Aberrant Hybrid (5e Race)

Aberrant Hybrid

Have you ever wondered if we are alone in the universe? I did, many times... When I was young, I used to look up at the stars that dotted the skies above my family's home at night, always wondering if they're was something more then just lights up there. Then one lonely night, one star started shining brighter then the others. It got closer and closer before my body felt like it was floating up towards it. But before I knew it, I was screaming in agony as these... little grey men, I think, cut me up, burned my eyes, took out my organs, replaced them with something else and... and... gods know what else... by the time I came to... I was back home on the farm... but neither my father or myself could recognize me anymore... - 'Slither', former human, recounting the night he became an Aberrant Hybrid.

Physical Description

Created in hidden labs of alien origins, many hybrids vary wildly in appearance. Some are towering squid faced monstrosities resembling illithids, whilst others resemble little green or grey men. The few commonalities amongst them are their unnaturally colored, often slimy skin that glistens when light hits it, eyes that tend to be bulbous and alien looking, making them stand out far more then many of them would most likely want. Though they all resemble humanoids in appearance and body structure, they always look to have at least one alien quality about them: a few more eyes then they should, extra limbs, tentacles around their mouths or even unnaturally colored claws. To the most observant and experienced, they can see a lot of parts about them that resemble those of various alien beings: the tentacles of an illithid, the facial structure of gith or even the exoskeletal parts of the elusive thri-kreen.

History

The aberrant hybrid - often called just hybrids for short - are a race that came about due to the mad experimentation of a strange and mysterious alien organization known only as "The Collective". While no one knows exactly what the Collective is, what is known is that they've wandered the universe for what seems like millennia to some and decades to others, with the singular, zealous desire to study, research and experiment on every sentient creature they come across, resulting in the creation of-, or often abductions of various humanoid creatures. While these experiments are kept in secrecy, the results of them are quite apparent. It is unknown just how many hybrids are around in the world or in captivity, but considering how many new ones pop up day in and day out, it's safe to say that the Collective is still experimenting and creating their hybrids; whether those hybrids come about willingly or not, is another matter entirely.

Society

Hybrids are people who've lost practically everything at the hands of the mysterious Collective and despite this, many races view them with fear and disgust on account of their alien appearance and minds. Many hybrids find solace in isolation, hiding away from most societies in fear of being seen as monsters. Those who try to rise above their past, reside as tiny minorities in many cities, often forced into the life of beggars at best and into the life of crime at worst. Despite their tendencies for isolation, a lot of hybrids seek to belong again in society, wanting to be seen as people rather then aliens, whilst others seek vengeance against the true monsters who created them.

Because of their often rotten luck now in their new life, it doesn't take much convincing for a hybrid to take on the adventuring life. Where they are often seen with vitriol and disgust, the adventurous hybrids can often seem distant and quiet but tend to open up when their trust has been earned.

Aberrant Hybrid Names

To maintain at least a vague connection to their past selves, hybrids made from abducted individuals tend to keep the names of their original self be they human, elvish or otherwise. Hybrids born in the laboratories though, usually take on names that reference their appearance, physical tendencies or what one would normally consider an insult to creatures like them as a form of embracing their newfound identity.

Hybrid Names: Slither, Warper, Six-Eyes, Scratcher, Squid, Spring-Legs, Eater, Four-Arms, Slugfoot, Minder.

Aberrant Hybrid Traits

Tortured, alien beings born of twisted experimentation.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1 and a different ability score of your choice increases by 2.
Age. Aberrant hybrids begin their lives already mature, with a somewhat reduced lifespan due to the long, stressful and most likely painful process that made them this way.
Alignment. Due to the often hostile treatment from the wider world, hybrids tend to often end up chaotic in response.
Size. Your size is Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
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.
Alien Mutations. The experiments that made you still have a long term effect that is changing your body as you grow stronger. You gain one alien mutation now and then another at 3rd level and a third one at 5th level. The available alien mutations and at which level you can acquire them are shown on the table down below.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Deep Speech and one other language of your choice.

Design Note: Some of the traits listed below describe physical changes as well as their mechanical usages. These are to emphasis how the enhancements have mutated and altered your body physically, but they don't need to be exactly as described. You can work with your DM to reflavor how these changes look or alter your character's body.

