Homebrew Ebonell Centaur Species Details

Hailing from the vast wild-lands of Fae Sinardin, the mighty centaurs are found roaming the open plains and wilderness in nomadic tribes. Possessing the intelligence and charisma of Humans, mixed with the size and power of a warhorse. Fierce and feral beings, they are a solitary race, favoring the company of their own over outsiders. Centaurs sense the interconnectedness of the natural world. Thus, they celebrate family and community as microcosms of that greater connection. Among the tribes of the wild, they have a strong clan identity, and are fiercely loyal to their individual communities as well as their kinsmen. 

Nature’s Cavalry

Centaurs have the upper bodies, down to the waist, of muscular humans, displaying all the human variety of skin tones and features. Their ears are slightly pointed, but their faces are wider and squarer than those of elves. Below the waist, they have the bodies of large horses, with a similar range of coloration — from various shades of chestnut or bay to dappled or even zebra-like striped patterns. Most centaurs style their hair and their tails in a similar way. Centaurs of the wilderness tend to favor long, flowing hair. The rare few communities of Centaurs that live closer or within the civilizations of other races tend to be well-groomed and clothed.

The upper bodies of centaurs are comparable to human torsos in size, and their lower equine bodies average about 6 feet tall at the withers. They are a comparable size to a human rider mounted on a horse, and fill similar roles as cavalry warriors, messengers, outriders, and scouts.

An Oral Tradition

In centaur clans and communities, wisdom and knowledge are revered. Although they live relatively short lives compared to other races of the world, centaurs thirst for knowledge and are renowned for passing down histories of their people through generations by oral tradition. From the learned to the most barbaric of centaurs, they share a common curiosity and thirst for knowledge when encountering wandering travelers from distant lands on the plains of their country. Their love of history and music has developed a long running oral tradition among the tribes, where epic poetry is learned and recited by heart and acted out for entertainment around a bonfire.

Warriors of the Wilderness

Mostly living in the fringes and rural areas of civilizations, centaurs are renowned for their skill in combat - particularly as natural born shock cavaliers. They are widely regarded for their skill and accuracy with the longbow, javelin and spear.

Centaurs frequently partake in tourneys and competitions - where they will compete in combat & feats of strength for honor and renown among the tribe.

Affinity for Nature

Centaurs have an affinity for the natural world, mostly preferring to live in nomadic societies that roam the forests and plains.

Centaurs celebrate life and growth, and the birth of a foal is always cause for festivities. They feel a close kinship with wild animals, perhaps because of their own horse-like bodies, and delight in the feeling of running alongside herds and packs of other beasts. 

Centaur Names

Centaurs’ given names are passed down through family lines. The name bestowed on a new foal is typically the name of the most recently deceased family member of the same gender, keeping alive the memory — and, the centaurs believe, some shard of the departed's spirit. Centaurs don’t use family names, but they wear symbols that represent their family membership. These symbols might include graphical representations of plants or animals, printed mottoes, braids and beads worn in the hair and tail, or even specific patterns of woven fabric.

Male Names: Agrius, Bienor, Bonmod, Boruvo, Drozan, Kozim, Milosh, Nessus, Ninos, Oleksi, Orval, Radovas, Radom, Rostis, Svetyos, Tomis, Trijiro, Volim, Vlodim, Yarog

Female Names: Agaria, Astri, Casi, Celesa, Daiva, Dunja, Elnaya, Eura, Galisnya, Irinya, Kotyali, Lalya, Litisia, Madya, Mira, Nedja, Nikya, Ostani, Pinya, Rada, Raisya, Rala, Rhaena, Sara, Stasolya, Tatina, Yara, Zhendoya, Zoria

Ebonell Centaur Traits

Your centaur character has the following racial traits. These traits are also suitable for the centaurs of other worlds where there are centaurs of fey origin. These centaurs are smaller and more slender than the non-fey centaurs that roam in some realms.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Centaurs mature and age at about the same rate as humans.

Alignment

Centaurs have a tendency toward good. As a tribal people, they don’t lean toward the freedom of a chaotic alignment, but they don’t obey laws that they feel are unjust or ineffective. They lean toward neutral.

Size

Centaurs range from 6’6” to 7 feet in height and weigh between 700 and 900 pounds. Your size is Medium, but you tower over most other races.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 50 feet.

Hooves

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

Unless your Hooves are in some way obscured, you have disadvantage on Stealth checks when moving on hard surfaces, such as stone, brick or glass. This does not stack with other Stealth disadvantages.

Charge

If you move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, you can immediately follow that attack with a bonus action, making one attack against the target with your hooves. When both attacks are successful, the creature must make a Athletics or Acrobatics check. If the creature fails, the creature is knocked prone.

The target creature must be of equal or smaller size to you.

Equine Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can carry, push or drag. Heavy Armor does not slow you down.

In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet, instead of the normal 1 extra foot, and any ability checks made to climb have a default disadvantage.

Imposing Presence

Your size and stature afford you benefits in more than combat. You have proficiency in Intimidation.

Quadruped Form

Your equine lower half prevents you from wearing humanoid armors below the waist. You must equip Barding armor, to gain the full AC bonus of armor sets. (See Player's Handbook pg. 155).  Climbing or maneuvering in tight spaces is considered difficult terrain for you.

You are unable to retrieve objects from the ground, without going prone. In combat this requires a full turn.

Trusty Steed

You may serve as a mount for a single creature of your size or smaller. When you do so, you always act independently of your rider.

Languages

You can either speak Common or Sylvan. Sylvan is widely spoken among the tribes of the wilds, where a strong oral tradition has led to lower literacy rates.