Every character is of a single race and gains benefits because of it as outlined below.

Playable Races:

Human

+2 to one Ability Score of your choice and +1 to one Ability Score of your choice

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Skill Proficiencies: Choose any 3 Skills

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Normal

+1 Will or Fortitude

Each Level, you may gain +1 Skill Rank or +1 Aura Strength.

Gain two Background Feats.

Gain one Tier 1 Feat which must be a Non-Combat feat, but does not count towards your number of required Non-Combat Feats.

High Elf

+2 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength or -2 Constitution

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 4 of Investigation, Awareness, Insight, Initiative, Reason, Inspire, Discourage, Social Sense

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Low-Light Vision

+1 Will

-1 Recovery Surge

Magic Affinity: All high elves are born with some magical talent: You gain one Spellcasting Proficiency, one Spell, and the Magic Dabbler Feat.

Combat Skill: Through perfect concentration and focus, high elves can quickly improve their combat skill: You chose 1 specific weapon or armor set you have used extensively. Your MPL is considered +3 higher for the purposes of meeting its MPR. You may change the weapon or armor set chosen by practicing with the new item for at least 24 hours.

You gain the benefit of one of the following:

◇ You gain +1 Evasion and +1 Dexterity, but you have -1 Intelligence.

◇ You gain +5 Aura, but have -1 Recovery Surge.

◇ You learn 1 Spell and it's SCN is reduced by 2 for you, but you have -5 Aura Strength.

◇ You gain +1 Will and when you make Knowledge Checks that have to do with remembering or knowing something (as opposed to creating or performing) any natural roll lower than a 10 is treated as a 10. You also have -1 Fortitude.

Dark Elf

Choose 2 of +2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity, and +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 3 of Stealth, Awareness, Insight, Reason, Discourage, Intimidate, Deceive, Handle Animal

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Low-Light Vision, Heat-Vision

+1 Will

You have Disadvantage on Skill Checks when in bright light. For these purposes, daylight without substantial cloud cover is considered bright light. If you wear a hood, you can negate this negative affect, except you still have Disadvantage on Awareness Checks. If you are abruptly exposed to bright light, you are Blinded until the end of the next Round.

Not only is your body is built for combat, but most drow undergo intense martial training from a young age: Gain +1 MPL.

What they lack in strength, the drow make up for in resourcefulness: You may add your Wisdom Modifier or Charisma Modifier to your MASAB and MASDB calculations.

All drow have natural spellcasting ability which they learn as they mature: You learn 2 of the following spells regardless of your Spell Proficiencies. Once per spell per Long Rest, you may cast the spell regardless of your Spell Proficiencies and treat the Cast roll as a 20 (this cast of the spell does not count against your number of uses of the spell per Rest):

◇ Globe of Darkness

◇ Levitation

◇ Lights

◇ Faerie Fire

Wood Elf

+2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma or -2 Strength

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 4 of Upper Body Strength, Lower Body Strength, Swim, Acrobatics, Stealth, Awareness, Heal, Handle Animal

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Low-Light Vision

Wood Elves are known for their strong immune system: You have Resistance to Poison, Resistance to Disease, and are 50% less likely to catch a disease naturally.

You gain the Agile Runner, Swimmer, or Animal Trainer feat.

You gain the benefit of two of the following:

◇ You have Advantage on Stealth Checks in a forest.

◇ You have Advantage on Awareness Checks in a forest.

◇ You don’t move slower in a forest due to difficult terrain such as thick underbrush and have Advantage on Checks to track creatures in a forest.

◇ When you climb a tree or move in the treetops you can do so full speed and without a Climb Check.

Dwarf

+2 Constitution, +2 Strength or Wisdom, -2 Charisma

Size: Small

Speed: 5m

Vision: Low-Light Vision, Heat Vision

+1 Fortitude

-1 Agility

Choose 3 of the following:

◇ While most know dwarves for their valor, many are renowned thinkers and scholars: Gain any 1 Charisma, Wisdom, or Intelligence based Skill Proficiency and gain 2 Knowledge Proficiencies.

◇ The dwarves are renowned for their expert crafting skills: Gain the Expert Craftsman Feat. Also gain 1 Knowledge Proficiency.

