Questions tagged [racial-traits]
For questions primarily about racial traits, the quantifiable capabilities or limitations specific to a race, such as Dwarves, Orcs, Romulans, et. al.
239
questions
1
vote
1answer
35 views
Is it feasible to play a Grung character in the Descent into Avernus adventure?
The Grung race has the Water Dependency aspect that requires they spend an hour each day immersed in water.
I don't know much about the Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus campaign but I get the ...
12
votes
2answers
975 views
How does the Powerful Build racial feature affect carrying capacity?
I came across the Powerful Build racial feature, which states:
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
I couldn't find any ...
0
votes
1answer
145 views
Do monster races and player races have separate functions for a reason? [closed]
I'm trying to understand if player races and monster races with the same abilities function differently. I had this issue arise with player regarding a monster race and a player race not having the ...
5
votes
2answers
175 views
Do racial bonuses stack?
The SRD states (emphasis mine) that:
With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus works
This sentence seems to be missing the bolded ...
10
votes
1answer
376 views
Does the Warforged's Heavy Plating AC calculation have a minimum required Strength score?
I want to play a warforged fighter/wizard, and I was wondering because of the confusing armor explanation for warforged.
Do I have to have a strength of 15 or 13 for the Heavy Plating, since heavy ...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
Can the Warrior Born feat give more than one extra damage per hit?
For example, I made a monk of the Spiker race (Planar Handbook). A Spiker gets 1d8 extra damage added to all melee rolls for the spikes. Would Warrior Born (+1 racial damage to all weapon rolls) ...
8
votes
4answers
350 views
Are Warforged affected by a troglodyte's Stench or other poison-based effects?
In the Warforged's description, it states that they don't need to breathe. So one of my players told me he would shut down his smell sensors or something like that so he won't be affected by something ...
4
votes
2answers
480 views
Can this Warforged's integrated weapon from the Integrated Version trait be disarmed?
From dndguide.com, here is the ability:
Integrated Version–Warforged can integrate weapons into their bodies due to the constructed nature. Warforged can integrate one light weapon, melee or ranged....
2
votes
1answer
300 views
How does a changeling's Divergent Persona affect bard spells cast using musical instruments?
My character is a level 1 Changeling Bard. In my character's story, his Bard personality is what I'm using for his Divergent Persona racial feature. So it says under the description for divergent ...
7
votes
1answer
369 views
How to reconcile Tiefling's Infernal Legacy's Hellish Rebuke with melee warrior? [duplicate]
Infernal Legacy grants tieflings ability to cast Hellish Rebuke as a reaction at 3rd level, as if it was cast using a 2nd level spell slot. Hellish Rebuke as spell has Verbal and Somatic components.
...
7
votes
1answer
154 views
Does Pack Tactics work for a swallowed creature?
Assume, a Giant Toad swallowed kobold A.
Kobold B stands near this Giant Toad (inside 5 feets).
Both kobolds have Pack Tactics feature, which says
You have advantage on an attack roll against a ...
22
votes
2answers
1k views
How does the Athlete feat affect the Centaur playable race?
The Athlete feat (PHB, p. 165) has a point that says:
climbing doesn't halve your speed.
The Centaur's Equine Build trait (GGtR, p. 16) says:
any climb that uses both hands and feet is ...
3
votes
2answers
219 views
If a dragon under my control uses Change Shape to turn into an Evoker, can I choose the Evoker's race, and benefit from its racial traits?
Nuanced questions about True Polymorph and spellcasting:
I have a wizard who has a simulacrum. Wizard TP's the sim into an adult bronze dragon, which can then Change Shape into a humanoid or beast of ...
5
votes
1answer
98 views
Does Resist Energy stack with racial traits granting energy resistances?
The Aasimar race has a trait that grants the following:
Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.
If I cast Resist Energy on an ...
9
votes
1answer
583 views
Can firbolgs cast their racial Detect Magic spell as a ritual?
Firbolgs get the Firbolg Magic trait (VGtM, p. 107), which lets them cast Detect Magic. Normally, Detect Magic is able to be cast as a ritual.
Can this version be cast by a Druid as a ritual, or can ...
5
votes
1answer
215 views
Does a PC cursed by Lycanthropy still retain racial bonuses to the same ability score?
This is mainly about a player who was bit by a Werebear recently. He wants to embrace being a Werebear and he's a Human Variant Fighter (GWM Feat) with 17 Strength. Being a Werebear he gains a ...
