Race Overhaul

WARNING: UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NOT FOR ACTUAL PLAY...YET

Rethinking how races (now called "lineages") work for PC construction.

Lineage: The "biological" part. Every lineage specifies

• Size (both category and suggested height/weight bands)
• Age (both age of physical maturity and usual max age)
• Base speed (walking + any others as appropriate)
• Ability Score Increase (+1 to one ability score from the list given, total ASI cannot exceed +2 to any given ability score)
• Status. One of "core", "regional X", "rare", and "X-touched". Core lineages are found everywhere and raise no especial eyebrows. Regional lineages are common/normal in region X, but will raise eyebrows elsewhere. Rare lineages raise eyebrows everywhere. Touched (X) is special--these are more like templates attached to core or regional lineages rather than independent lineages. They may add, change, or modify characteristics of the parent lineage.
• Some combination of features. One minor feature only counts as half of a major feature; each lineage has the equivalent of 2 major features.

Culture: The area you come from. In general, any lineage can come from any culture. Restrictions are as noted in each description. Cultures specify

• Region (where they're mostly found)
• Ability Score Increase (+1 to one ability score from the list given, total ASI cannot exceed +2 to any given ability score)
• Extra languages. 1 or more languages other than Common, which every adventurer speaks.
• Proficiencies. 3 total proficiencies (tools, skills, or otherwise).
• Feature. One major-equivalent feature.

Background: As currently, except also pick an ability score to increase by +1 of your choice. Total from lineage, culture, and background can't exceed +2 to any single ability score (so +1/+1/+1 or +2/+1).

Lineages

Core Lineages

Human

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Intelligence OR Wisdom
• Age: adult at 16, lives until 80-ish
• Size: Medium. 5' - 6'6", 100-300 lbs
• Speed: 30ft.
• Status: core
• Desperate Plea: As a reaction when you make a d20 test, you can choose to reroll the d20 test and take the second result. If you had advantage or disadvantage, the reroll does as well. You can use this trait a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Cultural Mimicry: Choose an additional passive cultural trait from a different culture.

Dwarf

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution
• Age: physically adult at 20, lives until 150-ish
• Size: Medium. 4' - 5'6", 150-250 lbs
• Speed: 30ft.
• Status: core
• Stone's Endurance: When you expend a hit die as part of a short rest, you can choose to either remove a level of exhaustion (keeping the rolled healing) or maximize the healing received from that hit die. You can use this feature once per short rest.
• Darkvision: You have darkvision out to 60ft.
• Poison Resistance You have resistance to poison damage and make Constitution saving throws against being poisoned at advantage.

Ihmisi (aka wood elf)

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Dexterity
• Age: adult at 20, lives until 120-ish
• Size: Medium. 5' - 5'9", 80-180 lbs
• Speed: 30ft.
• Status: core
• Voices of the Kami: While on the mortal plane you can meditate for 1 minute. During that time, your senses (vision and hearing) expand to 100ft (increasing to 200ft starting at level 5, 500ft starting at level 11, and 1000 ft at level 17) regardless of natural obstructions and you can sense the presence and number of any creatures within range. The exact location of "unnatural" creatures (fiends, undead, aberrations, or celestials) are pinpointed and you know their type. In cities or other "worked" environments, the range is halved and only unnatural creatures are sensed. You cannot see through or into buildings or other constructed obstructions. You can use this trait a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Trance: Instead of sleeping during a long rest, you spend the 6 hours of 'sleep' in a semi-conscious state, still able to perceive your environment.

Orc

• Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength
• Age: physically adult at 12, lives until 70-ish
• Size: Medium. 5'6" - 7', 150-350 lbs
• Speed: 35ft.
• Status: core
• Red Fang's Legacy: Once per long rest, you can rage as if you were a level 1 barbarian, except that you can concentrate on spells (but not cast them) while raging in this way. If you have the Rage class feature, you instead can use that feature an additional time per long rest and can concentrate on spells while raging with the feature
• Relentless Advance: Your speed increases by 5ft.
• Brutal Critical: When you critically hit with an attack, instead of rolling the damage dice twice, roll the damage dice for the attack once and add the result to the maximum roll of the dice (ie max + roll). Features that increase the number of critical dice are not maximized.

