Homebrew Frogfolk Species Details

The bright green canopy 200ft above the rainforest floor blocked out much of the direct sunlight, but did little to lessen the heat in the humid air. Feeling as if they were breathing thickened oxygen, the adventurers trudged on through the humidity. Above them, suddenly was the sound of croaking and clicking, as if they were surrounded by frogs. Leaping to the earth from above, a humanoid bipedal Frog landed in front of the party. As the Cleric lowered her weapon and heroically approached the unusual creature, she spoke slowly.

"We come in peace! We are travelers, sent here from a distant land to acquire—"

The Frog interrupted, raising his hand.

"We know why you're here, you've been blabbing about it to each other since dawn. We can hear you a mile away," he said, in perfect common.

The Cleric chuckled sheepishly as she introduced herself to the Frogfolk man and his siblings who lurked slightly above them in the lowest layer of canopy, watching with their huge eyes and narrow pupils. 

— Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight

 

Frogfolk are a strange and rare humanoid race resembling bipedal frogs and toads. They hail from the canopies and wet earth of hot and humid rainforests, and form strong communities that value family and togetherness. 

Varied Sizes and Colors

With multiple variations built for various lifestyles, Frogfolk come in a range of sizes and colors. Those that historically dwelled in lower-hanging foliage tend to be shorter and stockier, while their tall and slender cousins are adapted to life in the high canopies of the rainforest. Some are built for camouflage — with skin ranging from reddish-brown to bright green to offer safety in the wet dirt and moist leaves of their homes. Others are brightly colored to ward off enemies, with black bodies and blue, green and even orange stripes to imply poisonous skin that no predator would want to eat. 

 

Hidden Treehouses

Most Frogfolk dwell in the rainforests, balancing their arboreal lifestyle with amphibious hunting habits. Their strong and family-driven communities work to build large and complicated dwellings from sticks and leaves, resembling treehouses or thatch huts. 

Lifestyle

The majority of Frogfolk are docile creatures, with little desire to venture beyond their forest homes. Occasionally, of course, a young Frog will succumb to wanderlust and venture out of the forest to explore new horizons. But as their culture is primarily built around family bonds, it is rare that they stay gone for long and are seldom ever alone.

 

Frogfolk Traits

Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of elven refinement.

Amphibious

You are able to breathe both water and air. 

Ability Score Increase

Accustomed to arboreal life, your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age

Frogfolk have a lifespan similar to humans, although slightly accelerated. They reach adulthood at approximately 15, and normally live to be 70 or 80. 

Size

Frogfolk have a wide range of sizes, ranging from two feet tall and stocky or six feet tall and slender. Your size is Small or Medium. 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your sticky hands and feet grant you a climbing speed of 15 feet, and your webbed toes grant you a swimming speed of 15 feet. 

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Ribbit. Ribbit is guttural, consisting primarily of croaks and clicks. You are able to communicate basic ideas with normal frogs and toads.