Traits

**Contents:** Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Core and custom traits for character building for D&D 5e.

A

#### Absorb Elements

You are resistant to *cold* damage. As a reaction when you take *cold* damage, you are passively able to absorb some of the energy and store it for your next melee attack.

The first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra **1d6** *cold* damage, and the effect ends.

**At higher level:** at level 3 this damage is **2d6**, at 5th **3d6**, 7th **4d6**, capping at 9th at **5d6**.

#### Abyssal Legacy

You know the **thaumaturgy** cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the drench spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the **darkness** spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

#### Abyssal Resistance

You are resistant to cold damage, and gain advantages on saving throws against crushing pressure associated with depth.

#### Avian Affinity

Each day you are able to use *Speak with Animals* once on a bird (or bird-like monster at the DM's discretion). You regain this ability after a long rest.

B

#### Bite

Whenever you hit an enemy with a melee attack as a bonus action you can make a melee attack against the same enemy. On a hit, the target takes **1d6** + your *strength* modifier as piercing damage. You are always considered proficient with this bonus attack.

#### Breath Weapon

You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw: the DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes **2d6** damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one.

The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

#### Born Sailor

You are proficient in checks to sailing, including the operation of ship and navigation.

C

#### Cat’s Claws

Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

#### Cat’s Talent

You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills.

#### The Call of the Sea

Despite your ability to live on land, you still feel the call of the sea. If you go 24 hours without transforming you take disadvantage on all rolls related to **intelligence** until you transform again.

#### Constructed Resilience

You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. You are immune to disease. You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.

D

#### Damage Resistance

You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.

#### Darkvision

Used to the depths of the sea, you have adapted to see in the gloom. For 60ft you can see in darkness as if it were dim light, and dim light as if it were bright light.

#### Desert Dweller

Your life in the desert (or that of your kin) has given you the experience you need to survive the harsh heat. You have advantage on survival checks when made in deserts or other arid locations, and you cannot roll less than a 10.

#### Diluting Armour

You are naturally resistant to acid damage, and the damage from poisoning.

#### Diver's Lungs

You are able to hold your breath for up to five minutes in addition to standard rules (1+con mod mins) before the onset of *drowning* or *suffocation* conditions. The rest time between breath holding must be equal to the time spent (if you hold your breath for 5 minutes, this ability does not apply again until 5 minutes of normal breathing has passed).

#### Draconic Ancestry

You have draconic ancestry from one of five clans. Your breath weapon and damage resistance are determined by lineage, as shown in the table. Lines are a dex save, cones are a con save.

 Hostan
 Zorranti
 Iceheart
 Stormchild

#### Dragonborn Variation

Wings are relative rare amongst dragonborn, but if you are a winged dragonborn your flying speed is 30ft.

You may sub in stats for Kobold or other dragonspawn races, but within the setting all dragonoids are considered Dragonborn.

#### Dream Magic

If effected by a magical sleep effect, on your turn you deal 1d6 damage to whoever cast the sleep spell on you. You deal an addition d6 each round you remain asleep, and can choose not to make saves to wake. If you incapacitate an enemy with your dream magic, you automatically wake up.

#### Dry Skin

You require regular access to water to remain comfortable. You must fully submerge yourself in salt or fresh water every 24 hours or suffer disadvantage on *dexterity* rolls until you are able to do so.

#### Dwarven Combat Training

You have proficiency with battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer. As a Coastal Dwarf, one of these can be swapped for a trident.

E

F

#### Feline Agility

Your reflexes and agility allow you to move with a burst of speed. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

#### Fey Ancestry

Owing to your links to the fey, you gain advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and you are immune to magic that would put you to sleep.

#### Fighting Claws

Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

G

#### Garnet Soul

You gain proficiency in 3 extra skills or tools based on the life of your soul before you became Gemforged.

#### Geology Prowess

Whenever you make a *nature* check related to natural geological formations such as rock striations, caves and volcanos, you are considered proficient in the nature skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.

#### Gore

Your horns are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

#### Guardians of the Depths

Adapted to even the most extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage, and you ignore any of the drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment (eg pressure).

H

#### Herd Mentality

As long as you can see an ally within 15 feet of you, you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.

