Homebrew Fade Species Details
The Fade are a people of mystery. Even they are unaware of where the first Fade came from, nor how they gain their strange and unnatural powers. Fade people have the ability to augment other objects’ physical state, either by making it invisible, or make it visible but not actually present. Many sages have claimed this stems from being trapped between life and death, as ghosts often exhibit similar states.
Fades’ bodies are translucent, and in the right conditions, their skeletal structure and organs are clearly visible. This quality is also effected by their current emotions: when the Fade experiences a powerful, energetic emotion, such as rage or excitement, their skin becomes more opaque, sometimes also glowing faintly if the feeling is intense enough. Negative emotions - mainly fear, but sorrow or anxiety also have this effect - make them more transparent; many theorise that this is an extension of the fight or flight response. Given enough experience, a Fade can gain a modicum of control over this ability, aiding in stealth missions and the like.
Oddly, Fade never seem to grow old, though they mature during their formative years at the same rate as humans; their health stays the exact same for most of their life, until they suddenly vanish from this world, typically around 200 years old.
This lack of control often frightens Fade, as they have no way of predicting when they will die. Frequently, they avoid this issue by being as reckless in combat as possible, knowing that they’re going to die anyway, and would rather it be on their own terms. However, this recklessness is counteracted by their species’ powerful survival instincts: even the bravest of warriors may suddenly flee and hide.
When a Fade is grievously injured, regardless of the way it happened, their body instantly vanishes, and any worn items fall to the floor. This happens even if they are not dead, but they reappear when they stabilise. Naturally, this means that survival is rarely impacted by their allies, so is always blind luck for a Fade.
Fade Traits
You have the following racial traitsAugment state
You have a number of Fade Points equal to your proficiency bonus. When you make an attack, or as a reaction when you see another person make an attack within 30ft, you can choose one of the below options to use. You lose one Fade Point, and the option takes effect. You can only use this ability once per round. You regain all expended Fade Points when you finish a long rest, and half expended fade points on a short rest.
(“You” refers to the attacker)
Shimmering image: As you attack with a melee weapon, you cause it to turn briefly invisible. If the weapon with which you make your attack is a weapon with which you are not proficient, you may add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll. If you are proficient in the weapon, you gain advantage on the attack roll. You can use this option after you see the number on the dice, but before the outcome is determined
Unobstructed strike: Before or as you make a ranged attack, you make any barriers between your weapon and your target, including armour, as insubstantial as shadow. When determining whether the attack succeeds or misses, the AC is what it would be if the target were not wearing armour (10 (or any natural armour) + Dexterity modifier). This does not affect natural armours, such as thick skin or shells. Also, if it is a ranged attack, you ignore the effects of half-, three-quarters and total cover, but an attack made through total cover is made at disadvantage unless you do not require sight.
Matter distortion: You can affect other objects in similar ways, but not living material. You expend 1 Fade point for every cube foot of material you change. The only ways on which you can augment these objects are to make them invisible, or to suddenly become as insubstantial as shadow. If you choose the second one, then the object is completely unaffected by creatures or equipped equipment. To augment an object, you must be able to see it within 30ft of yourself. You may keep it in this state by maintaining concentration (as though concentrating on a spell) for up to 1 minute.
Masterful Fading
Starting at fifth level, you acquire finer control over your emotions, and the effect they have on your body. As an action, you can shed dim light in a five foot area centred on you for 1 round or until you lose concentration (as though concentrating on a spell). As a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns, you can prolong this effect for another round.
Furthermore, you gain advantage on any ability checks made to hide.
Overwhelming fear
On every turn when you are frightened, or whenever you take damage that reduces you to below a quarter of your hit point maximum, you must make a DC 15 wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you have the frightened condition, and as a reaction you take the hide action (with advantage) and move up to half your movement speed away from the source of your fear, without triggering opportunity attacks.
While this effect persists, you use your action to take the hide action, again with advantage. At the start of your turn, or when an ally takes a bonus action to console you, you may roll another wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on a success. Otherwise, this effect lasts for one minute or until you are incapacitated.
From level 3, you have advantage on all saves against this, and from level 5, you may choose to succeed on the first save (though saves after the first must be made as normal, if you fail)
Unnatural death
When you drop to zero hit points, you vanish from the material plane, and all worn items are dropped. You continue to make death saves as normal, though you can not be healed by anything other than a true resurrection. If you succeed on the saving throws, your unconscious body reappears from where you left, or the nearest unoccupied space, and can now be healed as normal.
Previous Versions
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