Homebrew Primal Beast Species Details

"Yeah, we've met all kinds, but this is the first time we've heard of primal siblings. Even Morphe and Phoebe weren't really related."
"Yes, well, primal beast siblings are a bit different than what you're imagining. But your mistaken beliefs are somewhat understandable. After all, the common knowledge that mortals apply to primal beasts is usually wrong."
"It's true that beings like the gorgon sisters — Medusa being the youngest of the trio — are exceedingly rare. But concepts like family, siblings, appearance, sex — ideas that mortals are so keen to define — are often contradictory when it comes to the myriad types of primal beasts."

— Granblue Fantasy, Primal Resonance

Made by the Astrals back when they ruled the Sky Realm, from divine caretakers made to govern the very elements of nature to weapons created specifically to wage war upon the skydweller uprising, Primal Beasts left their mark on history and continue to shape and influence nearly every corner of the skies to this day. Many exist as deified entities that rule every aspect of the island they are pact-bonded to, or legendary creatures whose existences have faded into myth. But occasionally there are those who dream to still travel the skies. Be they angels surveying the balance of the world, avatars serving as the eyes of their dreaming, island-bound bodies, or a wandering soul without a place to call home, Primal Beasts of all shapes and sizes wander the sky realm - some completely undetected as they mingle among other people.

Beasts of the Stars

Many millennia ago, the Astrals, immortal beings of unfathomable power and knowledge, came to the Sky Realm from the Astral Realm. As they went about bringing the various islands in the sky under their control, they created the Primal Beasts, beings of god-like power, to do their bidding. Their functions and abilities were as countless as the stars, from powerful archangels created to govern the fundamental elements of the world to beasts of truth that enforced oaths and promises. These entities became synonymous with the Astrals' rule over the Sky Realm, heralding their conquest and enforcing their will. But they were no more rulers than the ones they helped rule. Primal Beasts were seen as nothing more than tools by their Astral masters, used, experimented on and disposed of as necessary, regardless of their intellect, be they beast or near intellectual equals of the ones who created them.

In time, nearly all of the sky came to fall under Astral rule, with only a few small areas and pockets of resistance remaining. But then, five hundred years ago, an uprising occurred. Both Primal Beasts and skydwellers sought to throw off the yokes of their masters and through coordination or coincidence both rose up in rebellion. Thus began the Great Sky War, often referred to simply as the War. At this time, Primal Beasts were manufactured at an even greater rate, this time for the purpose of war. Beasts to gather information, control those they conquer, or just outright use their power to destroy enemy forces, their forms were only limited by the Astrals' boundless imagination. Yet somehow, in the end, it was the Sky Dwellers who won. The Astrals were forced to retreat from the Sky Realm behind, leaving behind only the legacy of their civilization - and the Primal Beasts they'd made to govern it.

Flights of Angels

Amidst the many Primal Beasts who ranged from literal beasts to incomprehensible abstractions of reality, Primal Beasts made in their master's image with heavenly wings were created, angels made to rule the very balance of the Sky Realm itself. Created by the Astral Researcher Lucilius, the first of their line was Lucifer, the Supreme Primarch who was to oversee the course of evolution itself. Second was Belial, Lucilius's aide, and following were the Primarchs who governed the tetraelements, Michael of Fire, Gabriel of Water, Uriel of Earth and Raphael of Wind. Many angels followed after, from Angels of Instruction made to pass information to powerful Archangels made to fight against their enemies in the sky and from other realms entirely. And eventually a split was created - the Angels under Lucifer, who oversaw creation and the Fallen Angels, overseen by Lucilius and Belial in their research into other possibilities. And from this schism was born a conflict that ultimately culminated in a rebellion, two thousand years ago - one that saw Lucilius killed by his own creation, the divine Lucifer, and many more Primal Beasts, Fallen Angels and their compatriots, imprisoned in the tower of Pandemonium. In leave of his creator, and even after the war when all Astrals left the Sky Realm, Lucifer continued to oversee evolution and the providence of the Sky Realm itself as a distant, celestial observer.

After thousands of years and a series of Cataclysms that nearly broke the sky itself, Lucifer's role as protector of the skies has passed on to his successor, Sandalphon, and the remaining Primarchs and Angels have given up their roles in governing creation, leaving the laws of nature to their natural course. Though they no longer hold their powers over creation, they still wield many abilities mortals can only dream of, not the least of which is the ability to fly between islands at will. Now they seek new lives and purpose, across the greater sky, while keeping an eye out to its protection.

