Monstrous Player Characters
Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. It is not entirely uncommon for a goblin, orc, or other monster to wander its way into an adventure, but these creatures are usually savage and brutal, and aren't always good. Sometimes, however, these creatures can make excellent heroes.
Bugbear
Bugbears rely on stealth and strength to attack, preferring to operate at night. When they're not in battle, bugbears spend much of their time resting or dozing, and bully weaker creatures into doing their bidding. From the viewpoint of the rest of the world, their aggression and savagery are thankfully offset by their rarity and lethargy.
Bugbear Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Surprise Attack. On the first round of combat, if you damage a creature that hasn't acted yet with an attack or spell, you can cause the attack or spell to deal an extra 1d6 damage to the creature. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Naturally Stealthy. You have proficiency in the Stealth skill.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
Gnoll
Widely reviled as savage stalkers and merciless marauders, the collective identity of the gnolls is nonetheless as contentious a subject among scholars as it is among the gnolls themselves. Though they are commonly known for their feral instincts and relentless brutality, so too are gnolls both naturally adaptable and aggressively devoted to their packmates. Given substantial purpose to set aside their typical mistrust, the fearsome and lawless hyenafolk can make for valuable companions, fiercely dedicated to their found kinship and prepared at all times to viciously defend it.
~ Monco
Art Credit
Yrrun, my Gnoll Bard by u/m4n3ctr1c
Gnoll Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. You can use your bite in place of an unarmed strike.
Exhilarating Thrill. When you roll a 20 on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you gain advantage on the next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw you make before the end of your next turn.
Primal Intuition. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.
Rampage. Immediately after you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on your turn, you can use a bonus action to move up to half of your speed and make an attack with a melee weapon.
Scavenger. You have advantage on saving throws against disease and ingested poisons, and you can safely consume raw or rotten food.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Gnoll.
Goblin
Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and cruel in victory, goblins are fawning and servile in defeat.
Goblin Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Fury of the Small. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature's size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal an extra 1d6 damage to the creature. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Nimble Escape. You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
Art Credit
Unknown
Hobgoblin
War is the lifeblood of hobgoblins. Its glories are the dreams that inspire them. Its horrors don't feature in their nightmares. Cowardice is more terrible to hobgoblins than dying, for they carry their living acts into the afterlife. A hero in death becomes a hero eternal.
Hobgoblin Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Tactical Advantage. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and that enemy is adjacent to an ally, you can cause the attack or spell to deal an extra 1d6 damage to the creature. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Saving Face. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, and you can see an ally within 30 feet of you, you can reroll the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw and must use the new roll. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
Kobold
Kobolds are often dismissed as cowardly, foolish, and weak, but these little reptilian creatures actually have a strong social structure that stresses devotion to the tribe, are clever with their hands, and viciously work together in order to overcome their physical limitations.
Kobold Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Defiant Roar. As a bonus action, you let out a shrill roar at your enemies within 10 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, you and your allies have advantage on attack rolls against any of those enemies who could hear the roar. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Trapmaker. Whenever you make an ability check related to mechanical traps, you are considered proficient in the skill and add twice your Proficiency Bonus to the roll.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of basic principles than those of warm-blooded creatures. Their dismal swamp homes might lie hundreds of miles from the nearest human settlement, but the gap between their way of thinking and that of the smooth-skins is far greater.
Lizardfolk Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Swimmer. You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.
Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. You can use your bite in place of an unarmed strike.
Hungry Jaws. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with with a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your level. Once you successfully hit with this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, you can't use this trait again until you finish a long rest.
Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can still use a shield and gain the benefits of this trait.
Temperate Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in forests, jungles, and swamps.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.
Art Credit
Lizardfolk Druid by u/eamonn6251
Orc
Savage and fearless, orc tribes are ever in search of elves, dwarves, and humans to destroy. Motivated by their hatred of the civilized races of the world and their need to satisfy the demands of their deities, the orcs know that if they fight well and bring glory to their tribe, Gruumsh will call them home.
Orc Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2. You then increase any other ability score of your choice by 1.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Aggresive. As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Primal Intuition. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.
Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Orc.
Monstrous Feats
Abyssal Corruption
Prerequisite: Gnoll, lizardfolk, orc
Exposure to the energy of the Abyss has granted you the following benefits:
- Increase your Constitution score by l, to a maximum of 20.
- You can speak, read, and write Abyssal.
- Choose one of the following damage types: cold, fire, or poison. You have resistance to that damage type.
- You gain the Bite racial trait if you don't have it already.
- Your bite attack deals an extra 1d6 damage of the damage type you chose whenever you hit with it, and counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Art Credit
Graver by 宋大能
Bonecarver
Prerequisite: Lizardfolk
You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency in leatherworker's tool or woodcarver's tools. If you're already proficient with that tool, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with them.
- During a short or long rest, you can perform 1 hour of work to craft any simple weapon or shield from bone, provided you have bone and leatherworker's tools or woodcarver's tools on hand. The amount of bone (lb.) required to craft this item is equal to twice the weight of the item you are trying to craft. Alternatively, you can spend that time to craft a number of arrows, bolts, or darts equal to your Proficiency Bonus, expending 1 lb. of bone.
- During a long rest, you can perform 2 hours of work to craft any martial weapon or light or medium armor you have seen before, provided you have bone and leatherworker's tools or woodcarver's tool's on hand, and you have studied the item for at least 10 minutes. The amount of bone (lb.) required to craft this item is equal to three times the weight of the item you are trying to craft.
- You are proficient in any weapons and armor you craft from bone.
Conquerer of the Host
Prerequisite: Bugbear, goblin, or hobgoblin
The goblinoid host is unstoppable. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- The damage dice of your racial ability increases from a
d6 to a d8. - Whenever you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you can choose a hostile creature within 30 feet of you that could see that creature and force it to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Charisma modifier
+ your Proficiency Bonus) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Dragon Heart
Prerequisite: Kobold
By chance or fate, you have developed draconic power. Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You have resistance to the chosen damage type.
- You learn one cantrip from the sorcerer spell list. If this cantrip deals damage, it must be of the same type as your chosen damage type. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Art Credit
The Dragonhunter's hideout by Frost Llamzon
Orcish Fury
Prerequisite: Half-orc or orc
Your inner fury burns tirelessly. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Strength or Constitution score by l, to a maximum of 20.
- When you hit with an attack using a simple or martial weapon, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice an additional time and add it as extra damage of the weapon’s damage type. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
- Immediately after you use your Relentless Endurance trait, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack.
