Variant Aarakocra, Elemental Aarakocra
While all Aarakocra once hailed from the elemental plane of air, their elemental affinity reached beyond that. First one, then groups of Aarakocra began to exibit signs of elemental affinity to other elemental planes, or strengthening the ones they had. Eventually, the elemental Aarakocra became its own species, a branch of the avians that were attuned with one of the four elemental planes.
Each subrace of elemental Aarakocra look wildly different from one another, from the more smooth and streamlined aquatic Aarakocra to the constantly flaming phoenix Aarakocra. They take pride in their affinity, but stick together despite differences to ensure a strong tribe. Sometimes however, a group of Aarakocra will nest in an area that few others can tolerate, such as far out at sea or near an active volcano, thus leading to a tribe of mainly one type of elemental Aarakocra.
Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Age Aarakocra reach maturity by age 3, but don’t usually live longer than 60 years.
Alignment Most aarakocra are good and rarely choose sides when it comes to law and chaos. Tribal leaders and warriors might be lawful, while explorers and adventurers might tend toward chaotic.
Size Aarakocra are about 5 feet tall. They have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Flight You gain a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Talons Your talons are 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, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Languages You can speak, read, and write Common, and Aarakocra.
Subraces
Four subraces exist for the elemental Aarakocra, each attributed to one of the four elemental planes.
Each one has an ability that forces a saving throw or skill check. The DC for these abilities are 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Constitution (for Steel and Phoenix) or your Dexterity (for Aquatic and Tempest) modifier
Phoenix
Your wings are constantly alight with soft comforting flames.
Rebirth When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can choose to explode in flames, forcing all creatures within 10 feet of yourself to make a Dexterity throw, dealing 2d6 fire damage on failure and half as much on success. After doing this, you regain 1 hit point, appear 1d4 years younger (to a minimum of 3), and are unable to use your flight trait until your next long rest as the burst burned off several of your feathers. If you were airborne, you safely descend to the ground.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Glow You constantly emit bright light in a 10 foot radius, and dim light for another 10 feet beyond that. As a bonus action, you can suppress this glow for 1 minute or until you choose to end it with an action. If a creature damages you with a melee attack while you are glowing, you can use your reaction to deal fire damage to it equal to your Proficiency bonus.
Language You can speak, read, and write Ignan.
Steel
Your feathers are hardened by the energy of the plane of earth, giving you impressive defensive abilities.
Iron Resilience. You gain resistance to poison damage, and have advantage on saving throws to avoid being poisoned.
Transmute As an action, you can call upon the earthen spirits to turn your wings' feathers into steel for 1 minute. While this trait is active, you cannot use your flight trait. You gain temporary hit points equal to your Proficiency modifier at the start of each of your turns.
If you use this trait while airborne, you immediately fall, taking no damage upon landing. Any creature within the space you would land on must make a Dexterity saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to your Constitution modifier. If the creature is no more than one size larger or smaller than you, it is pushed 5 feet away to an unoccupied space of its choosing and you can make one attack with your Talons against it as a Bonus Action.
You can end this feature as an action, regaining the ability to use your Flight feature. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Language You can speak, read, and write Terran.
Aquatic
You have become attuned with the plane of water, and now can conquer both the sky and the sea.
Deep Sight. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Riptide As an action, target a space or creature within 60 feet of yourself that you can see. You form a 5-foot radius tube of water between you and that point, and launch yourself through the current. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity while moving in this way. If you chose a creature you can make one melee attack against the creature as part of this action.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Swimmer. You gain a swim speed of 30 feet.
Language You can speak, read, and write Aquan.
Tempest
Very similar to the natural Aarakocra, you are in tune with air elementals and can summon the wind to your aid.
Whirlwind You can summon strong air currents around you, allowing you to send your foes flying. As an action, every creature within 10 feet of yourself must make a Dexterity saving throw. On failure, the creature is knocked 10 feet away from you. If a creature impacts an object, such as a wall or floor, the creature also takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage. If the creature is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or both creatures take the same damage.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Form of Wind. As a bonus action, you change your form into a whirling cloud of feathers. Until the end of your turn, you do not provoke opportunity attacks and can move through other creatures as if they were difficult terrain. Additionally, you can fit through gaps at lest 1 foot in diameter without squeezing. Additionally, both your walking and flying speed are increased to 60.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Electric You know the spell shocking grasp. Dexterity is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Language You can speak, read, and write Auran.
Racial Feat
Elemental Surge
Prerequisites: Elemental Aarakocra
Your bond with the elemental forces has strengthened, giving you the following benefits depending on your subrace.
Aquatic. You can breathe underwater. In addition, you can cast the spell Tidal Wave once, and regain the ability to do so upon finishing a long rest.
Tempest. You can use your Whirlwind feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Additionally, creatures that fail the saving throw from this feature are knocked prone.
Steel. When you or a creature within 5 feet of you is hit with an attack while in your Transmuted form, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage taken by 1d4 + your Constitution modifier (to a minimum of 0 damage).
Phoenix. As an action, you can cause your burning feathers to burn even brighter, causing any creature that starts its turn or moves within 5 feet of yourself to take 1d4 fire damage. This effect lasts until 1 minute passes, after which you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.