Homebrew Gargoyle Species Details

Gargoyles are of the mortal plane and were once  numerous and found all across the world. However, with the spread of the more "civilized" races, they were hunted nearly to extinction, seen as demonic beasts. A few clans survived, fleeing and making their homes in remote mountainous areas on cliff faces. When the Aarakocra came to the mortal plain, they attempted to settle in the same areas. Bitter wars for these roosting areas were fought unbeknownst to the wider world.  The Gargoyle clans, already few in number, were decimated even further.  Few clans remain, scraping out an existence in the most remote mountainous areas.

Gargoyle clans are like large families. Every memeber of the clan is responsible for the raising of the young, provision of food, and protection of the clan. Therefore all gargoyles are warriors in some form and will fight to the death to protect their clan, especially the young ones. It would take an extreme circumstance for a gargoyle to leave their clan, and they would never reveal their clan's home. 

Gargoyles are on the larger side, averaging 6 feet tall, with many well over 7 feet and weighing in at 300 pounds. They have leathery hides, a variety of horns, cunning tails, and large leathery wings. They can walk on 2 legs, although they do so on their toes alone, but can drop to all fours for a burst of surprising speed. 

Creating Your Character

At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.

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

Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player's Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free to modify that list for a campaign.

Creature Type

Every creature in D&D, including each player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race tells you what your character’s creature type is.

Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn’t work on a Construct or an Undead.

Life Span

The typical life span of a player character in the D&D multiverse is about a century, assuming the character doesn’t meet a violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s description.

Height and Weight

Player characters, regardless of race, typically fall into the same ranges of height and weight that humans have in our world. If you’d like to determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Gargoyle Traits

As a Gargoyle, you have the following racial traits.

Leathery Hide

Your leathery hide protects you from all damage, increasing your AC by 2.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Gargoyle Flight

Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can’t use this flying speed if you’re wearing heavy armor.

Claws

You have claws that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Tail Attack

As an action, you can attack all enemies within 5ft with your tail. They must make a Dexterity saving throw with a (DC 10 + DEX Modifier + Proficiency Bonus. Any that fail the saving throw take 1d8 + your Strength modifier Bludgeoning damage. If your size or smaller, they are also knocked prone.

Tail Attack cannot be used while you are incapacitated, grappled, prone, or restrained.