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Asari
Asari are a race of elegant, mono-gendered humanoids. The asari resemble female humans with blue or purple skin and a crest of rigid tentacles in place of hair. Despite their feminine appearance, asari have little use for gender or gender roles, though they often use female pronouns and gendered language when speaking Common. They possess a unique method of reproduction initiated by a "mind meld" which links the asari's nervous system with a partner-even one of a different race-to randomize genes to create asari offspring. Asari have an innate ability to magically manipulate the mass of objects and many asari focus on enhancing the arcane magic within them.
Diplomatic Warriors
As a whole, the asari are very charismatic and diplomatic. Perhaps due to their reliance on other species for genetic diversity, asari prefer cooperation and compromise over conflict. However, they do not fear conflict and will do what is necessary, even if it includes violence. In fact, asari are quite capable in battle, using a mixture of traditional martial arts and their aptitude for magic to overwhelm foes. Races contacted by asari need not fear, however, as asari often reach out to foreign races with benevolence, seeking allies instead of enemies.
Mind Meld
The ability to exchange nerve pulses through skin contact has shaped asari culture and reproduction. The mind meld can be used to transfer thoughts, feelings, and information, as well as for reproduction. Melding is a symbol of intimacy in asari culture, though not all melds are acts of affection. The ease of transferring knowledge through a meld allows them to quickly teach others, and the ability to send emotions is a crucial step for children to learn the strong sense of empathy of the asari.
Universal Mothers
Asari reproduction is, at its basic level, is a modified method of parthenogenesis. When a meld for reproduction is initiated, the asari accesses her partner's genes and subconsciously uses them as an algorithmic seed to remap genes into a unique set of DNA. The child does not actually inherit genes from their "father", the non-birthing partner, but some traits can be passed down through the gene remapping. Curiously, when asari mate with their own kind, there is a small chance of a birth defect which causes the child to unintentionally overload their partner's nervous system when they meld, causing unconsciousness or, in extreme cases, permanent brain death. These offspring are known as "Ardat-Yakshi". Due to this, asari prefer to mate with members of other races.
Demons of the Night Winds
Ardat-Yakshi are only born to pureblood asari; those formed from the union of 2 asari parents. Though the defect is rare, it is not curable and highly dangerous. When diagnosed, the ardat-yakshi is given a choice to live in isolation or to be executed. This is because ardat-yakshi develop an addiction to the power and feel intense compulsion to meld. The addition only grows stronger with each meld, and so a life of monastic celibacy allows asari to leave in peace with a controllable desire. Those who are able to avoid isolation and execution, however, quickly become psychopathic in their intense lust for the destructive melding.
Maiden, Matron, Matriarch
Asari categorize life into 3 important stages, each marked by physiological changes like hormones, and psychological changes. The first is the maiden stage, which starts during puberty and is defined by a desire for adventure and exploration. The matron phase follows, approximately at 350 years of age, and is the primary child-rearing stage. At around 700, asari enter the matriarch stage where they serve the community as advisors and sages, sharing their wisdom with all who will listen. Most asari adventurers are in their maiden period, though it is possible for matriarchs to also adventure in service of their society.
Asari Names
Asari are given a personal name by their parents and take the surname of their mothers, even if the child has 2 asari parents. Outside of asari communities, they normally do not use their surnames and prefer to introduce themselves with their personal name only.
Matriarchs are addressed as "Matriarch" but other titles may be used for matriarchs in prestigious positions.
Personal Names: Aeian, Aethyta, Aleena, Alestia, Aria, Batha, Benezia, Dahlia, Falere, Irissa, Jona, Liara, Lidanya, Liselle, Mallene, Morinth, Nassana, Nyxeris, Pelessaria, Rana, Rila, Samara, Sarissa, Shiala, Tela, Tevos, Treeya
Surnames: Ateyne, B'Sayle, Calis, D'Layne, D'Nava, D'Ysesan, Dantius, Iallis, Iasava, Janieri, Kelis, M'Loari, M'Taros, Makenus, Nuwani, Sedela, Sederis, T'Goni, T'Loak, T'Soni, Thanoptis, Theris, V'Lanis, V'Nato, V'Tizor, Vasir
Traits
Your asari character has a number of traits in common with all other asari.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Asari are very long lived and can reach ages of over 1000 years.
Alignment. Asari are biased towards goodness, but asari exhibit a range of alignments not dissimilar to humans.
Size. Asari have builds incredibly similar to female humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 ft.
Affect Mass. You can cast feather fall once without expending a spell slot. At 3rd level, you can cast earthbind once without expending a spell slot. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Once you cast either spell, you can't cast it again with this trait until you finish a long rest.
