Homebrew Cavalierian Species Details
With their silky fur, expressive eyes, and ever-loyal hearts, Cavalierians embody both the grace of noble hounds and the boundless energy of adventurous spirits. These canine humanoids are said to have descended from the celestial hunting hounds of an ancient deity, gifted with keen senses and an unshakable devotion to those they hold dear. Whether serving as vigilant protectors of sacred groves, disciplined warriors in the art of combat, or wandering mystics seeking harmony in the wilds, Cavalierians approach life with an innate curiosity and an unwavering sense of duty.
Cavalierian fur patterns vary widely, from rich chestnut and white coats to striking black-and-tan markings, with long, feathered ears that frame their expressive faces. Their natural agility allows them to move with surprising swiftness, scaling trees with ease and swimming through streams with playful grace. While their voices carry the warmth of camaraderie and wisdom, a Cavalierian’s bark can shift from a joyous call to a commanding warning in an instant—resonating with the spirit of their ancestors, who once howled beneath moonlit skies in honor of the hunt.
Creating Your Character
At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation.
Ability Score Increases
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.
Languages
Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player’s Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free to modify that list for a campaign.
Creature Type
Every creature in D&D, including each player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race tells you what your character’s creature type is.
Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the cure wounds spell doesn’t work on a Construct or an Undead.
Life Span
The typical life span of a player character in the D&D multiverse is about a century, assuming the character doesn’t meet a violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s description.
Height and Weight
Player characters, regardless of race, typically fall into the same ranges of height and weight that humans have in our world. If you’d like to determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.
Cavalierian Traits
As a Cavalierian, you have the following racial traits.Loyal Heart
The Cavalierians' unwavering devotion and steadfast nature offers support against mind-affecting conditions for themselves and their allies.
When you or an ally within 10 feet of you fails a saving throw against being charmed or frightened, you can use your reaction to grant them advantage on a reroll. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Canine Charm
Your warm demeanor and expressive features make it easy to win the trust of others. You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks made to influence friendly or neutral creatures. Additionally, once per long rest, you can use your natural charm to calm a hostile creature. As an action, choose one creature within 30 feet that can hear and understand you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature’s attitude shifts one step closer to neutral (from hostile to indifferent, or from indifferent to friendly) for 1 minute. The effect ends early if the creature takes damage or sees its allies harmed.
Creature Type
You are a Humanoid.
Size
You are Small.
Speed
Your walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Keen Senses
Cavalierians have Perception due to their keen senses, but another core aspect of their nature can be reflected in a second proficiency of the player's choosing: Athletics, Survival, or Insight.