For my homebrew setting, I'm looking to replace standard drow with a different subrace of subterranean elves. What I would like to do is incorporate bioluminescence as a racial trait. My first instinct was to give them something like the Light cantrip but restrict it to the self as a target, but I'm curious how other people would do this.
Some other ideas:
The option of a brief, bright light that can be seen from further distances in order to communicate (similar to fireflies) *My main issue with this one is giving this ability merit over just plain ol' Superior Darkvision (120 ft).
A dimmer, maintained light that can act as camouflage around bioluminescent fungus and crystals, or to provide a light source for party members without Darkvision
A blinding flash of light that can be used to disorient other creatures in the Underdark, giving them time to get away
So my biggest question is, how would I write Bioluminescence as a feature that grants a wide range of utility options, ex. that these elves can control the brightness of their light and how long it lasts (a short pulse, a burst, or a maintained glow)? I'm starting to get to that point of perfectionism where I'm considering writing homebrew racial spells for them, the same way the drow have Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness at different levels.
The racial spells already lend themselves to this idea. I wouldn’t change them. Here’s how I would word it,
”As a bonus action, you can emit dim light in a radius of 15 feet centered on you. You can end this effect as a bonus action. Once per day, you can cause the dim light to become bright light, no action required. This bright light lasts for one minute or until you end it as a bonus action.”
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
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For my homebrew setting, I'm looking to replace standard drow with a different subrace of subterranean elves. What I would like to do is incorporate bioluminescence as a racial trait. My first instinct was to give them something like the Light cantrip but restrict it to the self as a target, but I'm curious how other people would do this.
Some other ideas:
So my biggest question is, how would I write Bioluminescence as a feature that grants a wide range of utility options, ex. that these elves can control the brightness of their light and how long it lasts (a short pulse, a burst, or a maintained glow)? I'm starting to get to that point of perfectionism where I'm considering writing homebrew racial spells for them, the same way the drow have Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness at different levels.
The racial spells already lend themselves to this idea. I wouldn’t change them. Here’s how I would word it,
”As a bonus action, you can emit dim light in a radius of 15 feet centered on you. You can end this effect as a bonus action. Once per day, you can cause the dim light to become bright light, no action required. This bright light lasts for one minute or until you end it as a bonus action.”
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"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett