Simplified Character Creation

With this site, you can easily create unique but balanced D&D characters with appropriate ability scores for their class. Lineages are split into Species and Upbringing. It is written for someone who is new to the game, but anyone can use it.

When you see a list, if you have a character concept in mind, choose something from the list. If you don't, roll on the list with a die appropriate to its size, or follow the instructions.

Read all instructions in a section before clicking on any links.

Step 0: Read the Instructions and Print a Character Sheet

Open the Basic Rules document and read the Introduction (pages 3 through 6) and Using Ability Scores (pages 60 through 65) sections to learn the basics of the game and some key terms.

I have created a custom fillable character sheet for my games, which can be downloaded here. Download it, open it in a pdf viewer, and type in the details. Or print and fill things out with a pencil (not a pen!).

Step 1: Choose or Roll a Class

After selecting a class, write it on your character sheet, and write down its listed ability scores and their modifiers. Then go to the linked description and copy down the hit points, proficiencies, equipment, and all of the Level 1 features. Proficiencies are marked by selecting the dot next to a skill or saving throw name, or writing them in the appropriate boxes.

Every adventuring party should have a brain, a heart, and a face. In games with a lot of fighting, there should also be a shield. Check with your GM or other players to see if anything is missing.

Brain

Your character is focused on strategic planning, tactical thinking, and knowing facts about the world. This role is best for players who are interested in learning the lore of the setting, and understanding the combat system and rules of the game.

1: Artificer. Intelligence 16, Constitution 14
2: Fighter. Strength 16, Intelligence 14
3: Rogue. Dexterity 16, Intelligence 14
4: Wizard. Intelligence 16, Constitution 14

Heart

Your character is focused on understanding the motivations of non-player characters, being aware of immediate threats, and managing logistics. This role best for players who can help the group get along with each other, and stay on task and avoid getting distracted.

1: Barbarian. Strength 16, Wisdom 14
2-3: Cleric. Wisdom 16, Constitution 14
4: Druid. Wisdom 16, Constitution 14
5: Monk. Dexterity 16, Wisdom 14
6: Ranger. Dexterity 16, Wisdom 14

Face

Your character is focused on convincing other people to help the party. This role best for players who are focused on role-playing and telling stories and making sure everyone has fun.

1: Bard. Charisma 16, Dexterity 14
2: Paladin. Strength 16, Charisma 14
3: Sorcerer. Charisma 16, Constitution 14
4: Warlock. Charisma 16, Constitution 14

Shield

In combat, your character's job is to charge in, be the target of attacks, and not get knocked out. Let other people worry about dealing damage; you will carry a shield and fight defensively so the other party members are protected.

1: Barbarian. Strength 14, Dexterity 12, Constitution 14
2: Fighter. Strength 14, Constitution 16
3: Ranger. Dexterity 14, Constitution 14, Wisdom 12
4: Paladin. Strength 14, Constitution 14, Charisma 12

Step 2: Choose or Roll for Species, Upbringing, and Background

Most species, upbringings, and backgrounds will give you +2 to an ability score. Some will give +1. If you do not yet have a score in this ability score, set it to 10 before the increase. If you already have a 16 in this ability score, you must instead boost some other ability score that is 14 or less. (For example, elves get +2 Dexterity. If you are an elf druid, set your Dexterity to 12, and if you are an elf rogue, you can increase your Intelligence to 16, or some other ability score to 12.)

For '+2 Any' or '+1 Any', you must choose an ability score that is 14 or less. It is usually best to boost Constitution or your class's secondary ability score.

After choosing or rolling a species, you will click on the link to go to that species' description, and write down its features. If you want to see more details of how the species is usually seen and played in D&D, including a list of suggested names, click on the link to go to its entry in the D&D Beyond site. Ignore the rules there; I have replaced them with the species-upbringing system.

You will then choose or roll an Upbringing from the species entry list, and click on its link and write down its features. If you want to play a traditional D&D 'race', choose one of the upbringings with instructions or notes in italics and take the indicated choices in the upbringing.

Then you will choose or roll a Background from the upbringing entry, and write down its features on the linked page, including choosing or rolling for a trait, ideal, bond, and flaw. If the background has any setting-specific information, for example referring to a particular location or organization or event, replace that with a more generic thing that you will describe in your backstory, and your feature will work in any appropriate location.

After doing all that, return here (you can click your browser's Back button twice to quickly return) and go to Step 3.

If rolling for species, new players should use a d12, veterans use a d20. (The description in parentheses is a very loose analogy for people who do not know D&D lore, and in most cases relates more to attitude or heritage than physical appearance.)

1: Dragonborn (dragon people)
2-3: Dwarf (wombat people)
4-5: Elf (fox people)
6: Gnome (mouse people)
7: Half-Elf (dog people)
8: Half-Orc (boar people)
9-10: Halfling (weasel people)
11: Tiefling (demon people)
12-13: Human (ape people)
14: Hybrid
15-17: Monstrous Species
18-20: Uncommon Species

Monstrous Species

"Monstrous" species are those often encountered as enemies, because groups of them are often bandits or savages. Among uneducated people, they often encounter prejudice, but adventurers and those who hire them are usually accustomed to dealing with people of many different races. Choose or roll d8:

1: Bugbear (bear people)
2: Centaur (horse people)
3: Goblin (monkey people)
4: Hobgoblin (wolf people)
5: Kobold (gecko people)
6: Lizardfolk (gator people)
7: Minotaur (ox people)
8: Yuan-ti (snake people)

Uncommon Species

Uncommon species are likely to be the objects of curiosity rather than fear. Choose or roll d20:

1: Aasimar (angel people)
2: Air Genasi (air people)
3: Changeling (shapeshifters)
4: Construct (mechanical people)
5: Earth Genasi (earth people)
6: Fairy (flying people)
7: Firbolg (forest giants)
8: Fire Genasi (fire people)
9: Giff (hippo people)
10: Gith (space people)
11: Goliath (mountain giants)
12: Hadozee (squirrel people)
13: Harengon (rabbit people)
14: Kenku (raven people)
15: Plasmoid (ooze people)
16: Satyr (goat people)
17: Tabaxi (cat people)
18: Thri-kreen (insect people)
19: Tortle (turtle people)
20: Water Genasi (water people)

Step 3: Add Backstory and Finish

Use the This is Your Life guidelines to create a backstory, choosing or rolling for every table.

After setting all of your ability scores according to the instructions, you will usually have at least one with no score. With your backstory and proficiencies in mind, decide what you want your character to be bad at, and set one unfilled ability score to 8 and the rest to 10. In the rare case where all of your ability scores already have scores, decrease one of them by 2.

Make sure that no ability score is higher than 16. If it is, reduce it to 16 and increase some other ability score that is 14 or less by that amount.

Then, using the Equipment chapter of the basic rules, write down your AC, and the damage and range of all weapons you own.

If you are a spellcaster, choose spells now, making sure that you have a damage-dealing cantrip, and write it in the Attacks box.

Write down a reminder of the Cultural Immersion trait that matches your Upbringing. (Don't write down all the details, but you can read them below.) If you rolled an unusual upbringing (15-20 on the Other Upbringing table), instead write down a Cultural Immersion reminder for your Background.

Cultural Immersion

You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion) checks when interacting with people who share your upbringing, and on Wisdom (Insight) checks on someone like you who is not trying to deceive you. (Deception and Insight cancel out; they know how to lie better, but you know how to see though them.)

You have advantage on all Wisdom and Intelligence checks on things you grew up with, including Animal Handling checks for animals like the ones you grew up with.

You have advantage on all checks related to downtime activities performed in areas with many people who share your upbringing.

When you are not in areas with many people who share your upbringing, you must make either an Intelligence (History), Wisdom (Insight), or Charisma (Persuasion) check to take advantage of your Background feature, instead of it happening automatically. The DC for this check is 10 to 15, based on the cultural distance as determined by the DM.

By default, Cultural Immersion benefits work wherever there are people who grew up with a similar upbringing, because it is based on thinking and acting a certain way, not because of a character's history in any particular place.

People with an unusual upbringing are less likely to interact with people who share their upbringing, but they often form close bonds to those of their background, so a Werewolf Soldier would benefit from Cultural Immersion when interacting with any veteran or military encampment or equipment. The background feature of such characters almost always works.

