Shapeshifting Unicorn Playable Race - Help :)

[Jorgumander]

I'm looking to make a playable race of "Unicorns" that can shift between being humanoid (possibly passing as humans or half elves) and unicorns.

They do NOT need to have all of the abilities of a real Unicorn. They are a created race of a powerful magic user, and he had planned on using them to protect his demiplane. They were not a failure, but not a true success either.

They do NOT need to have their shapechanging ability at will. It can be very limited, as a matter of fact. Perhaps once they change form they can't change for an entire month or week? Not sure.

I would like it as balanced as possible as it will be a playable race in my campaign. I would like them to be like any other starting/standard race.


Is this asking too much? Advice is sure welcome. Thank you folks so so much!

[Lalliman]

This is pretty easy if you're willing to let the unicorn form have the same physical stats as the human one (as is the case with vampires and other shapechanging NPCs). I'm imagining something like this:

Shapeshift. You can use your action to transform into your unicorn form or back into your humanoid form. While in unicorn form, your statistics remain the same, except for the following changes.
- You are Large size, and your speed increases to 50 feet.
- Your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 damage and count as magical. This represents attacking with your hooves or horn.
- When you transform, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. (Taken from the druid's Wild Shape.)

And then it's just a matter of choosing some appropriate racial traits. I guess Darkvision, Telepathy (for when you're in horse form) and some Charisma-based innate casting. I always use this page for balancing custom races. I would say the shapeshifting ability I described is worth 1 point. (It's only situationally useful, considering that you can't use weapons or armour when in horse form.) So you have 5-6 points left to spend to create a balanced race.

[yarrowdeathbloo]

This is pretty easy if you're willing to let the unicorn form have the same physical stats as the human one (as is the case with vampires and other shapechanging NPCs). I'm imagining something like this:

Shapeshift. You can use your action to transform into your unicorn form or back into your humanoid form. While in unicorn form, your statistics remain the same, except for the following changes.
- You are Large size, and your speed increases to 50 feet.
- Your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 damage and count as magical. This represents attacking with your hooves or horn.
- When you transform, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. (Taken from the druid's Wild Shape.)

And then it's just a matter of choosing some appropriate racial traits. I guess Darkvision, Telepathy (for when you're in horse form) and some Charisma-based innate casting. I always use this page for balancing custom races. I would say the shapeshifting ability I described is worth 1 point. (It's only situationally useful, considering that you can't use weapons or armour when in horse form.) So you have 5-6 points left to spend to create a balanced race.

Mabye also give them +2 cha and bladeward as a sla

+2 cha because they are shapeshifters and that seems standard

Blade ward because unicorns are ment to be protectors and I feel it fits the theme.

[Jorgumander]

Thank you so much! Invaluable! There is going to be a very happy young woman in the playing group once I get this done. :)

[Jorgumander]

After looking at Blade Ward, I'm not a fan of that one.

On the other hand I'm extremely partial to the following cantrips
a) Druidcraft: (as they are basically druid horses as far as I can tell). Something fun, aesthetically pleasing, and handy if you're smart.
b) Spare The Dying: keeping with the healer/protector theme.
c) Guidance: for helping the creatures and folk in its territory. Help me Choose one?

Considering higher level spells as well.

at 3rd level, a Unicorn can cast Cure Wounds 1/Long Rest. CHA is its stat

Thoughts on these? 1 Pts for the two spells

As for racial stats, Going with +2 CHA and +1 DEX ? 3 pts.

Fey Ancestry .5 pts

Speak with Plants and Animals .5 pts

Total: 6 counting the shapechanging ability

by keeping them from having telepathic communication, it gives them incentive to shift into humanoid form.

Humanoid form looks roughly like a Half-Elf? But with an ebony skin and white hair.



Shapeshift. You can use your action to transform into your unicorn form or back into your humanoid form. While in unicorn form, your statistics remain the same, except for the following changes.
- You are MEDIUM size (I want them to be smaller and far more slight than a real Unicorn. Their coats are a shiny black with white manes and feet/hooves and white starry patterns around their hind quarters. ), and your speed increases to 50 feet.
- Considering an AC of 13 + DEX while in Unicorn form?
- Your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 damage and count as magical. This represents attacking with your hooves or horn.
- When you transform, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. (Taken from the druid's Wild Shape.)

[Lalliman]

On the other hand I'm extremely partial to the following cantrips
a) Druidcraft: (as they are basically druid horses as far as I can tell). Something fun, aesthetically pleasing, and handy if you're smart.
b) Spare The Dying: keeping with the healer/protector theme.
c) Guidance: for helping the creatures and folk in its territory. Help me Choose one?

Considering higher level spells as well.

at 3rd level, a Unicorn can cast Cure Wounds 1/Long Rest. CHA is its stat

The unicorn in the Monster Manual has Druidcraft at will. Seems like the most versatile and flavourful option.

