Homebrew Beastfolk (FG:ITBW) Species Details

Becoming Beastfolk

Humanoids can become beastfolk by undergoing the beastfolk slicing 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 new life or running away from their past. Many beastfolk have never experienced the splicing ritual firsthand but were instead born to one or more beastfolk parents. Most bestfolk children only inherit one parent’s animal appearance.

Connection to Nature

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 and human aspects, while others struggle to keep both sides of their nature in harmony.

Beastfolk Names

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. The 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

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

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 may not live past 50.

Size

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.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Beast Bond

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

Beastfolk (FG:ITBW) Traits

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 beast folk, and their life experiences.

Beast Senses

 

• 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 with this sense.

Beast Defense

 

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 armor, your armor class is 16. You can still use a shield and gain this benefit.
• Weapons of the Beast: You have a set of natural weapons, such as horns, claws, fangs, hooves, or a tail. Choose whether these unarmed strikes use your Dexterity modifier or your Strength modifier for attack 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.