Homebrew Faerie Species Details

Faeries are a magical people of otherworldly grace, nativley born to the Feywild. They live in places of nature, in the midst of ancient forests, tundras, rivers, or deserts. Faeries love nature and are often protectors or guardians of their homeland.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, Faeries appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females. Most Faeries have a beautiful set of wings that vary in size and appearance based on their terrain of birth.

Faeries coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes encompassing all the colors of the rainbow, sometimes all at once. Faeries have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing made from nature itself. Faeries prefer natural elements so much that they have an allergy to iron objects.

A Timeless Perspective

Faeries can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or protecting nature, Faeries can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. Most Faeries grow up alone, with only the plants and animals around them for company.

Like the branches of a young tree, Faeries are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in magic and trickery to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their chosen homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, Faeries reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with nature's wrath, be that magic or might.

Born of Mother Earth Herself

Faeries most often call the Feywild their home, and are usually solitary. Being born of Mother Earth herself, Faeries are attuned to their environment, often picking up traits from it. A Faerie born in the frozen tundra or a cascading river might look and act very differently from a forest Faerie or one who grew up in the caverns of the Underdark.

Although Faeries tend to stay in their homeland, they might find themselves in a terrain unfamiliar to them. If so, they can spend time adapting to it. Adapting to a terrain will allow them traits that will help them traverse better, but their wings will never change.

Protectors of Nature

Faeries often hear the whisper of Mother Earth to protect the elements of nature. A forest or river protected by a Faerie will often feel magical. A serene place amongst chaos, untouched by humans, a Faerie takes great pride in protecting their homeland. Most Faeries remain out of the sight of travelers, keeping a keen eye on them as they pass through. If the need arises, a Faerie will often first deploy tricks of nature to scare away unwanted or annoying guests. If they become dangerous, a Faerie will not hesitate to use their natural abilities against the trespassers, using deadly force if necessary. 

HAUGHTY BUT GRACIOUS

Although they can be vain, most Faeries can find the natural beauty in anything.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. Although I'll never know how they work with such mundane objects.”

Gnomes. “Gnomes are adorable little characters. A friend to nature is a friend to us.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could stop clearing our forests.”

Faerie Names

Fairy names: Twig, Root, Vine, Leaf, Dewdrop, Honey, Moon, Rose, Petal, Ember, Stone, Pebble, Gust, etc.

Faerie Traits

Your Faerie character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of Fey refinement.

Nature Armor

Faeries cannot wear armor made of metal. However, you have the ability to craft armor from natural elements around you, be that the bark of trees, petals from a flower, flowing water, morning dew, or freshly spun spider web. During a short rest, you can spend time gathering materials, you can create light armor out of natural elements, or modify the appearance of the one you have. Your AC equals 12 + your dexterity modifier when using this feature. You cannot benefit from this feature if you're wearing other armor.

You can use this ability once per long rest. If you know the cantrip druidcraft, you can spend 10 minutes using the spell to modify the appearance of your armor, but must use the trait to create a new set.

Natural Attunement

As a Faerie, you are naturally attuned to your homeland. However, if the need for travel arises, you can connect with your new environment, granting yourself natural abilities that will help traverse the environment better. Choose on of the terrains below, you are know attuned to it. During a short rest or while crafting your natural armor, you can attune to your current terrain.

Attuned Terrains

 Arctic

• You can withstand cold temperatures of -50 degrees celsius without gaining levels of exhaustion.
• You can attempt to hide in areas of snow or ice.
• You are immune to slipping on nonmagical ice surfaces and it is not considered difficult terrain for you.

Coast

• You can create underwater, and you gain a swimming speed equal to your flying speed.
• You can attempt to hide in areas of water.
• You do not have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks in heavy precipitation.

Desert

• You can withstand temperatures of over 150 degrees celsius with no penalties.
• You can attempt to hide in areas of sand or fire.

Forest

• You can pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.

• You can attempt to hide in Forests or areas with thick foliage.

Grassland

• Your flying speed increases to 30ft.

• Your walking speed increases to 35ft.

Mountain

• You have a climbing speed of 20ft.
• You can attempt to hide in areas of rock or stone.
• You can withstand areas of high altitude with no penalties of up to 20,000 feet.

Swamp

• You have resistance to poison damage and immunity to the poisoned condition.

• You can attempt to hide in swamp-like areas of mud, muddy water, or fungi.

Underdark

• You gain darkvision of up to 60ft. However, while in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

• You can attempt to hide in lightly obscured areas and are completely invisible in darkness while standing still.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Although Faeries reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the Faeries understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A Faerie typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Alignment

Faeries love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not.

Size

Faeries range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Wings

Faeries have beautiful wings that often compliment their born environment. A Forest Druid my have insect-like wings, while an Arctic Faerie may have wings formed of frozen ice crystals with the uniqueness of a snowflake. While Faeries can adapt to new environments, your wings will never change. You have a flying speed of 20ft.

Iron Allergy

You have an allergy to iron. You are vulnerable to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon made of iron. In addition, you cannot wear or wield items made of iron.

Fey

You are considered Fey instead of Humanoid.

Honesty

Faeries have a heard time lying. If you attempt to make a Charisma (Deception) check, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15). If you fail, the truth automatically blurts out and you fail your deception check. 

Languages

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

Speech of Beast and Leaf

You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.