You could perhaps follow the innate casting format of the drow. They get a cantrip at 1st level, a 1st-level spell once per day at 3rd, and a 2nd-level spell once per day at 5th. The guide rates this at 1-1.5 points depending on the usefulness of the spells. So you could do Druidcraft at 1st, Cure Wounds at 3rd, and maybe Calm Emotions or Pass Without Trace at 5th (the MM unicorn has these).

- Considering an AC of 13 + DEX while in Unicorn form?

I'd be careful about making the horse form too convenient for casters. Sorcerers are the ideal class for this race, and they don't get armour proficiency, so this is a straight upgrade on what they usually get. If you add this feature, they'll probably want to spend every fight in horse form for the extra AC and speed. Which is fine, but you have to take that into account when balancing. A natural armour of 13 is listed as a 2 point trait. (12 is only 1 point though.)

Also note that normal unicorns have no natural armour.

[Jorgumander]

The unicorn in the Monster Manual has Druidcraft at will. Seems like the most versatile and flavourful option.

You could perhaps follow the innate casting format of the drow. They get a cantrip at 1st level, a 1st-level spell once per day at 3rd, and a 2nd-level spell once per day at 5th. The guide rates this at 1-1.5 points depending on the usefulness of the spells. So you could do Druidcraft at 1st, Cure Wounds at 3rd, and maybe Calm Emotions or Pass Without Trace at 5th (the MM unicorn has these).


I'd be careful about making the horse form too convenient for casters. Sorcerers are the ideal class for this race, and they don't get armour proficiency, so this is a straight upgrade on what they usually get. If you add this feature, they'll probably want to spend every fight in horse form for the extra AC and speed. Which is fine, but you have to take that into account when balancing. A natural armour of 13 is listed as a 2 point trait. (12 is only 1 point though.)

Also note that normal unicorns have no natural armour.

OOH! Some reason I thought Unicorns had natural AC...AND I'M LOOKING RIGHT AT THE BOOK! haha. Opps.

OK, so AC is gone. I like giving them the 3rd level spell 1/day as well, but didn't want to over do it on the points.

Other things that would be nice, but not necessary are languages and darkvision. I THINK races get 2 languages for free. So we can go Common and Sylvan or Celestial (I'm leaning toward Sylvan as it fits my world better). Darkvision, as I stated isn't required, but would be nice.

Would it be a good idea to make a Fey variant AND a Celestial variant? Or do you think just my primary fey is good enough?

[yarrowdeathbloo]

OOH! Some reason I thought Unicorns had natural AC...AND I'M LOOKING RIGHT AT THE BOOK! haha. Opps.

OK, so AC is gone. I like giving them the 3rd level spell 1/day as well, but didn't want to over do it on the points.

Other things that would be nice, but not necessary are languages and darkvision. I THINK races get 2 languages for free. So we can go Common and Sylvan or Celestial (I'm leaning toward Sylvan as it fits my world better). Darkvision, as I stated isn't required, but would be nice.

Would it be a good idea to make a Fey variant AND a Celestial variant? Or do you think just my primary fey is good enough?

Maybe give the fey subrace guidance and the celestial spare the dying?

[Anymage]

It doesn't sound like these unicorn people have the numbers to make subraces worthwhile. However, since you're primarily making these for one player in your campaign instead of trying to make something for publishing, you can - and should - target it towards her tastes. I'm tempted to say fey, because people who love unicorns tend to like fairies more than they like angels, but again it ultimately boils down to the tastes of the player in question.

A few other points I'd make, though;

-Assuming that unicorns can't talk and that hooves work nothing like hands do, spellcasting is out. Ditto for missile attacks. Melee attacks come in a little behind where they could. (You're giving longsword damage when most humanoid fighters would either have a two-handed weapon or a shield, and that's before counting what certain feats can do.) The added movement speed is occasionally handy, but this is more of a ribbon than a powerful feature.

-Following the assumption that unicorns can't talk, giving telepathy at 5' or even touch range while in unicorn form can give a cool feel without making it as strong as full range telepathy can be.

-The whole point of horse-shaped magical creatures is to be ridden. Unicorn form is not a super strong combat form, and being ridden by another character doesn't give that character much more advantage than just buying a mundane horse. Unicorn form might as well be large.

-Since unicorn form isn't a strong combat form, and because I'm a fan of active racial abilities, allowing a 1/short rest ability to halve one instance of incoming damage while in unicorn form should be a nifty, flavorful, defensive ability without being too strong.

