Zendikar Races: Merfolk, Kor, Goblin, Vampires?

[Dralnu]

I'm launching a new free adventure module set in Magic: the Gathering's plane of Zendikar. I will be releasing a Player's Companion that will include new playable races appropriate for the setting, since traditionally Zendikar does not have many of the standard races such as dwarf / tiefling etc.

I will release new races: Merfolk, Kor, Goblin. I don't think Vampires are traditionally adventurers, but maybe I can make a toned down version for them as well, since Zendikar vampires are hardly as powerful as traditional D&D vamps.

I need help getting the crunch right. The fluff I can take care of easily.

Merfolk
Source Material
+2 INT +1 (???): Merfolk naturally have a knack for scholarly pursuits.
Amphibious: Merfolk can breathe air and water.
Travel Speed: The merfolk of Zendikar have adapted for life on the surface world and are bipedal creatures. They have a travel speed of 30 ft. on the surface and a swim speed of 30 ft. if they aren't wearing medium or heavy armor.
Alignment: tend towards neutral
Other Stuf???

Kor
Source Material (shockingly little considering this is an original race that we've never learned much about)
+2 DEX +1 WIS: Most kor live and die by their quick reflexes and steady aim of their hooks. They are also a deeply spiritual people.
Alignment: tend towards chaotic good; Kor value the portability of individual skill and strength of character over more "static" virtues.
Hooked Rope Proficiency: New weapon? Kor are proficient with them.
Travel Speed: 30ft.
Other stuff: ???

Goblin
Source Material
+2 DEX (zzzz) +1 (???):


The one thing I don't like is +DEX makes sense for a lot of races but the end result is just boring: Human, Kor, Merfolk, Goblin, Elf, are the typical races of Zendikar adventurers, Elves get +2 DEX, Kor get +2 DEX, Goblins get +2 DEX...

[Gr7mm Bobb]

First off, sweet!
For merfolk:
- +2 Int and +1 Wis, they have a surprisingly natural grasp of the world beyond a good 'gut instinct'. they make natural wizards and rogues.
- darkvision 60ft and can see through normally poor visibility better than most (like murky water or foggy conditions
- proficient in daggers, tridents, nets, pikes, and spears

For Kor:
- your stats are good, definitely feel like natural monks
- maybe double range on grappling hook throws for climbing, and can treat the hooks as thrown finesse weapons with an attack range of 30/90. Bonus action to attempt to grapple with hook?
- climb speed?
- no elevation sickness?
- adv against fear effects?

goblins:
- . . . ill get back to you on this one.

if you would like i can share my take on the humans of mirroden. definitely working on archtypes for the colors of magic starting with warlock.

[thoroughlyS]

I love Goblins, so I can't sit idly by and let them go unrepresented. This is what I could come up with after poring through the lore posted above:

Zendikar Goblin

Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
Age: A goblin reaches maturity at about age 9, and they can live into their late 30s. Unfortunately many goblins meet their ends fairly early in their exploring days.
Alignment: The goblins of Zendikar tend quite heavily towards a chaotic mindset centered around making a name for oneself.
Size: Goblins stand between 3.5 and 5 feet in height, but with a slender, more elongated build. Your size is Small.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
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.
Nimble Escape: You may take the Hide or Disengage action as a bonus action on each of your turns. (This is the only thing standard D&D goblins have going for them by the way...)
Haste: If you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren't incapacitated, you can make reactions normally. You still can't move or take actions on your first turn of the combat.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
Subrace: Zendikar is home to three major loose tribes of goblins.

TUKTUK GOBLIN
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Teachings of Tuktuk: Whenever you make an Intelligence(Arcana) or (History) check related to relics, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.
Relic Familiarity: If you are within 15 ft of an item, have a line of sight to it, and are aware of it you instantly know whether it is magic or not.
Curious Ambition: You have proficiency in the Investigation skill.

LAVASTEP GOBLIN
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Tool Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: alchemist’s supplies, jeweler’s tools, or smith’s tools.
Stony Complexion: You can attempt to hide in plain sight while in rocky terrain.You have advantage on Dexterity(stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain.(courtesy of the Deep Gnome)
Fire worship: You have resistance against fire damage.

GROTAG GOBLIN
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma and Intelligence scores each increase by 1.
Supposed Tamer: You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill.

[thoroughlyS]

Wizards of the Coast actually put out this exact information at the end of last month in their article Plane Shift:Zendikar. direct pdf link

I'm very pleased to say that there were many similarities between the official Goblins and mine.

[DracoKnight]

-snip-

Have you seen the Zenkidar supplement that they put out for 5e?

[JBPuffin]

Have you seen the Zenkidar supplement that they put out for 5e?

Keep in mind, the thread is almost one year old now...

[DracoKnight]

Keep in mind, the thread is almost one year old now...

I didn't see that...