Humanoids can become beastfolk by undergoing the beastfolk splicing ritual, performed by a skilled Splicer warlock. For some, becoming a beastfolk can be a true rebirth or a way of gaining new abilities and perspectives. Some seek the mental and physical prowess that results from the ritual. Others are looking for a chance at a new life or running away from their past.

Many beastfolk have never experienced the splicing ritual firsthand but instead were born to one or more beastfolk parents. Most beastfolk children inherit only one parent’s animal appearance

Your maximum natural lifespan depends on your own or your ancestors’ original humanoid race, combined with the longevity of the animal you take after. For example, a turtle beastfolk created from an elf might live for hundreds of years, while a mix of human and hamster might not live past 50.

The size of the animal and the humanoid used in a beastfolk splicing ritual affects the size of the beastfolk created, but the results are unpredictable. For example, a halfling fused with a hippopotamus might retain their halfling height, become much larger, or end up somewhere in between. Your size is either Medium or Small.

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Beastfolk’s animal natures can be expressed in many ways and to different degrees. Some beastfolk may have enhanced hearing or sense of smell; others may be able to see more of the color spectrum. Some find it easy to balance their animal or humanoid aspects, while others struggle to keep both sides of their nature in harmony.

Some beastfolk keep the name they had before they were transformed. Others choose a new name, especially if they became a beastfolk to leave their past behind. In many beastfolk families, giving children names referencing their animal aspects is considered unusual. These families tend to look to elf, human, halfling, or orc names for inspiration. It is rare for any beastfolk to use a family name—a tradition stemming from the separation that the ritual represents between one’s old life and one’s new life

Example Female Names: Annie, Hana, Ji-an, Lulu, Noor, Pippa, Sara, Zaya

Example Male Names: Danny, Idris, Jose, Luca, Max, Omar, Robert, Sanjay

Example Gender Neutral Names: Alex, Blake, Flossy, Kane, Roni, Jojo, Tolu, Yuuki

As someone who was either born or transformed into a beastfolk, you have certain traits in common with other beastfolk. Beastfolk are very diverse, based on the animal used to create them, how they became a beastfolk, and their life experiences.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1, and your choice of either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution increases by 1 as well.

You have advantage on Animal Handling checks made to interact with beasts that match the beast you take after, for example, a bear beastfolk interacting with bears.

You have a beast’s heightened senses. Choose one from between these two traits:

Darkvision - 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

Enhanced Perception - You gain proficiency in the Perception skill. Choose either hearing, smell, or sight. You gain advantage on Perception checks made using this sense.

Your body is equipped with a natural defense. Choose one from between these two traits

Armor of the Beast -You are covered in a tough hide or hard shell. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class is 16. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Weapons of the Beast - You have a set of natural weapons, such as horns, claws, fangs, hooves, or a tail, that you can use to make unarmed strikes. Choose whether these unarmed strikes use your Dexterity modifier or your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls and what kind of damage the attack deals from among bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. On a hit, this attack deals 1d6 + your chosen ability score modifier damage of the chosen type. When you roll a critical hit with this attack, it deals an extra 1d6 damage in addition to the extra damage of the critical hit.

You can speak, read, and write Common. If you became a beastfolk through a ritual, you retain any languages you knew before you became a beastfolk.