Homebrew Angels Species Details

An angel is a celestial agent sent forth into the planes to further its god's agenda for weal or woe. Angels are destroyers too, and their appearance portends doom as often as it signals hope.

Angels are usually given names that have close connection or association to the God they serve. Angels can only die via death in combat or a God removing their life energy. An Angel's alignment follows that of the God they were created by or serve. The Angel can not deviate from this alignment unless they are 'fallen'. They are typically the same size as humans, however their shape may vary depending on the preference of the God that created them. Angels in the service of their God retain their wings while the fallen ones will have their wings removed as they fall from grace.

Angelic Features

Angels appear as their god decides and can be changed at any time by their god as long as they serve them. They have the ability to disguise themselves to appear completely mortal, only able to be perceived as they are through a successful Religion and Perception check or by other celestial creatures. When they reveal their full celestial nature, they would resemble best the 'biblically accurate angels' of our reality. Mortal disguises can be customised by the player, They can be any humanoid race available though they do not take on the racial traits of the disguise, and they will also have traits which would discern them from true mortals - the Feature Table below has examples you can choose or use as inspiration to create your own disguise. You can have more than one of these features.

d6	Celestial Feature
1	A dusting of metallic, white, or charcoal freckles
2	Metallic, luminous, or dark eyes
3	Starkly coloured hair, most commonly white or blonde
4	An unusual hue tinting your shadow
5	A ghostly halo crowning your head of a colour befitting you
6	Unblemished, soft, 'glowy' or 'dewy', skin

Creating Your Character

As an angel, you have certain traits in common with your people. Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing an angel requires special consideration by your DM.

Ability Score Increases

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.

Life Span

The typical life span of an angel is as long as their god wants them to live, assuming the character doesn’t meet a violent end on an adventure. They are not physically immortal and can be killed through spells and violence, but if left to their devices Angels can live indefinitely. They are created as an age decided upon by their god and do not age naturally.

Angelic Swoop

If you flew at least 15 feet before making an attack roll against a target, you gain +5 to damage on the roll. Additionally, if you hit, target creature cannot make an attack of opportunity against you until start of their next turn. Bonus damage only applies on the first attack after flying 15 feet. You can benefit from this ability more than once per turn.

Celestial Nature

Since Angels come from the Celestial Plain they are not required to eat, drink or sleep. They can choose to eat, drink, and sleep if they do please, and they can enjoy eating good food, drinking fancy wine, or relaxing in a rocking chair.

However, they do need to meditate or pray to re-attune their connection to the Celestial Plane and to restore the power granted to them by their God. They need to meditate or pray for 4 hours, doing so equates to a full 8 hours rest or addressed as a long rest.

Shards of the Divine

Angels are formed from astral essence by benevolent gods and are thus divine beings of great power and foresight.

Angels act out the will of their gods with tireless devotion. An angel follows a single driving purpose, as decreed by its deity. However, an angel is incapable of following commands that stray from the path of law and good. An Angel can choose whether or not to follow the commands of gods other than the one they serve.

An angel slays evil creatures without remorse. As the embodiment of moral law, an angel is almost never mistaken in its judgements. This quality can create a sense of superiority in an angel, a sense that comes to the fore when an angel's task conflicts with the goals of another creature. The angel never acquiesces or gives way. When an angel is sent to aid mortals, it is sent not to serve but to command. The gods of good therefore send their angels among mortals only in response to the most dire circumstances. The gods of neutrality and evil send their angels among mortals much more frequently and for many reasons which would benefit them, examples being to restore harmony or to teach their angel/a mortal a lesson or simply give their god some entertainment.

Fallen Angels

An angel's moral compass grants it a sense of infallibility that can sometimes spell its undoing. Angels are usually too wise to fall for a simple deception, but sometimes pride can lead one to commit an evil act. Whether intentional or accidental, such an act is a permanent that marks the angel as an outcast.

Fallen angels retain their power but lose their connection to the deities from which they were made. Most fallen angels take their banishment personally, rebelling against the powers they served by seeking rulership over a section of the Abyss or a place among other fallen in the hierarchy of the Nine Hells. Zariel, the ruler of the first layer of the Nine Hells, is such a creature. Rather than rebel, some fallen angels resign themselves to an isolated existence on the Material Plane, living in disguise as simple hermits. If they are redeemed, they can become powerful allies dedicated to justice and compassionate service.

Angels Traits

As an angel, you have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increases

When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Celestial and one additional language of your choice.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a Celestial for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a Celestial.

Size

Angels possess the ability to tuck in their wings a surprising amount given their massive wingspan. Because of this, when not using their wings, Angels are Medium, and can nearly pass as simply tall humans or other races. However, while their wings are in use, they are instead Large.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet. You have a flying speed of 60 feet, but due to your large wingspan, require at least a 10 foot cube to fly and hover. Additionally, any speed increase also applies to this flying, regardless if it specifies type, or of its source. Your wingspan is equal to twice your standing height.

Celestial Resistance

You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage.

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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Healing Hands

As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Light Bearer

You know the light cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.

Celestial Revelation

When you reach 3rd level, choose one of the revelation options below. Thereafter, you can use a bonus action to unleash the celestial energy within yourself, gaining the benefits of that revelation. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. Once you transform using your revelation below, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest:

Necrotic Shroud. Your eyes briefly become pools of darkness, and ghostly, flightless wings sprout from your back temporarily. Creatures other than your allies within 10 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra necrotic damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Radiant Consumption. Searing light temporarily radiates from your eyes and mouth. For the duration, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and at the end of each of your turns, each creature within 10 feet of you takes radiant damage equal to your proficiency bonus. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Radiant Soul. Two luminous, spectral wings sprout from your back temporarily. Until the transformation ends, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed, and once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Angellic Swoop

If you flew at least 15 feet before making an attack roll against a target, you gain +5 to damage on the roll. Additionally, if you hit, target creature cannot make an attack of opportunity against you until start of their next turn. Bonus damage only applies on the first attack after flying 15 feet. You can benefit from this ability more than once per turn.