Literally a Wolf
Sometimes, normal adventures are too goody-goody, and you just need a chance to let loose and kill some unsuspecting travelers. Presented here is a race option for wolf characters. None of this half-wolf or werewolf shapeshifter or awakened nonsense; just wolves.
Wolf Traits
Your wolf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, gained through eons of hunting and surviving.
ASI. Your Dexterity score increases by 1, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Your Intelligence score decreases by 4.
Age. Wolves reach adulthood in around 2 years, and can live to be 6-8 years old in the wild.
Alignment. Wolves have no disposition toward good or evil, but live for the pack. Thus, they tend towards lawful alignments.
Size. Wolves range from 3 to over 5 feet long, standing between 2 to 3 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Wild Hunter. You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills.
Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon with the finesse property, which you can use to make bite attacks. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your choice of Strength or Dexterity modifier.
Canine Build. You are quadrupedal, and do not have hands with which to hold weapons or use shields. You can hold one-handed weapons and other objects in your mouth but are unable to bite while doing so. You can perform somatic spell components using your tail and paws. Armor can be tailored into Barding to fit your form, costing 4 times as much as normal armor.
Bestial Nature. Your creature type is beast, rather than humanoid.
Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. If one of your allies is within 5 feet of you, you can use the Help action as a bonus action.
Languages. You can speak Canine. Canine doesn't have a written component, as it consists of barks, growls, and howls.
Subrace. There are many kinds of wolves. Among them, the three most mundane: grey wolves, dire wolves, and winter wolves. Along with the mundane subraces, there are also other exotic cousins of the wolf: hell hound, blink dog, death dog, drakeblood, and seal. Choose one of these subraces.
Grey Wolf
As a grey wolf, you excel at hunting within the forest.
ASI. Your Dexterity score increases by 1, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Sharp Fangs. Your bite attack deals 2d4 piercing damage instead of 1d6 piercing damage. When you hit a creature with your bite, you can use a bonus action to force it to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your choice of Dexterity or Strength modifier.
Dire Wolf
As a dire wolf, you are strong and fearsome.
ASI. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Additionally, you can wield melee weapons with the two-handed property in your mouth.
Strong Jaw. Your bite attack deals 2d6 piercing damage instead of 1d6 piercing damage, but loses its finesse property. When you hit a creature with your bite, you can use a bonus action to force it to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.
Winter Wolf
As a winter wolf, you are accustomed to the cold climates.
Snowy Pelt. You have resistance to cold damage, and have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Cold Breath. You can use your action to exhale a wave of cold. Each creature within a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.
The damage increases to 6d6 at 5th level, 8d6 at 11th level, and 10d6 at 17th level. When you reach 5th level, the size of the cone increases to 30 feet.
After you use your cold breath, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.
Art by Gustavo Torqueto
Hell Hound
As a hell hound, you have been summoned from the depths of the nine hells.
Alignment. Hell Hounds tend toward evil.
Infernal Legacy. You have resistance to fire damage. Additionally, your creature type is fiend, rather than beast.
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.
Fire Breath. You can use your action to exhale a wave of flames. Each creature within a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.
The damage increases to 6d6 at 5th level, 8d6 at 11th level, and 10d6 at 17th level. When you reach 5th level, the size of the cone increases to 30 feet.
After you use your fire breath, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Languages. You can understand, read, and write Infernal but can't speak it.
Blink Dog
As a blink dog, you are a child of the forest.
Alignment. Blink Dogs tend toward good.
ASI. Your Intelligence score increases by 4.
Fey Blooded. Your creature type is fey, rather than beast.
Teleport. As a bonus action, you can teleport, along with any equipment you are wearing or carrying, up to 40 ft. to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use your teleport a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per short or long rest.
Languages. You can understand, read, and write Sylvan but can't speak it.
Death Dog
As a death dog, you have two heads and nasty breath.
Alignment. Death Dogs tend toward evil.
Monstrous. Your creature type is monstrosity, rather than beast.
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.
Two-Headed. Once per short or long rest, you can grant yourself advantage on a saving throw against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
When you use the Attack action with a bite attack on your turn, you can make one bite attack with your other head as a bonus action.
Septic Bite. When you hit a creature with your bite, it must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 1d4 poison damage on a failed save. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Drakeblood
You have dragon's blood in your veins.
Draconic Ancestry. You are considered a dragon for spells and abilities that specify dragons. Choose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestry table. You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry, and gain additional features.
| Dragon | Damage Type | Additional Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Acid | Amphibious, Swim Speed |
| Blue | Lightning | Burrow Speed |
| Green | Poison | Amphibious, Swim Speed |
| Red | Fire | Climb Speed |
| White | Cold | Climb Speed, Burrow Speed |
Drakehide. Your draconic blood grants you scales. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your
Dexterity modifier.
