Homebrew Awakened Canine Species Details

He's a good boy, a very good boy!

— Volo

 

Awakened canines could be the long time friend of a Druid, a Ranger companion who's master is long gone, or occasionally the hapless victim of wild magic.  This race applies to any medium canine, be it wolf, mastiff, herd dog, or otherwise.

On the Edge of Society

Awakened animals are regarded as something less than other sentient races by most humanoids, but Canines in particular have found some level of acceptance in certain circles.  

Canines tend toward either trying to ingratiate themselves to society, or eschewing the company of humanoids altogether.  Those that try to curry favor have a hard road ahead, and will find many doors closed to them that would otherwise be open for an adventurer.

A Good Boy

 Dogs have long been the protectors of humanoids, and the instinct to serve leads them toward a life of adventure.  In this way, Canines are able to help without having to be around those who would be unnerved by their presence.

 A Good, Good Boy

Canines tend toward warrior and priestly types, as well as primal/natural paths.  Their desire to help, coupled by their natural abilities make them good at many adventuring classes.

Canine Names

Most Canines have 2 names, one given by their original master (if they had one), and one chosen by themselves as their consciousness has expanded since Awakening

 Canine original Names: Spot, Rover, Max, Buddy, Duke, Bear

Chosen names: Choose one from a humanoid society that the canine adopted, or create your own

Canine Personality

A Canine might have motivations and quirks much different from a dwarf, an elf, or a human. You can use the following tables instead of the trait and flaw from your background. (taken from UA ranger beastmaster)

Canine traits

d6	trait
1	I’m dauntless in the face of adversity.
2	Threaten my friends, threaten me.
3	I stay on alert so others can rest.
4	People see an animal and underestimate me. I use that to my advantage.
5	I have a knack for showing up in the nick of time.
6	I put my friends’ needs before my own in all things.

 

Canine Flaws

d6	Flaw
1	If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it.
2	I growl at strangers, and all people except my pack are strangers to me.
3	Any time is a good time for a belly rub.
4	I’m deathly afraid of water.
5	My idea of hello is a flurry of licks to the face.
6	I jump on creatures to tell them how much I love them.

Awakened Canine Traits

Your Awakened Canine character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Awakened Canines have very short lifespans, but longer than their non-awakened counterparts.  They mature at 2 years old and can live to be 30.

Alignment

Awakened Canines tend toward Good alignments, as they want to serve and protect. They are rarely Chaotic, with most of them driven by a desire to fit in with society.

Size

Awakened Canines are low to the ground, but have large bodies. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet.  Four paws make for quick movement.

All Paws

As you have no hands, you can not effectively wield anything that requires hands to wield.  Exception: You can still use your paws for somatic components of spells, and can potentially still use a spell focus or material components if you have ready access to them (on the ground nearby and not kept within a component pouch).

Keen Hearing and Smell.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Dog’s Bite

Your bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make melee weapon attacks. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 2d4 + your Strength modifier.   If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC (8+ your proficiency bonus + your strength modifier) Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 

Dog’s Awareness

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Languages

You can speak and read one language of your choice.  You can also write in this language, but no amount of training can make this writing entirely legible.