Dryad, Variant (5e Race)
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This page is incomplete and/or lacking flavor. Reason: Missing RHW table, maybe one for each size of small and medium with height and weight suggestions
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Physical Description[edit]
Dryads are humanoids who live within the woods. They blend in with nature itself due to plant-like properties that grow out of their bodies, like twigs, grass hairs, bark skin, leaves, and even flowers. For the most part, dryads are almost exclusively female, though some may be androgynous, as they are merely spirits of nature in the end. Dryads embody the trees usually, but some are found in other plants like river reeds and flower bushes. They usually wear loose clothing made of plant material. Dryads are typically described as fleeting and beautiful.
History[edit]
Origins for dryads starts with the trees. Primal forces of nature within nature mature and form a humanoid form to protect and tend to the forests. These are the dryads. They are usually bound to the trees they inhabit as a result. Some dryads will even die if their home tree does. There are also stories of dryads born through the communion of nature gods, created to be attendants by Chauntea and such.
Society[edit]
As dryads are bound to their forests, they fear encroaching modernity from civilization. Usually, they live in the forests their whole lives, particularly for their tree's sake. Within these woods, they are usually frequented by travelers and other interlopers within the natural world. Many dryads host parties with fey entities like fairies, leprechauns, and boisterous satyrs. They otherwise live very simple lives, merely subsisting off the nature around them. Even the dryads who adventure, having been able to leave their forest, live sparsely. They feel uncomfortable in cities and will rarely indulge in excess.
Dryad Names[edit]
A dryad takes their name from something in nature or a name that relates to their home plants.
Dryope, Erato, Eurydice, Balanos, Epimeliades, Igeiros, Olivis, Oake, Chrysopeleia, Phigalia, Tithorea, Kraneia, Daphnaeae, Morea, Kissiae, Meliae
Dryad Traits[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2, and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different scores by 1.
Age. You age just like a tree, very slowly, which means you can live anywhere from a few hundred years to a few thousand.
Alignment. Dryads tend to be lawful and are rarely evil, following and protecting the "law" of the forest.
Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Creature Type. You are a Fey.
Natural Armor. You have a thick, bark-like skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Woodland Magic. Dryads can speak to plants and animals as though they shared a language. You know the Druidcraft cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Goodberry spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Spike Growth spell with this trait. Once you cast Goodberry or Spike Growth with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
Trance. You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, sylvian, and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character.
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