◇ Many dwarves feel connected with the earth, that their hearty nature is drawn from its depths: You gain Proficiency in Earth magic. Gain +1 to your Recovery Value.

◇ The stocky build of dwarfs makes it easy for them to stay on their feet: You have Advantage on Fortitude rolls to resist being pushed, tripped, or otherwise knocked over. Also gain +1 Stamina.

◇ Some dwarves have a natural resistance to toxic substances: You have Resistance to Poison. You may also choose one other damage type to gain resistance to.

◇ The persistent might of the dwarves enables them to move quickly when weighed down: When wearing Heavy armor, your Speed is not reduced by 1 as it normally would be. Also gain +1 Recovery Surge.

◇ The sturdy dwarves are often quick to recover from anything off-putting: Once per Long Rest, when you would become Unguarded, you may choose to not become Unguarded.

Halfling

+2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity or +2 Constitution, -2 Strength

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 4 of Acrobatics, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Disable Device, Insight, Inspire, Discourage, Social Sense

Size: Small

Speed: 5m

Vision: Normal

Once per Long Rest, you may re-roll a 1d20 roll you made and choose to use either roll.

If you roll a 1 on a Defense roll, you may re-roll the die and use the second result (even if it’s a 1 again).

Halflings are well known for their stubborn bravery: You have Advantage on rolls to resist Intimidation or suffer any negative effects from fear.

It is easy to become fast friends with halflings — they have an innate charm and decency about them: You have Advantage on any Checks to get people to trust you.

Tiefling

Choose 2 of +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom

Tieflings have the blood of demons and fiends coursing through their veins. Every tiefling has a different appearance. One might possess ram horns, a reptilian tail, and long claw-like fingernails. Another might have short horns, sharp fangs, and small black wings. Their appearance can be traced back to their demon ancestor, but even among tieflings with the same progenitor their physical features may differ widely.

Most tieflings do not have any personal relationship with the demon who started their bloodline. It may have started dozens of generations ago, and it isn’t uncommon for it to skip generations, meaning a tiefling could be born to human parents unaware of their tainted bloodline.

Tieflings are found in many human populations, often on the fringes of society, marginalized or shunned by fear. They do not often congregate or make their own communities as they all come from different backgrounds and their diverse ideals combined with their propensity for hostility prevents such unions from lasting.

A tiefling’s lifespan is bit over 100 years and they mature slightly quicker than humans in their youth.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 3 of Acrobatics, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Investigation, Discourage, Deceive, Intimidate, Social Sense

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Heat Vision

The fiendish heritage of tieflings gives their bodies a natural capacity for some elemental forces: You gain Resistance to Dark or Resistance to Fire.

Choose 3 of the following:

◇ Your claws are sharp and can be used as natural weapons. They are considered Reach0, Light weapons that each have +3 AV, +1 Evasion, and deal 1d6 damage.

◇ Your tail is strong and flexible, allowing you to hold and wield items much as if wielding them in your hand. However, any items held by your tail cannot increase your Evasion.

◇ You have an especially fiendish appearance or give off the stench of blood which gives you Advantage on all Intimidate Checks when you are within 1m of the target.

◇ You know how to use your pointed teeth as an effective weapon. Twice per Short Rest, you may spend 1 Stamina and 2 Energy to try to bite an adjacent creature. The AV for the attack is calculated as 20 + your MASAB. You are Unguarded. If you hit, the attack deals 3d6 + MASAB damage. This damage is increased by 1d6 every Tier beyond the first.

◇ Your horns can be used to ram into a target. They are considered weapons with Reach0, have +3 AV, and deal 1d10 damage. If an attack using your horns hits, you may push the target 1m (this does not Unguard them). You can attack with your horns using only 1 Energy during a Movement Action after having moved at least 1m directly towards the target.

◇ You have small wings which let you fly for up to 5 seconds (2 Rounds) before you have to descend and take a 1 minute break. Once the 5 seconds is up you can still descend slowly to the ground and angle your descent, but you cannot elevate yourself anymore until you rest. Your Fly Speed is 6m.

◇ Your magical aptitude for deception gives you Proficiency in Influence and Illusion magic.

◇ When you are hit with an attack, you may spend 1 Energy as an Immediate Interrupt to deal 1d4 fire damage to the creature that hit you. This damage ignores armor and increases by 1d4 each Tier.

