Homebrew Azer (Warforged Variant) Species Details

Natives of the Elemental Plane of Fire, Azers are master crafters, expert miners, and sworn foes of the efreet. In appearance and manner, an azer resembles a male dwarf, but this is a facade. Beneath its metallic looking skin, an azer is a being of fire, which outwardly manifests in its fiery hair and beard. 

Made, Not Born

Azers don't reproduce. They are each crafted from bronze by another azer and imbued with a portion of the crafter's inner flame. Each azer is sculpted with unique features. This crafting process limits the growth of the azer population and is the primary reason that these creatures remain rare.

Volcanic Dwellers

Azers dwell in a kingdom on the border between the Elemental Plane of Earth and the Elemental Plane of Fire--a range of mountains and volcanoes whose spires rise as a series of the fortresses. Beneath mountain peaks, under volcanic calderas, and amid rivers of magma, Azers extract gleaming metals and glittering gems from the earth. Squads of azer patrol the passes and tunnels of their realm, fending off the salamander raiders whose efreet masters order strikes against the azer kingdom.

Enemies of the Efreet

Long ago, the efreet and the Azers were allies. Azers helped create the City of Brass, forging that home of the efreet into one of the most wondrous places in creation. When the Azers had finished their work, the efreet betrayed them, making a failed attempt to enslave the Azers so as to protect the secrets of the city. Despite occasional raids and skirmishes, however, the two sides have so far refrained from all-out conflict. The Azers believe that only the treat of them revealing the hidden ways into the City of Brass keeps the efreet in check.

Masters of Metal and Gems

Azers are masterful artisans, and create beautiful works from the gems and precious metals found in their volcanic habitat. They rate the value of such treasures above all other things, sometimes dispatching parties across the planes to seek out rare metals and gemstones. When Azers are called by magic to the Material Plane, it is typically to help forge an elaborate magic item or work of art, for it is said that their skill in such craft knows no equal.

Away from Home

Playing as an Azer, your character will be spending a majority of their time on the Material Plane. Cut off from your natural habitat of the Elemental Plane of Fire, your inner flame weakens. Your bronze skin, while still warm, is no longer burning to the touch and your fiery mane dims. You may be scouring the world, looking for rare gems and metals, or possibly your clan have set up shop in the Material Plane as master crafters and artisans. Work with your DM to come up with why you left home and why you are continuing to stay on the Material Plane.

Azer (Warforged Variant) Traits

An Azer's bronze body and fiery core sets it apart from the other races.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Azer are not born, but created by another, using a piece of their own internal fire to bring the new one to life. Though Azers do not age, they often die violent deaths in battle leading to slow, if any, population growth.

Alignment

Most Azer are lawful, believing in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They also tend toward a neutral alignment, focusing more on the complexities of their craft than those of good and evil.

Size

Azers stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 350 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Living Fire

You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You don’t need to eat or drink.
• You are immune to disease.
• You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Stoke the Fire

Cut off from the Elemental Plane of Fire, you need to rest in order to refuel your fiery essence. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in a deep, meditative state akin to that of an elf's trance rather than sleeping. In this state, your fiery hair breathes brighter, slowly growing to shed dim light for 10 feet, and you remain semiconscious.

Bronze Body

Your body has built-in defensive layers, which can be enhanced with armor:

• You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
• You can don only armor with which you have proficiency. To don armor, you must incorporate it into your body over the course of 1 hour, during which you remain in contact with the armor. To doff armor, you must spend 1 hour removing it. You can rest while donning or doffing armor in this way.
• While you live, your armor can’t be removed from your body against your will.

Masters of Metal and Gems

Azers are masterful artisans and create beautiful works from the gems and precious metals found in their volcanic habitat. You gain proficiency in your choice of either Smith's Tools or Jeweler's Tools.

Inner Flame

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash your inner flame for 1 minute, until you fall unconscious, or until you chose to end it. You gain resistance to fire damage. Once on each of your turns, when you hit with a melee attack made with a metal weapon, you can do bonus fire damage to the target equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 damage). In addition, once per turn, if a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack they take fire damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 damage). While under the effect of Inner Flame, your hair and beard blaze shedding bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you've completed a long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Ignan.