Mind Meld. You can touch a willing creature and initiate a mind meld. Melding with a creature allows both participants to freely transfer memories, information, emotions, and thoughts. Participants do not need to share a language to communicate through a meld. Both members of the meld are paralyzed and unaware of their surroundings for the duration.
Natural Diplomat. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Thessian, and one extra language of your choice. Thessian is a very smooth and romantic language with a cursive script of elegant, flowing shapes.
Ardat-Yakshi Variant Traits
If you would like to play an Ardat-Yakshi, you can choose to replace the Alignment and Mind Meld traits with the following.
Alignment. Ardat-Yakshi often develop psychopathy. Ardat-Yakshi are normally evil, but can also be neutral.
Mind Break. You can touch a willing creature and initiate a mind meld. If the creature is charmed, the effect immediately ends and if the target is unwilling, the meld does not continue. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be rendered unconscious for 1d4 hours as your nervous system overwhelms theirs. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Feats
Mass Manipulator
Prerequesite: Asari
You've further developed your ability to manipulate the mass of targets. You learn the mage hand cantrip, and your mage hand is invisible. You also learn levitate and fly spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.
Ardat-Yakshi's Kiss
Prerequisite: Ardat-Yakshi Variant Asari, 10th level
Ardat-Yakshi, after many melds, can learn to dominate the minds of others even without melding. You learn the dominate person spell and can cast it as once a 5th-level spell, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability. You cannot cast the spell again until you finish a long rest.
Geth
Former automatons build by the quarians to function as soldiers and laborers, geth are constructs that have unintentionally consciousness and sentience. Geth, meaning "servant of the people" in the quarian language of Khelish, are golems imbued with permanent animating magic focused by a special crystal embedded in their chassis. These constructs are fundamentally different than others, such as Warforged, designed with humanoid thought and emotion in mind, and think, feel, and experience the world in a totally unique way.
Construction
Geth are built as golems, normally built from resilient materials like stone, metal, and crystal. They possess a solid framework which holds a focusing core in the center. A network of fluid-filled veinous analogs are intertwined through their body to provide several advantages to aid in movement and flexibility. The core acts as a brain to the geth, though their thoughts are completely foreign to humanoid creatures. Quarians designed the geth to be able to interact and network with other nearby geth for seamless work.
Magic from Mechanus
The quarians decided to channel magic from the Outer Plane of Mechanus to power their creations. Mechanus is a plane of absolute law and order inhabited by constructs. The "Creators", as the geth aptly call the quarians, believed this magic would create a perfectly obediant golem, and so funneled the power of the plane into crystal cores. Unfortunately, the quarians underestimated the influence of the Material realm on the geth. As the geth advanced in design, they eventually gained self-awareness and sapience. The quarians, terrified of the thought of their creations with free will, attempted to exterminate them.
The Morning War
"Does this unit have a soul?" asked the geth. That question would change the relationship of quarians and geth forever. The quarians responded with an attempted termination of all geth. The newly sentient geth resisted the genocide of their masters in a war dubbed "the Morning War". As many geth were designed as tools of war, the quarians were quickly and easily defeated. Because the constructs were acting out of self defense, when the enemy began retreating from their homeland of Rannoch, the geth did not pursue, and allows their masters to leave in peace.
Incomprehensible Mind
Geth minds are quite anomolous. As they were designed to follow predetermined steps and commands, and with their minds powered from the strictly-lawful plane of Mechanus, their way of thinking is essentially unique and different than the chaotic organic minds of humanoids. Their thoughts can be compared to a program or process which systematically follows steps to come to a conclusion, run many times in different ways, until the geth comes to a consensus of the correct course of action. Geth do not experience emotion or desire-not in the same way a humanoid does, anyway. Additionally, due to their innate ability to network with other geth, geth see themselves as a unit of a larger and more complex whole, and even the individual processes that make up a single geth as being equal constituents that contribute to that geth unit.
Beyond the Veil
Geth primarily remain in the land of Rannoch, protected by the Perseus Veil: a mysterious cloud that spans around the borders of Rannoch. They live in peace, but some geth find themselves seeking knowledge of what is beyond their realm. The primary motivation of the geth who leave Rannoch is to acquire and compile information, though some geth pursue other quests.
Geth Names
Geth have no use for names among themselves, however they will adopt names for the sake of interacting with other races. However, the geth do not often see themselves as individuals. Many geth use plural pronouns such as "us" and "we". As a result, the names geth take are normally synonyms or words for groups. Geth with individuality, especially those who have been separate from their kind for an extended time, do exist. Those geth still use words for names, though they give themselves a more personally fitting name.
