Wendigo, Variant (5e Race)

This content deviates from 5e standards. Its use could dramatically alter campaigns, take extreme care.

Caution - Here there be monsters! This content intends to provide a different experience, or goes beyond the scope of the anticipated subjects and situations, than the 5e rules were intended to handle. Some portions of the content below may not be what you expect from traditional game content. When implementing this content, DMs and Players should read over all the information carefully, and consider the following specific notes of interest:

This race is meant to be a potential hazard to the traveling party. The Player should consult his companions and the DM before choosing this race and make sure the Wendigo is constantly well fed in order to cooperate with the party.

Wendigo

“	Of those who resort to cannibalism to survive ... Only a worse fate awaits them.	”
—Unknown

Wendigos are ferocious hunters that used to be coherent. They are created by acts of cannibalism and are cursed to forever crave flesh and bring death. It is not impossible, or so it is rumored, to tame a wendigo by keeping it fed, however. A tamed beast as such will kill anything for the hand which feeds it.

Ravenous Beasts

A legendary wendigo, by Riveet099

Wendigos are typically humanoid in appearance, eight to nine feet tall with long arms, each equipped with long, lethal claws. They have no lips, and jagged teeth too big for its mouth (or yellowish canine fangs), and an extended tongue. They look incredibly emaciated, sometimes showing even bone. They typically are naked and sport the features of feral animals, like thick hide, mad, glowing eyes, and even horns, depending on the subrace chosen. Modern wendigo appear unnervingly like the humans they originate from, while legendary wendigos are far more beastly.

Cannibals Turned

These beasts are rumored to be created from acts of cannibalism, that one who commits the heinous act loses their mind and turns into a monster. Other rumors float about but remain unverified. This legend is thought to be perpetuated by old powers seeking to reign in evil influences of the inner id, which would drive oneself to destruction against their own. However, it no longer seems to just be superstition as historical evidence concludes there exist creatures that are not quite animal nor human, or anything else to walk along Faerun.

They are creatures who were forgotten and left to die. Unwilling to submit to death, they instead chose to become monsters and lose their minds. In some circles, it is thought they lost their souls, a path worse than death. Having consumed once the flesh of their own in cannibalism, they renounced their former being and became an utterly different and horrid "other." There are scant circles underground, however, who believe the wendigo to be a transcendent being, and that cannibalism had set it free and made it stronger. It is believed these dangerous cults may practice cannibalism and produce more wendigos.

Mad Hunters

Being such disruptive and violent creatures, wendigos only may recognize one another of their own subrace. They can act like wolves, colluding to route off prey and even take down larger threats together. This is more typical of modern wendigo than legendary ones. Legendary wendigo are largely lone hunters, though they do not attack those of their own on site. All wendigos are generally territorial. Because they luckily are not high in numbers, its not too often you'll find a whole pack of them together.

Wendigo Names

If the wendigo has even a speck of humanity left, it can make sounds reminiscent of its name before it became this monstrosity. Otherwise, wendigos remain nameless. Wendigos also have the option of being referred to by titles, which they earned from their pursuers.

Wendigo Traits

Beasts no longer human, after having consumed of forbidden flesh.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Age. Those that become Wendigo live for an about 200 years before there madness drives them to consume themselves.
Alignment. The inner beasts within every Wendigos will almost always drive them towards chaotic evil.
Size. Wendigos can be up to 9 feet in height and are fairly light despite their diet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 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.
Drive of Hunger. If you fail to eat one pound of food for the day, you must succeed of a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, you have managed to keep the madness at bay. However, 6 hours after you have succeeded you must remake the save unless you have satisfied your hunger during that time. The DC increases by 2 on each successful save and resets back to 10 on a failure. On a failed save, you're affected by your Hungering Void condition.
Strict Carnivore. A wendigo is a carnivore, as in they can only eat meat. They have a preference for it when its raw but cooked is fine. The wendigo can't consume plants and other foods like bread. If you do, you must have a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 10 + 0.5 ½ your Constitution modifier or come under the effect of the poisoned condition until you consume meat or complete a short or long rest. In addition, you have resistance to poison damage.
Monstrous Composition. Your creature type is monstrosity instead of humanoid. As such, you are immune to spells like crown of madness or dominate person because they specifically target humanoids.
Languages. You can speak and understand Common and Abyssal. You speak Common with bad grammar, lengthy pauses, growls and noncoherent sounds, showing your limited vocabulary, for example, "My is ... no, grr ... name." However, it is the language of Abyssal that comes naturally to you.
Subrace. Choose between the Legendary Wendigo and the Modern Wendigo sub-races.

Legendary Wendigo

The legendary wendigo less resembles a human, usually sporting horns and animal fur. They are known to be more animalistic, having bouts of calm and rage. Overall they behave very much like typical beasts and look as such. Due to their animal nature, it is assumed they are more capable of being tamed and able to recognize allies, much like a dog.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Nature's Predator. You have access to two natural weapons, claw and bite. If you hit with either of them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.
Thick Skin. You have a thick hide that is naturally adapted to the cold granting resistance to cold damage.
Tamed by Time. The legendary wendigo is a wiser sort of beast, having adapted to nature in both form and mind rather than be solely focused on satiation of hunger. You retain some more restraint on your lust for carnage due to your adaptation to this monstrous form. You have the mental capacity to remember the distinctive features of recurring creatures.

Modern Wendigo

Modern wendigos resemble humans much more than their legendary counterparts and are much more unpredictable and wily. They are usually hairless. They are not to be mistaken as weak, as they have other abilities in their repertoire to make up for their emaciated look.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Stalker. You are proficient in the Stealth skill.
Mimicry. You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Visage of the Starved. The modern wendigo, being hairless, exposes its emaciated, mottled pale skin with veins and can pass for an undead. A creature that looks at the wendigo can ascertain its true nature with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.

Hungering Void

The insatiable hunger left unsatisfied for a day will drive you into a raving madness. You brutally attack creatures within 15 feet of you and if there are none you attempt to attack and consume the closest living creature with little to no regard for your safety. This hunger can only be satisfied when you have consumed raw meat equivalent to one Large creature's meal.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
8′ 0''	+1d4	180 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

5.00

(one vote)

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