Medusa (Young) (5e Race)

Young Medusa

Physical Description

As seen in Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

Medusa are a monstrous race of creatures that appear superficially similar to a beautiful humanoid, however, up close their inhuman traits are revealed. Their skin tone is almost too pale or earthy with tough small scales no larger than a centimetre covering their body and limbs. Rather than having a head of hair, they have long serpents that hiss and bite in moments of tension, typically remaining dormant as if to keep up the facade. Their eyes are usually a bright green,yellow or red.

Despite those features, from large distances they could easily be mistaken for ordinary humans. For that reason, it was common for medusa to hide their features behind hoods or veils.

People cursed into becoming medusa could belong to either sex and both male and female medusa created by such curses were similar in form and capabilities.

History

Medusa are created in two ways, either cursed mortals- cursed for their vanity by the gods, or from a drop of blood of the Olympian God- Zeus being spilled onto the material plane. Young Medusa have only recently been formed and their abilities are much weaker than their older kin. They are also less inclined to evil and madness.

Society

While ambitious humanoids seeking eternal youth, beauty, and adoration are common, those that go to the greatest lengths or are simply unlucky eventually find a being powerful and typically malicious enough to inflict the medusa curse. A medusa may go several human lifetimes before ever meeting another one of their kind. All the while finding comfort in the presence of other serpentine beings such as the yuan-ti, who often hold them in high regard. Medusa also get along well with tieflings, sharing as they do a shared cursed ancestry and the suspicion of the common people. A less than known fact about the medusa's curse is the infertility that comes with it, causing them to be unable to produce more of their kind and further dooming them to solitude.

Young Medusa Names

Medusa are created from a curse, and as such, they use the same naming conventions as their native culture. Given the origin of the real-world medusa legend, name from Roman and Greek culture ethnic groups would also be appropriate.

Medusa (Young) Traits

As deadly as they are ugly, a serpent-haired medusa suffers an immortal curse brought on by its own vanity.
Ability Score Increase. When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.
Age. Effectively Immortal cursed to live as a monster until killed
Alignment. Any but typically selfish, unless they wish to seek to end their curse and change their ways.
Size. Medium
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet and climb speed of 20 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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Monster!!. You are Humanoid and Monstrosity for the purposes of spell effects
Snake Eyes. You have proficiency in Perception due to your multitude of snake eyes pointing in every direction
Snake Hair. You can make a melee attack with your Snake Hair as an action dealing 1d4 poison damage on a successful hit
Serpentile agility. You have a climb speed of 20 feet
Snake scales. Your body and limbs are covered in shiny scales giving you an Armor Class of 13+ Dex bonus when not wearing armor. You can use a shield as normal
Serpentile spellcasting. You know the chill touch cantrip as a gaze attack requiring an action. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast find familiar with this trait but may only summon a poisonous snake. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 1st level or higher. At 5th Level you can cast phantasmal force with this trait once per long rest but only to cause Petrification of the victim. The victim is effectively paralyzed and believes they have been turned to stone for the duration. You can also cast this spell with a 2nd level spell slot or higher. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race).
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and one other language of your choice.

This race has a Detect Balance rating of 28. This is the same as a Half-elf. Like the Goblin this race is Kill on Sight in most settlements so a hat of disguise, disguise self or alter self spell would be a good idea.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 10''	+2d8	80 lb.	× (1d10) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

5.00

(2 votes)

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