Homebrew Griffinborn Species Details
The Griffinborn are natural explorers and a defenders of the weak from bullying beasts.
It’s common to find at least one or two in towns and villages at any given time, though almost never along roads as they travel by air. Flocks of these humanoids regularly interact with other peoples, and if not living with a community of other Griffinborn in the peaks of mountains, then generally then tend to be found in communities of humans, tabaxi, and Aarakocra, or even Leonin and Kenku.
Griffinborn see themselves as natural defenders of the world and lean toward roles as Rangers, and Paladins, though not uncommonly as Druids and Monks as well.
Tenacious Grace
Griffinborns ancestry of grace and fearlessness gives them a naturally confident, and even regal presence which many commonly misinterpret as entitlement or pride. This couldn’t be further from the case as most Griffinborn have no ambitions beyond their own curiosity, and desire to explore the world. Still, some find a calling to defend the weak from large monsters that threaten their communities. Where most would be wisely fearful of such creatures, the Griffinborn are instinctually drawn to hunt them for good or ill.
Forever Fleeting
Griffinborn make friends for life, but since they travel so much and tend to live longer than most, many of those friendships ever have time to develop the depth of bonds others do. That being the case, it’s hard for Griffinborn to create deep bonds with anyone but other Griffinborn and/or traveling companions.
Fearless Fools
Griffinborn if nothing else are fearless. This should not be mistaken for bravery, since bravery requires one to first be afraid and charge forward despite it. Nay, the Griffinborn are instinctually drawn into a hunting mindset when large, deadly predators roam the wilds. If birds evolved to escape their landborn predators, the Griffin’s were their eventual vengeance, returned to lay waste to those terrorizing the roosts and nests of their ancestral kin. The Griffinborn carry that instinct to put predators and aggressors in their place which can lead to a number of brawls.
Griffinborn Traits
Your Griffinborn character has the following racial traits.Fearless Ferocity
A Griffinborn’s ancestry grants them a natural resistance to fear that grows as they age and gain experience.
1st Level: All rolls against all fear based attacks and conditions have advantage.
3rd Level - Once per long rest, a Griffinborn can choose to succeed against a failed save vs Fear.
6th Level - Twice per long rest the Griffinborn can choose to succeed against a failed save vs Fear.
9th Level - Twice per short rest the Griffinborn can choose to succeed against a failed save vs Fear.
12th Level - Three times per short rest the Griffinborn can choose to succeed against a failed save vs Fear.
18th Level - Griffinborn become immune to fear.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 1, your Strength score increases by 1, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age
Griffinborn mature and age at about one half the rate as humans, reaching midlife at around 80yrs.
Alignment
Griffinborn tend toward chaotic good alignments. Griffinborn that are part of a flock lean toward lawful good.
Size
Griffinborn are typically over 6 feet tall, with some standing over 7 feet. Your size is Medium.
Here’s how to determine your height and weight randomly, starting with rolling a size modifier:
Size modifier = 2d10
Height = 5 feet + 6 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight in pounds = 180 + (2d6 × your size modifier)
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your base flying speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Claws & Talons
Your claws and talons are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Peak Survival
You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.
Guardian's Grace
Drawing from the Griffin’s combination of aerial and feline ancestries, it has a natural grace giving it exceptional maneuverability on land or in air. As a bonus action, the Griffinborn can add their Dex Mod to AC once per short rest. The number of times usable per short rest is equal to the characters current level.
Travelers Tongue
You can speak, read, and write Common, Grifflin, and one other language of your choice. Griffinborn are natural explorers, and as such see the world which leads them to learning more languages than most.