A few things.  First, you can find my earlier posts on this Science Fiction 5e thread here, and here.

Second, let me know if you like these.  I will keep writing them if people are getting anything out of them.

Third, sorry it took a day or two longer to get this out.  Writing races is not as exciting and writing classes. I also had some other issues going on, but real life is like that some times. I did briefly consider doing my own artwork for these, but remembered I am not a great artist.

 

I am going to stay more focused and on point on this point. I established the race options in the previous post. Now it is time to describe them in game terms. If I had chosen to go with humans and modified human only I would be doing this based on the location the human grew up. As I do have a few race options, they will resemble normal race write ups in 5^th edition.

Humans

Humans are the most populous race known in the galaxy. They spread across 500 inhabited solar systems, and other worlds are frequently found and colonized. Humanity is not monolithic in its culture. There are hundreds of languages, and hundreds of cultures.  They are still humans, and divide themselves, as always. There is still petty hatreds and discriminations, but they have changed over the centuries. Gone are the disputes over skin color or religion. The origin of the ethnic differences are mostly forgotten and irrelevant. Religion is much less influential in this scientific future. Fewer than 10% of humans claim to follow any religious doctrine.

The idea of the “weaker sex” has been completely done away with. It might have taken centuries, but they got that one worked out. Discrimination for sexual orientation is also gone.  There may still be a version of machismo in the universe, but it is not just for hetero males alone. Also, gender becomes a lot more fluid when biology, and genetic manipulation reaches certain levels. You were born with the wrong gender? Well, that is easily corrected with no side effects. A few weeks of treatment and you’re the gender you want.  A few humans even choose to change genders every few years. Modifications to the body are pretty easy.

The prejudices are different now, though some classics remain. The tension between the rich and poor are still very evident. Some colony worlds work as corporate fiefdoms and “owing your soul to the company store” is back and more common than in the 21^st century.  There is also a strong tension between “natural” humans and those who peruse not just corrections, but radical improvements or changes to humanity. Transhumanism is seen as deeply wrong in many circles.  In some systems, that particular sort of modification is outlawed.

Humans of the Terran Compact have a well-known arrogance towards the rest of the universe. The Compact is wealthy, and holds the birth world of humanity. This has caused more than a little tension with worlds further down the spin.

Ability Score Increase: Increase all states by 1

Age: Humans can, and regularly do live to the age of 150 without major alterations. 200 is widely considered to be the maximum age for humans due to limitations in the brain. Their prime adventuring years would be between 16 and 60.

Size: Medium

Speed: humans can walk 30ft per turn.

Language: Terran is a trade language which most humans (at least the ones who travel) know. There are plenty of other human languages, but Terran is the most common.

Design Notes: I would like to do something inventive here, but I am coming up blank.  I was thinking of doing subraces, (Terrans, Nomads, etc…) but none of it sounded cohesive enough warrant the subrace.

 

 

Siltreen

Siltreen are nowhere near as numerous, nor as technologically advanced as humans.  What they lack in those areas they make up for in raw physical power and basic hostility. No intelligent species has as much inherent violence in their behavior.  It is easy to take that tendency as stupidity.  That is a mistake.

The Siltreen are a space faring technological society, and that is not by accident. Their society is strictly oriented with regimented roles determined by birth.  A warrior is born to the warrior clans. A farmer is born to the farmer clans. However, there is no hereditary leader clan. The only way to escape the role your family is allotted is by displaying extraordinary mental talents. Their leader clan is made up of Siltreen who have scored high in intelligence tests and display mental adaptability.

They form the ruling council of the Siltreen. The Dragons(as they are called by humans) may ridicule, exploit and destroy the weak, but they do not see anyone with a strong intellect as weak.

Siltreen are universally hermaphroditic. Any of them can get pregnant, and lay eggs. They do not have gender, or gender roles.  They cannot reproduce asexually, so sex does occur, but it is not related to a romantic act.

Ability Score Increase: Strength +2 and Constitution +1

Age: The Siltreen are considered adults at the age of 10.  They can live upwards of 80 or 90 years, but are often killed by their 60s, to avoid weakness.

Size: Medium, though on the large side of that ranged. Average height is around 7 feet tall, and 400 pounds.

Animal Power: Automatically are proficient in Athletics.

Toughness: The Siltreen have an increased hitpoint maximum by 1, +1 per level.

Speed: 30ft

Language: Siltreen have a single language, their own Siltreen language, and very rarely learn any “lesser” languages.