Guardians of the Isles

After the war, abandoned by their masters, most Primal Beast simply continued to carry out their original functions. Be it governance of nature, protection of key locations, or hunting down their perceived enemies, they continued for hundreds of years pursuing the only purposes they knew. Some became legendary disasters, others came to be worshiped as gods. Some grew to love humanity, while others came to hate it. Yet others remained completely aloof, separate entirely from the affairs of mortals.

Most Primal Beasts are bound to their islands by the pacts they made. These pacts are both throne and fetter, binding the Primal Beast to an island while also giving them powerful control over it. Not surprisingly, many of these come to be regarded as guardian deities, be they benevolent or tyrannical, their origins as weapons of the Astrals long forgotten as they passed into legend. What form protection can take varies from beast to beast, be they an unseen force that the people give their thanks to, a very real and present force under whom they worship, or an unseen observer who walks among them in the guise of a skydweller.

Unbound - Roleplaying a Primal Beast

Not all Primal Beasts are bound to their location - perhaps they haven't formed a pact with an island or they have found a way to project part of themselves so they can travel the world even as their main body remains bound to their duty. The reasons for their freedom and the reasons that they travel are as numerous as the stars, with each Primal Beast driven by its original directives as well as hundreds of years of experience. Roleplaying a Primal Beast is completely different from any of the mortal races presented in this collection, and will require a lot of thought and decision on both the player and dungeon master's part. What's presented below in both this section and the racial traits is merely a list of possibilities - extremely diverse by design to help spawn unique creations. It's up to you to create a cohesive concept out of them. Maybe you know Shocking Grasp, have Lightning Resistance and the ability to fly because you're a Primal Beast of magnetism. Or maybe you know Vicious Mockery, have expertise in Deception and can impose disadvantage on enemy saving throws because your original purpose was to sow discord among the troops of the rebelling skydwellers - but now you dream of being an entertainer, training as a bard! Choose a concept and search for ways to fill it out, rather than trying to pick abilities first.

Primal Beasts generally are far more powerful than any mere mortal, even without a pact. You'll have to consider a reason this isn't so for your character if you're starting at Level 1. Maybe you've been severely weakened after centuries of neglect without a pact to support you. Maybe you're actually just the fragment of something greater. Or maybe you actually are extremely powerful, but your character sheet just shows the small portion of your abilities you deem the mortals you travel with worthy of seeing. Leveling up could be regaining your lost abilities, gathering parts of your original self or slowly revealing your true form. Consider also the reason you have a class - is this just a codification of your natural abilities, or are you actually training this discipline as a mortal would and unlocking class features that way? Or maybe you're learning a mortal discipline but your primal nature is what leads to your legendary feats.

Appearance
Primal Beasts can come in literally any shape and size, but for the purposes of traveling amongst mortal adventurers, one that approximates an appearance plausible for a mortal skydweller is most convenient. You can choose to have the appearance of any race, and you do not have to obey their normal coloration. You can also mix and match features, like pointed ears, horns or scaly skin. Note though that this is considered your default appearance and cannot be changed at will unless you specifically have the ability to do so. The more outlandish your appearance, the more attention you will attract and could affect your adventure.

Origins
Most Primal Beasts are pact-bound to their island, which severely limits their ability to explore the wider sky. Why is your character different? You can make your own reason or consult the table below for possible explanations

d8	Origin
1	You don't have a pact and wander the skies without attachment to any one land.
2	You are the projection of a pact-bound primal beast, either a satellite consciousness or a personal  avatar as your main body slumbers.
3	You are an angel, free to travel the skies.
4	You are bound to a person or object that can travel the world instead of an island.
5	You are a fragment of a Primal Beast, a missing piece of a greater whole.
6	You were a mobile weapon and now lack a base to call home.
7	You are actually a mortal who has been imbued with the powers of a Primal Beast, or a Primal Beast possessing a mortal.
8	You had a pact but it was severed and you have been unable to restore it or return home.

Purpose
Why do you travel the skies among mortals? Even if not pact bound, most Primal Beasts have no reason to consort with mortals, much less travel among them and imitate their lifestyles. Or why do you travel the skies at all? Maybe traveling with mortals is more a product of circumstance than choice. The table below has some suggestions for reasons either.

