PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Cynocephali: Dog-folk for Dog Jokes



sandmote
2021-01-07, 04:23 PM
this page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ZdOvDt1fROUO).

So, many people like to make dog jokes about gnolls. I prefer to treat them like hyenas (in case previous homebrew (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610861-Gnolls-amp-Aardgnolls-(Non-Demonic)) didn't make that clear) so I figured I'd write up the Cynocephali from ancient greek mythology to fill the equivalent.

Fluff
Living in mountain peaks or remote islands away from civilized lands, the cynocephali closely resemble humanoid dogs. They are renowned for their skirmishing ability, striking with throwing spears and arrows from afar as they make their retreat behind mountain passes. In many places they have formed alliances those in the valleys below, exchanging meat, amber, and spices for grain and worked weapons.

Wealth among the Cynocephali is measured in quantity, often in the size of an individual's flock of sheep and goats. They typically wear finely tanned hides, and metal armor is rare among their native lands.



Cynocephali Racial Features

Ability Score Increase
Your Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.

Age
Cynocephali mature slightly slower than humans, and they’re considered young until they reach the age of 35. They typically remain vigorous until they reach about 150, at which point old age rapidly sets in. Plenty live to 170, but only a few past 200.

Alignment
Cynocephali live in communal groups, often living in caves or on the move through maintain ranges and isolated islands. Most communities lean strongly toward law and good as a method of keeping the peace between themselves and their neighbors, although communities where this breaks down tend to take as hard turn for evil and chaos. A truly neutral Cynocephalus is a rare sight.

My sources listed some discrepancies between greek descriptions/that one saint and the race as described by Marco Polo. I can't read Greek, Latin, or Italian, so I'm not sure about the accuracy.


Cynocephalus Weapon Training
You have proficiency with the javelin, spear, shortsword, and shortbow.

Keen Smell
Thanks to your sensitive nose, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Survival), and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that involve smell.

Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Cynocephali. Cynocephali sounds almost identical to barking, and is mutually intelligible with Worg and other languages of creature related to wolves. Most Cynocephali know only a little bit of Common, but those who deal with outsiders (and that includes you as an adventurer) pick up enough Common to get by in other lands.

I'm not sure how to put this. Separate languages that are understandable between each other already exists as a concept in Primordial, which is split between Auran, Aquan, Terran, and Ingan. The text is otherwise stolen from the svirfneblin, as the race was described as not being able to actually speak. I'm not sure how to handle adding a sign language for the race, but they'd be a prime candidate for having individually developed one.


Prolific Hunters
Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) check related to determine what sort of beast tracks or materials came from, you are considered proficient in the Nature skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. This bonus also applies to determining tracks or materials did not come from a beast, although you then gain no bonus to determine what sort of creature (if any) the tracks or materials came from.

Based on Stonecunning, but something you'd kind of expect from constant hunters.


Steady Recovery
An injured cynocephalus often surprises those of other races with their ability to recover from wounds. You regain one additional hit die at the end of a long rest, and the maximum number of hit dice you can have is increased by one. The size of this additional hit die it equal to the size of the hit die you gain at 1st level.

I'm not sure about the strength of this. It's kind of a lot at 1st level, but I don't think it keeps up with Dwarven Toughness.


Size
Cynocephali are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speak with Wolves
Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with wolves, dogs, and similar beasts. Cynocephali compete with such animals, but growls and grunts are typically close enough to the language for the two to share ideas.

Speed
A cynocephalus' gait is steady but quick. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

JNAProductions
2021-01-07, 08:04 PM
Feels just a TOUCH overloaded, but honestly, nothing jumps out as broken.

I might prune it a bit just to make it a bit more palatable, but you could run it as-is and I doubt anyone would complain too hard.

Greywander
2021-01-12, 01:35 AM
Steady Recovery
An injured cynocephalus often surprises those of other races with their ability to recover from wounds. You regain one additional hit die at the end of a long rest, and the maximum number of hit dice you can have is increased by one.
What size is the extra hit die? Remember, I can totally have a crazy multiclass character with one level in each class, so it can't be determined by class. Medium sized NPCs usually use d8s for their hit dice, so that might be an option.

Alternatively, whenever they spend hit dice to heal, perhaps they regain additional HP equal to their proficiency bonus.

sandmote
2021-01-12, 10:45 PM
What size is the extra hit die? Remember, I can totally have a crazy multiclass character with one level in each class, so it can't be determined by class. Medium sized NPCs usually use d8s for their hit dice, so that might be an option.

Alternatively, whenever they spend hit dice to heal, perhaps they regain additional HP equal to their proficiency bonus.At an absolute minimum the language needs to be clarified, so thanks for the catch. However, has there been anything released updating how HP calculations are done? Note that you get HP equal to your hit die at first level, which could result in different hit point totals later for PCs with the same class levels. For instance, my understanding was that a 2nd level barbarian/wizard could have either 12+4+2*CON hit points or 6+7+2*CON hit points depending on what class they were at 1st level. Because of this I intended the extra hit die to match the one you get at 1st level.

mcumoric
2021-01-13, 03:01 PM
Oh boy, time to be Barf from Spaceballs.

Greywander
2021-01-13, 08:24 PM
Because of this I intended the extra hit die to match the one you get at 1st level.
Ah, okay. This needs to be clarified, as a multiclassed character might have more than one size of hit die.

quinron
2021-01-20, 08:56 PM
I've actually been tinkering with my own dog-headed race inspired, at least partially, by the cynocephalic legends, and I also gave them extra hit dice regeneration. I'm curious where you got that idea - I'm sure I had a reason for it, but I can't remember what.

On that topic, I think you're making the right call with tying the hit die to the first class level. It makes the race useful no matter what class you pick, but it avoids making this race feel like a blatantly better pick than others for a given class.

sandmote
2021-01-21, 01:20 AM
I've actually been tinkering with my own dog-headed race inspired, at least partially, by the cynocephalic legends, and I also gave them extra hit dice regeneration. I'm curious where you got that idea - I'm sure I had a reason for it, but I can't remember what. I don't recall. I have wanted to do something with hit dice for a while, but I think there was a particular reason I used it here. I think it was something about a captured cynocephalus, but I can't seem to find any such passage now.

P. G. Macer
2021-01-21, 01:27 AM
I like it! My main question is if identifying tracks would be a Nature check or a Survival check, since finding/following tracks is definitely survival, and the ability could end u as nigh-useless if the DM calls for the skill/ability not mentioned in the feature. Maybe you should include both?