#### Hold Breath

You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes.

I

#### Insectoid Vision

You have effective darkvision for 20ft: you can see in darkness as if it were dim light, and dim light as if it were bright light. Unlike darkvision, however, you can discern colour in darkness.

#### Integrated Protection

Your body has built-in defensive layers, which determine your armor class. You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you apply its bonus as normal.

You can alter your body to enter different defensive modes; each time you finish a long rest, choose one mode to adopt from the Integrated Protection table, provided you meet the mode’s prerequisite.

 Heavy Plating (armored) | Heavy armor proficiency | AC = 16 + proficiency bonus; disadvantage on stealth checks.

#### Invisibility

Starting at **3rd level**, you can cast the invisibility spell without needing a material component, choosing yourself as the target. You can cast invisibility this way three times, regaining your uses of the spell after finishing a long rest.

J

K

#### Keen Eyes

You can spot movement at a great distance. You are naturally proficient in the **perception** skill.

L

#### Limited Amphibiousness

You can breathe air and water, but you needs to be submerged at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating.

M

#### Military Advantage

Trained to work in units, Koalinth learn to take advantage of distracted opponents. You may deal an additional 1d6 damage to any opponent that has one of your allies within 5 feet of as long as that ally isn’t incapacitated.

#### Mortal Origin

Are you proficient in 2 skills of your choice.

N

#### Natural Armor

You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armour, your AC is 13 + your *dexterity* modifier. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armour.

#### Natural Teacher

You were brought up to share knowledge. You can enable re-roll of 1s on the dice when giving the help action to others.

#### Negative Buoyancy

Without actively swimming or floatation devices, you sink in water. You are able to walk across underwater terrain as if it normal terrain at half your walking speed.

O

#### One With Water

You know the Shape Water cantrip and can cast it without somantic components. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast Create or Destroy Water once as a 2nd level spell (without consuming a spell slot), and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast Tidal Wave as a third level spell once and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

P

Q

R

#### Regeneration

If you lose an arm, leg or your tail, you are able to regrow the limb without the use of magic. This process takes 8 hours (a long rest).

S

#### 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.

#### Shark Tamer

Sahuagin have limited telepathy with sharks that are within 120ft. Sharks in this range become neutral to Sahaugin, and can be urged to follow basic commands with an opposed wisdom roll.

#### Stonecunning

Whenever you make a *history* check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the history skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.

#### Storyteller

You have a strong tradition of oral storytelling and song. You are proficient in the history skill.

T

#### Talons

Your talons are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to **1d4** plus your strength modifier.

#### Tentacle Grapple

A native to aquatic living, you know how to move in your watery environment. You gain advantage to attempts to grapple foes while underwater.

#### Tentacle Grip

Your tentacles are strong enough to make most physical checks with, such as saves against becoming prone. You are able to wield any weapon you are proficient in with your tentacles.

#### Trance

Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. Magic cannot put you to sleep.

#### Tool Proficiency

You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, jeweller's tools, or mason’s tools.

#### Toxic Resistance

You are immune to any insect-based poison/venom (including spiders).

#### Transformation

If you are forced to transform during combat you are rendered prone as your legs transform into a tail, unless a change of environment would allow you to swim. For example: being knocked into a body of water and forced to transform would not penalise you with the prone condition.

#### Triton Martial Training

You are proficient with a martial weapon such as a pike, trident, glaive or net.

U

V

#### Vice Grip

You gain advantage on grapple attempts, but any successful grapple deals 1d4 damage.

W

#### Waterborn

A native to aquatic living, you know how to move in your watery environment. You gain advantage to saves against being grappled while underwater.

#### Waterform

You have advantage on any save to water based effects which would move you against your will.

#### Watersight

When underwater you are able to see clearly 30ft beyond the base visibility of the water.

#### Advanced Watersight

When underwater you are able to see clearly 60ft beyond the base visibility of the water. This ability is effected by light and your ability to see in darkness.

#### Water Averse

You cannot swim and you fear deep water and submersion. You are, however, quite buoyant, and have advantages to checks for staying afloat.

#### Wooly Coat

You’re acclimated to Extreme Cold, taking no penalty to this extreme weather condition.

X

Y

Z