Kitsune
THE NOBLEMAN RUSHED THROUGH THE DOOR AND barred it shut behind him. Panting, Lance slowly walked into the lounge. He would run, this is no time to relax, but he was too exhausted.
"They found us! I have no idea how, but they found us!" said the young scion to his companion he left in in the safe house while he checked the town. "Well, my dear Lance, I might have an idea." Raurk approached the man slowly, the tone in his voice betraying his intent.
"I told them." shocked coloured the young man's face as his companion's form shifts, from that of a human to that of a humanoid fox.
Forest Spirits
Kitsune trace their origins back to foxes that were uplifted by a powerful archfey. Given the capricious nature of their patron, the kitsune too were granted gifts of guile and wit.
As such, kitsune make for excellent tricksters. While not inherently malicious, the nature of the trick depends on natures of the kitsune and the mark both.
Natural Shapechangers
Being a race known for trickery makes pulling off such trickery difficult. Fortunately for these foxfolk, they have a way around such an issue.
All kitsune from birth have the ability to assume the shape of a human. While this is useful, they have no actual control over what their human form looks like. All kitsune's human form invariably resembles a human of their height and build, with hair and eyes matching that of their true form. As such, even in this form, anyone sufficiently in the know can tell them apart from their fair complexions and unusual eye colors.
Tales of Tails
Much like the other races descended from fae influence, such as the elves, kitsune are inherently magical creatures. While for most, this extends almost entirely to shapeshifting or the occasional cantrip, there are others considerably destined towards greater things.
These kitsune are marked by having more than one tail. This means that kitsune have an almost religious reverence for their tails, and towards those rare few who possess two or more. Legends say that a kitsune with nine tails is nigh immortal.
Kitsune Names
Because kitsune hide amongst humanity, they name their children accordingly, though as a subtle nod their inhuman identities may ad an unusual flair to their names.
Female Names: Arizima, Chathi, Nephis, Nulara, Murithi,
Sefris, Thola, Umara
Male Names: Aoth, Bareris, Ehput-Ki, Kethoth, Mumed,
Ramas, So-Kehur, Thazar-De, Urhur
Kitsune Traits
All kitsune share some traits regardless of which caste they were born into.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score
increases by 1.
Age. Kitsune mature at about the same rate as humans and live for about a century.
Alignment. Much like elves, kitsune have a fae influence, as such, they tend towards self-determination and trickery as such tend to be chaotic, they, however, seek no ill will toward their marks, as such they tend towards good as well.
Size. Kitsune are about the same height as humans but somewhat on the more slender side. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Beguiling Shifter. You, as a shapechanger, have the ability to assume the form of a human of your same height, build and age. Additionally, you can take the form of a fox, this ability acts like polymorph except you keep your mental ability scores and your hit points. The form you take is always the same. Changing from any of your three forms into any other is an Action. You remain in this form unless you drop to 0 hit points or you choose to revert.
Caste or Subrace. There are four castes of kitsune, the artisan caste, the shrine caste, the lurker caste and the less common guardian caste. Additionally, there is a subrace of desert dwelling fennec kitsune.
Shrine Kitsune
Shrine kitsune innately understand both the realms of mortals and the gods.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score
increases by 2.
Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the Cleric spell list. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.
Religious Calling. You have proficiency in the Religion skill.
Divine Affinity. You may use your Charisma score in place of your Wisdom score for the purposes of Cleric and Druid class features.
Kitsune Skulker
Skulker kitsune are raised from birth as spies and informants for the upper castes, they take their duty very seriously.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score
increases by 2.
Learned Liar. You gain proficiency in the Deception or Stealth skill, and you may use Intelligence in place of Charisma for Deception and Persuasion checks.
Natural Illusionist. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
Shifting Mind. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Kitsune Guardian
Very rarely a kitsune is born who is given a sacred charge to protect, these kitsune are trained to this end.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score
increases by 2.
Guardian's Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Guardian Form. At 5th level, you can assume the form of a guardian fox spirit, this form is considerably larger than a normal fox. While in this form you gain the following benefits:
- Your Strength becomes 17, unless it is higher.
- Your AC becomes 12 + your Dexterity modifier.
- You have a base walking speed of 50 ft.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
- This form has a number of hit points equal to 4 times your character level.
- You have a bite attack that if you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 2d6 + your Strength modifier.
- You can't speak, cast Spells, or take any other action that requires hands or Speech.
This form lasts up to 1 minute and cannot be used again until after you complete a short or long rest.
Natural Athlete. You gain proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Kitsune Artisan
The most common of the kitsune are artisans and tradesmen.
Ability Score Increase. You increase two ability
scores of your choice by 1.
Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.
Tradesperson. You gain proficiency in an artisan's tool of your choice.
Fennec Kitsune
These large eared desert dwelling kitsune are most notable their diminutive size and resemblance to fennec foxes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score
increases by 2.
Small. Fennec kitsune are about the same height as halflings but somewhat on the more slender side. Your size is small, and your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Massive Ears. Your large ears grant you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Shriek. As an action, you can let out a series of piercing screeches, all creatures within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + your Charisma modifier + your Proficiency bonus. Creatures who fail their save take 1d4 points of thunder damage and are deafened until the start of your next turn. Creatures who cannot hear you, automatically succeed their saves.
Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are only obscured by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
| Race | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitsune | 4’6" | +2d10 | 90 lb. | x(1d4) lb. |
| Kitsune, Fennec | 2'7" | +2d4 | 30 lbs. | x1 lb. |
Racial Feat
Kyubi Legacy
Prerequisite: kitsune, spellcasting class feature.
The legendary blood of the ninetails flows through your veins granting you the following benefits:
- You grow an additional tail.
- Each level hereafter you grow another tail as long as your number of tails doesn't exceed half your level up to 9 tails.
- For each tail, you have you can cast a spell at a level equal to the number of tails used, once you have used a tail to cast a spell you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Credits
Designed by d'Artagnan on DMs Guild, /u/dArtagnanDnD on reddit, or dArtagnanDnD on patreon and dArtagnanDnD on Twitter.
- Made with "GM Binder".
- Made with reference and for use with Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, created by Wizards of the Coast.
- Vulpinal Agathion, by Sarah Stone, for Paizo Publishing