Fountain, D&D 5E Race

This is the page for the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition homebrew Race, Fountain. Every Fountain is a mix of one Body Type and one Mentality Type, for nine possible subrace combinations. The Body Types are Liquid, Cloud, and Snow while the Mentality Types are Collector, Scholar, and Grunger.

NOTE: This page is IN DEVELOPMENT. Use of this content may result in a character that is not properly balanced for your campaign or have traits that do not work as expected. You may use this race for testing it or for just fun (with your DM's approval).

NOTE 2: Any testing results ARE NOT to be included on the page (you may use the Comment Section to do so, or via the Discord chat). Do not make edits to the page if you are not part of the race's development team.

## Fountain

### Physical Description

Fountains are a race of creatures that have two immediately apparent traits: They are made of water and have a "Bauble" inside of them. However, this observation is actually a common misconception, as the Bauble itself is the actual creature, which uses electricity to control water to form a body around itself.

There are three types of Fountain, being formed of either liquid water, cloudy vapor, or snowy bodies. The liquid ones are the most common type encountered by other races, due to them typically living in similar regions (ie: not in the sky or cold places); due to their liquid body seeping into porous surfaces such as dirt they require a Walker to navigate many places, though with training they may be able to manage very slow movement on their own. Cloud types are very light, making them air-bound, either carried by the breeze and winds at nature's whim or requiring a Skiff in much the same way a liquid Fountain needs a Walker; as they reside primarily in the skies, it is hard to tell how populous they are and other races and Fountains are unlikely to encounter one unless they choose to visit land elevations. Snowy Fountains are rather rare, due to their appearing and living mostly in rather cold environments; thanks to their more solid form, they do not use a Walker but do suffer other physical limitations in impaired/non-existent sight and speech abilities.

### History

Originating from the realm of Lazulum, it is unknown when the Fountains first began to appear. For that matter, even the Fountains themselves don't understand their own beginnings, seemingly just waking up in one of various locations among other young Fountains. Typically, the various Fountain cultures are a peaceful people, loving water and technology though they can get rather confused when dealing with other races (largely due to major differences in biology that impact perspectives, culture, abilities, and needs).

As with other species, heated disputes can arise between Scholars over territory borders and access to resources. Some may turn to sabotaging shipments or even hiring Boodilybeeper mercenaries to covertly incapacitate a group of Fountains. A Scholar is likely more invested in political intrigue and espionage with other Scholars than adventuring about like Collectors.

### Society

Most Fountains are Collectors that live in cities and regions that are organized and protected by a Scholar Fountain that maintains that region. Within the cities, they run shops, trade, play games, work, and do other things, much the same as any society does. Scholars are effectively the government, heads of research, and mighty protectors of their region and Collectors. Grungers are a very rare type of Fountain that are unlikely to be within cities, living as self-imposed hermits of a sort; they may have very different perspectives or moral views from other Fountains as they tend to focus more on developing and using their own unnatural magics rather than culture or technology.

Most Collectors live however they like, though each one will at some point find something that they strongly desire to collect, whether it be bottle caps, small bugs, dolls, gears, blood... it might be anything, but it will be a constant part of their life. They will guard their hoard from all others, only sharing it with those they trust most. Those whose collection type may be awkward to discuss (such as blood) are driven to collect it regardless, though the may be particularly protective of any knowledge about it. Additionally, just because they are driven to collect something does not mean they are without self-control in regards to that urge, though some may choose to take extreme efforts to continue their collection. Due to the difficulty of getting around with a watery body seeping into the ground, the first stage of adulthood is to build their own Walker to assist them in traversing wherever they wish.

Scholars from early in their life take on the role of learning advanced technologies as well as leading and protecting the Collectors of their region. They may inherit a region from another Scholar or may claim a region that is yet unclaimed. Once a year, they host a Scholar Ball, where each Scholar from the various regions gathers to communicate with each other about how things are going and plans for future events. They are also the primary developers of weapons of mass destruction, though with the hope they will never need to employ them. Like Collectors, Scholars have need of a Walker though theirs is more likely to be ornate, larger, and/or more powerful than a Collector's Walker. There may even be multiple models of Walker for various purposes or occasions, such as attending the Scholar Ball or in defense of their Collectors.

