Firbolg: Expanded
Version 1.1
As Silvanus stepped back and admired aer work, ae smiled as aer children, bestowed with the gift of thought, set about forming families and groupings, differentiated by nothing more than name. However, aer children given other gifts had no similar structure. So once more did Silvanus breathe life into forests, seas, and mountains, and from these elements were born us firbolg. And ae gave us our divine purpose: to provide family to those creatures without, and to provide name to those unnamed.
-Traditional Firbolg legend
Servants of the Primordials
The firbolg are an ancient race who consider themselves protectors of the creatures of the world. As the ones who gave names to all the creatures, they traditionally do not give themselves names, instead adopting names given to them by others. The Firbolg divided their task in three: the Firadhmad would name life on the lands, the Firbhalaosc would name life in the seas, and the Firsliabh would name life in the earth.
Firbolg Traits
Your firbolg character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Age. Firbolg have long lifespans, reaching adulthood around 30 and living for up to 500 years.
Alignment. Firbolg are good-natured, but as stewards of nature tend to be withdrawn and isolated from the politics of the wider world. Firbolg are typically neutral good.
Size. Firbolg are taller and heavier than most civilized races, but vary widely between subraces. Your size is Medium.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Subrace. Three subraces of firbolg exist: firadhmad, firbhalaosc, and firsliabh. Choose one of them for your character.
Firadhmad
The Firadhmad (fear-aye-mahd) are forest-dwelling firbolg tasked with naming the creatures and plants that live on the land. Their skin is a pale blue or green, and their hair is a tangled woody brown. The backs of their hands and feet are covered in a soft moss-like fur, and their knuckles, elbows, and knees have a bark-like texture.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Size. Firadhmad are tall but lean and agile, typically standing between 6 and 7 feet tall and weighing between 175 and 250 pounds.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Firadhmad Magic. You can cast detect magic and disguise self with this trait, using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability for them. Once you cast either spell, you can't cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or long rest. When you use this version of disguise self, you can seem up to 3 feet shorter than normal, allowing you to more easily blend in with humans and elves.
Hidden Step. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Speech of Beast and Leaf. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants which live above ground. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Firbhalaosc
The Firbhalaosc (fear-vah-lashk) are sea-dwelling firbolg tasked with naming the creatures and plants that live in the oceans. They appear as humanoid tortoises, walking upright with a ponderous and rolling gait. They have leathery, reptilian skin and shells that cover their backs and bellies. Their skin is blue-green or olive. Their back shells are shiner and usually darker than their skin color and their front shells are lighter and have a yellowish cast. Unlike tortises, however, firbhalaosc cannot retract within their shells. Most wear no clothing, though some may wear belts, cloaks, and harnesses for carrying supplies and tools.
Firbhaolasc do not have permanent homes, but instead travel up and down the shorelines, surveying their territory and maintaining relations with outposts and cities on their shores. While traveling, they have a combination of temporary shelters ashore (including cooking pots, etc), and storage and living/working space off shore. The sleep in the (relative) safety of the seas, generally about 100 meters or so from the shore; seaweed wraps around their bodies and supports their heads just above the water as they sleep.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Size. Firbhalaosc typically grow between 5 and 6 feet tall and are stocky, weighing up to 400 pounds. Their shell accounts for about one third their weight.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Bite. Your beak-like maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour at a time. Firbhalaosc aren't natural swimmers, but they can remain underwater for some time before needing to come up for air.
Natural Armor. Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.
Speech of Beast and Coral. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants which live in the sea. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Firsliabh
The Firsliabh (fear-shlawv) are mountain-dwelling firbolg tasked with naming the creatures and plants that live in the earth. Firsliabh appear as humanoid badgers, walking upright with a lumbering gait. They have thick furry hides striped in black and white, though sometimes tufts of golden fur can appear on their faces or muzzle.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Size. Firsliabh are towering and imposing figures, typically grow between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh between 300 and 400 pounds.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Firsliabh Magic. You know the magic stone cantrip. You can also cast the earth tremor spell as a 1st-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Sharp Claws Your claws, normally used for digging, are also natural weapons which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
In addition, you can use your action to grant yourself a burrowing speed of 5 feet until the end of your turn. You can only burrow through natural earthen surfaces like dirt and stone when burrowing in this way.
Speech of Beast and Fungus. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants which live underground. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Credits
- Thicket the Firbolg Druid, by rboldador
- Wanderers, by Maximilian Degen
- Lord Brocktree, by John Stone Art
- Created by Eric J Earley using GM Binder
- Last updated 2020/01/15