Sprites - A 5e PC Race
Fairies, or Fae, were a type of creature from the Feywild, a parellel plane to the Prime. While any creature from the Faywild is technically a fairy, most common folk tend to think of the smaller, winged variety as Fairies. These smaller flying creatures are actually known as Sprites, and come in several varieties as defined below. Adding to the confusion, sprite is also the name of one of the sub-species.
Sprite Racial Traits
All sprites have the following basic racial traits.
Creature Type. Fey.
Ability Scores. Your dexterity score increases by 2.
Alignment. Usually friendly and mostly nonviolent but with a mischievous streak. Most are neutral good. Winternlings tend towards neutral evil.
Size. Your size is tiny. You take up a 2.5' by 2.5' space. Your height can be between 1 foot to 2 feet.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 10 ft.
Darkvision. You have darkvision out to 120 feet.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor. This is considered magical flight.
Hover. You are able to remain in place while flying.
Fairy Invisibility. As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible for one round. This effect ends at the beginning of your next turn (unless you spend another use), until you attack, cast a spell, or lose concentration. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying also turns invisible with you.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. After using this ability, you can't use it again until you complete a short of long rest.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Cold Iron Vulnerability. You take maximum damage from weapons made of cold iron and you may not cast spells or fly for one round after taking damage. If you come into contact with cold iron, your innate spellcasting abilities are suppressed and you are unable to fly as long as you are in contact with the cold iron.
Small Stature. Due to a sprite's tiny size, they are not able to handle the same amount of punishment a larger creature can. When gaining new Hit Die at each level beyond 1st, a sprite must take the fixed value shown in your class entry, which is the average result of the die roll (rounded up), plus their constitution modifier as normal.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Tiny Creatures
Tiny creatures have special rules that govern their unique place in the world.
Carrying Capacity. Your carrying capacity is your Strength score multiplied by 15, then divided by 2. This is the weight (in pounds) that you can carry.
Push, Drag, or Lift. You can push, drag, or lift a weight in pounds up to twice your carrying capacity (or 15 times your Strength score). While pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity, your speed drops to 5 feet (walking or flying).
Map Movement. Four tiny creatures may fit in a 5 ft. square, and you may move through a hostile creature's space if the creature is at least medium or larger size as if it were difficult terrain.
Mounts and Riding. Tiny creatures may mount a willing creature that is at least size Small or larger and has the appropriate anatomy to serve as a mount.
Shoving and Grappling. Tiny creatures may only shove or grapple a target no larger than Small size.
Shrinking. If an effect, such as the enlarge/reduce spell would shrink a Tiny creature, then become 1 inch in height, but are still considered Tiny.
Tiny Appetite. You only require 1/10th as much food and water as a small or medium creature. A single ration usually can last you 10 days.
Tiny Armor. You can only wear armor for tiny creatures. Though potentially rare, it only costs 1/4th as much, and weighs 18th as much.
Tiny Weapons. Tiny weapons are scaled for tiny creatures. Their damage dice are reduced by one size, their range is halved, and their weight is 1/4th the normal weapon weight. Their is no tiny equivalent weapons with the heavy property. See the table below for examples:
Tiny Weapons Damage Dice Tiny Dagger 1d2 Tiny Shortsword 1d4 Tiny Longsword 1d6 Tiny Shortbow 1d4 Tiny Lance 1d10
Sub-Species
Atomie
Atomies were tiny creatures that resembled elves with green-tinted skin and four dragonfly-like wings. They were only about 1 foot tall.
Abilities
In additional to the base sprite racial traits, Atomies also gain the following traits:
Dive Attack. Once per turn, if you dive at least half your flight speed toward a creature and hit it with a melee weapon attack, the target takes an extra 1d4 damage from the attack. This damage increases to 2d4 at 5th level, 3d4 at 11th level, and 4d4 at 17th level.
Flyby. You may perform the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Innate Spellcasting. You gain speak with animals at 1st level, and blink at 5th level. You may cast each only once per long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.
Flame Sprite
Flame sprites were a variety of sprites, enhanced by elemental fire, exclusively found around Mount Hotenow following the Spellplague.
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Flame Sprites also gain the following traits:
Fire Resistance. Flame Sprites have immunity to fire damage.
