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Nerdarchy > Dungeons & Dragons  > Grimlock as a Playable Race for 5E D&D
Dungeons and Dragons

Grimlock as a Playable Race for 5E D&D

5E D&D Character Build -- Sorcerer Warlock
Customized Races – The Saurials| Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

GrimlockHey Nerdarchists out there, Nerdarchist Ted here and it is time for yet another installment of customized races for D&D 5th edition.  Inspired by the name alone can make one remember the quote, “Grimlock strongest of the  . . .”  If you remember that, I hope I made you chuckle.

Grimlocks are descended from humans but being worshipers of evil for so long and living underground has caused them to change.  They no longer posses the ability to see adapting their senses to just know what is around them instead of actually trying to see it.

Grimlocks in 5th edition

As a culture Grimlocks still worship the evil powers that they have served that made them get perverted them from their human heritage.  Constantly at war with whatever they can fight, Grimlocks are a brutal race.  They still make attacks on the surface on a regular basis.5th edition

A player character Grimlock can come from a failed raid on the surface and be a lone survivor looking for his way back home.  If could be captured from the underdark and raised on the surface having to deal with his lack of site, quite a challenge for anyone.  If you want to use this in a game check with your DM and see if they agree and come up with a back story that makes sense.

Grimlocks posses quite a few abilities but not being able to see beyond 30 feet and 10 if they are deafened is a big drawback is a huge drawback as ranged combat is basically out of the question for you.  So because of this they make excellent martial melee characters.

A Grimlock Traits

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

Age.  Gromlocks age much like humans reaching adulthood in late teens and if not killed in battle can live to old age around 60 years.

Alignment. Most Grimlocks are driven by battle and their evil masters, they tend towards neutral Dungeons and Dragonsevil.    Player character Grimlocks may be of any alignment.

Size. Grimlocks stand between 6 feet and 6and a half feet tall and average around 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30.

Sightless.  Not possesing eyes you have adapted to life with out them.  You posses blindsight at a range of 30 feet.  This gets reduced to 10 feet if you are deafened.  Additionally you are immune to illusions that rely on sight.

Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Stone Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain.

Languages.  You can understand Undercommon and Common.  Not having eyes, your eyelids are sealed, you do not posses the ability to read or write.

More back story on how cool this race is in your Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual page 175.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  Are they too weak, too powerful?  Regardless of our opinion you know the phrase, “Until next time – Stay Nerdy!!”

 

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table op role player for about 20 years 17 of which with the current group. I have played several itterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite being Quarrios.

2 Comments

  • Andrés Ruiz
    March 19, 2015 at 9:00 am

    Ted Adams I gotta say we would get along SO WELL as player and DM!! I love playing this kind of races, I love the social challenge, and I love grim stories.
    The only thing I'd change is that I feel like the blindsight range should have some kind of progression because at higher levels being blind beyond 30ft of you means you'll be most likely dead soon. But it's just an impression I have, I never had the chance to playtest it.

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