Homebrew Yautja Species Details

Through interstellar travel Yautja, also known as predators or hunters, scourge the universe in search of fierce and exotic prey worthy of the hunt.

One Ugly Mother....

Predators are bipedal humanoids, physically distinguishable from humans by their greater height standing to be 7-8 feet tall and in some cases taller. The long, hair-like appendages on their heads are complex sensory organs that provide the creatures with their exceptional balance and reflexes. Yautja have reptilian skin providing a natural fortification. Their faces feature arthropod-like mandibles and no visible nose. Yautja use their mandibles to convey emotions; for example, flared mandibles apparently signify anger or surprise, mandibles clicking together can signify interest or curiosity, and Yautja have even been said to “grin” with them. Predators have also been known to employ their mandibles as weapons, using them to inflict grievous bite wounds on their opponent.

Age

Yautja are have been recorded to live to 1000+ years old. However, due to their way of life, always hunting and seeking combat very few live that long. The average age is 200-400 years old. Their blood, which is a luminescent green phosphor in nature, is able to give them such a long lifespan and any exposed to it, gain an extended life.

Language

The Yautja are known to have their very own language, both written and spoken. The spoken form of the language usually has a series of clicks, roars, snarls and growls and their language comes in dialects, similar to the languages spoken by Humans. Yautja are known to be able to mimic any language they hear in the exact tone in the exact way they hear it in.

Hierarchy

Un-Blooded: Hunters who have finished basic training, but are un-refined in nature. They are usually the hunters of the future and are physically young adults. Though the majority is mostly male, there are female hunters as well.
Young Blood: Hunters who have proven their worth against non-Xenomorph humanoids like humans. The fighting style on Xenomorphs however vary and if they successfully manage to kill one, they mark themselves with the blood of the alien and are considered blooded.
Blooded: Once a hunter has marked themselves with the symbol of their clan with the Xenomorph blood, they are considered blooded and therefore, completed their adulthood ritual. Females also begin to pay interest into this rank and the hunter who is now blooded, usually will go off to become another specific rank.
Elite: Considered the most dangerous of hunter, Elites are usually those who can take on several Xenomorphs at once, including castes like Praetorians, Predaliens and even Queens. They also take on lengthy and taxing missions on and off Yautja Prime.
Leader: An ambiguous rank in the Yautja society, Leaders are able to lead clans, which include either fellow packmates or students into a hunt. There are 3 types of leader, one of which is Clan Leader, Hunting Captain and of course the "Leader".
Elder: The older and much wiser hunters who usually lead clans.
Ancient: The eldest of the Yautja, who are known to make the laws and use enforcers to keep the crime down. This is also the rank with the highest respect and are usually made up of those who are well over hundreds or even thousands of years old.

The Hunt

Yautja culture revolves around the stalking and hunting of dangerous lifeforms. Yautja primarily hunt not for sustenance or the elimination of threats, but purely as a means of entertainment and proof of worth. As such, they will only attack life forms that have the ability, natural or technological, to provide them with a challenge. After making a kill, a Predator may mutilate the corpse and turn it into a trophy — this is done only for prey who were considered worthy. This process can involve skinning (often while the victim is still alive), decapitating or removing the skull and spine from the carcass, or even removing all of the bones from the body altogether. Defeat in a Hunt typically results in the Predator committing honorable suicide.

Code of Honor/Alignment

For Yautja, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. The hunt measures talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine survival in their homeclan, not relying on magic items, or other elements that can tip the balance of combat one way or the other. Yautja will rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A Yautja who relies too much on power can grow rebellious and berserking a recipe for disaster in the clan.

This trait manifests most strongly when Yautja interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles Yautja. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the strongest person in the kingdom should take his place. Yautja rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power.

Rules that govern day-to-day interactions of Yautja as well as the Hunt. It details under what circumstances a hunter may kill a creature of another species and under what circumstances they may not. The code is strict, and to break it - purposefully, accidentally, or even unwillingly - is a near irredeemable offense in many situations. Only very high ranked seasoned warriors, or very low ranked novices, such as Young Blood and Un-Blooded Yautja, are permitted any leeway as far as the code is concerned. Yautja live their lives by this code generally make their species Lawful neutral or Lawful Evil.

