Whiles
2020-07-18, 06:48 PM
Greetings! I was looking to add Saurials to my game, but all the builds I saw -- while well-made -- seemed a little complicated to me and not in keeping with 5e design philosophy (e.g. very few races in 5e have an elemental weakness). So I decided to simplify things a bit. I also did away with the inability to speak with humans, but that's easy enough to add back in. Some of the information is inspired by Sauriels of the Lost Vale by Chris Constantin as well as previous editions. Let me know what you think!
Saurials
Ability Score Increase. As each of the Saurial subraces are physically distinct, the ability scores that are increased vary between them. See the section on each subrace.
Age. Saurials usually appear full grown by the age of 5 years. However, they usually take at least another decade to fully mature, and often feel no desire to leave their community until after 25 years or so. They typically live to about 125 to 150 years.
Alignment. Saurials tend towards lawfulness, as they prefer a highly organized society where everyone knows their role. While insular, Saurials are also friendly, peaceful, and get along well with outsiders, thus leaning towards good.
Size. See the section on each subrace to determine your size.
Speed. As with size, your base speed depends on your subrace.
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.
Natural Armor. You have thick, leathery skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to thunder damage. In addition, you gain advantage on saves against effects that cause the Deafness condition.
Warm-Blooded. You're naturally adapted to hot climates, as described in Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. However, you gain disadvantage on Constitution saves against cold climates.
Languages. You can understand, read, and write Common, Draconic, and Saurial.
Subrace. There are four subraces among the Saurials: the Bladebacks, the Finheads, the Flyers, and the Hornheads. Choose one of these subraces, as they determine many of your characteristics.
Bladeback
The most social of the Saurial race, bladebacks are straightforward and trusting, and are able to mix with individuals of other races easily. Often becoming diplomats, explorers, and priests, bladebacks are level-headed and often become leaders among Saurial communities. Wronging a bladeback is to risk offending all Saurials, as they have long memories and spread their word far. They are patient and slow to anger, but when pushed to violence they fight passionately.
Bladebacks are taller and stockier than a human, with a build similar to a half-orc and a distinctive hunched stance. It possesses a series of large, sharp plates which extend from the top of its head, down its spine, and along its nearly body-length tail.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Size. Bladebacks stand between 5 and 8 feet tall and average about 220 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Tail Slam. Your tail is a natural melee weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Worldly. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: History, Insight, Religion, or Survival.
Finhead
Finheads are the most common Saurials and are bright, alert, and curious. They are also good with their hands and approach both craftsmanship and hard labor with the same eagerness. Quick to jump into situations before taking time to understand them, finheads are most often encountered as adventurers: particularly traders, warriors, and even paladins. They often see the world in black and white, rather than shades of gray, and tend to act rashly to redress a perceived wrong.
Finheads are slightly shorter than a human but possess much the same build. Its tail measures slightly more than half its body length, and a pronounced fin crowns its head.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Finheads stand between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 to 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Claws. You have a Claw attack that does 1d6 slashing damage. You must have a free hand to attack with a claw.
Trained. You gain proficiency with an artisan’s tool set of your choice.
Flyer
Skittish and loud, flyers often serve as scouts and messengers for Saurial communities. They enjoy idle gossip and will chat at other creatures to the point of irritation. Note, however, that non-reptilians are often unable to understand what the flyer is saying, but that rarely discourages the Saurial when brought up.
Flyers are about the same size and shape of a thin halfling. It has a short tail and a flap of thin skin that stretches from its wrists to its waist.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Flyers are about 3 feet tall and average about 35 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet.
Beak. You have a hardened beak that you can use to make a bite attack that does 1d4 piercing damage.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 40 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Hornhead
The largest of the Saurial race, hornheads are meticulous planners, and rarely make a decision without careful, rational thought. They are often encountered as scholars learning about the world around them, although a few of the more physically inclined also practice skills such as metalworking. Woe to anyone who manages to anger a hornhead, for many practice the art of spellcasting.
