Homebrew Nephilim Species Details

Nephilim is a term for a hybrid conceived from a celestial and a devil. These offspring inherit traits from both parents, making their power both greater and lesser than the progenitors. Nephilim are considered unholy beings due to their twisted union and abominations of the multiverse. A mother pregnant with a Nephilim sets consecrated ground they walk on alight and sears the ground of desecrated sites.

Whether the mother is celestial or devil, carrying a Nephilim will always be fatal to them. Conceiving such a being is strictly forbidden by the laws of upper planes and the nine hells, the punishment is death for the celestial or devil parent and the child. The moment of conception is felt by all celestials and devils as a surge of energy, causing otherwise unknown feelings of spitting pain and nausea throughout their being.

A group of up to ten angels or devils lead by an archangel or archdevil will be tasked to smite the Nephilim.

A Nephilim, when procreating, will never produce another Nephilim. Instead, they produce a normal if not an ideal version of the species it mated with.

Physical Description

Nephilim take on the physical characteristics of their parents - appearing as beautiful humanoids with fine features. Their complexity is often a few shades paler than that of their parent’s, their skin unblemished by birthmarks or imperfections. Fine faces are adorned by eyes that resemble pools of liquid gold ichor.

They are slightly taller than humans, standing at around 6 feet tall on average. They are, however, far more muscular than humans, weighing in at around 140 to 180 pounds. Males and females reach the same height, with males being only marginally heavier than females. They lack any and all bodily hair, taking after the perfectly sculpted bodies of the celestial they were born from.

Outnumbered and Alone

Due to the celestial and devilish laws surrounding the conceiving of Nephilim thousands of years may pass between the conception of one.

Contrary to popular belief being born a Nephilim is nothing like being an aasimar or tiefling, whose births are celebrated and they each have a connection with a divine or infernal being to guide them through the harshness of the world. A Nephilim, on the other hand, if it doesn't feel the holy blade of an angel or damned infernal weapon of the nine hells tear through it before it can grow up, experiences life on the run, not only from the evil of the world but the good as well. Hunting parties of aasimar, tieflings, devils, and celestials hiding in plain sight, religious factions and states are all additions to a long list of creatures and beings that would like nothing more than to either possess or kill them. It is because of this they are a slow to trust, careful and evasive people.

Few are capable of understanding how they may feel. Nephilim may find solace with other fallen celestials, fallen aasimar, redeemed devils or tieflings who reject their devilish heritage. Nephilim may find adventurers good company, the constant traveling and odd job type of life fits into their runaway lifestyle and their aversion to garnering fame or renown is only to their allies benefit.

Nephilim will often attempt to conceal their true identities at all costs and may go years without using their powers even in the most dangerous situations, often hesitating out of a personal fear of what could come of it if they were discovered.

Creating a Nephilim

When creating a Nephilim, consider who your parents are. How did they meet? What kind of relationship did they have? Is your father still alive? If not how or when did they die? Where you there when it happened or had you been sent far away? When creating a Nephilim the circumstances of their birth will always play a key role in shaping their fundamental views, beliefs, and ideals.

Nephilim Names

Nephilim are known to have been given Celestial names but will often take on a different name to blend in. The names of angels and other celestials are listed below.

Angels: Afriel, Ariel, Azrael, Barachiel, Cassiel, Gabriel, Gavreel, Forfax, Jegudiel, Manakel, Michael, Nathaniel, Ramiel, Sariel, Sachael, Selaphiel, Tabbris, Xapham, Raphael, Raziel, Paschar, Uriel, Zuriel, Zuphlas, Zadkiel, Abdiel, Amitiel, Charmeine, Dina, Micah, Hadraniel, Jphiel, Lailah.

Other Celestial Names: Andromeda, Aries, Atlas, Tria, Bellatrix, Callisto, Calypso, Cassipeia, Celestia, Comet, Cressida, Esther, Galatea, Io, Jupiter, Leo, Libra, Luna, Mars, Mercury, Nova, Orion, Selena, Sirius, Stella, Vega, Venus.

