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Table of Contents
Races
The names are still placeholders.
Human
Humans are among the most versatile races in the universe.
Creature type. Humanoid
Ability Score Increase. Your Ability Scores each increase by 1.
Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live around a century.
Alignment. Humans do not have a favorite alignment.
Size. Medium.
Speed. 30 feet.
Skills. You gain proficiency in one Skill, Tool or Vehicle.
Feats. You gain one Feat among the ones that ensure a +1 in an Ability Score.
| BP evaluation |
|---|
| To increase all the Ability Scores costs 6BP, a single extra proficiency brings us to 7BP. Normally a free Feat costs 4BP, but since the list is limited among the ones that increase an Ability score I say it costs 2BP as 1BP for the Ability increase and another for the extra power. The final score of 9BP is in the middle of desired range of 8–10BP. |
Noobsaibot
Noobsaibots are from the shadow planet of Blacky. They appear as humanoid whose skin is dark gray with light gray eyes with no pupils. But their signature characteristic is that can move around a second self called “shadow-self” that appears as a plain black silhouette of the original. In their planet are no colors and light is almost absent; so usually also they dress with shades of gray.
Creature type. Fey
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence Score increases by 1, another Ability Score increases by 1.
Age. Noobsaibots reach adulthood in their late teens and live a bit more than a century.
Alignment. Noobsaibots live in a secular and somewhat strict society born from the needs of a difficult planet. They tend to be Lawful Neutral.
Size. Medium.
Speed. 25 feet. Noobsaibots are unusually slow walking for creatures of their size.
Fragile body. Noobsaibots' shadowy bodies are more fragile than the ones of other races. You gain one HP less than usual per level, however you cannot gain less than 1 HP per level.
| The shadow-self |
|---|
| The shadow-self has its own character sheet, just after splitting it is identical to the original. When original and shadow-self merge their conditions also merge and the Hit Points are set to the lowest of the two. For example: the original is Blind for a spell with 90HP, and the shadow-self is Deafened with 80HP. If they merge the original gets both effects and it has 80HP. If the original body has effects and it splits from the shadow, also the shadow has the same effects. Please keep note, equipment can normally be worn by only one of the two bodies at the time, so for example the AC may be different. Even if physically separated Noobsaibots and their shadows are a single creature with two bodies. So most elements are shared. When separated you can see father (both bodies have senses), have potentially have more reach (both bodies may hold weapons), you have four arms, and you have temporarily more Hit Points. Other elements that are shared are: Actions (a Noobsaibot can take the action with the original or with the shadow, but not both. Yet, if you have Extra Attack you can attack with any of the four arms); Slots (it does not matter if the Spell starts from the original or from the shadow the spell slot is used, yet it is possible to have the Focus on the left hand of the original body and cast with shadow-self). If the shadow-self dies (for example, for taking too much damage or because it has been pulled too far away or it has been for too long separated by his original) or the Noobsaibot dismisses it as Bonus Action, the original suffers damage of 1d4HP per level and it loses the ability of using his shadow-self until a long rest. |
Shadow-self. Each Noobsaibot can move around a second self. Both the original and the shadow-self have up to 25 feet of movement per round. To split from or to merge with the shadow-self is free and it is possible to take or give back hold items as long the original has a ready appendage or vacant space. To split or merge, however, both bodies must have a non-zero speed.
Noobsaibots can stay separated from their shadow-self up for one minute. Besides, there must always be a clear path (not necessarily in straight line) between the original and his shadow-self up to 40 feet. The path is clear even if it has to pass through narrow passages or holes (like a keyhole).
For example: the Noobsaibot starts its turn, the shadow-self splits from the original and it moves left 5 feet taking the short sword and shield. The original unsheathe another long sword he had and both run ahead. The shadow-self already did 5 feet of movement so it can only moves other 20, the original moves 25 feet. The next turn, the original sheathes the long sword and they merge again. After the merge the original has in his hands the short sword and the shield. Had the original forgot to sheathe the long sword, then either the long sword or the short sword had to fall on the ground.
Superior darkvision. You and your shadow-self have 120 feet darkvision.
Enlightened senses. When you are merged with your shadow-self you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Shadow-self unending breath. Shadow-selves can hold the breath indefinitely as long they are not incapacitated.
Shadow-self swap. As an action you can swap position with your shadow-self.
Shadow-self flexibility. The shadow-selves can pass freely through small passages and squeeze through tiny ones.
| BP evaluation |
|---|
| The shadow-self power is difficult to evaluate, so let us start from the simpler powers. The superior darkvision costs 3BP, To have two heads normally costs 3.5BP, but Noobsaibots enjoy the effects only when they are merged with their shadow-self, considering that Noobsaibots will probably be spitted when fighting I consider it 2BP. Considering the slower than usual walking speed (-0.5BP) and the creature type (0.5BP). I count the HP penalty as -1BP. We are now to 4BP. The shadow-self does not really increase the actions per round (Noobsaibots still have one action, one bonus action, movement, and one object iteration), but it gives a bit of freedom of movement and tactical advantage. I count it as 2BP. So we are now at 6BP. Considering the +1 to Intelligence (+1BP) and the +1 to another Ability Scores we are at 8.5BP. |
Automaton
Those automata are human souls trapped in living machines. Once human beings, now robotic nightmares created with the idea of making perfect, obedient, and powerful warriors or undetectable spies.