Quirks
Life as a Primal Beast is very different than the lives that mortal skydwellers experience. Hundreds of years older, usually raised without family, given only an outsider's view of culture and concepts within, it would be more surprising if you didn't act a bit differently than your average citizen. Consider the following ways your character might interact strangely with mortals, or come up with your own.

d10	Quirk
1	You don't know any unspoken rules or other "common" sense.
2	You must make sure that everyone at all times remembers you are a Primal Beast, a superior being and different from mere mortals.
3	You have trouble remembering mortals tend to measure things in hours, days and weeks - not years or decades.
4	You don't understand things like gender, class or race and don't see what the fuss is about them.
5	You do the physically impossible when distracted, like floating a few inches off the ground or accidentally generating elemental effects.
6	You occasionally (or frequently) remember that your mortal companions, even at best, will live much shorter lives than you.
7	You use your own inhuman strength/intellect/memory/etc as a measuring stick that others inevitably fail to live up to.
8	You have spent decades or even centuries on your latest hobby and will tell anyone about it who wants to listen - or doesn't.
9	You sometimes forget the War is over and can't help seeing all skydwellers as potential enemies.
10	You have very poor judgment as to what qualifies as an appropriate pet - a tree, a monster, a lost child?

Primal Beast Names

Primal Beasts are usually named by their creators and know that name innately. They also may have picked their own name, or have been given a name by the mortals around them through legend. They may also be traveling under a pseudonym. As a result, Primal Beast names can be of any culture or meaning, but often connect to mythological origin.

Primal Beast Names: Olivia, Macula Marius, Anat, Grani, Nephthys, Baal, Ifrit, Siren, Tiamat, Athena, Mithra, Marduk, Fenrir, Branwen, Satyr, Garuda, Veselago, Agni, Ikelos, Sethlans, Ca Ong, Shiva

Fundamentally Game-Warping

Primal Beasts are the equivalent of gods and demons, and obviously have a large potential to warp a campaign even in a weakened state, either through their actual or implied abilities and significance. Always discuss with your Dungeon Master before creating a Primal Beast character; a Dungeon Master may feel it's not appropriate for such a godlike being with arcane powers and knowledge beyond mortal comprehension to be part of the adventuring party. Even if they do, it is likely to have significant ramifications on the plot and feel of the campaign. A party entirely of ordinary people is very different from one with a resident Primal Beast who remembers the Great Sky War, much less one with multiple Primal Beasts. Also, because the following traits are so wildly open ended, certain combinations of abilities may be inherently unfair. Even after checking if making a Primal Beast character is okay with your DM, it's a good idea to let them check your character sheet once you finish choosing traits.

Primal Beast Traits

Primal Beasts come in a wide array of apperances and abilities. Below are some possibilities.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and another Ability score of your choice increases by 1 or your Wisdom score increases by 1 and another Ability score of your choice increases by 2.

Age

Primal Beasts can live for thousands of year, with no known natural lifespan. Those first made by the Astrals when they came to the Sky Realm will be over 2000 years old. Those made for the War will be closer to 500 years old. Many were created between those times. It would be rare and unusual circumstances for a Primal Beast to be more recent though. Physical appearance and mental maturity have little relationship to their age though.

Alignment

Primal Beasts have as many directives as they have appearances, and most develop their own personalities over the long centuries. They do not adhere to any particular alignment.

Size

It's most convenient to travel in a humanoid size. Your size is your choice of Medium or Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cantrip

You are able to freely manifest a small portion of your inherent power. You know one cantrip of your choice. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.

Minor Trait

Choose one of the following minor traits:

Expertise
You are proficient in the skill or tool of your choice. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency or tool.

Elemental Resistance
You have resistance to your choice of acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage.

Poison Resistance
You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Natural Armor
Your body is tougher than normal. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Increased Vitality
Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Persistent
When you make death saving throws, you become stable after 1 success. If you aren't healed, you regain 1 hit point after 1 hour.

Superior Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 120 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.

Serenity
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Water Borne
You can breathe air and water. You have a swimming speed of 30ft.

Landwalk
Choose a natural environment (mountain, forest, swamp, desert, etc). You can move across difficult terrain in that environment without expending extra movement and have advantage on ability checks to navigate, track or forage in it.

