First of all: Yes, I know, I know, I know. "Weeb alert!" There's already a dozen examples of these things in the Sea of Decay known as the DDB Public Homebrew Library.
Thing is? They all bloody suck. All a'em. They're awful. Just take my word for it - as somebody who's been unduly fascinated with these fuzzy ******** for far too many years, all the 'kitsune' currently up in the DDB library are either overpowered hogwash or thinly disguised furryism. I've been wanting to do the little bastards properly for about as long as I've been playing D&D. Buuut...well. A traditional kitsune, the mischievous and magical prankster youkai of Japanese lore, are way too overloaded for typical D&D. Nothing ever felt right when I tried to reflect all of the things a kitsune was/could do.
In the end, I decided to settle on "In Homage To" rather than "Transplanted From". The potent youkai of old became the Fox Fey mentioned in the lore fluff, and these playable options were the result of an ancient Divine Punishment. Suddenly everything worked and I got something worth writing and playing. Or at least I thought/hoped so.
Since I can't share homebrew without making it public and thus Permanent and Unchangeable Forever, figured I'd just copy the page per below. Let me know what you think, I find myself mighty curious (and also working to settle some debates amongst my player group. Hueh).
****************
A soft giggle was Tynnel's only warning before the deluge of soapy, sudsy water splashed down over his head, followed a heartbeat later by a wooden bucket that had been perched precariously on the half-open door of his hunter's lodge. The nobleman stood there for a few moments, a pair of servants looking on in heart-wrenching horror before rushing up to offer whatever they could to pat their lord dry.
"No need, ladies," Tynnel sighed, holding up a hand. "Aene will go and fetch me a towel to dry off with, won't she?" he said, stern and forboding, but not without a twinkle in his eye.
That cheerful little giggle sounded again, and a red-haired shadow skittered out from behind a nearby sofa, scurrying upstairs in a flash of fur. Tynnel sighed. His master huntsman had tried to warn him, but he'd gone ahead and taken the kitsune in anyways. Now hardly a day went by without some manner of deviltry befalling him to the sound of a young girl's laughter. 'Lively' didn't even begin to cover it.
Oh well. At least he wouldn't need to wash up for dinner, now...
— Yurei, Kitsune Intro Story
A home where a kitsune resides is filled with an air of merriment and mischief, often punctuated by the sound of both laughter and frustration. Insatiable pranksters who revel in chaos and confusion, kitsune live in the moment and delight in playful whimsy. Light, magic, and a finely honed joke survival sense are the fox's gift...and their price.
Masters of Mischief
Small folk often mistaken for skinny gnomes at a distance, kitsune are slender folk of entirely unprepossessing stature. Rarely much over three and a half feet tall, kitsune tend to range between thirty to forty pounds. Distinguished by tall, pointed fox's ears and a bushy fox-like tail, a kitsune's pale face is rarely seen without a grin of one kind or another. Their energy and enthusiasm shines through in their mannerisms; a kitsune is always moving, always shifting stance or posture, never content to remain still for more than a few moments.
Given their druthers, kitsune prefer to dress in bright colors, ornamenting themselves with silken scarves and intricately carved beads. Kitsune favor vibrancy and artistry over monetary value; a simple wooden bead carved with a delightful pattern and painted in a profusion of colors is far more interesting to them than a gemstone or a band of precious metal. They often offer these things as gifts to those who endure their pranks in good spirit.
Ancestral Refugees
In the distant past, kitsune were primal envoys of the god-spirits of the land, blessed with immense power and prestige. Their capricious misuse of their talents led to their kind being struck down by those they'd abused; their power sealed, their forms reduced, their descendants cursed to live as little more than the lowest rank of humble nature spirits. Ancient kitsune fled this curse, abandoning their wild homelands to live amongst the mortal races they'd once treated as little more than playthings.
Over time, mortals forgot most of the ancient terror-tales of the Fox Fey who'd preyed upon them, and the little descendants of those old, powerful spirits forged a new place amongst the races of mortalkind. Kitsune have no homeland; to them, every land is home, and every home merely a place to rest their head until the next day's mischief. Interwoven throughout mortal society, kitsune are in some ways a sort of universal younger sibling to the older, theoretically wiser races of the world. To a kitsune, every swelled head is a sacred opportunity to teach a lesson in humility and every prideful boast a chance to knock someone down a peg or two, lest their new siblings in the world suffer the same fate which befell them.
Kitsune don't tell this story - most of them don't even know it. Not in their heads. But the ancient curse laid upon their kind lingers in their blood and bones; those who respond to a kitsune's pranks with ill grace, those whose arrogance or pomposity fail to fall to a kitsune's gentle teasing, will find themselves the subjects of not-so-gentle teasing until it works.
Everywhere and Nowhere
When kitsune form family groups of their own, they tend to do so in secret, dwelling wherever they manage to find a safe, hidden space. Often, they compete with criminals for hidden lairs within cities, or secretly rebuild ruined homesteads on the fringes of civilized lands. Very few non-kitsune ever discover these abodes, and even fewer find them more than once as any given kitsune pack has at least three such dens ready. Packs with young kits are quick to abandon a den discovered by other races, remaining deeply secretive when rearing their children.
Kitsune who are not part of such a pack are an ever-present part of daily life for other races, however. While kitsune are never truly common, most every town or city has at least a few kitsune who simply turn up where and as they please. 'Adopting' a kitsune is as easy as inviting one inside and feeding them; as long as such an individual doesn't chase their newfound fuzzy-tailed roommate out with an axe, many kitsune are perfectly content to remain in such dwellings for several years.
Kitsune Names
A kitsune's name is a closely guarded secret, for kitsune believe that names hold a great deal of weight and power. A kitsune typically only reveals their birth name to their closest friends or immediate family. Instead, kitsune often choose a favored nickname or adopt the names of storybook heroes whose tales they enjoy. Kitsune change these names as freely as they change clothes, discarding a name they no longer favor with as much care as one shows to worn-through socks. Kitsune often invite new traveling companions to give them a new name, answering to a different name everywhere they go and with every group they travel with.
Seeing the World
Kitsune love to travel, and other adventurers often make the best playmates. Once won, a kitsune's loyalty is fierce and unwavering - plus, powerful friends make getting away with bigger and bigger pranks much easier. Many kitsune seek out adventure to test the limits of their barely-felt curse, hungering for the power of their ancestors without quite realizing why. Regardless of the reason behind their travels, kitsune who take up the adventurer's path do so without regret or remorse, diving head-first into the thrill of their journey. Whether or not their traveling companions are ready to follow them into it.
MISCHIEF, NOT MALICE
A kitsune loves mischief and merriment, but they save their malice for those who've shown malice to them first. Kitsune know that the bigger races can rarely keep up with their manic enthusiasm and don't fault them for this, vastly preferring laughter to anger or tears.
Kitsune Traits
Your kitsune has certain characteristics in common with all other kitsune.
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Kitsune age unusually; they mature faster than humans do, reaching the age of majority around their twelfth year. Unless they grow enough in power however, they rarely live longer than a century.
Alignment
Kitsune are chaos embodied, natural pranksters and jokers who delight in causing mischief and humbling those who take themselves and their rules too seriously. They’re rarely vicious or cruel however, trending more towards the positive side of Neutral alignments.