Design Note: Siltreen are dicks.  They are largely a Kilingon like race as far as how they work.  They are large lizards which makes them harder to identify with.  That said, they are not unredeemable evil and some folks would want to play the big bad. They make really good soldiers.

 

Ridren

Ridren are a smaller race. They are often associated with the smaller primate races of earth. The Ridren are a conquered and scattered race.  In the known galaxy, their population is measured in thousands. Human worlds welcomed the Ridren as they fled Siltreen conquest of their home world.  Since then, they have formed small refugee communities, while also becoming part of human societies.  Their innate talent for tinkering also helps.

Ridren culture was one built on tradition and obligation. The Ridren families are large with multiple partner marriages.  Their communities were often a single large communal family unit, with the elders always being in the role of leaders, or, at the very least, respected advisors. These families trace their complicated lineages back to an ancient first city.  Some cataclysm in their ancient past drove the Ridren from this city, and they claim to have lost their greatness after that diaspora.

Before the Siltreen invasion, the level of technology the Ridren possessed was roughly equivalent to the late 21^st century. The only reason any managed to escape the conquest of their system is they had found an old and unknown alien vessel which had wormhole drives in it.  They adapted the drives and used them power ships out of the system. There are still some Ridren on their homeworld, but the Siltreen keep them as zoo attractions.

Ability Score Increase: The Ridren receive a +2 adjustment to their Dexterity, and +1 to their intelligence.

Age: The age of majority for Ridren is 11, and they generally live for 60 years.  There are reports of some living as old as 200, but these are considered myths or legends.

Size: Small

Technicians Tools: You gain proficiency with the technician’s tools of your choice: Electrician’s tools, Engineer’s gear, or Comps.

A knack for repair: Ridren receive advantage on any repair or disable device check which uses tools they are proficient in.

Speed: 25 ft

Language: Ridreen have a complex language of their own. There are shared elements in different families, but each family has its own elements which are not shared.  Most Ridren living in human space can speak Galactic.

Design Notes: These guys are pretty straightforward.  They are small, able to fix things, and have a tragic backstory.  The Technicians tools is based on the assumption a few minor tweaks would be needed to artisan tools to fit the scifi theme more.

 

Uplift

Uplifts are a people with a complicated past and a complicated present. They were created for to serve. Animals who had been companions to humans for thousands of years were altered to be loyal slaves.  Manipulations changed four legs to two. Changes were made to their brains to make them smarter, and even able to speak. For hundreds of years they served, with their “breeding” done in factory biolabs.

Humanity does occasionally come to its senses.  In this case, humaniy began to realize having a slave race was immoral and wrong. While governments struggled to figure out how to correct that centuries long evil, a small group of scientists made a choice for them.  They altered the Uplifts to breed true. Uplifts were now able to reproduce on their own without the labs.  They went from an immoral tool, to being a race seemingly overnight.

Uplifts have since forged their own path.  Courts throughout the galaxy have upheld their rights as sentient beings (with a few backwater world exceptions), and they live free to do as they please. The vast majority of them preferred to serve. Being companions to humans was literally bred into them thousands of years before any direct genetic manipulation was done. As a result, working with humans is how they prefer to live. There is a small percentage which try to live in separate communities. There is even a claimed home world for them, but 80% tend to work and live with humans. The difference now is they get paid, and have their own humans just like any human.

Ability Score Increase: Uplifts have a bonus of +1 to their constitution.

Age: Uplifts are quick to develop and are often working by the age of 4 or 5. They have an abbreviated lifespan and usually do not live past the age of 40 or 50 at the outmost.

Size: Medium, on the short side of medium.  Most don’t get taller than 5 ft.

Speed: 40ft

Language: Galactic, they do not have a separate race of their own.

Natural Beasts: All Uplifts have a superior athletic ability.  They are all proficient in Athletics and Survival.

Subraces:

Feline:  These are descended from house cats.

Ability Score increase: The feline Uplifts get a bonus of +2 to their dexterity.

Cat Like Reflexes: The Feline Uplifts gain advantage on Reflex Saves.

 

Canine: These are descended from domesticated large dog breeds

Ability Score increase: The canine Uplifts gain an additional +1 to Con.

Senses: Canine senses are remarkably acute. They gain advantage on Perception Checks and are Proficient in Perception

Design Note: The Canine ability seems strong, but thematically, a dog person should be really good at detecting things.  I am not sure how else to achieve that effect. I might come up with a couple of other Uplifts if I were turning this into a proper full game, but these were the obvious ones to start with.

 

Okay, so those are my races. They are rather pedestrian and very like 5e as it exists.  My next stop is Backgrounds and I have a couple of competing ideas on that.