Natural Weapon
Be it a horn, claws or some other body part, even one that can be hidden at will, some part of you is a natural melee weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Malleable Form
After a long rest, you can change your appearance and your voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight, but not so much that your size changes. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can’t duplicate the appearance of a creature you’ve never seen, and you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren’t changed by this trait.

Nimble
You can disengage as a bonus action. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

Ancient Mind
You have advantage on all Wisdom saving throws.

Sleepless
You have immunity to spells and other magical effects that put you to sleep. You do not need to sleep during a long rest and may instead perform light activities.

Primal Resonance
You can sense other Primal Beasts. You are aware of any Primal Beast using their abilities within eyesight of you, or their influence even if the Primal Beast itself is not present. If you concentrate for 1 minute, you can detect active Primal Beasts who are not hiding their presence in a 1 mile radius of you, including their number, general direction, and general distance (near, far, very far).

Major Trait

Choose one of the following major traits:

Flight
Through wings or levitation, you have a flying speed of 30ft. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.

Natural Magic
You can easily manifest one aspect of your powers. Choose a 1st level spell. You can cast it once using this feature. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast it as a 2nd level spell. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Spell Armor
Whenever you cast a spell, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice the spell's level.

Distant Boon
When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can make the range of the spell 30 feet as long as all targets are friendly toward you and willing. You can make the range 60 feet as long as all targets have also known you for at least a full day. After you do, you can speak telepathically with the targets for the next 1 minute as long as they stay in that range.

Elemental Strike
Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder. You may use your bonus action to add 1d4 damage of the chosen type to the first attack you make this turn.

Weapon Archetype
You have proficiency in the weapon of your choice. When you finish a long rest, you can create a +1 weapon of the chosen type out of nothing. It disappears if it is broken, is no longer within 120ft of you, or you make a new one. As a bonus action, you can summon your archetype weapon to your hand.

Power Burst
When you roll damage for an attack or spell, you can instead use the maximum value for each die. You suffer one level of exhaustion and cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Super Speed
Your speed increases by 10ft. You can use the dash action as a bonus action. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Elemental Armor
Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder. Whenever a hostile creature touches you or attacks you and is within 5 feet, you may use your reaction to deal 1d4 damage of the chosen type to it.

Unyielding
When you are subjected to an effect that would move you, knock you prone or both, you can use your reaction to be neither moved nor knocked prone. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Strength modifier and regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Healing Touch
As an action, you may touch another creature and spend one or more Hit Dice to heal them. For each Hit Die spent in this way, roll the die and adds you Wisdom modifier to it. The creature regains hit points equal to the total (minimum of 0). You can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll.

Rapid Recovery
When you level up, you gain an additional 1d4 Hit Dice.

Tireless
When you complete a short rest, you can recover one level of exhaustion, one spell slot or one use of a feature that requires a long rest to recover. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of once) and regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Sow Discord
If you speak to a creature you are not currently in combat with for at least 1 minute, you can impose disadvantage on its next saving throw. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once) and can do this multiple times to impose disadvantage on that many of their next saving throws. You regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Familiars
You can cast the Find Familiar spell without using material components, but only to summon one chosen form. The form can be anything you want but uses the stats of a tiny or small non-humanoid creature with a challenge rating of 1/8 or less. You can have multiple familiars, up to a number equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one). You can cast the spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Practical Wisdom
When you make an ability check or saving throw, you can use your Wisdom score instead of the associated ability score. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once) and regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Prophetic Dreams
Your dreams reveal visions of the future. When you finish a long rest, roll 1d20 and add your Wisdom modifier. On an 16 or higher, the DM reveals to you useful information relating to your current goal. You can gain advantage when acting on this information a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once) until you finish a long rest. On a 10 to 15, the DM reveals to you information about the future that may or may not relate to your current goal. You can gain advantage when acting on this information once until you finish a long rest. On a 1 to 9, you see something terrible, concrete or abstract. The DM can give advantage or disadvantage to any roll related to the vision a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once) until you finish a long rest. (Consult with your DM before selecting this ability. If more than one character has this ability, they see the same vision, using their combined Wisdom modifier divided by 2, rounded down, on the same roll.)

Infinite Possibilities
The powers of Primal Beasts are countless. You can perform one action, bonus action or reaction from a racial trait of another other race or a level 1 or 2 class feature. You can perform it once with this trait and regain the ability to do so after a long rest. (Consult with your DM after choosing an action.)

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and ancient Astral (Primordial in campaigns outside of Granblue Fantasy)