Homebrew Raven Species Details

Perched among tall branches of spindly decrepit forests or preening their feathers nearby places of the dead ravens have spread themselves far and wide over the material plane, inhabiting almost all regions and striking fear and wonder into almost anybody who behold them.

Dark shapes

At a distance, Ravens appear as large dark shapes often shrouded in fog or leaves, but once standing upright they reveal their humanoid appearance, upright they stand 4ft tall with dark thin charcoal legs that come up to their sleek, dark plumage and wings, topped with equally mysterious beady eyes that blink cautiously.

Ill Omen

Due to their tendency to hang around areas of the dead or dying, and mysterious form ravens have been linked with death, the dying, and dark magic for as long as the dragons have walked the planes. It is deeply ingrained into many cultures of the regions and for good reason. This gives them a formidable reputation but it comes with the downside of being shunned from society and outside of being used as spellcasters companions for their magical link, or living in slums on the edges of towns and villages they mostly stay in their forest homes.

Corvid Personality

Ravens are closely related to birds in more than their appearance, they share many characteristic behavioural traits with other corvids, like the crow. To pass the time they bathe and preen their feathers for any critters or impurities to keep it clean and give it the characteristic shine. Ravens also have a tendency to steal and thief from others out of either curiosity or greed making them natural scoundrels among other races. But Ravens living in society can hold back this urge.

Ravens punctuate their speech with throaty growls, gurgling and croaking, using this they convey emphasis, threats, and gestures of all kinds between their raven peers. However, in the face of another race, a raven threat may be taken as an emphasis, making it often tricky for a raven to hold a stable conversation.

Treetop homes

Most Ravens live in the forests or tundra of the material plane in small treetop houses with their family, taking up hobbies such as tinkering, writing, and even some as far as dark magic. Ravens not often, but do take up residence in the outer reaches of the city as scoundrels fed by curiosity. But the few that make it further into cities often find themselves being used as messengers or work assistants to cultists, necromancers, wizards, or even just the sketchy man on the corner.

Raven Names

Raven names are usually a series of croaks and gurgles, but often adopt names from the cultures they live closest too

common Raven names: Wise, Cunning, Corv, Hugin, Munin, Edger

 

RAVEN BACKGROUNDS

Backgrounds that are most appropriate for Raven include the outlander, the hermit, and the criminal.

The small families of ravens in the forests rarely leave home for adventure but when they do create great rouges and warlocks due to their cryptic nature and passion to dabble. 

Raven Traits

As a Raven, you have certain traits in common with your people. Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing a raven requires special consideration by your DM.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Ravens reach maturity by age 10-15, however they surpass humans when it comes to age and reach an age of 150 before they pass

Alignment

Most ravens are lawful to protect their family, and naturally evil when it comes to a sense of good over bad, they have been tainted by the outlook placed on them. This in turn leads them to land somewhere around lawful evil, though a Raven can be any alignment

Size

Ravens stand at about 4ft tall, they have thin lightweight bodies that weigh between 10-40 lbs, your size is small

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Flight

You have a flying speed of 50 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Talons

Your talons are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages

Ravens that have had contact with civilization can read, write, and speak common and raven, Uncivilized Ravens don't bother to learn common as they will hardly encounter it.

Dark Secret

You know the Toll the dead cantrip. In addition to that, when rolling necrotic damage for any spell or attack, you can add a +1 to the damage dealt.