Sir_Popard
2020-02-23, 10:06 PM
So I’ve made multiple attempts to create a playable Sphinx race for D&D (once in 3.5, and once before in 5e). This is probably the most concise version I’ve drafted so far with the fewest concessions to flavor.
SPHINX TRAITS
Your sphinx character has the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence or Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Strength increases by 1.
Age. Although sphinxes reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the sphingian understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A sphinx typically claims adulthood around the age of 60 and can live to be 650 years old.
Alignment. Sphinx are inclined toward lawful neutrality.
Size. Sphinxes run between 4 and 6 feet from nose to rump, not including their tail. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Celestial. Your creature type is celestial, rather than humanoid.
Glide. Using your feathered wings, you can slow your fall, and glide short distances. When falling you can use your reaction to spread your wings, stiffen your feathers, and slow your descent. While doing so, you continue to fall gently at a speed of 60 feet per round, taking no fall damage when you land. If you would fall at least 10 feet in this way, you may fly up to your movement speed in one direction you choose, although you cannot choose to move upwards, landing in the space you finish your movement. You cannot glide while wearing heavy armor, or if you are encumbered.
Darkvision. Thanks to your magical blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Claws. Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you make unarmed strike with your claws, you deal slashing damage equal to ld6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Furthermore, your claws have the light property.
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming Resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Enigmatic. You have advantage on Saving Throws against being charmed or frightened, and you have Resistance against psychic damage.
Feline Build. You are limited in the type of magic items and equipment you can use. As you have no hands, you cannot use items that require hands (such as wielding a manufactured weapon or shield). You can hold items in your mouth well enough to aim a wand or carry a Tiny object. You can wear armor if it is tailored to fit your nonhumanoid form. You can wear and benefit from magic rings, belts, goggles, gloves, boots, bracers, amulets, cloaks, and similar items, which magically adjust themselves to your size and shape when you attune to them (or when you don them, if they don’t require attunement). Sphinx spellcasters often create variants on magic items designed to be worn as earrings.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sphinx.
Notes:
To give full credit where it’s due:
The Glide trait is borrowed from the Deck of Many’ Humblewood sourcebook. Full-fledged flight seems to be a real dealbreaker for game balance and this seemed a good compromise.
The Claws traits borrows elements of the Tabaxi Cat's Claws trait.
The Feline Build trait is borrowed from Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for Fifth Edition. I’m torn on whether I want to stick with this or an alternate version where they still can’t use weapons but only have disadvantage using tools they’re not proficient with. Mundane cats can be strangely... handy.
SPHINX TRAITS
Your sphinx character has the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence or Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Strength increases by 1.
Age. Although sphinxes reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the sphingian understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A sphinx typically claims adulthood around the age of 60 and can live to be 650 years old.
Alignment. Sphinx are inclined toward lawful neutrality.
Size. Sphinxes run between 4 and 6 feet from nose to rump, not including their tail. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Celestial. Your creature type is celestial, rather than humanoid.
Glide. Using your feathered wings, you can slow your fall, and glide short distances. When falling you can use your reaction to spread your wings, stiffen your feathers, and slow your descent. While doing so, you continue to fall gently at a speed of 60 feet per round, taking no fall damage when you land. If you would fall at least 10 feet in this way, you may fly up to your movement speed in one direction you choose, although you cannot choose to move upwards, landing in the space you finish your movement. You cannot glide while wearing heavy armor, or if you are encumbered.
Darkvision. Thanks to your magical blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Claws. Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you make unarmed strike with your claws, you deal slashing damage equal to ld6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Furthermore, your claws have the light property.
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming Resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Enigmatic. You have advantage on Saving Throws against being charmed or frightened, and you have Resistance against psychic damage.
Feline Build. You are limited in the type of magic items and equipment you can use. As you have no hands, you cannot use items that require hands (such as wielding a manufactured weapon or shield). You can hold items in your mouth well enough to aim a wand or carry a Tiny object. You can wear armor if it is tailored to fit your nonhumanoid form. You can wear and benefit from magic rings, belts, goggles, gloves, boots, bracers, amulets, cloaks, and similar items, which magically adjust themselves to your size and shape when you attune to them (or when you don them, if they don’t require attunement). Sphinx spellcasters often create variants on magic items designed to be worn as earrings.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sphinx.
Notes:
To give full credit where it’s due:
The Glide trait is borrowed from the Deck of Many’ Humblewood sourcebook. Full-fledged flight seems to be a real dealbreaker for game balance and this seemed a good compromise.
The Claws traits borrows elements of the Tabaxi Cat's Claws trait.
The Feline Build trait is borrowed from Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for Fifth Edition. I’m torn on whether I want to stick with this or an alternate version where they still can’t use weapons but only have disadvantage using tools they’re not proficient with. Mundane cats can be strangely... handy.