1
vote
0answers
207 views
How to use skill versatility? [closed]
I'm new to D&D and am making my first character. As she is a half-elf bard, I'm given 'skill versatility, which gives proficiency in any two skills. Where and when does this get added and how is ...
5
votes
1answer
235 views
Does Yuan-Ti Magic Resistance provide advantage for concentration saving throws, where spell damage was the cause?
The Yuan-ti Pureblood's Magic Resistance racial trait (VGtM, p. 120) provides:
advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects
I'm clear on that.
If I'm concentrating on a ...
6
votes
1answer
340 views
How does the Duergar Magic shrink/enlarge ability work with rage?
Is the Duergar's ability to shrink/enlarge considered a spell?
How does that combo off with the barbarian's "Rage" ability?
Am I able to do this after I go into a rage?
Does it cancel before I go ...
5
votes
1answer
420 views
Is this alternate Draconic Ancestry trait (that grants flight) a balanced replacement for the dragonborn's Breath Weapon trait? [closed]
A player with a Dragonborn PC recently requested that he be allowed to grow wings and gain a fly speed in our game. I didn't really like any of the alternate Dragonborn options that allow flight, so ...
9
votes
2answers
460 views
Can a Warforged suffer from magical exhaustion?
Can a Warforged suffer from magical exhaustion?
The Warforged Resilience trait (WGtE, p. 68) states:
You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits.
...
12
votes
2answers
626 views
If a Variant Human is Reincarnated, would they lose the feat and skill proficiency they started with?
The reincarnate spell states that you lose racial traits, but do feats and skill proficiencies count as racial traits? For example, would a half-elf lose the skills they had when the character was ...
17
votes
1answer
823 views
Does Sunlight Sensitivity affect special melee attacks (such as grappling)?
I'm currently playing a Duergar Barbarian who I'm playing as a grappler, great fun, but neither me or the DM are entirely sure how the Duergar's sunlight sensitivity affects a special melee attack. It ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Can an Aarakocra use a shield while flying?
Another PC in a new campaign is an Aarakocra druid, with a (wooden) shield and a free hand for spellcasting (or throwing javelins). At first, the DM and some PCs (myself included) thought the wings ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
How do Human Traits Work?
I'm a relatively new player to the D&D scene. I'm creating a human ranger and was puzzled at the logistics of human traits, and I can't seem to find the answer anywhere, although I might just be ...
0
votes
0answers
49 views
What are the consequences of a player race not being humanoid? [duplicate]
Part of the reason I'm asking this is because the UA centuar and minotaur both have a feature that says the type is both humanoid and monstrosity. This implies that having a non-humanoid race would ...
28
votes
4answers
3k views
What is a Centaur Thief's climbing speed?
The Thief archetype Rogue's Second-Story Work (PHB, p. 97) feature states:
[...] you gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra movement.
However, the ...
4
votes
1answer
326 views
Does a disease trigger a saving throw vs. poison?
In What happened to disease in D&D 5e? we see that disease may not be a specific mechanic. However, it seems to be conflated quite a bit with poison, for example:
Here's an example of an ...
10
votes
1answer
692 views
How does the racial feature Mask of the Wild apply in practice (how is it beneficial?)
My interpretation of Mask of the Wild is that players with this feature are able to hide in situations that other players are unable to. For example, a wood elf can attempt a stealth roll in heavy ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I balance a campaign consisting of four kobold PCs?
I am currently planning a campaign consisting of four kobold PCs, using Volo's Guide to Monsters (p. 119) as my starting point for the race.
However, I am worried about Pack Tactics and Sunlight ...
13
votes
1answer
419 views
Would Dwarves have advantage on saving throws against the Contagion spell?
Contagion (PHB, p. 227) has always been a powerful spell.
It used to be unclear, by RAW, what happened during the three (or more) turns a target was making saving throws. The original spell ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Can I use multiple hands for one attack, using this 6-Handed-Ones homebrew race?
I am playing D&D 5e, with some homebrew elements.
I happen to have started a character with the 6-Handed Ones homebrew race by monrester. This race has the Multihands feature:
You have 6 hands....
4
votes
1answer
235 views
Feature given by class is already given by race. What to do RAW? [duplicate]
I have a player in my game with an Aasimar Warlock with a Celestial Patron. At 6th level, Celestial Patron grants "... resistance to radiant damage, and when you cast a spell that deals radiant or ...
8
votes
1answer
487 views
Can the Changeling race change specific body parts?
