MYCONID TRAITS Although Myconid vary greatly in physical appearance, they all share iconic traits typical of the fungal race.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Age. Myconid have a brief period of adolescence whilst anchored to the ground sprouting. Reaching mental and physical maturity in a matter of hours, sometimes days. Myconid can live independently as long as basic nutritional needs are met, but will return to their homeland after a grand adventure and choose to die, returning peacefully to the loamy soil under the shade of their favorite tree, nestled into a crook of nostalgic trunk hollow.
Alignment. Myconid instinctually tend to cultivate relationships with the animals and land around them in an act of mutualistic symbiosis. Thus, are observed embodying the tenants of the Neutral Good alignment in times of peace and prosperity. However, when their clan’s survival is at risk a Myconid will not hesitate to act swiftly with a harsh True Neutral apathy only found in nature.
Size. The physical size of a Myconid is directly proportional to how many hours it was able to safely sprout from the ground and how much room it had to grow. Small Myconid are around 3 feet tall. Medium Myconid range from 5 to 8 feet tall.
Variant Sizes. If your campaign supports the existence of tiny and large player races, the ever adaptable Myconid frequently reach adulthood and are ready for adventuring after achieving these sizes.
Speed. Small sized Myconid base walking speed is 25 feet.Medium sized Myconid base walking speed is 30 feet.
Size Matters. Small size Myconid can move freely through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than them. Medium size Myconid count as one size larger when determining carrying capacity and the weight they can push, drag, or lift.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Variant Sunlight Sensitivity. The cap upon a Myconid's head or bony protrusions from their brow, naturally shade them from sunlight and other mundane light sources. You suffer the effects of sunlight sensitivity only if you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive are within the radius of bright magical light.
Certified Organic. You have proficiency in the Nature skill.
Bio-luminescence. At anytime you may stop or choose to shed colorful dim light in a 5-foot radius.
Rapport Spores. As an action you fill the area around you with spores that creatures adjacent to you can choose to inhale. Affected creatures can communicate telepathically if they are within 120 feet of you. You and any affected creatures must be able to speak or understand a shared language to communicate telepathically. You can hear anything said over your telepathic network and communicate with affected creatures. The effect lasts for up to one hour or ending if you fall unconscious. You can choose to instantly end the effect early for any affected creature. This trait can be used again after a long rest.
Myconid Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Languages. Though Myconid prefer the intimacy of non-verbal communication, elders will teach the common tongue to adventurous young Myconid before they travel to far, unknown lands. You know common.
Subrace. Two subraces of Myconid have currently been classified: the underdark unbound and sylvan wanderer. Choose one of these subraces.
Underdark Unbound Rarely, a chosen Myconid will brave the surface and go on pilgrimage. Being a strange creature in a strange land does not impede the bullish resolve these chosen few possess.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Decompose. You know the Mold Earth cantrip. You can cast Meld into Stone once per long rest using this trait.
Extra Language. Myconid from the underdark have learned, albeit begrudgingly, the language of the creatures that frequently pillage and raid their communities in an effort to bargain with or threaten them. You know Undercommon.
Sylvan Wanderer Sleeping soundly beneath the shade of a great tree, the sylvan wanderer calls the mystical fey wilds their home.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Fibrous Muscle. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage on hit. Additionally you never suffer disadvantage on attack rolls with weapons due to the Heavy property.
Extra Language. Myconid of the wilds have a very close relationship with fey creatures. So much so that they have adopted their language and use it for special songs, performances, and expletives. You know Sylvan.
Thanks for reading all of that, current concerns I have...
The wording of Rapport Spores, I've re-written the entire ability multiple times to make it easier to understand, but am still worried it may be confusing to everyone except myself.
Subraces, the balance between the two and if anyone would be upset or there are unforeseen issues with removing the heavy property.
-1 = Simultaneous sunlight and bright magical light sensitivity. As written, Myconoids only suffer disadvantage if they or their target are in BOTH direct sunlight AND bright magical light at the same time. I'm pretty sure that's not what's intended though so I'm giving this a -1 instead of a 0.