Normal stat boosts (I'm tempted to say +2 Cha, +1 to either Dex or Wis depending on player taste; +wis if she likes druids and wise nature creatures, +1 dex otherwise if she's partial to graceful nature creatures), drowlike casting (druidcraft at-will at first, daily cure wounds at 3rd, pick something relevant for 5th) should round it out. Maybe even a little weak, since so much of the power is tied up in horse form; giving common and sylvan as languages (sub in celestial if she likes angels more than fairies) and darkvision wouldn't be too much here.

[Lalliman]

-Assuming that unicorns can't talk and that hooves work nothing like hands do, spellcasting is out.

This is technically true, but I assumed that spellcasting was supposed to work in horse form anyways. Because, you know, it's a unicorn. The MM unicorn can cast a whole bunch of spells.

But yeah, if they can cast in unicorn form, that needs to be specified. If they can't, the unicorn form could use some more incentive to actually be used.

[Jorgumander]

LOVING thiese ideas and all of this input! Thank you!

I'm thinking that casting IS possible in Unicorn form, yes. The horn can be the foci.

Part of what I'm seeing though (and has been pointed out) is that there is little incentive to be humanoid. At least at lower levels. This could be fine. May not be a problem at all. But I want Humanoid to be the default shape and Unicorn to be the special thing. So I was thinking maybe Unicorn Form would only be usable a certain amount a time a day? Maybe a few minutes or an hour? This would allow more unicorn abilities, for cheap, as the character wouldn't always have them at their disposal.

Also, I was already designing this race when the young lady in question saw my notes and became super excited about it. So now I really need to flesh it out. haha. It was originally a fey type creature. However I want her to have some choices when making her character. So definitely going the route of divine vs. fey unicorns. Which fits the campaign world PERFECTLY. So yay for me! hahaha

[Jorgumander]

Also, she's a huge fan of both the book and movie The Last Unicorn, so wanted to give the race a special name. Thinking Amaltheans?

[F.H. Zebedee]

I'd say the stats for Unicorn form work, but as for spells, maybe Druidcraft at will, and http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki...on_from_Poison Protection from Poison equal to CHA mod per day? (prolly want to limit it just because otherwise, you basically give the party permanent poison immunity)

Halving damage 1/day in horse form seems a little off to me. I think getting a 1/day "You strike an individual with awe. For the next round, they have disadvantage on all attack rolls against you." feels more like unicorn lore. (e.g. How often do you see a Unicorn tank a warhammer to the face, vs. people taking one look and just not being able to bring themselves to harm them?)

[Jorgumander]

I'd say the stats for Unicorn form work, but as for spells, maybe Druidcraft at will, and http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki...on_from_Poison Protection from Poison equal to CHA mod per day? (prolly want to limit it just because otherwise, you basically give the party permanent poison immunity)

Halving damage 1/day in horse form seems a little off to me. I think getting a 1/day "You strike an individual with awe. For the next round, they have disadvantage on all attack rolls against you." feels more like unicorn lore. (e.g. How often do you see a Unicorn tank a warhammer to the face, vs. people taking one look and just not being able to bring themselves to harm them?)

Good points.

What are incentives to being in humanoid form then? Using gear? Being diplomatic? Perhaps human for recharges horse form powers? Looking for lots of fun ideas on this.

[Consensus]

Good points.

What are incentives to being in humanoid form then? Using gear? Being diplomatic? Perhaps human for recharges horse form powers? Looking for lots of fun ideas on this.

For the last idea you could have being in the human form for a few hours cause the unicorn regain some of the innate spells, although the spells should be less potent though

[Arkhios]

What's wrong with the MLP fans? Isn't the My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria enough?

*GrumblegrumbleGrognardgrumbleThisIsD&DnotMLPgrumb le*

...sorry, just had to get it out of the system!

[Jorgumander]

What's wrong with the MLP fans? Isn't the My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria enough?

*GrumblegrumbleGrognardgrumbleThisIsD&DnotMLPgrumb le*

...sorry, just had to get it out of the system!

HAHA! Nothing wrong with those. Just not what I was going for. But for reals, I had a custom Rarity t-shirt made and on the back it says "With a shirt this awesome, who needs pants" I always wear a kilt.

[Jorgumander]

For the last idea you could have being in the human form for a few hours cause the unicorn regain some of the innate spells, although the spells should be less potent though

Maybe spend your time resting as a humanoid? Or a minimum number of hours a day as a humanoid? Or else you don't regain your innate unicorn spells?

[Consensus]

Maybe spend your time resting as a humanoid? Or a minimum number of hours a day as a humanoid? Or else you don't regain your innate unicorn spells?

