Tortle (/ˈtɝtəl/)
Ability Scores: Choose one of: (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1 (b) Choose three different +1
Size: Small or Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Traits
Size.
You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.Claws.
You have claws that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.Hold Breath.
You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour. Natural Armor. Your shell provides you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You can't wear light, medium, or heavy armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.Nature's Intuition.
Thanks to your mystical connection to nature, you gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival.Shell Defense.
You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to your AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and can't increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can't take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell.Languages.
You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.Basic Information
Anatomy
Tortles were a race of intelligent tortoise-like humanoids indigenous to southern Chult.
“We wear our homes on our back.”
Description
Tortles were reptilian-looking humanoids with large shells on their backs that were capable of containing their entire bodies. They had leathery skins that varied between olive-green to blue-green hues. The dorsal portion of their shells was usually darker than their skins, while the ventral portion was lighter, usually with yellowish tones. Tortles rarely wore any clothing, favoring instead belts and harnesses to carry their belongings. They had little tolerance for cold, and usually migrated away from temperate areas when winter approached. Although generally poor swimmers, tortles were capable of floating on water and could hold their breath for over an hour. Their high buoyancy granted them the ability to cross swamps, mud, and quicksand with little difficulty.Behaviour
Personality
Most tortles had the notion of having their houses on their backs, which meant that they rarely felt homesick or the need to lay roots in any single place. They were eager to learn new customs and found beauty in the most ordinary things. Despite spending much of their lives isolated, tortles liked to form strong friendships.Combat
Besides being able to wield weapons and shields, tortles had claws and beaks that were effective as natural weapons. In addition, they could retreat into their shells for additional protection if necessary. When withdrawn in this way, they were unable to move and see, but could still hear and smell the outside world. The shape of their bodies made it impossible for tortles to wear armor, however.Additional Information
Social Structure
Society
Tortles only reproduced near the end of their natural lifespans. When their young hatched from their eggs, they spent the remainder of their lives sharing all their life experiences and teaching survival skills. Young tortles would become orphans after about one year, by which time they were expected to be able to fend for themselves. Usually keeping to themselves, they tended to live alone, but kept in closed contact with their community. Tortle villages were typically welcoming of humans, halflings, and elves.Civilization and Culture
History
Toril History
Tortles were common in southern Chult, near a peninsula that bordered Samarach.. An event brought by the Spellplague separated the peninsula from the continent by a narrow strait. The newly formed island became known as the Snout of Omgar and provided a natural defense from predators from the mainland. The island was claimed by the tortles living nearby as their domain. They built the fort of Ahoyhoy in the northwestern tip of the island. During the late 1480s DR, a few tortles offered their services as jungle guides in different places of Chult.Historical Figures
Notable tortles in Toril
- Eeyal, a tortle guide from Fort Beluarian who wore goggles to protect her eyes from volcanic ash.
- Soso, a naive tortle prince from Ahoyhoy.
- Krull, a death-priest of Tiamat who lived in Arkhan's Tower in Avernus.
- Kwilgok, a guide from Port Nyanzaru who worked for the merchant prince Jobal.
- Mudgraw, a tortle druid from Ahoyhoy who also worked as a guide.
Sources
Source(s):
- Christopher Perkins, Jeremy Crawford (September 2017). The Tortle Package. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 2–4, 23.
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 242. ISBN 978-0786966240.
- Frank Brunner (January 2004). “Red Steel: Cinnabar, Red Steel, and the Red Curse”. In Chris Thomasson ed. Dragon #315 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 72–73.
- John Nephew, John Terra, Skip Williams, Teeuwynn Woodruff (1994). Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), p. 115. ISBN 1-56076-875-4.
- Jim Bambra et al (1986). Creature Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 47. ISBN 0-88038-315-1.
- Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- Christopher Perkins, Jeremy Crawford (September 2017). The Tortle Package. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 4–5.
- Christopher Perkins, Jeremy Crawford (September 2017). The Tortle Package. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8.
- Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, humanoidus, Bipedia, Chrodata, Reptilia, humanoid Testudines (Tortle)
Related Organizations
5E Statistics
Tortle
5E Statistics
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Tag(s) | Tortle |
| Alignment | Lawful Good |
| Challenge Rating | 1/4 |
General Information
| Activity cycle | Day |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Average Lifespan | 50 years |
| Homeland(s) | Faerun: Chult, Mystara Dierde: Oth'Mar |
| Language(s) | Common, Aquan |
| Favored Climate | Temperate, Warm |
| Favored Terrain | Coasts, Forests |
Appearance
| Average Height | 5‒6 ft (1.5‒1.8 m) |
| Average Weight | 450‒500 lb (200‒230 kg) |
| Distinctions | Shell, back darker, front lighter and more yellowish than skin |
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height | Base Weight | Height Modifier | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4' 7" | 370 lb. | + 2d12 | × 1d8 lb. |