Half-Kitsune (5e Race)
Half-Kitsune
Born usually from a human and a kitsune parent, half-kitsune is a combination of the two.
Physical Description
Half-kitsune are able to retain physical features from both of their parents, like skin or hair color, although certain dominant characteristics are obvious. Most prominent are the tail and the fox ears that replace the human ears. Those features come in many colors and sizes found in foxes from different ecosystems around the world. A half-kitsune might be born without a tail or without their fox ears, but never without one or the other. Due to their showing features they are often called "fox ears" or "fox tail" by other pure humans.
Unlike their parents and ancestors, they do not possess innate spellcasting. Their abilities as a shapechanger or as an illusionist are limited, however, that does not prevent them to pursue a magic career if they wish to do so.
History
As times grew more peaceful, and understanding took its roots, races such as Kitsune were granted a chance at unprejudiced relations with other races. As a race close to humanoid settlements since long ago, they blended into the environment, not as outsiders or beasts, but as equals. Even if relationships in secret between humans and kitsune were not rare, those partnerships were not to be partaken without challenge and discrimination. Those who were destined to love remained in bliss all thanks to the grace of progress. From unions like that, half-kitsune were born.
However, some humans still have a distaste for this half-breed. Still they are often untrusted, the common thought being that they might be hiding their true nature.
Society
Rather than forming their own culture and settlements, half-kitsune are the part of the society they were born into. They have to accept their heritage and their position or they may face the wrath of the hateful and the ignorant. Those that fail to accommodate are often forced to leave their homes and find somewhere new, commonly becoming wanderers, until they find a more suitable place for themselves.
In social interaction, they consider themselves as a part of the greater diverse world. Using their charm, they take on roles of counselors, diplomats, leaders, or advisors, trying to maintain peace and acceptance within the society. Due to their fractured but still present innate magical abilities, they may become sages or magic users.
However, when befallen with tough times, their natural instincts of survival can dominate their morality. They may become thieves or sellswords, ready to turn on their allies without a second thought. Often their goal is to make those that mistreat others suffer as much as they did, and as any humanoid of malicious intentions, will use anything at their disposal to achieve it.
Names
Names of half-kitsune usually carry different meanings depending on how you write them. Usually, though, they're names from the race or society in which they grew up.
Some examples being:
Male: Ken, Minor, Osman, Stefan, Tibor
Female: Aina, Hana, Rio, Sora, Vanda
Half-Kitsune Traits
A humanoid race with fox ears, fox tail, both or more anthropomorphic features of a fox.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma and your Constitution scores are increased by 1.
Age. Half-kitsunes' lifespan depends on their parents. If one of them was a human, they mature in their late teens and live about 160 to 700 years.
Alignment. Half-kitsune can be strongly chaotic or lawful, but trend towards neutral alignments.
Size. Your height is slightly smaller than humans, ranging from 4' to 5' 10". Your weight is between 80 and 140 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Thanks to your kitsune heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.
Fox Child. Ever since you were a child, you are able to perfectly recognize magical illusions. You are able to discern effects caused by cantrips without needing to make an ability check. You may also add your proficiency bonus to ability checks made to discern the effects of level 1 or higher illusion spells.
Shapechanger Blood. Even if your natural aptitude does not allow you to change your shape like Kitsune, you still benefit from it. You have advantage against shapechanging spells and abilities and always become a fox when a spell would normally change you into another creature.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Subrace. You can choose from 5 subraces, depending on who your second parent was. Choose between Child of a Human, Child of an Elf, Child of a Gnome and Child of a Tiefling.
Child of a Human
Ability Score Increase. One ability of your choice increases by 1.
Human Versatility. Thanks to your human heritage you pick up new skills easily. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
Hidden in the crowd. Your barely magical blood creates an illusion to hide you in the presence of others. You have advantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks made to blend into a crowd.
Child of an Elf
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1.
Age. Thanks to the blood of your Elf parent, your lifespan is increased, you still reach maturity around 20 but may live up to 950 years. (Changing your age by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Elf-Like Trance. Like Elves, you don't need to sleep and gain advantage on saving throws against sleep effects. Deeply meditating for at least 4 hours has the same effect as finishing a long rest.
Fox Senses. Your animalistic facets allows you to track creatures using your sense of smell. You gain proficiency in Survival when tracking. Additionally you gain advantage on Perception checks during night-time, if you can see the moon.
Child of a Gnome
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence increases by 1
Age. Your lifespan is increased, you still reach maturity around 20 but may live up to 800 years. (Changing your age by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Size. Your size diminishes due to the height of your dwarf parent. Your height is above 3' to 4' 5" and your weight is about 30 pounds. Your size is now small. (Changing your size by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Speed. Your base walking speed changes to 25 feet. (Changing your base speed by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Fox Cunning. Like Gnomes, you possess magic resistance. You gain advantage on Intelligence and Charisma saving throws against magical effects.
Intuitive Illusionist. Thanks to the infusion of the Kitsune and Gnome blood, the illusion effects you create are much more vivid. Add + 2 to the spell's DC when someone makes a check to detect the illusion.
Child of a Tiefling
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 1
Fox Fire. You have an innate ability to briefly invoke fire. Before you roll damage, as a bonus action, you can change the damage type of a spell or a weapon attack to Fire for that attack. Alternatively, you may add an additional 1d6 damage to any attack that deals only fire damage. You can use this feature once per day. The number of uses increases to two (2) at 6th level, three (3) at 11th level, and four (4) and 16th level. All extra uses are restored after you finish a long rest.
Devilish Charm. Enemies have a disadvantage on saving throws when you try to charm them.
Fire Blood. The combination of your infernal heritage and innate fire talent causes your blood to boil inside your veins. Any creature that deals damage to you with an unarmed strike or natural weapon attack (such as bites and claws) must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 1d4 Fire damage on a failed save. The DC for this save is equal to 10 + your Constitution modifier. This damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
Child of a Halfling
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom increases by 1
Age. Your lifespan is increased, you still reach maturity around 20 but you may live up to 800 years. (Changing your age by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Size. Your size diminishes due to the height of your halfling parent. Your height is above 3' to 4' 5" and your weight is 30 pounds. Your size is now small. (Changing your size by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Speed. Your base walking speed changes to 25 feet. (Changing your base speed by choosing this subrace might be considered as a variant rule, consult your GM if he/she allows it)
Fox Luck. Like Halflings, when you roll a 1 for an Attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Fox's Nimbleness. Thanks to the merging of Halfling and Kitsune Blood you can move through architecture designed by any creature that is of size small or larger.
Fox Bravery. Brave: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4' 0" | +2d6 inches | 80 lb. | × (2d10) lb. |
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3' 0" | +1d6 inches | 30 lb. | × (1d4) lb. |
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