Rubber Forehead Alien (5e Variant Rule)

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Rubber Forehead Aliens

See this article for some context.

Travelling adventures are great. They're great because they're timeless. From the Odyssey and the Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, to Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stargate SG1, who doesn't love the ongoing adventures of their favorite heroes as they heroically blunder across the wild and unexplored fringes of the known universe? But what is truly fascinating are the many bizarre and wonderful people they get to meet, fight, and make even stranger babies with. From women with fish tails, to black men with rumply foreheads, the unknown is a wonderful place to make new friends! Problem is, there aren't very many not-quite-human races available in the core material, making that degree of variety as separate races is simply unfeasible, and the core human race doesn't have a subrace feature for us to rapidly homebrew new material for! (Of course, one can always find a way to resolve that issue...) Even worse is when a player says they actually want to be a human-that's-not-really-much-of-a-human; what do you do? I'll tell ya whatcha do! You make something extremely simple, flexible, subject to opinion, and easily randomized! You can now generate countless civilizations to inhabit the far-off reaches of unknown islands/planets/planes, from anthropomorphs, to aliens, to whole-cloth extra-dimensional beings!

Physical Description

species_of_the_spiral_1_by_manticoresoul-d6okhez.jpg
Species of the Spiral 1 by Manticoresoul

Pretty much, the race can look however you want! There is only one assumption: that you are human-shaped and human-sized. Below is a list (which can be easily randomized with a d100 roll) of example physical traits one of these races may have. I would recommend somewhere between 1 and 3 physical traits to distinguish them from actual humans.

  1. An extra pair of eyes
  2. A third eye
  3. One eye
  4. No eyes
  5. No mouth
  6. No ears
  7. Feathers instead of hair
  8. Body covered in feathers
  9. Body covered in scales
  10. Body covered in fur
  11. A tail
  12. Two heads
  13. An impressively long neck
  14. Horns
  15. Tentacles instead of hair
  16. Tentacle arms
  17. Red Skin
  18. Blue Skin
  19. Green Skin
  20. Glowing Eyes
  21. Impressively long arms
  22. Only one leg
  23. Four legs
  24. Tattoo-like body markings
  25. Digitigrade legs
  26. Tentacles instead of legs
  27. Animal-like snout
  28. Spikes
  29. Fins
  30. Sparkly
  31. Transparent skin
  32. Bald
  33. Odd shaped pupils
  34. Odd color eyes
  35. Extra fingers/thumbs
  36. Hands for feet
  37. A proboscis or trunk for a mouth
  38. Long, whip-like tongue
  39. Uniquely long fingers
  40. Antennae
  41. Gems/rocks embedded in skin
  42. Exoskeleton
  43. Bird wings
  44. Bat Wings
  45. Bug Wings
  46. Whiskers
  47. A shell
  48. External gills
  49. Leaves instead of hair
  50. Wood skin
  51. Holes for eyes
  52. Skeletal
  53. Rotting/irradiated
  54. Extra pair of arms
  55. Extra pair of legs (like a centaur)
  56. Arms are wings
  57. Fish tail
  58. The head of an animal
  59. Sharp teeth
  60. Tusks
  61. Abnormally muscular
  62. Genderless race
  63. Faceless
  64. A beak instead of a mouth
  65. Slime-coated
  66. Animal ears
  67. Egg-layers
  68. Eat minerals/soil
  69. Weirdly thin frame
  70. Weirdly wide frame
  71. Particularly long legs
  72. Marked with production/creation data
  73. Sterile race
  74. Childlike appearance
  75. No lips
  76. Rumply forehead
  77. Spotted or Striped
  78. Eyes in the back of their head
  79. Eye Stalks
  80. Large head crest
  81. Very large eyes
  82. Very large nose
  83. Very large mouth
  84. Very large ears
  85. Webbed digits
  86. Tentacle mouth
  87. No skin color whatsoever; totally neutral tones
  88. Compound eyes
  89. Insect-like mandibles
  90. Artificial limbs/features
  91. Purple skin
  92. Pink skin
  93. Nostril holes in place of a nose
  94. Frills
  95. Communicate via whistles or clicks
  96. Communicate via bioluminescent display or dance
  97. Abnormally large head
  98. Abnormally small head
  99. Tiny feet
  100. Tiny hands

History

Will vary from one group to another.