Can a changeling say they want to transform their arms into one race, change their legs into another, and then change their face into a different race or person. Can that be done? Does their ...
6
votes
2answers
668 views
Would increasing a Dragonborn's breath weapon damage help to balance them?
Dragonborn are arguably considered one of the weakest playable races, as supported by the answers to my other recent question: How would adding a darkvision racial trait to Dragonborn affect balance?
...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
How would adding a darkvision racial trait to Dragonborn affect balance?
Dragonborn, as I understand it, are considered to be one of the weakest, if not the weakest, playable race. Their flavour is cool, especially for people who like dragons, but their being sub-par in ...
6
votes
1answer
210 views
Can kenku repeat things they heard without interference?
Imagine a kenku is listening to someone talking. It’s on a loud, crowded street, but the kenku can still (relatively clearly) hear what their friend is saying.
Afterward, someone else asks them what ...
11
votes
1answer
614 views
Does the Rock Gnome trait Artificer's Lore apply when you aren't proficient in History?
Rock Gnomes have the following racial trait (PHB, p. 37):
Artificer’s Lore
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological ...
16
votes
4answers
3k views
Can the DM override racial traits?
In our two-week old campaign, the DM is trying to say I need food or water, or otherwise I'll suffer from exhaustion.
But I am a Warforged Juggernaut, and the Warforged Resilience trait says I don't ...
1
vote
1answer
935 views
How do I apply the Mark of Making dragonmark to a variant human in Eberron?
I am confused on how to apply the dragonmark variant on a human in Eberron, specifically the Mark of Making from the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron.
Do the dragonmark features (from p. 101) completely ...
3
votes
2answers
609 views
Can a grung druid use their Poisonous Skin trait during Wild Shape?
The Grung player race (from the One Grung Above supplement, released to raise funds for Extra Life) has the Poisonous Skin trait:
Any creature that grapples you or otherwise comes into direct ...
7
votes
1answer
160 views
Does the racial trait “Slow Speed” negate all armor penalties?
In the book "Advanced race guide", the racial trait "Slow Speed" says:
If the race is Medium, its members’ speed is never modified by armor
or encumbrance.
Does that negate heavy armors' penalty ...
22
votes
2answers
2k views
If a centaur druid Wild Shapes into a Giant Elk, do their Charge features stack?
The Centaur player race has a "Charge" feature (GGtR, p. 16): If they move 30 feet, the Centaur can attack against the target with its hooves as a Bonus Action.
The Giant Elk beast has a similar "...
-5
votes
1answer
319 views
Is this homebrew race with a day/night-dependent racial trait balanced? [closed]
I want to create a homebrew race for D&D, so that I may use it when I'll find a group (with the DM's approval, of course). The race is wolf related, so what I want to do is give them a night ...
3
votes
2answers
665 views
Can you replace a racial trait cantrip when leveling up?
The Tiefling has the Infernal Legacy racial trait, which grants them the Thaumaturgy cantrip.
In the PHB, it says (emphasis mine):
[...] when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of ...
2
votes
3answers
235 views
Can a Dhampir use the spell or effects of Cure Wounds on him/herself and bypass their Negative Energy Affinity?
Can a good aligned Dhampir use the spell or effects of Cure Wounds on him/herself and bypass their Negative Energy Affinity or would you still need the Life-Dominant Soul feat to at least heal for ...
8
votes
1answer
272 views
Does the Warforged Resilience racial trait apply to saving throws against poison damage?
The Warforged Resilience racial trait (WGtE, p. 68) states:
You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
If an attack deals poison damage ...
65
votes
2answers
7k views
Do Bugbears' arms literally get longer when it's their turn?
The Bugbear's Long-Limbed trait (VGtM, p. 119) says:
When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet
greater than normal.
This means that when it is not a Bugbear's turn, ...
6
votes
3answers
634 views
What are the practical Opportunity Attack values for a bugbear, holding a reach weapon, with the Polearm Master feat?
I have crafted a Barbarian bugbear that uses a halberd weapon, and will take Polearm Master as a feat.
Bugbears have the Long-Limbed trait:
When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach ...
17
votes
2answers
1k views
Do natural melee weapons (from racial traits) trigger Improved Divine Smite?
Following up on
Does Improved Divine Smite trigger when a paladin makes an unarmed strike?
Improved Divine Smite will not trigger on an unarmed strike.
Context
The paladin in my campaign – ...
