Questions tagged [racial-traits]
Quantifiable capabilities or limitations specific to a race, such as Dwarves, Orcs, Romulans, et. al.
22
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What are the mechanical consequences of a Centaur's Fey trait?
Centaurs have the Fey trait (Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, pg. 16):
Fey. Your creature type is fey, rather than humanoid.
What does this mean in terms of gameplay? I know that certain spells, ...
18
votes
1answer
235 views
Can a Warforged Envoy pick a land vehicle as his integrated tool?
I am aware that a Warforged Envoy picking anything but the tools in the PHB on page 154 is probably against RAI and would be an awkward implementation. But is it RAW?
The Warforged Envoy's Integrated ...
6
votes
2answers
220 views
Can Aasimar derive from stock other than human?
Inspired by this question: Can Tieflings derive from stock other than human?
Separated out from this question: Can Genasi derive from stock other than human?
Crudely speaking, tieflings are half-...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
How does the UA Centaur's Charge ability interact with critical hits?
The UA Centaur (from Unearthed Arcana: Centaurs and Minotaurs) has the Charge ability:
Charge. If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on ...
10
votes
2answers
339 views
Can Genasi derive from stock other than human?
Inspired by this question: Can Tieflings derive from stock other than human?
Crudely speaking, tieflings are half-human, half-devil. However, as the answer to the other question points out, non-human ...
16
votes
4answers
3k views
Does a Firbolg’s Hidden Step count as a spell or cantrip?
I am making a Firbolg Druid, and I was wondering if the racial feature Hidden Step (Invisible as a Bonus Action) counts as a Spell or a Cantrip? I can’t find anything that specifically says. I want to ...
27
votes
5answers
3k views
What are the mechanical consequences that arise for a PC with the undead creature type?
A tabaxi ranger/assassin in my game made a pact with an unknown power (homebrew deity-like undead necromancer from the Death Plane). To achieve this he became an undead tabaxi (and he took one level ...
18
votes
1answer
2k views
Is this homebrew Mind Flayer race balanced?
I have found a homebrew Mind Flayer race* and am wondering if it is reasonably well balanced against other races.
I have removed the fluff like age etc and just left the important parts.
My personal ...
4
votes
2answers
684 views
Would reach as a racial trait for my homebrew Mutant race be unbalanced?
I am creating a race of Mutants for my dark fantasy campaign.
The core racial mechanic is that each Mutant character picks two mutations from a list. Each mutation gives +1 to an Ability Score and a ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
How can I increase the range of a Dragonborn's breath weapon?
Is it possible to increase the range/area of a Dragonborn's breath weapon?
If yes, how?
-1
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2answers
331 views
Would the Spell Sniper feat add to the range of a Dragonborn's breath weapon?
I was looking at feats for my backup character, and was wondering:
Would the Spell Sniper feat affect the range of a Dragonborn's racial breath weapon?
15
votes
1answer
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Can an Aasimar grow their wings in an Antimagic Field?
One of my players wants to play a Protector Aasimar (VGtM, p. 105) but wondered if he'd be able to use his racial ability, Radiant Soul, in an antimagic field.
Would an antimagic field block the ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Can a tortle character use the extra action from the Haste spell to withdraw into their shell?
Can the extra action from the haste spell be used by a tortle (from The Tortle Package) to withdraw into their shell?
0
votes
2answers
183 views
Can a gifted aetherborn monk use Drain Life with Flurry of Blows?
Plane Shift: Kaladesh has the Aetherborn race. At the DM's option, they can gain access to ability called Drain Life, a natural attack that deals 1d6 necrotic damage and heals the an amount of HP ...
1
vote
3answers
292 views
Is this homebrew Dryad Sapling race (including its subraces) balanced compared to the official published races?
This race is part of a conversion of a race I built for a 3.5e campaign years ago, and I want to start a new campaign in the same setting, so I need to have the same races available for the new ...
8
votes
2answers
910 views
Can a lightfoot halfling use the ability to hide behind a larger creature while otherwise being observed?
Lightfoot halflings have the Naturally Stealthy trait:
You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Can a lightfoot halfling use ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
Does a magical creature's sounds mimicked by a kenku have the same effect as the real sound?
One of the antagonists in my plot is a kenku scientist. The party has met her a couple of times and is more and more disturbed with her experiments. She had accepted her curse and the fact that she ...
