Homebrew Skeleton Species Details
Skeletons are undead resurrected beings. There are many ways a skeleton can be resurrected, usually for evil purposes. However, you get to choose how you died and how you get resurrected. When you get reanimated, you awaken with glowing eyes and an Arcane Core ( both can be any color). An Arcane Core is what keeps you animated, and it sits in the middle of your chest. It is about 2x bigger than your heart.
Skeletons can come in many shapes and sizes since any race can be a Skeleton. When a Skeleton walks into a town or village it is met with either opened arms, or suspicious hate as a Skeleton could be controlled by a Necromancer or some evils, however, if a Skeleton is being seen approaching alone, it's probably safe. Fortunately, Skeletons are perfect for difficult jobs and adventures, like diving in the water, clearing dungeons, or test subjects. They're often times used in war as scouts as they are expendable warriors, but Skeletons don't always mind as many were farmers or bar keepers, etc so they want to explore as many parts of life as they couldn't do while living. They also seem to not be scared of death because they already lived life and usually spend their time admiring the world, or discovering new things since a Skeleton's time is endless, as long as they keep their Arcane Core intact that is.
Skeleton Traits
The traits of a Skeleton are...Ability Score Increase
Your constitution score increases by 2 and your dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Your lifetime is technically endless as long as you keep your Arcane Core intact.
Skeleton Races
You can be a Skeleton of anything. As long as that race has a Skeleton, you can become it. For example, you can be a Skeleton Elf, Skeleton Dragonborn, Skeleton Tortle, etc. However, you must remove one racial trait (UNLESS YOUR HUMAN) and replace the ability score with the Skeleton ability scores (UNLESS YOUR HUMAN). But if you want to play the raw Skeleton race, just use its traits as this is the most balanced.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, abyssal, and one extra language.
Body Manipulation
You are able to take parts and limbs off your body and swap them for other skeletal arms, legs, or heads you see lying around. For example, you could take your head off to see through a doorway or through jail bars, take off your arm and use it as a weapon, or for any utility reasons. Your leg can be a great weapon, but taking it off cuts your speed in half and you have to make Acrobatics roles to not fall down and become prone.
You can also attach other skeletal parts you find. For example, if you find the skeleton of a Goliath, you can take off your arm and put on the Goliath's arm, and it may give you 1+ strength. If you find a Skeleton Minotaur, you can put on its head and it will give you horns. Talk to your DM on which creature parts do what as there can be thousands of combinations and you can be an amalgamation of multiple different kinds of skeletal parts.
Past Life Proficiency
Pick 2 weapon proficiencies and 2 tool proficiencies. Alternately, you can choose 2 feats and 2 skill proficiencies.
No Organs
As a Skeleton, you have no organs which means all the weaknesses of having them are gone. You cannot drown, or suffocate, and you are immune to poison. You also don't need to eat, but you can certainly try.
Dead Sleep
Normally you wouldn't need to sleep, but your Arcane Core needs to recharge your stamina and skills. When sleeping, your Arcane Core turns off making you look like a regular Skeleton. You look so dead that not even magic can detect if you are alive or not. You can also play dead in combat for sneak attacks. It is recommended that you play dead after a big attack so it looks like you died from it, then you have a bonus action to get up and move towards the target. If you play dead right in front of the target, roll a deception check and the target must beat your deception check with their insight check. If they win, they gain advantage on their role against you (You can also do this out of combat).
Necrotic Resistance
As an undead creature, you have resistance to necrotic damage.
Radiant Vulnerability
As an undead creature, you are vulnerable to radiant damage.
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