Homebrew Hoofling Species Details

The Hooflings, are strange magical creatures made by mischievous fairies, sprites and imps to people who wander in the forest. It can go centuries between sightings of a Hoofling, and it usually means that magical forces are at work if they are. However they are often driven out of the woods by human urbanisation, and hordes of monsters, but even then, an angry Hoofling is a force to reckon with. With their mighty horns and stamping hooves, The Cloven ones can be an opposing foe. Yet due to their usually solitary life, they tend to be peaceful rather than aggressive, often acting as healers and neutral characters. They have hairy bodies, and often an animal like hide chest with soft fur. If you see a Hoofling, don't try to startle it as, although half-human, they can be as flighty as a deer. Hooflings very rarely have names, more often given them by friends.

Wilderness Nomads

Hooflings mostly live far from Urbanisation and other humans, grazing on the food of the forest, like any other creature. They roam in areas like grasslands, forests, hills and mountains depending on their hardiness, occasionally travelling with other grazers. Being clumsy with their hands, they never build any shelters, and can sleep in any conditions, usually settling for a mossy patch or wind sheltered rock. They follow the patterns of migration, moving to water holes and lakes in summer and warmer more temperate forests in Winter. They can forage with ease in nature, and can make a meal from the bushes and berries others wouldn't know were there.

Animal Head

Hooflings have the head of an animal and so they aren't particularly bright... Roughly the middle ground between a flighty nervous animal, and a sensible humanoid. This often means they are rash in decisions, and aren't able to learn things very quickly or effectively. They have trouble following plans, remembering things, and most importantly, speaking, only recognising Common, and not speaking due to their head. This isn't to say a Hoofling couldn't be your best friend, in fact they are cherished in teams for being affectionate and either Brave, or maybe plain reckless. If ever you wanted cheering up, a Hoofling can always make you laugh, having the intelligence of about a young child, and the same playfulness. They get very nervous however if they don't know what to do. A younger Hoofling may remember small details of their life before being transformed.

Reluctant Settlers

The wild nature of a Hoofling often makes them be very reluctant to stay in places, especially Urban areas, where they feel terrified and disconcerted often. When staying in human towns, they can become restless, and may try to escape or even ram with their horns, but usually out of confusion. Even in the wild, their animal nature makes them want to move along, and gallop away (which can be a very hard thing to keep up with). It is very rare that Hooflings settle, only the more intelligent might do it, or if they are harmed, and someone cares for them, of which they feel obliged and happy to help the individual.

 

 

Hoofling Traits

Hoofling Traits

Ability Score increase

+2 DEX, +2 WIS, -1 INT

Hooflings are very nimble on their hooves and can leap and gallop around with ease, however although they aren't intelligent, they are certainly very wise, due to their knowledge on nature and survival, and their somewhat magical background.

Age

Hooflings are usually created when a full grown human enters the forest, and so they do not mature from child to adult. Most live for around 70 years, like a human, growing full antlers or horns, but some more magical ones live for 200 years or more, growing giant impressive horns which is a spectacle to the eyes.

Alignment

Hooflings are chaotic unpredictable animal like races, who don't often think about their actions, leading to the saying "Run first, Think later!" Because of their natural easy life, they are usually Neutral, not thinking about who is right or wrong, only focusing on friends or forest.

Size

The Hoofling has the head of an animal, the body of a man and the springy legs of a hooved beast, and their horns can grow extremely long which makes them appear tall, around 6 foot, or 7 foot if you include the horns. They weigh around the same weight of a fully grown Fallow Deer, 45-80kg. 

Hooves and Horns

The hooves are the Hooflings natural weapons which they are proficient in and have a range of 5 foot in a straight line forward. They deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage + the STR modifier

The horns are the Hooflings natural weapons which they are proficient in and have a range of 5 foot, but if the character had to move or charge forwards at least 10 foot, the attack has disadvantage because you had to ram forwards without seeing. They deal 1d12 bludgeoning damage + the STR modifier, but every time it is used after the first, they must make a DC 10 CON saving throw, and if failed, they are unconscious. It recovers after a short rest.

Survival Instincts

Due to the Hoofling having eyes on the side of its head like most prey animals like deer do, rather than the front, the Hoofling can dodge a surprise attack from within 30 feet as a reaction. This recovers after a short rest, and doesn't work if its vision is obscured by Blindness or Darkness.

Undergrowth dweller

 Advantage on Hiding and Survival Checks in the Wild

Hoofling have a natural instinct to hide from any who impose threats to it in the wild, and so any checks to hide (Stealth check compared to the creatures Passive Perception), have advantage and becomes obscured in the grasses and bushes in the wild. The same applies for Survival, as they are used to living in the conditions of wild and so are naturally good foragers, as would any creature looking for some Berries or Flowers or leaves to eat, and so they have advantage.