9
votes
2answers
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Can a lizardfolk using Cunning Artisan build a club I can cast Shillelagh on?
One of the racial features of lizardfolk is the Cunning Artisan trait (Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 113), which states:
As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, ...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
Does a non-spellcasting Drow PC need material components to cast Dancing Lights?
A Drow's Drow Magic racial trait means that they know the Dancing Lights cantrip at level one, regardless of class. Dancing Lights requires a material component: a bit of phosphorus or wychwood, or a ...
2
votes
4answers
243 views
How can a lawful good Paladin help a lawful evil Giant? [closed]
The story:
The Fire giant King has a daughter who was possessed by a powerful Demon.
The Daughter is also a powerful evil Cleric with a hundred followers. Under the influence of the Demon she and her ...
2
votes
0answers
109 views
I am confused about making a half-elf that is a drow [duplicate]
I am thinking about making a new character and was wondering what would a half-elf with a drow history act like and if it would have something new. For example, would it have the drow magic trait? Or ...
7
votes
2answers
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Can changelings change shape to look identical to a specific person?
Could a changeling (from the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron) become a copy of a specific person, or can they only change to be a generic member of that race?
A player asked if they could play a ...
23
votes
1answer
3k views
What are the consequences for a Warforged that does not spend 6 hours in its inactive state?
In the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron, a Warforged has the two following traits:
Sentry's Rest. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inaction, mostionless state, rather ...
2
votes
1answer
116 views
Are targets aware they are targeted by Halfling Jinx?
This questions is probably similar to witch hexes and other mind-control spells, but seems different enough to ask.
Halflings with this racial trait gain the ability to curse another
creature ...
16
votes
2answers
2k views
Is a Warforged considered to be wearing armor?
The Warforged race from the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron has a unique feature, Integrated Protection, that affects their armor class (AC) and ability to wear armor, detailed below:
Your body has ...
-5
votes
1answer
297 views
Is this homebrew Liscem race balanced compared to the official races? [closed]
Are this homebrew Liscem race and its subraces balanced compared to the official races?
Liscem
Alignment: Liscem tend towards Chaotic.
Type: Humanoid.
Size: Small.
Ability score improvement: Your ...
4
votes
1answer
290 views
Can a scourge aasimar's Radiant Consumption dispel magical darkness?
Scourge aasimar (Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 105) have the Radiant Consumption trait, part of which states:
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within ...
2
votes
2answers
496 views
Does a halfling gunslinger's Lucky racial trait work with misfire on guns?
It is my first time playing D&D.
I am playing a 3rd-level Halfling Fighter and am thinking of going gunslinger (the homebrew fighter subclass by Matt Mercer), as the Lucky racial trait seems to ...
18
votes
2answers
1k views
Can you benefit from the Defense fighting style while not using armor AC calculation?
Let's assume a Lizardfolk fighter, with the Defense fighting style, wearing leather armor. Lizardfolk, per Volo's p. 113, get Natural Armor:
You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing ...
14
votes
4answers
3k views
How can a non-Dragonborn gain a breath weapon?
Is it possible, using official material only (i.e. not homebrew, although if Unearthed Arcana has something, I'd be interested in that, but ideally official material) for one to gain a recharging ...
16
votes
2answers
4k views
Can an elf be magically put to sleep using a Wish spell?
A defining characteristic of elves is that they cannot be put to sleep by magical means.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to ...
2
votes
3answers
282 views
How does the Ring of Jumping combine with Tabaxi Feline Agility?
The Tabaxi racial trait "Feline Agility" (Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 115) says:
When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn.
The Ring of Jumping (...
12
votes
1answer
2k views
Does a Scourge Aasimar take half damage from its own Radiant Consumption effect?
In Volo's Guide to Monsters, the Aasimar playable race has the following trait (pg. 105):
Celestial Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic
damage and radiant damage.
So they take only half ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
Would it be unbalanced to allow a Dragonborn access to both Breath Weapon AOE types?
Depending on the draconic ancestry of a dragonborn, their breath weapon either deals damage in a 5 by 30 ft. line or a 15 ft. cone.
Would there be any unbalancing if the character were allowed to ...
12
votes
2answers
375 views
What are the “unique magic abilities” that draconians get instead of a breath weapon?
