Homebrew Dryad Species Details

Physical Description

Dryads are roughly 5 feet tall, and have orange, green, or yellowish-green skin, covered with leaves. They don't have hair, having leaves instead, and their eyes are a more grey-tinted version of their skin color. They are almost always female, however, male Dryads do exist.

History

Powerful fey will sometimes bind lesser fey spirits to trees, transforming them into dryads. This is sometimes done as a punishment when the fey spirit falls in love with a mortal and that love is forbidden. However, some dryads are able to escape from their bindings, allowing them to become adventurers, though they are not able to return to their original spirit form, if they can even remember their time as one.

Society

Dryads don't have a real society, instead living amongst groups who are near the trees, such as elves, and dislike those who would try to destroy nature, such as orcs.

Relationships

Dryads are on good relations with most races that are considered 'animal-like', such as Crovics, Lizardfolk, and Vincuin. They are on very good terms with plant-based races, such as the Eadina and Vinespawn. They have a fierce dislike, or even hatred, towards those who reject nature, such as the dead coming back to life (e.g. fontbones, will-o-the-wisp) or treat nature badly.

Dryad Personality

You can use the Dryad Quirks table to determine a personality quirk for a dryad character or to inspire how your character might act.

Dryad Quirks

d8	Quirks
1	I sometimes spy on people from the trees.
2	I despise those who hate nature, and will slap and lecture them at any moment.
3	I try to work the colors green and brown in all handiwork I do.
4	I sometimes speak with plants, for gossip, or for advice.
5	I like to lead people into the forest, and pull pranks on them.
6	I have an uncanny knack for knowing precisely how corrupt the world is.
7	I can't stand to see dead plant life of any kind.
8	If you do something embarrassing or funny, I'll be there to laugh, no matter what.

Dryad Names

Dryads typically take on names from either the Sylvan or Elven languages, or perhaps mashing up a name from both languages.

Dryad Traits

Eternal protectors of nature, Dryads make excellent spellcasters, druids and rogues, due to their natural abilities.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom scores increase by 1

Age

Dryads are as long living as trees, and as such, treat ages like they do. They mature at 35 years old, and can live for hundreds of years.

Alignment

Dryads tend to stay on the side of nature, and are not large fans of the law, as they consider it too manmade. They are typically Neutral, and usually not Lawful.

Size

Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 ft

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.

Tree Stride

Once per long rest, you can use 10 feet of movement to step magically into one living tree within your reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unnocupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be large or bigger. At 10th level, you can use this feature twice per long rest. At 20th level, you can use this feature thrice per long rest.

Innate Spellcasting

You may cast Druidcraft at will. At level 3, once per long rest you can cast the Barkskin and Beastbond spells.  At level 5, once per long rest you can cast the Talk with Plants and Entangle spells. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Photosynthesis

As long as the sun is up, you only need to lightly rest 4 hours to regain your energy. However, at night you sleep/rest 8 hours to regain your energy.

Fey Ancestry

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

Languages

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