Geth Names: Armada, Army, Batallion, Brigade, Cabal, Caucus, Congregate, Coterie, Guild, Horde, Host, Legion, Myriad, Phalanx, Proletariat, Throng, Troop, Union
'Individual' Geth Names: Alpha, Apex, Beta, Centurion, Enigma, Eternity, Genesis, Obelisk, Oblivion, Omega, Oracle, Pinnacle, Terminus, Vortex, Zenith
Traits
Your geth character has a number of traits in common with other geth.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age. Geth do not age, as they are constructs, and live as long as their bodies are not destroyed.
Alignment. Geth are uniquely powered by magics from the plane of Mechanus and thus are naturally lawful neutral. However, as geth are fully sapient, they have the ability to choose their own alignment independent of their natural inclination.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Construct Nature. You are a construct, instead of humanoid. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe and you are immune to disease.
Instead of sleeping, you enter a hibernation state for 4 hours each day. In this state, you are unaware of your surroundings, but can be aroused from hibernation.
Artificial Mind. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Golem Armor. You are crafted out of hard, inorganic materials. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your golem 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 golem armor.
Linked Consciousness. You can telepathically communicate with any other geth within 60 feet.
Repair Protocol. As a construct, you cannot be healed or revived by divine magic such as cure wounds or raise dead.
Instead, when you expend hit dice during a short rest, you or an ally can use tinker's tools, smith's tools, or mason's tools to repair your body. Make an Intelligence check, using the tools. The DC equals 10 + the number of hit dice you spent. On a success, you regain the maximum number of hit points for all hit dice spent. On a failure, you roll the hit dice and add your Constitution modifier as normal.
In addition, as an action on your turn or when an ally casts the mending cantrip targeting you, you can expend a number of hit dice up to your Constitution modifier to regain hit points. You roll the hit dice and add your Constitution modifier to each roll to determine the hit points restored.
You also regain all spent hit dice at the end of a long rest, instead of the usual amount.
If you drop to 0 hit points, you must be stabilized with an Intelligence (Arcana) check, instead of a Wisdom (Medicine) check.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Khelish, the language of the quarians. You can also communicate with nearby geth telepathically.
Living Construct Variant Trait
Geth are designed with their distinctly construct nature in mind. The following trait can replace the Construct Nature and Repair Protocol traits for those who prefer geth to be repaired by healing magic.
Living Construct. Despite being constructed, you are a living creature. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe and you are immune to disease.
Instead of sleeping, you enter a hibernation state for 4 hours each day. In this state, you are unaware of your surroundings, but can be aroused from hibernation.
Geth Resurrection
While geth cannot be revived by spells (if using the default traits), your DM may allow your geth character to be resurrected with an alternative method. Provided is a suggestion.
As long as the geth's crystal core exists, the geth's consciousness can be transferred to a new construct body. A ritual must be performed, using a gem or crystal worth at least 1000 gp, to transfer the geth's mind to the new crystal and embed it in the new body. The ritual takes 1 hour.
Feats
Advanced Repair Protocol
Prerequisite: Geth, Repair Protocol trait
You gain an additional number of hit dice equal to your character level divided by 4 (minimum 1). These bonus hit dice are d8s, regardless of your class.
Construct Resistance
Prerequisite: Geth
As a construct, you're more resistant to certain damage and effects that affect organics. You gain the following benefits:
- You have resistance to poison damage and psychic damage.
- You have advantage on saving throws against the poisoned, paralyzed, and exhaustion conditions.
Spells
Repair Construct
1st-level transmutation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
You magically repair damage to a construct. The construct regains hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on creatures other than constructs.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
A wizard spell.
Krogan
The krogan are large, reptilian humanoids native to a harsh land known as Tuchanka. Tuchanka is a land of harsh environments and scarce resources. The krogan evolved and thrived in the unforgiving land. The krogan are vicious beasts that seek to conquer what they can. Krogan legends claim their race are descendants of the legendary tarrasque, and the creature slumbers beneath the wasteland, waking and rising in Tuchanka before rampaging onwards to destruction.
Biologically Impervious
Krogan biology reflects the conditions from where the come. The krogan are armored nearly head to toe in thick, chitinous plates which protect the krogan from the hazards of their homeland. They possess a hump which can store water, for the resources in Tuchanka are scare.
Curiously, the krogan also possess redundant organs; a second set of major organs in case of failure or injury. These traits make krogan exceptionally difficult to kill, but the perhaps what makes krogan so dangerous is an adaptation known as "Blood Rage."
Blood Rage
The blood rage is a legendary state of pure violence. When krogan enter a blood rage, they become nearly mindless killing machines, fighting through all injury and even death. Blood rage is due to an enormous flood of adrenaline and suppression of serotonin, which numbs the krogan to all pain. This state, combined with their plated hide, and redundant organs, allows the krogan to defeat creatures many times his size or power.
