Homebrew Wendigo Species Details

A wendigo's appearance reflects the bitter winters of the remote north and its presence is often signaled by sudden cold and wind. Though the appearance varies greatly per wendigo, depending on its personality, region, and age, they are all a terrifying sight to behold. Standing between 7 and 9 feet tall they easily tower over all creatures they encounter. They are gaunt to the point of emaciation, with desicated skin pulled tightly over protruding bones. Their complexion is that of ashes with superations littering their flesh. Long limbs end in sharp, crooked claws. Yellow eyes are pushed back deep into their sockets and what lips it once had are tattered and bloody. A strange and eerie odor of decomposition seems to emit from each and every part of them.

No wendigo looks the same and yours too is a unique creature, shaped by the wilds it lives in, the hardships it has faced and the creatures it has encountered and consumed. A wendigo that lives in an extremely cold climate may have patches of matted, off-white fur covering its body while another could be covered in mud and moss, with mushrooms growing in the crevices between their ribs. Branches could grow out of their skull and down their spine like manes. Some wendigo possess facial features that no longer resemble those of a humanoid but instead of a creature of the forest; it is rumored that wendigo with heads like deer stalk the forests - their massive horns giving them an impressive silhouette.

Be creative - what area does your wendigo originate from? Do they live in the tall, cold pine forests or are they from a towering primordial forest, where starvation in winter is a concept that has long since been forgotten?

Wendigo Traits

A Hunter of the Night with the skills to match

Primal Hunter

Your claws 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.

Monster

Your type is both humanoid and monstrosity

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.

Dark Trickster

When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the blur spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the fear spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Keen Smell

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Beast of the Wild

You are proficient in the Stealth skill.