Arborean - Player Race

Arboreans are plant-like humanoids, originally hailing from the Feywild, and rarely encountered on the Material Plane. They appear humanoid in figure, but have hard, wooden skin, like bark, usually coated in a layer of leaves, moss, vines, flowers, berries, or even mushrooms. The exact origin of the arboreans is unknown, however, an old legend says that thousands of years ago, a powerful archfey used their magic to animate plants in the shape of a person, entirely on a whim, and that this creature's descendants became the arboreans that exist today. The arboreans' inherent magical connection to the natural world allows them to communicate with and magically manipulate plants to a certain degree.

A Solitary Life

Arboreans usually lead solitary lives, rarely forming any kind of clan or community, largely content to be on their own. This is in part because, like a plant, Arboreans reproduce asexually, through the spreading of seeds, and typically the offspring that grow from these seeds are left to fend for themselves. Arborean children grow from the earth as sprouts and become strong enough to uproot themselves from the ground and begin walking after about a year of growth and grow to full size at around 5 years old. As they lack the need to find a mate, and can generally defend themselves from most predators, arboreans do not typically seek each other out or form social groups, though two arboreans that happen to meet might exchange some information regarding the land's welfare in passing.

Arborean Adventurers

Most arboreans are quite happy roaming the forest they were born in and being one with nature, protecting the local plant life and regulating the ecosystem where needed. However, some arboreans have been known to feel a curiosity that drives them to explore the wider world. This is often set in motion by an encounter with a foreign creature or object in their land, that is so utterly different to everything the arborean knows that it fixates on it, and it drives them to leave their home to seek out more new experiences.

Arborean Names

Names are an alien concept to arboreans in their natural habitat, however, arboreans that explore foreign cultures where names are commonplace have been known to adopt names from plants based on their physical characteristics, such as 'Cherry Blossom', 'Blueberry' or 'Brown Moss'.

Arborean Traits

Your arborean character has the following racial traits.

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

Age. Arboreans grow from seeds in the earth, like a plant, and become strong enough to uproot themselves and walk after a year of growth. Arboreans grow to full size, and mature as an adult mentally, at around age 5. An arborean in good health and an ideal environment can live for centuries.

Alignment. Most arboreans lean towards neutrality, appreciating that all things in nature exist in a balance.

Size. Arboreans are similar to humans in their range of height and weight. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Barkskin. Your bark-like skin provides you with natural armor. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your barkskin to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your barkskin.

Arborean Lore. You gain proficiency in the Nature skill.

Plant Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide amongst trees or plant foliage.

Control Plants. You know the thorn whip cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the entangle spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the spike growth spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and when you cast them with this trait, they don't require material components.

Photosynthesis. Your body is capable of producing its own food using the energy from the sun. As long as you are exposed to sunlight for at least 6 hours per day, you don't need to eat. You can still choose to eat food normally, though most Arboreans prefer to gain nourishment through light.

Plant Speech. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with plants. You can speak telepathically to any plant you are touching, however you can only speak to one plant at a time. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence plants.

Additionally, as an action you can sense the general wellbeing of one plant you are touching. You learn the current state of its health, its short-term needs, and whether anything is adversely affecting it.

Languages. You speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and Sylvan.