Size
Most kitsune are less than four feet in height, with slender builds. They tend to weigh between thirty and forty pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Cunning Trickster
Kitsune have a natural propensity for tomfoolery that often expresses itself as a knack for a particularly troublesome talent. You gain proficiency in your choice of Deception or Sleight of Hand.
Kitsune Magic
You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Alter Self 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 Hypnotic Pattern once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you do not need to provide material components for them.
Hm. Think so? I'd be curious to see what other folks would think as well. I went out of my way to avoid darkvision, in large part because I'm quite sick of how poorly light is handled in D&D, but also because I gave them a bonus skill and a pretty powerful innate spellcasting trait (which includes a way around the lack of darkvision, to some extent). Figured anymuch more was pushing a little too hard in comparison to the PHB races. Eberron and the god******* Ravnica book are much more potent, but they're also not the standards I was trying to hold myself to.
Nevertheless, thanks for taking the time to look. Appreciate it.
Whilst getting a skill is good, I'm not sure it brings them up to the same kind of level, even with the slightly different racial casting spells. Fey Ancestry is a solid mechanic and very on theme which is why it was the first thing I was suggesting there.
Fey Ancestry is relatively limited. Obviously super useful when it comes up, but generally less impactful than something like Fire Resistance. And they do, in fact, have fey ancestry of the lowercase, game-floof variety. And while I hesitate to hold them up as the standard because they're borked as hell, half-elves get Ancestry, two skills, and a fourth stat point, two of which are floating. Innate casting is good but not that good, even with the relatively high-powered list the kitsune get.
On the other hand, one could argue my take is already superior to PHB Dragonborn, who get dick and squat outside of their dragonnish appearance, a resistance, and a bad breath weapon. Nrrrgh. Tricky.
That was a concern I'd gotten from my own play group, as well. I can definitely see the issue, but I'm torn as to what to replace it with. Kitsune are known for their illusion-craft, but most typical illusion spells are...troublesome. Phantasmal Force, perhaps? Even if I'm kind of sick of seeing it.
Also I have to ask, I just can't help it.
Would I, perhaps, know you from the MWO forums, back when MWO wasn't a trashfire and a man named Juodas Varnas was the Champion of Quads?
if not, apologies. Never mind me, I'll be sitting over behind the curtain.
That was a concern I'd gotten from my own play group, as well. I can definitely see the issue, but I'm torn as to what to replace it with. Kitsune are known for their illusion-craft, but most typical illusion spells are...troublesome. Phantasmal Force, perhaps? Even if I'm kind of sick of seeing it.
Also I have to ask, I just can't help it.
Would I, perhaps, know you from the MWO forums, back when MWO wasn't a trashfire and a man named Juodas Varnas was the Champion of Quads?
if not, apologies. Never mind me, I'll be sitting over behind the curtain.
Aye, that'd be me. The local quad guy. (It's a small world, eh?)
If you ask me, i'd change the Alter Self spell for the Disguise Self (Alter Self changes you physically, while Disguise Self is just illusory) and Blur (or Mirror Image) at 5th level (Racial spells usually are 1st lvl or 2nd lvl spells, 3rd lvl spells might be a bit much)
I think both of those spells fit the trickster archetype without being too imbalanced.
That was a concern I'd gotten from my own play group, as well. I can definitely see the issue, but I'm torn as to what to replace it with. Kitsune are known for their illusion-craft, but most typical illusion spells are...troublesome. Phantasmal Force, perhaps? Even if I'm kind of sick of seeing it.
Also I have to ask, I just can't help it.
Would I, perhaps, know you from the MWO forums, back when MWO wasn't a trashfire and a man named Juodas Varnas was the Champion of Quads?
if not, apologies. Never mind me, I'll be sitting over behind the curtain.
Aye, that'd be me. The local quad guy. (It's a small world, eh?)
If you ask me, i'd change the Alter Self spell for the Disguise Self (Alter Self changes you physically, while Disguise Self is just illusory) and Blur (or Mirror Image) at 5th level (Racial spells usually are 1st lvl or 2nd lvl spells, 3rd lvl spells might be a bit much)
I think both of those spells fit the trickster archetype without being too imbalanced.
In Japanese folklore while kitsune could cause illusions they were also shapeshifters (although their reflections would show their true nature). Most "tricks" of the kitsune involved impersonating people rather than making illusions.
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In the lore-fluffery I'd keep the kitsune tails (kitsune gain more tails as they grow older).
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That was my thinking as well; Alter Self is not that much more powerful than Disguise Self, especially with the concentration requirement, and it's such a delightfully apt fit for the old folktales. Hypnotic Pattern does maybe seem a bit much though. It's on point, but perhaps for a feat later rather than default.
That was also my plan for the tails; my original notion was to work up a slew of racial feats for these things that could either be taken as they leveled or awarded for story beats if the DM played that kind of game that represented the kitsune's growth in power. My original draft came in before the verdan, so racial abilities were always static save for feats. The feat set proved much more difficult to get tuned right though, so it's still in progress. You figure that should be baked into the base species somehow?
The spell bit is definitely tricky as far as illusions go. There is some precedent for innately casting third level spells though, so maybe it isn't that big of an issue. (Another thought, is that perhaps you could take a lower level spell like Silent Image and give it 2 uses instead of one every long rest; I'm more than a little sleep deprived so I'm not sure if it's a good thought or terrible thought, but it is a thought.)
Personally, I think adding tails as they level is an awesome idea. Perhaps gain an additional tail at 5th level, and another tail every other level after that? Again, sleep deprived so I can't think of a way to work that without sounding clunky, but I think you should go with it.
So I've been ruminating on this one for a bit, grateful for the feedback from both here and my gaming group. Had a couple of ideas I wanted to trot out and see how they fared, taking into consideration some of the feedback provided and my own play experiences with the species recently.
1.) Kitsune Magic loses Hypnotic Pattern and gains Continual Flame, without the requirement for 50gp worth of dust. One of my absolute favorite little side things on my Mammon tiefling artificer is how much eliminating the material cost of Arcane Lock allows me to really play with that spell, create items around it and use it in situations where it'd be legit cool but nobody would ever bother with it because it's more or less a gobshyte awful spell for normal characters. Continual Flame being one of my personal favorite undersung spells and kitsune being pretty strongly associated with 'ghostly' fire that does not burn, it struck me that Continual Flame would be an interesting trait for them to have. Not troublesome in battle, and no more troublesome for a DM than CF in a Spell-Storing Item is for 'the economy'...but the sort of thing a playful, tricksy fox critter (with no darkvision, mind) might be expected to have.
2.) Been thinking I will take Baz's advice and introduce Fey Ancestry. It's a nifty niche that speaks to the lore of the species, and if I'm giving them something cool but largely inconsequential like Continual Flame over the much more potent Hypnotic Pattern, I think I've got the room for it without overloading the species.
3.) Hypnotic Pattern moves to a species feat, which grants Minor Illusion and Charm Person, as well. The fluff is in workshop on that one, but it's basically a 'Kitsune Seduction' option, with 'seduction' in this case being of the beguiling, mind-ensnaring sort rather than the HON HON HON sort. I really want to change Charm for Faerie Fire, but that strikes me as leaning a little hard into the foxfire given that their innate racial casting loses illusion entirely. Nevertheless. Minor Illusion, and 1/day of Hypnotic Pattern and either Charm or Fire. Hell, maybe all three. Svirfneblin get three 1/day racial spells in their feat, why not kitsune? What do you folks figure?
