Yuan-Ti (5e Race)

Yuan-Ti

Yuan-Ti Abomination, as it appears in 5e's Monster Manual.

"The Yuan-Ti cast off their humanity long ago, and with it, their sanity."

-From Masters of the Forbidden City by Codo Vidak

Physical Description

Yuan-Ti are a half-snake half-human race, however their appearance differs depending on their subrace. Abominations appear like an anthropomorphic snake, Malisons appear like either a human body with a snake head or a human upper body with a snake lower body, and Purebloods appear almost exactly like humans do, just with snake-like eyes and patches of scale-like skin. Their eye color can be either green, yellow, or red, while their scales can be a multitude of colors, including green, grey, blue, yellow, black, white, and red. Malisons and Purebloods are roughly 5-6 feet tall, while Abominations are roughly 6-7 feet tall.

History

The yuan-ti were once humans who thrived in the earliest days of civilization and worshipped serpents as totem animals. They lauded the serpent's sinuous flexibility, its calculated poise, and its deadly strike. Their advanced philosophy taught the virtue of detachment from emotion and of clear, focused thought. Yuan-ti culture was among the richest in the mortal world. Their warriors were legendary, their empires always expanding. Yuan-ti temples stood at the centers of ancient metropolises, reaching ever higher in prayer to the gods they longed to emulate. In time, the serpent gods heard those prayers, their sibilant voices responding from the darkness as they told the yuan-ti what they must do. The yuan-ti religion grew more fanatical in its devotion. Cults bound themselves to the worship of the serpent gods and imitated their ways, indulging in cannibalism and humanoid sacrifice. Through foul sorcery, the yuan-ti bred with snakes, utterly sacrificing their humanity to become like the serpent gods in form, as well as in thought and emotion.

Society

Yuan-ti life revolves around their temples, yet yuan-ti don't love the gods they worship. Instead, they see worship as a means to attain power. A yuan-ti believes an individual who attains enough power can devour and replace one of the yuan-ti gods. The yuan-ti strive for ascension and are willing to commit the darkest atrocities to achieve it. The leader of a yuan-ti society, which is similar to a village, typically in a jungle, are cunning and ruthless, who readily sacrifice lesser yuan-ti if potential victory justifies such losses. They have no sense of honorable combat and strike first in decisive ambush if they can. There is no gender roles, but most yuan-ti are warriors. Almost all strangers are captured and sacrificed to a serpent god, when they are within a few hundred yards of a yuan-ti settlement.

Relationships

Yuan-Ti are hated by almost all, and hate almost all. Salanditian and Lizardfolk have an especially deep hatred, due to the transformation of the latter into the former from them.

Yuan-Ti Names

Yuan-Ti names are meant to sound fearsome, exotic, and are meant to strike fear. However, Yuan-Ti are not prone to emotions, causing some to potentially name their child something less fearsome, either a very weak sounding name, or a food.

Male: Asmodeus, Kahn, Gimply, Pineapple

Female: Sinestra, Shai, Leeloo, Watermelon

Yuan-Ti Traits

Insane serpentine cultists, Yuan-Ti are as terrifying as they are insane.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intellect score increases by 1.

Age. Yuan-Ti Abominations can live for 200 years, Malisons 150, and Purebloods 100. They all mature at age 8, as their parents almost never wish to care for them for too long.

Alignment. Yuan-Ti are almost always in service of their god. They are typically Neutral Evil, though some exceptions exist.

Size. Medium

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Snakeskin. You have resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws related to poison.

Darkvision. You have 60 ft. of Darkvision.

Serpentine Brethren. You can cast animal friendship(snakes only) at will.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and your choice between either Draconic, or Abyssal.

Yuan-Ti Subraces

Abomination

Yuan-Ti abominations appear as anthropomorphic serpents, and are taller than other Yuan-Ti. In Yuan-Ti society, they are seen as the higher caste.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Speed. Your movement speed is increased from 30 ft. to 35 ft.

Constrict. When you grapple a target, at the start of each of your turns and when you initially grapple the target, they receive 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. At 10th level, this increases to 2d6. At 20th level, this increases to 3d6.

Serpent's Sight. You have proficiency in Perception.

Malison

Yuan-Ti malisons appear as either humans with snake heads, or human upper bodies with snake lower bodies. In Yuan-Ti society, they are seen as the middle caste.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Charisma scores increase by 1.

Bite. Once per long rest, you can bite a target as a melee weapon attack that you are proficient with. This deals 1d4 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, and 1d4 poison damage. At 6th level, this poison increases to 2d4. At 12th level, 3d4. At 18th level, 4d4. At 20th level, 5d6.

Serpent's Tongue. You have proficiency in Deception.

Pureblood

Yuan-Ti purebloods appear as humans with snakelike features, such as snake eyes, scaly patches of skin, or serpent's tongues. In Yuan-Ti society, they are seen as the lowest caste.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Release Toxins. You can cast the poison spray cantrip at will.

Serpent's Stealth. You have proficiency in Stealth.