Gecko Stalker (5e Race)

Gecko Stalker

“	I was awoken by a scout who returned to the camp, pierced by an arrow. He described to us before dying in my hands how his platoon of 10 soldiers was killed with arrows coming from something out of sight. The last thing that he saw before running away were some big yellow eyes looking at him from the shadows of the tree canopies in the jungle.	”
—Captain Pedro Alvarado, after entering a Gecko Stacker Territory

Gecko stalkers are passive but territorial reptilians who hunt in deep, tropical jungles. Their skills in stealth and climbing make them experts in assassinations and hunting, hence their name. They are subtle hunters that tend to attack only when they are sure of the outcome. They live in clans led by a voluntary individual who excels in wisdom and skills.

Physical Description

They tend to have colors similar to their surroundings, though there are strange cases of bizarrely colored individuals. Their skin is usually a mixture of green, black, and brown, mimicking the leaves of their home environment. They have strong claws to climb, but these are too small to be considered a useful weapon. Their tail is normally two-thirds of their total height. Sometimes these tails can be as long as the gecko is tall. Their tails are usually thick, and they lack spikes. However, sometimes their tail is flat, or have some small spikes. Their skin is entirely covered by scales and is smooth to the touch. They have big eyes, sometimes surrounded by small spikes. Sapphire blue, emerald-green, red ruby, and purple amethyst are the prominent colors for gecko stalker eyes. Despite their assassin nature, they have a cuddly and cute smile, as noted by the few who survived their attacks.

Nature didn't give them the same gift as other reptilians in powerful natural weapons. However, where they fail in power, they more than make up for with perceptive eyes and stealth. Combined with their other senses, they can detect prey around them more easily, and can also easily stalk them. They tend to choose to value either their perception or stealth, but they have a natural propensity for both.

History

They are big geckos that evolved from the natural magic in the jungles. Evolving helped them to better understand their surroundings. They were now available to defend themselves better from their original predators. However, they were not truly a match for these predators immediately after evolution. It was not until they learned to use their natural skills to observe, avoid and understand their old predators that they developed methods to deal with new ones.

They learned how to defend themselves by stalking and observing other creatures who, with ingenuity, defied the jungle. Their territories were visited by reckless adventurers who confronted the big threats that inhabited the jungle, which resulted in many deaths on the adventurers' side. Their deaths left many different kinds of weapons on the soil of the jungles. Learning the mistakes from these fools, the geckos decided to use better the weapons left by these adventurers. Using their knowledge learned from their surroundings and the behavior of their targets, they easily defeated their new predators.

They prefer to attack from a distance. Using their stealth and cleverness to continue attacking from different directions until their objective is but a porcupine of arrows. Attacking the weak points while being stealthy, their predators quickly become prey, never know from where the attacks are coming. Only when their target is dead do the gecko reveal themselves. They apply this tactic to threats to their territories, including adventurers and explorers who believe themselves to have the right to besmirch nature, making these gecko territories a real threat. There are stories from nobles and royalty looking to steal these territories. They would send armies, and even burn parts of these jungles. It resulted in soldiers dying becoming, new soil in the jungle. Some royalty who ordered harming the jungle even woke up the next day with an arrow in their head. However, despite the gecko stalker's territorial actions, it is not their habitual behavior. They think is better to take what is needed from their environment and leave it to recover the loss.

There is a bit of legend surrounding them, in that they are willing to serve only what is a truly wise ruler if they are an outsider. There were champions of this race that become the right hand of noblemen, kings, and queens. They have worked as personal peacemakers (assassins), spies, and advisers. However, they are preferred as personal shadows by people in power. It is said they don't follow those who they consider unworthy and unwise.

Society

They live in cities built on the top high trees of the jungle. Despite being individualistic and solitary creatures, they live in groups to overcome the challenges of the jungle. Their leader is a "council of wise geckos". Because they are lonely, they only follow those whose cleverness and wisdom are recognized. A difference between other reptilians is that they live in societies where wise ones lead the people, not the stronger ones. Their leadership tends to be voluntary because they are a species that doesn't want the migraines that come with the leadership. They prefer being free of problems and preoccupations.