2 = skill proficiency
1 = shed dim light (you have darkvision, this is mostly irrelevant)
10 = telepathy 120 with language barrier for 1 hour 1/day. For comparison, Rary's Telepathic Bond is a 5th level spell. Rapport Spores is weaker, but doesn't require components and has no listed maximum number of participants.
5 = dwarven resilience
-2 = 25 ft walking speed (small only)
That's 26/28 total for the base total, plus either:
4 = ASI +1
2 = Cantrip
6 = 3rd level spell 1/day
26/28 + 12 = 38/40 for Underdark Unbound (medium) or
4 = ASI +1
2 = 1d6 unarmed strike
4 or 0 = no disadvantage from heavy weapon property. This does nothing if you didn't choose to play a small character.
26/28 + 10/6 = 36/34 for Sylvan Wanderer
(values are approximate)
You should be aiming for about 26 points of power for your race, so Myconoids are way too strong. If you want this race to be balanced, you will have to cut some of their abilities to lower their power level. They'd be more or less balanced you you cut the subraces completely, for example.
Sylvan Myconoids are either slightly (if you're small) or significantly (if you're medium) weaker than Underdark Myconoids. While I don't think ignoring the disadvantage for wielding heavy weapons while small will break anything, I don't like giving a race with multiple sizes a trait that's useless for one of them.
If you allow the possibility of Tiny and Large characters, you should probably provide rules for making a character of that size.
I would suggest rewording Rapport Spores to include a maximum number of participants, and specifying a range in feet for affecting creatures instead of using 'adjacent.' It would probably also be easier to read if you included some line breaks instead of making the ability on big chunk of text.
You need to specify which ability Underdark Myconoids use to cast spells with their Decompose trait.
Thanks for the detailed response, I had no idea a spell already exists that I could use a reference, and it being 5th level too, I underestimated how strong and ability like that is considered. That point breakdown was great, I think my idea of blance has been warped by using some of the volos races as reference.
I thought sunlight sensitivity was worded like an or statement, that is, if any one of those conditions are meet you have penalties.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Variant Sunlight Sensitivity. The cap upon a Myconid's head or bony protrusions from their brow, naturally shade them from sunlight and other mundane light sources. You suffer the effects of sunlight sensitivity only if you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive are within the radius of bright magical light.
Basically, the problem is that Variant Sunlight Sensitivity prevents Sunlight Sensitivity from applying if you aren't in bright magical light, but doesn't allow Sunlight Sensitivity to apply if you aren't in direct sunlight.
Sunlight no, magical light no: Neither trait applies, roll as normal.
Sunlight yes, magical light no: Variant Sunlight Sensitivity prevents Sunlight Sensitivity from applying, roll as normal.
Sunlight no, magical light yes: Variant Sunlight Sensitivity allows Sunlight Sensitivity to apply, but Sunlight Sensitivity has no effect because you aren't in direct sunlight. Roll as normal.
Sunlight yes, magical light yes: Variant Sunlight Sensitivity allows Sunlight Sensitivity to apply, so being in direct sunlight inflicts disadvantage on your roll.
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Myconid Player Race
MYCONID TRAITS
Although Myconid vary greatly in physical appearance, they all share iconic traits typical of the fungal race.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Age. Myconid have a brief period of adolescence whilst anchored to the ground sprouting. Reaching mental and physical maturity in a matter of hours, sometimes days. Myconid can live independently as long as basic nutritional needs are met, but will return to their homeland after a grand adventure and choose to die, returning peacefully to the loamy soil under the shade of their favorite tree, nestled into a crook of nostalgic trunk hollow.
Alignment. Myconid instinctually tend to cultivate relationships with the animals and land around them in an act of mutualistic symbiosis. Thus, are observed embodying the tenants of the Neutral Good alignment in times of peace and prosperity. However, when their clan’s survival is at risk a Myconid will not hesitate to act swiftly with a harsh True Neutral apathy only found in nature.
Size. The physical size of a Myconid is directly proportional to how many hours it was able to safely sprout from the ground and how much room it had to grow. Small Myconid are around 3 feet tall. Medium Myconid range from 5 to 8 feet tall.
Variant Sizes. If your campaign supports the existence of tiny and large player races, the ever adaptable Myconid frequently reach adulthood and are ready for adventuring after achieving these sizes.
