Flightless

Flightless Avians are a diverse group, including Penguins, Ostriches, Emus, and others, known for their unique adaptations and exceptional abilities despite their inability to fly. With stout bodies and either strong swimming abilities or long muscular legs, Flightless Avians showcase remarkable stamina, speed, and resilience within Avian society.

Physical Characteristics

Flightless Avians exhibit a variety of physical traits adapted for their terrestrial lifestyles. Penguins are stout and streamlined, with powerful flippers that enable them to navigate the water with ease. Other flightless species, such as Ostriches and Emus, possess long muscular legs built for running, allowing them to achieve impressive speeds and endurance on land. Despite their inability to fly, Flightless Avians demonstrate remarkable agility and adaptability in their respective environments.

Social Dynamics

Flightless Avians are the rarer species among Avians and often reside in like groups, forming communities separate from their flighted cousins. Despite their physical differences, Flightless Avians have earned admiration and respect within Avian society for their invaluable skillsets and contributions. While they were once looked down upon for their inability to fly, Flightless Avians quickly proved themselves to possess unique abilities and talents that are highly valued among their peers.

Cultural Significance

Flightless Avians play a significant role in Avian society, contributing their unique skills and abilities to the collective welfare of their communities. Penguins, with their strong swimming abilities, excel as navigators in aquatic environments, while Ostriches and Emus showcase unparalleled speed and endurance on land. Flightless Avians are admired for their resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability, embodying the spirit of overcoming challenges and thriving in diverse environments.

Flightless

Flightless Avians include Penguins, Ostrich, and Emu, among others. Penguins are stout with strong swimming abilities. The other flightless tend to have long muscular legs and are well known for their stamina and speed. Flightless Avians are the rarest species and tend to reside in like groups instead of intermingling with their flighted cousins. At one time they were looked down upon by other Avians for their inability to fly but over time these species quickly proved themselves to have invaluable skillsets and are admired for their other abilities.

ability score increase:

age:

alignment: Usually good or neutral

Size: Medium

speed: See Features

Languages:

parent race: [blocklink:

Avian

From below, Avians look much like large birds. Only when they descend to roost on a branch or walk across the ground does their anthropomorphic appearance reveal itself. Their height varies by subrace, with the smallest songbirds standing at just 3 feet and the tallest Ostrich reaching up to 8. Their long narrow legs end in sharp talons. Feathers cover their bodies. Their plumage varies by, and often within, their subrace as well.
Avians display many of the same mannerisms as Earth birds. They are fastidious about their plumage, frequently tending their feathers, cleaning and fluffing to their desired aethetic. When they deign to descend from the sky, it is often for a temporary purpose, like to eat or bathe, before they are aloft again. The notable exception, of course, are the flightless Avians.
Regardless of subrace or background, confinement terrifies the Avian. To be grounded, trapped underground, or imprisoned is a torment few of this race can withstand.

ability score increase:

age:

alignment: Any

Size: Medium

speed: 20ft Walking, 40ft Flying

Languages:

sub races:
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race features:

Keen Sense

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Flight

You have the ability to fly (unless you choose the subrace "Flightless" - see subrace for more details). To fly, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor, or be overencumbered.

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 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

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race features:
Choose one of the following sets of Flightless Features:

Penguin

Adept Swimmer

You are an adept swimmer and have a swimming speed of 40ft. You can hold your breath twice as long as average.

Arctic Native

You have a natural Cold Resistance being accustomed to living in tundra environments.

Ostrich

Rapid Dash

You are naturally fast and have the ability to use your reaction to move up to half your movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Your Dexterity score is increased by 1 (to a max of 20).

Strong Kick

Your muscular legs pack a powerful punch---well, kick. Your unarmed strikes dealt as kicks deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.
At level 5, your die increases to a 1d8 (1d10). At level 11, your die increases to a 1d10 (1d12). At level 17, your die increases to a 1d12 (2d6).