Homebrew Bluepelt Gnoll Species Details

Bluepelt Gnolls live in savannah villages and often have a rough, irritable disposition. Their villages often have social hierarchies based on who is the strongest physically, and there are often battles organized in the town square if one gnoll wishes to challenge another. Generally, however, the oldest gnolls are the actual leaders, as surviving into elder years implies that they have won many battles. In addition, bluepelt gnolls often remain strong until the end of their lifespan, meaning elders are still seen as fierce and respectable. 

As magic is rare to come by in gnoll vollages, some have mastered the art of healing with herbs and other natural resources. Though these gnolls are often physically weaker than their peers, any smart gnoll knows that they are still worthy of respect - after all, if you treat a healer badly, they will be less likely to help you when you need it. The true lowest ranking gnolls are the ones that are too weak to fight, and not intelligent enough to be a healer. These gnolls are treated as outcasts and are less valued by the village, often getting stuck with the unpleasant jobs around the village and being last to get food. 

Female bluepelt gnolls are larger than their male counterparts, though not considerably so. Otherwise, there isn’t much to tell a male and female gnoll apart besides voice (females do have higher voices) and if a gnoll is visibly pregnant or nursing (which would indicate that they are female). Outside of biological roles, bluepelt gnolls have little concept of gender, and thus it has little bearing on their personal identities. The bluepelt dialect actually lacks gendered terms besides ‘mother’ and ‘father’, and even then the terms more directly translate to ‘birth-giver’ and ‘seed-provider’, as crude as the latter is in some contexts. When learning languages such as common, which have more gendered terms, it is not uncommon for gnolls to use the incorrect terms for themselves and others, as the concepts are very foreign to them.

Bluepelt gnolls have an omnivorous diet, though they often bias towards meat and other animal products. Unlike many other species of gnoll, bluepelts often practice agriculture for their plant-based food, though meat is often still hunted instead of raised for slaughter. Bluepelts are often aware that they could just raise the animals themselves, but the thrill of the hunt is something few would be willing to give up. The closest you’ll get is gnolls raising terror birds for their eggs.

Bluepelt Gnoll Traits

Bluepelt Gnolls have high strength and dexterity, but rarely have talent for magic.

Ability Score Increase

Your strength score increases by 2, and your dexterity increases by 1.

Age

Bluepelt Gnolls reach maturity at age fifteen on average, and can live to be fourty or fifty years old.

Alignment

Bluepelt Gnolls tend towards ‘neutral’ alignment, as opposed to other gnoll species who tend more towards the ‘evil’ alignment. More often than not, they are on the ‘chaotic’ end of the spectrum. Good or lawful gnolls exist, but are uncommon.

Size

Bluepelt Gnolls tend to be 6-7 feet tall, making them ‘medium’ sized.

Speed

The average walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You can see up to 60 feet in darkness, though not in color.

Fangs

A bite attack counts as a natural weapon and inflicts 1d6 + your strength modifier.

Monstrous Appearance

Gnolls are commonly regarded as threatening and are proficient in intimidation.

Beastly Temper

On your turn, if you attack the creature that last targeted you, add a d6 to damage.