Homebrew Yautja (Predator) Species Details

The Hunt

Yautja culture revolves around the stalking and hunting of dangerous lifeforms. Yautja primarily hunts not for sustenance or the elimination of threats, but purely as a means of entertainment and proof of worth. As such, they will only attack life forms that have the ability, natural or technological, to provide them with a challenge. After making a kill, a Predator may mutilate the corpse and turn it into a trophy — this is done only for prey who were considered worthy. This process can involve skinning (often while the victim is still alive), decapitating or removing the skull and spine from the carcass, or even removing all of the bones from the body altogether. Defeat in a Hunt typically results in the Predator committing honorable suicide.

Honor code

Rules that govern day-to-day interactions of Yautja as well as the Hunt. It details under what circumstances a hunter may kill a creature of another species and under what circumstances they may not. The code is strict, and to break it - purposefully, accidentally, or even unwillingly - is a near irredeemable offense in many situations. Only very high ranked seasoned warriors, or very low ranked novices, such as Young Blood and Un-Blooded Yautja, are permitted any leeway as far as the code is concerned.

1. Hunting Worthy Game: When hunting, the hunter must be sure that his prey is considered game and lawful to kill. Sometimes the hunter will equal the odds (not using a Plasmacaster or some similar ranged weapon). Worthy game must fill the following criteria: Can defend itself and/or is able to kill the hunter himself, of age (killing children and the elderly is considered the height of bad manners), not linked to other lives (so that removing the prey will not doom another, e.g. pregnant women), and not weakened by diseases.
2. Failing in the Hunt: Should the hunter fail in one's quest he usually takes his own life, preferring to die in honor than to live in shame. However, some cowards prefer to live in obscurity rather than die. This is considered to be dishonorable and suicide is then "assisted" by an Enforcer.
3. Claiming the Kill of Another Hunter: To take the Trophy of another Yautja, living or dead, is considered to be a great insult. For example, two Un-Blooded go on their first Hunt: one Yautja takes on a Black Death and both are mortally wounded. While the wounded hunter is dying, the other hunter conveniently finishes off the prey and claims the kill as his own, abandoning the wounded Yautja. This is a crime paid for with abandonment by the clan, marooning the hunter on that world with no equipment whatsoever, this includes the loss of both weapons and armor.
4. Murder of Another Yautja: To kill another Yautja intentionally. This excludes self-defense and killing a foe in a wrestling match to settle a dispute. Murder is the worst crime.
5. Never harm the innocent: Those who have done no harm should have no harm done to them. (It can be inferred that this rule must pertain only to harming other Yautja in their society since they hunt and kill members of many species one could call "innocent". It can also be inferred that Bad Blood Predators would ignore this rule either in part or in whole.)
6. Hunting for Food: When hunting for food, take only the weak. This is to purify the species' line.
7. Wounded Game: When coming upon game wounded by another hunter, and the prey is dying without sport, show honor to another's kill. If the game still shows sport, it is to be a joint trophy.
8. Joining Another Hunt: Do not join another's Hunt, or Hunt in their territory, without their permission. All trophies taken in this manner are stolen trophies and shall be dealt with by the rightful owner.
9. Mercy: Those who defeat you in a fair Hunt, or who are the victors in a deadlier hunt (such as a battle with the Xenomorph Queen), and show you mercy are to be considered our equals. You must either kill both them and yourself or bestow them with a reward.
10. Code Violations: Those who break the code are renegades, and no longer considered to be a Yautja. They are to be destroyed when encountered.
11. Never Harm the diseased or Offspring: Yautja are known to have a very strict law on the killing of those pregnant with infants and those who are sick. Usually, when they hunt and encounter both, the Yautja is to let them live. The only exception to the rule is if any ill prey poses a threat. Although that applies to the ill, Yautja are to never kill those who are pregnant even if they pose a threat.
12. When in a duel with an enemy, you must reveal yourself:  it is "hunting ethic" to reveal yourself to your enemy at the climax of a fight.

Yautja (Predator) Traits

Yautja are physically distinguished from humans by their greater height, arthropod-like mandibles and long, hair-like appendages on their heads that are set into their skulls. Their bodies are resilient to damage, capable of recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and radiation doses which would be fatal to humans. They are also capable of enduring excruciating pain. Yautja are much stronger than humans, having the ability to easily outmatch a conditioned adult human male and shattering solid concrete with their bare hands. They are also skilled climbers, and will readily move through trees or across rooftops in pursuit of prey. Though capable of surviving exposure in Antarctic temperatures for an extended period of time, Yautja have a preference for hot equatorial climates. Their blood is luminescent phosphor green in color. Their vision operates mainly in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum

Ability Score Increase

Both your Strength and Constitution increase by 2, and your Dexterity by 1

Age

The Yautja can reach adulthood after their first hunt, but their bodies are at full maturity at the ripe age of 33. Yautja are believed to live life spans of up to 3000 years, though that is only an estimate and due to their lifestyle only 2% of Yautja could actually live that long.

Alignment

Yuatja are bound by their code, but there are those that break the code. Their alignment is mainly Lawful due to their strict code. Those that break the code are mostly of the Chaotic alignment. Whether those that follow the code or break it are evil or not, is up to you to determine.

Size

The Yautja are a bipedal lifeform, definitely distinguishable from most lifeforms, including humans. The species is 7+ feet tall, weighing between 400 and 450 lbs. However, there are rare instances where some are born 6ft-8ft and taller. You are medium.

The creature possesses reptilian-like skin, which varies in color, similarly to the genetic diversity found in humans. They don't have hair like a normal human, but have hair-like appendages. Their heads are also known to have some quills on them.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet. You also have a climbing and swimming speed of 20 feet

Spooked

You can channel your inner ferocity and strike fear into your opponent. When you are about to take damage, you can use your reaction to change the attack roll to a 1. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Second Wind

When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short rest.

Big Game Hunter

The Yautja are big game hunters and as such have a special way of focusing on one target. The Yautja have the ability to cast Hunter's mark as a cantrip.

Languages

The Yautja are known to have their own language, both written and spoken. The spoken form of the language usually has a series of clicks, roars, snarls and growls and their language comes in dialects, similar to the languages spoken by Humans. Their language consists of patterns made from dashes, which is somewhat similar to human languages and it is shown on many of their weapons, armor and devices. They are also capable of mimicking languages they hear through their bio-masks, as well as repeat or replay sentences, however it is unknown as to how much of the language they can truly learn, but it's not impossible for them to learn. Yautja are also known to communicate successfully through sign language. They are not opposed to showing humor, mostly by rapidly clicking their tusks.

You can speak, read, and write Abyssal, Common, and Yuatja

Hunter

Due to your diligent training for becoming a Hunter, You are proficient in Stealth and Survival.

At level 10, You have now gained enough experience and skill to become an Elite Hunter. You gain Expertise in Stealth and Survival. You also have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track both creatures and entities

Unarmed Strikes

Through training, your powerful build allows you to be unarmed. If you hit with your fists, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 2d4 + your Strength/Dexterity modifier.

Assault Proficiency

Yautja can be proficient in either a Wrath Assault or a Tactical Assault. The Wrath Assault gives Athletics Proficiency, the Tactical Assault gives Acrobatics Proficiency.

Heatvision

Yautja hunts at any time of day, and as such has Darkvision, namely 60 ft of it. They also have a form of truesight that spans 60 ft.

Armed to the Teeth

Due to your training to become a Hunter, You gained Proficiency in all Martial weapons as well as all Medium and Heavy armor. This includes shields.