Society

Will vary from one group to another.

Names

This is really going to be mostly up to whoever decides a final race from this material.

Rubber Forehead Alien Traits

species_of_the_spiral_2_by_manticoresoul-d6ouahq.jpg
Species of the Spiral 1 by Manticoresoul

Ever wanted an infinite stream of alien weirdness? Well now you have it.
Ability Score Increase. You may increase any number of ability scores up to a combined total of +3. You cannot increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way.
Age. Let's just assume they have approximately the same lifespan as humans.
Alignment. Same as human
Size. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Blood Trait.. From your inhuman blood, you may choose up to 3 physical traits granted to you. You may take some of these features multiple times. Your DM may reject or alter your choices, if they feel that would be more appropriate.

  1. Strong. +1 STR score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  2. Agile. +1 DEX score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  3. Hardy. +1 CON score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  4. Smart. +1 INT score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  5. Aware. +1 WIS score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  6. Cute. +1 CHR score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
  7. Slime Coating. Resistance to acid damage.
  8. Insulated. Resistance to cold damage.
  9. Acclimatized. Resistance to fire damage.
  10. Cushioned. Resistance to force damage.
  11. Electric. Resistance to lightning damage.
  12. Regenerative. Resistance to necrotic damage.
  13. Poisonous. Resistance to poison damage.
  14. Simply Complex. Resistance to psychic damage.
  15. Inert. Resistance to radiant damage.
  16. Dampened. Resistance to thunder damage.
  17. Fast. +5ft land speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
  18. Tact. +5ft climbing speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
  19. Leap. +5ft jump height and distance. You may take this feature multiple times.
  20. Amphibious. +10ft swimming speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
  21. Aquatic. You can breathe under water.
  22. Worm. +10ft tunneling speed in soft soil. You may take this feature multiple times.
  23. Wings. +10ft flying speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
  24. Talented. Choose any 2 skill Proficiencies. You may take this feature multiple times.
  25. Wily. +1 Proficiency Bonus. You may take this feature multiple times.
  26. Razor Sharp. Your unarmed strikes deal slashing damage.
  27. Spikes. Your unarmed strikes deal piercing damage.
  28. Acidic. Your unarmed strikes deal acid damage.
  29. Icy. Your unarmed strikes deal cold damage.
  30. Heat. Your unarmed strikes deal fire damage.
  31. Whoosh. Your unarmed strikes deal force damage.
  32. Electrolysis. Your unarmed strikes deal lightning damage.
  33. Bio-hazard. Your unarmed strikes deal necrotic damage.
  34. Sting. Your unarmed strikes deal poison damage.
  35. Psychic. Your unarmed strikes deal psychic damage.
  36. Irradiated. Your unarmed strikes deal radiant damage.
  37. Loud. Your unarmed strikes deal thunder damage.
  38. Weaponized. Your unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d4 damage. This feature does not stack with Martial Arts. You may take this feature multiple times.
  39. Swift. Your unarmed strikes have the Light trait.
  40. Deft. Your unarmed strikes have the Finesse trait.
  41. Long. Your unarmed strikes have the Reach trait.
  42. Blink. Your successful unarmed strikes blind the target for 1 round.
  43. Bang. Your unarmed strikes deafen the target for 1 round.
  44. Grip. Your successful unarmed strikes grapple the target.
  45. Venomous. Your successful unarmed strikes poison the target.
  46. Plow. Your successful unarmed strikes knock the target prone.
  47. Adept. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes.
  48. Parasitic. Your successful unarmed strikes restore you 1HP. You may take this feature multiple times.
  49. Fit. You have advantage on Athletics checks.
  50. Supple. You have advantage on Acrobatics checks.
  51. Adroit. You have advantage on Sleight of Hand checks.
  52. Sneaky. You have advantage on Stealth checks.
  53. Perfect Memory. You have advantage on History checks.
  54. Nosy. You have advantage on Investigation checks.
  55. Wild Wisdom. You have advantage on Nature checks.
  56. Latent Faith. You have advantage on Religion checks.
  57. Inter-species Relations. You have advantage on Animal Handling checks.
  58. Intuitive. You have advantage on Insight checks.
  59. Latent Medicine. You have advantage on Medicine checks.