And the sof+floofy elephant in the room...tails.
I don't want to tie power progression to it, even though it makes sense to do so. That should be between a player and her DM, and was why I was thinking of introducing a slew of optional feats...but I do want to acknowledge it. So my thought was a sidebar offering a couple of different rules.
-A.) A kitsune gains its second tail at 6th level, then every even level after that. So their third at 8th, fourth at 10th, and so fourth. This means the kitsune gains their ninth tail and hits the Magic Number at 20th level, which is as all things should be. Ninetails were very rare, and they were supposed to be immensely powerful. A 20th-level adventurer is also supposed to be very rare and powerful. Seems like a workable correlation.
-B.) A kitsune with the Spellcasting class feature gains a new tail every time it gains a new level of spell slot. This is a serious jump start on the non-casting progression, but it's also a lot easier for both DM and player to keep track of. Since tails are (in this case) mostly for roleplaying to avoid obnoxious power gaps between kitsune and non-kitsune characters, it should be fine. In that vein:
-C.) The kitsune develops a new tail when it overcomes a significant personal challenge, accomplishes an extremely difficult objective, or otherwise achieves a story crescendo point. Kinda like milestone experience. The fox and her DM agree to simply let it happen when it makes sense. Kitsune tails were supposed to develop as the fox accumulates wisdom, and in those tales 'Wisdom' typically meant experience of the world. It would make sense that foxes who get out there and do shit, take risks and fight for their dreams, develop faster than foxes who play it safe and pal around NPC Town being adorabnoxious.
Any fresh opinions from the board, on those ideas or others?
I think the sidebar is a very elegant solution for the tails; tying them to feats would have been cool as well, but also would have had issues of it's own.
Continual flame...that's a good thought. Fits well and lets an underused spell see actual use (and if someone *were* concerned about multiple castings, I could see it being changed so there can be only one casting of the spell active at once, but I don't think it's a problem myself)
For the feat, I say go for all three spells rather than two. If we compare it to the Svirfneblin feat, it's cantrip+three 1/day spells vs three 1/day spells+a 3rd level spell that can be cast at will targeting yourself (which does make it a little more niche, but I'd say that still puts it ahead of what you're proposing)
Heh. ALL RIGHT. Some fresh foxscrewery for this batch of fluffy nonsense. Complete with experimental feats this time!
First of all, prototype text for the 'KITSUNE TAILS' sidebar:
A KITSUNE’S TAILS
A kitsune is born with only a single tail, but as they grow in power and wisdom they gain more. The oldest, wisest, and most formidable kitsune can have up to nine tails, marking them as honored elders and sages of their race.
When playing your kitsune character, one of the questions you should ask your DM is how you’d like to handle this progression. Three possible methods are given below as examples, but you shouldn’t feel bound to use any of them. Developing additional tails doesn’t offer any mechanical bonuses, but it does show your character’s growth in a physical, tangible way. If your DM is game, feel free to improve your character in little ways whenever a new tail comes in. If you make it all the way to nine (and your DM feels it’s appropriate), your kitsune can gain the ‘Timeless Body’ ability of the Druid class, aging far more slowly as their power peaks and suffuses them.
‘Classic’ Tail Progression Your kitsune gains their second tail at 6 level, and another every even level after that. They gain their ninth tail at 20 level, when they attain the height of their power.
‘Spellcaster’ Tail Progression Your kitsune gains a new tail every time they gain a new tier of spell slot. Their ninth tail comes at 17 level, leaving them a few extras at the end to enjoy their power.
‘Milestone’ Tail Progression Your kitsune gains a new tail when your DM feels you’ve experienced a moment of deep personal growth, or accomplished a suitably heroic and tale-worthy task. Moments where your kitsune proves him or herself in the eyes of the world, attaining their ninth tail when their personal story reaches its climax.
Seem about right?
And second of all, a set of oh-so-juicy prototype racial feats for these buggers, since every species should have special tricks only they can do. Spoiler'd because this website's quotation and table organization functions suck donkey rocks and I apparently get only one blockquote a post. Awesome.
Vexing Illusionist Some of your kind have a talent for illusory magic – a lingering remnant of the Fox Fey in your bloodline that emerges with just a bit of coaxing.
You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. In addition, you learn the Faerie Fire and Hypnotic Pattern spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.
Kitsune Shapeshifting Your native transformative powers are significantly greater than the average fox. You learn the Polymorph spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot; when you cast Polymorph you must target yourself, and you take the form of a fox. Use the statistics for the Cat, save that you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, and the ability to cast the spells granted by your Kitsune Magic trait and the Vexing Illusionist feat, if you have it. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this version of Polymorph.
You may cast this version of Polymorph a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest. You may also expend a use of this feat to cast the Alter Self spell granted by your Kitsune Magic trait, instead.
Master Trickster You take your kind’s commitment to mischief as a sacred oath, unifying the vexing talents of your people in ways no one else thought possible to fulfill your sworn duty to bother the big folk until they pop.
Increase your Charisma or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20. In addition, you gain proficiency in Deception or Sleight of Hand (whichever you didn’t chose for your Cunning Trickster trait). When you make a Deception or Sleight of Hand check, you may add both your Charisma and Dexterity bonuses to the d20 roll instead of just Charisma or Dexterity. You may do so once and regain the ability to do so when you complete a short or long rest.
Vexing Illusionist is pretty standard "Enhanced Innate Spellcasting" fare. Decided against triple spells, mostly because the spells this feat grants are all very useful, highly popular stuff. Not like Drow or Svirfneblin Magic, where the spells are kinda nichey.
Kitsune Shapeshifting is probably a little overdone, but damnit I want my shapeshifting in my foxes. They just don't quite feel right without some way of reassuming their vulpine forms, and let's face it - it's not going to be suuuper often where being able to turn into a reskinned cat will be the thing that Saves the Day.
Master Trickster is the weird one of the bunch, but boy do I love it. "How does Dexterity help a Deception check?!" "How does Charisma help a Sleight of Hand check?!" You have no freaking clue - but this kitsune does, and she's gonna bamboozle you with it. The fact that it doesn't quite make sense is perfect flavor for these little slightly-Feywildy nuisances. The usage limit is to stop this from being broken beyond comprehension, but in those few moments when you need to land a roll to pull off a key trick, Master Trickster's got your back. Provided your CHA and DEX aren't poocanned, anyways. If they are, maybe don't take Master Trickster. (Also worth noting, because doubtless someone will ask: yes it stacks with proficiency, no it does not let you add your proficiency bonus twice, no you do not get to double your proficiency if you have Expertise in Deception while making a SoH check or the other way around. ALL Master Trickster does is let you add whichever modifier you're not using for the check as a bonus to your normal modifier to the check you're making.)
Anyways. I know I keep bagging on this, but the feedback has been quite useful. I appreciate any time y'all take to look this over and let me know how you think it's going. When I'm sitting somewhere comfortable with it I'll publish the lot of this so everybody else can have it too, if they want.