If humanoid is supposed to be default having to sleep as one doesn't do all too much, but the last two ideas would work well I think, just not too strict

[Anymage]

For a melee character, human form is already superior when you discount the speed boost. The horn acts like a one-handed weapon, while most characters would want to do something with their other hand (shield, other weapon, or going two-hander). Plus the effects of any relevant weapon feats. Casters unfortunately exist in a state where either the unicorn form can cast spells (in which case it's the same as humanoid form only faster), or where it can't (which makes human form the default for anything other than travel). When I said that most of the power is tied up in unicorn form, what I meant was that any sort of point-based generator would rank it highly, while in reality it would end up being unsynergistic or even antisynergistic. See the mountain dwarf (where the people who like the +2 STR generally already have armor proficiencies and the people who want the armor don't generally care too much about strength) or the 3e monk (who, when 3.0 came out was often called overpowered due to his plethora of class features, with point-based class creators used as evidence, and we all know how that turned out).

Assuming that casters can't cast from their spell slots while in unicorn form - again, the alternative would give no reason to stay in human form in combat - you already have your reason for unicorn folk to stay in human form generally. Horse form would be for travel and RP. RP use is just a cool ribbon, and travel use just saves you the cost of a mount. Two, if you like whoever's riding you.

[rferries]

Also, she's a huge fan of both the book and movie The Last Unicorn, so wanted to give the race a special name. Thinking Amaltheans?

Just stopping by to say that she has excellent taste! :D I've no idea of 5e balance, but notable powers/qualities of that unicorn were:

1) healing horn (including a raise dead effect)
2) running at the "speed of life"
3) ability to see through illusions
4) ability to disenchant magic locks
5) power to counterspell (even in human form)

[Jorgumander]

For a melee character, human form is already superior when you discount the speed boost. The horn acts like a one-handed weapon, while most characters would want to do something with their other hand (shield, other weapon, or going two-hander). Plus the effects of any relevant weapon feats. Casters unfortunately exist in a state where either the unicorn form can cast spells (in which case it's the same as humanoid form only faster), or where it can't (which makes human form the default for anything other than travel). When I said that most of the power is tied up in unicorn form, what I meant was that any sort of point-based generator would rank it highly, while in reality it would end up being unsynergistic or even antisynergistic. See the mountain dwarf (where the people who like the +2 STR generally already have armor proficiencies and the people who want the armor don't generally care too much about strength) or the 3e monk (who, when 3.0 came out was often called overpowered due to his plethora of class features, with point-based class creators used as evidence, and we all know how that turned out).

Assuming that casters can't cast from their spell slots while in unicorn form - again, the alternative would give no reason to stay in human form in combat - you already have your reason for unicorn folk to stay in human form generally. Horse form would be for travel and RP. RP use is just a cool ribbon, and travel use just saves you the cost of a mount. Two, if you like whoever's riding you.

Then my concern and question is thus: Since it's a race that only gives you benefits half the time (depending on what form you are in) I have a few options. I could give the unicorn form a few extra abilities...it only works in unicorn form, but otherwise combat, whether magical or melee, is subpar. The RP part is dripping with flavor, but I actually want her to have some benefits of the different forms. On the other hand, I could say that the horn is a spell casting foci, but as you stated then there is little reason to be humanoid.

[Jorgumander]

Just stopping by to say that she has excellent taste! :D I've no idea of 5e balance, but notable powers/qualities of that unicorn were:

1) healing horn (including a raise dead effect)
2) running at the "speed of life"
3) ability to see through illusions
4) ability to disenchant magic locks
5) power to counterspell (even in human form)

http://www.projectwonderful.com/out....=168504560&_r=
Most perhaps a little overpowered depending on the consensus of the community here. But yes, I like going with those OVER the MM version...however either are fine with me.

[Anymage]

The biggest advantage to unicorn form is the fact that a player who loves unicorns gets to play a freakin' unicorn. The range of how applicable class power options are makes it hard to give broadly applicable bonuses that wouldn't wind up over- or underpowering certain options. (E.G: Fighters would probably be much more interested in the properties of a real weapon, rogues want that extra attack from an offhand weapon, while paladins would be okay with a subpar "weapon" since they're heavily smite based. Spellcasters, as touched on above, are either at full power in unicorn form or severely gimped, without any real options between the two.) I don't think it's all that bad to avoid balance headaches by saying that human form is the preferred combat form.

Unicorn form can have ribbons that should make the player happy. Probably including being able to swap forms as a bonus action, some form of limited/short range telepathy to keep them involved in RP, and maybe some minor defensive bonus can be given since it comes at such a high opportunity cost. (Although be mindful to balance said minor defensive boost against the smiting paladin case, to avoid making certain builds where it becomes too good.) Then you can give innate racial spells (that should be able to be cast in either form, as distinct from slot-based spells), stat boosts, and whatever other racial traits without worrying overmuch what horse form and its associated abilities should "cost", since that part mostly boils down to a really cool bit of fluff.

[Ranged Ranger]

Just wanted to say that this is a really awesome race you are creating.