Climb Atop the Dead
Krogan's value one thing above all else: strength. Krogan society is built upon this hierarchy, where the strong rule and the weak perish. They live in clans lead by a Warlord, and those clans constantly war for resources and for power. Even within these clans, treachery and distrust run rampant. Krogan often fight for dominance within these clans, and will sacrifice their clan for personal gain without a second thought. Females are considered prizes and trophies and live in clans separate from the males, except for the unlucky who become property of the male clans. Clans are little more than means of survival for a krogan.
Rites and Rituals
The krogan culture is steeped in rituals. When a krogan is born, he suffers the Rite of Life. When wishes to join his first clan, he undergoes the Rite of Passage. If he wishes to be considered for breeding, he must take the Rite of Honor. When facing a new enemy, the Rite of Firsts is invoked.
A Krogan clan also has a shaman, who has endured the Rite of Insight. The rituals endured by a shaman are lengthy and torturous; most krogan who attempt the rite perish. Those who survive become the most respected member of their clan and are rarely challenged. The shaman is a clan's spiritual leader and guide and is believed to see into the spirit world itself.
Thirst for Blood
Krogan who leave Tuchanka cannot quench their lust for violence among the krogan. Either the krogan is too weak to compete with his peers, or reaches the top of the hierarchal ladder and becomes bored. These krogan depart in search of new enemies to kill, to find a being worthy of their power, and then to conquer them. Though it is rare for female krogan to leave the safety of their clans, some seek to prove their worth as krogan, and not simply breeding stock.
Krogan Names
Krogan names are fairly simple: a clan name followed by a given name, which is normally bestowed upon them by their father.
Male Names: Archuk, Brood, Charr, Drax, Fortak, Grunt, Guld, Jarrod Nax, Okeer, Skarr, Strux, Uvenk, Wreav, Wrex
Female Names: Bakara, Chormi, Derge, Hazka, Jonde Kesh, Khorga, Kherake, Morda, Tegash, Vruxa, Zrogoga
Clan Names: Garbon, Gatatog, Jorgal, Khutarum, Nakmor, Srarkan, Traash, Urdnot, Verbok, Weryloc, Wudark
Traits
Your character krogan has a number of traits in common with all other krogan
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
Age. Krogan often live centuries due to their natural hardiness.
Alignment. Krogan are highly predisposed towards chaos, as their culture is violent, selfish, and brutal. While evil is more common among krogan, those of good and neutral alignments do exist among them. Good krogan especially find it difficult to thrive in Tuchanka and krogan society.
Size. Krogan stand at over 7 feet tall and weigh close to 400 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a base walking speed of 30 feet. Your speed is not slowed by heavy armor.
Blood Rage. When you kill an enemy, you can use a bonus action to enter a mindless blood rage. Blood rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked or moved closer toward a hostile creature or taken damage since your last turn. You can also end your blood rage on your turn as a bonus action. While in blood rage, you cannot concentrate on spells, are immune to being charmed or frightened and you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier at the start of each of your turns. When blood rage ends, you lose any remaining temporary hit points from blood rage.
You must finish a long rest before you can enter blood rage again.
Extremophile. Your body is naturally acclimated to live in the harshest environments. You have advantage on Constitution saving throws to resist exhaustion due to environmental hazards such as extreme heat or cold. Additionally, you can go twice as long without food or water before you suffer exhaustion.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Krogan. Krogan is a rough and guttural language normally written with crude hieroglyphics.
Feats
Cranial Bruiser
Prerequisite: Krogan
Krogan are notorious for using any weapon within reach--even the armored plates that cover their foreheads. You gain the following benefits:
- You can attack with a headbutt, which is a natural weapon that you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
- When you use the Dash action during your turn, you can make a melee attack with your headbutt as a bonus action.
- When you use the Attack action during your turn to make a melee attack, you can attempt to shove a creature with your headbutt as a bonus action. You cannot use this shove attempt to knock a creature prone.
Warlord's Blood Rage
Prerequisite: Krogan
Your blood rage is exceptionally deadly, rivalling those of the krogan warlords in Tuchanka. You gain the following benefits while using your Blood Rage trait:
- Once per turn when you roll damage for a melee weapon attack, you can reroll the weapon’s damage dice and use either total.
- As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.
- When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Quarian
Forced out of their homeland by sapient constructs of their own creation, quarian are exiled nomads that now sail the seas in search of a new homeland.
Exotic Fashion
Identifying a quarian is easy. All quarians wear enviro-suits, which are multipurposes outfits that protect them from foreign pathogens and diseases as well as acting as diving suits for scavenging or repair. Rannoch's ecosystem featured microorganisms very different from the lands they've traveled to. Thus, the quarians infuse magic into the weave of special suits and helmets to protect themselves from these new lands.
The enviro-suits have moved beyond function, however, and into their culture. A quarian is rarely, if ever, seen without their suit and helmet, and when they return from their pilgrimage as adults, they are expected to modify their suit to fit their personal reflection of their status as a productive member of the Flotilla.