Stunning Arrows. You may imbue your ranged attacks with fae energy that leaves your foes stunned. On a successful ranged weapon attack with a bow or crossbow, a creature may become stunned for one round if they fail a constitution saving throw. The DC for the save is DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + the attack damage. You may use this features a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency bonus.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the produce flame cantrip. At third level, you may cast flame arrows thrice per short or long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.
Grigs
On average these small sprites grew to be about 1 ft 0.5 in tall and weighed only 1 lb. They had the head, arms, and torso of a normal sprite, with light blue skin and green hair. However, grigs had a brown, cricket-like body from the waist down, including a pair of gossamer wings. Grigs usually wore brightly colored tunics or vests with buttons made out of tiny gems. They were also naturally inclined musicians.
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Grigs also gain the following traits:
Ability Score. Instead of the +2 charisma for the base sprite racial trait, your dexterity increases by 1 and your intelligence increases by 1.
Hopping. A grig's flying only works by hopping in straight lines, and must land before changing directions. A grig's flying is not considered a magical effect, and is not affected by cold iron or anti-magic fields. Grigs lose the hover ability.
Virtuoso. Grigs are considered proficient in fiddles and violins.
Keen Sense. Grigs have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Irresistable Dance. Grigs have the innate ability to cast Otto's irresistible dance on all creatures within 30 feet while they play an appropriate sized fiddle. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this effect. Other grigs are immune to this effect. In addition to the standard concentration check to maintain the spell, for every hour a grig plays, they must make a constitution saving throw to continue playing, or they gain one level of exhaustion. The DC to continue playing is 11 + 1 for each hour played. The effect ends when the grig stops playing, or they fail their concentration check.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the minor illusion cantrip, and are able to cast disguise self once per long rest.
Nixies
An aquatic race of sprites, Nixies were quite elven-like in appearance. They had typically slim bodies with pale green skin, dark green hair, webbed finger and toes, pointed ears, and wide silver eyes. On average they stood 4 ft and weighed around 45 pounds.
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Nixies also gain the following traits:
Size. A nixie is small size. This replaces the standard sprite size of tiny.
Speed. Nixies have a walking speed of 25 feet and a swimming speed of 30 feet. They do not have a flying speed.
Languages. Nixies speak, read, and write Aquan in addition to the base sprite racial languages.
Amphibious. Nixies can breathe air and water.
Group Charm. When at least 10 nixies gather together, they may cast charm person as a ritual that lasts up to 1 year. The involved nixies may not use this ability again for 1 week. This replaces the Hidden Step ability. Charisma is their spellcasting ability for this ability.
Innate Spellcating. Nixies can cast water breathing once per long rest, and charm person thrice per long rest, with both spells lasting 24 hours. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.
Pixies
Perhaps the most well-known of the sprites and the one most people think of when they hear the word fairy, Pixies resembled tiny elves, with reports placing them variously at 2.5 feet (0.76 meters) to as little as 1 foot (0.3 meters) in height. Pixies had silvery, moth-like wings and preferred to wear brightly colored clothing.
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Pixies also gain the following traits:
Ability Scores. +1 Wisdom or Intelligence
Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the druidcraft cantrip. Once per day, you may cast the dancing lights cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you may cast the entangle spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.
Sprites
The namesake for this classification of fae creatures, Sprites were the warrior relatives of pixies. They were fierce defenders of good wherever they dwelt, and were also firm judges of other creatures' hearts and intentions. Sprites resembled tiny, elven-featured fey with insect-like wings. They were about 2 feet tall.
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Sprites also gain the following traits:
Sense Alignment. The sprite touches a creature and magically knows the creature's current emotional state. If the target fails a Charisma saving throw, the sprite also knows the creature's alignment. The DC of this saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma bonus. Celestials, fiends, and undead automatically fail the saving throw.
After you use this ability, you can't use it again until after you complete a short or long rest.
Poison Masters. In their forest domains, sprites brew toxins, unguents, antidotes, and poisons, including the sleep poison with which they coat their arrows. You are proficient with the Poisoner's Toolkit. All sprites know how to brew Sprite Sleep Poison, and can do so with common woodland ingredients.
Languages. Sprites speak Elven in addition to the standard sprite languages.