Regional Lineages

Hobgoblin (Western Noefra)

Gwerin (Western Noefra, Southern Soefra)

Halfling (Western Noefra)

Dragonborn, True (Western Noefra)

Sher'ka (Great Rift)

Zandolit (Great Rift)

Ophidian (Jungle of Fangs)

Soulforged (Western Noefra)

Barbegazi (Nocthean Caldera)

Jazuu (Noefra)

Rare Lineages

Cysgor

Goror

Gnome

Kalasaa

Touched Lineages

Light-touched (Celestial)

Fiend-touched (devil)

Hell-touched (demon)

[Flame|Ocean|Wind|Stone]-touched (elemental)

Dragon-touched

Fey-touched

Cultures

Generic (multi-region)

Cosmopolitan

Maritime

Tribal

Rootless

Rural

Specific

Wall-builder (God-bound)

Wyrmhold Clan

Ancestral

Fang-kin

Uulani

Abandoned Clan

Major Lineage Features

Desperate Plea: When you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check and fail, you can choose to reroll the d20 but must take the second result. You can use this a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Stone's Endurance: Once per rest when you spend a hit die, you can choose to either remove a level of exhaustion or maximize the healing received from the hit die. If you remove exhaustion, you still roll the hit die and recover hit points as usual.

Legacy of Knowledge: When you make an Intelligence or Charisma ability check, you can choose to apply double your proficiency bonus instead of whatever level of proficiency (including none) would apply. Proficiency bonus per long rest.

Voices of the Kami: While on the mortal plane, can meditate for 1 minute. During that time, senses expand to 100ft (200 @ 5, 500 @11, 1000 @ 17) (vision and hearing) and can sense any creature within range. Location of "unnatural" creatures (fiends, undead, aberrations, celestials) are pinpointed and type is known. Half-prof/LR. In cities or other "worked" environments, range is halved and only unnatural creatures are known.

Fury's Legacy: You can rage as if you were a level 1 barbarian once per day. During this special rage, you can concentrate on spells but cannot cast them. If you have the Rage class feature, you instead gain another use of that (and can concentrate while raging as well).

Weaponized Charm: Proficiency bonus per long rest, you can force a target that is either in combat with your or with whom you are interacting to make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failure, the target makes attack rolls against you at disadvantage and their attitude increases by one step (hostile -> indifferent -> friendly) for the duration of the interaction. In combat, targets that fail can repeat their saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures that succeed on their saving throw or for whom the effect ends cannot be affected by this ability again for 24 hours.

Distracting Charm: Proficiency bonus per long rest, as a reaction when you are targeted with an attack by someone you can see, the attacker must make a DC 8 + CHA + proficiency Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you can force them to change the target of the attack to another creature of your choice within range or choose to make them lose the attack.

Entwining Limbs: When you successfully grapple a creature, you can make them restrained instead. If you do so, you cannot drag them along with you.

Draconic Soul: Choose:

• Breath weapon (as in Fizban's)
• Innate sorcery (Magic Initiate: Sorcerer)
• Draconic Fear (as Xanathar's Feat)

Lightning Core: As a bonus action, you cause your weapon attacks (including unarmed strikes) to deal an extra 1d4 lightning damage on hit for one minute. Proficiency/LR

Kami-Touched: Magic Initiate: Druid

By the Book: After you roll a d20 but before you know the outcome, you can choose to replace the die rolled with a 10. Proficiency/LR.

Fiendish Inheritance: Magic Initiate: Warlock (including fiend warlock extra spells)

Celestial Inheritance: Magic Initiate: Cleric

Flicker: Non-magical misty step, half-proficiency/LR

Shielding Stone: As shield, but can target either self or another creature within 30'. Lasts until the end of the current turn (not round).

Rushing Water: One creature within 5' must make a Strength saving throw of a DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + the ASI you chose for this legacy. On a failed save, they are pushed 10' and knocked prone. On a success, they are only pushed 5'.

Lightning Burst: All creatures within 5' must make a DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + ASI Dexterity saving throw or take <proficiency>d8 lightning damage and be unable to take reactions until the start of their next turn. On a success, half damage. Prof/LR.