Homebrew Giff Species Details

Giff

High above the celestial bodies of realmspace—further than any airship can float, beyond the breathable atmosphere, in a void only space-farers may travel—reside the peculiar giff. Known to other star chasers as hardy mercenaries, giff make for most curious crew mates.

Giff live by strict codes of conduct and adhere to an iron-clad chain of command. Far from feeling restricted, giff take great pleasure in following orders. These bipedal hippopotami are known to always keep their promises, considering their word to be their honour. An obsessive folk, giff meticulously polish their armor and weapons, hoard great arsenals of weaponry and take excessive delight in the heat of explosions. Many giff distrust the use of magic, fearing its unfathomable power, and thus often need others to power their spelljamming helms for them.

Giff Names

All giff have lengthy pompous names and a rank: the names are assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, and a rank is assigned by their superior officer. Many giff chose to go by their rank rather than their actual names.

Giff Names: Agamour, Astley, Byron. Clifford, Dormer, Earnshaw, Erdamon, Frankland, Lockwood, Lumley, Luralk, Saerlg, Tomagan, Tomojak  

Ranks: Brigadier, Colonel, Corporal, Field-Marshal, General, Lieutenant, Private, Sergeant, Sergeant-Major, Staff-Sergeant, Warrant-Officer 

Giff Traits

As a Giff, you have been trained in the ways of your Platoon. Big and strong, Giff are also masters of smoke powder weaponry. Thus, playing a Giff requires special consideration from your DM.

Languages

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

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Giff have life spans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live around seventy years.

Size

Giff stand between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 340 and 380 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Alignment

Most Giff are lawful and strictly follow the commands of their superior officers. Though some Giff become transfixed by their obsessions and will act sporadically if the chance to satiate their addictions arise.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Natural Armor

Your skin has a hard chitinous quality. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Constitution 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.

Headfirst Charge

You can try to knock a creature over using your great weight. If you move at least 20 feet in a straight line that ends within 5 feet of a large or smaller creature and you then hit that creature with a melee attack, that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for the saving throw is equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier bonus + your Strength modifier.

Firearms Knowledge

Your mastery of smoke powder weaponry enables you to ignore the loading property of muskets and pistols.