Homebrew Gnoll Species Details

"Gnolls are driven by bloodlust. What sways them from their savagery are signs. They see signs from Yeenoghu everywhere, even in blood splatter. A gnoll acting oddly is probably following its interpretation of a sign."

— Elminster Aumar, The Sage of Shadowdale

More so than many other humanoid races, primal instinct was a strong part of the gnoll psyche. Gnolls were natural predators and savored the thrills of the hunt. Almost all gnolls preferred the wilderness to the civilized enclaves favored by humans, dwarves, or other similar races and those that do take to cities have usually thought of them as just another kind of landscape.

Savage Souls

Many other races have found the gnoll psyche feral and aggressive, male and female equally, and the behavioral tendencies of the race have certainly given this impression. Gnolls started fighting among one another at a very early age and as soon as they can walk, many crawled into places away from the eyes of adults where they engage in vicious, often lethal battles.  A gnoll has been more likely to demand answers than it is to actually ask a question. Gnolls, however, did not see this as an act of hostility, but rather a basic demonstration of strength.

Though gnolls were not necessarily evil, the craving of the hunt and primal bloodlust that inhabited the gnoll's mind have made many of the race lean towards a chaotic evil alignment by reflex. Gnolls that succumbed to this tendency often became nomadic savages, wreaking havoc wherever they can, giving them their fearsome reputation as slaving brigands throughout the world. Fortunately, such creatures have rarely been united and although gnolls as a whole have had a strong affinity for family and blood ties, this friendliness has not often extended to those who belonged to a different pack and the race has commonly made war on itself. Some gnolls could suffer from a rare form of madness that could quell their intense hunger and evil instincts, causing guilt for their misdeeds and a pacifistic nature.

Warlike Ways

Other gnoll practices might've seemed equally strange, such as the gnoll propensity for scavenging. At its most basic level, this tendency has lead many gnolls to collect trophies that remind them of past victories, items sometimes grisly though just as often simple and mundane,Gnoll trackers have used this to their benefit, keeping scraps of clothing or other objects with the scent of their prey on them, which they have used to point them in the direction of their quarry.

This tendency has lead to the even more alien gnoll practice of carrion-eating. Unlike most races, gnolls have had few, if any, qualms about eating the dead of other races. When gnolls strike a village they do not only leave no survivors but no corpses, eating most of those whom they don't take as slaves. There are even indications that some gnolls have taken this practice a step further, actually raiding graveyards for fresh corpses on which to feed,

Gnoll Traits

Your gnoll character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

Gnolls typically mature around 9 or 10 years old, reaching around 50 to 60 years of age. However, abyssal gnolls are said to live for centuries.

Alignment

Despite misconceptions, many gnolls are loyal towards their circles. However, they could care less about the views and laws of other societies. As such, they tend toward neutral alignments. However, Abyssal Gnolls tend toward chaotic evil.

Size

Gnolls are usually well over 6 feet tall and weigh between 230 and 280 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 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.

Bite

Your powerful jaws can snap through bones and bring foes to ruin. You are considered proficient with this attack and base damage is 1d4 piercing damage, using Strength as your modifier. This base damage increases to 1d6 at 6th level, 1d8 at 12th level, and 1d10 at 18th level. You may also use this attack as an "off-hand" attack as a bonus action.

Carrion Eater

Your exposure to sickly flesh and gross meats has fortified your body against plagues and filth. You have advantage on saves against diseases and poisons.

Savage Attacker

When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on your turn, you can take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack against another target. After doing so, this ability cannot be used again until taking a short rest.

Survivalist

You are trained in the Survival skill.

Languages

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