Homebrew Gnoll Species Details

Gnolls stand much taller than most other sentient races, averaging around seven feet tall. They weigh between 250-300 lbs., and have pale skin covered in light or dark brown fur. Reddish crest-like manes are common among gnolls, and the height of the mane can indicate mood. They have bushy, slightly curved tails.

Being a maritime race, gnolls tend to dress in loose-fitting pantaloons with a variety of belts from which to hang tools, weapons, or other items. Gnolls love their belts and often decorate them with patterns, embellishments, or interesting colors. Shirts are rarely worn and foot coverings are never worn.

Gnoll names: Gnoll names are unisex and tend to be literal and symbolic. They take their names from the ocean, or from ships, or from other things important to their maritime culture. They typically only use a personal name.

Examples: Waterfrost, Current, Hoarfront, Tributu, Seamarke, Coastal, Eutropical, Seabirds, Swashell, Maline, Pearly

On Acadia, the gnoll race are relatively peaceful. No more or less than any other race - though you'll always find extreme examples of personality and intent, the gnolls as a race lean towards neutrality.

The origins involve a sect of mau explorers and an event that occurred on Acadia over 12,000 years ago, but the details have been lost to time. Nowadays, the gnolls are content to navigate the open seas and waterways - sometimes as legal merchants and traders, other times as pirates. Rarely as soldiers.

I envision them, in appearance, hyena-like, but with the addition of a combo of newfoundlands and portuguese water dogs. Thick double coat of curly fur, webbed toes, lean, muscular builds, with high barrel chests, long necks, and large hands and paws.

They still have some of the wildness of traditional gnolls, but that expresses itself through their love of navigation, tracking, and freedom. They don't have a homeland. I picture gnolls coming together once a year for some large racial festival, the location of which is kept secret and changes from year to year.

Their crews are considered their packs.

Worldwide number of gnolls is pretty small. Less than 1% of the total population.

Gnoll Traits

Gnoll racial traits

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Gnolls usually breed only once in their lives, having litters of 1-3 pups. Lives of exploration on the open ocean can be fraught with danger, but they can live up to 65 years.

Alignment

Gnolls, much like humans, do not generally favor one alignment over another, and examples can be found across the spectrum. They are thought to have slight chaotic leanings due to their love of freedom and the open sea.

Size

Gnolls are between 6 foot eight inches tall and 7 feet tall. They weigh between 260 and 310 lbs. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

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.

Able Seafarers

You have proficiency in Perception, and either Acrobatics or Survival (player choice).

Protect the Pack

You have proficiency with the hand and light crossbow, belaying pin (club), short sword (cutlass), hand axe, and dagger.

Bite

Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Savage Attacks

When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.