Homebrew Giant Brachyura Species Details

 

The giant Brachyura is a crustacean species living on the ocean's edge. They are known for their large size and their ability to communicate telepathically. They can go for long periods without nourishment. However, when they do eat, they eat a lot. The meal is often preceded by the shedding of their exoskeleton and followed by a growth any time they devour a larger creature. They can be as small as one meter wide and 0.3 meters tall to 10 meters wide and 3 meters tall.

In the continent of Linead, they reside in the North East of Sonbird across from the Everstorm Isles. Blessed with intelligence by the God of Storms, they are highly territorial. They usually mate for life.

Lifespan

Their lives increase as they grow in size, upwards of 1000 years.

Creating Your Character

Ability Score Increases

Increase your Constitution by 2 and Strength by 1.

Languages

Your character can speak telepathically in common, sylvan and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. 

Creature Type

Your creature type is Beast.

Life Span

Your lifespan lengthens as you grow in size.

Height and Weight

Your size, height, and weight change throughout your life as you devour more and more creatures.

Giant Brachyura Traits

As a giant brachyura, you have the following racial traits.

Creature Type

You are an amphibian.

Size

Your size increases as your constitution score rises.

CON Modifier	Size
-5 to -2	Tiny
-1 to +1	Small
+2 to +3	Medium
+4 to +5	Large
+6 to +7	Huge
+8 to +9	Gargantuan

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Armored Amphibean

You can breathe air and water, you have resistance to cold and slashing damage, and are vulnerable to bludgeoning 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.

Tremorsense

You have 30ft tremor sense while in water or on sand.

Giant Pincers

You can make a Grab attack with your dominant pincer.

You can make a Clamp attack with your dominant and non-dominant pincers.

Friend of the Sea

Aquatic animals have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas to any creature that has a swimming speed.

Strong Limbs

You are proficient in Athletics. You have advantage on grappling checks made with the Athletics skill using your dominant claw.

Insatiable Appetite

The appetite will grow every four levels, and you may devour another creature upon level up.

Periodic Shedding

You can, but you don't need to eat all the time. However, your body will shed its shell once every winter. In the month before shedding, you can devour one creature and gain a permanent bonus depending on its size. You can Devour a creature up to two sizes greater than your current size.

You have 30 days to choose a creature before your shedding begins. Should you shed without devouring, you gain no bonuses and lose the benefit of that shedding.

 

Size	Bonus	Time To Devour
One Smaller	Gain a +1 bonus to your Consitution score up to your maximum	1 Day
Same Size	Gain a +2 bonus to your Constitution score up to your maximum	3 Days
One Size Larger	Add 1 to your Constitution score maximum	7 Days
Two Sizes Larger	Add 2 to your Constitution score maximum, and a +1 bonus to your Constitution score up to your maximum	14 Days

First Shedding

At Level 4, begin to prepare for your first shedding and growth.