Tail. Your scaled tail is a natural weapon, which you can use to make tail attacks. If you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. When you use the Attack action with a bite attack on your turn, you can make one tail attack as a bonus action.
Amphibious (Black, Green). You can breathe air and water.
Burrow Speed (Blue, White). You have a burrowing speed equal to half your movement speed.
Climb Speed (Red, White). You have a climbing speed equal to your movement speed.
Swim Speed (Black, Green). You have a swimming speed equal to your movement speed.
Languages. You can understand, read, and write Draconic but can't speak it.
Seal
As a seal, you are the wolf of the ocean.
ASI. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Aquatic Adaptations. Your movement speed is 20 feet, but you have a swimming speed of 60 feet.
Swimming Leap. With a 10-foot swimming start, you can long jump out of or across the water up to 25 feet. If you make a bite attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your choice of Dexterity or Strength modifier. If the target is prone, you can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Detect Balance
Wolf (Total: 15)
- ASI: +0
- Speed: +4
- Wild Hunter: +3
- Bite: +2
- Canine Build: -4
- Keen Hearing and Smell: +4
- Pack Tactics: +6
Grey Wolf (+11, Total: 26)
- ASI: +8
- Sharp Fangs: +3
Dire Wolf (+11, Total: 26)
- ASI: +4
- Powerful Build: +3
- Strong Jaw: +4
Winter Wolf (+14, Total: 29)
- Snowy Pelt: +4
- Cold Breath: +10
Hell Hound (+15, Total: 30)
- Darkvision: +3
- Infernal Legacy: +2
- Fire Breath: +10
Blink Dog (+12, Total: 27)
- ASI: +8
- Teleport: +4
Death Dog (+11, Total: 26)
- Darkvision: +3
- Two-Headed: +6
- Septic Bite: +2
Drakeblood (+13, Total: 28)
- Draconic Ancestry: +6
- Drakehide: +3
- Tail: +2
Seal (+12, Total: 27)
- ASI: +8
- Amphibious: +2
- Aquatic Adaptations: -2
- Swimming Leap: +4
Wolf Feats
Dire Blood
Prerequisite: Dire Wolf
Your dire wolf blood burns in battle, allowing you to swell in size. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
- As an action, you can increases your size to Large. Your size doubles in all dimensions, and your weight is multiplied by eight. You also have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and your melee weapon attacks deal 1d4 extra damage. While enlarged your movement speed increases by 10 feet. This transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until you end it as an action. You can use use this once per long rest.
Winter/Infernal Blood
Prerequisite: Winter Wolf or Hell Hound
Your blood manifests itself in your breath. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Constitution score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.
- Your fire or cold breath uses d8's instead of d6's.
- You can use your fire or cold breath twice instead of just once per short or long rest.
Blink Dog Magic
Prerequisite: Blink Dog
You learn more of the magic typical of blink dogs. You learn detect magic and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot. You also learn misty step and blink, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast those two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.
Bearer of Death
Prerequisite: Death Dog
You become even more monstrous, growing a third head. You gain advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
When you hit a creature with your bite, it must make a Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. After you use this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Draconic Physique
Prerequisite: Drakeblood
Your draconic ancestry runs strong in your veins, causing you become more drakelike. You gain the following benefits:
- You have a flying speed equal to half your walking speed if you aren't wearing heavy armor and aren't exceeding your carrying capacity.
- Your bite deals an additional 1d4 damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry.
References
Wolf
Medium beast, unaligned.
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages --
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Dire Wolf
Large beast, unaligned.
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 37 (5d10+10)
- Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
- Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages --
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Winter Wolf
Large beast, lawful evil.
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 105 (10d14+28)
- Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Damage Immunities cold
- Languages Common, Giant, Winter Wolf
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Snow Camouflage. The wolf has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5—6). The wolf exhales a blast of freezing wind in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Hell Hound
Medium fiend, lawful evil.
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 45 (7d8+14)
- Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Perception +5
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
- Damage Immunities fire
- Languages Understands Infernal but can't speak it
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5—6). The hound exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Blink Dog
Medium fey, lawful good.
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)
- Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages Blink Dog, Understands Sylvan but can't speak it
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) piercing damage.
Teleport (Recharge 4—6). The dog magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 40 ft. to an unoccupied space it can see. Before or after teleporting, the dog can make one bite attack.
Death Dog
Medium monstrosity, lawful evil.
- Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 39 (6d8+12)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4
- Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages --
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Two-Headed. The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
Actions
Multiattack. The dog makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse, the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. This reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0.