Winterlings
Winterlings were malicious fey found in colder regions. They resembled 2‑foot-tall elves with sharp features, white skin and hair, and light blue or violet eyes. They had butterfly-like wings that appeared frozen and broken into jagged points. They had no need for clothing even in the coldest temperatures, but some wore jewelry for ornamentation. Winterlings were immune to the effects of the cold and could see even in very dim light. Despite the appearance of their wings, they were perfectly capable of flying
Abilities
In addition to the base sprite racial traits, Winterlings also gain the following traits:
Damage Immunities. Winterlings are immune to cold damage.
Languages. Winterlings also know how to speak, read, and write elven.
Innate Spellcasting. You know the frostbite cantrip. You may cast fog cloud once per day. At 2nd level, you may cast gust of wind thrice per day. At 3rd level, you may cast sleet storm twice per day. At 4th level you may cast ice storm once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.
Feats
Optional feats for use with fae characters.
Extra Fairy Dust
Prerequesite: Fairy Dust feat.
You gain the following benefits:
- Your Constitution increases by 1 to a maximum of 20.
- You may produce an additional 5 doses of fairy dust per long rest.
You may select this feat multiple times.
Fairy Dust
Prerequesite: Any sprite sub-race, Sprite Wings, 4th level
You are able to produce fairy dust from your wings by giving them a good shimmy and shake.
Normally, fairy dust is created by the grinding of sprite wings. This is a barbaric and destructive method that fae tend to look down upon -- quite aggressively. Some fae have learned to produce this dust themselves by carefully rubbing their wings together, and then using this dust to cast spells.
You may produce 1 dose of fairy dust as a bonus action, up to 5 doses per long rest. Fairy dust may be stored for future use, but it will lose its potency after a number of days equal to the half the proficiency bonus of the fairy that created it (default 1 day).
Fairy dust may be used to cast an Enchantment, Illusion, or Transmutation spell if thrown, sprinkled, or blown (Ranged Attack + Dex + Prof Bonus) onto an unwilling or hostile creature. No ranged attack is needed if creature is willing or incapacitated.
The exact effect is chosen by the attacker at the time of use, and the target may resist the effects as per the spell choosen. The spellcasting DC will be that of the fairy that created the dust (default DC 14). The number of doses required to cast a spell is double that of the spell level cast.
Example: 2 doses for charm person, 4 doses for hold person, 6 doses for hypnotic pattern, etc.
Note: Fairy Dust is a magical item and will not work in anti-magic areas or if dispel magic is cast upon it (turning it into harmless glitter.)
Fairy Speed
Prerequisite: Any sprite sub-race
You have managed to coax the most out of your limbs.
You gain the following benefits:
- Your dexterity increases by 1 to a maximum of 20.
- Your flying or swimming speed (choose one) increases by 10 feet.
- Moving through a space occupied by a creature larger than yourself no longer is considered difficult terrain.
You may select this feat multiple times.
Fairy Sage
Prerequisite: Any sprite sub-race
You are wiser than your brothers and sisters--they look to you for leadership and direction.
You gain the following benefits:
- You increase your Wisdom by 1 to a maximum of 20.
- You gain advantage on Wisdom checks for Insight, Perception, and Survival.
- All sprites within 30 feet of you gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws as long as they can see or hear you.
Fairy Soldier
Prerequisite: Any sprite sub-race
You have dedicated your life to protection of the fey and the forest.
You gain the following benefits:
- Your strength increases by 1 to a maximum of 20.
- If you have advantage on any attacks vs a target if another sprite is also engaged with it, even if the target is not flanked.
- Any tiny weapon that you're proficient in increases its weapon die by one category, per the table below.
| Weapon Die | New Weapon Die |
|---|---|
| 1d2 | 1d4 |
| 1d4 | 1d6 |
| 1d6 | 1d8 |
| 1d8 | 1d10 |
| 1d10 | 1d12 |
Greater Fairy Invisibility
Prerequisite: Fairy Invisibility ability, 8th level
You have learned to make your natural invisibility last longer.
You may use your fairy invisibility ability twice as many times as your proficiency bonus normally allows. Additionally, each use may last up to 1 minute unless canceled or dispelled per the normal ability.
Spellcating Proficiency
Prerequisite: Any sprite sub-race
You add your proficiency bonus to your innate spellcasting.
When casting a innate spell granted by your sprite race, and not a class spell, you may add your proficiency bonus to a numerical value of the spell. For example:
- You may add your proficiency bonus to a spells Duration if it is in Rounds, Minutes, or Hours. (If a spell lasts 10 minutes, and your proficiency bonus is +4, then the spell lasts 14 minutes. 10 Rounds becomes 14 rounds. And 1 hour becomes 5 hours.)