◇ Once per Long Rest, as an Immediate Interrupt, you may tap into your demonic heritage, losing 5 Aura, but ignoring the following conditions for the rest of the Round: Exposed, Unguarded, Shaken, and Exhausted.

Gnome

+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma or Dexterity, -2 Strength

Gromes are around 3 feet tall, even shorter than Halflings and have pointed ears. They originate from the Feywild, where they used their small size and cunning to avoid trouble. Gnomes live about as long as elves (6-8 hundred years) but age faster. They become adults around age 20 and show signs of age (white hair and wrinkles) as early as 200 years old.

Gnomes love adventure are known as an eccentric bunch. Their enthusiasm can be off-putting to other, more serious races, especially when it comes to their wild sense of fashion and etiquette. Many gnomes take to hobbies such as collecting shiny items, crafting trinkets, or alchemical experimentation to satisfy their curiosity.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 4 of Investigation, Acrobatics, Appraise, Inspire, Reason, Preform, Accommodation, Handle Animal, Disable Device, Sleight of Hand, Deceive

Size: Small

Speed: 5m

Vision: Low-Light Vision

Gnomes are born inventors: You gain Proficiency in one Knowledge Skill pertaining to crafting (creating stuff) and gain +3 to that Skill.

Gnomes have a natural resistance to magical influences: You have Advantage on Will Saves to avoid being affected by Influence magic.

All Gnomes have some skill with the arcane arts: Gain one of the following Spells. You can learn and cast it regardless of your Proficiencies.

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You may choose 1 of the following:

◇ Gain 2 Knowledge Skills.

◇ Gain a Spell Proficiency.

◇ Learn a Spell.

◇ Gain +1 to the Spell Bonus of Illusion and Negation spells.

◇ Gain +2 Ranged Evasion.

Dragonborn

Choose 2 of +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and +2 Charisma, -2 Dexterity

Dragonborn grow quickly after they are born, becoming adults at age 10 and living up to 80 years old. In dragonborn clans, children are raised communally and taught the values of the clan through story and discipline. They learn clan pride, respect for their elders, and the importance of responsibility and integrity. Dragonborn are sensitive to the good and evil in the world and conscious of their roll involving one side or another.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 3 of Upper Body Strength, Lower Body Strength, Swim, Awareness, Insight, Heal, Reason, Intimidate

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Normal

+1 Fortitude and +1 Will

Every dragonborn is gifted with the elemental power of a dragon’s breath: Choose an element (fire, electricity, frost, acid, or poison). This determines what type of dragon breath you have and cannot be changed later. What type of breath a dragonborn has is determined genetically, but may be traced to an ancestor much further back than their parents. Additionally, you have Resistance to damage from that element.

Once per Short Rest, you may spend 2 Energy to breathe your chosen element in a 5m cone. The AV for this attack is 10 + Constitution Modifier + Charisma Modifier + 1/3 Level. The attack ignores the Evasion bonus given by weapons (but not shields). Below are the descriptions of what your breath does to targets which fail to evade it:

◇ Fire: Targets take 1d8 + Constitution Modifier OR Charisma Modifier Fire damage.

◇ Electric: Targets take Constitution Modifier OR Charisma Modifier Electric damage and are Shaken until the end of the next Round.

◇ Frost: Targets take Constitution Modifier OR Charisma Modifier Cold damage and the are Slowed until the end of the next Round.

◇ Acid: Targets take Constitution Modifier OR Charisma Modifier Acid damage and if you roll a 10 or higher on the Combat roll, their armor is Broken.

◇ Poison: Targets are Exposed and poisoned. At the beginning of each Round they must make a Fortitude Save. If they fail, they take Constitution Modifier OR Charisma Modifier Poison damage. If they succeed, they no longer need to make Fortitude saves. The DC for the Fortitude Save is the attack’s AV.

Half-Orc

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution or Wisdom, -2 Intelligence

...

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 3 of Upper Body Strength, Lower Body Strength, Awareness, Initiative, Intimidate, Handle Animal

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Low-Light Vision

+1 Fortitude

The strength and determination of half-orcs allows them to shrug off injury and pain: You have Advantage on your first Death roll since your last Short Rest.