Tables

Use these tables only if you rolled the 'Other' option on something:

Other Upbringing

New players should use a d12, veterans use a d20:
1: Caravan
2: City
3: Factory
4: Farmland
5: Freehold
6: Mystic
7: Nomad
8: Orchard
9: Outcast
10: Slum
11: Suburb
12: Tribal
13-14: Multicultural
15: Animal
16: Child Soldier
17: Fell From Heaven
18: Magemarked
19: Vampire
20: Werewolf

Other Background

Roll d6 (the tens digit) and d10:
10: Acolyte: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
11: Anthropologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
12: Archaeologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
13: Astral Drifter: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
14: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
15: Caravan Specialist: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
16: Celebrity Adventurer's Scion: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
17: Charlatan: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
18: City Watch: +2 Strength or Wisdom
19: Costumed Hero: +2 Constitution or Charisma
20: Courtier: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
21: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
22: Detective: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
23: Dragon Casualty: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
24: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
25: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
26: Failed Merchant: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
27: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
28: Feylost: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
29: Fisher: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
30: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
31: Gambler: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
32: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
33: Guild Artisan: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
34: Guild Merchant: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
35: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
36: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
37: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
38: Inquisitor: +2 Constitution or Intelligence
39: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
40: Investigator: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
41: Knight: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
42: Livestock Rustler: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
43: Marine: +2 Strength or Wisdom
44: Miner: +2 Strength or Wisdom
45: Noble: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
46: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
47: Pirate: +2 Strength or Wisdom
48: Sage: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
49: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
50: Smuggler: +2 Strength or Charisma
51: Soldier: +2 Strength or Charisma
52: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
53: Urban Bounty Hunter: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
54: Urchin: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
55: Wildspacer: +2 Strength or Wisdom
56-59: Roll twice on this table, rerolling duplicates. Do not increase any ability scores, but take all other features of both backgrounds including all money and starting equipment.
60-62: Astral Drifter: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
63-69: Wildspacer: +2 Strength or Wisdom

Species List

Aasimar

Whether descended from a celestial being or infused with heavenly power, aasimar are mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Age. Aasimar can live for up to 160 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Healing Hands. As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Light Bearer. You know the Light cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Fell From Heaven
2: Magemarked (Healing)
3-4: Mystic (Resistance(Necrotic), Charisma, Transformation(radiant, flying))
5: Suburb
6: Other

Air Genasi

Air genasi are part elemental, imbued with elemental air. Most are descended from djinn, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Air, but they can also be formed from magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet.

Unending Breath. You can hold your breath indefinitely while you’re not incapacitated.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2-3: Mystic (Airbending)
4: Nomad
5: Magemarked (Passage or Storm)
6: Other

Bugbear

Bugbears descended from large predatory animals.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Bugbears reach adulthood at age 16 and live up to 80 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid.

Size. Bugbears are between 6 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Orchard
2: Freehold
3: Slum
4-5: Tribal (Powerful Build, Sneaky, Surprise Attack)
6: Other

Centaur

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Centaurs reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Size. Centaurs stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, with their equine bodies reaching about 4 feet at the withers. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Equine Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag. In addition, any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet, instead of the normal 1 extra foot.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2-3: Nomad (Charge)
4: Orchard
5: Tribal
6: Other

Changeling

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Changelings reach adulthood in their middle teens and live less than a century. While a changeling can transform to conceal their age, the effects of aging still affect them.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Change Appearance. As an action, you can change your appearance and your voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight, but not so much that your size changes. You can make yourself appear as a member of another species, though none of your game statistics change.

You can't duplicate the appearance of a creature you've never seen, and you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren't changed by this trait.
You stay in the new form until you use an action to revert to your true form or until you die.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1-2: Caravan (Diplomat)
3: City
4: Farmland
5: Roll d12 on the Other Upbringing table.
6: Roll d20 on the Other Upbringing table.

Construct

You are an artificial lifeform. Depending on the setting and culture, you might be called a golem, warforged, autognome, or robot. Where you came from, artificial life may be mass-produced in factories or creation forges, or an extremely rare result of magical experimentation, or anything in between. You can decide your origin and life history, or roll on this History table.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. The maximum lifespan of most constructs remains a mystery. Well-built ones show no signs of deterioration due to age, and many of them have no knowledge of their age. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Creature Type. You are a Construct.

Size. Constructs are constructed in many sizes. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Healing Machine. If the Mending spell is cast on you, you can spend a Hit Die, roll it, and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point). In addition, your creator designed you to benefit from several spells that preserve life but that normally don't affect Constructs: Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Mass Cure Wounds, Mass Healing Word, and Spare the Dying.

Mechanical Nature. You have resistance to poison damage and immunity to disease, and you have advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or poisoned. You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.

Sentry's Rest. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn't render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.

Choose Integrated Protection or Nimble Design: (If your class gives you proficiency with medium or heavy armor, choose Integrated Protection)

*Integrated Protection. Your body has built-in defensive layers, which can be enhanced with armor.
You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
You can don only armor with which you have proficiency. To don armor, you must incorporate it into your body over the course of 1 hour, during which you must remain in contact with the armor. To doff armor, you must spend 1 hour removing it. You can rest while donning or doffing armor in this way.
While you live, your armor can't be removed from your body against your will.

*Nimble Design. You are encased in a thin metal or some other durable material.
While you aren't wearing armor, your base Armor Class is 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
You can add a d4 to one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw you make, and you can do so after seeing the d20 roll but before the effects of the roll are resolved. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: City
2: Factory
3-4: Outcast (Constitution and your class's secondary ability score, Specialized)
5: Suburb
6: Other

Dragonborn

Dragonborn are scaly humanoids with the facial features of dragons and elemental breath attacks. Most come from parents who are also dragonborn, but they can also be formed from natural hybridization (dragons often use magic to take humanoid form), magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Young naturally-born dragonborn grow quickly. They walk hours after hatching, attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach adulthood by 15. They live to be around 80.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Most natural dragonborn are tall and heavy, standing well over 6 feet tall and averaging almost 250 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Draconic Link. Through either heritage or magical influence, you are tied to a particular type of dragon. This determines the damage type for your other traits. Choose or roll d20:
1-2. Black - Acid
3-4. Blue - Lightning
5-6. Green - Poison
7-8. Red - Fire
9-10. White - Cold
11. Brass - Fire
12. Bronze - Lightning
13. Copper - Acid
14. Gold - Fire
15. Silver - Cold
16. Amethyst - Force
17. Crystal - Radiant
18. Emerald - Psychic
19. Sapphire - Thunder
20. Topaz - Necrotic

Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of magical energy in either a 15-foot cone, or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 damage of the type associated with your Metallic Ancestry. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10). You can use your Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Factory
2: Freehold
3-4: Outcast (Strength, Charisma, Resistance based on Draconic Link)
5: Tribal
6: Other

Dwarf

Dwarves descended from burrowing mammals, and are most comfortable underground. Most of them prefer to live in hills and mountains with natural cavern systems that can be expanded and mined. The name is a misleading relic of ancient times; many species are smaller and shorter than they are (although a dwarf will usually be the shortest person in a group of people wielding heavy weapons like pikes or greatswords).

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Dwarves become physically mature by age 25, but they're considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 120 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing armor.

Burrowing Instinct. You have advantage on all Survival checks in underground environments; on all skill and tool checks to create or repair tunnels, basements, and other excavations; and on all Perception checks to notice underground architectural features like hidden doors, or dangers related to collapsing walls or tunnels.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1-2: Factory (mountain dwarf: Labor-Mason's tools)
3-4: Freehold (hill dwarf: Lumberjack, Scab(Mason))
5: Magemarked (Warding)
6: Mystic (duergar: Intelligence, Mystic Arts or Mental Discipline, Fleshbending)
7: Suburb
8: Other

Earth Genasi

Earth genasi are part elemental, imbued with elemental earth. Most trace their ancestry to dao, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Earth, but they can also be formed from magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 25 feet.

Merge with Stone. You know the Blade Ward cantrip. You can cast it as normal, and you can also cast it as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Factory
2: Farmland
3: Magemarked
4-5: Mystic (Earthbending)
6: Other

Elf

Elves descended from a fox-like creature whose diet was mostly fruit. They developed a civilization based on cultivating orchards (possibly after magical influence or uplift from fey forces), and are most comfortable in dense forests or solarpunk urban environments.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Although elves reach physical maturity at about age 25, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Trance. Elves do not sleep. Instead they meditate deeply, remaining semi-conscious, for 4 hours a day. The Common word for this meditation is "trance." While meditating, you dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive after years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit most people would from 8 hours of sleep.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1-2: City (high elf: Cantrip, Cosmopolitan, Field Work(Perception), Physical Education(longsword, shortsword), Physical Education(shortbow, longbow))
3: Magemarked (Shadow)
4-5: Mystic
(drow: Charisma, Weapons(rapier, shortsword, hand crossbow), Lightbending)
(eladrin: Charisma, Weapons(longsword, shortsword, longbow), Spacebending)
6-7: Orchard
(wood elf: Wisdom, Fleet of Foot, Mask of the Wild, Warden Training(longsword, shortsword, longbow))
(aquatic elf: Wisdom, Speak with Beasts, Child of the Water, Warden Training(trident, light crossbow, net))
8: Other

Fairy

"Fairy" is the common term for any humanoid creature with wings that can fly. The wings can resemble those of birds or insects. There are many different types, with their own societies and abilities and names. Many have magic of some type.

Age. Fairies have a life span of about a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid or a Fey. You choose the type when you select this race.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Flight. Because of your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can't use this flying speed if you're wearing medium or heavy armor, or if you're encumbered.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Magemarked
2-3: Mystic
(Fairy: Plantbending)
(Siren: Mindbending)
4: Outcast (Owlin: Creature of the Night)
5: Slum (Aarakocra: Quiet Survivor, Wild Magic (Gust of Wind))
6: Other

Firbolg

The first firbolgs were distant cousins of giants who wandered the primeval forests of the multiverse. You could be from a long line of firbolg, but you could also get your size and abilities from recent hybridization, magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutation.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Firbolg have long lifespans. A firbolg reaches adulthood around 30, and the oldest of them can live for 500 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid or a Fey. You choose the type when you select this race.