I like the feats! In the case of the third feat, would the second benefit be lost if the kitsune already had proficiency in both Deception and Sleight of Hand?
Hmm. Good point. As written, yes they would, though I imagine most DMs would allow you to rejigger a selection somewhere. I always hate when something blocks you like that, so will fix it before publication. Unfortunately you can't do "Deception, Sleight, or Floating if neither of those" in the homebrew editor, so when I get around to doing these, so will probably have to include a sidebar to the effect of "if you already have both of these, go to whatever gave you the 'Other' proficiency and pick something else".
Apologies for the double post, but I wanted to let the three or four people who might care know that I decided to put the finishing touches on this set and release an initial version. Probably shouldn't, given the inordinate problems with public homebrew on this site, but I'm fond of these little ****ers and want to make them available for other people to vex their DMs with.
So thanks much for the assistance, and enjoy the Kitsune (Tyberos) race for 5e.
Heh, awesome! I haven't got a subscription right now so I can't add it to my collection, but I've got it bookmarked for future reference in case any of my players has a character concept that would fit it for a future campaign.
First of all: Yes, I know, I know, I know. "Weeb alert!" There's already a dozen examples of these things in the Sea of Decay known as the DDB Public Homebrew Library.
Thing is? They all bloody suck. All a'em. They're awful. Just take my word for it - as somebody who's been unduly fascinated with these fuzzy ******** for far too many years, all the 'kitsune' currently up in the DDB library are either overpowered hogwash or thinly disguised furryism. I've been wanting to do the little bastards properly for about as long as I've been playing D&D. Buuut...well. A traditional kitsune, the mischievous and magical prankster youkai of Japanese lore, are way too overloaded for typical D&D. Nothing ever felt right when I tried to reflect all of the things a kitsune was/could do.
In the end, I decided to settle on "In Homage To" rather than "Transplanted From". The potent youkai of old became the Fox Fey mentioned in the lore fluff, and these playable options were the result of an ancient Divine Punishment. Suddenly everything worked and I got something worth writing and playing. Or at least I thought/hoped so.
Since I can't share homebrew without making it public and thus Permanent and Unchangeable Forever, figured I'd just copy the page per below. Let me know what you think, I find myself mighty curious (and also working to settle some debates amongst my player group. Hueh).
****************
A soft giggle was Tynnel's only warning before the deluge of soapy, sudsy water splashed down over his head, followed a heartbeat later by a wooden bucket that had been perched precariously on the half-open door of his hunter's lodge. The nobleman stood there for a few moments, a pair of servants looking on in heart-wrenching horror before rushing up to offer whatever they could to pat their lord dry.
"No need, ladies," Tynnel sighed, holding up a hand. "Aene will go and fetch me a towel to dry off with, won't she?" he said, stern and forboding, but not without a twinkle in his eye.
That cheerful little giggle sounded again, and a red-haired shadow skittered out from behind a nearby sofa, scurrying upstairs in a flash of fur. Tynnel sighed. His master huntsman had tried to warn him, but he'd gone ahead and taken the kitsune in anyways. Now hardly a day went by without some manner of deviltry befalling him to the sound of a young girl's laughter. 'Lively' didn't even begin to cover it.
Oh well. At least he wouldn't need to wash up for dinner, now...
— Yurei, Kitsune Intro Story
A home where a kitsune resides is filled with an air of merriment and mischief, often punctuated by the sound of both laughter and frustration. Insatiable pranksters who revel in chaos and confusion, kitsune live in the moment and delight in playful whimsy. Light, magic, and a finely honed joke survival sense are the fox's gift...and their price.
Masters of Mischief
Small folk often mistaken for skinny gnomes at a distance, kitsune are slender folk of entirely unprepossessing stature. Rarely much over three and a half feet tall, kitsune tend to range between thirty to forty pounds. Distinguished by tall, pointed fox's ears and a bushy fox-like tail, a kitsune's pale face is rarely seen without a grin of one kind or another. Their energy and enthusiasm shines through in their mannerisms; a kitsune is always moving, always shifting stance or posture, never content to remain still for more than a few moments.
Given their druthers, kitsune prefer to dress in bright colors, ornamenting themselves with silken scarves and intricately carved beads. Kitsune favor vibrancy and artistry over monetary value; a simple wooden bead carved with a delightful pattern and painted in a profusion of colors is far more interesting to them than a gemstone or a band of precious metal. They often offer these things as gifts to those who endure their pranks in good spirit.
Ancestral Refugees
In the distant past, kitsune were primal envoys of the god-spirits of the land, blessed with immense power and prestige. Their capricious misuse of their talents led to their kind being struck down by those they'd abused; their power sealed, their forms reduced, their descendants cursed to live as little more than the lowest rank of humble nature spirits. Ancient kitsune fled this curse, abandoning their wild homelands to live amongst the mortal races they'd once treated as little more than playthings.
Over time, mortals forgot most of the ancient terror-tales of the Fox Fey who'd preyed upon them, and the little descendants of those old, powerful spirits forged a new place amongst the races of mortalkind. Kitsune have no homeland; to them, every land is home, and every home merely a place to rest their head until the next day's mischief. Interwoven throughout mortal society, kitsune are in some ways a sort of universal younger sibling to the older, theoretically wiser races of the world. To a kitsune, every swelled head is a sacred opportunity to teach a lesson in humility and every prideful boast a chance to knock someone down a peg or two, lest their new siblings in the world suffer the same fate which befell them.
Kitsune don't tell this story - most of them don't even know it. Not in their heads. But the ancient curse laid upon their kind lingers in their blood and bones; those who respond to a kitsune's pranks with ill grace, those whose arrogance or pomposity fail to fall to a kitsune's gentle teasing, will find themselves the subjects of not-so-gentle teasing until it works.
Everywhere and Nowhere
When kitsune form family groups of their own, they tend to do so in secret, dwelling wherever they manage to find a safe, hidden space. Often, they compete with criminals for hidden lairs within cities, or secretly rebuild ruined homesteads on the fringes of civilized lands. Very few non-kitsune ever discover these abodes, and even fewer find them more than once as any given kitsune pack has at least three such dens ready. Packs with young kits are quick to abandon a den discovered by other races, remaining deeply secretive when rearing their children.
Kitsune who are not part of such a pack are an ever-present part of daily life for other races, however. While kitsune are never truly common, most every town or city has at least a few kitsune who simply turn up where and as they please. 'Adopting' a kitsune is as easy as inviting one inside and feeding them; as long as such an individual doesn't chase their newfound fuzzy-tailed roommate out with an axe, many kitsune are perfectly content to remain in such dwellings for several years.
Kitsune Names
A kitsune's name is a closely guarded secret, for kitsune believe that names hold a great deal of weight and power. A kitsune typically only reveals their birth name to their closest friends or immediate family. Instead, kitsune often choose a favored nickname or adopt the names of storybook heroes whose tales they enjoy. Kitsune change these names as freely as they change clothes, discarding a name they no longer favor with as much care as one shows to worn-through socks. Kitsune often invite new traveling companions to give them a new name, answering to a different name everywhere they go and with every group they travel with.