Grungers are rare outliers. They are the rarest type of Fountain, but often live drastically different lifestyles. They have and/or develop unnatural magics and abilities, living as hermits from most of society. They typically do not make use of a Walker, relying instead on their abilities to get around. They are also known to remove the Bauble shell from protecting their organs early in life. They may attract substances other than water to form their body from, the type of which is determined when they first woke. If the substance is directly harmful to them (such as paint, oil, methane, etc.), they do not have any special immunity to its harmful effects though they do typically seem to be acclimated such that it will not outright kill them, causing them to possibly live in constant discomfort, pain, or illness. If any have had a substance type that killed them, it has either been kept secret by the Scholars or was not discoverable due to them being dead/destroyed from the beginning by the nature of the substance.

### Names

Many Fountains have names that relate to either their Bauble, their appearance, mental traits, or other self-descriptive words. Notable names have been Jamjar (whose Bauble is a jar), Lofi (who has powerful connections to the Leyline), or Mudbug (who has an unusual amount of mud among her water).

## Fountain Traits

### **Suggested Ability Score Increase**

Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and another score of your choice increases by 1.

* Per Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, you may choose to reassign any Ability Score Increases to more appropriate stats for your character.

* Note: ASI may be provided as part of a Background rather than Race. If you use the ASI provided by a Background, this ASI trait.

### **Creature Type**

If you are a Collector or Scholar, your creature type is Fey. While not from the Feywilds, you have a vastly different biological design as well as a different kind of connection to nature and the natural magics of the world.

If you are a Grunger, your creature type is Aberration.

### **Age**

Being fully mature after only one year of age and never dying of old age, a Fountain can be any age. However, due to accidents, monster attacks, and such, a typical Fountain adventurer is likely to be between 2 and 600 years old.

### **Alignment**

Most Fountains are likely to be Good or Neutral, due to their communal bonds. However, some may choose to be selfish and lean towards evil. Scholars trend towards Lawful, though those "laws" may well be just the ones established by themselves in addition to the rules agreed to among the Scholars. (Additional descriptions are provided in the Mentally Different trait.)

### **Size**

Due to being primarily a liquid, your size and shape are fluid.

* Collectors without a walker are Medium or Large creatures ranging from 6-8 ft. or 9-12 ft. tall while in a humanoid form. (Choose when selecting this race.)
	+ A Collector can use a Medium walker to effectively contain themselves within a Medium size area. However, they are typically over 10 ft. tall in that state.
* Scholars tend to be Large, ranging from 11-15 ft. tall or Huge, ranging from 16-25 ft. tall while in a humanoid form.
	+ Smaller Scholars (Large-sized) can use a Medium walker with little difficulty, but will continue to be a Large creature due to their greater mass.
* Grungers tend to be Large, ranging from 11-15 ft. tall or Huge, ranging from 16-32 ft. tall while in humanoid form.

Regardless of your size, you have no difficulty going through areas as small as 1 foot wide. Your walker and other equipment may have difficulties depending on their size.

### **Languages**

You know Common (aka: Hoomsh), Malashwi (liquid or cloud fountain) or Ktapticotz (snow fountain), and one additional appropriate language of your choice.

### **Vision**

Your vision is much like other humanoids, but with an unusual trait: You can see in all directions (in a sphere). This is however very limited. You can see out to only 5 feet clearly enough to identify things. You can also see out to 30 feet, but everything beyond 5 ft. is so blurry as to be only able to distinguish movement or an object in general (beyond 5 ft. you can't recognize a person, can't tell a humanoid standing still from a statue, etc.). It is further limited in Dim Light, where you can only see up to 5 ft, though still clearly.

### **Watery Body**

Your unique physique grants you a number of abilities.