The cities are not so primitive, feeling like a town, or a city despite being at the top of the jungle trees. Additionally, they trade resources of the forest with other humanoids. This prevents other humanoids from hunting in their jungle and reduces the mortality of explorations of reckless adventurers. Thanks to these trades, they have some allies and ooting in other humanoid settlements.

Legends of these races have arrived at the ears of many a nobility. They prefer sometimes to offer jobs to these creatures as bodyguards, peacemakers, or spies.

Gecko Stalker Names

Gecko stalker names are rather funny sounding and similar to Chult name syllables.

Male: Abund, Cadmael, Eadrich, Gabor, Horado

Female: Aapo, Chaac, Chimalmat, Ixazaluoh, Zyanya

Gecko Stalker Traits

Stealthy lizard people
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and other score of your choice increases by 1.
Age. Gecko Stalkers mature around 15 and can live to be about 150 years old.
Alignment. They are usually neutral. However, those who are employed by other races tend to be chaotic or lawful.
Size. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your climbing 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.
Sticky Climbing. You can climb difficult surfaces, including walls, and ceilings without needing an ability check. While you use your climbing speed, your hands are also considered free.
Gecko Climbing. You are a natural jumper and climber, you have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Sensory Choice. The primary division in gecko stalkers is that of the watcher and that of the follower. Followers are stealthier individuals, whilst watchers are more observant. You are proficient in either the Stealth or Perception skill.
Reptilian Regeneration. As a bonus action, you can expend a hit die and regain hit points as if you just took a short rest. You can use this trait a number of times equal to a rounded amount of half of your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses when you finish a long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 5''	+1d6	100 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a Gecko Stalker character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.

Gecko stalkers are observant, even when they do not choose to be a watcher. They speak a different dialect of Common, originating from their jungles, and they find many foreign things amusing. The ways they describe these and express themselves are unique and often misunderstood for primitive tendencies, when the truth is anything but.

d8	Personality Trait
1	Mammals put funny faces when I clean my eyes with my tongue.
2	Defending and keeping the balance in our territories is survival.
3	I prefer understanding a problem that shotting the first arrow.
4	I should help to my employer to balance their strength with my wisdom.
5	Why do they put a greedy creature in power when there is a wise one?
6	Survival of the most clever, not the stronger.
7	It is better to shot the first arrow that waiting them to reason.
8	I like to smile, mammals tends to return laughing or smiling themself.

d6	Ideal
1	I wish to be the shotted arrow of the bow of a wise leader. (Good)
2	I will defend the harmony in our territories. (Lawful)
3	I will silence every threat to peace permanently. (Evil)
4	For better survival, cities should be led by wise leaders. (Neutral)
5	I should lead my city in the future. (Any)
6	We are free to go to the world since we born. (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	The music of the jungle conform me. It feels like home.
2	I should protect the territories from my home.
3	I will always follow a wise leadership, not scumbags in power.
4	Living and enjoying the wonders of the world is my rule.
5	Seeking dexterous and wisdom, it is the task of a future leader of community.
6	I will cause smiles in the face of sadness.

d6	Flaw
1	I hate winter, it is difficult to get hot.
2	I feel intimidated by other strong reptilian species.
3	I don't understand other species mentality.
4	Maybe I should focused in be more wiser than stronger.
5	I spend too much time understanding before acting.
6	I am too honest for my own good.

Racial Feats

When you reach a level where you can take a feat, you can choose from these additional options.

Forced Great Regeneration

Prerequisites: gecko stalker race

Your regenerative capabilities have evolved further, whether through training or revelation. When you use your reptilian regeneration, you regain additional hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. You can also regenerate a limb over the course of a week that has been severed, though parts lost cannot be reattached. You cannot benefit from this limb regeneration if you do not fulfill your daily food and drink requirement and take one long rest every day during the week.

Poison User

Prerequisites: gecko stalker race

Your blood grows in toxicity as you mature. As part of a short or long rest, you can harvest your blood to create a vial of poison. You use the vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition as an action. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or take 1d4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

4.00

(one vote)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races