Hybridizing Races

This guide is intended to assist you in creating a character born from two races, similar to the concept of half-orcs and half-elves. While most races can reproduce with each other normally, some races, such as aarakocra or lizardfolk, might have special reproductive means that are incompatible with other races. Make sure to check with your DM about what hybrids are allowed.

Creating a Hybrid Character

When you create your hybrid character, choose two races from the below list (setting-exclusive races such as loxodons and changelings have been excluded, as well as half-orcs and half-elves. Talk to your DM about using excluded races). Once you choose the two, follow the following steps:

Dominant vs. Recessive

Choose one race to be dominant and one to be recessive. The dominant race has a greater influence over your features, while the recessive has less of an effect. Each listed race has dominant and recessive traits. For your dominant race, choose the dominant traits. For your recessive, choose the recessive traits. If a race has a subrace, choose the subrace of your parent and take the appropriate dominant or recessive traits. For example, if your parents were a dominant mountain dwarf and a recessive bugbear, you would take the dominant traits from both the dwarf race and the mountain dwarf subrace, as well as the recessive traits of the bugbear.

Author's Note

Dominant and recessive genes are an actual thing in the real world. This feature does not accurately depict genetics. The words were used to show the level of prominence of your character's parents in your character's blood. Also, some (but not all) race's damage resistances were put into recessive. This is because of other features of the race that outweigh the resistance (such as the tiefling's Hellish Resistance being recessive due to Infernal Legacy being dominant). Just know that it's a balance thing, and feel free to change it if you wish.

Height and Weight

For simplicity's sake, I advise you to take the height and weight of your dominant parent. If you want a more unique aspect, use the following height and weight calculations.

Height = [(first parent's base height + average roll of height modifier) + (second parent's base height + average roll of height modifier)]/2

Weight = [(first parent's base weight + average roll of weight modifier) + (second parent's base weight + average roll of weight modifier)]/2

I have included average rolls under each race so that you don't have to do the math.

Languages

You know Common and one language from each of your parents. For example, a half-elf half-dragonborn character might know Common, Draconic, and Elvish.

Hybridizing Your Homebrew Race

If you want to make a hybrid of your homebrew race or a race not listed here, determine which features would be dominant and which would be recessive. With the way I designed the following, +2 bonuses to ability scores are dominant, and +1 bonuses are recessive. Less common features that define a race (such as the elf's Fey Ancestry or the aarakocra's Flight) would be dominant traits. Features that don't have a huge bearing on gameplay (like the high elf's Elf Weapon Training or the dwarf's Tool Proficiency) or more common features that many races have (like Darkvision) would be recessive traits.

Races

Aarakocra

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 22.5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
25 foot speed
Flight

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
Talons

Aasimar

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Charisma
Healing Hands
Celestial Resistance

Recessive Traits

Darkvision
Light Bearer

Protector Aasimar

Dominant Traits

Radiant Soul

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom

Scourge Aasimar

Dominant Traits

Radiant Consumption

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution

Fallen Aasimar

Dominant Traits

Necrotic Shroud

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength

Bugbear

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 13 inches

Average weight modifier: 91 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Long-Limbed
Sneaky
Surprise Attack

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity
Darkvision
Powerful Build

Dragonborn

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 63 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Draconic Ancestry
Breath Weapon

Recessive Traits

+1 Charisma
Damage Resistance

Dwarf

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 5 inches

Average weight modifier: 35 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Constitution
25 foot speed
Dwarven Resilience
Stonecunning

Recessive Traits

Darkvision
Dwarven Combat Training
Tool Proficiency

Hill Dwarf

Dominant Traits

Dwarven Toughness

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom

Mountain Dwarf

Dominant Traits

Dwarven Armor Training

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength

Gray Dwarf (Duergar)

Dominant Traits

Sunlight Sensitivity
Duergar Magic

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength
Superior Darkvision
Duergar Resilience

Elf

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 27.5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Fey Ancestry
Keen Senses

Recessive Traits

Darkvision
Trance

Dark Elf (Drow)

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 7 inches

Average weight modifier: 24.5 pounds

Dominant Traits

Drow Magic
Sunlight Sensitivity

Recessive Traits

+1 Charisma
Superior Darkvision
Drow Weapon Training

Eladrin

Average Height

Average height modifier: 13 inches

Dominant Traits

Fey Step (characters with a dominant eladrin parent can change their season as normal)

Recessive Traits

+1 Charisma

High Elf

Dominant Traits

Cantrip

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence
Elf Weapon Training
Extra Language

Sea Elf

Average Height

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Dominant Traits

Child of the Sea

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Sea Elf Training
Friend of the Sea

Shadar-Kai

Average Height

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Dominant Traits

Blessing of the Raven Queen

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Necrotic Resistance

Wood Elf

Dominant Traits

Fleet of Foot
Mask of the Wild

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
Elf Weapon Training

Firbolg

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 13 inches

Average weight modifier: 91 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Wisdom
Firbolg Magic
Hidden Step

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength
Powerful Build
Speech of Beast and Leaf

