Homebrew Dryad Species Details
Usually bound to the forest of their birth, some dryads will choose to wonder after reaching maturity. Often this will be simple wonder lust, a desire to spread seeds of the forest in new fertile lands or to find beautiful places. They usually return after a time to commune with the forest and their birth tree, sharing the tails of their adventures with the Grove. Imparting knowledge and establishing the connections with distant seedlings spread by the dryad.
Dryads are creatures born of magic and nature, many reside in the fey wild, the realm of life. Places bursting with life may naturally form a connection to the fey, small natural portals a few spores or seeds may float through. As these take root the portals can become stronger and more permanent as the plants grow and age. Bolstered by the fey influence, these plants can grow many times their usual size. From these trees the Dryads are born. Many can be born of the same tree and as time goes on a Grove forms around the portals. A community of dryads grows to tend to the natural world around them.
The Dryads at each of these Groves are shaped by the ecosystem and the magic feeding the area. They usually reflect and blend into their environment, often when at rest in their Grove they are indistinguishable from their surroundings.
Deep Wood Dryads
These Dryads typically dwell in thick dank swamps and underground caves that rarely see daylight. Some deep wood dryads take on a more fungal appearance, resembling roots or mycelium networks. Others could easily be mistaken for moss covered stumps near pools of still water. Deep dryads tend to be smaller than their counterparts, but not always.
Pine Forest Dryads
Also known as Mountain Dryads, these tall slender creatures can be found at high altitudes and cold climates. In the heart of massive pine forests or in tight clusters near cliffs and valleys between mountains. Their Groves are oases to the many of creatures that struggle to carve out a life in these harsh environments. At first glance they might appear slightly freighting, with long limbs and sharp bird-like movements, but they are renowned to be welcoming and hospitable. Many a traveller lost in a blizzard or starving in the mountains, has awakened to find themselves surrounded by 7ft tall alien figures. Only to be nursed by the Pine Forest dryads, treated with the same care as a wounded Lynx cat or Moose. The traveller might find themselves back on a safe path with no memory of how they got there but a warm belly and their wounds treated.
Great Oak Dryads
Great Oak Dryads are the most commonly known lineage among the mortal races, they are also the most varied in size an appearance. They live in great woods in lush lands, unfortunately this means that they are often near settlements. As the village grows to a town and then a city, civilization pushes the boundaries of the forest and tensions rise as they compete for resources. They have been known to be peaceful and calm but once a Grove of Oaken Dryads is roused to war they are a terrible unstoppable force.
Burned Grove Dryads
Dryads of the burned grove are survivors of great tragedy, terrible forest fires or victims of deforestation. Some are consumed by a terrible vengeance against civilization and revile the progress of industry. While others are burdened by sadness at the loss of their home, cursed never to return to their birth tree and unable to commune with nature. Their skin looks like charcoal and embers, none of the moss and lichen dryads usually cultivate on their person. The lush green light of their eyes is replaced by a deep red glow.
Dryad Traits
Creature Type: Fey
Size: Medium or Small (between 3–7 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet, 10 feet burrowing.
Darkvision
You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Dryad Lineage
You are part of a lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Dryad Lineages table. You gain the level 1 benefit of that lineage.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the lineage).
| Lineage | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Wood | The range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet. You also know the Dancing Lights cantrip and the Druidcraft cantrip. | Faerie Fire | Darkness (You can see through the Darkness when using this feature) |
| Pine Forest Dryad | Your Speed increases to 35 feet. You also know the Prestidigitation cantrip and the Druidcraft cantrip. | Goodberry | Misty Step |
| Great Oak Dryad | Your Natural Armour increases to 12 + your Dex Modifier. You also know the Druidcraft cantrip and the Resistance cantrip. | Absorb Elements | Barkskin |
Burned Grove Dryads
Instead of choosing any of the above you may take the Burned Grove Lineage, which you can either have from level one or later in the game. When you change to this lineage, which you can do from from any of the others, you lose any of spells and bonuses you gained as part of that lineage. Instead you gain Resistance to Fire Damage, and you learn the Produce Flame cantrip. At 3rd level you learn the Hellish Rebuke spell, then at 5th level you gain the Flame Blade spell.
Fey Ancestry
You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition.
Speech of Bird and Beast
You have proficiency in the Perception, or Survival skill. You also always have the Speak with Animals spell prepared. You can cast it without a spell slot a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can also use any spell slots you have to cast the spell.
Trance
You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Natural Armour
You have hard, bark like skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your base AC is 11 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
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