Exiles of their Own Creations
Quarians have a long and deep history with animating objects and creating constructs. These constructs were built to serve and protect the quarians, and most quarian families had at least one golem servant, while the quarian military consisted of these autonomous beings. These constructs were named the "Geth", and were the shining achievement of the quarians.
The quarians sought to constantly improve their creation with more advanced and more mysterious magics. Eventually, the golems gained sapience and began to question their masters. The quarians attempted to exterminate them, but after forming so much dependence on the geth, the quarians were swiftly defeated. With many exterminated, the remaining quarians fled their homeland of Rannoch.
Golemancers turned Artificers
Though the quarians have abandoned their long history of construct animation, they put their knowledge of imbuing the inanimate with magic to create enhancements to embed in their own bodies to augment themselves. These augments are crafted by artisans who have descended from or studied under those who originally worked with golemancy to perfect the geth. The implants themselves are normally small, no larger than the size of a palm, and when properly inserted give the quarian enhanced ability compared to those without. A quarian chooses an augment before they leave for the Pilgrimage, and the implantation of the device is part of their sending off ceremony.
Migrant Fleet
The nomads travel together in a collective of ships known as the Flotilla or the Migrant Fleet and consists of those who escaped death by the geth. The Flotilla contains thousands of vessels collectively searching for a new land to settle. Some ships decide to depart the fleet to pursue their own goals, but normally return to the fleet.
When young quarian rejoin the flotilla after their pilgrimage, they are expected to join the crew of another vessel to ensure genetic diversity of an already small population.
The Pilgrimage
During quarian adolescence, they are subjected to a rite of passage known as the pilgramage. When young adulthood is reached, quarians are expected to leave the Migrant Fleet and experience life outside of their culture. To rejoin the flotilla, the young quarian must bear a gift to the captain of a new vessel. This gift can be tangible, such as resources, or intangible such as information. Most quarian adventurers are those on their pilgrimage, though there are those who decide never to return to the fleet, or those who were rejected from rejoining.
Quarian Names
Quarian names are composed of three parts—the quarian's given name and family name separated by an apostrophe, and the name of their vessel preceeded by a title-'nar' to denote their birth ship, and 'vas' to denote their post-pilgrimage ship. For example, nar Rayya or vas Neema.
Male Names: Golo, Han, Hilo, Kal, Kar, Keenah, Kenn, Lemm, Les, Prazza, Rael, Seeto, Shio, Veetor, Ysin, Zaal, Zer
Female Names: Ceni, Daro, Elan, Feda, Jura, Laele, Lia, Meeri, Minn, Reen, Saesa, Shala, Shuni, Tali, Yosi, Zohe,
Family Names: Breizah, Dannah, Gazu, Gerral, Hodda, Jaa, Koris, Leth, Mal, Mekk, Nara, Raan, Reegar, Shaal, Shiya, Vael, Xen, Zorah
Vessel Names: Honorata, Idenna, Moreh, Neema, Novarra, Qwib Qwib, Rayya, Tesleya, Tonbay, Ulnay, Usela
Traits
Your quarian character has a number of traits in common with all other quarian.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Quarians have lifespans similar to humans.
Alignment. Quarians are very community minded and prioritize the survival of their race over the individual. They are usually good, but those of evil alignments tend not to be welcomed back to the Flotilla.
Size. Quarians have builds similar to humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Enviro-suit. An enviro-suit consists of a reinforced skin-tight body suit and a helmet enchanted with purifying magics.
While wearing the enviro-suit helmet, you can breathe normally in any environment and you have advantage on saving throws made against harmful gases and vapors (such as cloudkill and stinking cloud effects, inhaled poisons, and the breath weapons of some dragons).
While wearing the enviro-suit body, you are immune to contracting any disease. As the body suit is skin-tight, you can wear armor over it.
If you are not wearing your enviro-suit body and helm, you automatically fail saving throws against disease.
When you are the victim of a critical hit that does piercing or slashing damage, your enviro-suit is punctured. While the suit is punctured, you have disadvantage on saving throws against disease. You can repair the suit with 1 hour of work with tinker's tools or with the mending cantrip.
Salvage. You know the mending cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Khelish. Khelish script is written in rune-like letters.
Augmented. Quarians enhance their organic bodies with implants infused with magic. Choose one of these augments.
Cerebral
Cerebral implants are embedded in the brains of quarian to enhance mental prowess and to protect against mind-altering effects.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Mind Shielding Unit. You have advantage on saving throws against mind-altering effects (such as being charmed, confused, compelled, frightened, or put to sleep) by magic.
In addition, your mind cannot be read by magical means.