You may choose 2 of the following:

◇ Once per Short Rest, when you hit a creature with a melee attack, you spend 1 Stamina to deal additional damage equal to your highest Ability Modifier.

◇ Once per Short Rest, when you deal damage to a creature, you may make an Intimidate Check against the creature with Advantage.

◇ Once per Short Rest, when you take damage, you may spend 1 Stamina to half that damage (damage taken is rounded up).

◇ Once per Short Rest, when you would be Shaken, Slowed, Dazed, Exhausted, or Paralyzed, you may ignore that condition for the rest of the Round.

◇ Gain a Combat Style and +1 Fortitude.

Half-Elf

+2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom or Dexterity, -2 Constitution

...

Skill Proficiencies: Choose any 3 Skills

Size: Medium

Speed: 6m

Vision: Low-Light Vision

All half-elves have some social skill, and rarely make a blunder: Once per Long Rest, when you make a Charisma-based Skill Check and dislike the roll, you may re-roll the die and use either result.

Half-Elves easily learn many styles of fighting and often experiment with their own: You gain 2 Combat Styles.

Half-Elves are very diverse in their backgrounds, much like humans: You gain +4 Background Points.

You gain +1 Will or two Spell Proficiencies.

Vampire

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma or +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution

Vampire Races

There are two types of Vampire races which are clearly related, but also clearly distinct:

Vampire Nobles are feared for their social intrigue as much as their physical prowess, the vampire nobles are known for their cunning, pride, and ambition. While they could pass fairly easily as a human, with only their fangs and more angular features giving them away, most would never stoop so low.

Feral Vampires are known as the vampires of shadows, feral vampires hate sunlight and are the terrors of the night. Unlike the vampire nobles, they are unrefined and allow their primal instincts to guide their actions and give them power. These vampires look dark, drawn, and gaunt.

You may decide how these two types of vampires interact in your world. Perhaps they work together with the nobles being the political leaders and the ferals being the enforcers and assassins. Or, perhaps they despise each other and are constantly working to thwart the other’s objectives.

Vampires will not die of old age and are immune to many natural diseases. Vampires do not appear to age beyond the point of about 30 years old in human terms. However, drinking blood stalls aging to that point, so many vampires appear to age very, very slowly, if at all, remaining at whatever appearance of age they desire for hundreds of years.

Given all these things, vampires are generally hated by most other races.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose 3 of Lower Body Strength, Acrobatics, Stealth, Awareness, Initiative, Intimidate, Deceive, Social Sense

Size: Medium

Speed: 7m

You have Weakness to Light.

If not wearing armor or using a shield, you gain +2 Evasion.

Thirst For Blood

Vampires crave the blood of other creatures. They find it delicious and satisfying. The longer they go without blood, the more intense this craving becomes.

For every 3 days a vampire goes without drinking a few ounces of blood, their max Stamina is reduced by 1 every day until it is at 3 max Stamina. During this time, the vampire physically degrades as its skin pales and body shrivels, and mentally they become more and more focused on the near irresistible thirst for blood. If a vampire is deprived of blood for an even longer amount of time, other negative effects may manifest themselves. The DM may modify the exact ramifications of a vampire not drinking blood.

Note: Vampires find the blood of animals and non-humanoid creatures unappetizing and gross tasting, but it may be used as a last resort. Though not as effective as human blood, vampires have survived years on animal blood.

Blood is Life

When the fangs of a vampire touch another’s aura it is weekend in that spot, allowing them to piece through an aura and drink the victim’s blood. When a vampire drinks the blood of another creature, it regains 4 Stamina and 2 Aura. A vampire cannot gain this benefit from the same creature more than once per Long Rest. When not used as a part of another ability, it takes 2 Energy to drink enough blood to gain this benefit.

Fang Attack

You can make an attack with your fangs which deals no damage, but allows you to use your Blood is Life ability. You may make a melee attack against an adjacent creature whose blood is easily accessible (bare skin or easily penetrable cloth). You are Exposed. The attack has an AV of 15 + MASAB + 1/3 Level. If you hit, you may make use of your Blood is Life ability (for no additional Energy cost). If the target of the attack is Exposed, you are not automatically Exposed during the attack and have Advantage on your Combat roll.