Male Infernal Names: Akmenos, Amnon, Barakas, Damakos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech, Mordai, Morthos, Pelaios, Skamos, Therai

Female Infernal Names: Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Damaia, Ea, Kallista, Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, Orianna, Phelaia, Rieta

“Virtue” Infernal Surnames: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere, Open, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Temerity, Torment, Weary

Nephilim Traits

Nephilim are unique hybrid beings, the possess the following traits as a result of their unholy conception:

Planar Knowledge

Due to your heritage of beings from otherworldly planes, your knowledge of the multiverse and it's intricacies is greatly enhanced compared to mortal heritage.

Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and one other score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

While a Nephilim grows within their mother they take in sensory information about their surroundings and when born are imparted with knowledge from both their parents. Often a Nephilim will feel the worry their parents do for their lives and the life of the Nephilim.  While their birth always leads to their death of the mother, the Nephilim age rapidly in response to this worry once born and become physically mature over the course of a month. There is a sense of unfamiliarity and oddness as they learn what it means to be alive. A Nephilim doesn't visibly age and have never lived long enough for their lifespan to be categorized. The oldest known Nephilim managed to survive 173 years before he was slain by an archangel.

Alignment

Nephilim can share the good tendency of their celestial heritage or delve down the darker path of their devilish heritage. They value both personal freedom and privacy, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor desire for followers. They resent others' demands but follow their own set of guidelines rigidly.  The circumstances of their birth and the lives they are forced to live out will often lead them down a neutral if not a darker path.

Size

They are slightly taller and more muscular than humans on average at about 6 feet tall, weighing around 140 to 180 pounds. Your size is Medium.

See the random size and weight table if you don't know what height and weight your Nephilim is.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Ethereal Wings

You have a pair of ethereal wings in the likeliness of one of your parents.

At level 1 - When you are falling you can glide as if under the effect of the Feather Fall spell.  Creatures with Truesight or that can see into the ethereal plane can see these wings.

At level 3 - Your wings are strong enough to allow you to fly at 1/2 your walking speed.

At level 5 - Your wings have matured and are strong enough to allow you to fly at your normal walking speed.  You must combine total ground and flying movement, the dash action can be used for this trait.

At level 10 - As a reaction, your wings can become an ethereal shield, covering your body and give you a +1 bonus to AC. 

At level 15 - Your wings have become exquisitely muscled, and amazingly strong.  As a reaction, your wings can become an improved ethereal shield, covering your body and give you a +2 bonus to AC. 

At level 20 -Your wings have grown so strong, they repel energy.  When using your wings as an Ethereal Shield you gain half resistance to psychic, thunder, sonic, and force damage (1/4 damage, rounded down).  You can also fly 1 1/2 your walking speed (walking speed * 1.5, Default is 45 feet).  You must combine total ground and flying movement, the dash action can be used for this trait.

Darkvision

While you do not possess the ability to see the truth in all things your divinity grants you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were a bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.

Golden Ichor

The blood that runs through your veins is a golden ichor. The effect when you bleed and are at or below half of your hit points (rounded down) has a chance to frighten enemies of a C/R of at least half or lower of your character level.
If an enemy is within 30 feet of you and can see you they can make a Wisdom Saving throw against your save DC of 8 + Your Charisma Modifier + Your Proficiency Bonus. If they fail they are Frightened, if they succeed they are immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Langauges

You can speak, read, and write Common, Infernal and Celestial. Part of the knowledge imparted onto a Nephilim is knowledge of the languages of their parents.

Planar Resistance

Your heritage of a celestial and devil parentage gives you unholy half resistance to fire damage and heavenly half resistance to necrotic and radiant damage.

(1/4 resistance to fire, necrotic and radiant damage, final damage rounded down)

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 6″	+2d4	130 lb.	× (2d4) lb.

Immortal Legacy

As a mixed blood Nephilim, as an action you can use the powers of Healing Hands on yourself, allowing you to regain a number of hit points equal to your level.
However, when using this power on another mortal being, it takes 2 creatures.  As an action the creature you touch with one hand gains the caster's level in hitpoints, the other creature touched loses the same amount of hitpoints (Your character can be one of the creatures).
You can use this trait once per long rest.