Homebrew Dullahan Species Details
Upon awakening after their death, they forget much, if not all of who They once were. As they live their new life, they often rediscover themselves and their memories. This is not always true for those that died young or those that lived uneventful lives.
THE GHOST IN THE SHELL
Phantoms are essentially the leftover consciousness or soul of a person after their traumatic death. They often contemplate on the questions their situation raises for them. Such as, what it means to be alive, or what makes a someone a person once they no longer have a body of their own? If the brain is where ones mind stores their memories and personality traits, than are they still themselves without it? Are the memories that seem to remain or return just fabrications?
GLIMMERS IN THE NIGHT
Thankfully, not everything about these poor unfortunate creatures is entirely bleak. Given this second chance, many phantoms develop both inward and outward perspectives on themselves and the aspects of life and death that far exceed those of the average person. Once they've overcome their societal anxiety, this development can lead phantoms down truly rewarding paths, such as the forwarding of thought throughteaching, or jobs involving the protection of others.
PHANTOM NAMES
A Phantom usually adopts a new name given to them by someone meaningful they have encountered, though sometimes they do name themselves. On rare occasion a phantom may learn their old name and some choose to return to its use. These new names that that they adopt, or that they choose, usually are a reflection of their character or something that makes them unique and defined in some way. Most of these names tend to be gender neutral in general, but that is for no particular reason.
Dullahan Traits
GhostyUntethered
Without a body, or a shell to inhabit, you are but an ethereal shadow, which needs a tether to the mortal world. As aphantom, you are either untethered or tethered to a shell. When you become untethered, the shell you are tethered to, and anything you are carrying drops to the floor, and you gain the following effects:
You have a flying speed of 10 feet, and can hover.
You can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, but you take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn within one.
You can not physically interact with material objects or creatures, but you can be hurt by them.
Each time you end your turn, you lose a number of hit points equal to your level. This damage is doubled if you end your turn in direct sunlight.
Tethered Shell
You can tether yourself to a shell within 5 feet of you, or untether yourself from your current shell, as an action. A shell is a set of clothing, armor, or a tiny to medium container. While tethered, you lose all of the effects of being untethered. If you tether yourself to clothing or armor, you are considered to be donning it. When you tether yourself to a container, you enter it (as a hermit crab does an abandoned shell). In this state, your movement is reduced to 0 and you can not take any action, bonus action, or reaction, besides the action required to untether or the Hide action. While hidden this way, you add.
+10 to Stealth checks you make to stay hidden. You cannot be forced out of your shell unless it is broken.
Sunlight Sensitivity
You have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on vision, and ranged attacks made against targets greater than 30 feet away, while you are standing in direct sunlight.
Restless Soul
Phantoms do not breath, eat, drink, or sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Restless Soul
Phantoms do not breath, eat, drink, or sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.
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.
No Matter
You are immune to the poisoned condition and disease. Something Inbetween. Phantoms are considered to be both humanoid and undead. Spells that do not effect undead such as cure wounds still effect you and you are immune to effects that turn undead.
Optional Feats
GRASP OF THE AFTERLIFE
Prerequisites: Phantom
Your connection to, and understanding of, the planes of afterlife deepen, and you learn more of the spells associated with it. You learn the chill touch cantrip. You also learn shadow blade and speak with dead, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast the spell in this way when you finish a long rest. Your chosen racial ability score increase is the spellcasting ability for these spells.
STRENGTHENED BONDS
Prerequisites: Phantom
Your will that forms your tether to the material is stronger than the average phantom's. You can gain the effects of your Untethered trait as an action, leaving your shell and anything you are carrying behind. You do not lose hit points at the end of each round. You can not move further than 100 feet from your tethered shell. This effect has a duration of 10 minutes. If you have not returned to your tethered shell, or tethered a new shell, once this time has elapsed, you take 2d10 force damage and become fully Untethered. Once you use this feat this way, you can not do so again until you finish a long rest. Your tether extends to objects you are holding, thus you can not be disarmed of them.
Dullahan Traits
Your phantom has a dispersion of traits that it shares in common with other phantoms.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom score by +2.
Age. Phantoms have no physical age. They retain the mental and vocal characteristics of their age immediately before becoming a phantom, and in time, their mentality can mature.
Alignment. When a Phantom awakes to its new semblance of life. Their alignment is usually one near to neutrality, though this can quickly change depending on each individuals experiences and their developing mentality.
Size. Phantoms can be either small or medium size, depending on their size in life. Their heights vary greatly and they weigh next to nothing.
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