  60. Keen. You have advantage on perception checks.
  61. Survivalist. You have advantage on Survival checks.
  62. Liar. You have advantage on Deception checks.
  63. Thuggish. You have advantage on Intimidation checks.
  64. Playful. You have advantage on Performance checks.
  65. Lassie. You have advantage on Persuasion checks.
  66. Prehensile. You have 1 extra object interaction per turn. You may take this feature multiple times.
  67. Work Animal. Your carrying capacity (and encumbrance limits) are doubled.
  68. Spines. Successful unarmed melee attacks made against you, (including special attacks, such as a wolf's bite or a goat's ram) deal half damage in return to the attacking creature.
  69. Armored. +1 AC. You may take this feature multiple times.
  70. Short. You are small. Incompatible with the Tall feature.
  71. Tall. You are large. Incompatible with the Short feature.
  72. Bouncy. You take half damage from falls.
  73. Catnap. You can finish a short or long rest in half the usual time, but cannot use or recover hit dice in doing so.
  74. Thick. You have 1 damage reduction. You may take this feature multiple times.
  75. Dark Vision. 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. You may take this feature multiple times. Each time you take it, add 60ft to your dim light radius. If you take this more than once, you can see color in the dark.
  76. Chameleon. You can hide anywhere at any time, as long as you remain perfectly still. If you have no cover, you hide as if you were lightly obscured.
  77. Lung Capacity. You can hold your breath for twice as long.
  78. Warehouse. You need to consume only half as much food and water in order to avoid exhaustion.
  79. Scavenger. You can gain sustainable nourishment by feeding upon almost any organic matter, including rotting carrion.
  80. Howl. You can bellow single words loud enough to be heard within 10 miles.
  81. Quick Learner. Your xp threshold for levelup is reduced by 10%. You may take this feature a maximum of 3 times. This trait is incompatible with Life Stage
  82. Boneless. You can fit through spaces as small as 1/4 your size as difficult terrain.
  83. Reactive. You are immune to being surprised.
  84. Initiator. +1 to initiative rolls. You may take this feature multiple times.
  85. Phase. You can move through spaces occupied by other creatures as if they weren't there.
  86. Energizer Bunny. Your exhaustion consequence thresholds are doubled. (IE: level 1 takes 2 exhaustion, level 2 takes 4 exhaustion, etc.)
  87. Innate Spellcasting. You know 1 cantrip of your choice.
  88. Mineral Based. You can subsist off of soft or fine-ground inorganic material, such as sand.
  89. Aloft. +5ft Hover Speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
  90. Immune. You cannot be inflicted with non-magical diseases.
  91. Sound of Mind. You cannot be inflicted with non-magical madness or insanity.
  92. Appropriate Anatomy. Your body is shaped such that creatures equal or lesser in size to you can ride on you like a mount.
  93. Herculean. You can lift, push, and throw twice as much weight and twice as far, despite your actual strength score, its modifier, or your encumbrance limits.
  94. Light Step. You do not leave tracks, footprints, scents, or trace evidence behind you, so there is nothing people could use to track your movement.
  95. Shapeshifter. Once per long rest, you may cast Disguise Self on yourself.
  96. Recuperator. +1 Hit Die for the purposes of health regeneration during rests only.
  97. Quick Thinker. You have one extra Bonus Action per turn.
  98. Slippery. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
  99. Bioluminescent. You glow bright light in 10ft, and dim light for an additional 10ft beyond that.
  100. Life Stage. You may take this feature a maximum of three times. You enter a metamorphosis, changing form and entering a new life stage, gaining one additional blood traits. You metamorphose at level 4, at level 8, at level 12, at level 16, and once more at level 20. If you take Life Stage a second time you metamorphosis at level 2, at level 6, at level 10, at level 14, and once more at level 18. If you take Life Stage a third time gain two additional blood traits instead one. You cannot take Lifestage as a blood trait during metamorphosis. This trait is incompatible with Quick Learner.
    Languages. Common

Premade Builds

Here is a collection of examples of what can be done with this race. Notice how, with only 3 blood traits, it is extremely difficult to get a "perfect" hybrid anthropomorph. You always have to sacrifice one trait or another for something you feel is more definitive. For example, the "Cat" build doesn't have mechanically relevant claws!

