Savage Species for 5e

by VaranSL

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Savage Species for 5e

Certain creatures might break the mold and become adventurers, exploring the world around them and attempting to protect it from evil forces.

Power

These creatures are innately powerful in their own right, but their unique abilities require dedication and work. As a character levels up, they must choose the traits belonging to their race and gain it as their level, thus showing their dedication in growing stronger with their natural powers. These traits can be taken at any time so long as the character has any previous traits and they are of the trait's level or higher. A character can take the trait level if they are of that level or higher.

Challenge Rating

A monster's traits have a level prerequisite based on the Challenge Rating of the creature. There are typically a number of traits to fully level up equal to half the monster's Challenge Rating, not including starting racial traits. In addition, the final trait for a monster is equal to the level a character must be if they were to encounter the monster by themselves and it be a medium difficulty encounter, per the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Process

If you decide to become a savage species, you first select the creature as your race at character creation. Then, as you level up, you can choose to focus on its full power by selecting their traits instead of gaining a level in your class.

Azer

When you select Azer as your race, you gain the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.
  • Size. Your size is Medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Ignan.
  • Creature Type. You are an Elemental.
  • Illumination. You shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
  • Damage Resistance. You have resistance against fire and poison damage.
  • Heated Body. A creature that touches you or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Azer Trait 1

Prerequisite 5th Level

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Die. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Heated Body. Your heated body now deals 5 (1d10) fire damage.
  • Heated Weapons. When you hit with a metal melee weapon, it deals an extra 3 (1d6) fire damage.
  • Damage Immunity. You are immune to fire and poison damage and can not be poisoned.

Dryad

When you select Dryad as your race, you gain the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
  • Size. Your size is Medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Elvish and Sylvan.
  • Creature Type. You are a Fey.
  • 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.
  • Innate Spellcasting. You know the druidcraft cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the goodberry spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the pass without trace spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
  • Speak with Beasts & Plants. You can communicate with beasts and plants as if you shared a language.
  • Fey Charm. As an action, you can target one beast that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the target can see you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed. The DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
        The charmed creature regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protect, though they are not under your control. Each time you, or your allies, do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours, if you die, on a different plane of existence, or end the effect as a bonus action. If a target's saving throw is successful, the target is immune to your charm for the next 24 hours.
        You can have no more than one beast charmed at a time.

Dryad Trait 1

Prerequisite 4th Level

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Die. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Innate Spellcasting. You know the druidcraft cantrip. You also learn the entangle spell and can cast it, along with the goodberry spell, three times per day. In addition, you can cast the barkskin and shillelagh spells once per day, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
  • Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Fey Charm. You can now target humanoids with your charm and can have no more than one humanoid and up to three beasts charmed at a time.
  • Tree Stride. Once on your turn, you can use 10 feet of your movement to step magically into one living tree within your reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger.

Medusa

When you select Medusa as your race, you gain the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and Charisma score increases by 1.
  • Size. Your size is Medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
  • Creature Type. You are a Monstrosity.
  • 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.
  • Skills. You gain proficiency with Perception.
  • Snake Hair. Your hair is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike. In addition, it gains the Finesse trait.
  • Poison Bite. On a successful hit with your hair, you can deal an additional 1d6 poison damage, and you can’t use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.

Medusa Trait 1

Prerequisite 5th Level

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Die. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Natural Armor. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural 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 natural armor.
  • Poison Bite. You can now deal poison damage with your hair a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all spent uses on a short or long rest.
  • Gaze. As a reaction, when a creature that can see your eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of you, you can force them to make a Constitution saving throw if you aren't incapacitated and you can see them. The DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. A creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained until the start of their next turn.
        Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see you until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. Regardless of whether the creature averts their gaze or not, it still expends a use of this gaze.
        You can use this gaze a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, regaining spent uses after finishing a long rest.