Muscular
Muscular augments are implants placed strategically at the shoulders and hips to direct pulses of magic through muscle fibers, allowing for bursts of speed, strength, and flexibility.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Overclock Unit. You can activate your muscular augments for a burst of speed. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the tum. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you recharge the unit by moving 0 feet on one of your turns.
Peak Fitness. You have proficiency in either the Acrobatics or Athletics skill.
Ocular
Quarians with ocular augments replace their eyes with enchanted orbs that allow their sight to persist even in the most unfavorable conditions.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
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.
Clarity Unit. You have advantage on saving throws against being blinded.
Additionally, you can see in an area within 30 feet of you that is lightly obscured as if it were unobscured, and can see in an area within 15 feet of you that is heavily obscured as if it were only lightly obscured.
Visceral
Quarians with visceral augments have implants inserted within the organs to enhance the body's natural healing ability, protecting the body from toxins and injury.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Detoxification Unit. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Feats
Additional Augment
Prerequisites: Quarian
Choose an augment as listed in the Augmented trait. You gain all features of that augment, in addition to your current one.
Golemancer
Prerequisites: Quarian
Despite your race's abandonment of golemancy, you choose to embrace it.
You learn the tiny servant and animate object spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. When you cast animate objects with this feat, you can only animate up to five objects, instead of ten. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Salarian
Salarians are a warm-blooded amphibious species from a jungle known as Sur'Kesh. The salarian possess a super-charged metabolism which causes them to function at a much higher speed than other races, while requiring less rest. Additionally, they have an exceptional capability for observation, recollection, and innovation. They are constantly tinkering, experimenting, inventing, and researching and value intelligence and knowledge above all else.
Hyperactive Metabolism
The speed at which a salarian metabolizes is a marvel of evolution. The race only requires only two hours of sleep a night, and still they have more energy and alertness than other races. Everything a salarian does seems to be faster. They talk fast, think fast, move fast, eat fast, and even sleep fast. The large amount of available energy has advanced their intellectual capabilities. They need near constant stimulation for their fidgety, active bodies.
Boredom, the Mother of Invention
Salarians minds are constantly racing at miles per minute, and without proper mental stimulation a salarian becomes bored. Tinkering and experimenting are natural solutions to a restless mind. The ability to plow through ideas, situations, and possibilities makes them natural inventors. Salarians have perhaps some of the most advanced technology, especially in alchemy and engineering, but a salarian can become an expert at whatever craft he puts his mind to.
Knowledge is Power
Invention is not the only outlet of a salarian's mind. As many as those who invent prefer to gather information and knowledge. Observation, research, study, and espionage are other areas at which salarians tend to excel. A photographic memory with a high capacity for information makes salarians who dabble in information trading very skilled and valuable. Knowledge gained from a salarian is highly prized as nearly infallible, and so these trades are viable life paths.
One Mother Among Sons
Salarian reproduction is curious in that fertilized eggs hatch as females and unfertilized eggs hatch as male. According to ancient societal codes and law, fertilization of eggs is strictly regulated and thus 90% of the population is male. Romantic and sexual relationships are nearly nonexistent among salarian, and any sexuality is strictly for reproduction. As females are so rare, they normally stay within salarian colonies where they possess positions of political power in a complex matriarchal government.
Matriarchal Feudalism
Salarians have a layered system of government, ultimately ruled by a matriarch known as a dalatrass, with her daughters serving in noble positions beneath her. A noble family headed by the dalatrass controls a massive territory known as a march that is further divided into duchies, baronies, and fiefdoms. Dalatrasses and their noble matrilinear lines will make political alliances with other families through interbreeding. A salarian is loyal through a biolotical process known as imprinting to their parents and to their dalatrass, which keeps the feudal society stable.
Intense Curiousity
Despite imprinted loyalty to their family and dalatrass, male salarians are free to leave the colony at any time. Females, however, due to their noble blood and political power, almost always stay within the confines of salarian territories, though some do venture out for other political positions such as ambassadors or emissaries. Salarian curiousity and pursusit of knowledge often leads them past the jungles of Sur'Kesh, if even only for a brief time. Many find new lives far from Sur'Kesh, though they rarely truly abandon their family and dalatrass.
Salarian Names
Salarian names are quite complex. A full name includes - in order - the name of a salarian's march, duchy, barony, fiefdom, family, and finally, the given name.
However, few salarians use their full name unless necessary and prefer to go by their family and given name.