Speed. Small sized Myconid base walking speed is 25 feet.Medium sized Myconid base walking speed is 30 feet.
Size Matters. Small size Myconid can move freely through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than them. Medium size Myconid count as one size larger when determining carrying capacity and the weight they can push, drag, or lift.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Variant Sunlight Sensitivity. The cap upon a Myconid's head or bony protrusions from their brow, naturally shade them from sunlight and other mundane light sources. You suffer the effects of sunlight sensitivity only if you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive are within the radius of bright magical light.
Certified Organic. You have proficiency in the Nature skill.
Bio-luminescence. At anytime you may stop or choose to shed colorful dim light in a 5-foot radius.
Rapport Spores. As an action you fill the area around you with spores that creatures adjacent to you can choose to inhale. Affected creatures can communicate telepathically if they are within 120 feet of you. You and any affected creatures must be able to speak or understand a shared language to communicate telepathically. You can hear anything said over your telepathic network and communicate with affected creatures. The effect lasts for up to one hour or ending if you fall unconscious. You can choose to instantly end the effect early for any affected creature. This trait can be used again after a long rest.
Myconid Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Languages. Though Myconid prefer the intimacy of non-verbal communication, elders will teach the common tongue to adventurous young Myconid before they travel to far, unknown lands. You know common.
Subrace. Two subraces of Myconid have currently been classified: the underdark unbound and sylvan wanderer. Choose one of these subraces.
Underdark Unbound
Rarely, a chosen Myconid will brave the surface and go on pilgrimage. Being a strange creature in a strange land does not impede the bullish resolve these chosen few possess.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Decompose. You know the Mold Earth cantrip. You can cast Meld into Stone once per long rest using this trait.
Extra Language. Myconid from the underdark have learned, albeit begrudgingly, the language of the creatures that frequently pillage and raid their communities in an effort to bargain with or threaten them. You know Undercommon.
Sylvan Wanderer
Sleeping soundly beneath the shade of a great tree, the sylvan wanderer calls the mystical fey wilds their home.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Fibrous Muscle. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage on hit. Additionally you never suffer disadvantage on attack rolls with weapons due to the Heavy property.
Extra Language. Myconid of the wilds have a very close relationship with fey creatures. So much so that they have adopted their language and use it for special songs, performances, and expletives. You know Sylvan.
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Thanks for reading all of that, current concerns I have...
The wording of Rapport Spores, I've re-written the entire ability multiple times to make it easier to understand, but am still worried it may be confusing to everyone except myself.
Subraces, the balance between the two and if anyone would be upset or there are unforeseen issues with removing the heavy property.
Detect Balance sez:
That's 26/28 total for the base total, plus either:
26/28 + 12 = 38/40 for Underdark Unbound (medium) or
26/28 + 10/6 = 36/34 for Sylvan Wanderer
(values are approximate)
You should be aiming for about 26 points of power for your race, so Myconoids are way too strong. If you want this race to be balanced, you will have to cut some of their abilities to lower their power level. They'd be more or less balanced you you cut the subraces completely, for example.
Sylvan Myconoids are either slightly (if you're small) or significantly (if you're medium) weaker than Underdark Myconoids. While I don't think ignoring the disadvantage for wielding heavy weapons while small will break anything, I don't like giving a race with multiple sizes a trait that's useless for one of them.
If you allow the possibility of Tiny and Large characters, you should probably provide rules for making a character of that size.
I would suggest rewording Rapport Spores to include a maximum number of participants, and specifying a range in feet for affecting creatures instead of using 'adjacent.' It would probably also be easier to read if you included some line breaks instead of making the ability on big chunk of text.
You need to specify which ability Underdark Myconoids use to cast spells with their Decompose trait.
Thanks for the detailed response, I had no idea a spell already exists that I could use a reference, and it being 5th level too, I underestimated how strong and ability like that is considered. That point breakdown was great, I think my idea of blance has been warped by using some of the volos races as reference.
I thought sunlight sensitivity was worded like an or statement, that is, if any one of those conditions are meet you have penalties.
Basically, the problem is that Variant Sunlight Sensitivity prevents Sunlight Sensitivity from applying if you aren't in bright magical light, but doesn't allow Sunlight Sensitivity to apply if you aren't in direct sunlight.