Lamia, Variant (5e Race)

Lamia

Source

A race of sentient creatures who combine the traits of snake and humanoid. They possess the top half of a humanoid and the lower half of a coiling serpentine body. Folk tales say they are fair, but cold and calculating seductors who lure folk with their beautify upper halves before springing their lower snake-like bodies about their ill fated prey. Such tales stem from superstition and hearsay before the formerly reclusive serpent folk had ventured forth into the world.

Now lamia are found in wide areas of the world, having spread themselves far and wide. They are found in villages of their own kind predominantly but have managed to slip themselves into numerous other communities. Most lamia are not bound to one spot and are comfortable with leaving a place on a whim of a turn of fortune presents itself. Lamia are not only independent but a head strong and persistent people who know what they want and their natural knack for problem solving aids them in getting it. This has garnered them a reputation for being aloof and calculating, which some interpret as being as cold as the snakes their lower halves represent. Despite this, lamia have been widely successful in proving their worth through the merits and achievements in the communities in which they have found themselves.

Though they posses the upper half of a humanoid, their serpentine nature extends beyond the physical form. Many lamia express themselves through unusual body and facial cues, often going unnoticed by other races. This aspect of their snake-like nature has unfortunately caused many a miss understanding and added to the difficulties the lamia had in their initial meetings with the wider world. But this does not mean lamia are completely stone faced. A lamia will express quite clearly when an emotional boundary has been crossed and their emotions spill over. Those unfamiliar with the snakefolk may be caught by surprise by these outbursts of joy or anger, which might be misinterpreted as sudden and out of nowhere. This is not to say lamia have a muted emotional spectrum, they are in fact as varied as any other folk, just that they express themselves differently than most.

Lamia Names

Lamia use the draconic alphabet as the basis for their language, which makes some sages suppose that their early history must have been influenced by dragons at one point. Strangely enough, the lamia write right to left, which also reflects itself in their names, as they name their family name first, followed by their calling name. Their names vary widely, reflecting the dispersion of the lamia diaspora across the realms and their intermingling with other species.

Male: Adrophor, Bazithus, Djaan, Lafit, Lycophan, Ozil, Shahar, Shusfol, Vesuman, Wasum, Xol, Yaidu, Zahissef

Female: Sea, Gina, Miia, Lucine, Iormu, Aethophise, Bhisma, Chandra, Ezlyn, Fayru, Heshifa, Ilnam, Jennah, Kaya, Lifah, Mohoa, Nadira, Oolma, Pahije, Qabala, Raijah, Vishih, Xayah, Yahl, Zhafir,

Lamia Traits

A race of reptilian females with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake.
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2 and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different ability scores by 1.
Age. Lamia reach maturity at 20 and can live well beyond five hundred years.
Alignment. Lamia are often self serving and pragmatic, making them lean towards neutral alignments.
Size. Lamia stand between 5 and 6 feet tall when upright, but the total length of their bodies, head to tail, ranges from 15 to as much as 30 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, though you slither as a snake instead of walking like a normal humanoid.
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.
Tail. You have a long tail that can be used to manipulate nearby items that weigh less than 5 lbs within 10 ft. of yourself. You can’t use your tail to perform complex tasks such as using tools, wielding weapons, or using items with it.
Constrict. Your coiling lower body is a natural melee weapon, which you can use to make constrict attacks. If you hit with your tail, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. Instead of dealing damage, you can choose to grapple your target instead. Until the grapple ends you can’t constrict another target and if the creature is your size or smaller, it is restrained. This leaves your hands free to wield weapons or take other actions and you may choose to grapple in this way even on a regular grapple check.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common, draconic, and one other language of your choice.
Subrace. Common Lamia, Echidna, Medusa, Apophis, Basilisk

Common Lamia

Known for living with their own kind in small villages or living stealthily in human settlements, they are extremely intelligent and individualistic. With their snake-like cunning and persistence, and it's said they always obtain whatever they have their eyes on. The most common of lamia primarily use their strong bodies to subdue their prey after ambushing them or luring them in. These girls are said to use their sweet voices, laden with magic, to entice their prey to come closer till they spring on them, coiling their long bodies around their target.