Seeing the World
Kitsune love to travel, and other adventurers often make the best playmates. Once won, a kitsune's loyalty is fierce and unwavering - plus, powerful friends make getting away with bigger and bigger pranks much easier. Many kitsune seek out adventure to test the limits of their barely-felt curse, hungering for the power of their ancestors without quite realizing why. Regardless of the reason behind their travels, kitsune who take up the adventurer's path do so without regret or remorse, diving head-first into the thrill of their journey. Whether or not their traveling companions are ready to follow them into it.
MISCHIEF, NOT MALICE
A kitsune loves mischief and merriment, but they save their malice for those who've shown malice to them first. Kitsune know that the bigger races can rarely keep up with their manic enthusiasm and don't fault them for this, vastly preferring laughter to anger or tears.
Kitsune Traits
Your kitsune has certain characteristics in common with all other kitsune.
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Kitsune age unusually; they mature faster than humans do, reaching the age of majority around their twelfth year. Unless they grow enough in power however, they rarely live longer than a century.
Alignment
Kitsune are chaos embodied, natural pranksters and jokers who delight in causing mischief and humbling those who take themselves and their rules too seriously. They’re rarely vicious or cruel however, trending more towards the positive side of Neutral alignments.
Size
Most kitsune are less than four feet in height, with slender builds. They tend to weigh between thirty and forty pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Cunning Trickster
Kitsune have a natural propensity for tomfoolery that often expresses itself as a knack for a particularly troublesome talent. You gain proficiency in your choice of Deception or Sleight of Hand.
Kitsune Magic
You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Alter Self 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 Hypnotic Pattern once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you do not need to provide material components for them.
This is amazing but I would include things like skill proficiencies
First of all: Yes, I know, I know, I know. "Weeb alert!" There's already a dozen examples of these things in the Sea of Decay known as the DDB Public Homebrew Library.
Thing is? They all bloody suck. All a'em. They're awful. Just take my word for it - as somebody who's been unduly fascinated with these fuzzy ******** for far too many years, all the 'kitsune' currently up in the DDB library are either overpowered hogwash or thinly disguised furryism. I've been wanting to do the little bastards properly for about as long as I've been playing D&D. Buuut...well. A traditional kitsune, the mischievous and magical prankster youkai of Japanese lore, are way too overloaded for typical D&D. Nothing ever felt right when I tried to reflect all of the things a kitsune was/could do.
In the end, I decided to settle on "In Homage To" rather than "Transplanted From". The potent youkai of old became the Fox Fey mentioned in the lore fluff, and these playable options were the result of an ancient Divine Punishment. Suddenly everything worked and I got something worth writing and playing. Or at least I thought/hoped so.
Since I can't share homebrew without making it public and thus Permanent and Unchangeable Forever, figured I'd just copy the page per below. Let me know what you think, I find myself mighty curious (and also working to settle some debates amongst my player group. Hueh).
****************
A soft giggle was Tynnel's only warning before the deluge of soapy, sudsy water splashed down over his head, followed a heartbeat later by a wooden bucket that had been perched precariously on the half-open door of his hunter's lodge. The nobleman stood there for a few moments, a pair of servants looking on in heart-wrenching horror before rushing up to offer whatever they could to pat their lord dry.
"No need, ladies," Tynnel sighed, holding up a hand. "Aene will go and fetch me a towel to dry off with, won't she?" he said, stern and forboding, but not without a twinkle in his eye.
That cheerful little giggle sounded again, and a red-haired shadow skittered out from behind a nearby sofa, scurrying upstairs in a flash of fur. Tynnel sighed. His master huntsman had tried to warn him, but he'd gone ahead and taken the kitsune in anyways. Now hardly a day went by without some manner of deviltry befalling him to the sound of a young girl's laughter. 'Lively' didn't even begin to cover it.
Oh well. At least he wouldn't need to wash up for dinner, now...
— Yurei, Kitsune Intro Story
A home where a kitsune resides is filled with an air of merriment and mischief, often punctuated by the sound of both laughter and frustration. Insatiable pranksters who revel in chaos and confusion, kitsune live in the moment and delight in playful whimsy. Light, magic, and a finely honed joke survival sense are the fox's gift...and their price.
Masters of Mischief
Small folk often mistaken for skinny gnomes at a distance, kitsune are slender folk of entirely unprepossessing stature. Rarely much over three and a half feet tall, kitsune tend to range between thirty to forty pounds. Distinguished by tall, pointed fox's ears and a bushy fox-like tail, a kitsune's pale face is rarely seen without a grin of one kind or another. Their energy and enthusiasm shines through in their mannerisms; a kitsune is always moving, always shifting stance or posture, never content to remain still for more than a few moments.
Given their druthers, kitsune prefer to dress in bright colors, ornamenting themselves with silken scarves and intricately carved beads. Kitsune favor vibrancy and artistry over monetary value; a simple wooden bead carved with a delightful pattern and painted in a profusion of colors is far more interesting to them than a gemstone or a band of precious metal. They often offer these things as gifts to those who endure their pranks in good spirit.
Ancestral Refugees
In the distant past, kitsune were primal envoys of the god-spirits of the land, blessed with immense power and prestige. Their capricious misuse of their talents led to their kind being struck down by those they'd abused; their power sealed, their forms reduced, their descendants cursed to live as little more than the lowest rank of humble nature spirits. Ancient kitsune fled this curse, abandoning their wild homelands to live amongst the mortal races they'd once treated as little more than playthings.
Over time, mortals forgot most of the ancient terror-tales of the Fox Fey who'd preyed upon them, and the little descendants of those old, powerful spirits forged a new place amongst the races of mortalkind. Kitsune have no homeland; to them, every land is home, and every home merely a place to rest their head until the next day's mischief. Interwoven throughout mortal society, kitsune are in some ways a sort of universal younger sibling to the older, theoretically wiser races of the world. To a kitsune, every swelled head is a sacred opportunity to teach a lesson in humility and every prideful boast a chance to knock someone down a peg or two, lest their new siblings in the world suffer the same fate which befell them.
Kitsune don't tell this story - most of them don't even know it. Not in their heads. But the ancient curse laid upon their kind lingers in their blood and bones; those who respond to a kitsune's pranks with ill grace, those whose arrogance or pomposity fail to fall to a kitsune's gentle teasing, will find themselves the subjects of not-so-gentle teasing until it works.
Everywhere and Nowhere
When kitsune form family groups of their own, they tend to do so in secret, dwelling wherever they manage to find a safe, hidden space. Often, they compete with criminals for hidden lairs within cities, or secretly rebuild ruined homesteads on the fringes of civilized lands. Very few non-kitsune ever discover these abodes, and even fewer find them more than once as any given kitsune pack has at least three such dens ready. Packs with young kits are quick to abandon a den discovered by other races, remaining deeply secretive when rearing their children.
Kitsune who are not part of such a pack are an ever-present part of daily life for other races, however. While kitsune are never truly common, most every town or city has at least a few kitsune who simply turn up where and as they please. 'Adopting' a kitsune is as easy as inviting one inside and feeding them; as long as such an individual doesn't chase their newfound fuzzy-tailed roommate out with an axe, many kitsune are perfectly content to remain in such dwellings for several years.
