Homebrew Chao Species Details

A small race from another place, the Chao come from a world apart from most. Chao hatch from large eggs, and are known to be reborn after they pass away from old age, living their lives again from baby to adult  -a never-ending cycle with the only difference being that they don't carry memories between incarnations, what they interact with as the grown, and thus what they adapt to be like. Chao are strange-looking creatures, having round heads with either of the following: a slight point, with a seemingly "magic" ball (normal), spiked orb (devil), or halo (hero). This is aptly named an "emotion ball", in that it shows their emotions above their head, to some extent, depending on what type of Chao they are. Their torsos are spherical, with arms that end in rounded hands. They have no legs, but they still have oblong feet. 

Commonly, Chao are blue with yellow accents on the ends of their hands, feet and tip of their head but can still appear in many different colours. Chao can be two-toned with accent colours, or monotone in normal colours (such as red, blue, green, and orange).  They can be coloured like jewels, metals, or even glass! However, this does not affect a Chao's abilities and is purely a cosmetic difference.

When born, the Chao, more or less, all look the same, besides their colouration. As they mature, they grow into three different varieties, with a variant version being born when a Chao has been reborn twice and has met certain requirements. Chao's bodies also slightly transform every time they touch an animal, sometimes gaining a tail that looks like that animal's, legs, arms, ears, tusks, whiskers, horns or even wings!

Neutral, Hero/Angel, and Villain/Devil are the three normal varieties of Chao. The only difference between the different varieties of Chao is their Moral Alignment, which changes the type of Chao the Chao becomes: Neutral, Hero/Angel, or Villain/Devil. 

Chao are a rather Co-dependent race, often relying on the kindness of other races to feed, and raise them, and are often treated as pets by other races that gain access to the Chao Garden, the home plane of the Chao. Chao don't commonly leave the Chao Garden, but some decide after learning and becoming older that they want to adventure elsewhere, leave with their masters, or are sent away.

The Chao Garden is a vast realm made up of many different areas called gardens, all connected by a central hub, where visitors to the realm come in from. Each garden can sustain up to 10 Chao. There are Gardens for Neutral Chao, Devil Chao, and hero Chao respectfully

The Chao in the Chao Garden generally all follow the lead of the people that visit the garden (known as Visitors), but sometimes a Chao will develop leadership skills and take charge if Visitors don't come around often  

Chao are herbivores, eating only fruits and vegetables.

Chao Traits

As a Chao, you share the following traits

Ability Score Increase

Your wisdom is raised by 2, and your charisma is raised by 1.

Age

Chao reach adulthood at age 10 and live up to 75 years.

Alignment

Chao come in a variety of alignments, but the alignment changes the type of Chao the Chao becomes when adult: Hero Chao being Good, Devil Chao being Evil, and Neutral Chao being neutral.

A Change in alignment does not change the type of Chao you are unless it's by magical means.

Speed

Your walk speed is 30ft.

Size

Chao are Small, standing at exactly 2ft tall and weighing 25-35 lbs.

Creature Type

Chao are Beasts but can learn to talk and communicate like humanoids, hold weapons, and use items

Chao's Mimicry (choice 1)

Once per long rest, a Chao can touch a creature of a type other than a humanoid which is hostile and unconscious, and gain a trait from that creature. You may hold 2 traits total, which can be swapped around freely by touching new creatures, until LV10 when they are locked. At LV15 and again at LV20 you may swap one trait by touching another creature. You can not have the same trait twice. The traits are as follows

Traits:
1) Claws: If the creature touched has claws, you gain claws. These do 1d4 + strength or dexterity piercing damage.
2) Swim Speed: If the creature touched has a swim speed, you grow fins or a tail that help you swim better. This grants a swim speed of 30 ft
3) Chao Glide: If the creature touched has wings, you gain wings that slow your fall or allow you to glide. When you fall and aren't incapacitated, you can subtract up to 100 feet from the fall when calculating fall damage, and you can move up to 2 feet horizontally for every 1 foot you descend
4) Climb Speed: If the creature touched has a climb speed, you gain a climb speed of 30 ft, as you grow small fine hairs that can grip a surface on your hands and feet
5) Darkvision: If the creature touched has darkvision, you gain darkvision out to 60ft
6) Metal/stone Skin: If the creature touched is made of metals or stone, you gain an AC bonus of +1 as your skin turns to metal/stone
7) Tail Attack: If the creature touched has a a natural weapon with a range of 10ft, you gain a tail that can be used as a natural weapon with a range of 10ft that does 1d4 + strength or  dexterity piercing damage

Languages

You know Common and Beast Speech.
Beast Speech: Being a beast race, you can speak to animals starting when you make a character of this race.

Chao mimicry (choice 2)

Same information as Chao mimicry (choice 1)

Rebirth

A Chao that has died and is brought back by magic or miracles is reborn. This Rebirth removes all traits the Chao has through Chao Mimicry, and it loses all its memories.