Example Full Names: Rannadril Ghan Swa Fulsoom Karaten Narr Eadi Bel Anoleis, Gorot II Heranon Mal Dinest Got Inoste Ledra
Given Names: Beelo, Chorban, Esheel, Ish, Jarroth, Jarun, Jondum, Kallo, Kirrahe, Maelon, Mordin, Morlan, Padok, Palon, Rentola, Schells, Solik, Tazzik, Tolan, Valern, Zevin
Family Names: Aenarth, Aulaw, Bau, Erkoln, Faergow, Gurji, Heplorn, Inoste, Irheth, Jath, Jowar, Marhall, Raeka, Sernik, Solus, Tann, Vass, Venirn, Vodol, Wiks, Yosann
Traits
Your salarian character has a number of traits in common with all other salarian.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Salarians have an extremely high metabolism that causes a short life span. Salarians rarely reach ages over 40 years of age.
Alignment. Salarians can have dubious morals, especially when it comes to experiments and advancing technology. Neutrality is a common alignment for salarians.
Size. Salarians are tall with elongated bodies, with a height between 6 and 7 feet yet a weight below 100 lbs. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Deductive. You have advantage on saving throws and ability checks to discern or resist illusions.
Observant. You have proficiency in the Investigation skill.
Rapid Metabolism. Due to their fast metabolic rate, Salarians need only 2 hours of sleep and 6 hours of light activity to gain the benefits of a long rest.
Technician. When you craft or use tools you are proficient with, you can perform up to twice as many special use tasks during a short rest, or three times as many during a long rest. Each special use takes 30 minutes during a short rest and 2 hours during as long rest. (see Xanthar's Guide to Everything p.78 for rules on using tools and special uses.)
Technician's Tools. You gain proficiency with one artisan’s tools of your choice: alchemist's supplies, tinker's tools, poisoner's kit, or theives' tools.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Salarian, and one other language of your choice. Salarian script is composed of blocks and lines of various sizes and shapes.
Xanthar-Free Technician
Don't have Xanthar's Guide to Everything? You can replace the 'Technician' trait with the following.
Technician. During a long rest, you can perform up to three of the the following activities in any combination: brewing one vial of acid, brewing one flask of alchemist's fire, brewing one vial of antitoxin, creating and setting a hunting trap, or repairing a mundane item. To perform a task you must use an appropriate tool and must expend half of the item's value in raw materials. Each task takes 2 hours to complete.
Feats
Alchemist
Prerequisite: Salarian
You've put additional research into brewing potions, especially potions of healing. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency with alchemist's supplies and herbalism kit.
- You can use your Technician racial trait to brew a potion of healing over the course of a long rest, expending 25 gp of raw materials. You must spend all light activity time during the long rest brewing the potion.
- When brewing potions of healing during downtime, you make twice as many potions for the same time worked. You must expend raw materials for both potions. (see Xanthar's Guide to Everything p. 130 for rules on brewing potions of healing)
- When crafting other items with alchemist's supplies or herbalism kits, you halve the amount of time it takes to craft those items. Divide the item's gold cost by 100, instead of 50, to determine the time required to craft the item.
Scribe
Prerequisite: Salarian
Salarians value documentation of research, and you extend this practice to documenting your spells for others to use. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency with the calligrapher's kit and the Arcana skill.
- You can use your Technician racial trait to scribe a magical scroll of a cantrip or 1st-level spell over the course of a long rest, expending 25 gp materials. You must provide any material components required for the casting of the spell and must have the spell prepared, or it must be among your known spells, in order to scribe a scroll of that spell. You must spend all light activity time during the long rest scribing the scroll.
- When scribing scrolls of 2nd-level of higher during downtime, the cost and time required is halved. (see Xanthar's Guide to Everything p. 130 for rules on scribing scrolls)
Special: Salarian Nimbleness
Prerequisite: Salarian
You can take the Squat Nimbleness feat (Xanthar's Guide to Everything p.75)
Turian
A highly militaristic race, turians are a force to be feared. These warriors are easily distinguished by an appearance containing a strange mix of insectoid and avian features. The turian army is substantial, and every member of the turian race is obligated to attend combat training in adolescence. Even citizens and artisans are foes to be reckoned with. Despite such an emphasis on combat, however, turians are an honorable and noble race.
Discipline and Honor
The entire turian culture revolves around a strict code of conduct which highly emphasizes strong discipline and personal responsibility. Turians are highly inclined towards self-sacrifice and will put the good of society over their own personal desires. As such, they are passionate about public and social service and make poor merchants and entrepreneurs. They are taught to own their decisions, good or bad, and if confronted with accusations it is considered heinous to lie about their actions. Because of this, many races attribute to them a "turian honor" seen rarely outside the turian race.
Proud Warrior Race
At the center of turian society is their military. Turians are sent to basic training in their teenage years, and are obligated to serve a time in the military, if physically able. This develops in every member a respect for authority as well as imparting control and restraint among the turians. Though some turians do not continue their service in the armed forces, they continue to serve their community through other branches of the military which serve the whole by providing public services.