* You breathe both Water and Air.
* Your water body consists of a number of gallons of water based on your body size:
	+ Collector, Medium: 220 (32d10+60) gallons
	+ Collector, Large: 280 (42d10+70) gallons
	+ Scholar, Large: 400 (62d10+90) gallons
	+ Grunger, Large: 540 (78d10+150) gallons
	+ If at any time the water forming your body is reduced to 1 gallon or less, you are Prone, Paralyzed, and Blinded.
	+ While you have less than your maximum volume of water, you can use a Bonus Action to draw up to 1d20+5 gallons of water from any non-sealed source within 10 ft to your body.
* Whenever you are not equipped with Armor (including a Walker), you gain these bonuses:
	+ You ignore ground-based Difficult Terrain (other than that which is treated as difficult terrain due to your racial traits), can move through occupied spaces without a speed penalty, and can fully pass through gaps with at least 1 square ft. of clearance.
	+ Opportunity Attacks have Disadvantage against you.
	+ Your AC is 13 + your Dexterity Modifier. (Shields still provide their benefits.)
	+ You gain a Resistance based on your Watery Origin:
		- Liquid is resistant to Fire damage
		- Cloud is resistant to Bludgeoning damage
		- Snow is resistant to Cold damage
* You normally rely on a Walker for your Armor, as well as bolstered movement. Although you can equip non-Walker Armor, doing so may hinder the following abilities.
	+ If you equip a non-Walker Armor that encompasses your full body, your Walking Speed becomes 15 and you lose any natural flying or swimming speeds and their associated risks until you doff it.
	+ You gain no benefits from wearing footwear, including boots and shoes, that influence movement unless you are actually using them to walk.
* When you Grapple a creature, that creature is Engulfed and at risk of Suffocation (see PHB 183) via drowning. (This ability does not apply when wearing Armor that fully encompasses your body.)
* As a Bonus Action, you can extend your "body" through gaps as small as 1 centimeter in a barrier next to you, but can't move your Bauble through, allowing you to fully form your "body" on the other side. (This ability does not apply when wearing Armor that fully encompasses your body.) While in this state, your Bauble is Prone. Your water body has Disadvantage to attack but takes no damage from non-electrical sources; electrical damage will harm you.
* You can make Melee Attacks with an additional Reach of 5 ft. by extending your water holding the weapon. Attacks made this way have Disadvantage. This can not be done through a space occupied by an enemy. (This ability does not apply when wearing Armor that fully encompasses your body.)
* While you are fully submerged in another body of water, you gain Blindsight out to 20 ft. as your water body is spread thinner over a larger area (Your Blindsight can discern the presence and general shape of all things in that area, but not see clearly enough to identify them.).

### **Genius Inventor**

You can craft most items much faster and more efficiently than others.

* You gain Proficiency with Smith's Tools.
* When crafting using Tools that you are Proficient with, you can incorporate items of similar material to add 75% of its value to offset the Cost. (Those items are fully consumed in the process. Any leftover Cost from crafting an item is lost upon completion, it can not be used for another item even if you are crafting two items in the same Rest.).
* You can craft a Walker from any Armor by spending an hour working on it (this may occur as part of a Short or Long Rest) using Smith's Tools and expending a Cost equal to half of the base Armor's non-magical cost. (See Walkers below) You do not have enough spare time to craft additional items while working on a Walker, however you are able to complete your Walker during the Rest regardless of what the Time/Cost requirements would normally be unless you cannot cover the Cost itself.
	+ The new Walker retains all Magical Properties and applicable stats from the original Armor while gaining the attributes of the type of Walker you craft.
* As part of a Short or Long Rest you can craft one or more Item or Magical Item that you can craft within that time period if you have the necessary funds and/or materials on hand. (You must be at least Lv. 3 to Craft Magical Items, see the Magic Item Table below)
* You craft all Items (Magical or not) in 50 gp increments per workday of 8 hours (rather than 50 gp Workweek [of 5 days of 8 hours], effectively 5 times faster than normal).  (To Craft any Magical Items, you must be at least Lv. 3 and higher, and to craft Magical Items above Minor Common you may need Arcana Proficiency, at your DM's disgression)
	+ NOTE: Crafting a Magic Item at all is always at the digression of your DM.
	+ (A Fountain at Artificer Lv. 10 will have drastic increases in Magical Item creation, normally crafting all Common/Uncommon Magical Items at a quarter the default time (now reduced to 1/8 the time).)
	+ When working with additional characters to craft(s), divide the time difference between them before applying this Feature, as it applies only to the portion of the work your character is doing.
* (See the Crafting Table below)
* NOTE: This Trait does not apply to Crafting a Scroll or Scribing a Spell Scroll (see XGE pg. 133), which uses a different skill set and different rules.