Size. Firbolg are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 240 and 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Magical Senses. You can cast the Detect Magic spell once per long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Magemarked (Finding, Handling, or Healing)
2: Mystic (Fleshbending)
3-4: Orchard (Speak with Beasts, Nature Magic(Fleshbending))
5: Suburb
6: Other

Fire Genasi

Fire genasi are part elemental, imbued with elemental fire. Most are descended from efreet, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Fire, but they can also be formed from magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Flame Essence. You have resistance to fire damage.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: City
2: Factory
3: Magemarked
4-5: Mystic (Firebending)
6: Other

Giff

Giff are descended from large herbivores, and often resemble hippos or rhinos.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Size. You are Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Large Build. You have advantage on Strength-based ability checks and Strength saving throws. In addition, you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2: City
3: Outcast
4-5: Suburb (Charisma, Firearms, Weapon Modding, and you start with a pistol or musket instead of rolling for Attic Rummaging.)
6: Other

Gith

Gith are descended from people who have been exposed to the astral plane and wildspace for generations. Originally there were two main factions, but in recent years these have splintered into a larger variety.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Gith reach adulthood in their late teens and live for about a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Psychic Resilience. You have resistance to psychic damage.

Space Heritage. You are adapted to zero gravity. Being weightless doesn’t give you disadvantage on any of your melee attack rolls or other ability checks. In addition, you may take the Astral Drifter background instead of rolling on your Upbringing's table, and if you do, you may choose any class for its Magic Initiate feat.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Factory (Githyanki: Magewright, Spacebending)
2: Fell from Heaven
3: Magemarked
4: Mystic (Githzerai: Mental Discipline)
5-6: Other

Gnome

Gnomes descended from small mammals that were constantly on the watch for danger from magic-using predators.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Gnomes are physically mature by the age of 25, and most are expected to settle into adult life around the age of 40. They can live to 350 years on average, but it's not too uncommon for them to reach 500 years of age.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and weigh around 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves against magic.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: City
2: Factory
2: Magemarked (Scribing)
3-4: Orchard
(forest gnome: Intelligence, Fleet of Foot, Natural Illusionist, Speak with Beasts)
(deep gnome: Intelligence, Darkvision, Fleet of Foot, Stone Camouflage)
5-6: Suburb (rock gnome: Intelligence, Tinkering, Artificer's Lore)
8: Other

Goblin

Goblins descended from curious and adventurous small primates that found a niche in dangerous environments. They have highly variable genetics, based on what their ancestors endured.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Goblins reach adulthood at age 8 and live up to 60 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid.

Size. Goblins are between 3 and 4 feet tall and weigh between 40 and 80 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Grit. You have resistance to one or more damage types of your choice. Choose or roll:
1: Acid and Lightning
2: Cold and Necrotic
3: Fire
4: Force, Psychic, Radiant, and Thunder
5: Poison
6: Roll twice on this table, rerolling duplicates. Your Strength score decreases by 1.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Factory
2: Nomad
3: Slum
4-5: Tribal (Defiance, Fury of the Small, Nimble Escape)
6: Other

Goliath

Goliaths are over 7 feet tall and have a wide array of skin tones resembling different types of stone. The first goliaths lived on the highest mountain peaks. You could be from a long line of goliaths, but you could also get your size and abilities from recent hybridization, magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutation.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Goliaths enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Goliaths are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Little Giant. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill, and you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. You also naturally acclimate to high altitudes, even if you’ve never been to one. This includes elevations above 20,000 feet.

Stone's Endurance. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Freehold
2-3: Outcast (Strength, Constitution, cold resistance)
4: Slum
5: Tribal
6: Other

Hadozee

Hadozees’ progenitors were mammals no bigger than housecats. Hunted by larger natural predators, they took to the trees and evolved wing-like flaps that enabled them to glide from branch to branch.

Age. Hadozee enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Dexterous Feet. As a bonus action, you can use your feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object.

Glide. When you fall at least 10 feet above the ground, you can use your reaction to extend your skin membranes to glide horizontally a number of feet equal to your walking speed, and you take 0 damage from the fall. You determine the direction of the glide.

Hadozee Resilience. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d6. Add your proficiency bonus to the number rolled, and reduce the damage you take by an amount equal to that total (minimum of 0 damage). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: City
2-3: Farmland (but roll on the Other Background table)
4: Orchard
5: Outcast
6: Other

Half Elf

Some half-elves are hybrids of humanoids and fey creatures, some are born from two half-elf parents, and others are the result of deliberate or accidental magic. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Half-elves reach adulthood at the age of 20, and live up to 180 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Half-elves vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Passing. You have advantage on checks to disguise yourself as either a human or an elf, and pass as an ordinary member of either of those species.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1-2: Caravan (Diplomat)
3: City
4: Magemarked (Detection or Storm)
5: Mystic
6: Orchard
7: Roll d12 on the Other Upbringing table.
8: Roll d20 on the Other Upbringing table.

Half Orc

"Half-orc" is the common term for anyone with features from a strong and bulky humanoid species. Usually they have prominent 'monstrous' facial features. Some are the result of recent hybridization, others are from two half-orc parents, others are actually full-blooded orcs, and a few are the result of deliberate or accidental magic. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Half-orcs reaching adulthood around age 14 and rarely live longer than 75 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Half-orcs range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Freehold
2: Magemarked (Finding)
3: Slum
4-5: Tribal
(half-orc: Intuition, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks)
(orc: Adrenaline Rush, Powerful Build, Relentless Endurance or Intuition)
6: Other

Halfling

Halflings descended from a small mammal in the middle of the food chain. They have an instinct to be alert to danger and opportunity, and can sometimes turn failure to success in a way that appears to be supernatural luck.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Halfling reach adulthood at the age of 20 and usually live about 150 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Second Chance. When you roll a 2 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, reroll the die and use the new result.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1-2: Freehold (stout: Dirt Farmer, Moonshiner (Dancing))
3: Magemarked (Hospitality or Healing)
4: Orchard
5-6: Suburb (lightfoot: Charisma, Avoiding Attention, Dancing)
7: Roll d12 on the Other Upbringing table.
8: Roll d20 on the Other Upbringing table.

Harengon

Harengons are bipedal, with the characteristic long feet of the rabbits they resemble and fur in a variety of colors.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. Harengon enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Hare-Trigger. You can add your proficiency bonus to your initiative rolls.

Lucky Footwork. When you fail a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to roll a d4 and add it to the save, potentially turning the failure into a success. You can't use this reaction if you're prone or your speed is 0.

Rabbit Hop. As a bonus action, you can jump a number of feet equal to five times your proficiency bonus, without provoking opportunity attacks. You can use this trait only if your speed is greater than 0. You can use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Orchard
2-3: Outcast (Perception)
4: Farmland
5: Freehold
6: Other

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblins descended from pack-hunting predators.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Hobgoblins reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are also considered a goblinoid for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a goblinoid.

Size. Hobgoblins are between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Child Soldier
2: Farmland
3-4: Factory (Senior Management(Physical Education) OR Line Management)
5: Freehold
6: Other

Human

Humans descended from apes who found a niche as pack-hunting exhaustion predators. They are most comfortable on savannas and open spaces where they can freely move about.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Marathon Endurance. You have advantage on Athletics checks to run, jog, and hike long distances, and on Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion from extended exercise.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1-2: Caravan (variant human: Esoteric Knowledge)
3-4: Farmland (base human)
5: Magemarked (Finding, Handling, Making, Passage, or Sentinel)
6-7: Roll d12 on the Other Upbringing table.
8: Roll d20 on the Other Upbringing table.

Hybrid

Roll two different species, rerolling duplicates.

Age. Your lifespan and time to maturity is an average of the two parent species

Creature Type. Choose either creature type of the two parent species.

Size. You can choose to be either Small or Medium, unless both parent species are the same size, without allowing any choice.

Speed. Your speed is the lowest of the two parent species.

Take all features and ability score increases from both parent species. Then, your lowest physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution) decreases by 3.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Roll on the Upbringing table of the first species.
2: Roll on the Upbringing table of the second species.
3: Caravan
4-5: Outcast
6: Roll on the Upbringing tables of both species. If you get the same result, take it. Otherwise, Multicultural with those two upbringings.

Kenku

Kenku resemble some kind of bird, usually a raven or other corvid, but are flightless. Most descend from other kenku, but some are formed when a humanoid is affected by magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Kenku reach maturity at about 12 years old and can live to 60.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Mimicry. You can accurately mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations only with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2-3: City (Expert Duplication, Recall, Skill Training x2)
4: Nomad
5: Orchard
6: Other

Kobold

Kobolds are small reptilian creatures.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6 and can live up to 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Kobolds are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Mystic
2: Suburb
3: Slum
4-5: Tribal (Defiance, Pack Tactics, Sneaky)
6: Other

Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk descended from aquatic reptilian predators.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. Lizardfolk reach maturity around age 14 and rarely live longer than 60 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Lizardfolk are typically around 6 feet tall and 150-200 pounds, and their colorful frills make them appear even larger. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Natural Armor. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity 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.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Mystic
2: Orchard
3: Outcast
4-5: Slum (Quiet Survivor, Scavenger, Frenzy)
6: Other

Minotaur

Minotaurs descended from large migratory animals.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Minotaurs reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Minotaurs average over 6 feet in height, and they have strong, stocky builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Terrain Recall. You always know which direction is north, and you have advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) check you make to navigate or track.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Farmland
2: Orchard
3: Outcast
4-5: Slum (Hustler (Intimidation, Persuasion), Hammering, Rush)
6: Other

Plasmoid

Plasmoids are amorphous beings with no typical shape. Some are descended from other plasmoids and grew up in a community of their kind, but many are formed when an ooze is uplifted to sapience, or when a humanoid is affected by magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. The maximum lifespan of plasmoids remains a mystery, and many of them have no knowledge of their age.

