Character Species

When you choose your character's species, you determine whether your character is a human or a member of a fantastical species, such as dragonborn or gnome.

The peoples of the D&D multiverse hail from different worlds and include many kinds of sapient life forms. A player character's species is the set of game traits that an adventurer gains from being one of those life forms.

Some species can trace their origin to a single world, plane of existence, or god, while other species first appeared in multiple realms at once. Whatever a species' genesis, its members have spread across the multiverse and contribute to many different cultures.

Members of most species live for about 80 years, with exceptions noted in the text about the species in this chapter. Regardless of life span, members of all species reach physical maturity at about the same age. Your character can be any age that isn't beyond their species' normal life span.

Parts of a Species

A species includes the following parts.

Creature Type A character's species determines the character's creature type, which is described in the rules glossary. Every species in this chapter is Humanoid; playable non-Humanoid species appear in other D&D books.

Size Your character's species determines the character's size. Individuals within a species cover a wide range of heights, and some species include such diversity of size that you can choose whether your character is Small or Medium.

Speed Your character's species determines the character's Speed.

Special Traits Each species gives a character special traits—unique characteristics based on the species' physiology or magical nature. When you choose a species, your character gets all the special traits listed for it. Some traits involve making a choice from a handful of options.

Species in the Crown & Misery Setting

Campaign-Specific

This section defines this species as part of the Crown & Misery campaign setting. Consult your DM for information about how this species may differ in their own version of the campaign.

Antares is primarily inhabited by species collectively known as Ancients. This term encompasses Aasimar, Dragonborn, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Goliaths, Halflings, Half-Elves, Humans, Orcs, and Tieflings. In contrast, Non-Ancients, or Abhumans, are often referred to as Londoners. Both Ancients and Abhumans are spread across Antares: some dwell in subterranean environments, many reside within fortified Citadel Cities, and others live aboard arks that circle the continent.

Ancients and Non-Ancients

The term Ancients was introduced by Gallian scholars to describe the native species of Antares, a classification that became necessary with the arrival of the Londoners. This distinction reflects key differences between the two groups. While Ancients often form communities within their own species, Londoners—or Abhumans—are typically more pragmatic, forming alliances across various groups.

A defining difference lies in their connection to the Weave. Ancients possess an inherent link to the Weave, enabling them to wield spellcraft to varying degrees. Londoners, however, lack this connection entirely, relying instead on technology and machines to achieve basic activity that would otherwise require magic.