Homebrew 🐺 Umbral Wolf Species Details

The Umbral Wolf is a rare and highly intelligent wolf touched by an ancient form of primal magic. Although they retain the appearance, instincts, and natural behaviours of wolves, something supernatural runs through them, separating them from ordinary beasts.

Umbral Wolves are born hunters. Their senses are exceptionally sharp, allowing them to notice subtle sounds, unfamiliar scents, and signs left behind by creatures moving through their territory. Once an Umbral Wolf begins following a trail, its combination of natural instinct and supernatural awareness can make it a persistent tracker.

Despite their supernatural nature, Umbral Wolves remain deeply connected to their wolf instincts. They communicate through growls, posture, movement, scent, and howls. They form powerful bonds with those they consider members of their pack and can be fiercely protective of those companions.

An Umbral Wolf's intelligence also distinguishes it from an ordinary wolf. They are capable of reasoning, understanding complex situations, making independent decisions, and learning from their experiences. This intelligence allows an Umbral Wolf to develop skills and abilities far beyond those of a normal animal, including pursuing adventuring classes and wielding magic.

Their connection to primal magic manifests differently in every individual. Some develop heightened supernatural senses, while others become extraordinarily skilled hunters or display subtle magical characteristics. Their abilities do not change their fundamental nature—they remain wolves rather than humanoids transformed into wolves.

For Gari, his Umbral Wolf heritage provides the foundation for his unusual connection to magic. His intelligence and supernatural nature allow him to wield the powers of a Warlock, while his natural instincts influence how that magic manifests.

Gari does not need a weapon or humanoid fighting style to be dangerous. His teeth, movement, senses, instincts, and magical abilities are the tools through which he interacts with the world.

Above everything else, an Umbral Wolf understands the importance of the pack. Trust is not given lightly, but once earned, an Umbral Wolf's loyalty can be extraordinarily difficult to break.

🐺 Umbral Wolf Traits

Umbral Wolves possess a combination of natural wolf abilities and supernatural primal traits. Their traits reflect their powerful senses, natural weapons, hunting instincts, intelligence, and connection to ancient magic. These abilities are innate to an Umbral Wolf and do not come from Gari's Warlock class or Moonfang patron. As Gari gains levels, his class and subclass abilities develop separately from these species traits.

🌑 Darkvision

 

  • Accustomed to hunting when light is scarce, you can see in dim light within 60 feet as though it were bright light.
  • You can see in darkness as though it were dim light.
  • You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

 

👃 Keen Senses

 

  • Gari gains proficiency in Wisdom (Perception).
  • When a Perception check specifically relies on hearing or smell, he can add 1d4 to the rolll.

 

👃 Keen Senses

 

  • Gari gains proficiency in Wisdom (Perception).
  • When a Perception check specifically relies on hearing or smell, he can add 1d4 to the rolll.

 

🦷 Natural Bite

 

  • Gari's bite is a natural weapon.
  • It deals 1d6 piercing damage + his Strength modifier on a hit.

 

🧠 Awakened Mind

- Gari possesses human-level intelligence and reasoning.

🐺 Wolf Form

 

  • Gari is physically a wolf and doesn't have humanoid hands.
  • He cannot normally wield conventional weapons or equipment requiring hands.
  • His form does not prevent him from performing the somatic components of his Warlock spells.

 

🌘 Umbral Instinct

 

  • When Gari fails a Dexterity (Stealth) check, he can reroll the check.
  • Gari must use the new roll, even if it is lower.
  • Gari can use this trait once.
  • He regains the ability to use it when he finishes a long rest.
  • Required Level: 5
  • Activation Type: Special
  • Uses: 1
  • Reset Type: Long Rest

 

🌙 Moonlit Prowler

 

  • Gari can move at his normal walking speed while travelling stealthily.
  • Nonmagical difficult terrain caused by natural environments, such as undergrowth, snow, mud, or loose earth, does not cost Gari additional movement.
  • This feature does not allow Gari to move through creatures or solid objects.
  • Magical difficult terrain affects Gari normally.
  • Required Level: 7
  • Activation Type: None
  • Uses: Unlimited
  • Reset Type: None

 

👁️ Predator’s Awareness

 

  • Gari gains advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
  • Gari cannot be surprised while conscious.
  • Creatures do not gain advantage on attack rolls against Gari solely because they are hidden from him, provided Gari can hear or smell them.
  • This feature does not allow Gari to see invisible creatures.
  • It does not automatically reveal the location of a hidden creature.
  • Required Level: 9
  • Activation Type: None
  • Uses: Unlimited
  • Reset Type: None

 

🌑 Umbral Resilience

 

  • Gari gains resistance to necrotic damage.
  • Gari has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
  • If Gari is already frightened when he begins his turn, he can make any saving throw normally allowed to end that effect even if the source of his fear is still visible.
  • This trait does not grant immunity to the frightened condition.
  • Required Level: 11
  • Activation Type: None
  • Uses: Unlimited
  • Reset Type: None

 

🌒 Relentless Hunter

 

  • When Gari is reduced to 0 hit points but isn't killed outright, he can drop to 1 hit point instead.
  • After using this trait, Gari's walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of his next turn.
  • This additional movement represents Gari's instinctive surge to escape danger, reach his pack, or continue the hunt.
  • Gari can use this trait once.
  • He regains the ability to use it when he finishes a long rest.
  • Required Level: 13
  • Activation Type: Special
  • Uses: 1

 

🌑 Veilborn

 

  • When a creature Gari can see hits him with an attack, Gari can use his reaction to partially fade from view.
  • Gari gains resistance to all damage dealt by that attack.
  • After the attack is resolved, Gari can immediately move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
  • This movement does not allow Gari to pass through creatures or solid objects.
  • Gari can use this trait once.
  • He regains the ability to use it when he finishes a short or long rest.
  • Required Level: 15
  • Activation Type: Reaction
  • Uses: 1

 

🌘 Apex Predator

 

  • Gari has advantage on initiative rolls.
  • During the first round of combat, Gari's walking speed increases by 10 feet.
  • Once during the first round of combat, when Gari hits a creature with his Natural Bite, he can deal an additional 2d6 piercing damage.
  • This additional damage can only occur once per combat.
  • Gari does not need to use an action or bonus action to activate this trait.
  • Required Level: 17
  • Activation Type: None
  • Uses: Once per combat

 

🌑 Ancient Blood

 

  • Gari gains resistance to psychic damage.
  • Gari has advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
  • When Gari fails a saving throw against being charmed or frightened, he can choose to succeed instead.
  • Once Gari chooses to succeed in this way, he cannot do so again until he finishes a long rest.
  • Required Level: 19
  • Activation Type: Special
  • Uses: 1
  • Reset Type: Long Rest

 
Amber9626

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