Air Acrobat (5e Background)
Air Acrobat[edit]
Thousands of feet below you, a small crowd watches in awe as you flip and maneuver through the air. For the grand finale, you dive towards the ground, flying at your top speed. You land with a thundering boom, the audience moving back slightly from the wind. On your landing, you are greeted with great applause and laughter.
Soaring through the clouds is something that Air Acrobats look forward to each and every day. They live to fly, finding new ways to perfect their craft any time they can. They're so good at what they do that they are able to use their gift of flight as a way to make a living, putting on performances for amazed audiences by flipping and doing stunts in the air. Because of the immense amount of talent needed to perform in the air and the danger that it brings, Air Acrobats are usually winged creatures or those that hail from the Elemental Plane of Air, such as aarakocra living in the Material Plane.
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan's tools
Languages: Auran
Equipment: a pair of Aviator's Goggles, a set of clothing custom-tailored for the purpose of flight safety, and a pouch containing 10gp.
Feature: Unmatched Flight[edit]
Being an Air Acrobat takes years of practice and dedication. It is extremely difficult to master the art of flight, but it does come with its benefits in the long run. Because of your constant exposure to the atmosphere and high altitudes, you are acclimated to Extreme Cold, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (page 110). You also have an abnormally strong pair of lungs, which in turn allows you to hold your breath thrice longer than the average creature, and make all Performance skill checks and Acrobatics skill checks with advantage.
Your speed and technique in the air is also unrivaled compared to other creatures, and so performing using your talents is something you've learned to take advantage of. You are now resistant to fall damage, when in a town or village you can find an elevated area in the town, such as the top of a tall tower or a hill, to put on a performance of intense acrobatic moves in the sky. When rolling to determine the success of your flying extravaganza, you can choose to treat it as either a Performance skill check or an Acrobatics skill check. If your flying act is a success, you receive free lodging and food at a comfortable standard somewhere in the town or village, as long as you perform once per day. In addition, a successful performance makes you the talk of the town. When strangers encounter you in a town where you have performed, they will recognize you and take a liking to you, maybe even starting a conversation with you or asking for an autograph.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I've always loved the great outdoors. |
| 2 | I absolutely loathe machinery, as they pollute the air that we all breathe. |
| 3 | Being inside for too long makes me feel a little uncomfortable. |
| 4 | I'd much rather escape conflict rather than facing it head-on. Being able to fly makes that a lot easier to do, after all. |
| 5 | My wings are my livelihood. Because of this, I tend to them with utmost care. |
| 6 | I'm very soft-spoken. I'd rather express myself through the art of flight. |
| 7 | I tend to push myself too far when learning new tricks, so I usually end up injured after a long day of practice. |
| 8 | I wish that someday all creatures could experience the thrill of flying through the air. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. The winds are ever-changing. As a result, we must always trust ourselves and not worry about the expectations of society. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Change. The world is riddled with conflict. I want let those who are troubled to lose their worries and feel the freedom of the sky with each performance. (Good or Chaotic) |
| 3 | Greed. Flight is such a new form of performance that people don't know what's good and what's bad. It's super easy to just wing a performance and scam everyone out of their money. (Evil) |
| 4 | Exploration. I try to set the example of what an Air Acrobat is. Hopefully other entertainers will follow in my example. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Society. My race is normally seen as an anomaly in this world. Maybe by entertaining people can see me and my race in a new light. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Enjoyment. Making money and inspiring others is important, but having fun is above everything else! (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I was rejected in another form of entertainment, so I decided to make my own. |
| 2 | I fly through the skies to support my community in times of need. |
| 3 | Although it may seem like entertainment to some, my true purpose is to fly through the sky to check my surroundings in case of trouble. |
| 4 | While my wings give me flight, I use my entertainment to search of romance, so that my heart may fly one day. |
| 5 | A wizard blessed me with the pair of wings that give me flight. Entertainment is my form of repaying him. |
| 6 | Being an Air Acrobat is my life. It's what I was born to do, and I will never give it up. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | When choosing fight or flight, I always choose flight. A lot of people call me a coward for making that choice. |
| 2 | I injure myself often in my acrobatic routines. Who cares about my health if my audience can see a great show? |
| 3 | Trust isn't something that I'm used to. The winds never fail to be honest to the soul, so how can I trust ground-dwelling creatures? |
| 4 | I get jealous very quickly, especially if another entertainer that isn't an Air Acrobat steals my limelight. |
| 5 | I find it very difficult to speak to others. I am the opposite of eloquently spoken. |
| 6 | My soul resonates with those that fly as I do. As a result, I feel awful if I have to hurt another flying creature. |
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