Snake Charmer. As an action you sweetly call out with your magic laden voice. Target one humanoid within 60 feet of you that can hear you, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be charmed. While charmed by you in this way, the target is incapacitated. If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away from you, the target must move on its turn toward you by the most direct route. It doesn't avoid opportunity attacks, but before moving into damaging terrain, such as lava or a pit, and whenever it takes damage from a source other than you, a target can repeat the saving throw. A creature can also repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If a creature's saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it. A target that successfully saves is immune to your charming voice for the next 24 hours. You may not use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.
Crushing Embrace. If you grapple with your tail and succeed you can use a bonus action to squeeze the target dealing bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Echidna

Echidnas are a subspecies of lamia. Rare and reclusive, they are said to be the "Mothers of all Monsters". This perhaps comes from the fact most are found in other monster lairs, living among them and using them for their protection. This is not to say they aren't strong in their own right, as they are often considered the strongest spell casters in the lamia family. They are said to occasionally visit other races villages in disguise, seeking or spreading information about monster lairs to lure adventures or towns into clearing them out so they may make use of them for their own ends.

False Appearance. As an action you can transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You can not make yourself quadrupedal, only bipedal. You can not alter the appearance after using this feature. This effect lasts until you end it or it is dispelled. After you use this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.
Echidna's Legacy. You know one cantrip of your choice from the following list: fire bolt, ray of frost, or eldritch blast. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast sleep once per day; you must finish a long rest in order to cast the spell again using this trait. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the hold person spell once per day; you must finish a long rest in order to cast the spell again using this trait. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells (choose when you select this race).
Magical Affinity. Your latent blood gives you an intuitive connection to the forces of magic. You gain proficiency in Arcana or Nature.

Medusa

Medusa are a reclusive species of lamia with snakes for hair rarely seen outside of lamia communities. A medusa’s hair turns into snakes near the ends. Each of them can move freely, but since they share the same will as the medusa, if she isn’t hostile, there’s probably no worry of being attacked. However the snake hairs are different from the main body and reflect their feelings and consciousness as is. For this reason, a medusa's snake hair is said to be like a mirror reflecting her heart. Medusa possess the ability to cause the body of whomever they make eye contact with to harden like stone. They are said to be able to exert such control over this ability they can petrify only specific parts of their victims.

Petrifying Gaze. As an action, you can attempt to petrify a creature with your gaze. The target must be within 30 feet and you must be able to see each other. The target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failure, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls. On success the target is unaffected. A creature affected by this ability must make another Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If the creature accumulates three failed saving throws against this effect it becomes petrified. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by a greater restoration spell or other magic. The Medusa may choose to release a creature affected by this ability. After you use this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Thick Scales. Your body is covered in tough scales. When you aren't wearing armor your unarmored ac is equal to 13 + your dex modifier. You can use your natural 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.

Apophis

Dark-colored serpents that are said to carry the power of the Nether Realm within themselves. Apophis have a powerful and peculiar neurotoxin within their body, and when they bite someone, they inject it into the body of their prey. Prey, delirious and entranced by the venom, will end up swearing allegiance to the apophis and becoming their servants. According to ancient desert tablets, in ages past there was an apophis - an enormous dark serpent capable of twining around buildings - who ruled over her desert kingdom under mantle of "Demon lord".

Bite. Your sharp fangs drip venom and can be used as natural weapons with the finesse trait. If you hit with your bite, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Poisonous Fangs. You have the ability to secrete venom from your fangs. When you hit a creature with an attack using your fangs, you can choose to inject venom into the creature. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save a creature takes poison damage equal to an amount of D6 equal to your proficiency bonus. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage. The saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Alternatively you can use an action to mix your venom with your saliva to create poison. Your poison is an ingested and injury type poison. A creature subjected to your poison treats it as if you injected your venom into the creature. Once your poison leaves your mouth, it remains potent for one hour. You are immune to your own poison. Once you secrete venom, you can’t do so again until you have finished a short or long rest.
Venomous Blood. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage.

Basilisk

A race of lamia that has the upper body of a woman, the lower body of a snake, and part of their body covered in plumage. Similar to the creature's called basilisks they are said to have evil eyes with a dreadful piercing gaze that will ruin a person just from being exposed to it. The extremely potent gaze relaxes all the muscles in their prey's body, rendering them unable to move. In this manner, they do possess powerful evil eyes, able to strike fear into those that gaze into them too long. It is for this reason, they almost always hide their face with something such as a mask to seal the power of their evil eyes.

Monstrous Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and frightened.
Evil Eyes. As an action, you can terrify a creature with your gaze. Target one creature within 60 feet of you that you can see. If the target can see you, it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8+ your proficiency bonus + your Charisma Modifier) or become poisoned until the end of your next turn. A poisoned creature's speed is halved. Each subsequent turn you can use an action to maintain the look and force the creature to repeat the saving throw. A creature that is poisoned by this feature and fails its saving throw is paralyzed until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until you have finished a short or long rest.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
15′ ''	+3d6 feet	500 lb.	× (3d10) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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