Cat

Bouncy
Keen
Sneaky

Dolphin

Lung Capacity
Amphibious
Amphibious

Ant

Strong
Strong
Lifestage (lvl5)
Strong
Strong

Chameleon

Chameleon
Sneaky
Talented (Stealth & Deception)

Scorpion

Weaponized
Grip
Venomous

Electric Eel

Aquatic
Amphibious
Innate Spellcasting: Shocking Grasp

Rhinoceros

Plouw
Weaponized
Weaponized

Wasp

Weaponized
Sting
Lifestage (lvl5)
Fly
Fly

Mole

Digger
Digger
Digger

Monkey

Prehensile
Quick Learner
Wily

Ape

Quick Learner
Quick Learner
Wily

Crocodile

Weaponized
Grip
Amphibious

Jellyfish

Innate Spellcasting: Light
Boneless
Aquatic

Wolf

Howl
Grip
Keen

Turtle

Armored
Armored
Armored

Fox

Razor Sharp
Wily
Quick Learner

Coyote

Scavenger
Howl
Warehouse

Frog

Amphibious
Long
Life Stage (lvl5)
Leap
Leap

Mosquito

Parasitic
Parasitic
Life Stage (lvl5)
Fly
Fly

Tick

Life Stage (lvl5)
Parasitic
Parasitic
Life Stage (lvl10)
Parasitic
Parasitic
Life Stage (lvl15)
Parasitic
Parasitic

Sense Master

Talented (Perception & Insight)
Intuitive
Keen

Sloilm

Rock skin, Spots/Stripes, Furry
Innate Spellcasting. You know 1 cantrip of your choice.
Short. You are small. Incompatible with the Tall feature.
Intuitive. You have advantage on Insight checks.

Drurg

Abnormally large head, External gills, Extra fingers/thumbs
Innate Spellcasting. You know 1 cantrip of your choice.
Warehouse. You need to consume only half as much food and water in order to avoid exhaustion.
Aquatic. You can breathe under water.

Cleon

One eye, Tiny hands, Fish tail
Bang. Your unarmed strikes deafen the target for 1 round.
Playful. You have advantage on Performance checks.
Chameleon. You can hide anywhere at any time, as long as you remain perfectly still. If you have no cover, you hide as if you were lightly obscured.

Pafs

Uniquely long fingers, Very large nose, Abnormally muscular
Spines. Successful unarmed melee attacks made against you, (including special attacks, such as a wolf's bite or a goat's ram) deal half damage in return to the attacking creature.
Phase. You can move through spaces occupied by other creatures as if they weren't there.
Sneaky. You have advantage on Stealth checks.

Freoc

No lips, Wood skin, Weirdly wide frame
Appropriate Anatomy. Your body is shaped such that creatures equal or lesser in size to you can ride on you like a mount.
Quick Learner. Your xp threshold for levelup is reduced by 10%. You may take this feature a maximum of 3 times. This trait is incompatible with Life Stage
Intuitive. You have advantage on Insight checks.

Taimdud

Webbed digits, Green Skin, Slime-coated
Tact. +5ft climbing speed. You may take this feature multiple times.
Agile. +1 DEX score. You can increase a characters ability score above 20 in this way. You may take this feature multiple times.
Spines. Successful unarmed melee attacks made against you, (including special attacks, such as a wolf's bite or a goat's ram) deal half damage in return to the attacking creature.

Bupeon

A proboscis or trunk for a mouth, Eat minerals/soil, Eyes in the back of their head
Light Step. You do not leave tracks, footprints, scents, or trace evidence behind you, so there is nothing people could use to track your movement.
Tall. You are large. Incompatible with the Short feature.
Liar. You have advantage on Deception checks.

Vugsus

Webbed digits, A shell, Body covered in scales
Adroit. You have advantage on Sleight of Hand checks.
Armored. +1 AC. You may take this feature multiple times.
Perfect Memory. You have advantage on History checks.

Grichreoks

A third eye, Tattoo-like body markings, Compound eyes
Nosy. You have advantage on Investigation checks.
Mineral Based. You can subsist off of soft or fine-ground inorganic material, such as sand.
Wild Wisdom. You have advantage on Nature checks.

Oivammeans

Webbed digits, Green Skin, Four legs
Psychic. Your unarmed strikes deal psychic damage.
Lassie. You have advantage on Persuasion checks.
Quick Learner. Your xp threshold for levelup is reduced by 10%. You may take this feature a maximum of 3 times. This trait is incompatible with Life Stage

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