Creature Type. You are an Ooze.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you gain this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Amorphous. You can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide, provided you are wearing and carrying nothing larger or more rigid than a bag, dagger, or wand. You also have advantage on ability checks you make to initiate or escape a grapple.

Shape Self. As an action, you can reshape your body to give yourself a humanoid form, or you can revert to a limbless blob. This gives you several features:
*While you are in blob shape, you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
*While you have a humanoid shape, you can wear clothing and armor made for any Humanoid of your size.
*As a bonus action, you can extrude a pseudopod that is up to 6 inches wide and 10 feet long or reabsorb it into your body. As part of the same bonus action, you can use this pseudopod to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. The pseudopod can’t attack or lift more than 10 pounds.
*As a bonus action, you can temporarily lengthen your limbs so that your reach for your next melee attack is 5 feet greater than normal.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2: Factory
3: Orchard
4-5: Outcast (Constitution and your class's secondary ability score, poison resistance)
6: Other

Satyr

Satyrs have goatlike legs, cloven hooves, and ram or goat horns.

Age. Satyrs enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Size. Satyrs range from just under 5 feet to about 6 feet in height, with generally slender builds. Your size is medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Resilience. Choose either Dexterity or Constitution. Increase the chosen ability score by 2. You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability.

Roll d6 for Upbringing:

1: Caravan
2: Freehold
3: Orchard
4-5: Slum (Hustler(Performance, Persuasion), Fleet of Foot, Leaps)
6: Other

Tabaxi

Tabaxi descended from catlike creatures, and most resemble cats. They have claws that allow them to quickly climb.

Ability Score Increase. +2 Dex

Age. Tabaxi reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Roll d6 for Upbringing:
1: Animal
2: City
3-4: Slum (Quiet Survivor(Perception and Stealth), Agility, Tremorsense)
5: Suburb
6: Other

Thri-kreen

Thri-kreen have insectile features and two pairs of arms. Their bodies are encased in protective chitin. They can alter the coloration of this carapace to blend in with their natural surroundings.

Although thri-kreen don’t sleep, they do require periods of inactivity to revitalize themselves. During these periods, they are fully aware of what’s happening around them.

Thri-kreen speak by clacking their mandibles and waving their antennae, indicating to other thri-kreen what they are thinking and feeling. Other creatures find this method of communication difficult to interpret and impossible to duplicate. To interact with other folk, thri-kreen rely on a form of telepathy.

Age. Thri-kreen enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Monstrosity.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Chameleon Carapace. While you aren’t wearing armor, your carapace gives you a base Armor Class of 13 + your Dexterity modifier. As an action, you can change the color of your carapace to match the color and texture of your surroundings, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in those surroundings.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of yourself 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.

Secondary Arms. You have two slightly smaller secondary arms below your primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

Sleepless. You do not require sleep and can choose to remain conscious during a long rest, though you must still refrain from strenuous activity to gain the benefit of the rest.

Thri-kreen Telepathy. Without the assistance of magic, you can’t speak the non-thri-kreen languages you know. Instead you use telepathy to convey your thoughts. You have the magical ability to transmit your thoughts mentally to willing creatures you can see within 120 feet of yourself. A contacted creature doesn’t need to share a language with you to understand your thoughts, but it must be able to understand at least one language. Your telepathic link to a creature is broken if you and the creature move more than 120 feet apart, if either of you is incapacitated, or if either of you mentally breaks the contact (no action required).

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Factory
2-3: Farmland (but roll on the Other Background table)
4: Outcast
5: Tribal
6: Other

Tiefling

Tieflings are people with innate magic, usually tied to fiendish power. Most of them have visible demonic features like horns or a tail. Some are hybrids of humanoids and fiendish creatures, some are born from two tiefling parents, and others are the result of magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Ability Score Decrease. You are cursed by fiendish impulses. Your Wisdom score decreases by 1.

Age. Tieflings reach adulthood in their late teens and live about a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Tieflings vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 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.

Infernal Legacy. You have the ability to cast spells. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Each legacy has a cantrip, two spells, and an additional ability. You know the cantrip and can cast it at will. At 3rd level, you can cast the second spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast the third spell once per long rest. Choose or roll d10:

1: Asmodeus. Thaumaturgy, Hellish Rebuke, Darkness
2: Baalzebul. Thaumaturgy, Ray of Sickness, Crown of Madness.
3: Dispater. Thaumaturgy, Disguise Self, Detect Thoughts.
4: Fierna. Friends, Charm Person, Suggestion.
5: Glasya. Minor Illusion, Disguise Self, Invisibility.
6: Levistus. Ray of Frost, Armor of Agathys, Darkness.
7: Mammon. Mage Hand, Tenser's Floating Disk, Arcane Lock.
8: Mephistopheles. Mage Hand, Burning Hands, Flame Blade.
9: Zariel. Thaumaturgy, Searing Smite, Branding Smite.
10. Roll 1d10 on the Mystic Innate Magic table. Gain the three spells, but not the other ability. Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:

1: Caravan
2: Mystic
3-4: Outcast (Intelligence, Charisma, fire resistance)
5: Slum
6: Other

Tortle

Carrying their shelter on their backs gives tortles a special feeling of security wherever they go, for even if they visit a far, unknown country, they have a place to lay their heads.

Tortles exhibit the same range of coloration and patterns found among turtles, and many tortles enjoy adorning their shells in distinctive ways.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age. Young tortles crawl for a few weeks after birth before learning to walk on two legs. They reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 50 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Claws. You have claws that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.

Natural Armor. Your shell provides you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn’t affect this number). You can’t wear light, medium, or heavy armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield’s bonus as normal.

Shell Defense. You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to your AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and can’t increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can’t take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell..

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2: Farmland
3: Mystic
4-5: Outcast (Survival)
6: Other

Water Genasi

Water genasi are part elemental, imbued with elemental water. Most are descended from marids, aquatic genies from the Elemental Plane of Water, but they can also be formed from magical accidents or curses, deliberate self-experimentation, or de novo mutations. You decide your character's origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. A typical genasi has a life span of 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed. Your walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 35 feet.

Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: Caravan
2: Magemarked (Healing or Storm)
3-4: Mystic (Waterbending)
5: Orchard
6: Other

Yuan-Ti

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. Yuan-ti reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid.

Size. Yuan-ti vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Serpent Essence. You can cast Animal Friendship an unlimited number of times, but you can target only snakes with it.

Choose or roll for Upbringing:
1: City
2: Factory
3-4: Mystic (Spell Resilience, Charisma, Venombending or Mindbending)
5: Freehold
6: Other

Upbringing List

Animal

You were an animal for most of your life. You decide if you were turned into one when you were a baby, or if you were born an animal before something gave you sapience and the ability to transform into a member of your species. In some ways you still are an animal, and integrating into the society around you can be somewhat difficult.

Alignment. Any, although usually non-lawful.

Speak (but do not read or write) Common and one language of your choice.

Transformation. Choose a beast of challenge rating 0. You can, once per short rest, transform into that animal. You can stay in the animal form as long as you want. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours.

When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form, For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.

You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as Call Lightning, that you've already cast.

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Choose or roll d4:

1-2: Pet. You were once a pampered pet and now you are an uncannily attractive member of your species. +3 Charisma. Gain proficiency with the Persuasion and Performance skills.

3-4: Wild. You were once a wild animal. +3 Wisdom. Gain proficiency with the Perception and Survival skills.

Roll a random Background.

Caravan

You grew up among people who constantly traveled from one settlement to the next, such as merchants, itinerant laborers, or performers. Your life was freedom, fresh air, and the open road or sea or sky, knowing no law or master but one's own virtue. You and your people are often viewed with suspicion by settled provincial folk, so you developed unusual skills or became good at making friends. Traditionally this upbringing was associated with humans and half-elves.

Alignment. Tends toward chaotic good, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Choose or roll:
1: Diplomat. +2 Charisma. Gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion. Gain the Linguist feat.
2: Esoteric Knowledge. +1 Any. Gain a feat of your choice. Gain proficiency in a skill of your choice.
3. Job Change. Choose or roll an additional Background. Gain its ability score increase and all features and benefits, including money and equipment.
4: Well Traveled. You have picked up a lot of random things, including some scars and injuries. Roll d12 on the City Education table, d12 on the Freehold Hardscrabble table, d8 on the Orchard Ways of Nature table, d12 on the Suburb Hobbies table, d12 on the Tribal Primal table, and d8 on the Slum Survival Strategy table. (You may not choose on any table.) Your Constitution score decreases by 2.

Choose or roll for Background:

1: Astral Drifter: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Caravan Specialist: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
3: Dragon Casualty: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
4: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Failed Merchant: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
6: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
7: Gambler: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
8: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
9: Guild Merchant: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
10: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
11: Miner: +2 Strength or Wisdom
12: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
13: Smuggler: +2 Strength or Charisma
14: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
15: Wildspacer: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Child Soldier

You grew up knowing nothing but training for battle or special operations, in an isolated barracks or camp. You decide if you escaped or were discharged at some point to make your own way in the world, or if you are currently still loyal to the organization and on a mission for it.

Alignment. Any. Decide about who trained you, why, what the training was like, and how that shaped you.

Speak (but do not read or write) Common and one language of your choice.

Early Training. Gain all of the features of the first level of Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, or Rogue, except hit points, as though you were multiclassing into that class. This does not require you to meet any ability score prerequisites, and does not count as your current class, but if you do meet the multiclassing prerequisites, you can later advance in the chosen class as a normal multiclassed character. You are still a level 1 character for the purposes of experience and encounter calculations and proficiency bonus.