### **Watery Origins**

Each fountain comes into existence with one of three types of body type, Liquid, Cloud, or Snow. This determines their Movement Speeds and how some terrain may affect them.

* Liquid Fountain
* Cloud Fountain
* Snow Fountain

**Speed**: Your base walking speed is 15 ft. Additionally, porous surfaces (such as dirt or a grating) are Difficult Terrain when you are not using a Walker. If you end your turn on a porous surface, make a Strength Saving Throw (See Porous Surface Chart below). If you fail then most of your water body sinks into the surface and you are Prone (unless you already are). You can then use an Action to make a Strength (Athletics) Check to pull yourself up. Once you pass either roll, you do not have to roll for it again for 10 minutes. (While equipped with a Walker, use the Walker's movement rules instead.) You can use a Bonus Action to use your Water Body trait and willingly extend your body up to 5 ft. through a porous material; if you wish to extend over 2 ft. this way, you must exit your Walker and will become Prone but have Advantage on the Strength Check and may do so as a Bonus Action.

**Swimming Speed**: Your base swimming speed is 30 ft.

**Speed**: You are incapable of walking naturally. If a spell or ability would increase your Speed, apply that change to your Flying Speed or your Walker's Flying Speed instead (Unless it doesn't make sense due to requiring contact with the ground; it is up to the DM to determine if an effect will increase your movement).

**Flying Speed**: You have a Flying Speed of 15 ft. Additionally, at the end of your turn if you are more than 5 ft. above ground level then you make a Strength Saving Throw (See Wind Speed Chart for DC). If you fail then you rise 5 ft. and are blown a distance by the wind (this forced movement does not trigger Opportunity Attacks.) Once you pass the check, you do not have to roll for it again for 10 minutes. (While equipped with a Walker, use the Walker's movement rules instead.)

**Swimming Speed**: You have a Swimming Speed of 20. Additionally, while submerged in water your body takes on the appearance of underwater fog and you get -2 to all Perception Checks you make.

<Cloudy Body:> As a Bonus Action, you can expell excess water from your body to cause rain to fall from you. You can produce up to 1 gallon of water this way and can't use this ability again until you either gain more water or take a Long Rest.

**Speed**: You have a walking speed of 25.

**Swimming Speed**: You have a Swimming Speed of 20. Additionally, while submerged in water your body takes on the appearance of slush and you get -2 to all Perception Checks you make.

**Snowy Senses**: You are blind. You have Blindsight out to 100 ft., but cannot perceive what is directly behind solid objects. Add your Proficiency Modifier to Perception Checks to locate the source of sound or movement within your range of sight/hearing while not submerged in water. Text and images written/printed in ink/paint are invisible to you, but you can perceive carved/engraved text and images.

**Languages**: You are mute. You know Ktapticotz, the percussive-sounds-based language used by Snow Fountains. You know Common, though you cannot speak it.
### **Distinctly Different**

In addition to their body type, each Fountain comes into existence as one of three kinds, which shape part of their focus in life and determining some of their physical appearance and abilities.

* Collector
* Scholar
* Grunger
Collector Traits

**Description**: The most common kind of Fountain, they are the standard members of the Fountain society. Each one has a drive to collect items of a particular kind, each different from their fellow Fountains.

**Alignment**: Though they jealously guard their collection, they are typically a kind and open people leaning strongly towards Good and Law. However, some have a strong competitive nature that brings out their more Chaotic sides as well.

**Collector of...**: Choose (or roll) for what kind of thing you collect. It should be something fairly specific yet exists in an amount such as to be collectable. It should typically be a Small or smaller item.

**Curious Specialist**: Gain Proficiency in a Skill and a Tool of your Choice.Scholar Traits.

**Description**: These rare Fountains are typically physically larger and more powerful than a Collector, taking a leadership and guardian role for an area and its Collector Fountain inhabitants. They also take it on themselves to develop highly advanced weapons of war and destruction, with the hopes of never needing to use them.

**Alignment**: Almost certainly Lawful, they establish the rules and guidelines for the territory they watch over. Though they are most likely to be Good or Neutral, many Scholars are quick to turn to maximum deadly force to protect those they watch over.

