Homebrew Demi-Ghoul Species Details

 Demi-Ghouls are failed attempts at necromancy that managed to maintain existence through failed rituals or spell attempts. They are mostly seen as failures and are commonly executed or outcasted by their very creators, and commonly hunted down by living humanoids if their true nature is discovered.

 

The Result of Failure

Demi-Ghouls are labeled defective for a mirage of reasons. The most common defect in Demi-Ghouls is the ghouls retaining of self, preserving memories and ambitions within them that breaks their creators control over them, however there are nearly infinite possible physical defects possible as well. They are among the most physically and mentally unstable undead creatures to exist, as well as being incredibly unpredictable.  However, if through sheer luck the failed experiment produces something that manages to not only survive, but grow in its own merits, the creature can achieve uses beyond the limit of even their creators.

The Façade 

Since your existence is not a common one, both anatomically and spiritually, you tend to hide your ghoulish nature to survive scrutiny from the living. Whether its your intended purpose given by a creator that forces you into the façade or a personal purpose such as to hunt you can mask the truth of your existence to co-exist with other humanoids. There is many different ways ghouls utilize a façade, some even pretending to be alive just to blend in with societies and steal positions of power.

Possible Potential

Demi-Ghouls are rare failures of necromancy, most being destroyed upon creation. The few that survive their creation are subjected to a world that does not accept their existence, most considering them abominations even to those who practice necromancy. There is a single upside however, the few who survive have chances to grow into uniquely intelligent, powerful, and cunning creatures. The longer a ghoul lives the more humanity they can recover, over the course of centuries developing into a individuals nearly indistinguishable from living creatures. Feasting, while being required to satiate a hunger, can also speed up a Demi-Ghouls growth, creating a truly terrifying hunter out of what was originally a mistake. It is because of the nearly endless potential these seemingly unaging creatures have that makes their survival that much more lower, an encounter with a Demi-Ghoul tends to end swiftly for the unprepared but they can be slain just as swiftly should the ghoul not have had the chance to grow.

Ghoulish Appetite

Demi-Ghouls appetite consists mostly of humanoid flesh, caffeine enhancers such as coffee, and water. Failure to feed when hunger sets in leads to hunger induced exhaustion that alters their decision making to be more animalistic. For each passing day with unsatisfied hunger you gain 1 point of hunger induced exhaustion until you properly feed appropriately to your hunger, reducing your exhaustion by a single point. For each successful feeding you gain a week of satisfaction before being at risk of gaining exhaustion, even if you already have hunger induced exhaustion.

Demi-Ghoul Traits

Demi-Ghouls have traits unique to their specific circumstances, whether its as simple as a socially passible appearance or dangerous hunting appendages.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1,

Age

Demi-Ghouls reach adulthood in their race's respectable age, but retain that age for their prolonged existence.

Size

Demi-Ghouls vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 8 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, A language of you bodies (previous race prior to ghoulism), and one extra language of your choices.

Ghoulish Resiliance

You gain the Tough Feat.

You have Natural armor granting you unarmed defense equal to 10 +  Half your level rounded down.

Predatory Tools

At level 3 you unlock a ghoulish transformation that lasts 1 minute. As a action you can transform temporarily creating natural weapons, turning your nails into claws and your teeth into razor barbed canines (or your races equivalent of it). As a action you can attack with the claws, doing 2d6 + STR/DEX + Proficiency bonus. As a action you can attack bite with your enhanced teeth doing 1d8 + Strength + Proficiency bonus. As a bonus action on a successful bite make the opponent make a constitution saving throw, on a failed save you tear a chunk off them eating it, resolving hunger induced exhaustion by 1 and giving temp hp equal to your Constitution score. Damage die on a ghouls natural weapons increases by a single die for each level of hunger induced exhaustion.

As part of your transformation your ghoulish cells are activated giving temporary regeneration. At the end of your turn you recover hp equal to your Constitution modifier + Your half your level rounded down. To recover hp you must have done damage with a melee weapon attack before the end of your turn, you can accomplish this with your natural weapons.

You can use the transformation once per long rest.

Ghoulish Evolution

Starting at level 10 your body is finishing its evolution, changing your natural form. These changes are unstable developments caused from age and feedings, its uncontrollable by the ghouls what the changes are but the DM can decide based on character behavior 1 of 3 transfigurations.

True Predator - Your actions as a ghoul reflected the behavior of a rabid creature, violently and aimlessly lashing out. In response your body has evolved to improve upon what you're already good at, hunting! Your natural weapons can now multi-attack, you can claw and bite a creature with a single action. Your damage die for natural attacks now gain stacks of bloodlust that increases the damage dealt by a single die and you can gain up to 5 max stacks.  You gain one stack of bloodlust for every successful hit after another, and you lose all your stacks upon a missed attack. Creatures with this mutation are abominable, their ghoulish features are unmistakable, they truly appear to be a monster. Creatures with these changes cannot maintain a façade, making them the least successful kind of ghoul despite their raw power. Even if they tried to convince others they're not harmful their forms disturbs the living, ghouls with this mutation have a -2 to charisma rolls against living humanoids.

Ghoulish Form - Your actions reflected a honest hunter, doing what must be done to survive and existing to live. Its possible you purposely held back against your natural ghoulish nature, in response your natural ghoulish regeneration now happens occurs whether you're transformed or not making you harder to put down for good. You now Passively recover hp, once per turn you can use a reaction to recover hp equal to Constitution + Half your level. If you are knocked unconscious but not outright killed on your turn, you will immediately stabilize upon a successful death save and can recover 1 hp consciousness after 1 minute. Creatures undergoing this transformation exemplify their ghoulish physique, they grow somewhat lankier, and taller but appear more pale with uncanny features reducing your charisma score by -1.

Unstable Transformation - You've been spurratic, unpredictable, and most likely manipulative of your individuals surrounding you. Each feast furthered your growth, every kill absorbed into your being, and yet you have such a firm control over your own mind. What you do is intentional, and methodical, you are among the most dangerous ghouls to exist and its likely few even know you exist. Your determination and self control over your actions has induced a uncontrollable mutation changing your body with the aspects of a slain foe. The DM can check among the list of creatures the ghoul has slain and adapt that races most useful trait into their body. On top of this despite your bodies changes your willpower and ambitions only grow stronger, you gain a +2 to wisdom for a max total possible number of 22. These creatures are the most successful ghouls alive, most of these ghouls live centuries among humanoids undetected. Their ghoulish appearance is mitigated, they appear the most natural out of all kinds of ghouls but as a result all creatures harmed by their natural weapons only take half damage.

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