Homebrew Arctic Lizardfolk Species Details

While most lizardfolk live in warm swamps and jungles, but there is a subrace of lizardfolk that lives in arctic climates. Arctic lizardfolk have white and silver scales in patterns that are different from one individual to another.

Fisherlizards

These creatures are incredibly talented fishers, because they rarely have any other source of food in their environment. They are excellent swimmers, better than the average lizardfolk, with the ability to hold their breath longer. While their diet consists mostly of fishes, they also dredge for shellfish, sea cucumbers and crustaceans and they hunt seals. The most powerful lizards among an arctic clan might even try hunting for bigger game, such as killer whales or narwals.

The Bigger the Better

If any trait is important for these reptiles, it's size. The leader of a tribe of arctic lizardfolk is always the biggest of the tribe, gaining respect through feats of strength and survival. With the limited resources of the cold climate they live in, a lizard that manages to grow tall and large is one that's exceptionally talented at finding food and keeping the muscle mass.

They also collect the bones of their prey, competing over the biggest trophy, be it the biggest whale bone or the biggest enemy's head. If any of these lizards can manage to hunt down a remorhaz or a frost giant, they would forever gain their tribe's respect.  

Cold Personalities

These lizards are as cold as the icy wastelands they inhabit. They hunt, eat, sleep and fight, giving mind to no "futile" desire besides survival of their tribe and the hierarchy within their ranks. They rarely, if ever, feel the need to collect art, sing music or travel beyond the territories of their clan. They hoard food, furs, fat and oil, anything that can be useful or eaten. The only items they keep that have no direct uses are the trophies of their kills, which are often indicators of their rank within the tribe. In a tribe of arctic lizardfolks, the only thing differentiating one hut from another are the skulls laying besides them.

Not unlike their swamp cousin, they are lacking in emotions and empathy, two traits that they find useless and distracting in other humanoids.

Arctic Lizard Names

Lizardfolk take their names from the Draconic language. They use simple descriptives granted by the tribe based on an individual’s notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to hide under the snow before ambushing an animal might be called Aussir, which means “white” to describe how she blends into the snow.

Lizardfolk make no distinction between male and female in their naming conventions. Each example name includes its translation in parenthesis.

Lizardfolk Names: Aryte (war), Aussir (white), Baeshra (animal), Darastrix (dragon), Garurt (axe), Irhtos (secret), Jhank (hammer), Kepesk (storm), Kethend (gem), Korth (danger), Kosj (small), Kothar (demon), Litrix (armor), Mirik (song), Othokent (smart), Sauriv (eye), Throden (many), Thurkear (night), Usk (iron), Valignat (burn), Vargach (battle), Verthica (mountain), Vutha (black), Vyth (steel)

Arctic Lizardfolk Traits

This race was created to make NPCs, it is not necessarily balanced for Player Characters. Use with caution.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Arctic lizardfolk have a much slower metabolism than the rest of their kind. They reach maturity around age 20 and can live up to 90 years.

Alignment

Most lizardfolk are neutral. They see the world as a place of predators and prey, where life and death are natural processes. They wish only to survive, and prefer to leave other creatures to their own devices.

Size

Lizardfolk are a little bulkier and taller than humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Bite

Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Cold Cold Blood

Living in arctic climate has made you resistant to ice and snow. You gain resistance to cold damage and have advantage on saving throw to survive in cold climates.

Great Swimmer

In the cold wastes of the arctic, one of the only sources of food are fishes, thus arctic lizardfolk had to become incredible swimmers in order to survive. You gain a swimming speed of 30 ft. and you can hold your breath underwater for 1 hour.

Natural Armor

You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.