Benevolent Empire
The strength of the turian military is proven time and time again as they quash their enemies with their superior might. Those who suffer the wrath of the turian army, however, are often given the choice to join the Turian Empire before they decimate the remains of that society. Those who join their empire are given the protection of their military might in return for providing services or goods. Turian honor prevents any sort of exploitation and the client races of the Turian Empire are treated well, though often as lesser than turians due to their citizen social rank. Another race who climbs the ranks of the meritocracy, however, is treated with equal respect as a turian of that rank.
Hierarchal Meritocracy
Turian government is entwined with its military, as so many parts of society are. There are tiers of citizenship, with the lowest being a regular citizen, often held by client races and children, climbing all the way up to the Primarchs which lead each turian colony. Lower ranking citizens are expected to obey and support superiors while higher ranking ones are expected to lead and protect lower ranks. Promotion to a new tier is based on personal ability and merit and are given due to assessments from ones superiors.
Despite the ranked structure, turians entertain many freedoms as long as they preform their duties and do not infringe on others freedoms or responsibilities.
Reflective Carapace
The homeland of the turians, Palaven, is flush with strange vents in the ground that release a gas which erodes the atmosphere. The result is a high level of dangerous radiation that permeates through. Turians have evolved semi-metallic carapaces that reflect the dangerous radiation, protecting their inners from the solar rays. These exoskeletons, however, do not protect the turian from physical damage such as wounds and do not provide any natural armor.
Mission or Desertion
Most Turians who leave Palaven or another colony do so by order of their superiors to accomplish special missions. Some, however, abandon the society for various reasons, most commonly a desire for freedom from the unyielding law and command.
Those who desert their military post or other assigned position are exiled from Palaven, as this is seen as the ultimate betrayal.
Turian Names
Turians are given personal names by their parents and take on a family name. High-ranking turian officers also include their title in their names, either in addition to their full names or as a replacement of their personal name. Sometimes turians go by their family name only.
Male Names: Adrien, Avitas, Castis, Chellick, Corinthus, Desolas, Garrus, Illo, Jacobus, Joram, Kuril, Lantar, Lilihierax, Lorik, Macen, Mehrkuri, Nihlus, Quentius, Sapartus, Saren, Septimus, Tarquin, Tiran, Tonn, Venari,
Female Names: Abrudas, Aciia, Aemicida, Alta, Banrae, Caevea, Cicean, Duronea, Iciria, Juteia, Nyreen, Orinia, Pliras, Quidas, Selone, Sidera, Sipia, Valevas, Vetra
Family Names: Actus, Arterius, Barro, Kandros, Kryik, Nazario, Nyx, Oraka, Pallin, Qui'in, Rix, Sidonis, Talid, Vakarian, Victus, Vyrnnus
Traits
Your turian character has a number of traits in common with all other turian.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.
Age. Turians have natural lifespans comparable to humans.
Alignment. Turians are a highly militaristic and disciplined race. Turians are born and raised in strict law and order and as a result are inclined towards lawful alignments, but it is not uncommon for neutral or chaotic turians to leave Palaven in search of freedom from command.
Size. Turians are taller than humans, standing over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Brothers-in-Arms. Your allies in battle give you great resolve and you are determined not to fail them. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +5). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Reflective. Turian carapaces contain traces of metals which deflect radiation. You have resistance to radiant damage.
Turian Martial Training. You are proficient with light armor and two martial weapons of your choice.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Palavese.
Feats
Inspiring Resolve
Prerequisites: Turian
When you rally yourself in the face of defeat, your allies are inspired by your vigor and courage. Each ally that can see you when you use your Brothers-in-Arms trait can add the bonus added to your roll to a single missed attack roll or failed saving throw until the start of your next turn.
Stalwart
Prerequisites: Turian
You've honed your militaristic discipline to become an unwavering pillar of self-control and restraint. You gain the following benefits:
- You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened, compelled to act, or put to sleep.
- While charmed or frightened, you can use a bonus action on your turn to repeat the saving throw to end the effect. This saving throw is not made with advantage.
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Credits
Document, Races, Feats, and Modified Lore: StrayChowChow (/u/thestray)
Art: Andrew Ryan "Dragon Effect" Series (used with permission)
Full Page Stains: Homebrewery Stains by /u/flamableconcrete
Additional Names: Fantasy Name Generators
Source Material: "Mass Effect Trilogy" developed by Bioware, published by Electronic Arts, © 2007-2018
With special thanks to Mass Effect Wiki for a compiled source of lore, names, and some lore text.
Balanced with Detect Balance: a 5e Homebrew Race Guide by Eleazzaar
I apologize for the formatting! GM Binder changed some of the way formatting works, and I haven't updated the document in years. Here is a copy of the document without any images for ease of reading until/if I fix the formatting on this document: https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-NE6jnY7Xnc3n6VmCR8r