Kitsune Names
A kitsune's name is a closely guarded secret, for kitsune believe that names hold a great deal of weight and power. A kitsune typically only reveals their birth name to their closest friends or immediate family. Instead, kitsune often choose a favored nickname or adopt the names of storybook heroes whose tales they enjoy. Kitsune change these names as freely as they change clothes, discarding a name they no longer favor with as much care as one shows to worn-through socks. Kitsune often invite new traveling companions to give them a new name, answering to a different name everywhere they go and with every group they travel with.
Seeing the World
Kitsune love to travel, and other adventurers often make the best playmates. Once won, a kitsune's loyalty is fierce and unwavering - plus, powerful friends make getting away with bigger and bigger pranks much easier. Many kitsune seek out adventure to test the limits of their barely-felt curse, hungering for the power of their ancestors without quite realizing why. Regardless of the reason behind their travels, kitsune who take up the adventurer's path do so without regret or remorse, diving head-first into the thrill of their journey. Whether or not their traveling companions are ready to follow them into it.
MISCHIEF, NOT MALICE
A kitsune loves mischief and merriment, but they save their malice for those who've shown malice to them first. Kitsune know that the bigger races can rarely keep up with their manic enthusiasm and don't fault them for this, vastly preferring laughter to anger or tears.
Kitsune Traits
Your kitsune has certain characteristics in common with all other kitsune.
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Kitsune age unusually; they mature faster than humans do, reaching the age of majority around their twelfth year. Unless they grow enough in power however, they rarely live longer than a century.
Alignment
Kitsune are chaos embodied, natural pranksters and jokers who delight in causing mischief and humbling those who take themselves and their rules too seriously. They’re rarely vicious or cruel however, trending more towards the positive side of Neutral alignments.
Size
Most kitsune are less than four feet in height, with slender builds. They tend to weigh between thirty and forty pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Cunning Trickster
Kitsune have a natural propensity for tomfoolery that often expresses itself as a knack for a particularly troublesome talent. You gain proficiency in your choice of Deception or Sleight of Hand.
Kitsune Magic
You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Alter Self 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 Hypnotic Pattern once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you do not need to provide material components for them.
This is amazing but I would include things like skill proficiencies
First of all:
Yes, I know, I know, I know. "Weeb alert!" There's already a dozen examples of these things in the Sea of Decay known as the DDB Public Homebrew Library.
Thing is? They all bloody suck. All a'em. They're awful. Just take my word for it - as somebody who's been unduly fascinated with these fuzzy ******** for far too many years, all the 'kitsune' currently up in the DDB library are either overpowered hogwash or thinly disguised furryism. I've been wanting to do the little bastards properly for about as long as I've been playing D&D. Buuut...well. A traditional kitsune, the mischievous and magical prankster youkai of Japanese lore, are way too overloaded for typical D&D. Nothing ever felt right when I tried to reflect all of the things a kitsune was/could do.
In the end, I decided to settle on "In Homage To" rather than "Transplanted From". The potent youkai of old became the Fox Fey mentioned in the lore fluff, and these playable options were the result of an ancient Divine Punishment. Suddenly everything worked and I got something worth writing and playing. Or at least I thought/hoped so.
Since I can't share homebrew without making it public and thus Permanent and Unchangeable Forever, figured I'd just copy the page per below. Let me know what you think, I find myself mighty curious (and also working to settle some debates amongst my player group. Hueh).
****************
A home where a kitsune resides is filled with an air of merriment and mischief, often punctuated by the sound of both laughter and frustration. Insatiable pranksters who revel in chaos and confusion, kitsune live in the moment and delight in playful whimsy. Light, magic, and a finely honed joke survival sense are the fox's gift...and their price.
Masters of Mischief
Small folk often mistaken for skinny gnomes at a distance, kitsune are slender folk of entirely unprepossessing stature. Rarely much over three and a half feet tall, kitsune tend to range between thirty to forty pounds. Distinguished by tall, pointed fox's ears and a bushy fox-like tail, a kitsune's pale face is rarely seen without a grin of one kind or another. Their energy and enthusiasm shines through in their mannerisms; a kitsune is always moving, always shifting stance or posture, never content to remain still for more than a few moments.
Given their druthers, kitsune prefer to dress in bright colors, ornamenting themselves with silken scarves and intricately carved beads. Kitsune favor vibrancy and artistry over monetary value; a simple wooden bead carved with a delightful pattern and painted in a profusion of colors is far more interesting to them than a gemstone or a band of precious metal. They often offer these things as gifts to those who endure their pranks in good spirit.
Ancestral Refugees
In the distant past, kitsune were primal envoys of the god-spirits of the land, blessed with immense power and prestige. Their capricious misuse of their talents led to their kind being struck down by those they'd abused; their power sealed, their forms reduced, their descendants cursed to live as little more than the lowest rank of humble nature spirits. Ancient kitsune fled this curse, abandoning their wild homelands to live amongst the mortal races they'd once treated as little more than playthings.
Over time, mortals forgot most of the ancient terror-tales of the Fox Fey who'd preyed upon them, and the little descendants of those old, powerful spirits forged a new place amongst the races of mortalkind. Kitsune have no homeland; to them, every land is home, and every home merely a place to rest their head until the next day's mischief. Interwoven throughout mortal society, kitsune are in some ways a sort of universal younger sibling to the older, theoretically wiser races of the world. To a kitsune, every swelled head is a sacred opportunity to teach a lesson in humility and every prideful boast a chance to knock someone down a peg or two, lest their new siblings in the world suffer the same fate which befell them.
Kitsune don't tell this story - most of them don't even know it. Not in their heads. But the ancient curse laid upon their kind lingers in their blood and bones; those who respond to a kitsune's pranks with ill grace, those whose arrogance or pomposity fail to fall to a kitsune's gentle teasing, will find themselves the subjects of not-so-gentle teasing until it works.
Everywhere and Nowhere
When kitsune form family groups of their own, they tend to do so in secret, dwelling wherever they manage to find a safe, hidden space. Often, they compete with criminals for hidden lairs within cities, or secretly rebuild ruined homesteads on the fringes of civilized lands. Very few non-kitsune ever discover these abodes, and even fewer find them more than once as any given kitsune pack has at least three such dens ready. Packs with young kits are quick to abandon a den discovered by other races, remaining deeply secretive when rearing their children.
Kitsune who are not part of such a pack are an ever-present part of daily life for other races, however. While kitsune are never truly common, most every town or city has at least a few kitsune who simply turn up where and as they please. 'Adopting' a kitsune is as easy as inviting one inside and feeding them; as long as such an individual doesn't chase their newfound fuzzy-tailed roommate out with an axe, many kitsune are perfectly content to remain in such dwellings for several years.
Kitsune Names
A kitsune's name is a closely guarded secret, for kitsune believe that names hold a great deal of weight and power. A kitsune typically only reveals their birth name to their closest friends or immediate family. Instead, kitsune often choose a favored nickname or adopt the names of storybook heroes whose tales they enjoy. Kitsune change these names as freely as they change clothes, discarding a name they no longer favor with as much care as one shows to worn-through socks. Kitsune often invite new traveling companions to give them a new name, answering to a different name everywhere they go and with every group they travel with.