Hornheads are large, sometimes growing to the size of ogres, and have tails as long as their body. Their head is topped with several sharp horns and a bony plate protects their neck.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Size. Hornheads stand between 6 and 8 feet tall and weigh about 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Horns. Your horns are natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard’s spell list. Intelligence is your
spellcasting trait for it.
Saurials
Ability Score Increase. As each of the Saurial subraces are physically distinct, the ability scores that are increased vary between them. See the section on each subrace.
Age. Saurials usually appear full grown by the age of 5 years. However, they usually take at least another decade to fully mature, and often feel no desire to leave their community until after 25 years or so. They typically live to about 125 to 150 years.
Alignment. Saurials tend towards lawfulness, as they prefer a highly organized society where everyone knows their role. While insular, Saurials are also friendly, peaceful, and get along well with outsiders, thus leaning towards good.
Size. See the section on each subrace to determine your size.
Speed. As with size, your base speed depends on your subrace.
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.
Natural Armor. You have thick, leathery skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Damage Resistance. You have resistance to thunder damage. In addition, you gain advantage on saves against effects that cause the Deafness condition.
Warm-Blooded. You're naturally adapted to hot climates, as described in Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. However, you gain disadvantage on Constitution saves against cold climates.
Languages. You can understand, read, and write Common, Draconic, and Saurial.
Subrace. There are four subraces among the Saurials: the Bladebacks, the Finheads, the Flyers, and the Hornheads. Choose one of these subraces, as they determine many of your characteristics.
Bladeback
The most social of the Saurial race, bladebacks are straightforward and trusting, and are able to mix with individuals of other races easily. Often becoming diplomats, explorers, and priests, bladebacks are level-headed and often become leaders among Saurial communities. Wronging a bladeback is to risk offending all Saurials, as they have long memories and spread their word far. They are patient and slow to anger, but when pushed to violence they fight passionately.
Bladebacks are taller and stockier than a human, with a build similar to a half-orc and a distinctive hunched stance. It possesses a series of large, sharp plates which extend from the top of its head, down its spine, and along its nearly body-length tail.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Size. Bladebacks stand between 5 and 8 feet tall and average about 220 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Tail Slam. Your tail is a natural melee weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Worldly. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: History, Insight, Religion, or Survival.
Finhead
Finheads are the most common Saurials and are bright, alert, and curious. They are also good with their hands and approach both craftsmanship and hard labor with the same eagerness. Quick to jump into situations before taking time to understand them, finheads are most often encountered as adventurers: particularly traders, warriors, and even paladins. They often see the world in black and white, rather than shades of gray, and tend to act rashly to redress a perceived wrong.
Finheads are slightly shorter than a human but possess much the same build. Its tail measures slightly more than half its body length, and a pronounced fin crowns its head.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Finheads stand between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 to 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Claws. You have a Claw attack that does 1d6 slashing damage. You must have a free hand to attack with a claw.
Trained. You gain proficiency with an artisan’s tool set of your choice.
Flyer
Skittish and loud, flyers often serve as scouts and messengers for Saurial communities. They enjoy idle gossip and will chat at other creatures to the point of irritation. Note, however, that non-reptilians are often unable to understand what the flyer is saying, but that rarely discourages the Saurial when brought up.
Flyers are about the same size and shape of a thin halfling. It has a short tail and a flap of thin skin that stretches from its wrists to its waist.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Size. Flyers are about 3 feet tall and average about 35 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 20 feet.
Beak. You have a hardened beak that you can use to make a bite attack that does 1d4 piercing damage.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 40 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Hornhead
The largest of the Saurial race, hornheads are meticulous planners, and rarely make a decision without careful, rational thought. They are often encountered as scholars learning about the world around them, although a few of the more physically inclined also practice skills such as metalworking. Woe to anyone who manages to anger a hornhead, for many practice the art of spellcasting.
Hornheads are large, sometimes growing to the size of ogres, and have tails as long as their body. Their head is topped with several sharp horns and a bony plate protects their neck.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Size. Hornheads stand between 6 and 8 feet tall and weigh about 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Horns. Your horns are natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard’s spell list. Intelligence is your
spellcasting trait for it.