The creators underestimate how human souls would break any undesired control. So now this machines can be found both as faithful servants or roaming the world freely, but their true form that is of humans they can fell it only in dreams.
Creature type. Construct. You do not require food, drink, or sleep. See the ``trance'' ability.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution Score increases by 1.
Age. Time is not gentle with living beings, and similarly it is not gentle with machines. Automata function properly for 2 years, after they halt; after one century they are considered totally unrecoverable. However, with one week of maintenance in a sufficiently equipped garage by a knowledgeable team the body can be rejuvenated so that it lasts for other two years.
Alignment. Automata have the same alignment that they had when they were human. So usually the free ones are Chaotic, the faithful ones are Lawful.
Size. Medium.
Speed. 30 feet.
Trance. You do not need sleep, but you can meditate deeply for 4 hours to get the effects of a long rest.
Laser-scanning darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. As an Action (or Bonus Action) you can activate or deactivate the laser-scanning, if you do so Magical Darkness will not impede your darkvision; but you will have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Machinery. Your mechanical body ensures that:
- You have advantage in any Saving Throw that should give you the Exhaustion condition. If the Saving Throw is not allowed you can still try a DC 15 Constitution Saving Throw with no advantage.
- You are immune to poisons and to the poisoned condition.
- You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
- You are immune to any effect that would sense your emotions or read your thoughts. As well to all divination spells.
- You do not need to breathe.
Smoke. As a Bonus Action, once per short rest, you can exude toxic smoke from your body for one minute. While emitting smoke any creature which starts its turn within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. You must maintain concentration during that time as if you were casting a spell. If you lose concentration, affected creatures are no longer poisoned by this ability.
| BP evaluation |
|---|
| The Construct creature type costs 1BP; the ability increases are 2BP. About the Machinery power: it gives resistance against Exhaustion (0.25BP), a power mechanically equal to the fey ancestry (0.5), unending breath (0.5BP), immunity to poison (2BP) and Telepathic Shroud (3BP). Finally the Smoke power is mechanically equivalent to the Stench power that costs 2BP. Finally the enhanced Darkvision costs 2.5BP. 13.25BP is higher than the usual range of 8–10, but most powers are defensive in nature so they can be extremely useful or just do not enter in play. To be more on the usual range one can remove the Telepathic Shroud (3BP). |
Goro
Goros are brutish race of gigantic humanoids with four arms.
Creature type. Giant.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 2 and your Strength increases by 1 or vice-versa.
Speed. 30 feet.
Alignment. Goros value strength over anything else. Usually they are Chaotic Neutral.
Size. Usually around 2.1m to 2.3m tall, Goros' size is Medium.
Age. Goros usually consider one an adult at his 10th birthday, and live a bit more than fifty years.
Powerful build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Four arms. You have four arms. See below for the general rule.
Strong arms. You can consider one weapon you are holding light and ignore its heavy property if it has one.
Great coordination. If you are holding a shield you use it whatever the other three arms are doing.
Icy breath. You can cast Ray of Frost as a cantrip, your casting stat for this spell is Dexterity.
Aggressive. As a bonus action, you can move up to your speed toward a hostile creature that you can see.
Grappler. You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling.
| BP evaluation |
|---|
| Goros are a kind of giants, but in order to keep things easy I put their size to Medium but gave powers to make them “feel big and powerful.” Being a Giant costs 0.5BP, Powerful build costs 0.25BP, the Score Increases cost 3BP, and the four arms costs 1BP. We are at 4.75BP. The strong arms open to better two-weapon fighting and open for extra opportunities for classes like the Kensei. It can be mildly useful so 1BP, we are at 5.75. Natural armor of +2 costs 1BP, the ability of always using a Shield is weaker as more situational so 0.5BP. So we are at 6.25. Then I make the Goro a bit more mystical with a breath weapon that mechanically works as a cantrip, so 0.5BP. Finally the flavor of being aggressive and being able to beat the crap of someone while holding him down with an arm gives the last two powers: Aggressive is another 1BP and Grapper for 1BP. (The Tyler Kamstra manual scores Grappler 2BP, but I think it is too much) The final score is 8.75BP. |
Many arms
You have more than two arms and may hold and use items in each of your hands. If you have Extra Attacks, when you take the Attack action you may make each of your attacks using any weapon you are holding. When you take the Attack action and attack with a weapon which qualifies for use with two-weapon fighting, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different qualifying weapon. You don’t add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack unless the modifier is negative or you have an ability which allows you to add your ability modifier to the bonus attack granted by two-weapon fighting. If you choose to make this additional attack, you may not benefit from using a shield until the beginning of your next turn. If you use a weapon with the Heavy property or use a Versatile weapon two-handed you may not benefit from using a shield until the beginning of your next turn, but you may switch between multiple Heavy or Versatile weapons with each attack
References
Monstrous Races
Tyler Kamstra did a great job to convert each and every creature of the Monster Manual in a player race. The race are meant to be equilibrated and playable. Even when started from apparently absurd creatures like the Gas Spore.
It is a great read to have inspiration and to learn about a metodology for making new player races.
The Balance Points (BP) mentioned in this page come from those books.
