Are you suggesting that the PC is an animal that has transformed into a humanoid creature, or that they will actually play as an animal? If they've transformed into a humanoid, run the normal rules.
If you're going to let them play as an animal, however, then you have three options.
Option 1 is to choose the stats of the animal as their baseline, and on levelling up roll a hit dice, gain proficiency, and gain ability score increases every 4 levels. But they shouldn't gain new abilities - they don't have a character class.
Option 2, run them as a normal PC but apply something like the following custom ruleset:
Roll stats as normal
Choose custom lineage from Tasha's and create whatever is appropriate for the animal
Available classes are: Barbarian, Fighter. I couldn't imagine an animal managing to have the knowledge or learning to be anything else. If it has hands (e.g. it's a primate) then allow paladin, sorcerer and warlock. There's no point playing either paladin, sorcerer or warlock unless you have hands to hold an arcane focus/components pouch.
For a Fighter or Paladin take Unarmed Fighting style
Consider taking the Tavern Brawler feat
Unless it has hands, the animal can only make unarmed attacks. You can change the damage type to slashing or bludgeoning if you want
Unless it finds animal specific armour, it cannot wear armour
Choose a background that fits where the awakened animal lived before. It may have learned about criminal proceedings by being the lynx pet of a criminal overlord, for instance.
No starting equipment unless it's a primate
The character progresses as normal from there
Note that this will create a character which is ultimately weaker than a regular PC, but it should be. When players want to play strange variations on things that pose disadvantages (they want to have lost an arm, they want to be a Tiny size, they want to be a tiger, they want to suffer from terrible headaches) then they should be able to do so, but the DM shouldn't fix the rules to make them as equivalently strong as a character not suffering the disadvantage.
Option 3: A bit of both
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
Well, I want to point out that the sidekick rules allow for a warrior, expert and spellcaster type class and at least one wolf warrior is used as an example. This is a regular sidekick wolf with class levels, although not the normal classes.
But with this in mind I'd consider allowing someone to play something similar with regular class levels... As long as they have a good reason for anything specific. Awakened animal with the barbarian or fighter as a class seems fine without too much thought into it but for any spellcaster class they'd need to be at least some kind of monkey/ape or similar creature. In the same way I wouldn't let any creature play a rogue either, using lockpicks and such requires working hands imo. Small monkey/ape pickpocket isn't that strange though. But for spellcasters there would perhaps be some other considerations as well, like, who taught them wizard spells?
Sorcerer or warlock seems more fair, druid possibly with their connection to nature... Cleric, maaaaaybe...
That said, I really like the idea of an awakened animal who makes a pact for power...
As Wtfdndad says, custom lineage would work nicely, but you can also consider the sidekick rules, also from Tasha's. They may not be quite as strong as other classes, but still can be fun.
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
"If it has hands" I know what people want to do, but I rather thought that part of the definition of "Animal" included the fact that they don't have opposable thumbs, and thus, don't have hands as such. That's one of the main things that makes a human being physically different from being a weak hairless ape.
As a DM, I'd allow an Awakened Animal as a character for a one-shot, or if I was going to do a series of very silly adventures I'd pull out the Sidekick rules. Otherwise, no, Animals are too physically limited to function and player characters, and if you really want to play as an Animal, play a Druid stuck in Wildshape.
Geann goes off to cast the Summon Housecat spell, 1 Action, range 120 feet, Somatic, Material, "This spell causes small cats to come running" component, cat food, 1 silver consumed in the casting, and a can opener.
Depending on the animal, you could use existing stats (tabaxi, tortle, rabbitfolk, etc.) and just rp it as awakened. Or find something else close and re-skin it.
Edit: I guess rabbitfolk are UA at this point, maybe? I don’t follow that too closely.
"If it has hands" I know what people want to do, but I rather thought that part of the definition of "Animal" included the fact that they don't have opposable thumbs, and thus, don't have hands as such. That's one of the main things that makes a human being physically different from being a weak hairless ape.
As a DM, I'd allow an Awakened Animal as a character for a one-shot, or if I was going to do a series of very silly adventures I'd pull out the Sidekick rules. Otherwise, no, Animals are too physically limited to function and player characters, and if you really want to play as an Animal, play a Druid stuck in Wildshape.
Geann goes off to cast the Summon Housecat spell, 1 Action, range 120 feet, Somatic, Material, "This spell causes small cats to come running" component, cat food, 1 silver consumed in the casting, and a can opener.
