Homebrew Dryad Species Details

Travelers entering a forest might catch a glimpse of a feminine form flitting through the trees. Warm laughter hangs on the air, drawing those who hear it deeper into the emerald shadows.

Treebound. Powerful fey will sometimes bind lesser fey spirits to trees, transforming them into dryads. This is sometimes done as a punishment when the fey spirit falls in love with a mortal and that love is forbidden.

A dryad can emerge from the tree and travel the lands around it, but the tree remains her home and roots her to the world. As long as the tree remains healthy and unharmed, the dryad stays forever youthful and alluring. If the tree is harmed, she suffers. If the tree is ever destroyed, the dryad descends into madness.

Reclusive Fey. Dryads act as guardians of their woodland demesnes. Shy and reclusive, they watch interlopers from the trees. A dryad struck by the beauty of a stranger might investigate more closely, perhaps even try to lure the individual away to be charmed.

Dryads work with other sylvan creatures to defend their forests. Unicorns, treants, and satyrs live alongside them, in addition to druids that share the dryads’ devotion to the woods they call home.

Dryad Traits

Dryads share certain racial traits as a result of their fey forms.

Magic Resistance

You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Innate Spellcasting

You know the Druidcraft cantrip. At 1st level, you can cast the Goodberry spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Pass without Trace spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the Charm Person spell as a 3rd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Dryads are as long living as trees, and as such, treat ages like they do. They mature at 35 years old, and can live for hundreds of years.

Alignment

Dryads naturally tend towards chaotic while less striving towards good or evil, and more serving the interest of the forest.

Size

Dryads are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you 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

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