If you left, roll a random Background. If not, choose or roll:

1: Inquisitor: +2 Constitution or Intelligence
2: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
3: Marine: +2 Strength or Wisdom
4-5: Soldier: +2 Strength or Charisma
6: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma

City

You grew up in an advanced or wealthy metropolis, with palaces, universities, and often a bustling port: a place of art and learning and intrigue, bound to the flows of politics and commerce, rather than the cycles of nature. You received a formal liberal arts education in a structured environment, often one that taught the basics of magic.

Alignment. Tends toward neutral, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice. Read and write (but do not speak) Elvish or an exotic language.

Well Educated. +2 Intelligence. Repeat five times: Choose or roll d12 on the Education table (rerolling duplicates only for Expert Duplication or Recall):

Education

1: Arcana Study. Gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you already have proficiency in Arcana, or you gain it later, then instead of gaining proficiency in a different skill, you may gain expertise in Arcana, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it, and read and write (but not speak) Infernal and Primordial. If you choose or roll the 'Other' background, then you may instead take the STEM Grad Student (+2 Constitution or Intelligence) background.
2: Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the Wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
3: Cosmopolitan. Speak, read, and write a common language of your choice. Then choose another upbringing, and gain the Cultural Immersion benefits for it. If you would choose or roll the 'Other' background, then you may instead take the Master of Fine Arts (+2 Dexterity or Charisma) background.
4: Expert Duplication. When you copy writing or craftwork produced by yourself or someone else, you have advantage on any ability checks you make to produce an exact duplicate.
5: Field Work. Gain proficiency with the Investigation or Perception skill.
6: Goofing Off. Choose or roll d10 on the Suburb Hobbies table. Your Intelligence score decreases by 1.
7: History Study. Gain proficiency in the Religion skill. If you already have proficiency in History, or you gain it later, then instead of gaining proficiency in a different skill, you may gain expertise in History, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it, and read and write (but not speak) Draconic and Undercommon. If you choose or roll the 'Other' background, then you may instead take the History Grad Student (+2 Constitution or Intelligence) background.
8: Nature Study. Gain proficiency in the Nature skill. If you already have proficiency in Nature, or you gain it later, then instead of gaining proficiency in a different skill, you may gain expertise in Nature, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it, and read and write (but not speak) Druidic and Sylvan. If you choose or roll the 'Other' background, then you may instead take the Biology Grad Student (+2 Intelligence or Wisdom) background.
9: Physical Education. Gain proficiency with two weapons of your choice.
10: Recall. When you make an ability check using any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the check before rolling the d20. You can give yourself advantage in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
11: Religion Study. Gain proficiency in the Religion skill. If you already have proficiency in Religion, or you gain it later, then instead of gaining proficiency in a different skill, you may gain expertise in Religion, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it, and read and write (but not speak) Celestial and Abyssal. If you choose or roll the 'Other' background, then you may instead take the Philosophy Grad Student (+2 Constitution or Charisma) background.
12: Spellcasting. Choose one 1st-level spell from from the Wizard spell list. You can cast that spell once per long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Choose or Roll for Background:

1: Anthropologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Archaeologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
3: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
4: Celebrity Adventurer's Scion: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
5: Charlatan: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
6: Costumed Hero: +2 Constitution or Charisma
7: Courtier: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
8: Detective: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
9: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
10: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
11: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
12: Investigator, reporter, or journalist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
13: Noble: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
14: Sage: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
15: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
16-20: Other

Factory

You grew up in a society closely tied to a factory, mine, foundry, shipyard, or similar industrial enterprise. Your people are organized around the production process, working iron and stone and other raw materials to their will. You are accustomed to hierarchies, rules, standards, procedures, tradition, honor, and regimentation.

While most people in factory societies are laborers, there are some who use magic to help with the production process, and there are always a few people who direct and organize (some might say oppress) labor.

If you were laborer, you were expected to handle roughness and violence, either to protect your homeland from outsiders, to fight management and scabs, or in off-hours brawls with other workers. You became familiar with personal protective equipment, and learned how to use your tools to fight. You also become accustomed to bad food and toxic industrial chemicals.

Alignment. Tends toward lawful neutral, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, and one other language that uses the Dwarvish script.

Protective equipment. You have proficiency with light armor.

Choose or roll d10 on the Jobs table:

Jobs

1: Senior Management. Gain all of the following:
*Basic Education. Choose or roll d12 on the City Education table.
*Management Experience. +2 Intelligence. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to economics, heraldry, logistics, or military tactics, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
*Advanced Saving Face. You are careful not to show weakness, for fear of losing status. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, 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). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll a background from the City list.

2: Line Management. Gain all of the following:
*Heard It All. Speak (but do not read or write) four additional languages of your choice. You gain proficiency in the Insight skill, and you have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
*Oversight. You can use this trait to take the Help action as a bonus action, and you can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level, choose one of the options below each time you take the Help action with this trait:
-Move It! You and the creature you help each increase your walking speeds by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.
-Punch It! Until the start of your next turn, the first time the creature you help hits a target with an attack roll, that target has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes within the next minute.
-Suck It Up! You and the creature you help each gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d6 plus your proficiency bonus.
*Saving Face. You are careful not to show weakness, for fear of losing status. If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, 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 +3). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Choose or roll a background from the City list.

3-4: Magewright. Gain all of the following:
*Education. Repeat two times: Choose or roll Roll d12 on the City Education table.
*Production Magic. Choose or roll d10 on the Mystic Innate Magic table.

Choose or roll a background from the City list.

5-10: Labor. Gain all of the following:
*Strength of the Worker. +1 Strength. You have proficiency with medium armor. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
*Tool Mastery. You have used a type of tool for so long that it has become an extension of your body and will. You gain several benefits:
You are proficient in the tool, and you gain expertise with that tool, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
You are proficient in the indicated weapons that resemble the tool, and if you have used a tool to do at least five days of work, then you may treat that tool as a weapon of the indicated type when wielding it, instead of an improvised weapon.
Additionally, whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin or properties of something created with those tools, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

5: Carpenter's tools (axe or adze); handaxe and battleaxe; wooden structures
6: Glassblower's tools; blowgun; glasswork. When you use a blowgun, it deals 1d4 piercing damage and 1d4 poison damage, and you may use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls.
7: Leatherworker's Tools; dagger and rapier; leatherwork
8: Mason's tools; light hammer and warhammer; stonework
9: Smith's tools; light hammer and warhammer; ironwork
10: Woodcarver's tools (saw); shortsword and longsword; woodwork

Choose or roll for Background:

1: Acolyte: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
3: Costumed Hero: +2 Constitution or Charisma
4: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
6: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
7: Gambler: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
8: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
9: Guild Artisan: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
10: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
11: Investigator: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
12: Miner: +2 Strength or Wisdom
13: Sage or engineer: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
14: Union Organizer: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
15: Union Enforcer: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Farmland

You grew up in an area dominated by intensive grain cultivation. Because grain is easy to confiscate and store, and allows high population densities, this situation tends to be associated with large armies, nobility and empires. Your upbringing focused on work or duty, and fixing your weaknesses, rather than learning idle hobbies or fancy tricks. Traditionally this upbringing was associated with humans.

Alignment. Tends toward lawful evil, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Well-rounded. At the end of character creation, after all ability scores have been assigned, gain +2 in each of your lowest three scores.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Acolyte: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Charlatan: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
3: Courtier: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
4: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
6: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
7: Guild Artisan: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
8: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
9: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Inquisitor: +2 Constitution or Intelligence
11: Knight: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
12: Livestock Rustler: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
13: Noble: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
14: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
15: Soldier: +2 Strength or Charisma
16-20: Other

Fell From Heaven

You were found in a crater surrounded by shards of strange magical material. You have the body of a young adult, but no memories of your life before except brief flashes and strange dreams. Since then you've made your way through the world as best you could, although you have difficulty understanding how this world works, and have recently begun to manifest innate magical powers.

Alignment. Tends toward lawful good, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read and write Celestial. Speak (but do not read or write) Common and one language of your choice.

Out of Place. Your Intelligence score decreases by 2.

Heavenly Power. +2 Charisma. Gain all of the features of the first level of Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer, or Warlock, except hit points, as though you were multiclassing into that class. This does not require you to meet any ability score prerequisites, and does not count as your current class, but if you do meet the multiclassing prerequisites, you can later advance in the chosen class as a normal multiclassed character. You are still a level 1 character for the purposes of experience and encounter calculations and proficiency bonus.

Roll a random Background.

Freehold

You grew up among independent homesteads, usually on the fringe of civilization, often pioneers in an area recently devastated by war, plague, or monster attacks. You are accustomed to scratching a living for you and your family from land that is often hostile and unforgiving. Although freeholders seek freedom and self-determination, they are not completely isolated from civilization, and usually maintain economic and cultural connections with larger settlements, sometimes working there as laborers when times are rough or they need more money. People from this upbringing tend to be fiercely independent, resisting any kind of outside authority.

Alignment. Tends toward chaotic neutral, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak (but do not read or write) Common and one other language of your choice.

