Homebrew Canine Species Details
Originating on the worlds of the Glorg Empire—where political alliances are forged over snacks and interstellar treaties are often barked at—canines are a people with fur, purpose, and a worrying enthusiasm for everything.
Canines are not pets. They are not mascots. They are not a gimmick. They are citizens, scholars, explorers, inventors, and occasionally mayors. They just happen to be extremely good at making friends, wagging tails (metaphorically or otherwise), and offering unsolicited help in times of mild crisis.
They are known for their emotional openness, their eagerness to assist, and their stubborn refusal to take a hint. Culturally, they value community, loyalty, and the sacred social contract of tea-sharing. Emotionally, they’re more porous than a sieve in a thunderstorm. If a Canine says they understand what you’re going through, they probably do—and they brought snacks.
And if someone ever calls a Canine a "bad dog", they will not bark, growl, or argue. They will just get very, very quiet. And you will feel bad. Oh, you will feel it.
Canine Traits
As a canine, you have the following racial traits.Creature Type
You are a Fey.
Size
You are Medium.
Speed
Your walking speed is 35 feet.
Bite
You can use your bite to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. This damage counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks.
Lucky Mutt
You have advantage on saving throws against spells. Canines are notoriously hard to hex, possibly due to some unknowable cosmic whim or simply because they don’t sit still long enough for most curses to catch.
Good and Bad Dogs
You have a pool of Mood Points equal to your proficiency bonus. These represent your current emotional momentum — a delicate balance between tail-wagging enthusiasm and soggy, soulful gloom.
Each time a creature affectionately calls you a "Good Dog" (or uses a similarly sincere term of praise), if you are not already at your maximum Mood Points, you gain 1 Mood Point and have advantage on your next attack roll or ability check made within 1 minute.
Each time a creature calls you a "Bad Dog" (or uses an obviously insulting variation), you lose 1 Mood Point and have disadvantage on your next attack roll or ability check made within 1 minute.
If you are already at 0 Mood Points and someone calls you a "Bad Dog", no further penalty is applied — your gloomy reserves have bottomed out. You are as low as a dog can go. Likewise, if you are already at maximum Mood Points and someone calls you a "Good Dog", you gain no benefit — you are already operating at peak tail-wag.
Mood Points are restored to full after a long rest, a group hug, or being reminded that you are, in fact, a very good dog.
Snoop Senses
You have proficiency in the Insight and Perception skills. Canines are deeply attuned to tone, tension, and whether someone is hiding a biscuit in their pocket.
Emotional Echo
You can unleash a magically resonant growl a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest. Each time you do so, choose any number of creatures within 15 feet who can hear you. Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
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