Homebrew Batfolk Species Details

As their name suggests, batfolk are a mysterious bat-like race of humanoids. No one knows the true origins of the batfolk, but some scholars theorize that they are relatives of bats, while others think they are the result of a magical experiment gone wrong. Whatever their origins, batfolk are often mistrusted, due to their bat-like appearance.

Tight Knit Colonies 

Batfolk live in tight knit colonies, ranging in numbers from 100 to 300 individuals. Every batfolk in the colony is just as important as any other batfolk, and they run the colony by popular vote. They often claim a cave as their own, with every member of the colony sleeping huddled together of the walls.

Unfair Mistrust 

Batfolk are widely looked at with suspicion, due to people’s mistrust of bats. However, batfolk are undeserving of this suspicion, being hospitable to people of other races who enter their caves. Batfolk often have to earn their trust and acceptance, and some never succeed in earning trust.

Batfolk Names

Batfolk have a colony name, which is the name of the cave or other roost that their colony has claimed, and a personal name, which is usually a one word idea that conveys something about them. They say their names as (personal name) (colony name).

Personal Names: Moon, Shriek, Bite, Claw, Night, Hunt.

Batfolk Traits

Your bat-like features give you certain traits, which you share with other batfolk.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and an ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Batfolk mature at the same rate as humans, and typically live less than a century.

Alignment

Batfolk live in tight knit groups, and tend towards lawful alignments.

Size

Batfolk range from 4ft to 5ft in height, have wingspans from 8ft to 10ft, and range from 70 to 80 pounds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Batfolk’s large wings make walking difficult, and their hooked claws allow them to climb and hang from cracks in cave walls. You have a walking speed of 10ft, a climbing speed of 10ft, and a flying speed of 30ft.

Echolocation

The ancestors of modern batfolk had little need for sight, living in dark caves, so they evolved to be able to “see” with sound. You have blindsight for 60ft.

Nocturnal Hunter

Batfolk are naturally adept at tracking in the dark. You have advantage on Wisdom (survival) checks made to track using your blindsight.

Flyby Bite

You fly by an enemy and try to bite them as you pass. If you move at least 15ft in one direction, you can make a melee attack against 1 enemy within range, that does 2d4 piercing damage. On a hit, you fly 15 more feet in the same direction. This movement doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. If you miss, you fly 15 more feet in the same direction and any attacks of opportunity against you as a result of this movement have disadvantage.

Language

You can speak, read, and write Common.