Frontier Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Repeat two times: Choose or roll d12 (rerolling any features you already have), on the Hardscrabble table:

Hardscrabble

1-4: Dirt Farmer. +1 Constitution. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself. You gain proficiency with either sickle, flail, and trident; or cook's utensils and weaver's tools.
5: Hunter. You gain proficiency with the light or heavy crossbow. Roll d12 on the Tribal Primal table.
6: Interesting Past. You've done a lot, but it wore you out. Choose or roll an extra background on the Freehold Background Table. Do not gain any ability score increase, but take all other benefits of the background. You get all of its starting equipment except the money. Your Constitution score decreases by 1, and your age increases by at least 10 years.
7: Lumberjack. +1 Wisdom. You gain proficiency with battleaxe and handaxe. Your hit point maximum increases by 1 per level.
8: Moonshiner. You gain proficiency with brewer's supplies. Either take Dancing from the Suburb Hobbies table, or gain +1 Constitution and roll d8 on the Slum Survival Strategy table.
9: Prospector. +1 Constitution. You gain proficiency with light hammer, warhammer, war pick, and mason's or smith's tools.
10: Scab. Roll d6+4 on the Factory Jobs table. Gain the associated Tool Mastery ability and any features in the entry, but not Strength of the Worker.
11: Teamster. +1 Wisdom. You gain proficiency with whip, land vehicles, and the Animal Handling skill.
12: Trapper. +1 Wisdom. When you use a Hunting Trap (PHB pg 152), the DCs of the Dexterity saving throw and Strength checks to escape, as well as any Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice a hidden trap, are increased by your proficiency bonus. Roll d8 on the Orchard Ways of Nature table.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Acolyte or backwoods preacher: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
3: Dragon Casualty: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
4: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
6: Feylost: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
7: Fisher: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
8: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
9: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
11: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
12: Livestock Rustler: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
13: Miner: +2 Strength or Wisdom
14: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
15: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Magemarked

You have a magical marking on your body that gives you powers. Either you were born with it, or it manifested at some point in your childhood or adolescence. This set you apart from society, and you focused your efforts on mastering your powers and figuring out what they mean for your place in the world.

Alignment. Any. Decide how society reacted to your appearance and powers, and how that shaped you.

Speak, read and write Common and one language of your choice.

Mark. Choose or roll d12. Each of the marks has an ability score increase, and gives the following features.
*Spellcasting. You know any listed cantrip. You can cast each listed 1st-level spell once per long rest. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast each listed 2nd-level spells once per long rest. The ability score that the mark increased is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
*Ability Boost. Whenever you make an ability check using the listed tools or skills, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the total ability check.

1. Detection: +3 Intelligence; Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, See Invisibility; Investigation, Insight
2. Finding: +3 Wisdom; Hunter's Mark, Longstrider, Locate Object; Perception, Survival
3. Handling: +3 Wisdom; Animal Friendship, Speak With Animals, Calm Emotions; Animal Handling, Nature
4. Healing: +3 Wisdom; Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Lesser Restoration; Medicine, Herbalism Kit
5. Hospitality: +3 Charisma; Prestidigitation, Purify Food and Drink, Unseen Servant; Persuasion, Brewer's Tools, Cook's Utensils
6. Making: +3 Intelligence; Mending, Identify, Magic Weapon (does not require concentration); Arcana, Artisan's Tools you are proficient with
7. Passage: +3 Dexterity; Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Misty Step; Acrobatics, one type of vehicles
8. Scribing: +3 Intelligence; Message, Comprehend Languages, Magic Mouth; History, Calligrapher's Tools
9. Sentinel: +3 Wisdom; Compelled Duel, Shield, Shield of Faith; Insight, Perception
10. Shadow: +3 Charisma; Minor Illusion, Disguise Self, Invisibility; Stealth, Performance
11. Storm: +3 Charisma; Feather Fall, Fog Cloud, Gust of Wind; Acrobatics, Navigator's Tools
12. Warding: +3 Intelligence; Alarm, Mage Armor, Arcane Lock; Investigation, Thieves' Tools

Roll a random Background.

Multicultural

You grew up in two different cultures, and know both of their folkways and are at home in both of them. Roll d12 on the Upbringing table twice, rerolling duplicates.

Alignment. Any. Decide how being exposed to different philosophies of life has shaped you.

Starting with the languages, follow the instructions under both upbringings, taking or choosing features as directed. You also get the Cultural Immersion benefit for both upbringings.

As normal, if you would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, you can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill, martial weapon, simple weapon, tool) instead. However, if given a choice, you cannot deliberately choose a proficiency you already have in order to trigger this.

Do not take any background.

Mystic

You grew up in a society that was heavily tied to magic, often in a different plane of existence, or an ecosystem where the primary producers draw energy from emanations of elemental magic rather than sunlight. You have absorbed some of this power, though diet and training and exposure.

Alignment. Any. There are many different planes of existence and magical societies.

Speak, read, and write Common and two other languages of your choice, one of which must be an exotic language.

You may choose to gain both Darkvision and Sunlight Sensitivity:
Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of the attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Choose or roll:

1: Mystic Arts. You have proficiency with three weapons of your choice.
2: Resistance. You have resistance to one or more damage types of your choice. Choose or roll:
   1-2: Acid and Lightning
   3-4: Cold and Necrotic
   5-6: Fire
   7-8: Force, Psychic, Radiant, and Thunder
   9-10: Poison
3: Mental Discipline. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed,  frightened, and stunned conditions on yourself. Your Constitution score decreases by 1.
4: Spell Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against spells. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short rest.

Choose Intelligence or Charisma. Gain +2 in the chosen ability score. Then choose or roll d12 on the Innate Magic table.

Innate Magic

1-10: Spellcasting. Your innate magic manifests in the ability to cast spells. The ability you chose is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Each entry has a cantrip, two spells, and an additional ability. You know the cantrip and can cast it at will. At 3rd level, you can cast the second spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast the third spell once per long rest. These spells don't require the material components normally required.

1: Airbending. Shocking Grasp, Feather Fall, Levitate. You have resistance to lightning damage.
2: Earthbending. Mold Earth, Earth Tremor, Pass Without Trace. You can move across difficult terrain without expending extra movement if you are using your walking speed on the ground or a floor.
3: Firebending. Produce Flame, Burning Hands, Flame Blade. You have advantage on saving throws against fire damage.
4: Fleshbending. Blade Ward, Enlarge/Reduce, Invisibility. You have resistance to necrotic damage.
5: Lightbending. Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Darkness. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill.
6: Mindbending. Friends, Sleep, Suggestion. You have resistance to psychic damage.
7: Plantbending. Druidcraft, Entangle, Spike Growth. You gain proficiency with the herbalism kit, and you do not need to own a kit to use its abilities.
8: Spacebending. Mage Hand, Jump, Misty Step. You have advantage on all saving throws against effects that would push, pull, teleport, or banish you.
9: Venombending. Poison Spray, Detect Poison and Disease, Dragon's Breath (poison only). You have resistance against poison damage.
10: Waterbending. Acid Splash , Create or Destroy Water, Water Walk. You have resistance to acid damage.

11-12: Transformation. Your innate magic manifests in the ability to magically transform for a total of one minute (ten combat rounds) per long rest. Beginning or ending the transformation is a bonus action. Choose a transformation tied to your culture or heritage. (For example, aasimar have a radiant angelic form, and drow usually choose a poisonous spider-like form.) All details are chosen at character creation and do not change without a special quest. Your equipment is incorporated into or carried by the new form, and your game statistics do not change, except as follows:
*While transformed, you have a flying, climbing or swimming speed equal to your movement, or a burrowing speed equal to half your movement. If you choose a flying speed, you have disadvantage on Stealth checks while transformed.
*Choose a damage type. While transformed, you have resistance against that damage.
*Starting at 3rd level, while transformed, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra damage of the chosen type to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Roll a random Background.

Nomad

You grew up as a nomadic hunter, herder, or raider. Your people ranged over a vast terrain, usually a steppe, roaming wild and moving like the wind. Settled civilization is alien to you, a threat to be avoided or a resource to be plundered. Either you are a centaur, or you spent so much time in the saddle that you know how to act as one with your mount.

Alignment. Tends toward neutral, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak (but do not read or write) Common and two other languages of your choice.

Horse Sense. +3 Wisdom. You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, or Survival. You have proficiency with the longbow or shortbow.

Choose Caracole or Charge. If you have the Equine Build ability, you are considered mounted for these features, and 'your mount' refers to you: (If you plan on fighting with a melee weapon, choose Charge, otherwise shoose Caracole.) 
*Caracole. While you are mounted and wielding a ranged weapon or spellcasting focus, you may use a bonus action to direct your mount to take the Disengage or Dodge action.
*Charge. If you are mounted and move at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hit it with a melee weapon attack on the same turn, you can immediately follow that attack with a bonus action, making one attack against the target with one of your mount's natural or unarmed attacks.

If you have the Equine Build ability:
*You are proficient with the lance and can wield it with one hand.
*You have advantage on Athletics checks to run, jog, and hike long distances, and on Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion from extended exercise.
*You have learned to use your hooves as natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

If you do not have the Equine Build ability:
*You are proficient in the Animal Handling skill.
*You start the game with a beast one size larger than you of CR 1/8 or 1/4 that doesn't have a flying speed, typically a Riding Horse, Pony, Mastiff, or Wolf. It is accustomed to being ridden in combat, and you own a saddle and all appropriate gear for it.
*At 5th level, you can cast the Find Steed spell once per seven long rests. If you have had the same mount since character creation, or are otherwise closely bonded to it as determined by the DM, its ability scores upgrade to that of a Warhorse or similar CR 1/2 beast, it becomes your choice of celestial, fae, or fiend, its Intelligence score increases to 6 if it is lower, and you can cast Find Steed once per long rest to summon it.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Acolyte: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
3: Caravan Specialist: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
4: Dragon Casualty: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
5: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
6: Feylost: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
7: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
8: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
9: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
11: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
12: Knight: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
13: Livestock Rustler: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
14: Noble: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
15: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Orchard

You grew up in a culture that strove to eliminate any distinctions between nature and civilization. You lived in a magical or genetically engineered environment that had been shaped to serve you, often an orchard of plants or fungi that was carefully stewarded to be in harmony with the environment and appear natural. Your people were friends of the plants and animals, and know how to use the earth and stones and weather to their advantage.