I like dragonborn, but I don’t really like the breath weapon that much. You can’t use it very often, and it doesn’t seem to scale very well at all, so it’s hard to imagine it having much relevance to ...
10
votes
1answer
2k views
Do the Zariel tiefling's subrace bonuses stack with the tiefling's regular racial bonuses?
I'm rather new to D&D and I've been trying to create a Tiefling Paladin. When I looked through the subraces, I saw the Zariel tiefling and thought it to be a good idea, which my friends agreed to.
...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Can a Half-Elf choose the same Ability Score for the +1's of Ability Score Increase?
The Half-Elf has a trait called Ability Score Increase which states:
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Do these "other ability scores" ...
21
votes
1answer
3k views
What's the point of a “once per combat” and a “on your first turn” clauses in the same feature?
Volo's Guide to Monsters p. 119 lists Bugbears as a playable race, with the Surprise Attack trait:
If you surprise a creature and hit it
with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack
...
9
votes
1answer
614 views
Can a Ring of Spell Storing bypass restrictions on racial trait spellcasting?
A Duergar (SCAG, p. 104; MToF, p. 81) can cast enlarge/reduce once per day but with a few caveats (emphasis mine):
you can cast the enlarge/reduce spell on yourself..., using only the spell’s ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
Can this homebrew-race centaur thief wear magic pants?
For this question, I am using this homebrew centaur race on DNDBeyond. One of its traits is Equine Weakness, part of which states:
As you lack the lower body of a humanoid, you are unable to wear ...
10
votes
3answers
840 views
Does Fey Ancestry give advantage on saves to break an existing charm effect?
My group left the game last week in a tight spot. At the beginning of the encounter, a half-elf PC failed her save against a Vampire's charm - even with advantage, thanks to the half-elf's racial Fey ...
0
votes
1answer
303 views
Does Sunlight Sensitivity impose disadvantage from Holy Nimbus? [duplicate]
Picture this: I'm playing a kobold, who have the Sunlight Sensitivity trait (Volo's, p. 119)
You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the ...
14
votes
3answers
2k views
If my kobold uses a familiar to deliver Shocking Grasp, do I roll with advantage thanks to Pack Tactics?
Suppose I'm playing a kobold sorcerer with find familiar by way of ritual caster or a dip into lore bard. It's a lovely overcast day and I decide that what I'd really like to do with my turn is to ...
0
votes
1answer
203 views
Is Darkvision a physical or mental trait?
My dwarf fighter died, but was brought back using the "Reincarnate" spell, and was turned into a bronze dragonborn. He has lost his physical attributes (Poison resistance, Constitution bonus) because ...
6
votes
2answers
571 views
Does the Ixalan vampire race's Bloodthirst attack qualify for Sneak Attack?
I am playing a Vampire rogue (the race is from the Plane Shift: Ixalan supplement, p. 14). I'm intrigued by the many uses of the Bloodthirst ability. Can you apply Sneak Attack to the bite?
19
votes
2answers
3k views
Is granting Fey Ancestry to a fey creature unbalancing?
Elves and half-elves have the fey ancestry racial trait; however, I have noticed that the fey creatures do not have the same trait. It seems illogical that fey would not have the benefits of Fey ...
15
votes
3answers
2k views
Is my homebrew elf subrace feature balanced?
For my 5e homebrew setting, I'm making an elf subrace that's supposed to be able to turn into a tiny animal (like a squirrel, raccoon, wildcat etc) once per long rest, for a number of hours equal to ...
16
votes
1answer
1k views
Does changing race allow for the increase of ability scores beyond 20?
The reincarnate spell replaces your racial traits, within which ability score increases are included. Is a racial ability score increase capped at 20 like a class ASI?
For example, if I have 20 ...
5
votes
1answer
758 views
How often can an Imp Familiar cast Invisibility on itself?
The imp's description on Roll20 suggests that an imp could turn invisible at will and as often as it has the time for (every turn).
Invisibility: The imp magically turns invisible until it attacks,...
1
vote
4answers
2k views
Can a tiefling cast spells from Devil's Tongue using Sorcerer/Bard spell slots? [duplicate]
The Devil's Tongue trait from SCAG states:
Devil's Tongue. You know the vicious mockery cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this ...
