Homebrew Doggo Species Details

To the casual observer, you are a dog.

However, you are not an ordinary dog, and there is almost nobody like you in the world that you know of. You have either been awakened, a normal dog who gained sentience. Or you were previously a sentient being who has been turned into a dog. Though extremely rare, these things do happen, be it through a failed magical experiment, a punishment of a god, a polymorph spell, a fey's joke or a hag's curse. You find yourself in the form of a dog, but with the intelligence and awareness of a fully sentient and self aware being. 

• Awakened: Dogs have different personalities when they are awakened depending on how they are treated before and after the awakening itself. It all depends on who the dog used to be and its environment. Though the stress of the awakening might have caused changes in your character. And you might have mostly primal memories from before you awakened.
• Turned: You retain your personality from who you were before. Though your memories might have been lost or difficult to recall, and the stress of the awakening might have caused changes in your character. 

A mix of two worlds

Though you are not just any dog, you do still have typical dog traits, attitudes and behaviors. Endlessly variable, constantly adaptable, dogs have been shaped by their entwined history with other races until little trace of their wild ancestry remains - although all dogs still think of themselves as wolves, to some extent. Dogs are inexhaustible sources of energy, devotion, and love. When a dog makes a friend, it has made a friend forever. Nothing can break that bond; and a dog defends its companions against anything and then licks their faces afterwards, just to remind them that they're definitely still friends. They might have forgotten in the five minutes between being rescued and being licked, after all.

Loyal And True 

Dogs are naturally loyal to those they consider part of their pack (see... they're still kind of wolves!) Dog companions are excellent guards and amazing hunters - so they've been trusted companions for millennia. Whether they have been at the side of a half-orc ranger, calmly stalking a moose, or helping an elven wizard select the right herb for a magical brew, dogs have always been there to help. It's in their nature. While they can be ferocious fighters when cornered, dogs are usually kindly creatures. They are fiercely protective and devoted to helping those they have chosen as their kin. That's the big thing about dogs; they choose who they love very quickly and it takes an awful lot to change to their minds.

A Nose for Adventure

Dogs gifted with unusual intelligence seek adventure for many reasons. Their instinctive urge to support and assist, coupled with the ability to reflect on the world in deep terms can be more than enough to lead a dog from the warmth of a home into the wider world. 

 

Doggo Traits

As a sentient dog, you have the following traits:

Creature Type

You are a dog. You determine your breed and, appearance.

Beast

Being a dog, you have no hands. You are unable to use weapons other than your own fangs and claws. 

Size

You are Small or Medium (your choice).

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Ability Score Increase

Choose one ability score to increase by two, and one ability  score to increase by one. 

Darkvision

You can see in darkness (shades of gray) up to 60 ft.

Great nose

You have advantage on perception checks based on smell.

Languages

You can understand and read Common and one other language. You can communicate telepathically in these languages to a range of 60ft. Being a dog you can't speak in the human tongue though you can bark and howl. Others can't respond telepathically back to you.

Barks, Growls and Wagging Tails

Most canine species can understand the meaning of your barks and body language as if you share a spoken language.  You are proficient in animal handling and you have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts other than dogs. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.

Bite

Your teeth are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Pounce

Starting at lvl 2, you can pounce onto an enemy and attempt to knock them prone.

When you spend at least 15 ft of movement to approach an opponent, you can use a bonus action to pounce on them and attempt to knock them prone. They must make a Strength(Athletics) check, or be knocked Prone. The DC for this check is equal to 10+your Dexterity modifier.

Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Distraction

Once per long rest as an action, you can be fierce and imposing, or cute as hell to distract foes. Until the end of your next turn, allies gain advantage on attacks against enemies within 10 ft. of you that can see you.