Alignment. Tends toward neutral good, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Elvish and Sylvan. Speak (but do not read or write) Common and one other language of your choice.

Natural Observer. +2 Intelligence or Wisdom. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill.

Repeat three times: Choose or roll d10 (rerolling any features you already have), on the Ways of Nature table:

Ways of Nature

1. Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in natural terrain.
2. Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 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.
3. Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases by 5 feet.
4. Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
5. Natural Illusionist. You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Choose Intelligence or Wisdom to be your spellcasting modifier for it.
6. Speak with Beasts. Through sound and gestures, you may communicate simple ideas with beasts and sapient plants native to the environment you grew up in.
7. Timberwalk. Ability checks made to track you are at disadvantage and you can move through difficult natural terrain made of non-magical plants and overgrowth without expending extra movement.
8. Warden Training. You have proficiency with the three weapons of your choice.
9. Child of the Water. You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe air and water.
10. Nature Magic. Choose or roll 1d10 on the Mystic Innate Magic table. Gain the three spells, but not the other ability. Choose Intelligence or Wisdom to be your spellcasting modifier for these spells. Your Charisma score decreases by 1.

Choose or Roll for Background:

1: Acolyte: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Anthropologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
3: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
4: Caravan Specialist: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
5: Detective: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
6: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
7: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
8: Feylost: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
9: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
10: Guild Merchant: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
11: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
12: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
13: Sage: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
14: Smuggler: +2 Strength or Charisma
15: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
16-20: Other

Outcast

You grew up on the fringes of society, either alone, or in an isolated clan or family, or as a sequestered servitor. People in normal society feared and shunned you because of your appearance or heritage, and you learned to make the most of your innate gifts.

Alignment. Any. Resting the inclination to evil and/or chaos is often hard for those who are alone, and those in a tight-knit clan often develop extreme views in some direction.

Speak, read and write Common and one exotic language.

Personal Training. +2 to two different ability scores

Choose or roll:
1: Creature of the Night. You have Darkvision; you can see in dim light within 60 feet of yourself 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. Additionally, you are proficient in the Stealth skill.
2: Resistance. You have resistance to one or more damage types of your choice. Choose or roll:
    1-2: Acid and Lightning
    3-4: Cold and Necrotic
    5-6: Fire
    7-8: Force, Psychic, Radiant, and Thunder
    9-10: Poison
3: Specialized. You gain one skill proficiency and one tool proficiency of your choice.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Archaeologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Astral Drifter: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
3: Costumed Hero: +2 Constitution or Charisma
4: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
6: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
7: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
8: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
9: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
11: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
12: Smuggler: +2 Strength or Charisma
13: Urban Bounty Hunter: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
14: Urchin: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
15: Wildspacer: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Slum

You grew up in a group of people with a lifestyle disconnected from or opposed to mainstream society. Sometimes this was because they chose an existence of unattached revelry with no thought to the future, but usually it was because they were downtrodden and dispossessed, forced to scratch a living in an urban or rural slum. Often your people form a pack or gang that supports them against the uncaring or hostile world, but individuals are always alert to opportunities to gain personal power within the gang. You are accustomed to violence, and in the absence of anything better, have learned to use your body as a weapon.

Alignment. Tends toward neutral evil, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write one language of your choice. Speak (but do not read or write) Common.

Hard Lessons. Choose one:
*Quiet Survivor. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and you gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
*Hustler. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and you gain proficiency with a musical instrument of your choice and two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion.

Packrat Poverty. After collecting the equipment from your background and class, replace the money with 3 copper pieces. Roll a random trinket for each 3 gp you lost in this way.

Natural Weapon. You have learned to use a part of your body as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Teeth deal piercing damage, claws deal slashing damage, and most other body parts (horns, tails, feet, etc.) deal bludgeoning damage. If you hit, you deal damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier if you are Medium, or 1d4 + your Dexterity modifier if you are Small.

Repeat two times: Choose or roll d12 (rerolling any features you already have) on the Survival Strategy table:

Survival Strategy

1: Agility. When you move, you can double your speed until the end of the tum. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

2: Cause Fear. As a bonus action, you can threaten your enemies. Creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. The DC of the save equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

3: Hammering. +1 Strength. Immediately after you hit a creature with a melee attack as a part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to shove that target. The target must be within 5 feet of you and no more than one size larger than you. Unless it succeeds on a Strength saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier, you push it up to 10 feet away from you.

4: Leaps. +1 Dexterity. Whenever you make a long jump or a high jump, you can roll a d8 and add the number rolled to the number of feet you cover, even when making a standing jump. This extra distance costs movement as normal.

5: Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases by 5 feet.

6: Scavenger. +1 Wisdom. You gain proficiency with leatherworker's tools, and start the game with them. While you have these tools, as part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger, or other similar materials from your environment. You use these materials to create one of the following items, or more in the case of harvesting from larger creatures or richer environments: a shield, any simple melee weapon, sling, net, or blowgun, 1d20 darts or pieces of ammunition, a holy symbol or spellcasting focus, or, with DM permission, an appropriate item of adventuring gear costing 1 gp or less, such as a bag of caltrops, a sack, a waterskin, or a torch.

7: Tremorsense. As long as you are barefoot, you can detect and pinpoint the origin of vibrations within 60 feet, provided that your skin and the source of the vibrations are in contact with the same ground or substance. Tremorsense can't be used to detect flying or incorporeal creatures.

8: Wild Magic. Choose a 1st-level spell. You can cast that spell once per long rest. Charisma or Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it. When you reach 3rd level, you may change it to a 2nd-level spell.

9: Frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your natural weapon. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

10: Grappling. If you hit with your natural weapon, the target is grappled (escape DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and you can’t grapple on another target.

11: Poison. If you hit with your natural weapon, your target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a failed save, the target takes 1d4 poison damage.

12: Rush. Immediately after you use the Dash action on your turn and move at least 20 feet, you can make one melee attack with your natural weapon as a bonus action.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Charlatan: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
2: Costumed Hero: +2 Constitution or Charisma
3: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
4: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
5: Failed Merchant: +2 Intelligence or Charisma
6: Gambler: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
7: Gangster (Pirate, but replace water vehicle with land vehicle): +2 Strength or Wisdom
8: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
9: Haunted One: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
11: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
12: Sailor: +2 Strength or Wisdom
13: Urban Bounty Hunter: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
14: Vehicle Thief: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
15: Urchin: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
16-20: Other

Suburb

You grew up in a well-ordered (some might say boring) community. You decide the details of your hometown, but suburbs usually feature a mixture of cozy houses and well-tended vegetable gardens. They are often more prosperous and/or advanced than the world around them, and typically gated or hidden to keep the residents safe from outsiders. Suburbs tend to be safe and well-policed, with an aim to protecting individual rights. Suburbs originally developed from gnomish Bright Burrows culture and halfling Pastoral culture.

Speak, read, and write Common and one other language that uses either the Common or Dwarvish script. Read and write (but do not speak) Dwarvish or an exotic language.

Alignment. Tends toward lawful good, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Attic Rummaging. Roll d10. You begin the game with the additional equipment indicated. This equipment is light and well-made, and possibly imbued with some minor magic, so that you can carry it in addition to your normal starting equipment without any encumbrance:

1: Burglar's Pack and a random trinket
2: Diplomat's Pack
3: Dungeoneer's Pack and a random trinket
4: Entertainer's Pack
5: Explorer's Pack and a random trinket
6: Priest's Pack
7: Scholar's Pack
8: A pistol with a -1 penalty to damage, which can be removed by spending 200 gp or doing the equivalent work in item crafting.
9: A musket with a -2 penalty to damage. Spending 200 gp or the equivalent in item crafting reduces this to a -1 penalty, and another 200 gp removes it.
10: A random uncommon item (Table F, DMG pg 146). You begin the game attuned to it, even if it does not normally require attunement. It has three random minor detrimental properties (DMG pg 220), each of which can be removed by spending 150 gp or completing a small quest. You may not end attunement while any detrimental properties remain.

Good-Natured Cleverness. +2 Intelligence or Charisma. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the frightened condition on yourself.

Repeat two times: Choose or roll d12 (rerolling any features you already have) on the Hobbies table:

Hobbies

1: Avoiding Attention. +1 Dexterity. You can attempt to hide when in a crowd of people your size, or when you are only obscured by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.

2: Dancing. You can move through the space of any creature by making a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, DC 5 if it is friendly and opposed by its Wisdom (Insight) check if it is hostile. You get advantage on this check if the creature is of a size larger than yours. When dancing as part of a performance, you add your proficiency bonus, in addition to any other proficiency bonus that may apply.

3: Firearms. +1 Intelligence or Charisma. You have proficiency with all firearms and ignore the loading property of any firearm. In addition, attacking at long range with a firearm doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack roll.