**Powerful Guardian**: Gain Proficiency with a Skill of your Choice. Double your Proficiency Bonus for Strength Ability Checks and Saving Throws.

**Scholar of...**: Decide (or roll) to determine the region you are the Scholar of; if you are a scholar without a region, what do you do and why?Grunger Traits.

**Description**: A rare kind of Fountain, they often live as hermits and have/develop bizarre abilities and strange/dangerous arts. They often remove the shell from their Bauble and are known to not use Walkers, instead relying on their abilities for transportation (This does not deny them the option to use a Walker should they wish).

**Alignment**: Though they tend towards the Neutral between Good and Evil, they are very likely to be Chaotic and put themselves first. They are often an unpredictable danger to those around them, likely to give the impression that they are perfectly fine with causing harm indiscriminately.

**Unnatural Powers**: You have unnatural powers giving you the following benefits:

* **Unnatural Form**: At the end of a Long Rest, you may change which water state your body is comprised of, between liquid, cloud, and snow.
* **Unarmored Movement (Liquid)**: While unarmored, you have a Walking and Swimming Speed of 30 and can ignore porous surfaces.
* **Unarmored Movement (Cloud)**: While unarmored, you have a Flying Speed of 30 and roll with Advantage when resisting being carried by natural wind. Once you pass a check against natural wind, you do not have to roll again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. (Magically-created winds affect you the same as any other creature.)
* **Unarmored Movement (Snow)**: You have a Speed of 30.
* **Unnatural Appearance**: Your physical appearance is noticeably different from other Fountains, unnatural even. You roll with Advantage when making Intimidation Checks. (Also determine what your physical difference(s) are; they are, however, otherwise cosmetic. They ARE allowed to have possible small effects, such as a character that attracts paint instead of water would leave paint trails. Your trait can not be such that it would kill your character to have, such as a body of dangerous Acid; you could instead have a weak acid that does not harm creatures. It may be something that has insignificant detriments that may come into play in role play, such as always suffering pain due to paint-induced lead-poisoning.)

**Unnatural Specialist**: Gain Proficiency in a Skill of your Choice.

**(CHOICE) Unnatural Magics**: You gain Proficiency in Arcana and gain the ability to cast certain spells without components or using a Spell Slot. (Intelligence is your Spellcasting Ability for these spells)

* (This Trait REPLACES the Genius Inventor Trait if chosen.)

At the stated Character Level, select 2 spells that you then learn permanently. They can not be traded for other spells and do not count towards the limits for spells you may know otherwise.

* Casting Rules:
	+ You can cast Cantrips unlimited times, as usual.
	+ You can cast each Lv. 1 or higher spell using this Trait once per Long Rest; you may also cast it using an appropriate Spell Slot.
	+ Your Spellcasting Ability for casting these spells with this ability is Intelligence.
* Spell List:
	+ Lv. 1: (List of cantrips to choose from)
	+ Lv. 3: (List of Lv. 1 Spells to choose from)
	+ Lv. 5: (List of Lv. 2 Spells to choose from)

## Charts

### Porous Surfaces Chart

(This chart is a general approximation and may be subject to updates.)

Porous Surfaces Chart
 Dirt
 Stone

### Wind Speed Chart

(This chart is a general approximation and may be subject to updates.)

## Crafting via Genius Inventor

(This Trait assumes use of the updated Crafting Rules, found in *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*, pg. 128.)

Note: This Trait **does not** automatically apply to Scribing a Spell Scroll (ie: storing a Spell you know into a Spell Scroll) or mixing a Potion or Poison unless you have the minimum proficiencies:

