Homebrew Amonkhet Naga Species Details

Naga resemble enormous snakes with shoulders, arms, and a torso that resembles a humanoid form. They typically hold their heads and torsos off the ground while moving and adorn their torsos with armor, jewelry, and a vague nod toward the clothing worn by other races. Male naga have broad hoods, wider than their shoulders, while females have narrower hoods and longer faces.

Sweetest Harmony

Naga believe in a principle called the Sweetest Harmony, which describes a perfect balance between the body and the mind. Finding that balance, as they understand it, is a sure path to glory in the trials, since a combination of physical and mental preparation will ensure success in every trial. For an example of this Sweetest Harmony, they point to the Luxa river and the land it nourishes, which exist in a delicate and life-giving balance. Either one without the other would be diminished and useless. Just so, mental strength supports physical capabilities, and physical fortitude feeds mental tenacity, so neither mind nor body can exist in isolation.

In the same way, the naga believe that Kefnet and Rhonas exist in interdependence, and that their trials are best conceived as two halves of a whole. But in practice, as much as they strive for balance and harmony, most naga identify more strongly with one god than the other.

Combat Classes

To the benefit of those naga who struggle with the ideal of the Sweetest Harmony, the training of acolytes encourages specialization. Thus, naga who follow in the path of the snake-headed god Rhonas can cultivate their physical strength as they specialize in hand-to-hand combat styles, while other naga favor the teachings of Kefnet and other combat styles.

Naga who specialize in hand-to-hand combat rely on axes, daggers, and shortswords—but also on their own fangs and the constricting strength of their serpentine bodies. They make extensive use of poison, coating their weapons with multiple layers of deadly substances—including, but by no means limited to, their own venom. Quick, well-timed, and well-placed blows, followed by an equally nimble retreat, allow many naga to triumph over opponents who might seem stronger. With acknowledgment of the Sweetest Harmony, these naga cultivate an understanding of strategy and tactics that enhances their physical training.

Speed and accuracy are equally important to naga who specialize in long-range combat. Some prefer to analyze a battle from a distance and pick off the strongest opponents with their ranged weapons, including poisoned spears and arrows. Others ride in chariots driven by trusted drivers (usually other naga) and throw their spears from the midst of battle. In any case, they excel at finding and exploiting strategic advantages. Some naga mages, drawn to the example of Kefnet, make extensive use of illusion magic to trick and mislead their opponents. Others apply Rhonas’s teachings to their studies, wielding poisonous magic that weakens opponents or kills them outright with clouds or darts of deadly toxins. Still others, in service to the ideal of balance, use the magical power of their minds to enhance their physical strength and speed.

Amonkhet Naga Traits

All naga share the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age

Like humans, naga reach adulthood in their late teens. They show no signs of aging beyond that point except for growing larger, so in theory, a naga could live well over a century

Alignment

Most naga are either neutral or neutral evil in alignment.

Size

Naga stand about 5 feet tall when upright, but the total length of their bodies, head to tail, ranges from 10 to as much as 20 feet. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Venomous Bite

Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with your bite, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, and your target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a failed save, the target takes 1d4 poison damage.

Constrict

You can use your serpentine body as a natural weapon to constrict your enemies. If you hit with your constrict attack, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, and the target is grappled (escape DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and you can’t constrict another target.

Poison Immunity

You are immune to poison damage and can’t be poisoned.

Poison Affinity

You gain proficiency with the poisoner’s kit.

Natural Armor

You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Shed Skin

You can shed your skin as a bonus action to free yourself from a grapple, shackles, or other restraints. Additionally, you can move away from a creature that was grappling you without provoking an attack of opportunity. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.