- You may add your proficiency bonus to a spells range. When used this way, a spells range increases by 5ft per point of proficiency bonus. (A +4 proficiency bonus increases a spells range by 20ft.)
- You may add your proficiency bonus to a spells damage. If a spell's damage is 2d6 and your proficiency bonus is +4, it becomes 2d6+4. The bonus damage is of the same type as the spell's base damage type.
- You may add your proficiency bonus to a spell's DC a second time.
You must choose at the time of casting which number you are adding your proficiency bonus to. You do not need to add your proficiency bonus to a spell if you do not wish to.
Items
Cold Iron
Cold Iron is a rare material found in Faerun, deep underground. It was known to be able to suppress magical abilities of those who touched it, and was particularily effective against fey creatures when forged into weapons. The mining town of Phandalin was known to be a major source of cold iron along the Sword Coast.
Though cold iron has not officially been introduced in 5e, it has a history in D&D through the novels, video games, and previous versions. It is up to your DM if he wants to include cold iron in his world. If so, these are the stats recommended for using cold iron:
Iron, Cold. This iron mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged (hammered and folded) at a lower temperature (but not without some heat) to preserve its delicate properties. Heating the ore too much destroys its magical nature and renders it common iron ore. Items made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts, and take three times as long to produce.
Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not. A double weapon that has only half of it made of cold iron increases its cost by 50%.
A smith working with cold iron has the DC increased by 4 to produce an item without losing it's attributes. Any item made with cold iron increases it's rarity by one category.
Longsword, Tiny
Martial Melee Weapon
Uncommon
Proficiency with a longsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
Cost: 30 gp Damage: 1d6 Piercing Weight: 1.5 lb Properties: Versatile (1d8)
Manacles, Cold Iron
Adventuring Gear
Rare
These cold iron metal restraints can bind a Small or Medium creature. While a spellcaster or a creature with innate magical abilities is bound by these manacles, they are unable to use their magical abilities.
Escaping the manacles requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. Breaking them requires a successful DC 20 Strength check. Each set of manacles comes with one key. Without the key, a creature proficient with thieves' tools can pick the manacles' lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. Manacles have 15 hit points.
Cost: 4 gp Weight: 6 lbs
Shortbow, Tiny
Simple Ranged Weapon
Uncommon
Proficiency with a shortbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
Cost: 20 gp Damage: 1d4 Piercing Weight: 0.5 lb Properties: Ammunition, Range: 40/160, Two-Handed
Shortsword, Tiny
Simple Melee Weapon
Uncommon
Proficiency with a shortsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
Cost: 15 gp Damage: 1d4 Piercing Weight: 1 lb Properties: Finesse, Light
Sprite Armor
Light Armor
Uncommon
The breastplate and shoulder protectors of this armor are comprised of bits of bark, nut shells, and other tougher plant pieces. The rest of the armor is made of softer and more flexible materials of leaves, grass, and mosses.
Cost: 15 gp Armor Class: 11 + Dex Strength: N/A Stealth: N/A Weight: 2 lbs
Sprite Arrows
Ammunition
Uncommon
These small arrows are perfectly sized for use by Sprites. In the hands of a small or medium creature, they function as darts. If found in the wild, there is a 50% chance they are coated with Sprite Sleep Poison.
Cost: 2 gp Weight: 0.25 lb
Sprite Sleep Poison
Poison (Injury)
Rare
Typically made only by sprites and other fairies, this poison can be made from common woodland ingredients -- the recipe of which is a closely guarded secret by the fae. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1d6 hours. If its saving throw result is 10 or lower, the poisoned target is also unconscious while poisoned this way, or until it takes damage or another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
One dose is enough to coat 20 sprite sized arrows, 5 sprite sized swords, or one regular sized blade.
Injury. Injury poison can be applied to weapons, ammunition, trap components, and other objects that deal piercing or slashing damage and remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its effects.
Cost: 500 gp Weight: 0.5 lb
Credits
Inspiration and Sources
- Kibble's Revised Fairy Race
- Tiny Races Underfoot
- Folk of the Feywild
- Atomies - Forgotten Realms Wiki
- Monstrous Races by Tyler Kamstra
- Forgotten Realms Fandom