rebuild of the Ranger designed so that the entire core class has no magic, and instead has feature called Exertion, a a short rest recharge resource they can spend to accomplish great feats. Thus the Explorer satisfies my desire for a nonmagical Ranger, which I know is shared by many others. Two of the class archetypes cater to this demand: the Avenger and the Watchkeeper cater to this demand. Yet magic can also be introduced back into the class through your choice of archetypes, allowing the Explorer to be the best of both worlds! The Explorer contains two magical archetypes: the primal-powered Ranger (which is the closest to the original Ranger class, naturally) and the arcane-using Delver, an expert dungeon explorer.

With the release of The Explorer 2, four new Paths are available to your Explorer:

The Bounty Hunter

A bounty hunter dedicates themselves to the risky business of pursuing dangerous criminals such as deadly killers, corrupt priests, and lunatic mages.

Many are former soldiers and scouts who seek to make use of their wartime skills. Bounty hunters are fundamentally mercenaries, but while some are simply in it for the money others see their career as an honourable calling. A few even work full time for law enforcement agencies or guilds, and must conduct themselves in a manner befitting their employer’s image.

The Canary

The original canaries were dwarves who accompanied workers in the mines specifically to watch out for environmental dangers. Should the work break through into other tunnels, the canaries were the first to scout ahead. It was (and still is) an extremely dangerous profession, but canaries are accorded great respect among the dwarves for the important role that they play.

As a canary, you know that the underdark is a perilous place, and have made it your business to guide those who would dig deep or wander in the dark below. Hopefully with you present they will be forewarned and forearmed against any dangers, and more likely to emerge safely once more into the light.

The Gravewalker

Some gravewalkers train to be the ultimate undead hunters, whether that be to take vengeance against them or to free their trapped souls. Other gravewalkers see death as merely another great adventure and aren’t prepared to wait until their life is over to experience it. Whatever their motivations, a gravewalker takes inspiration from the undead to learn powers that are beyond the usual understanding of the living.

As a gravewalker, you are an expert on all things undead, capable of communicating with them, breaking the chains that bind them, and fighting them on equal terms.

The Guerilla

A guerilla is an expert at unconventional warfare, employing hit and run tactics and other tricksy methods to overcome a force which, on paper, may seem superior. Some guerillas specialise in fighting in the wilds, while others may employ their cunning in the narrow winding alleys of a city.

Guerillas are forged through necessity in the fires of war. You may have belonged to your home nation’s army, where you served as a scout. Or perhaps you joined a desperate rebellion against a tyrannical authority?

Guerillas are always self-sufficient and like their independence. Whether they respect authority or mistrust it, they always prefer to keep a distance from it.

David Bowie: a Hero of Song

David Bowie was one of my personal heroes. Today is his birthday, and the 10th January will be the anniversary of his death.

In honour of the great entertainer, I've put my product Heroes of Song on sale. Usually $1.99, you can now get it for only $0.99!

This flash sale will end at midnight (GMT +0) on 10/01/2019.

About Heroes of Song

Dance to your own tune with this collection of six music-themed archetypes!

In the many worlds of D&D, words and music contain actual, exploitable power. Those in the know can harness these mysterious, ancient forces, drawing forth the magic of music to bring tangible change into the world around them.

Bards are the archetypal hero of song, but they aren’t the only heroes to tap into the raw power music. Heroes of Song introduces six new archetypes, two for the Bard class, and four which introduce the power of music to other classes!

Heroes of Song includes the following archetypes:

• The Battle Skald, a Barbarian Primal Path. Warrior-poets, battle skalds keep the verbal and musical histories of their people, and sing songs of victory in battle to ignite a fire in the hearts of their war band.
• The College of Choristers, a Bard College. Giving themselves and their musical talent over to the service of the divine, choristers lead their congregation in worshipful song, and channel the power of their faith through their voice.
• The College of Creation, a Bard College. Bards of this college comprehend the musical underpinnings of reality, and can use their music to channel and shape elemental forces.
• The Clarion, a Warlock Patron. An insubstantial being of pure music that hops from creative to creative as their muse, inspiring frenzies of creation uncaring for its current host's physical needs nor health. A Clarion-pact warlock can summon a pact instrument whenever they wish, and can use their music to inspire changes in the mindsets of their audience.
• The Warsinger, a Fighter Archetype. Warsingers learn bardic secrets, channeling music and magic as tools of war. In battle a warsinger is able to perform battle anthems to inspire their unit.
• The Way of Splendid Song, a Monk Monastic Tradition. Sometimes known as Chanters, monks of this tradition learn mantras, activated by spending ki. While continuing to focus on reciting a mantra, the Chanter gains special strengths associated with the mantra being performed.