Yuan-Ti Race

by dArtagnan

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Yuan-ti

Sebastian slunk silently through the sanctum of the serpent spirit's shrine's shepherd. The silly simpleton sought the shrine's store of shinies and sapphires.

In spite of his secretive sojourn. Servants of the shrine saw from the shadows this specimen of stupidity and struck.

The consequence of Sebastion's excursion was silence.

Forsaken Humanity

Yuan-ti are a people who left their race behind. Once humans who worshipped snakes, they sought to transform themselves into a perfect fusion of humanity and flexible scaled predator.

The ancient yuan-ti empire was spendid and far reaching, and temples to their snake gods were central to their daily lives. Their worship became more and more entwined with their mortal lives and soon their devotion got the attention of their serpent deities who taught them what they needed to do to ascend.

Yuan-Ti Names

Yuan-ti think highly of themselves, and serpents. As such, their names often seem reminiscent of hissing and are often long and full of flourish


Male names: Akris, Athanos, Daziss, Ischyros, Kress, Mariss,
 Oshphim, Salethar, Sarek, Selanu, Sellak, Shanastar,
 Shiraal, Silass, Thaxos, Tithian, Xamres, Xutan, Zorai,
 Zureth.


Female names: Ashissa, Caress, Daïsha, Deryssa, Ibisis,
 Ivaniss, Lalassu, Nassirah, Nessa, Nysia, Pyrrha, Saaveed,
 Sadai, Salah, Shallia, Suehra, Thassia, Veeshis, Ydriss,
 Zivlil.

Yuan-Ti Traits

The following traits are shared among all yuan-ti.

Age. Yuan-ti mature at the same rate as humans and have lifespans similar in length to theirs, though anathemas are thought to be immortal.

Alignment. Yuan-ti are taught to be devoid of emotion and see others as tools to manipulate. Those who live according to this upbringing are typically neutral evil.

Size. Purebloods and malisons match humans in average size and weight. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

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.

Poison Immunity. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Abyssal, and Draconic.

Pureblood

Purebloods closely resemble humans, yet they can't pass for human under close scrutiny because there's always some hint of its true nature.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Innate Spellcasting. You know the poison spray cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only snakes with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Pass for Human. You gain proficiency with disguise kits, and have advantage on checks to disguise yourself as a human.

Magic Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Malison

A malison is a hideous blend of human and serpentine features. This blend is neither consistent, nor even. As such, many variations exist.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Shapechanger. You have the ability to assume the form of a snake, your statistics stay the same in each form. Changing from either of your forms into the other is an action. You remain in this form unless you drop to 0 hit points or you choose to revert.

Snake Bite. Your teeth are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Furthermore, in your snake form, your unarmed strike deals an additional 2d6 points of poison damage, once per turn.

Malison Type. Malisons come in 5 variants, each with their own unique mutations. You are one of these types. Once you make this choice you cannot change it.

  • Type 1: You have a human body with a snake head. Your abilities are as described above.
  • Type 2: You have a human head and body, but two snakes for arms. You cannot wield weapons in your hands, but you can use your unarmed strike as a bonus action, and deal poison damage with it in your true form as if you were in your snake form and are not limited to dealing it once per turn.
  • Type 3: You have a humanoid head and upper body, but the lower body of a giant snake. You cannot bite in your true form, but are immune to the prone condition and can grapple creatures with its lower body.

Abomination

The true image of the yuan-ti as their people see it. These giant serpents tower over their kind and humanity.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength Score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Large. Abominations tower over their lesser kin. Your size is Large.

Snake Bite. Your teeth are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Slithering Tail. The coiling length of your lower body allows you to do many things. Your base walking speed is 40 feet. You are immune to the prone condition. You can use your lower body to grapple creatures. Medium or smaller creatures grappled by you are restrained, and you can deal an amount of damage equal to 2d6 + your Strength modifier as a bonus action to creatures restrained this way.

New Racial Feat

Apotheosis

Prerequisite: yuan-ti (abomination), 19th level


After many years of effort you ascend to the ultimate form of your people, so powerful, not even the yuan-ti wish you to achieve it. You gain the following:

  • Your size becomes Huge.
  • You gain a climb and swim speed of 30 feet.
  • Your slithering tail damage dice increase to 2d8.
  • Your reach increases to 10 feet.
  • Your maximum Strength score increases to a maximum of 26.
  • Your maximum Dexterity score decreases to 14. Any lost Dexterity can be put into Strength or Constitution.
  • You grow 5 additional heads.
  • You gain blindsight up to a distance of 30 feet.
  • You have advantage on saving throws against becoming blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
  • As an attack, you can attack with all 6 heads at once, dealing an amount of piercing damage equal to 6d6 + your Strength modifier. You can only make this attack once per turn.
Race Base Height Base Weight Height Modifier Weight Modifier
Yuan-ti, abomination 7'10" 300 lb +4d12 x(2d4) lb.
Yuan-ti, anathema 21'8" 5,500 lb. +4d12 x10 lb.
Yuan-ti 4'8" 110 lb. +2dl0 x(2d4) lb.







Credits

Designed by d'Artagnan on DMs Guild, /u/dArtagnanDnD on reddit, or dArtagnanDnD on patreon and dArtagnanDnD on Twitter.

  • Made with "GM Binder".
  • Made with reference and for use with Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, created by Wizards of the Coast.