Good point about the hands.
If I wanted to allow the player to be an awakened animal, I'd likely throw in a homebrew version of mage hand. Only 5 ft range, moves with you not on its own, and with a 'permanent on' option.
"If it has hands" I know what people want to do, but I rather thought that part of the definition of "Animal" included the fact that they don't have opposable thumbs, and thus, don't have hands as such. That's one of the main things that makes a human being physically different from being a weak hairless ape.
"Other animals with opposable thumbs include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other variants of apes; certain frogs, koalas, pandas, possums and opossums, and many birds have an opposable digit of some sort. Many dinosaurs had opposable digits as well." Found this by Googling 'What animals have opposable thumbs." (sorry for the bold, I cut and paste it and formatting won't allow me to get rid of it)
An awakened gorilla or a chimpanzee would make a great PC - if you've ever seen a gorilla in real life you know exactly how terrifying a barbarian they would make, but a chimpanzee wizard who spent her life as the pet of a wizard's daughter, who was party to all her lessons and learned magic alongside subconsciously would be cool. Heck now I'd like to play a gorilla paladin in full plate armour.
And let's just consider the sheer awesomeness of a panda sorcerer. It can't walk on two legs effectively, so would need to sit down to cast spells :D
I am less convinced about playing a koala or a frog.
Monks would work just fine. You don't need armor and you don't need weapons or components. Combine with custom lineage and you're all set.
I was rather thinking that they wouldn't have undergone the years of meditation and training that monks tend to go through, but I can envisage a monkey that watched the monks from its tree day by day, imitating them.
And maybe a rat that learns to be a ninja, then trains a bunch of turtles...
Thank you all for the posts and I will be looking through all of them to figure out something workable. Honestly just want anyone who will join this campaign to have fun once I actually get it completed. Though I haven't found any videos for the creating of races on the site. Anyone have any ideas or information on that?
In the same way I wouldn't let any creature play a rogue either, using lockpicks and such requires working hands imo.
Any creature with a mouth, or mandibles, or enough limbs could be able to hold and manipulate a lockpick with it/them.
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
In the same way I wouldn't let any creature play a rogue either, using lockpicks and such requires working hands imo.
Any creature with a mouth, or mandibles, or enough limbs could be able to hold and manipulate a lockpick with it/them.
Lockpicks typically require two hands to use (you have 2 or more at work at a time, not one - one would just be a key!) but if you have two mouths that could work.
I've seen a video of a guy who plays guitar with his feet only (he has no arms) and plays it damn well. Who's to know what a hero in a fantasy world can do with their mouth?
I've been a player in a short game where another player's character was an animal ( a dog, if I remember right). Smarter than usual, but physically just an animal.
The lack of hands turned out to not be much of an issue. The lack of voice is what ended that character.
After about half a session of the player making "woof woof" noises, one of the other players exploded, yelling, "For —s sake! Just roll up a character that can speak!"
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I am building my own campaign and my friend wanted to inquire about her PC being an awakened creature. How would one go about that?
I would probably use Tasha's custom lineage to start with.
Are you suggesting that the PC is an animal that has transformed into a humanoid creature, or that they will actually play as an animal? If they've transformed into a humanoid, run the normal rules.
If you're going to let them play as an animal, however, then you have three options.
Option 1 is to choose the stats of the animal as their baseline, and on levelling up roll a hit dice, gain proficiency, and gain ability score increases every 4 levels. But they shouldn't gain new abilities - they don't have a character class.
Option 2, run them as a normal PC but apply something like the following custom ruleset:
Note that this will create a character which is ultimately weaker than a regular PC, but it should be. When players want to play strange variations on things that pose disadvantages (they want to have lost an arm, they want to be a Tiny size, they want to be a tiger, they want to suffer from terrible headaches) then they should be able to do so, but the DM shouldn't fix the rules to make them as equivalently strong as a character not suffering the disadvantage.
Option 3: A bit of both
Give the player the starting stats of the animal that it wants to play, but roll for intelligence, wisdom and charisma. Then apply a character class and progress levels normally, but bearing in mind that the character probably won't have hands so won't be able to cast most spells.
Dogs and cats cast Command quite effectively.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
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-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Well, I want to point out that the sidekick rules allow for a warrior, expert and spellcaster type class and at least one wolf warrior is used as an example. This is a regular sidekick wolf with class levels, although not the normal classes.
