Homebrew Thri-Kreen Species Details

Physical Description

Thri-kreen resemble bipedal praying mantises. Their bodies are coated in exoskeletons with various earthy hues, including rust red, sandy yellow, and mottled green-brown. Unlike most humanoids, thri-kreen possess six limbs, walking on two legs and possessing four arms, each ending in four prehensile, claw-like fingers. The lower two arms are smaller and less-powerful than the upper two. Their heads possess compound eyes, generally in somewhat-brighter colors like green or blue, antennae, and mandibles. Because of the alien shape of their jaws, they have difficulty speaking and pronouncing Common and most other humanoid languages besides their own. They wear little clothing beyond simple harnesses for carrying weapons and equipment.

Their lower bodies are very powerful, and because of their exoskeleton they are proportionally much lighter than most humanoids of their size. Combined, these traits give them exceptional reflexes, speed, and jumping power.

Society

Thri-kreen view themselves as hunters and judge other folk on the simple relationship of predator to prey. They respect barbarians, rangers, and others who live off the land and treat it with care. On the other hand, savage and evil races such as gnolls and orcs despoil the lands that should be hunted with respect, and thus they earn the thri-kreen’s enmity. The mantis warriors generally regard city folk and farmers of other races as not-hunters, and therefore worth neither their attention nor their enmity.

Their culture has no taboos regarding either cannibalism or the consumption of the flesh of other sapient creatures, particularly elves. Although they do not hunt for sport and will generally be no more likely to commit murder than any other sapient mortal, this, combined with their difficulties in communicating with most humanoids, has still resulted in an extremely sinister reputation.

Although thri-kreen experience all emotions that non-thri-kreen do, they are generally of a very cool-headed temperament and are not as likely to act rashly because of them as most sapients. Those who have manifested psionic abilities are generally the exception to this rule. They tend to move and act in "clutches" of approximately six individuals, in a combination of a team and family. Lone thri-kreen or those integrated into the broader community of other races still obey this instinct to form a "clutch."

Thri-Kreen Traits

Traits

Darkvision

Your insectoid senses give you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light 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.

Languages

Thri-Kreen communicates with each other with a series of clicking noises. They can not normally communicate verbally with other races unless they work out a system or use magical means.

Chameleon Carapace

The thri-kreen can change the color of its carapace to match the color and texture of its surroundings. As a result, it has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.

Sleepless

You do not sleep. Once per day, you may gain the benefits of a long rest after taking a short rest, and magic cannot put you to sleep.

Unusual Body Shape

You can only wear armor or clothing specially designed for thri‐kreen; such equipment costs double its normal price and takes much longer to make.

Telepathy

You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet of you that can understand a language that you know.

Multiple Arms

You have four arms and can hold items in each of your arms. In combat, you only can hold simple weapons in these hands because they are much weaker than your mane arms.

Armored Carapace

While not wearing armor, your naturally tough carapace grants an AC of 12+ your Dex modifier

Poisonous Bite

As an action, you may try and bite an adjacent foe (5-foot reach) with your powerful
mandibles. To attack with your bite, you make an attack roll, adding your proficiency bonus and either your
Strength or Dexterity modifier. Your bite deals 1d6 + Strength or Dexterity modifier piercing damage. If you hit
and deal damage, the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. If
the creature is poisoned, it must repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, it ends the
effect early. Class features that normally boost a weapon attack (such as a sneak attack) cannot be applied to
this racial ability.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and you may choose to increase either your Strength or Wisdom score by 1.