Homebrew Dryad Species Details

Dryads are typically neither evil, nor good. They do not harm without cause, and generally prefer to lure their foes away with their mystic, fey magic rather than confront them directly, but neither will they help someone in trouble if it's natural phenomenon harming them. They are the protectors of the natural world, and that world has a dark side. The wolf must eat, the storm must blow. The dryad, for all its grace and endless serenity, understands the savage truth of nature.

They are guardians of forests, and often work alongside satyr, druids and other forest folk. Good and neutral fey are often fond of dryads, with the mischievous pixies finding much in common with them. It is said among the fey folk that a ring of red toadstools marks the place where dryads and pixies come to dance and frolic beneath a full moon, and that any mortal who should stumble upon them will be granted a great boon.

A dryad is bound to a tree, but can roam the area surrounding it. Certain dryad are free to roam as far as their heart desires, but know in the depths of those hearts that the tree is their home, intrinsically linked. If a tree suffers, the dryad suffers. If the tree dies, the dryad goes mad. Only a difficult ritual conducted by a powerful fey, or archdruid, can save the wilting dryad and bind it to a new tree, healing it in the process.

Occasionally these dryads leave their forests, if only temporarily, and with heavy hearts. This is mostly to find some external threat to their woodland home, or else repay a debt to someone who once aided them.

Your dryad character has certain characteristics from their fey origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1. 

Age. A dryad's spirit is bound to a tree. They remain young and alluring as long as the tree is healthy. If the tree is ever killed or destroyed, a dryad can live on in a wilting, maddened state for roughly a year before dying. If a powerful fey or druid binds their spirit to a new tree, both their mind and their captivating beauty is restored.

Alignment. Dryads are most often neutral, with their main focus on tending to nature around them. Dryads working in union with other forest creatures in some form of alliance may tend toward lawfulness. Those deeply isolated in wild, untamed lands may be chaotic.

Size. Dryads are between 5 and a half and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Fey. Your creature type is fey, rather than humanoid.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Dryad Knowledge. You have proficiency in the Nature skill. You also learn the Druidcraft cantrip.

Forest Speech. You can communicate with beasts and plants as if you shared a language. 

Soul of the Forest. As a bonus action, you can use 15 feet of your movement to step magically into one living tree, that is at least your Size or larger, within 5 feet of you. You instantly know the location of all other trees of the same kind within 60 feet and, as part of the move used to enter the tree, can either pass into one of those trees or step out of the tree you're in. You appear in a spot of your choice within 5 feet of the destination tree, using another 5 feet of movement. If you have no movement left, you appear within 5 feet of the tree you entered. You can use this trait once, and regain it after a short or long rest.

Tree Protection. Your spirit is magically bound to a tree, imbuing you with several tree-like aspects, including their durability. 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.

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

Dryad Traits

Ability Score Increase, Fey, Dryad Knowledge, Forest Speech, Soul of the Forest, Tree Protection, Languages

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Fey

Your creature type is fey, rather than humanoid.

Dryad Knowledge

You have proficiency in the Nature skill. You also learn the Druidcraft cantrip.

Forest Speech

You can communicate with beasts and plants as if you shared a language. 

Soul of the Forest

As a bonus action, you can use 15 feet of your movement to step magically into one living tree, that is at least your Size or larger, within 5 feet of you. You instantly know the location of all other trees of the same kind within 60 feet and, as part of the move used to enter the tree, can either pass into one of those trees or step out of the tree you're in. You appear in a spot of your choice within 5 feet of the destination tree, using another 5 feet of movement. If you have no movement left, you appear within 5 feet of the tree you entered. You can use this trait once, and regain it after a short or long rest.

Tree Protection

Your spirit is magically bound to a tree, imbuing you with several tree-like aspects, including their durability. 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.

Languages

You can speak, read and write Common and Sylvan.