Homebrew Animated Doll Species Details

Living dolls are a rare race of small humanoid constructs created by unknown powerful beings resembling living versions of ordinary dolls. A few of these dolls have ended up independent in the material plane. Some who come across them, particularly the more magical inclined, are stricken with awe and curiosity. However, many are weary of them due to their artificial nature, with some cultures viewing them as being tied to evil or bad luck.

---

 

Pretty Little Things

Animated dolls resemble their inanimate counterpart greatly. They are medium figures with the likeness of humans. Living dolls are typically made from materials of very high quality, possessing detail that one would almost never come across in any other toys. Despite their comprehensive detail, they are still obviously recognizable as artificial. They possess large glass eyes resemble oversized marbles. These eyes are captivating, with the glossy appearance and vividly colored irises, however they can appear cold, lacking the warmth possessed by the eyes of living creatures. Their skin color depends on the material they are made of, with porcelain and resin dolls being milky white colors while their wooden counterparts countenance is the same shade as the wood they are made from.

Personality

Because Animated Dolls are new to the world and awaken with the intellect of an adult they struggle both to find a place in the world and to relate to the creatures who created them. Though a Doll who stays with it's master may be given lessons on how to best emulate those around them. As a result of this, Dolls usually also have some nativity or still hold onto a child-like wonder of the world. 

Unlike a warforged who shows little emotion, Dolls relish in it and often try their best to imitate and understand it. Dolls delight in exploring their feelings, their freedom, and their relationships with others. Most Dolls want to know more about the world and all it's facets from history, to religion to everything ever written in a book.

Most dolls are made to represent some form of life, so the face they're based on can be anything; human, elf, dwarf, ect. But that doesn't mean the doll is comfortable with itself. Just like other sentient creatures, as it develops it's individuality it make realize the life within the shell is different from what it depicts. They could seek an artisan or artificer to help them modify their body in a way that more closely aligns with their self image.

Animated Doll Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2

Ability Score Decrease. Your Constitution score decreases by 2

Age. You do not age, and are immortal. The only possible death is by destruction.

Alignment. All dolls start their sentience as true neutrals, but can lean into any alignment as they grow as individuals. Their alignment starts as very flexible and easily swayed, and often hard to pinpoint, yet for some reason they seem to stray towards chaos.

Size. Animated dolls are much larger than typical children's toys. It is unknown if they are created this way, or if their consciousness somehow amplifies their size. Your size is small or medium.

Speed. Due to your balljointed joints, you are slower than average humanoids. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Natural Darkvision. With your glass eyes, you have superior darkvision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. However, even in bright light, you struggle to discern colors, only seeing in muted shades.

Child's play. You have advantage on all Charisma checks against children, with the exception of Intimidation.

Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature and can be targeted by spells that target living creatures. You are immune to disease, and have advantage on saving throw against being poisoned. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe. You do not need to sleep, and magic cannot put you to sleep. Instead of sleeping, during a long rest you must spend at least 6 hours in an inactive, motionless state. This state does not render you unconscious, and you can hear but not see. The medicine skill and healing kits do not work on you, but magical healing does. The Mending cantrip restores 1 hit point to you.

Ball Joints. You can move your body in ways that natural races cannot, such as bending your arms backwards or turning your head around.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, as well as a language of your choice.

Integrated tool. Choose one tool you’re proficient with. This tool is integrated into your body, and you double your proficiency bonus for any ability checks you make with it. You must have your hands free to use this integrated tool.

Mimicry. Dolls are meant to mimic life and as such the Animated Doll is able to proficiently mimic any emotion it has seen and understands. Animated dolls are proficient in their choice of Persuasion, Deception or Intimidation. If they are already proficient in one of these skills, they can choose to have expertise with it.

Animated Doll Traits

As a living doll, you have some unique traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your charisma score increases by 2.

Ability Score Decrease

Your Constitution score decreases by 2.

Age

You do not age, and are immortal. The only possible death is by destruction

Alignment

All dolls start their sentience as true neutrals, but can lean into any alignment as they grow as individuals. Their alignment starts as very flexible and easily swayed, and often hard to pinpoint, yet for some reason they seem to stray towards chaos.

Size

Animated dolls are much larger than typical children's toys. It is unknown if they are created this way, or if their consciousness somehow amplifies their size. Your size is small or medium.

Speed

Due to your ball-jointed joints, you are slower than average humanoids. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Natural Darkvision

With your glass eyes, you have superior darkvision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. However, even in bright light, you struggle to discern colors, only seeing in muted shades.

Child's Play

You have advantage on all Charisma checks against children, with the exception of Intimidation.

Living Construct

Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature and can be targeted by spells that target living creatures. You are immune to disease, and have advantage on saving throw against being poisoned. You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe. You do not need to sleep, and magic cannot put you to sleep. Instead of sleeping, during a long rest you must spend at least 6 hours in an inactive, motionless state. This state does not render you unconscious, and you can hear but not see. The medicine skill and healing kits do not work on you, but magical healing does. The mending cantrip restores 1 hit point to you.

Ball Joints

You can move your body in ways that natural races cannot, such as bending your arms backwards or turning your head around. You are also capable of separating your body part from your person.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, as well as a language of your choice.

Integrated Tool

Choose one tool you are proficient with. This tool is integrated into your body, and you double your proficiency bonus for any ability checks you make with it. You must have your hands free to use this integrated tool.

Mimicry

Dolls are meant to mimic life, and as such, the Animated Doll is able to mimic any emotion it has seen and understands proficiently. Animated Dolls are proficient in their choice of Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation. If they are already proficient in one of these skills, they can choose to have expertise with it.