Seeing the World
Kitsune love to travel, and other adventurers often make the best playmates. Once won, a kitsune's loyalty is fierce and unwavering - plus, powerful friends make getting away with bigger and bigger pranks much easier. Many kitsune seek out adventure to test the limits of their barely-felt curse, hungering for the power of their ancestors without quite realizing why. Regardless of the reason behind their travels, kitsune who take up the adventurer's path do so without regret or remorse, diving head-first into the thrill of their journey. Whether or not their traveling companions are ready to follow them into it.
Kitsune Traits
Your kitsune has certain characteristics in common with all other kitsune.
Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age
Kitsune age unusually; they mature faster than humans do, reaching the age of majority around their twelfth year. Unless they grow enough in power however, they rarely live longer than a century.
Alignment
Kitsune are chaos embodied, natural pranksters and jokers who delight in causing mischief and humbling those who take themselves and their rules too seriously. They’re rarely vicious or cruel however, trending more towards the positive side of Neutral alignments.
Size
Most kitsune are less than four feet in height, with slender builds. They tend to weigh between thirty and forty pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Cunning Trickster
Kitsune have a natural propensity for tomfoolery that often expresses itself as a knack for a particularly troublesome talent. You gain proficiency in your choice of Deception or Sleight of Hand.
Kitsune Magic
You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Alter Self 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 Hypnotic Pattern once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you do not need to provide material components for them.
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Looks good. I’d maybe add Fey Ancestry or standard darkvision to round them out.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
Hm. Think so? I'd be curious to see what other folks would think as well. I went out of my way to avoid darkvision, in large part because I'm quite sick of how poorly light is handled in D&D, but also because I gave them a bonus skill and a pretty powerful innate spellcasting trait (which includes a way around the lack of darkvision, to some extent). Figured anymuch more was pushing a little too hard in comparison to the PHB races. Eberron and the god******* Ravnica book are much more potent, but they're also not the standards I was trying to hold myself to.
Nevertheless, thanks for taking the time to look. Appreciate it.
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No problem :)
Compare them on balance to Tiefling though:
ASI: Equivalent
Age: Equivalent
Alignment: not really applicable
Size & Speed: Appropriate
Languages: Equivalent
Racial Casting: Mostly Equivalent
You're then down to:
Tiefling
Darkvision
Fire Resistance
Kitsune
Cunning Trickster
Whilst getting a skill is good, I'm not sure it brings them up to the same kind of level, even with the slightly different racial casting spells. Fey Ancestry is a solid mechanic and very on theme which is why it was the first thing I was suggesting there.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
Hmm.
Fey Ancestry is relatively limited. Obviously super useful when it comes up, but generally less impactful than something like Fire Resistance. And they do, in fact, have fey ancestry of the lowercase, game-floof variety. And while I hesitate to hold them up as the standard because they're borked as hell, half-elves get Ancestry, two skills, and a fourth stat point, two of which are floating. Innate casting is good but not that good, even with the relatively high-powered list the kitsune get.
On the other hand, one could argue my take is already superior to PHB Dragonborn, who get dick and squat outside of their dragonnish appearance, a resistance, and a bad breath weapon. Nrrrgh. Tricky.
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Honestly, Hypnotic Pattern is a really strong spell and i'd personally wouldn't allow it as a racial feature.
Otherwise, i think it's ok.
That was a concern I'd gotten from my own play group, as well. I can definitely see the issue, but I'm torn as to what to replace it with. Kitsune are known for their illusion-craft, but most typical illusion spells are...troublesome. Phantasmal Force, perhaps? Even if I'm kind of sick of seeing it.
Also I have to ask, I just can't help it.
Would I, perhaps, know you from the MWO forums, back when MWO wasn't a trashfire and a man named Juodas Varnas was the Champion of Quads?
if not, apologies. Never mind me, I'll be sitting over behind the curtain.
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Aye, that'd be me. The local quad guy. (It's a small world, eh?)
If you ask me, i'd change the Alter Self spell for the Disguise Self (Alter Self changes you physically, while Disguise Self is just illusory) and Blur (or Mirror Image) at 5th level (Racial spells usually are 1st lvl or 2nd lvl spells, 3rd lvl spells might be a bit much)
I think both of those spells fit the trickster archetype without being too imbalanced.
In Japanese folklore while kitsune could cause illusions they were also shapeshifters (although their reflections would show their true nature). Most "tricks" of the kitsune involved impersonating people rather than making illusions.
-
In the lore-fluffery I'd keep the kitsune tails (kitsune gain more tails as they grow older).
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That was my thinking as well; Alter Self is not that much more powerful than Disguise Self, especially with the concentration requirement, and it's such a delightfully apt fit for the old folktales. Hypnotic Pattern does maybe seem a bit much though. It's on point, but perhaps for a feat later rather than default.
That was also my plan for the tails; my original notion was to work up a slew of racial feats for these things that could either be taken as they leveled or awarded for story beats if the DM played that kind of game that represented the kitsune's growth in power. My original draft came in before the verdan, so racial abilities were always static save for feats. The feat set proved much more difficult to get tuned right though, so it's still in progress. You figure that should be baked into the base species somehow?
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The spell bit is definitely tricky as far as illusions go. There is some precedent for innately casting third level spells though, so maybe it isn't that big of an issue. (Another thought, is that perhaps you could take a lower level spell like Silent Image and give it 2 uses instead of one every long rest; I'm more than a little sleep deprived so I'm not sure if it's a good thought or terrible thought, but it is a thought.)
Personally, I think adding tails as they level is an awesome idea. Perhaps gain an additional tail at 5th level, and another tail every other level after that? Again, sleep deprived so I can't think of a way to work that without sounding clunky, but I think you should go with it.
So I've been ruminating on this one for a bit, grateful for the feedback from both here and my gaming group. Had a couple of ideas I wanted to trot out and see how they fared, taking into consideration some of the feedback provided and my own play experiences with the species recently.
1.) Kitsune Magic loses Hypnotic Pattern and gains Continual Flame, without the requirement for 50gp worth of dust. One of my absolute favorite little side things on my Mammon tiefling artificer is how much eliminating the material cost of Arcane Lock allows me to really play with that spell, create items around it and use it in situations where it'd be legit cool but nobody would ever bother with it because it's more or less a gobshyte awful spell for normal characters. Continual Flame being one of my personal favorite undersung spells and kitsune being pretty strongly associated with 'ghostly' fire that does not burn, it struck me that Continual Flame would be an interesting trait for them to have. Not troublesome in battle, and no more troublesome for a DM than CF in a Spell-Storing Item is for 'the economy'...but the sort of thing a playful, tricksy fox critter (with no darkvision, mind) might be expected to have.
2.) Been thinking I will take Baz's advice and introduce Fey Ancestry. It's a nifty niche that speaks to the lore of the species, and if I'm giving them something cool but largely inconsequential like Continual Flame over the much more potent Hypnotic Pattern, I think I've got the room for it without overloading the species.
3.) Hypnotic Pattern moves to a species feat, which grants Minor Illusion and Charm Person, as well. The fluff is in workshop on that one, but it's basically a 'Kitsune Seduction' option, with 'seduction' in this case being of the beguiling, mind-ensnaring sort rather than the HON HON HON sort. I really want to change Charm for Faerie Fire, but that strikes me as leaning a little hard into the foxfire given that their innate racial casting loses illusion entirely. Nevertheless. Minor Illusion, and 1/day of Hypnotic Pattern and either Charm or Fire. Hell, maybe all three. Svirfneblin get three 1/day racial spells in their feat, why not kitsune? What do you folks figure?
