Scorpkin (5e Race)

Scorpkin

“	As you head into the cave to escape the sandstorm, you begin to feel uneasy. You hear the sounds of the sand shifting beneath your feet, and scuttling across the ceiling. Lighting your torches, you see them, everywhere. Scorpkins, filling every inch of free space, ready to devour. Roll Initiative.	”
—Anonymous DM, Describing a scorpkin cave to his party for the first time

Physical Description

Scorpkin are a tall, humanoid race with arthropod properties. They have an armor-like exoskeleton that covers a majority of their body, as well as a long tail tipped with a stinger coming out of their rear. Their muscular bodies are perfect in the desert, and many people have witnessed first-hand the voracious appetite required to sustain them. They have many variations amongst themselves, especially between those with differing roles in the strict social hierarchy. Usually, this pertains to their musculature, height, and sometimes their faces, which are, by the way, a cross between a human and that of a locust.

History

Not much is known about the scorpkin or where they came from, and their history is shrouded in myths, lies, and half-truths. Some believe that evolved from giant scorpions, while others say that they're an ancient desert society spanning centuries, and some even think that they're from a scorched region of the Underdark. But nobody knows for sure, and nobody outside of the most privileged chiefs and scholars of their tribes has access to any kind of scorpkin records. They travel through the sands, swarming wherever there is food or shelter. Once upon a time, they may have been an empire of pillagers. Now, they are primarily known to be ruffians of the sands, their former glory lost.

Society

Scorpkin live in tribes out in the desert lead by a chief, who is determined by five factors: speed, strength, philosophy, cunning, and leadership. Most other scorpkin under the leader are hunters and gatherers, often treating their outings like competition. Most scorpkin believe in doing what's best for the tribe and, more importantly, their families. Family and trust are valued heavily in scorpkin culture to the point where if one member of the tribe is banished or exiled that member's family will disown them entirely, just so they aren't turning their back on one of their own.

Scorpkin Names

Scorpkin names are often short with at least two vowels. These are not important forms of identification for scorpkin.

Male: Agi, Garu, Mudo, Dio

Female: Zio, Hamu, Dota, Ara

Scorpkin Traits

Scorpkin are a desert- and cave-dwelling race, well-evolved for hunting through the sands.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Scorpkin reach maturity at around 16 years old, at which point they can take on one of several roles that can affect their biology. Your lifespan changes based on your role.
Alignment. Scorpkin tend towards neutral alignments.
Size. Adult scorpkin are usually described as looming figures standing at about 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. Due to the nocturnal hunting habits of your ancestors, your eyes are more capable in the dark. 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.
Armored Exoskeleton. While unarmored, your AC is equal to 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Stinger. Your stinger is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, your tail deals piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Subrace. When they reach adulthood, scorpkin can take on one of several roles that can affect their biology. These roles are their "subraces". Choose one from the list below:

Scout

Scouts are often somewhat smaller than other adult scorpkin and are much more adept at sneaking and travelling.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Stealthy. You are proficient in the Stealth and Acrobatics skills.
Thin Exoskeleton. When calculating your AC, you may use your Dexterity instead of Constitution for your armored exoskeleton trait.

Hunter-Gatherer

Hunter-gatherers are somewhat larger than scouts, but are much more adept at finding and killing food.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Nature-Trained. You are proficient in the Survival skill.
Hunter's Tools. You are proficient with daggers, spears, handaxes, and nets.

Breeder

Breeders are reproducers of the tribe. They double in role as caretakers of their offspring, who are declared babies of the entire tribe.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Healing Touch. You can cast the cure wounds spell at lowest level, once. You regain use of this spell via this trait after you finish a short or long rest.
Birther's Load. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Soldier

Scorpkin soldiers are very rigid and tough, meant to protect the tribe and raid other settlements.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Scorpkin Combat Training. You gain proficiency with a martial melee weapon of your choice.
Soldiers Never Die. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Scholar

Scholars stay inside far more than other scorpkin, and typically have far more information about scorpkin society than others, depending on how long they'd been a scholar and who taught them.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
These Old Eyes. You are proficient either in two Intelligence skills of your choice, or one extra language and one Intelligence skill of your choice.
Learned Arcana. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting modifier for this spell.

Chief

The leading chief of scorpkins is revered for supposedly being above that of an average scorpkin. This is not entirely true, but they often have the appearance to back it up.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases 1.
Leader's Rally. When you make an attack roll, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +5). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Favored Image. You are proficient in the Persuasion skill.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
6′ 0''	+2d8	200 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

5.00

(2 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races