* Scribing a Scroll:
	+ You can apply this trait when you scribe non-magical scrolls if you are proficient with at least one of Calligrapher's Supplies, Cartographer's Tools, or Painter's Supplies.
	+ You can apply this trait when you scribe Magical Scrolls if you are proficient with and use at least one of Calligrapher's Supplies, Cartographer's Tools, or Painter's Supplies, and have proficiency in Arcana.
* Mixing a Magic Potion (non-poison, non-healing):
	+ You can apply this trait when you create a Magical Potion if you are proficient with and use at least one of Brewer's Supplies, Cook's Utensils, or Herbalism Kit and have proficiency in either Arcana or Medicine.
* Mixing a Healing Potion:
	+ You can apply this trait when you create a kind of Healing Potion if you are proficient with and use an Herbalism Kit.
		- You may choose to create a Elixer of Healing or Potion of Vitality in addition to any kind of Potion of Healing.
* Mixing a Poison:
	+ You can apply this trait when you create a Poison if you are proficient with and use a Poisoner's Kit.
		- List of non-magical poisons you might craft (some other poisons may require being directly harvested from a creature or plant, rather than crafted):
			* From *Player's Handbook*: Vial of Basic Poison
			* From *Dungeon Master's Guide*: Assassin's Blood, Burnt Othur Fumes, Drow Poison, Essence of Ether, Malice, Midnight Tears, Oil of Taggit, Pale Tincture, Torpor, Truth Serum
			* From *Journeys through the Radiant Citadel*: Biza's Breath
	+ You can apply this trait to make a Poison-based Magical Potion if you are proficient with and use a Poisoner's Kit and have proficiency with either Arcana or Medicine.
		- List of Magical Potions you might craft: Potion of Poison, Potion of Poison Resistance

For Crafting Non-Magical Items:

* Look at the base value (Cost) of the item you wish to Craft.

* Divide it by 50 to determine how many days of work it will take (spending 8 hours each day) to make the item. (This is one fifth the time it normally takes, which would be spent in workweeks)
	+ When crafting multiple items, add up their total to see how long it would take to craft them simultaneously.

Note: 1 pp (Platinum Piece) is worth 10 Gold Pieces.

Note: A day, week, month, or year may have different lengths based on setting. The month and yearly estimates are based on the assumption of a close-to-real-world style calendar of 7-day weeks, 4-week months (28 days), and 12-month years.

#### Modified Magic Item Crafting Tables:

As there are so many Magic Items, the Crafting Costs for Magic Items are based on their Rarity. (All Non-Magic Items have an individually-set Cost with which you will have to calculate your crafting time as laid out above.) However, the Cost and Time requirements for all Consumable Items (such as Potions or Scrolls) are always half of what their rarity category states. Therefore there is two tables, one for Non-Consumables and one for Consumables.

* There is a list of Common (Minor) Magic Items and their effects in Xanathar's Guide to Everything, pg. 140. Others may exist in your campaign's world. (There are no Major Common Magic Items, they just don't exist.)

(The following table shows the modified Time/Cost for Consumable Magic Items (such as Arrows, Potions, and Scrolls), which is half that of Non-Consumable Magic Items.)

#### Crafting Notes

Storing a Spell: To store a Spell into an Item to cast it, you must both know that Spell and spend a Spell Slot of the appropriate level.

Arcana Proficiency: Though not needed for all Magic Items, to Craft most Magic Items beyond Common (which are often little more than simple tricks) and maybe even some of those, Proficiency in Arcana may be a requirement.

Unique Components: Your DM may require you to incorporate a rare or unique component as part of a Magic Item to successfully Craft it. This may lead to a new sidequest to obtain said component.

#### Examples of Tool Requirements for various Crafted Items

* Herbalism Kit: Antitoxin, Potion of Healing
* Leatherworker's Tools: Leather Armor, Boots
* Smith's Tools: Metal Armor, most Weapons
* Weaver's Tools: Cloaks, Robes

#### Old Crafting Rules

Should your Dungeon Master prefer to use the Crafting rules originally found in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, here is where to look. The main change is that it will increase the time and cost of all crafting. To calculate the new crafting time, take the base numbers for time and divide by 5.

* Non-Magic Item Crafting: PHB pg. 187
* Magic Item Crafting: DMG pg. 129 & 284-285

#### Alternative Crafting Rules

Should your Dungeon Master prefer to use an alternative crafting ruleset, such as is provided by *Witch + Craft*, you will need to work with them to determine how your racial trait affects crafting. In general, the following core ideas should apply to a Fountain's crafting efforts:

* The ability to incorporate parts of things into their creations in ways that may not normally make sense (such as offsetting cost via consuming other items)
* The ability to craft at significantly higher rates with the same resulting quality (crafting two to five times faster than other races)