Homebrew Giff Species Details

Military Organization

Every aspect of giff society is organized along military lines. From b\irth until death, every giff has a military rank. It must follow orders from those of superior rank, and it can give orders to those granted by a superior as a reward for valor. Giff are devoted to their children, even as most of their education is geared toward fighting and war.

Mercenaries Extraordinaire

Giff are in high demand as warriors for hire, but they insist on serving in units composed entirely of giff; a giff hiring itself out individually is unheard of. Giff refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its own life. Life is fleeting, but the regiment endures for generations or even centuries.

A Whiff of Gunpowder

Muskets and grenades are the favorite weapons of every giff. The bigger the boom, the brighter the flash and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of building a bomb big enough to level a fortification. They gladly accept payment in kegs of gunpowder in preference to gold, gems, or other currency.

No Honor in Magic

Some giff become wizards, clerics, and other kinds of spellcasters, but they’re so infrequent that most giff mercenary units have no magical capability. Typical giff are as smart as the average human, but their focus on military training to the exclusion of all other areas of study can make them seem dull-witted to those who have more varied interests.

Giff Names

Many giff took names in the Common tongue as their own, since their native tongue was hard to pronounce for other races. The names they chose for themselves were often upper-class-sounding names such as "Algernon" or "Horatio" for males or "Beatrice" or "Ophelia" for females.

 

Giff Traits

As a giff, you have the following characteristics with all other giff.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age

Giff mature at roughly the same rate humans do, becoming adults in their late teens. However, giff have shorter lifespans on average, generally living no longer than 70-80 cycles.

Size

Giff are quite tall, standing 7 – 8 feet on average, and incredibly stocky. The average giff can weigh as much as 850 – 1,000 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Headfirst Charge

You can use your action to make a special attack with your hippo-like head. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line that ends within 5 feet of a Large or smaller creature before you use this action, that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

Firearms Knowledge

You are proficient with muskets and pistols. Additionally, you ignore the loading property of these weapons.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag or lift.

High Density

Because of your extremely dense body you are unable to swim in water instead sinking down to the bottom where you can walk or run.

Hold Breath

Being born and raised by deep rivers, you know how to hold your breath for prolonged periods of time, you can hold your breath underwater for 30 minutes before you start drowning.

Built Different

While you are in or underwater you can use your full walking movement speed without any penalty, in addition while you are fully submerged in water you can dash as a free action once per turn and you can use you movement speed to launch yourself to the surface of the water, getting yourself a breath of fresh air.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Giff typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects.