Medusa (5e Race)
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Medusa
| “ | You're going to decorate the patio nicely. | ” |
| —Seconds before disaster... | ||
Physical Description
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| As seen in the 5th edition Monster Manual |
Medusae are a monstrous race of creatures that appear superficially similar to a beautiful humanoid, however, up close their inhuman traits are revealed. Their skin tone is almost too grey with tough small scales no larger than a centimetre covering their body. Rather than having a head of hair, they have long serpents that hiss and bite in moments of tension, typically remaining dormant as if to keep up the facade. The last thing a creature typically sees before they are petrified in stone is the clear pupil-less eyes of a medusa that vary in tone, often taking on a slightly dimmed color to their original.
History
As deadly as they are ravishing, the serpent-haired medusa suffers a horrific curse brought on by its own vanity. They lurk in quiet exile among the tumbled ruins of their former lives, surrounded by the petrified remains of past admirers and would-be heroes. Though often enough the ambition that drove many of them into this state still burns and they use their curse to break, bend and dominate lesser creatures into submission as they endlessly seek to gain back what was promised to them.
Society
While ambitious humanoids seeking eternal youth, beauty, and adoration are common, those that go to the greatest lengths or are simply unlucky eventually find a being powerful and typically malicious enough to inflict the medusa curse. A medusa may go several human lifetimes before ever meeting another one of their kind. All the while finding comfort in the presence of other serpentine beings such as the yuan-ti, who often hold them in high regard. Medusae also get along well with tieflings, sharing as they do a shared cursed ancestry and the suspicion of the common people. A less than known fact about the medusa's curse is the infertility that comes with it, causing them to be unable to produce more of their kind and further dooming them to solitude.
Medusa Names
Medusa are created from a curse, and as such, they use the same naming conventions as their native culture. Given the origin of the real-world medusa legend, name from Roman and Greek culture ethnic groups would also be appropriate.
Medusa Traits
As deadly as they are ravishing, a serpent-haired medusa suffers an immortal curse brought on by its own vanity.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
Age. One of the assortment of gifts the tobe medusa gains is immortality. Only now does it see the dual nature of this so-called gift often forced to live in seclusion, alienated from the world around them by their monstrous form and caprice.
Alignment. Created from a paradoxical curse, a medusa is a creature of vanity and hubris tending towards lawful evil. The mortals that are afflicted by this curse often becoming so before the curse takes place as they methodically take what they want to achieve their ultimate vanity.
Size. While a medusa typically stands a bit taller than the average human, they weigh almost as much as a goliath as they move with a haughty grace that rivals elves. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Monsterosity. Your creature type is both humanoid and monstrosity.
Parseltongue. You can communicate with snakes as if you shared a language and have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.
Petrifying Gaze. At 3rd level, you can use your action to focus your gaze on one creature whose eyes you can see within 60 feet of you. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be restrained while you maintain eye contact with it. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. If the creature accumulates three failed saving throws against this effect it becomes petrified. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by a greater restoration spell or similar magic. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Snake Hair. When you make a successful melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of you, you can make a special attack against the same creature with your serpentine hair as a bonus action. The creature then takes poison damage equal to your level, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.
Stone Skin. You may be heavy but your hard skin protects your body from harm. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor 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 natural armor.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Ravnica Variant: Undercity Medusa
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| As seen in Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica |
In Ravnica medusae are still a monstrous race of creatures that appear superficially similar to beautiful humanoid women, typically called gorgons. However, unlike them, their skin doesn't resemble stone but is more similar to the scales of a fish, their hair a writhing mass of black, serpentine cables rather then literal snakes, and their once delicate hands are now sharp scaled claws.
Ability Score Increase. You Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence or Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Less monstrous than their non-Ravnican kin, an undercity medusa can live for almost 500 years, amassing a macabre collection of trophies.
Alignment. Though not the victims of a paradoxical curse, the gorgons of Ravnica share an inflated sense of vanity and hubris paired with a terrifying ambition to get their way no matter the cost, fitting many within the neutral evil alignment.
Size. A undercity medusa typically stands a bit taller than the average human and moves with a haughty grace that rivals elves. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Ambusher. If you surprise a creature and hit it with an attack on your first turn in combat, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait only once per combat.
Claws. Your scaly claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Magic Resilience. You are naturally resistant to magical effects. When you fail a saving throw against a spell or other magical effect, you can re-roll the die and must use the new roll. Once you use this trait you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Monsterosity. Your creature type is both humanoid and monstrosity.
Petrifying Gaze. At 3rd level, you can use your action to focus your gaze on one creature whose eyes you can see within 60 feet of you. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be restrained while you maintain eye contact with it. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. If the creature accumulates three failed saving throws against this effect it becomes petrified. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by a greater restoration spell or similar magic. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Elvish.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height | Height Modifier* | Base Weight | Weight Modifier** |
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| 4′ 10″ | +2d8 | 180 lb. | × (2d10) lb. |
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*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
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