Medusa Trait 2

Prerequisite 9th Level / Trait 1

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Dice. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Poison Bite. Your poison damage is now equal to a number of d6s equal to your proficiency bonus.
  • Gaze. You regain all spent uses of your gaze after finishing a short or long rest. In addition, if a creature fails their initial saving throw, they begin to turn to stone. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts for 24 hours or they are freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.

Medusa Trait 3

Prerequisite 13th Level / Trait 2

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Dice. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Poison Bite. Your hair now deals poison damage on every attack.
  • Gaze. Your gaze no longer takes a reaction to activate and there is no longer any limit to the number of times you can use it. In addition, if a creature fails the initial saving throw by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. A petrified creature remains petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
        If you see yourself reflected on a polished surface within 30 feet of you, and in an area of bright light, you are affected by your own gaze.

Mind Flayer

When you select Mind Flayer as your race, you gain the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and choose whether your Charisma or Wisdom score increases by 1.
  • Size. Your size is Medium.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Languages. You can speak, read, and write Deep Speech and Undercommon.
  • Creature Type. You are an Aberration.
  • Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.
  • Psionics. When you reach 3rd level, you can the detect thoughts and levitate spells once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they don't require components.
  • Telepathy. You can telepathically communicate with any creature within 15 feet of you.
  • Tentacles. Your tentacles are a natural weapon which you can use to make unarmed strikes. You use your Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls and you deal psychic damage equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike.
  • Extract Brain. As an action, you can make a tentacles attack. On a successful tentacles attack against an unconscious humanoid, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d10 times your proficiency bonus. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, you kill the target by extracting and devouring its brain.

Mind Flayer Trait 1

Prerequisite Level 5

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Dice. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Psionics. You can cast the detect thoughts and levitate spells a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, regaining all spent uses on a long rest.
  • Mind Blast. You can use your action to magically emit psychic energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take psychic damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. The DC is equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence modifier. After you use your mind blast, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
  • Telepathy. Your telepathy increases in range to 30 feet.
  • Tentacles. Your tentacles now deal 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier on a successful hit.

Mind Flayer Trait 2

Prerequisite Level 10 / Trait 1

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Dice. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Psionics. You can now cast the dominate monster spell, after you cast this spell with this trait, you can't use it again until after finishing a long rest.
  • Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Mind Blast. The area of effect of your mind blast increases to 30 feet and any creature that fails their saving throw is stunned until the end of their next turn. In addition, you can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, regaining all spent uses on a short or long rest, but can only use it once per minute.
  • Telepathy. Your telepathy increases in range to 60 feet.
  • Tentacles. Your tentacles now deal 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier on a successful hit. In addition, if the target is Medium or smaller, you can automatically grapple the target with your tentacles on a hit. You can only make one attack with your tentacles if you choose to grapple or are grappling a creature.

Mind Flayer Trait 3

Prerequisite Level 15 / Trait 2

When you select this feature upon leveling up, you gain the following abilities.

  • Hit Dice. 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier
  • Psionics. You can now cast the plane shift spell, only affecting yourself, after you cast this spell with this trait, you can't use it again until after finishing a long rest. In addition, you can cast the detect thoughts and levitate spells at will.
  • Mind Blast. The area of effect of your mind blast increases to a 60-foot cone and you now deal psychic damage equal to 4d8 plus your Intelligence modifier. If a creature fails their saving throw, they are stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
        In addition, after you use this ability, you can't use it again until you recharge it. At the start of every turn after you use it, roll a d6. On the result of a 5 or 6, your mind blast is recharged.
  • Telepathy. Your telepathy increases in range to 120 feet.
  • Tentacles. Your tentacles now deal 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier on a successful hit. In addition, if you grapple a target with your tentacles, you can force them to make an Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the grapple ends. The DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
  • Extract Brain. You can now attempt to extract the brain of an incapacitated humanoid grappled by your tentacles. This damage increases to 2d10 times your proficiency bonus.

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