Hunting Worthy Game: When hunting, the hunter must be sure that his prey is considered game and lawful to kill. Sometimes the hunter will equal the odds (not using a Plasmacaster or some similar ranged weapon). Worthy game must fill the following criteria: Can defend itself and/or is able to kill the hunter himself, of age (killing children and the elderly is considered the height of bad manners), not linked to other lives (so that removing the prey will not doom another, e.g. pregnant women), and not weakened by diseases.
Failing in the Hunt: Should the hunter fail in one's quest he usually takes his own life, preferring to die in honor than to live in shame. However, some cowards prefer to live in obscurity rather than die. This is considered to be dishonorable and suicide is then "assisted" by an Enforcer.
Claiming the Kill of Another Hunter: To take the Trophy of another Yautja, living or dead, is considered to be a great insult. For example, two Un-Blooded go on their first Hunt: one Yautja takes on a Black Death and both are mortally wounded. While the wounded hunter is dying, the other hunter conveniently finishes off the prey and claims the kill as his own, abandoning the wounded Yautja. This is a crime paid for with abandonment by the clan, marooning the hunter on that world with no equipment whatsoever, this includes the loss of both weapons and armor.
Murder of Another Yautja: To kill another Yautja intentionally. This excludes self-defense and killing a foe in a wrestling match to settle a dispute. Murder is the worst crime.
Never harm the innocent: Those who have done no harm should have no harm done to them. (It can be inferred that this rule must pertain only to harming other Yautja in their society since they hunt and kill members of many species one could call "innocent". It can also be inferred that Bad Blood Predators would ignore this rule either in part or in whole.)
Hunting for Food: When hunting for food, take only the weak. This is to purify the species' line.
Wounded Game: When coming upon game wounded by another hunter, and the prey is dying without sport, show honor to another's kill. If the game still shows sport, it is to be a joint trophy.
Joining Another Hunt: Do not join another's Hunt, or Hunt in their territory, without their permission. All trophies taken in this manner are stolen trophies and shall be dealt with by the rightful owner.
Mercy: Those who defeat you in a fair Hunt, or who are the victors in a deadlier hunt (such as a battle with the Xenomorph Queen), and show you mercy are to be considered our equals. You must either kill both them and yourself or bestow them with a reward.
Code Violations: Those who break the code are renegades, and no longer considered to be a Yautja. They are to be destroyed when encountered.
Never Harm the diseased or Offspring: Yautja are known to have a very strict law on the killing of those pregnant with infants and those who are sick. Usually, when they hunt and encounter both, the Yautja is to let them live. The only exception to the rule is if any ill prey poses a threat. Although that applies to the ill, Yautja are to never kill those who are pregnant even if they pose a threat.
When in a duel with an enemy, you must reveal yourself: it is "hunting ethic" to reveal yourself to your enemy at the climax of a fight.

Yautja Traits

Yautja Have the Following Traits

Ability Score Increase

The Yautja are granted +2 in Strength and +1 in Dexterity.

Mimicry

You can mimic voices you have heard. A creature that hears the voices you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.

Heat Vision

Yautja cannot see through objects thicker than 1 inch, but can detect objects and/or creatures that are warm or cold up to 60 feet. Strong sources of heat will obscure this sight 15 feet around their origin point. Light and shadow does not effect this sight. Magical darkness or lightness will obscure vision. Yautja can see invisible creatures and objects along with automatically detecting visual illusions and advantage on saving throws against them.

Extended Life

Luminescent Green Phosphor Blood allows the predator to live thousands of years. If any life is to obtain the Yautja blood it may be consumed as a potion of healing and regenerate 2d4 + 2

Ferocious Bite

The Yautja may use their mandibles as bonus action to bike their target on a successful grapple dealing 1 hp + Strength Modifier.

The Predator

The Yautja employs its unique Predatorily tactics to overwhelm their pray and succeed in combat. The Yautja are proficient in Sneak and Survival and have advantage on Wisdom Saving Throws.