Homebrew Awakened Canine Species Details

By whatever whims of fate, a powerful spellcaster may feel inclined to use the Awaken spell in a canine creature. As result, those canines receive sentience and intelligence previously unknown to them. Many are longtime friends of Druids or powerful Wizards, but some may be the result of foul intentions and hapless magic.

Now self-aware, they can choose for themselves who to follow and which path to take.

Less than Humanoid

Awakened animals are regarded as something lesser than other sentient races by most humanoids, but Canines, in particular, have found some level of acceptance in certain circles.
Canines usually either try to ingratiate themselves to society or eschew the company of humanoids altogether.

Those that try to curry favour have a hard road ahead and will find many doors closed to them that would otherwise be open for a normal adventurer.

No Hands

Despite now having the intellect on par with other humanoids, Awakened Canines still have to deal with a rather extreme handicap... namely, the lack of opposable thumbs.

This prevents Canines from performing delicate actions or operating anything that requires hands.

However, they are used to it. Enterprising Canines might hold things in their mouth and will often resort to magic or tinkering to overcome their own lacks. They still can't do everything a humanoid can, but they will not hesitate to try or ask for assistance.

Canine Personality

A Canine might have motivations and quirks that are different from a dwarf, an elf, or a human. You can use the following tables instead of the traits and flaws from your background.

Canine Traits

d6
1	I’m dauntless in the face of adversity.
2	Threaten my friends, threaten me.
3	I stay on alert so others can rest.
4	People see an animal and underestimate me. I use that to my advantage.
5	I have a knack for showing up in the nick of time.
6	I put my friends’ needs before my own in all things.

 

Canine Flaw

d6
1	If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it.
2	I growl at strangers, and all people except my pack are strangers to me.
3	Any time is a good time for a belly rub.
4	I’m deathly afraid of water.
5	My idea of hello is a flurry of licks to the face.
6	I jump on creatures to tell them how much I love them.

 

Adventurer Training

Awakened Canines can choose to live peacefully with their limitations, but those that decide to venture out in the world must go through arduous study and training to be able to match the humanoid races. You may choose one Way of Adventure.

 

Awakened Canine Traits

Your awakened canine has the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age

Due to the magic flowing through them, Awakened Canines live longer than their non awakened counterparts. An awakened Canine reaches adulthood at around 2 years old, and can live up to 50 years.

 

Alignment

Because of their nature, Awakened Canines are usually good. However, their alignment might be heavily influenced by their master, if they had one.

 

Size

You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this race.

 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

 

Beast

Your creature type is beast, rather than humanoid.

Language

Awakened Canines are able to speak and read common plus one language of your choice, which must be a language known by the caster of the Awaken spell. They can also write, but no amount of training can make their writing entirely legible to anyone but themselves. To communicate with other dogs, they can bark.

 

Heightened Senses

You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell. You are proficient in Perception.

 

All Paws, No Hands, and a Dog's Body.

An Awakened Canine is limited to holding things in their mouths, and their lack of hands imposes a number of limitations:

• You automatically fail skill checks, if they require hands.

• You can only wield weapons that have the Light attribute and cannot throw them. While wielding a weapon, you cannot speak or cast spells with a vocal component.

• Spells can be cast using paws for somatic components, but material components must be either in your mouth or secured on your body, with a collar or harness.

• Canines can play woodwind and percussion instruments, but stringed instruments may prove to be a challenge without the aid of a tool or magic item.

• Armour has to be specially modified to fit your form. As a result, armour is twice as expensive for you to buy, and you cannot wear armour meant for a humanoid.

Bite

Because of your fierce bite, your teeth are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.