I've been trying to find a way to implement a protoss-like race and society into my world, but without adding in sci-fi or galactic themes. I've decided on implementing them as an aquatic race, as that could still leave opportunity for their alien or unknown nature. Of course, I am giving my players the option of playing one, so I devised it as follows. Is it viable? Balanced compared to other races? Do you have any suggested changes or different ideas?
Xel-Terra - 5e Homebrew Race
The Xel-terra are an aquatic race often forgotten by the lands above. Not only do they wield powerful psionics, but they are exceptional warriors, trained from a juvenile age, with a code of action. They value their independence and seek to prevent trade between their own and the surface world. Bright, glowing eyes characterize a pointed face and crested head, with psionic nerval cords growing out from underneath the back of their crests. Notably "missing" a mouth, nose, and ears--- instead, they take in sound as vibrations through their skin, and absorb light and saltwater for energy and drink in the same manner. They can go roughly 72 hours without digesting light or water before they begin to slow down and starve. Xel-terra grow to about 7 feet tall, with digitigrade legs, broad shoulders, small waists, and four fingers on each hand (two of which on each are thumbs). There are three main subraces to their people, divided by war, time, and the reaches of the seas.
Core Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by +2.
Age. Maturing at a slower rate than humans do, Xel-terra are considered adults around 50 years old, and can live to nearly 500. However, Xel-terra are expected to hold his own on the battlefield and in the household from around age 35.
Alignment. Xel-terra favor high, structured society and minds, tending toward lawful and good alignments. However, Deep Xel-terra are the opposite, as their exile from light has left them bitter to the order that cast them there, tending toward chaotic alignments, sometimes even evil.
Size. Xel-terra stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and weigh about 150 to 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 ft., and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Darkvision. Accustomed to dim oceans and clouding storms, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Absorption. You have resistance to radiant damage.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Xel-terra Psionics. You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 60 feet of you. Once you speak to them with your mind, the creature may respond telepathically as long as you allow it, but this ends if they are ever more than 60 feet from you, or they are unconscious. • You know the shape water cantrip, and can cast it at will. • Starting at 5th level, you can cast the spell detect thoughts without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. At 13th level, you can cast the spell control water in the same manner. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you cannot cast that spell again until you finish a long rest. • Your spellcasting ability for these spells is determined by your subrace. Intelligence for High Xel-terra, Wisdom for Deep, and Charisma for Far.
Subrace. Ancient war, schisms, terrain and cultural divides have formed three main subraces from the Xel-terra: High, Deep, and Far. Your choice also affects what languages you have learned from your people.
High Xel-terra
Your people live in the daylight zones of the sea, thriving off of unique technology and overarching peace. Adventurous surface-dwellers often visit your cities, and leave many of your people curious of the world above, although few High Xel-terra seek to venture onto it. You are driven by a thirst for knowledge, and the training of the body and mind.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by +2.
Mental Discipline. You have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions.
Languages. You know Common and Xali. Xali appears to predate the Xel-terra themselves, and its exact origins are unknown, but many mages and scholars pick up this language, as light appears to respond to its words, telepathic or not, though only just.
Deep Xel-terra
Your ancestors were exiled to the midnight zones of the sea, for seeking to rid the culture of law and peace, in the belief that the only way to combat the chaos of the world was to harness it. Now, Deep Xel-terra have grown accustomed to darkness, and often revel in selfish gain and dark arts, though some have sought this as an opportunity to better train their understanding of society.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by +1.
Dark Life. Your anatomy has adapted to the deep in the following ways. • You do not require light for sustenance, only saltwater. • You lose your Absorption feature, and gain resistance to cold damage instead. • You have darkvision out to 120 feet.
Shadow Dweller. You gain proficiency in the stealth skill.
Languages. You know Undercommon and Xali. Your people has very little interaction with the surface world, if ever, but will often have tunnels or caverns leading into the Underdark.
Far Xel-terra
While the other subraces maintain a close connection to the seafloor and their ocean regions, Far Xel-terra often seek a nomadic life with the currents, interceding on behalf of the High or Deep, charting and marking down new regions, and dwelling in carved catacombs until they desire to move. You are well-acquainted with the far-reaches of storm-driven and monster-infested waters.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by +1.
Sea Drift. Your speed increases by 5 ft., and you gain proficiency in the insight and survival skills.
Languages. You know Common, Xali, and one other language of your choice. Of the three subraces, Far Xel-terra have traversed the most onto land, exploring its abundant sunlight and bustling cities, and will pick up the language of whatever race they spend the most time around.
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I've been trying to find a way to implement a protoss-like race and society into my world, but without adding in sci-fi or galactic themes. I've decided on implementing them as an aquatic race, as that could still leave opportunity for their alien or unknown nature. Of course, I am giving my players the option of playing one, so I devised it as follows. Is it viable? Balanced compared to other races? Do you have any suggested changes or different ideas?
Xel-Terra - 5e Homebrew Race
The Xel-terra are an aquatic race often forgotten by the lands above. Not only do they wield powerful psionics, but they are exceptional warriors, trained from a juvenile age, with a code of action. They value their independence and seek to prevent trade between their own and the surface world.
Bright, glowing eyes characterize a pointed face and crested head, with psionic nerval cords growing out from underneath the back of their crests. Notably "missing" a mouth, nose, and ears--- instead, they take in sound as vibrations through their skin, and absorb light and saltwater for energy and drink in the same manner. They can go roughly 72 hours without digesting light or water before they begin to slow down and starve.
Xel-terra grow to about 7 feet tall, with digitigrade legs, broad shoulders, small waists, and four fingers on each hand (two of which on each are thumbs).
There are three main subraces to their people, divided by war, time, and the reaches of the seas.
Core Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by +2.
Age. Maturing at a slower rate than humans do, Xel-terra are considered adults around 50 years old, and can live to nearly 500. However, Xel-terra are expected to hold his own on the battlefield and in the household from around age 35.
Alignment. Xel-terra favor high, structured society and minds, tending toward lawful and good alignments. However, Deep Xel-terra are the opposite, as their exile from light has left them bitter to the order that cast them there, tending toward chaotic alignments, sometimes even evil.
Size. Xel-terra stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and weigh about 150 to 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 ft., and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Darkvision. Accustomed to dim oceans and clouding storms, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Absorption. You have resistance to radiant damage.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Xel-terra Psionics. You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 60 feet of you. Once you speak to them with your mind, the creature may respond telepathically as long as you allow it, but this ends if they are ever more than 60 feet from you, or they are unconscious.
• You know the shape water cantrip, and can cast it at will.
• Starting at 5th level, you can cast the spell detect thoughts without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. At 13th level, you can cast the spell control water in the same manner. Once you cast either of these spells in this way, you cannot cast that spell again until you finish a long rest.
• Your spellcasting ability for these spells is determined by your subrace. Intelligence for High Xel-terra, Wisdom for Deep, and Charisma for Far.
Subrace. Ancient war, schisms, terrain and cultural divides have formed three main subraces from the Xel-terra: High, Deep, and Far. Your choice also affects what languages you have learned from your people.
High Xel-terra
Your people live in the daylight zones of the sea, thriving off of unique technology and overarching peace. Adventurous surface-dwellers often visit your cities, and leave many of your people curious of the world above, although few High Xel-terra seek to venture onto it. You are driven by a thirst for knowledge, and the training of the body and mind.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by +2.
Mental Discipline. You have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions.
Languages. You know Common and Xali. Xali appears to predate the Xel-terra themselves, and its exact origins are unknown, but many mages and scholars pick up this language, as light appears to respond to its words, telepathic or not, though only just.
Deep Xel-terra
Your ancestors were exiled to the midnight zones of the sea, for seeking to rid the culture of law and peace, in the belief that the only way to combat the chaos of the world was to harness it. Now, Deep Xel-terra have grown accustomed to darkness, and often revel in selfish gain and dark arts, though some have sought this as an opportunity to better train their understanding of society.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by +1.
Dark Life. Your anatomy has adapted to the deep in the following ways.
• You do not require light for sustenance, only saltwater.
• You lose your Absorption feature, and gain resistance to cold damage instead.
• You have darkvision out to 120 feet.
Shadow Dweller. You gain proficiency in the stealth skill.
Languages. You know Undercommon and Xali. Your people has very little interaction with the surface world, if ever, but will often have tunnels or caverns leading into the Underdark.
Far Xel-terra
While the other subraces maintain a close connection to the seafloor and their ocean regions, Far Xel-terra often seek a nomadic life with the currents, interceding on behalf of the High or Deep, charting and marking down new regions, and dwelling in carved catacombs until they desire to move. You are well-acquainted with the far-reaches of storm-driven and monster-infested waters.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by +1.
Sea Drift. Your speed increases by 5 ft., and you gain proficiency in the insight and survival skills.
Languages. You know Common, Xali, and one other language of your choice. Of the three subraces, Far Xel-terra have traversed the most onto land, exploring its abundant sunlight and bustling cities, and will pick up the language of whatever race they spend the most time around.