Homebrew Mimic Race Details
The barkeeper asked why we carried weapons on us in the bar.
I said, "mimics."
The barkeeper laughed.
The party laughed.
The table laughed.
And that's how we met our rogue.
Mimics are shapeshifting predators able to take on the form of inanimate object to lure creatures to their doom. In dungeons, these cunning creatures most often take the form of doors and chests, having learned that such forms attract a steady stream of prey. Some mimcs have learned that an even more readily available source of food can be garnered by adventuring, which grants the mimic the opportunity to see exotic monsters, meet interesting people, and then eat them.
Imitative Predators
Mimics can alter their outward texture to resemble wood, stone, and other basic materials, and they have evolved to assume the appearance of objects that other creatures are likely to come into contact with. A mimic in its altered form is nearly unrecognizable until potential prey blunders into its reach, whereupon the monster sprout pseudopods and attacks.
When it changes shape, a mimic excretes an adhesive that helps it seize prey and weapons that touch it. The adhesive is absorbed when the mimic assumes its amorphous form and on parts the mimic uses to move itself
Cunning Hunters
Mimics live and hunt alone, though they occasionally share their feeding grounds with other creatures. Although most mimics have only predatory intelligence, a rare few evolve greater cunning and the ability to carry on simple conversations in Common or Undercommon. Such mimics might allow safe passage through their domains, provide useful information, or even join an adventuring party in exchange for food.
Mimic Personality
You can use the Mimic Quirks table to determine a personality quirk for a mimic character or to inspire a unique mannerism.
Mimic Quirks
| d8 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You see enemies as prey. Those who stand against you are dead meat anyway, so why not eat them as such? |
| 2 | You are something of a gourmand among mimics and have developed an appetite for a specific type of prey creature, and will go to great lengths for the opportunity to hunt it. |
| 3 | You are obsessed with collecting shiny objects. |
| 4 | Food exists to be eaten, items are supposed to be used. The concept of not immediately using an item once it comes into your possession is utterly alien to you. |
| 5 | Of all the objects you are capable of shapeshifting into, you consistently take the form of one specific and unusual one. |
| 6 | You are literal-minded. You do not understand metaphors, similes, hyperboles, sarcasm, or irony, and take anything said at face value based on the exact meaning of the words. |
| 7 | Your method of exploring and investigating and evaluating the world around you is based almost exclusively on how things taste. |
| 8 | You enjoy eating your food while it’s still wriggling and trying to escape. |
Mimic Names
As solitary creatures native to dungeons and the Underdark, mimics don't have use for names. They rarely if ever need to address or be addressed by another living thing. They are indifferent about the topic, and will usually allow their companions to name them; though it may be a while before it fully associates that the word used is in reference to itself.
Adventurers who interact with mimics tend to name them after the mimic's preferred form, a pun derived thereof or a word describing its nature. Some examples include: Boxy, Chesty, Rocky, Woody, Urny, Crate, Chompy, Chewy, Pandora, and Jack.
Mimic Traits
Your mimic character has the following racial traits.Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Intelligence score is reduced by 2.
Age
Mimics reach adulthood at age 10, though it is currently unknown how long of a lifespan they have. Several specimens have lived for well over a century.
Alignment
Mimics are natives to the hostile and harsh environments of the Underdark and the depths of dungeons where resources are scarce and dangers abound. They have a literal eat-or-be-eaten mentality; but are not entirely mindless eating machines. They only eat sentient creatures if they feel there is no alternative, and are open to negotiate, bartering for food. They are usually neutral, doing only what they need to in order to survive.
Size
As amorphous shapeshifters it is difficult to provide an exact size for mimics, as that size is subject to change at a moment's notice. Generally, however, a mimic occupies 25 cubic feet, a 5 x 5 x 5-foot space. Your size is Medium.
Speed
You are an ambush predator adapted to a sedentary life, waiting for your prey to come to you. You are not well adapted for movement, using your pseudopod to drag yourself along the floor. Your base walking speed is 15 feet. At 5th level you adapt to a more mobile lifestyle, increasing your base movement speed to 25 feet.
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.
Shapeshift
You can use an action to polymorph into an object or back into your true, amorphous form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert to your true form if you die. While you remain motionless while polymorphed, you are indistinguishable from an ordinary object.
Stalker
You are trained in the Stealth skill. When making a Dexterity (Stealth) ability check, you add your proficiency bonus twice instead of once.
Adhesive
While you are polymorphed into an object you adhere to anything that touches you. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to you is also grappled by you. The escape DC for this grapple equals 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus. Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.
Grappler
You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by you.
Natural Defenses
Due to the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. You gain no benefit from wearing armor. Instead, you are able to shapeshift your body's surface into a hardened carapace for a time. Starting at 1st Level, you can innately cast barkskin on yourself as a bonus action with no components once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. You can still use a shield, and can apply the shield’s bonus as normal. Starting at 3rd Level, you can innately cast stoneskin on yourself as a bonus action with no components once with this trait, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
Additionally, you are immune to acid damage, and being knocked prone.
Natural Weapons
Due to your amorphous body, using pseudopods instead of properly formed hands, you are ill-suited to wielding weapons. You cannot apply your proficiency bonus to any weapon you wield. Instead, you possess a series of natural weapons with which you are proficient.
Pseudopod. Your pseudopod is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Your pseudopod has a reach of 10 feet. If you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier. Additionally, if you are polymorphed into an object, the target is subjected to your Adhesive trait. Your pseudopod is considered to have the Finesse property for the purpose of meeting the requirement of a feature or attack requiring a weapon with that property.
Bite. Your fanged maw is also a natural weapon, granting you a bite attack that you can use as an unarmed strike. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier plus an addition 1d8 acid damage. Your bite is considered to have the Finesse property for the purpose of meeting the requirement of a feature or attack requiring a weapon with that property.
Monstrous Nature
Your creature type is monstrosity. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on your creature type. You are immune to game effects that specifically target creatures of another type.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon.
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