Homebrew Gaxx Species Details

 From the moment we existed we always knew we belonged in the Feywild. Though we don't remember if any creatures were there before or after we came to settle. Our lives are that of nature, no better than the faun, the squirrel, the bat, the goat, the horse of the woodlands and plains. We flourish within the grass and waters, creating civilizations that exemplify our balance between what humans would call "civilization" and "fauna". We, however, call this "life".

—Indie, a Gaxx wizard

 

Gaxxes can shift their forms with a thought, but at the cost of how much power and magic it often exerts on their tiny bodies and minds. Many gaxxes use their shifting abilities to express themselves far more than their more anthropomorphized forms, yet often still retain a few animalistic traits in their most notable and most favorite humanoid forms. It is due to these famous forms that many outside of the Feywild speculate if gaxxes were the magical predecessors to modern Shifters -- meaning Shifters used to be magical themselves..

Happy Lurkers

Seldom ever has a gaxx been seen in the Five Nations not in disguise. What would humans or those like them even think of them? Often they are called mere "Shifters" if they are changed, and monsters if they are their normal selves. What is one to do when one is condemned on either end of the spectrum of expression?

Thus, gaxxes normally stay within the Feywild, if they are courageous enough to venture out always having a cloak and/or a hat to ensure they can cover what parts those of the Five Nations may not understand. Yet outside of their vigilance the gaxxes are known to be very happy, very grounded folk who connect deep with nature and its inhabitants.

In creating a gaxx adventurer, consider the character’s relationships with people around them. Would they be like their ancestors and live in fear of prejudice? Do they have connections to other gaxxes or are they alone and in search of companions?

Chimeras or Miracles

In their true form, gaxxes are often a "chimera" -- an anthropomorphic entity with horns, wings, paws, large ears, and a large tail that all exemplify varying types of animals of the Five Nations. They stand on two legs as more often than not their legs are straight like humans -- though some are more animal-like with standing on their toes. The color of their natural fur varies and may often compliment their eye color to evoke a specific emotion or sense of status. In their natural forms gaxxes are sexless, meaning they rely on their shifting to ensure extension of their race.

Gaxx Names

 A gaxx's name will often be one or two syllables, with some attribute to nature or magic. Often names, words, and phrases that are homophones of one another (ex. "Don" and "Dawn") become unisex with the different spellings used interchangeably. Given the influence from interactions with Elves and Fairies, some of their names have slipped into gaxx orthography.

 Changeling Names: Don/Dawn, Tulu, Kumo, Indigo (or Indie), Sage, Willow, Leaf/Leif, Cypress

Gaxx Traits

Your gaxx character has the following traits.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Fey Formshifter

You have a pool of shifter points, as many as your level minus 4, no less than 1. You may expend one of these points to shift into either small or large, or two to shift to tiny or gargantuan, these shifts come with the following changes to your ability scores:

Tiny: -2 to strength +2 to dexterity

Small: -1 to strength +1 to dexterity

Medium: No stat changes

Large: +1 to strength -1 to dexterity

Gargantuan: +2 to strength -2 to dexterity

You may stay shifted in small or large for one hour, but you may only keep the sizes of tiny and gargantuan for 1d4 rounds before taking points of exhaustion every round.

You regain all charges after a long rest.

Age

Gaxxes mature slightly slower than humans but often live far less as well, averaging 60 to 75 years. The changes of age often show in graying of fur and/or hair, and in their Lines effect them similarly to humans

Size

Your base size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier:

Size modifier = 2d4

Height = 5 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

Weight in pounds = 115 + (2d4 × your size modifier)

Your base size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier (Do note that the change in side will change your score modifier temporarily):

Tiny: 2 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

Small: 3 feet + 6 inch + your size modifier in inches

Medium: 5 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

Large: 9 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

 Huge: 12 feet + 6 inch + your size modifier in inches

Gargantuan: 15 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

 

 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

When you change form, your walking speed changes in the following ways:

Tiny: 10 feet

Small: 25 feet

Medium: 30 feet

Large: 35 feet

Huge: 40 feet

Gargantuan: 50 feet

Fey Ties

You gain proficiency in Arcana, as well as the choice of one of the following: Nature, Perception, and Animal Handling.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.