Homebrew Corvid Species Details

Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers. In common English, they are known as the crow family, or, more technically, corvids. Currently 133 species are included in this family. The genus Corvus, including the jackdaws, crows, rooks, and ravens, makes up over a third of the entire family. Corvids are the largest passerines.

Corvids display remarkable intelligence for animals of their size and are among the most intelligent birds thus far studied. Specifically, members of the family have demonstrated self-awareness in mirror tests (European magpies) and tool-making ability (e.g., crows and rooks), skills which until recently were thought to be possessed only by humans and a few other higher mammals. Their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to that of non-human great apes and cetaceans, and only slightly lower than that of humans.

They are medium to large in size, with strong feet and bills, rictal bristles, and a single moult each year (most passerines moult twice). Corvids are found worldwide except for the tip of South America and the polar ice caps. The majority of the species are found in tropical South and Central America and in southern Asia, with fewer than 10 species each in Africa and Australasia. The genus Corvus has re-entered Australia in relatively recent geological prehistory, with five species and one subspecies there. Several species of raven have reached oceanic islands, and some of these species are now highly threatened with extinction or have already become extinct.

Corvid Traits

It’s hard to make generalizations about corvids, but your corvid character has these traits.

Kracrow's Gift

Your relation with the god Kracrow allows you gain simple telekinesis and spellcasting. You gain the mage hand cantrip. Also, at 3rd level, you learn the suggestion spell.

Your spellcasting modifier for these spells is Charisma.

Magic Resistance

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

Quoth the Raven, Nevermore

You have advantage on all Charisma saving throws.

Murder

Gain advantage on Skill checks while within 10ft of another of your kind (Crows, Magpies, Ravens, Jays)

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity increases by 1, and one ability score of your choice increases by 2.

Age

Corvids reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment

Corvids tend toward chaotic alignments. They are very proud tricksters.

Size

Corvids vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and your wings grant you a flying speed of 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on.