Homebrew Vulpine Species Details

The Vulpine are a foxlike humanoid race know for their agility, cunning, and adaptability. They possess keen senses and are skilled in both stealth and charisma. They are intelligent and agile, but lack bulk.

 

Physical description

Vulpines have coats of fur, a long canine snout, long pointed ears, bushy tails, and retractable claws.

Their fur can be brown, black, white, grey, silver, red or sandy blonde. They can also have a mix of colors in their fur. These mixes are brown and black, white and black, grey and white, white and red, or red and black. The most common being red and white.

Fox eye colors are dark brown, red, yellow, blue-grey, white/ice blue, pale yellow, yellow-green, and forest green.

Vulpines are lean and lithe in appearance, being naturally strong, agile, and charming. In addition to their natural lack of bulk, their bones are lighter, granting them more graceful and quick movement at the cost of being more fragile.

 

Society:

The Vulpines often live in secluded towns and cities. They tend to keep to themselves but wont reject guests into their community.

The Vulpine live in tribes with a chieftain, their government style is almost completely made of  tribal governments. The chieftains are the rulers of the community, often possessing authority over matters of law, justice, and decision making within the tribe. 

Within Vulpine tribes everyone treated each other decently, it was less about status and more about community. Vulpine tribes were tight knit and close, each tribe consisted of families known as clans. Everyone would use their own skills to help the community. Within Vulpine tribes are different families of Vulpine called clans, their clan members usually share the same last name.

The Vulpines have great and capable leaders. Vulpines have strong and formidable warriors that are brave and honorable, they are ones to be feared and respected.

Culture:

The Vulpines are rare and diverse. Even though a large portion of their population lives in secluded towns they are actually very social, they are known for their great festivals and events with amazing food, music, games, dances, and more. They have their own religion and have an ancient language that only a few Vulpines still speak.

Vulpines do tend to be cautious of strangers but they are quick to open up. They are known for being very friendly, welcoming, and respectful. They have amazing hospitality and are very polite.

Vulpine strongly believe in strengthening oneself and others. Most Vulpines value community and strengthening personal truths.

Vulpines find it impolite to complain or hinder others by asking for help. For example, if a Vulpine is suffering from a wound and they thought they can care for it themselves, they would carry on as if nothing happened, and after their companions fall asleep they would then take the time to care for the wound. If asking for help hinders the group they tend to keep to themselves.

A very important part of all vulpine culture is honor. A vulpine does not go against their word if they ever had the intention of keeping it. When in combat, if their opponent finds themselves on the ground a vulpine will most likely extend a hand to help them up or wait to strike until their opponent has risen and regained their senses. Vulpines strike not to kill, but to incapacitate. They only kill opponents who have killed innocents, betrayed their word or someone else's trust, those who have attacked others, or if it’s absolutely necessary. When a vulpine sets their minds to something there is almost nothing that can stop them, save for a loved one.

 

Relations with other races:  The Vulpines are very neutral. They prefer diplomacy rather than warfare. Their skills of diplomacy and their neutrality makes them important to negotiations between countries, they are able to see things others cannot, making it easy for them to be great mediators. This makes the honorable Vulpines highly respected by all.

Common Names:

Common Male Names:  Asher, Bran, Cedric, Darian, Ezra, Gavin, Jasper, Kael, Landon, Aurther, Glen, Dusk

Common Female Names:  Aurora, Celeste, Elara, Freya, Gaia, Isla, Juniper, Lyra, Nova, Luna, Dawn

Vulpine names draw inspiration from nature, mythology, and fantasy, reflecting the Vulpine's connection to their environment and their rich cultural background.

Age:  Vulpine mature at age 17 but don’t stop growing until age 24, they can live up to 120 years old.

Size:  Adult Vulpines can range from 4’ 7” to 5’ 6”. Adults can weigh between 80 lbs to 125 lbs.

Your size is medium.

Speed & Movement:  The Vulpine are light and agile, your walking speed is 35, you have a climbing speed of 15, your swimming speed is 10. You are an excellent jumper.

Heightened Senses:  The Vulpine live far off in the wilderness, being in nature and having to gather their own supplies, the Vulpine have heightened their senses to make finding food and sensing danger easier.

Alignments:

Vulpine are commonly neutral-good or true neutral, there are some cases of chaotic-good. Although, a lot of Vulpine also believe in self values so you can do any alignment. But it is extremely rare to see any kind of Vulpine have an evil alignment.

 

 

Variants

The Vulpine have 5 common variants the arctic vulpine, the forest vulpine, the grassland vulpine, the desert vulpine, and the tropic vulpine.

 

Arctic Vulpine

Arctic Vulpine are the most secluded, living in large, tightly-knit communities that are separated by vast distances. They inhabit the cold tundras, snow-capped mountains, and other frigid regions. These Vulpine have thicker fur and a stockier build, well-suited to the harsh, cold environments they call home.

• Characteristics: Stockier build, thicker fur, adapted to cold climates.

• Trait Cold Resistance: You have resistance to cold damage and are naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (you suffer no penalties from extreme cold temperatures). You can also move through thick layers of snow without it counting as difficult terrain and you don’t slip on ice.

