Beast-kin of Salamagundi

A new #DnD5e race

Beast-kin have the appearance of bipedal beasts (cats, dogs, pigs, cows, etc). They usually wear clothes, and are roughly human-sized. They can also transform to full-on beast form, in which case they use that stats for that type of beast, as well as an almost completely human form. Beast-kin typically end their utterances with an sound appropriate to their nature. E.g. “What’ll you folks have for dinner, moo?” or “Catch them before they get away! Oink!”

In their hybrid form they can move around and breath on land as humans do even if their full beast form could not, but have the special abilities of their subrace according to the table below.

In their fully human-looking form they retain only slight traces of their beast ancestry (generally ears, tail, and eyes): this form grants an extra +2 Cha but lacks any of the special abilities of the hybrid form except Animal Senses.

In their fully beast form, they have the stats and abilities of their beast, though they are size Medium unless otherwise noted.

Size Medium
Speed 35 feet

Stats +1Dex +1 Con

Animal senses: choose one since that acts as tool (grants proficiency in tasks that use it)

Proficiency: Survival

Languages: Common, specific species (e.g. Wolf-kin can talk to wolves)

Beast-kin Type Table

Roll d20 (Type and Examples)

1. Fish:
   Bass, Clownfish, Dolphin, Eel, Lionfish, Marlin, Puffer, Shark
2. Bird:
   Crow, Dove, Egret, Hummingbird, Ostrich, Parrot, Raven, Robin
3. Insect
   Ant, Bee, Beetle, Butterfly, Centipede, Cricket, Flea, Fly, Moth, Wasp
4. Arachnid
   Mite, Scorpion, Spider, Tick 
5. Rodent
   Bat, Capybara, Gopher, Mole Mouse, Rat, Squirrel
6. Canine
   Dingo, Dog, Fox, Hyena, Jackal, Wolf
7. Feline
   Cat, Cougar, Leopard, Lion, Lynx, Ocelot, Puma, Tiger
8. Bovine
   Antelope, Auroch, Bison, Bull, Buffalo, Gnu, Ox, Yak
9. Marsupial
   Bandicoot, Kangaroo, Koala, Platypus, Possum, Tasmanian Devil
10. Pachyderm
    Elephant, Hippo, Rhino
11. Raptor
    Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Owl, Osprey, Peregrine
12. Amphibian
    Frog, Newt, Salamander, Toad, Turtle
13. Aquatic Mammal
    Beaver, Manatee, Orca, Otter, Porpoise, Whale
14. Reptile
    Alligator, Crocodile, Gecko, Gila Monster, Iguana, Komodo
    Dragon
15. Snake
    Anaconda, Boa, Cobra, Coral Snake, Mamba, Viper
16. Dinosaur
    T Rex, Ankylosaur, Triceratops, Allosaur, Pteranodon, Velociraptor
17. Extinct Giant Mammal
    Giant Sloth, Mammoth, Mastodon, Saber-tooth Tiger
18. Primate
    Ape, Baboon, Chimp, Gibbon, Gorilla, Lemur, Monkey, Orangutan
19. Equine
    Camel, Deer, Donkey, Horse, Reindeer, Zebra
20. Invertebrate
    Jellyfish, Octopus, Sea Anemone, Sea Urchin, Squid, Starfish

Hybrid Special Abilities

The GM and players are strongly encouraged to tweak the special abilities to better fit the exact beast type since the listed special abilities are quite general.

Fish

Breath under water, +10′ movement in water

One of Camouflage  (hide as bonus action in appropriate terrain), Natural attack 1d6 Bite, Natural Attack 2d4 Poison spines

Bird

Flight or +10′ running (for flightless).

Two of Proficiency: Singing; Absolute Direction Sense; Natural Attack 1d4 Peck or Scratch, Long-distance vision

Insect

Walk on walls and ceiling

One of Poison Bite/Sting (1d6), Fly +10′,  Blood sucking (recover 1d4 HP on successful attack after grapple), Can eat anything organic

Arachnid

Walk on walls and ceiling.

One of Poison Bite/Sting (1d6), Web Spinning (cast Web spell once/short rest), Blood sucking (recover 1d4 HP on successful attack after grapple)

Rodent

+1 Dex. Treat as 1 size smaller when moving through tight areas (so no penalty for small, tiny is difficult terrain).  Low Light Vision. Proficiency: Climbing. +5 Move.

Canine

Proficiency: Tracking. Natural Attack 1d6 bite. Pack Tactics (gain advantage on foe if ally who isn’t incapacitated is within 5 feet of foe), Additional Keen sense.

Feline

+2 Dex.  Low light vision.  Proficiency: Jumping, Climbing.  Natural Attack: 1d4 claws. +5 Move.

Bovine

+2 STR, Double carrying capacity. +10 Move.

Marsupial

+2 Cha.  Either Proficiency Climbing or Proficiency: Jumping.

Pachyderm

+2 Str, +2 Con.  Double carrying capacity.  Either Trunk (extra limb), or Natural attack 1d6 (teeth/horn)

Raptor

+1 Wis. Fly +10 Move, Long-distance vision, Natural Weapon 1d6 claw.

Amphibian

+1 Wis, +1 Con. Can breathe under water, Full movement under water, Camouflage (hide as bonus action in appropriate environment). One of climb walls/ceiling freely or Proficiency: Jump +10′ jump

Aquatic Mammal

+1 Dex, +2 Dex under water, +10 movement under water.  Can hold breath for 10 minutes per +1 con bonus.

Reptile

+2 AC. Additional Keen sense (one of heat detection, vibration detection, smell).  Hard to Kill (advantage on Death saves)

Snake

+2 AC. Additional Keen sense (one of heat detection, vibration detection, smell).  Hard to Kill (advantage on Death saves)

Dinosaur

+2 AC, +2 STR, Natural Weapon 1d8 Bite.  Note that Dino beast Kin are still Medium sized humanoids, and their beast forms are only Large, even if the natural form would be Huge or bigger

Extinct Giant Mammal

Size Large (+10 Move, 5 ft reach, double carrying capacity). +2 Con.  Natural Weapon 1d6 Bite or claw or tusk.  Advantage on saves vs. cold.

Primate

+2 Str.  Proficiency: Climbing, Jumping.  One of +1 Con; Size Small; Size Tiny + Prehensile Tail.

Equine

+10 Move, Double Carrying Capacity.

Invertebrate

Advantage on saves vs. crushing; Damage Resistance vs. bludgeoning.