Homebrew Gekkota (geckofolk) Species Details

Gekkotas are mostly small, usually nocturnal folk with a soft skin. They also possess a short stout body, a large head, and typically well-developed limbs. The ends of each limb are often equipped with digits possessing adhesive pads.

Followers of heat

They have adapted to habitats ranging from deserts to jungles. Some species frequent human habitations, and most feed on insects. Gekkota are abundant throughout the warm areas of the world, gekkotas are ectothermic producing very little metabolic heat. Essentially, a gekkota's body temperature is dependent on its environment. To function normally they must have a relatively elevated temperature, so it is not uncommon to find a gekkota in the underdark near lava flow or volcanic activity.

 

Solitary Travelers

Although they are solitary by nature, gekkotas don’t mind attention every now and then. Gekkotas are gentle-natured and easygoing folk, and are quickly befriended, even by those unfamiliar to them. Due to this, it is not uncommon to find a gekkota within a group of travelers, adventurers or even mercenaries. 

Super Communicators

Most encountered gekkota have learnt to speak multiple languages, this allows them to travel quite freely and live their solitary lifestyle. These languages are usually taught to them by their parents before departing to venture into the world, and their known languages will vary depending on the area they are from and the other surrounding inhabitants.

Unblinking

All gekkota lack eyelids. Instead the outer surface of the eyeball has a transparent membrane, the cornea. They have a fixed lens within each iris that enlarges in darkness to let in more light. Since they cannot blink, species without eyelids generally lick their own corneas when they need to clear them of dust and dirt, in order to keep them clean and moist.

Defying Gravity

They are well known for their specialised toe pads, which enable them to grab and climb onto smooth and vertical surfaces, and even cross indoor ceilings with ease. It has been known to find a gekkota perfectly at ease standing upside down on a ceiling while conversing with its companions.

 

 

Gekkota (geckofolk) Traits

As a gekkota your traits are as follows.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Gekkota reach maturity around age 10 and rarely live longer than 50 years.

Size

Gekkota are a little and smaller than humans, though their big eyes and bulbous heads make them appear larger. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 30 feet.

Polyglot

You can speak, read, and write Common, Draconic and three more languages of your choice.

Tail Drop

In the event of being grappled you can choose to succeed in your Athletics or Acrobatics roll by dropping your tail and momentarily confusing your opponent. You can use this ability once, until your tail grows back after 5 days or a restoration spell is used to grow it back.

Cunning Artisan

As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan’s tools, such as leatherworker’s tools.

Masters of Colour

It’s not only chameleons that can change colour to match their surroundings. Gekkotas can, too. What’s more, they can blend into their environment without even seeing their surroundings!

After spending 1 hour in an environment you gain advantage on stealth checks when using hide.

Unblinking

Your eyes never close, it is difficult for you to miss something, you gain advantage on perception checks.

Nocturnal

Accustomed to hunting and foraging at night you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Landing on your feet.

When falling a gekkota can twist its tail to correct its orientation, you always land on your feet and never prone. However this trait does not work if you do not have a tail, from previously using the drop tail trait. Additionally it only takes a quarter movement to stand from the prone position.