Wolfkind (5e Race)

Wolfkind

Physical Description

By Yamaorce

Big, strong, fast and wise, wolfkind are wolf-like humanoids; with wolfen ancestors. Their feet and hands are similar to those of the paws of their wolf ancestors, but their hands have evolved to be able to hold items. They are covered in fur like their lesser kin.

History

The wolfkind are a race that swore to defend their pack at all costs. Few can remember how they came about but the pack elders say that it was during a time of great turmoil in the world that their kind were brought about. The elders tell stories of great battles, with both victories and defeats, and to these stories the younglings listen most eagerly. The more popular of these stories is that the wolfkind descended from the first of wolf-like therianthropes, though not necessarily lycanthropes. It is a bit murky, as they are not related to the true lycans that are associated with the goddess Selune, but likely perhaps a terrestrial spirit or deity.

Society

Despite their brutal appearances; they are a people who cherish, and defend the lives of all good creatures as if they were their own. Their society functions similar to a typical society built by humans, however, they only kill another of their kind in ritualistic situations or in self-defense, if their fellow wolfkind has succumbed to evil, or disease.

Names

A wolfkind's name is a rite of passage. A special ceremony is held to give a young wolf their name when they are old enough to finally help provide food and protection for the clan. As such, their names are typically unisex.

Names: Leslas, Ukrim, Ildrun, Daomri, Tusbo, Irvas, Naumdrik, Helgros, Urvas, Nagram

Traits

Long-lived anthroporphic wolves, wolfkind are powerful hunters and fleet of foot.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 1.
Age. Wolfkind mature to adulthood in their 16, but can live to be up to 800 years.
Alignment. With a strong bond to protect their fellow kin, wolfkind tend to lean towards good. Evil wolfkind are rarely heard of.
Size. An average wolfkind stands roughly 6'5" tall, but they are capable of reaching nearly 7 feet in height. 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.
Hunter. You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Investigation, Nature, or Stealth.
Wolfwalk. As a bonus action, you can transform into a wolf. Your wolf form has the same Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma score as your true form and shares hit points with it. Your wolf form's Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are the same as the wolf statblock. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn and you automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. You regain use of this trait when you finish a short or long rest.
Powerful Jaws. Your sharp teeth make a powerful weapon; as such, you can use your bite to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with it, the strikes deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the (Perception) skill.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice. If your DM allows, you may speak and understand other canines.
Subrace. Based on where your character's origins are closest to, select one of the three subraces below from frost, forest, or mountain.

Frost Wolf

Often originating in snowy plains, a Frost Wolf wolfkind's fur usually has a light gray or silvery tone to it. Many Frost Wolves are naturally light, an evolution form used to keep on top of most snow drifts. Despite this, Frost Wolves have powerful joints, ideal for plowing through particularly soft deep snow drifts.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Snowy Fur. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in snow or icy terrain.
Freezing Howl. As an action, you can unleash a magic-laced howl to debilitate those nearby. Every creature within a 15-foot radius from you must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the target takes 2d8 cold damage and its speed is halved until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and its speed is not affected. This effect increases in damage by 1d8 when you reach 6th level(3d8), 11th level(4d8), and 16th level(5d8). Once you use your freezing howl, you must complete a short or long rest before you can do so again.

Forest Wolf

Tending to be more lean than the other subraces, Forest Wolves rely on their dexterous nature more often than not.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Master of the Forest. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made in woodland or jungle terrain.
Instinctual Dodge. When you are hit by a weapon attack, as a reaction, you may attempt to dodge out of the way of the attack. Roll a d6 and reduce the damage taken by the amount rolled. This die increases as you gain levels to a d8 at 6th level, a d10 at 11th level, and a d12 at 16th level. You may use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and you regain all uses of this trait after you finish a long rest.

Mountain Wolf

Strong, powerful, well built and have a very high tolerance, Mountain Wolves are often seen as the leaders. Mountain Wolves have evolved to have excellent balance due to precarious situations atop high mountains.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Mountain Born. You have resistance to cold damage. You also naturally acclimate to high altitudes, even if you've never been to one. This includes elevations above 20,000 feet.
Booming Howl. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an you unleash a magical howl to debilitate those nearby. The howl can be heard 300 feet away. Every creature within 5 feet of you must make a Strength saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage, and it is knocked back 10 feet from you. The thunder damage increases to 3d8 at 6th level, 4d8 at 11th level, and 5d8 at 16th level. Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before you can do so again.

Racial Feats

Created to help bring the race in line with other races that received such feats from XGtE. Balanced to be about as strong as Prodigy/Elven Accuracy.

Ultra Keen Senses

For a race known for its' sharp sense of smell and good hearing, you've found that in truth the average wolfkind is only beginning to tap into what their nose and ears can really do once honed.

You gain a blindsight range of 30 feet.

Additionally, you gain expertise in Perception, or whichever skill of Investigation, Nature, or Stealth you selected when you chose this race.

Ties of the Pack

Considering that you're somewhere between 6 feet and 7 feet tall, you can bite hard enough to remove an arm or leg from most victims, and are a member of a race that's the subject of both fear and awe among many other groups... You really love all your friends! And you let them know it. (Note: It is recommended this feat is only permitted if you already play with the Flanking rules for gaining advantage, as it is otherwise too strong)

As part of a long rest, you can bond with up to four willing allies. You can have up to four bonded allies at a time.

When you make an attack roll against an opponent within 5 feet of a bonded ally, you gain advantage on the attack roll.

If a bonded ally within 30 feet takes damage from an enemy, you can use your reaction to move up to your walking speed towards that enemy and make a melee weapon attack. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses on a long rest.

Hunter's Evasion

Teamwork is essential to the success of any endeavor — this tenet is core to many Wolfkind's outlook on the world. Building upon this principle, you know that with the support of allies, you can stay nimble and keep each other much safer than if you stayed apart.

When you take the Dodge action, you can choose to also grant all friendly creatures within 10 feet of you the benefits of Dodge, as if they also took the action on their own turns. You can use this feature once per short, and long rest.

Additionally, whenever you are forced to make a Dexterity Saving Throw, you gain a +1 bonus to the roll for every party member within 10 feet of you (maximum of +5). After damage you would take is determined, reduce the damage you take by 2 points for every party member within 10 feet of yourself.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 6''	+2d8	120 lb.	× (2d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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