4: Parkour. You can move through difficult terrain in an artificial environment, such as rubble and fences, without expending extra movement. If you move at least 10 feet, then for the rest of your move action, you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, if you jump down on your turn as part of your movement, you can make an Athletics or Acrobatics check and reduce the falling damage by the result of the check.

5: Rock throwing. You are proficient with darts, and you may treat rocks as though they were darts, except they do bludgeoning rather than piercing damage. Additionally, you may have a number of special rocks equal to your proficiency bonus. You start the game with one special rock, and once per long rest, you can find another one. When throwing a special rock, you gain the benefits of the sharpshooter feat (PHB pg 170) for that rock, and it counts as a magic weapon for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Special rocks do not lose their power after they are used, although you may have to roll an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find it.

6: Tinkering. You have proficiency with tinker's tools, and own a set of them. Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). You can have up to three such devices active at a time. When you create a device, choose one effect of the Prestidigitation cantrip for it to replicate, or create a similar effect with DM approval. Using any device is an action.

7: Weapon Modding. You have proficiency with tinker's tools, and own a set of them. Using those tools, during a long rest, you can add a number of mods to your weapon(s) equal to your proficiency bonus. Mods may take the form of special ammunition or coatings, or single-use runes or devices attached to the weapon. These mods last until you take another long rest. Once per turn, when you hit a target with a modded weapon, you can expend a mod to cause the target to take extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus. The damage type is set when you create the mod, and is based on what materials you can find in the environment or have collected.

8-12: Special Study. +1 Intelligence. Whenever you make an Intelligence check related to the object of your study, you can add twice your proficiency bonus instead of any other proficiency bonus that may apply.

8: Animal Lore.
9. Artificer's Lore. magical, alchemical, or technological items
10. Culture Lore. art items, clothing, food and drink
11. Plant Lore.
12. Crafting Lore. Roll d6+4 on the Factory Jobs table. The object of your study is the indicated crafted items, and you gain the indicated tool proficiency, but not the weapon proficiencies.

Choose or Roll for Background:

1: Acolyte or parish priest: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Archaeologist: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
3: Bureaucrat or minor elected official: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
4: Celebrity Adventurer's Scion: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
5: City Watch: +2 Strength or Wisdom
6: CSI: Investigator, but replace one of the languages with proficiency in Alchemist’s supplies. +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
7: Entertainer: +2 Dexterity or Charisma8: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
9: Fisher: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
10: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
11: Guild Artisan: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
12: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
13: Miner: +2 Strength or Wisdom
14: Sage: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
15: Spy: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
16-20: Other

Tribal

You grew up in a band of foragers hunting and gathering in an untamed environment. Your people are primeval hunters and savage warriors, tied to the wild spirits of the land. They learned that they must place the survival of themselves and their tribe first, and often have little consideration for outsiders, especially those who threaten to push them off their land.

Alignment. Tends toward chaotic evil, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak (but do not read or write) Common and two other languages of your choice.

Repeat three times: Choose or roll d12 (rerolling any features you already have) on the Primal table:

Primal

1: Adrenaline Rush. +1 Constitution. You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you use this trait, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

2: Defiance. +1 Wisdom. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed or frightened conditions on yourself.

3: Fury of the Small. +1 Constitution. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell and the creature’s size is larger than yours, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest, and you can use it no more than once per turn.

4: Intuition. You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Survival. Additionally, you become literate in two of the languages you can speak.

5: Nimble Escape. You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

6: Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short rest.

7: Powerful Build. +1 Strength. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Additionally, you gain advantage on Strength saving throws.

8: Primal Magic. +1 Constitution. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for that cantrip.

9: Relentless Endurance. +1 Constitution. 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.

10: Savage Attacks. +1 Strength. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

11: Sneaky. +1 Dexterity. You gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Investigation, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth. In addition, without squeezing, you can move through and stop in a space large enough for a creature one size category smaller than you.

12: Surprise Attack. If you hit a creature with an attack roll, the creature takes an extra 2d6 damage if it hasn’t taken a turn yet in the current combat.

Roll d20 for Background:

1: Astral Drifter: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
2: Athlete: +2 Strength or Dexterity
3: Caravan Specialist: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
4: Criminal: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
5: Ex-Convict: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
6: Far Traveler: +2 Constitution or Wisdom
7: Feylost: +2 Wisdom or Charisma
8: Fisher: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
9: Folk Hero: +2 Strength or Wisdom
10: Gladiator: +2 Dexterity or Charisma
11: Hermit: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
12: Inheritor: +2 Intelligence or Wisdom
13: Insurgent: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
14: Livestock Rustler: +2 Dexterity or Wisdom
15: Outlander: +2 Strength or Wisdom
16: Pirate: +2 Strength or Wisdom
17: Wildspacer: +2 Strength or Wisdom
18-20: Other

Vampire

At an early age, you were bitten by a vampire, or possibly transformed by some form of dark magic (choose or roll on the Dhampir Origins table), and have lived on the fringes of society since then. You are weaker than most vampires, but still alive and (mostly) in control of your urges (choose or roll on the Dhampir Hungers table).

Alignment. Tends toward lawful evil, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak, read, and write Common and one language of your choice.

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. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 60 feet.

Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of the attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon, which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with your bite. Your bite deals 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. While you are missing half or more of your hit points, you have advantage on attack rolls you make with this bite. When you use your bite and hit a creature that isn’t a Construct or an Undead, you can empower yourself in one of the following ways of your choice:
*Regain hit points equal to the damage dealt by the bite.
*Gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you make; the bonus equals the damage dealt by the bite.
You can empower yourself with your bite a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Vampiric Power. Choose one:
*Mobility. +2 Dex. Your speed increases by 5 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, at 3rd level, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free.
*Compulsion. +2 Charisma. You know the Friends cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast the Charm Person spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast the Suggestion spell once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Roll a random Background.

Werewolf

At an early age, you were bitten by a werewolf (or some other kind of lycanthrope), and have lived on the fringes of society since then. You have (perhaps very recently) learned to control your shifting, and do not shift involuntarily, although this has come at a cost: you are not as powerful as many others of your kind.

Alignment. Tends toward chaotic neutral, although individuals can be of any alignment.

Speak Common (but do not read or write) and one language of your choice.

Wild Nature. +2 Strength. Gain proficiency in two of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.

Shifting. As a bonus action, you can assume a more bestial appearance. This transformation lasts for 1 minute, until you die, or until you revert to your normal appearance as a bonus action. When you shift, you gain temporary hit points equal to 2 x your proficiency bonus. You can shift a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Whenever you shift, you gain an additional benefit based on your aspect.

Aspect. Choose or roll:

1: Beasthide. You gain 1d6 additional temporary hit points. While shifted, you have a +1 bonus to your Armor Class.

2: Longtooth. When you shift and as a bonus action on your other turns while shifted, you can use your elongated fangs to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with your fangs, you can deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

3: Swiftstride. While shifted, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Additionally, you can move up to 10 feet as a reaction when a creature ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This reactive movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

4: Wildhunt. While shifted, you have advantage on Wisdom checks, and no creature within 30 feet of you can make an attack roll with advantage against you unless you’re incapacitated.

Roll a random Background.

Appendix: Notes

This system combines the post-Tasha paradigm that every race should be able to excel at every class with classic D&D rules that had some definition for each species aside from their features. So now an elf can do a good job any class, but it's very rare for any of them to be clumsy.

My species and upbringings give more than the default-rules races and subraces, because ability scores are attached to character options instead of assigned separately. In the default rules, the standard array is 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8, and every lineage gives +2 to one ability score and +1 to another. In my rules, the class gives a 16 and a 14, which is the 15, the 14, and the +1. That leaves 7 for me to distribute. I want backgrounds to boost one of the ability scores attached to their skills, so that leaves 5 ability scores for the species-upbringing combo to distribute, in addition to the features.

Each lineage gives 3-4 worth of features (or it should if they were balanced), so that is a total of 8-9 worth of value in my system (instead of the 6-7 of value a lineage gives in the base rules). I've decided that every species should give 3 and every upbringing should give 5-6. Biological things are in species and socially learned things are in upbringing. Most species-upbringing combos give +2 to two different ability scores, and 4-5 of value in features. This usually results in characters that have more features, but an ability score that is lower by 1.

For the two extremes of this, see Thri-kreen and Hobgoblin. All thri-kreen features are innate physical facts, there is nothing is learned or shared with others. So I put all of their racial features in the species and steered them to Farmland. Hobgoblin features are all cultural, so I give them +3 worth of physical ability scores, and put all of their features, plus an extra ability and 2 ability score boosts, in the Factory Management upbringing option.

Species boost physical ability scores, upbringings usually boost mental ability scores. Tieflings and Aasimar are the only exceptions.

It is possible to get fairly close to almost all existing races and subraces, although some sacrifices were made for balance and flavor and keeping things simple. The two base-game things I nerfed were choosing a feat, and mountain dwarf (mountain was obviously OP compared to hill: 2 ability score boosts and 2 half-feats rather than 1 and 1. I bumped the strength boost down to 1; they still get all their features and a little more). Everyone else can be replicated.

The main difference is I took darkvision away from most races. It is an extra complication that almost never matters in the games I run. Features should feel special, not something that 60-80% of the party has and one left-out person does not.

Races were chosen to match the games I run, and also to match what Lego minis are available. I also adjusted the descriptions a little to match what minis are available. I avoided most non-spelljammer setting-specific races like Leonin or Naga, although in many cases, I added their features to an Upbringing.