Physical Traits

Stance, Size, and Speed

Choose a stance:

Humanoid. You move primarily on two legs with an upright build.

Feral. You move primarily on two legs with a dinosaur-like build.

Quadruped. You move primarily on four (or more) legs.

Choose a size class:

Small. You are between 3-4.5' in height if you're a biped or 3-5' long (sans tail) if you're a quadruped. Ex. halfling, leopard, sheep.

Medium. You are between 5-7' in height if you're a biped or 4-6' long (sans tail) if you're a quadruped. Ex. human, mastiff, pony.

Large. You are between 7-9' in height if you're a biped or 5-7' long (sans tail) if you're a quadruped. Ex. half-giant, horse, tiger.

Choose a speed (measured in feet moved per 6 seconds in combat):

25' (most realistic for Small bipeds)

30' (standard for Medium bipeds and Small quadrupeds)

35' (common for Large bipeds and Medium quadrupeds)

40' (a good choice for Medium or Large quadrupeds) **

45' (faster Large quadrupeds) **

** To move more than 35' on your turn, you must be going in a mostly straight line without any drastic zigzags.

Physical Features

Exactly what your character looks like is entirely up to you. Stay within the ranges of the size class and stance you chose above, but otherwise it's freestyle. You can be mostly humanoid, mostly bestial, strangely draconic, or a mashup of Nature's Greatest Hits from the animal kingdom. If you are a biped, you are assumed to have hands or hand-like appendages that are capable of manipulating tools and grasping weapons. Determine what kind of hide (bare skin, fur, feathers, scales, etc) you have, your coloration and markings, what clothing and armor you typically wear (optional but recommended), and what animal(s) may have influenced your character's genetic history. The options below will help you flesh out your character's abilities to match them to the physical features you choose. Choose any two of these options: 1. Special Sense
Choose only one of these options:

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Heat Sense. You can detect nearby sources of heat, from small flames to warm-blooded creatures, within 20 feet of you. Sources of heat larger than your size class can be detected within 30 feet of you. Sufficiently large or thick objects and walls can block your heat sense, depending on the strength of the heat source on the other side. You cannot sense anything behind a large fire, regardless of distance.

Electric Sense. While in the water, you can sense any living creature or mechanical source of electricity also in the water within 30 feet of you. If lightning strikes or damages yourself or the water, your Electric Sense is disabled for 1 round after the lightning ceases.

Tremor Sense. While on a solid surface (earth, rock, or most types of artificial flooring), you can sense the movement of any creature or object that is touching the same surface within 30 feet of you. You can also sense any large-scale mechanical activity or moving water within 60 feet of you.

Echolocation. While either in the water or in the open air, you can emit a cone of supersonic waves from your body to sense the presence of physical objects, creatures, and surfaces within 60 feet of you (if air) or within 90 feet of you (if water). Unlike other special senses, echolocation only provides a static impression of the shapes in the direction you chose, and it requires a bonus action to use during combat. You can determine the exact shape, macro texture, and general material (such as cloth, wood, stone, flesh, etc) of what you sense via echolocation. Echolocation is audible within a 30 foot range by creatures with normal hearing and within a 60 foot range by creatures with superior hearing or their own sense of echolocation.

2. Enhanced Darkvision with Sunlight Sensitivity

You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

You have disadvantage on Attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight. This disadvantage can only be negated with an item that shields or shades your eyes.

3. Keen Senses

One of your senses is especially sharp. Choose hearing, smell, long-distance vision, or short-range vision. When you use this sense, make your Perception rolls with advantage.

If you have a different special sense, like echolocation or heat sense, you may choose that instead of hearing (etc) for Keen Senses.

4. Antitoxins

You have advantage on saves against being Poisoned.

You only take half poison damage.

5. Nimble

Your default movement speed is increased by 5 feet.

You can move through an occupied space of any creature one or more sizes larger than you.

You can fit through spaces that would only fit a creature one size class smaller than you.

You can ignore the speed penalty if your movement is zigzaggy during combat.

6. Natural Armor

When you're not wearing artificial armor, you can still add +3 for your Armor when calculating your Defense.

7. Stealthy

You can attempt to Hide behind any creature at least one size class larger than you.

You can attempt to Hide when only lightly obscured (by smoke, fog, sparse brush, etc).

8. Powerful Build

You can push, pull, lift, drag, and carry as much weight as someone of one size class higher than you.

9. Dextrous

You have dextrous feet (if you're a humanoid) or hand-like forepaws (if you're a quadruped) or a prehensile tail. You can use your feet or forepaws or tail to manipulate tools, use weapons, grab or hold onto objects, anchor yourself to a structure or the terrain, or any other activities that normally require hands.

You cannot move at full speed if your feet or forepaws are holding an object or otherwise occupied.

If your tail is holding an object or otherwise occupied, you make all Agility checks with disadvantage and your swim speed is halved.

10. Sturdy

You have advantage on any checks made to avoid being knocked prone and pushed or pulled against your will.

You have advantage on any checks made to avoid being picked up or otherwise knocked off your feet.

You have advantage on any rolls to push or shove an object or creature that is one size class larger than you or smaller.

Unique Trait

Choose only one of these options:

Wings. You have a fly speed equal to your walking speed. You cannot fly while wearing medium armor or heavy armor.
Amphibious. You can breathe both air and water. You have a swim speed equal to your walking speed. You can attack in or underwater without suffering disadvantage.
Arboreal. You have a climb speed equal to your walking speed. You have double the usual jump distance for a creature of your size. You have advantage on Agility saving throws if it involves catching yourself or landing safely from a fall.
Dangerous. You have sharp teeth, claws, horns, or another natural weapon as part of your body. You can treat it as a proficient melee weapon for all combat purposes, and you cannot be disarmed.

If you don't want to choose a Unique Trait, you may choose two additional Physical Features from the previous list instead.