And the sof+floofy elephant in the room...tails.
I don't want to tie power progression to it, even though it makes sense to do so. That should be between a player and her DM, and was why I was thinking of introducing a slew of optional feats...but I do want to acknowledge it. So my thought was a sidebar offering a couple of different rules.
-A.) A kitsune gains its second tail at 6th level, then every even level after that. So their third at 8th, fourth at 10th, and so fourth. This means the kitsune gains their ninth tail and hits the Magic Number at 20th level, which is as all things should be. Ninetails were very rare, and they were supposed to be immensely powerful. A 20th-level adventurer is also supposed to be very rare and powerful. Seems like a workable correlation.
-B.) A kitsune with the Spellcasting class feature gains a new tail every time it gains a new level of spell slot. This is a serious jump start on the non-casting progression, but it's also a lot easier for both DM and player to keep track of. Since tails are (in this case) mostly for roleplaying to avoid obnoxious power gaps between kitsune and non-kitsune characters, it should be fine. In that vein:
-C.) The kitsune develops a new tail when it overcomes a significant personal challenge, accomplishes an extremely difficult objective, or otherwise achieves a story crescendo point. Kinda like milestone experience. The fox and her DM agree to simply let it happen when it makes sense. Kitsune tails were supposed to develop as the fox accumulates wisdom, and in those tales 'Wisdom' typically meant experience of the world. It would make sense that foxes who get out there and do shit, take risks and fight for their dreams, develop faster than foxes who play it safe and pal around NPC Town being adorabnoxious.
Any fresh opinions from the board, on those ideas or others?
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I think the sidebar is a very elegant solution for the tails; tying them to feats would have been cool as well, but also would have had issues of it's own.
Continual flame...that's a good thought. Fits well and lets an underused spell see actual use (and if someone *were* concerned about multiple castings, I could see it being changed so there can be only one casting of the spell active at once, but I don't think it's a problem myself)
For the feat, I say go for all three spells rather than two. If we compare it to the Svirfneblin feat, it's cantrip+three 1/day spells vs three 1/day spells+a 3rd level spell that can be cast at will targeting yourself (which does make it a little more niche, but I'd say that still puts it ahead of what you're proposing)
Heh. ALL RIGHT. Some fresh foxscrewery for this batch of fluffy nonsense. Complete with experimental feats this time!
First of all, prototype text for the 'KITSUNE TAILS' sidebar:
Seem about right?
And second of all, a set of oh-so-juicy prototype racial feats for these buggers, since every species should have special tricks only they can do. Spoiler'd because this website's quotation and table organization functions suck donkey rocks and I apparently get only one blockquote a post. Awesome.
Vexing Illusionist
Some of your kind have a talent for illusory magic – a lingering remnant of the Fox Fey in your bloodline that emerges with just a bit of coaxing.
You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. In addition, you learn the Faerie Fire and Hypnotic Pattern spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for all three spells.
Kitsune Shapeshifting
Your native transformative powers are significantly greater than the average fox. You learn the Polymorph spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot; when you cast Polymorph you must target yourself, and you take the form of a fox. Use the statistics for the Cat, save that you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, and the ability to cast the spells granted by your Kitsune Magic trait and the Vexing Illusionist feat, if you have it. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this version of Polymorph.
You may cast this version of Polymorph a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest. You may also expend a use of this feat to cast the Alter Self spell granted by your Kitsune Magic trait, instead.
Master Trickster
You take your kind’s commitment to mischief as a sacred oath, unifying the vexing talents of your people in ways no one else thought possible to fulfill your sworn duty to bother the big folk until they pop.
Increase your Charisma or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20. In addition, you gain proficiency in Deception or Sleight of Hand (whichever you didn’t chose for your Cunning Trickster trait). When you make a Deception or Sleight of Hand check, you may add both your Charisma and Dexterity bonuses to the d20 roll instead of just Charisma or Dexterity. You may do so once and regain the ability to do so when you complete a short or long rest.
Vexing Illusionist is pretty standard "Enhanced Innate Spellcasting" fare. Decided against triple spells, mostly because the spells this feat grants are all very useful, highly popular stuff. Not like Drow or Svirfneblin Magic, where the spells are kinda nichey.
Kitsune Shapeshifting is probably a little overdone, but damnit I want my shapeshifting in my foxes. They just don't quite feel right without some way of reassuming their vulpine forms, and let's face it - it's not going to be suuuper often where being able to turn into a reskinned cat will be the thing that Saves the Day.
Master Trickster is the weird one of the bunch, but boy do I love it. "How does Dexterity help a Deception check?!" "How does Charisma help a Sleight of Hand check?!" You have no freaking clue - but this kitsune does, and she's gonna bamboozle you with it. The fact that it doesn't quite make sense is perfect flavor for these little slightly-Feywildy nuisances. The usage limit is to stop this from being broken beyond comprehension, but in those few moments when you need to land a roll to pull off a key trick, Master Trickster's got your back. Provided your CHA and DEX aren't poocanned, anyways. If they are, maybe don't take Master Trickster.
(Also worth noting, because doubtless someone will ask: yes it stacks with proficiency, no it does not let you add your proficiency bonus twice, no you do not get to double your proficiency if you have Expertise in Deception while making a SoH check or the other way around. ALL Master Trickster does is let you add whichever modifier you're not using for the check as a bonus to your normal modifier to the check you're making.)
Anyways. I know I keep bagging on this, but the feedback has been quite useful. I appreciate any time y'all take to look this over and let me know how you think it's going. When I'm sitting somewhere comfortable with it I'll publish the lot of this so everybody else can have it too, if they want.
Please do not contact or message me.
I like the feats! In the case of the third feat, would the second benefit be lost if the kitsune already had proficiency in both Deception and Sleight of Hand?
Partway through the quest for absolute truth.
Hmm. Good point. As written, yes they would, though I imagine most DMs would allow you to rejigger a selection somewhere. I always hate when something blocks you like that, so will fix it before publication. Unfortunately you can't do "Deception, Sleight, or Floating if neither of those" in the homebrew editor, so when I get around to doing these, so will probably have to include a sidebar to the effect of "if you already have both of these, go to whatever gave you the 'Other' proficiency and pick something else".
Please do not contact or message me.
Apologies for the double post, but I wanted to let the three or four people who might care know that I decided to put the finishing touches on this set and release an initial version. Probably shouldn't, given the inordinate problems with public homebrew on this site, but I'm fond of these little ****ers and want to make them available for other people to vex their DMs with.
So thanks much for the assistance, and enjoy the Kitsune (Tyberos) race for 5e.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/328342-kitsune-tyberos
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/251773-kitsune-shapeshifting
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/251775-master-trickster
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/251769-vexing-illusionist
Please do not contact or message me.
Heh, awesome! I haven't got a subscription right now so I can't add it to my collection, but I've got it bookmarked for future reference in case any of my players has a character concept that would fit it for a future campaign.
This is amazing but I would include things like skill proficiencies
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)