• Drawback Heat Sensitivity: You are vulnerable to extreme heat and must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10) every hour in a hot climates to avoid exhaustion.

 

Forest Vulpine

The Forest Vulpine are the most common and adaptable of their kind. They thrive in both large cities and small towns, inhabiting forests, plains, mountains, valleys, highlands, and a variety of other environments. This variant is known for its versatility and ability to live just about anywhere.

• Characteristics: Most adaptable, common, and versatile, capable of living in various environments.

• Trait Versatile Survivor: Choose one skill from Nature, Survival, or Stealth. You gain proficiency in that skill. If you are already proficient, you gain expertise (double proficiency bonus).

• No Major Drawback: Since they are the most adaptable, they don’t have specific vulnerabilities.

 

Grassland Vulpine

Grassland Vulpine are known for their dual living nature. Some lead a nomadic lifestyle, frequently moving between cities and settlements every few years, while others settle in large, bustling cities. They inhabit the rolling grasslands, savannas, and plains. These Vulpine have thinner fur and a leaner build, reflecting their active and mobile lifestyle.

• Characteristics: Nomadic, lean, and adapted to open plains.

• Trait Fleet of Foot: Your base walking speed increases by 5 feet, and you can move through nonmagical difficult terrain without spending extra movement.

• Drawback Thin Fur: You are vulnerable to cold damage and suffer from cold environments, requiring additional protection in frigid climates. Unless wearing warm clothes (leather armor, fur armor, etc) You must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10) every hour in frigid environments to avoid passive freezing damage (1d6).

 

Desert Vulpine

Desert Vulpine are the most dispersed, living in small cities spread out across vast deserts. They inhabit remote, arid regions, including blazing hot deserts, beaches, and other dry environments. These Vulpine are smaller and faster, with adaptations that help them survive in their harsh, sun-baked homelands.

• Characteristics: Smaller, faster, adapted to hot, arid climates.

• Trait Heat Resilience: You have advantage on saving throws against exhaustion caused by extreme heat, and you require only half the amount of water as other races to avoid dehydration.

• Drawback Cold Vulnerability: You are vulnerable to cold damage, and you suffer disadvantage on saving throws against effects that cause cold damage.

 

Tropic Vulpine

Tropic Vulpine are the rarest of their kind, living in small, isolated towns scattered across dense jungles. They inhabit tropical rainforests, jungles, and other humid regions. These Vulpine are long and slender, highly flexible, and excellent climbers. They are known for their silky fur and the unique patterns that adorn their coats.

• Characteristics: Agile climbers, adapted to dense, humid jungles.

• Trait Climbing Adept: You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and you can move through thick vegetation without it counting as difficult terrain.

• Drawback Heat Exhaustion: While adapted to humid environments, you struggle in dry heat. You must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10) every hour to avoid exhaustion in hot, arid climates.

Vulpine Traits

They are intelligent and agile, they excel in charisma and stealth. They have keen senses. They do lack bulk.

Ability Score

You gain +2 to dexterity & +1 to charisma.

You lose -1 to strength

Languages

Vulpine are very charismatic and intelligent, making learning a new language easy. You know common and one of these languages Undercommon, Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Gnomish, Goblin, Halfling, Sylvan and Orc languages.

Darkvision

Vulpine have adapted to be able to see in the dark. 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 only shades of gray and blue.

Enhanced Senses

Vulpine have an increased sense of hearing and smell. You gain advantage on perception checks using both hearing and/or smell. You can hear the smallest sound up to 70ft away. Even with eyes closed you can sense your surroundings.

Speed & Movement

The Vulpine are light and agile, your walking speed is 30, you have a climbing speed of 15, your swimming speed is 10.

You aren’t a strong swimmer and don’t necessarily enjoy being wet, you prefer to stay on land, unless extenuating circumstances indicate otherwise.

You are an excellent jumper, You gain the Fit body trait.

The Vulpine are very agile, their movement is lighter and more graceful. You are proficient in the Acrobatics skill.

Fit Body Trait

The Vulpine live in secluded areas making them have to learn to easily navigate rough terrain. You are an expert at jumping, You can make long jumps and high jumps using your dexterity or strength, and your jumping hight and length is 1.50 times the normal range.

(30 • 1.5 = 45)

Quick Reflexes Ability

Vulpine have heightened senses making them have good reflexes. You gain the Quick Reflexes Ability. As a reaction, using your heightened senses, if you are targeted by a physical melee or ranged attack you can perform a Dexterity saving throw to attempt to evade it. If failed take half the damage, if successful you take none of the damage. Because of your heightened senses you can use this even if you can’t see the attacker. You can only use this trait twice per long rest. This ability does not work with most magic.

Sharp Claws

Vulpine have retractable claws. Your melee damage can be blunt or slashing damage. Using claws is 1d4 + strength modifier, must have an empty hand to use.

Weak Trait

Vulpine struggle with heavy weapons, you gain the weak trait. When wielding a melee weapon that weighs more than 6 pounds, or you suffer a -3 penalty to your hit dice.