Swarms

Swarms are a very rare race within the Forgotten Realms, and it is likely that not even 100 of them exist throughout the planes. They are made out of non-magical insects or creatures similar to insects, but through the same magic that created them, they appear to be normal humans.

Swarms are created by powerful magic, likely akin to the Awaken spell, is cast upon a large group of insects, like a beehive or a different collection of insects or insectoids. When created, a Swarm will be about as intelligent as a 20 year old human. They can speak, although the language differs. If they were created by a powerful mage, they know all the languages their creator could speak. If they were created by unshackled magic, they will usually know Terran, or depending on the magic, a language like Deep Speech or Undercommon. Since Kobolds sometimes keep pots full of centipedes, it's not unlikely that a swarm made from a centipede pot could know Draconic.

Swarms appear human on the outside, other than a few minor quirks that could be used to identify them. Although a few swarms dedicate themselves to being hermits, or even attempting to remove the magic that created them, most of them quickly find themselves as adventures.

Swarm Traits

All Swarms have the following characteristics:

Age When swarms are created, they appear to be humans anywhere from 20 - 49 years old, but do not ever grow to look older than this. If they are eating enough and aren't killed, they are biologically immortal.

Alignment Due to their nature as many creatures instead of just one, Swarms tend to drift towards chaotic or neutral alignments, although anything is possible for them.

Size Swarms are the same size as humans, ranging from barely 5 feet to over 6 feet tall.

Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet, in addition to a speed granted by your subrace.

Insectoid Vulnerability You are vulnerable to fire damage, and always have an aversion to it. Underwater, you lose breath twice faster than normal.

Swarm Form You can cast the Alter Self spell at will, but only to use the Change Appearance option.

Dissasemble As an action, you can transform into a Swarm of Insects (Stat Block in the Monster Manual) of the same type as your subrace. During this transformation, you keep your Hit Point Maximum and total, your Intelligence and Wisdom scores, but all of your other scores and your languages become that of the swarm.

Swarm Creation As an action, you can assemble some of the insects you are made out of to create a simple weapon. If you are not already proficient with the weapon you create, you can add half of your proficiency modifier to attack rolls with the weapon that you created.

Languages Swarms always know common but can choose one of the following languages, as decided by how you were created: Deep Speech, Undercommon, Terran, or Draconic.

Subraces Swarms are made out of different types of insects. Choose from one of the following subrace options detailed below.

Bees

You are made of bees. Your character may always have a slight buzzing sound coming from them, or maybe their irises are striped black and yellow, or they may have small antennae hidden on their head.

Ability Score Increase Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Bee Properties You can make martial weapons with your Swarm Creation trait, with which you are always fully proficent with. You gain a flying speed of 25 feet.

Beetles

You are made out of beetles. Your character may always have a small chittering sound following them, or maybe they seem to shine just a little no matter what.

Ability Score Increase Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Beetle Properties Your unarmed strikes have a 1d4 damage die, and you have a +1 to AC. You gain a burrowing speed of 20 feet.

Centipedes

You are made out of centipedes. Your character may seem eerie in social situations, always holding eye contact for just too long, or they might always seem to be wriggling in their "skin."

Ability Score Increase Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Centipede Properties Your base movement speed is 35 feet. You have advantage on Charisma(Intimidation) checks. You deal an additional 1 poison damage when attacking with a weapon created by your Swarm Creation trait.

Spiders

You are made out of spiders. Your character could be manipulative even when it isn't helpful, or they could seem to have a spider on their side that goes away whenever someone tries to look at it.

Ability Score Increase Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Spider Climb You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Spider Relations You know Undercommon, and have advantage on Charisma(Persuasion) checks made to interact with Drow.

Spider Web As an action, you can create a 30 ft. long silk rope that can hold up to 300 pounds on it at once. If the weight exceeds this, or the rope takes 10 damage (AC 10, immune to psychic and poison damage), it breaks.

Spider Bite Your unarmed strikes have a 1d4 damage die.

Made by u/QuantumSlime, with The Homebrewery