Alien Mutations

At 1st level, you choose one of the following options available to you:

1st level
The Deep Within	You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself, and magic can't put you to sleep. You are immune to sleep and spend your long rest doing light activities.
Knowledge from Another	You have proficiency in two skills of your choice. Whenever you make an skill or ability check with the chosen skills, you get a vacant stare and your eyes glow a bright shade of green as you perform the check, before then returning to normal.
Amphibious Adaption	You can breath underwater and have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. When you take this enhancement, you grow gills on the sides of your neck, as well as webbed hands and feet.
Arachnewalk	You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, at 5th level, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. When you take this enhancement, your toes and fingers become noticeably blackened and claw-like.
Slithering Shape	Your legs have fuse together and formed into a snake or slug like lower body, making you have to slither across the ground to move around. Your base walking speed is reduced to 25 feet but in exchange, you can now squeeze through narrow spaces as if you were one size smaller. If you take this trait, you cannot take the Spring Legs trait later on.
Warping Mass	You have the ability to hover, moving at half your walking speed in every direction whilst in the air but you cannot hover any higher then 10 feet off the ground. At 5th level, this ability mutates, giving you a proper flying speed equal to your walking speed whilst you are not wearing heavy armor. This flying speed can take the form of wings or simply be your body defying gravity.
Spring Legs	Your legs have transformed, becoming digitigrade and insect-like, enhancing your movements. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet and your maximum jump height and distance is doubled. If you take this trait, you cannot take the Slithering Shape trait later on.

At 3rd level, your form mutates further, becoming more alien. Choose one of the options you didn't take at 1st level or one of the following new options:

3rd level
Handyman	When you take this enhancement, a pair of slightly smaller, extra arms grow from your body(where they are positioned on your body is your choice). These extra arms don't give you an extra attack but function like your primary arms with the following exceptions: You can use a secondary arm to wield a weapon that has the light property, but you can’t use a secondary arm to wield other kinds of weapons. You can’t wield a shield with a secondary arm.
Expanded Mind	You have the ability to speak telepathically to any creature you can see within a number of feet equal to 10 times your level. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic speech, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.
Eyes of Darkness	Your darkvision's range increases to 120 feet. In addition, your eyes either turn completely black or multiply to make the enhancement.
Soldier of the Astral Sea	You gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor and three martial weapons of your choice.
Unstable Physiology	You gain resistance to one of the following damage types of your choice: fire, cold, acid, lightning, necrotic or radiant(you choose when you gain this trait). When you take damage from the damage type you're resistant to with this trait, your body visibly shifts color and density for a brief moment before turning back to normal.
Stretching Limbs	Your natural reach when you make a melee attack is 5 feet greater then normal. When you take this enhancement, your limbs become noticeably longer and potentially tentacle like. If you take the Handyman trait later, then only the primary arms get the benefit of the longer reach.
Cursed Blood	You know the Eldritch Blast cantrip. Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma score is your spellcasting ability for this spell(you choose when you take this trait.). When you take this enhancement, your veins become slightly visible and your blood takes on caustic traits, turning a sickly hue of black and red. However whenever you cast eldritch blast with this trait, you take 1d10 necrotic damage that cannot be reduced in any way.

At 5th level, your mutations have progressed even further, making you even more alien. Choose one of the options you didn't take at 1st or 3rd level, or one of the following new options:

5th level
Archaic Defense	You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws against magic. When you take this enhancement, black or purplish veins start becoming more and more visible on your head and parts of your face, their ends reaching towards your eyes. You cannot take this trait if you already have the Deep Within trait.
Exoskeleton	Parts of your body gets covered in a tough, exoskeletal like armor, enhancing your defense. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your exoskeletal armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Natural Weapon	You have grown a natural weapon on your body. When you take this enhancement, a physical change occurs on your arms, legs, mouth or spine that causes you to manifest a natural weapon capable of eviscerating or bludgeoning your enemies. This weapon can take the form of horns, large claws, a beak like growth on your mouth or as a long stinging tail, but regardless of which form it takes, it does 1d6 slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage(you choose the appropriate one for the form when you take this enhancement), using your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls and it counts as a simple melee weapon that you are proficient with.
Nul Beam	Upon taking this enhancement, a mouth-like slit forms on the palm of your hand. As an action, you can open this maw and fire a black beam of otherworldly energy towards a target, making a ranged spell attack with your Constitution modifier against a creature or object within 120 feet of you. The target takes 2d10 force damage on a successful hit. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 11th level (3d10) and 17th level (4d10).
Otherworldly Power	You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. In addition you can now also cast Dissonant Whispers spell once as a 2nd level spell and the Invisibility spell once, regaining the ability to cast each of them with this trait after finishing a long rest. Your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma score is your spellcasting ability for these spells(you choose when you gain this trait.). You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Hulking Build	You now count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. In addition, you can grant yourself advantage on any Strength (Athletics) checks a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier and you regain all expended uses after completing a long rest. When you take this enhancement your muscle mass noticeably increases to accommodate this newfound strength.
Eldritch Forces	You gain the ability to cast the Silent Image spell at will. Every time you cast this spell, make a DC 20 Wisdom save. On a failure, you contract a short-term madness

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
′ ''	+	lb.	× () lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

4.67

(3 votes)

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