Homebrew Unicorn Species Details

 

"What am I doing with all this gear you ask?  Well, there's tell of a way to net a fair amount of coin a little ways out town you see.  I overheard a couple rangers talking about some unicorn tracks they spotted up in the forest and I know for a fact that these days a unicorn is worth more dead than alive.  So I thought you and me can head right over and see about taking it down first.  It shouldn't be to hard, they are just horses with an extra pointy bit on their head, right?"   -A deceased adventurer

With their peaceful aura of grace and animal form, unicorns often unintentionally hide their brutal fighting capabilities from those who are foolish enough to attack them.  The life and death struggle that follows is almost always pitifully short.

Unending Hunt

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Ever since their first encounter with the other sapient races unicorns have been hunted without mercy.  This centuries long slaughter has led to the near-extinction of the unicorns, leaving only a few scattered populations.  The reasons to kill a unicorn are varied, but almost all revolve around the magics that they wield throughout their bodies.  Those with ill intent fear them because of unicorns great hatred of evil.  Others want nothing more than the healing capabilities that a unicorns eternally young body possesses or the money they can get from selling it.  In an attempt to save themselves the unicorns have split up into number nomadic groups roaming the woodlands to avoid the other races.  Time will tell if this tactic will save them.

Elegant of Mind and Body

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Unicorns have an almost universal love nature's beauty, but almost always find even the most skilled artisans work to be lacking.  To suggest to a unicorn a crafted object can surpass that which resides in the natural world is an invitation to violence.  Understanding that fact makes it easier to comprehend why they generally consider make-up to be petty at best and blasphemous at worst.  A large part of their beliefs on beauty most likely stem from their immortality.  When one stays eternally young and beautiful it becomes hard to understand wanting to enhance your physical self.  If you are fortunate enough (or unfortunate enough, depending on the circumstances) to find yourself in the presence of multiple unicorns you undoubtedly have trouble telling individuals apart from looks alone as one unicorn's coat and mane are the same color as every other unicorn's.  They are of a large size ranging 4'6" to 5'4" at the shoulder and roughly 8' long.  Their 1,000 pound bodies are covered in pure white hairs with a flowing gold mane and tall.  The foot long horn is not their only distinguishing feature however: their hooves are also cloven like a goat's instead of solid like a horse's.

Nature's Wrath

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As far back the oldest unicorns can remember, their race has always strived for good.  It might be difficult to tell sometimes as a they generally have no qualms about violence.  They consider violence to be a natural part of the world so it therefore has its own beauty and value.  Add to that their belief that a flower's life is just as valuable as a man's and you have a recipe for destruction.  However, they will not attack without cause, so if you respect both them and the living things around you then you are likely to find yourself with a loyal and selfless companion.  It is not unheard of for a unicorn to grow bitter towards other races and turn evil in their depression.  This is very rare, a testament to the honor and nobility of unicorns everywhere.

 

 

 

Unicorn Traits

Your immortality and animal form is both a boon and a bane to your existence.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution is increased by +2 and your Wisdom is increased by +1

Age

Mature at 100 years and is not affected by age.

Alignment

Almost always aligned to good, but on rare occasions a unicorn will despair at their lot in life and turn to evil instead.

Size

Between 4'6" and 5'4" at the shoulder, roughly 8' long, and weighing 950-1,100 pounds.  Your size is large.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Unicorn's Horn

Fiercely stabbing forward, you attack your opponent with your horn: deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit.

Cloven Kick

Attack with a pair of brutal kicks from two of your hooves: deals 2d4 bludgeoning damage on a hit.

Unicorn's Grace

You are granted one use of the Healing Word spell, and you regain the ability to cast it after finishing a long rest.

Natural Conduit

You are magical in nature and do not require material components for your spellcasting.

Quadruped

You have four legs and no hands.  Because of this you are unable to wield weapons or equip armor.  All tasks that require hands you roll with disadvantage.  You are often mistaken for an animal.  Your hooves make swimming difficult (your swim speed is 5) and you take stealth checks with disadvantage (1d4).

You are able to keep up with mounts easily at any speed without growing tired.

Immortality

You are incapable of being poisoned, dying from old age, or acquiring a disease. Your immortal hide gives you a resistance to poison and protects you from attacks (Minimum base armor = 11 + Constitution modifier).

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Celestial, and one other language of your choice (usually the language of what ever town was nearest to where you were born).