D&D Sphinx

## Sphinx

In sacred isolation, a sphinx guards the secrets and treasures of the gods. That's what the legends say, anyway. In truth, sphinxes are a race of beings with a lion's body and a humanoid head, also bearing a set of wings. Due to their strongly lawful nature, they make excellent guardians, and are known to be protectors of many desert lands.

### Physical Description

The average sphinx has the body of a lion, along with a humanoid head. Some are recorded as also having wings. They are normally adorned with symbols of the desert gods, such as headdresses depicting suns, symbols of ankhs on their robes, and other such markings. Male sphinxes pride themselves in their beards that stick out from their chins. It is said that the larger a sphinx is, the more powerful it is, with the most powerful of all having wings.

### Sphinx Names

Sphinxes have generally Egyptian-sounding names.

**Male Names:** Aimenamun, Amset, Binra, Rha-sha-ankh Thema, Tutmose

**Female Names:** Aurera, Hatatsu, Ketet, Menhit, Sefkhabu, Surhet

### Race Name Traits

As a Sphinx, you gain the following traits:
***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores increase by 2.
***Age.*** Sphinxes are immortal beings, having been watching over the world since they were first summoned during the First Age. While immortal, a Sphinx may choose to end their life when they feel they have grown bored of it. Most sphinx tend to live for thousands of years, however. Sphinx age and mature at about the rate of humans, reaching maturity around 16 years of age.
***Alignment.*** Sphinxes are strictly lawful creatures. They have a tendency to ere on the side of neutral, however, as they have few issues committing acts some would see as evil as long as it aligns with their own code of law.
***Size.*** Sphinxes can be very large beings, but the average sphinx adventurer tends to be in their younger years. Because of this, they have not reached their full size, which takes hundreds of years. The average sphinx adventurer is about 7 feet from foot to head and weighs 5-600 pounds. Your size is Medium.
***Speed.*** You have a base speed of 40 feet.
***Flight.*** You have a flying speed of 60 feet. If you are wearing medium armor, this speed is reduced to 50 feet. If you are wearing heavy armor, this speed is reduced to 40 feet. You take no other penalties in speed for the armor you are wearing.
***Inscrutable.*** You are immune to effects that would sense your emotions or read your thoughts, as wll as any divination spell that you refuse. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain your intentions or sincerity have disadvantage.
***Never Unarmed.*** You are never unarmed. Your claws are weapons with which you have proficiency. If you hit with your claws, the target takes slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. At 5th level, your claws are considered magical.
***Sphinx Truesight.*** Due to your magical heritage, you have the ability to see the world the way it really is. At level 5, when you are within 60 feet of a visual illusion, you automatically detect its true nature and succeed on saving throws against it. At level 10, when you are within 60 feet of a shapechanger or a creature transformed by magic, you can determine the true form of the creature. At level 15, when you are within 60 feet of an invisible creature or a magically hidden door or object, you can see it. At level 20, the range of all of your Sphinx Truesight abilities doubles.
***A Truly Magical Creature.*** Your races origins are shrouded in mystery. What is known, however, is that you are of a race of exceptionally magical creatures. You have resistance to psychic damage and cannot be magically charmed or frightened. Starting at 5th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. At 8th level, your resistance to psychic damage turns into an immunity. At 12th level, your resistance to nonmagical weapons turns into an immunity.
***Hybrid Nature.*** You have two creature types: humanoid and monstrosity. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
***Languages.*** You can read, write, and speak Common and two other languages of your choice. You are also able to speak in any language, so long as your words are a riddle to be solved.