Genasi

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Constitution

Air Genasi

Dominant Traits

Mingle with the Wind

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity
Unending Breath

Earth Genasi

Dominant Traits

Merge with Stone

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength
Earth Walk

Fire Genasi

Dominant Traits

Reach to the Blaze

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence
Darkvision
Fire Resistance

Water Genasi

Dominant Traits

Call to the Wave
Swim

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
Acid Resistance
Amphibious

Gith

Average Height

Average height modifier: 13 inches

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence

Githyanki

Average Weight

Average weight modifier: 65 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Githyanki Psionics

Recessive Traits

Decadent Mastery
Martial Prodigy

Githzerai

Average Weight

Average weight modifier: 32.5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Wisdom
Githzerai Psionics

Recessive Traits

Mental Discipline

Gnome

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 5 inches

Average weight modifier: 5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Intelligence
Small size
25 foot speed
Gnome Cunning

Recessive Traits

Darkvision

Forest Gnome

Dominant Traits

Natural Illusionist

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity
Speak With Small Beasts

Rock Gnome

Dominant Traits

Tinker

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Artificer's Lore

Deep Gnome (Svirfneblin)

Dominant Traits

Stone Camouflage

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity
Superior Darkvision

Goblin

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 5 inches

Average weight modifier: 5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Small size
Fury of the Small
Nimble Escape

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Darkvision

Goliath

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 77 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Natural Athlete
Stone's Endurance

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Powerful Build
Mountain Born

Grung

Average Height and Weight

Height and weight not given

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Small Size
25 foot speed
25 foot climb speed
Arboreal Alertness
Poison Immunity
Poisonous Skin

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Amphibious
Standing Leap
Water Dependency

Halfling

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 5 inches

Average weight modifier: 5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Small Size

25 foot speed
Lucky
Brave

Recessive Traits

Nimble

Lightfoot Halfling

Dominant Traits

Naturally Stealthy

Recessive Traits

+1 Charisma

Stout Halfling

Dominant Traits

Stout Resilience

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution

Hobgoblin

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Constitution
Saving Face
Martial Training

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence
Darkvision

Human

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+1 to 4 ability scores of your choice

Recessive Traits

+1 to 2 ability scores of your choice

Variant Human

Dominant Traits

Feat
Skill

Recessive Traits

+1 to 2 ability scores

Kenku

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 31.5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Kenku Training
Mimicry

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
Expert Forgery

Kobold

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 5 inches

Average weight modifier: 5 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Small size
Pack Tactics
Sunlight Sensitivity

Recessive Traits

Darkvision
Grovel, Cower, and Beg

Lizardfolk

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 77 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Constitution
Bite
Hunter's Lore
Natural Armor
Hungry Jaws

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
30 foot swim speed
Cunning Artisan
Hold Breath

Locathah

Average Height and Weight

Height and weight not given

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
30 foot swim speed
Natural Armor
Observant and Athletic
Leviathan Will

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity
Limited Amphibiousness

Orc

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 63 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Aggressive
Primal Intuition

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution
Darkvision
Powerful Build

Tabaxi

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Dexterity
Feline Agility
Cat's Talent

Recessive Traits

+1 Charisma
Darkvision
Cat's Claws

Tiefling

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 45 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Charisma (Dexterity for Feral variant)

Recessive Traits

Darkvision
Hellish Resistance

Asmodeus

Dominant Traits

Infernal Legacy

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence

Baalzebul

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Maladomini

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence

Dispater

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Dis

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity

Fierna

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Phlegethos

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom

Glasya

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Malboge

Recessive Traits

+1 Dexterity

Levistus

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Stygia

Recessive Traits

+1 Constitution

Mammon

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Minauros

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence

Mephistopheles

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Cania

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence

Zariel

Dominant Traits

Legacy of Avernus

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength

Tortle

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 9 inches

Average weight modifier: 45 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Strength
Natural Armor
Shell Defense
Survival Instinct

Recessive Traits

+1 Wisdom
Claws

Hold Breath

Triton

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+1 Strength, Constitution, or Charisma (choose two)
30 foot swim speed
Amphibious
Control Air and Water

Recessive Traits

+1 Strength, Constitution, or Charisma
Darkvision
Emissary of the Sea
Guardians of the Depths

Yuan-ti Pureblood

Average Height and Weight

Average height modifier: 11 inches

Average weight modifier: 55 pounds

Dominant Traits

+2 Charisma
Innate Spellcasting
Magic Resistance

Recessive Traits

+1 Intelligence
Darkvision
Poison Immunity

Planetouched Races

Tieflings, genasi, and aasimar are all planetouched, meaning that they lend their abilities to a plane other than the Prime Material. While these three are generally depicted as having a human base, you can apply the racial traits of these three to any race by taking either tiefling, genasi, or aasimar and changing the size and speed as appropriate. For example, if you wanted to make a halfling aasimar, just take the aasimar race and change the size from Medium to Small and the speed from 30 feet to 25 feet. If you want to have a half-halfling half-aasimar, however, use the hybrid rules I laid out above.

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