Choose the effects of either a vampire noble or feral vampire:

Vampire Noble

Vision: Low-Light

+1 Will

Choose 2:

◇ Heightened Reflexes: If not wearing Medium or Heavy armor, when a creature makes a Swift Attack against you, you may spend 1 Stamina to gain Advantage on your Evasion roll.

◇ Burt of Speed: Once per Short Rest, if not wearing armor, you may move your Speed as an Immediate Interrupt by spending 3 Energy and 2 Stamina.

◇ Blood Rush: Once per Long Rest, for 5 minutes, you can Climb your Speed by spending 3 Energy and 1 Stamina and need not roll any Skill Check to succeed. Also, your Jump Reach and Jump Height become equal to your Speed. You only gain the full of these benefits when you are not wearing armor.

◇ Noble Influence: You gain Proficiency in Influence magic and when you cast Influence spells, you may add an additional Halved Ability Modifier to your Spell Bonus. The modifier must be Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma and cannot be what you are casting the Spell with.

◇ Natural Ability: Gain a vampire specific Spell with a Spell Level of 16 or less regardless of your Spell Proficiencies. You can cast it regardless of your Spell Proficiencies. Additionally, once per Long Rest, when you cast the spell, and do not make the SCN, you may successfully cast the spell anyway.

Feral Vampire

Vision: Low-Light, Heat-Vision

You gain Proficiency in Dark magic.

You Resist Dark.

Loath the Sun: When in direct sunlight you cannot use Stamina for any purpose and have Disadvantage on all Skill Checks. In partial sunlight (such as thick cloud cover, the shadow of a tree, or a covering of clothes), you only have Disadvantage on all Skill Checks. Taking Light damage enforces the effects of direct sunlight until the end of the next Round.

Ferocious Strike: You unleash the feral side of yourself, lashing out with unmatched ferocity, but with no regard for your own well-being. Once per Short Rest, when you make a melee attack that targets a single opponent, you may choose to spend a Recovery Surge (and do not regain Aura from it) to gain +10 AV on the attack and deal additional damage equal to your Recovery Surge Value if the attack hits. However, you become Unguarded and suffer a -10 to your Evasion until the end of the next Round.

Savage Bite: Once per Short Rest, you when you hit your Fang Attack, you may choose to spend 1 Stamina and deal 2d6 damage which is not reduced by armor.

Follow-up Bite: Once per Short Rest, when you hit an opponent with a melee attack, you may spend 1 Stamina and 1 Energy to also perform your Fang Attack against the target as an Immediate Interrupt.

Quick Strike: Once per Short Rest, you may reduce the Energy cost of a Reach0 attack to 1.

More on Vampires

Spreading

True vampires almost never voluntarily spread their “gift” to others. They typically think others are undeserving of being vampires and don’t want the competition of another vampire. However, on the rare occasion a vampire deems someone worthy of becoming one, all the target must do is drink about 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of the vampire’s blood (within a short amount of time). Then they undergo about a day of painful transformation in which they lose whatever racial bonuses they had in exchange for the vampire’s racial bonuses. They become the type of vampire that the blood they drank was from. Once a true vampire, there is no known way of going back. (the DM may allow traits of the old race to be kept instead of gaining some vampire traits)

Vampirism Disease

Many different creatures may become infected with vampirism, humans included. A human infected with vampirism has a constant, powerful thirst for blood. If they go without blood for about 7 days, they suffer physical pain, and after about 13 days without another creature’s blood, they die. Once they drink another creature’s blood, they appear more youthful, but before the day is through begin to look drawn and starved.

They have Weakness to Light and gain the Loath the Sun ability from the Feral Vampire. These vampires are technically undead but they still have complete control over their actions. They hate garlic and have Weakness to silver weapons.

Vampirism has several benefits. The afflicted gains +1 Speed, Heat Vision, and the vampire’s Blood is Life and Fang Attack abilities, but they do not count as vampires for the purpose of learning spells and taking feats or themes. They will not die of old age as long as they consume enough blood, and can retain youthful appearances also by consuming large amounts of blood.

Vampirism is a curable disease, but is magic resistant. A purify spell would be able to cure it, but the DC would be higher than normal.

The vampirism disease can be spread through blood like any other blood-borne disease. Creatures with vampirism usually don’t care about spreading or containing the disease.