But with this in mind I'd consider allowing someone to play something similar with regular class levels... As long as they have a good reason for anything specific. Awakened animal with the barbarian or fighter as a class seems fine without too much thought into it but for any spellcaster class they'd need to be at least some kind of monkey/ape or similar creature. In the same way I wouldn't let any creature play a rogue either, using lockpicks and such requires working hands imo. Small monkey/ape pickpocket isn't that strange though. But for spellcasters there would perhaps be some other considerations as well, like, who taught them wizard spells?
Sorcerer or warlock seems more fair, druid possibly with their connection to nature... Cleric, maaaaaybe...
That said, I really like the idea of an awakened animal who makes a pact for power...
As Wtfdndad says, custom lineage would work nicely, but you can also consider the sidekick rules, also from Tasha's. They may not be quite as strong as other classes, but still can be fun.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
"Feed" ;)
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
Brilliant
"Hug"
"Treat"
"Rub"
"If it has hands" I know what people want to do, but I rather thought that part of the definition of "Animal" included the fact that they don't have opposable thumbs, and thus, don't have hands as such. That's one of the main things that makes a human being physically different from being a weak hairless ape.
As a DM, I'd allow an Awakened Animal as a character for a one-shot, or if I was going to do a series of very silly adventures I'd pull out the Sidekick rules. Otherwise, no, Animals are too physically limited to function and player characters, and if you really want to play as an Animal, play a Druid stuck in Wildshape.
Geann goes off to cast the Summon Housecat spell, 1 Action, range 120 feet, Somatic, Material, "This spell causes small cats to come running" component, cat food, 1 silver consumed in the casting, and a can opener.
<Insert clever signature here>
Depending on the animal, you could use existing stats (tabaxi, tortle, rabbitfolk, etc.) and just rp it as awakened. Or find something else close and re-skin it.
Edit: I guess rabbitfolk are UA at this point, maybe? I don’t follow that too closely.
Good point about the hands.
If I wanted to allow the player to be an awakened animal, I'd likely throw in a homebrew version of mage hand. Only 5 ft range, moves with you not on its own, and with a 'permanent on' option.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
Monks would work just fine. You don't need armor and you don't need weapons or components. Combine with custom lineage and you're all set.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
"Other animals with opposable thumbs include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other variants of apes; certain frogs, koalas, pandas, possums and opossums, and many birds have an opposable digit of some sort. Many dinosaurs had opposable digits as well." Found this by Googling 'What animals have opposable thumbs." (sorry for the bold, I cut and paste it and formatting won't allow me to get rid of it)
An awakened gorilla or a chimpanzee would make a great PC - if you've ever seen a gorilla in real life you know exactly how terrifying a barbarian they would make, but a chimpanzee wizard who spent her life as the pet of a wizard's daughter, who was party to all her lessons and learned magic alongside subconsciously would be cool. Heck now I'd like to play a gorilla paladin in full plate armour.
And let's just consider the sheer awesomeness of a panda sorcerer. It can't walk on two legs effectively, so would need to sit down to cast spells :D
I am less convinced about playing a koala or a frog.
I was rather thinking that they wouldn't have undergone the years of meditation and training that monks tend to go through, but I can envisage a monkey that watched the monks from its tree day by day, imitating them.
And maybe a rat that learns to be a ninja, then trains a bunch of turtles...
That spell that let's you teleport from tree to tree makes for a very effective koala tho
Thank you all for the posts and I will be looking through all of them to figure out something workable. Honestly just want anyone who will join this campaign to have fun once I actually get it completed. Though I haven't found any videos for the creating of races on the site. Anyone have any ideas or information on that?
Any creature with a mouth, or mandibles, or enough limbs could be able to hold and manipulate a lockpick with it/them.
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Lockpicks typically require two hands to use (you have 2 or more at work at a time, not one - one would just be a key!) but if you have two mouths that could work.
I've seen a video of a guy who plays guitar with his feet only (he has no arms) and plays it damn well. Who's to know what a hero in a fantasy world can do with their mouth?
I've been a player in a short game where another player's character was an animal ( a dog, if I remember right). Smarter than usual, but physically just an animal.
The lack of hands turned out to not be much of an issue. The lack of voice is what ended that character.
After about half a session of the player making "woof woof" noises, one of the other players exploded, yelling, "For —s sake! Just roll up a character that can speak!"