3rd Party Species & Races for D&D 5e/5.5e

The most popular 3rd party species and races.

All 3rd party D&D species

Crooked Moon species

The Crooked Moon comes from Avantris Entertainment who have created a bunch of folk horror inspired species.

• Ashborn – Impish fiends with trickster magic that can make attacks with their scorpion tail.

• Azureborn – A harpy species that can glimpse into the future and can fly.
• Bogborn – Trollish swamp-dwellers that are natural hunters and able to regenerate.
• Curseborn – Like werewolves, Curseborn possess sharp claws and can curse their targets.
• Deepborn – Amphibious humanoids from the Abyssal depths they can invoke their eldritch connection to disorient enemies.
• Gnarlborn – Sprouting from ancient Elderwood forests, they are incredibly sturdy and capable of restraining their foes.
• Graveborn – Ghoulish creatures that can heal themselves by feeding on the dead and inflict with necrosis.
• Harvestborn – Scarecrows given life, they hit harder and can heal.
• Plagueborn – Rat-like humanoids that can afflict with plague.
• Relicborn – Skeletal performers who can enhance skill checks.
• Silkborn – Humanoid arachnids that can easily climb, use defensive reactions and cast spells like web and find familiar.
• Stoneborn – A stony, gargoyle-ish creature that can bless or dash occasionally as a bonus action and can rely on their hardened skin for protection.
• Threadborn – Doll-like creatures that can magically enhance skill checks and soothe emotions.

Exploring Eberron species

From the creator of the Eberron setting himself, Keith Baker, Exploring Eberron covers some additional species native to the Eberron setting and includes some variants on the traditional species from other settings.

• Variant Aasimar – Fernian Aasimar possess the powers of flame rather than radiance while Mabaran Aasimar possess powers of shadow.
• Dhakaani Ghaal’dar (Hobgoblin) – Mighty goblinoids characterised by their strict, militaristic discipline.
• Dhakanni Golin’dar (Goblin) – The more nimble of the goblinoids, they are adept at hiding and weaving their way round combat.
• Dhakaani Guul’dar (Bugbear) – Strong, long-limbed goblinoids.
• Gnoll – Hyena humanoids that have been touched by fiendish influences and have a vicious bite.
• Jhorgun’taal (Half-orc) – Part Orc, part Human, Half Orcs possess the resilience of their Orcish ancestry and the resourcefulness of their Human side.
• Kalamer Landwalker (Merfolk) – Merfolk that have been called to be land dwellers. They can shapeshift between land and sea forms giving them strong, aquatic capabilities.
• Ruinbound – Mutants that have become bound to a symbiotic entity. They gain a small amount of spellcasting and an extra attunement of a symbiotic magic item.
• Sahuagin – Tough predators of the sea with a fierce attack and a sharkish, humanoid appearance.

Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone species

Keith Baker’s follow up to Exploring Eberron expands into more species native to Eberron, including a few uniquely monstrous creatures.

• Gargoyle – Originally carved from stone by Goblins and eventually given life, Gargoyles look like stone statues with some even possessing the gift of flight.
• Gnoll – Humanoids with the features of a hyena, many Gnolls are enlisted into the service of fiends and possess a fiendish spark. Others have gained freedom and suppress this fiendish nature.
• Harpy – Combining avian and Human traits, harpies have beautiful voices that can charm and manipulate.
• Medusa – Serpent-headed beings with a petrifying gaze.
• Variant Tieflings – Additional malefic origins for Tieflings from the Eberron setting including; Dolurrhi, Fernian, Kythrian, Mabaran, Risian, Sakah and Shavaran.
• Warforged – Artificial constructs built as soldiers that must now find a new purpose. This is very similar to the 2014 Warforged but has its own separate entry in the book.
• Worg – Wolf-like quadrupeds that can act as mounts and have a vicious bite.

Grim Hollow Heritages

Grim Hollow is a dark fantasy setting in the savage land of Etharis. They use an alternative species system known as heritages. Heritage’s have an expanded number of traits with typical traits provided for each species, but you can also pick your own traits instead (though I did point out in my guide that these are more powerful than your average species and the system lacks balance).

• Dragonborn – Scaled creatures with the blood of dragons running through their veins. They can use their draconic breath weapon and frightening roar to deal with enemies.
• Dwarf – Stout, bearded folk that possess great resilience and an affinity with rock and earth.
• Elf – The Elves of Etharis are native to the forests of the land, dominating these areas and cultivating them into civilisations. They have a natural inclination towards magic as well as being inherently nimble.
• Gnome – Often considered to be cousins of Dwarves, Gnomes are clever and curious. They often put these talents into motion tinkering and experimenting. They are protected by a resilience to magic and some amount of stealth.
• Halfling – The Halflings of Etharis have survived the Human expansion of the land by integrating themselves into their civilisation, rather than resisting it. They survive through bravery, stealth and some amount of good fortune.
• Human – Humans in Etharis are highly adaptable folk that have managed to conquer and tame large portions of Etharis. They are capable combatants with quick and occasionally vicious attacks.
• Dreamer – Dreamers hibernated to survive the cataclysm that was to come. Existing in the realm of dreams for many ages, they have now been transformed by their extended time in this state developing quick reactions and perceptiveness.
• Grudgel – Grudgels are the culture that emerged from ancient Orcs. Their ancestors possessed a culture of war and bloodshed that ravaged across Etharis but Grudgels have become more peaceful. They can still use their strength and stamina capably as an adventurer.
• Laneshi – The Laneshi are sea-dwelling creatures that view the world in absolutes. They possess psychic and amphibious capabilities.
• Ogresh – Ogresh are large creatures possessing a powerful frame, yet a peaceful and compassionate attitude. They are solitary individuals that explore the land and settle far from their own kind, instead, inter-mingling with other groups and sharing in their wisdom and talents.
• Accursed – The Accursed are not necessarily a single heritage of their own. Each accursed possesses unique traits and appearances that are unlike any other accursed. In fact, they are originally of another heritage altogether, but have been changed somehow (like through a curse).
• Arisen – Arisen may look like zombies or some other form of fleshy undead, but this is not the case. They are in fact constructs, formed from flesh and machine, more akin to Frankenstein’s monster than anything else. This grants them a hardiness that others don’t possess.
• Dhampir – Dhampirs are mortals afflicted in part, with vampirism, while remaining mortal. They gain some of the traits vampires possess like sharp fangs, a climb speed and some charming magic.
• Disembodied – The Disembodied are the result of a tragic, magical experiment causing them to become semi-incorporeal individuals able to phase in and out of the mortal plane.
• Downcast – Once angelic beings, downcast were thrust down to the mortal realms, losing their celestial status and many of the powers that bequeathed their elevated status. Now they live mortal lives but retain some sangromantic and divine power.
• Wechselkind – The Fey are callous and curious and many are intrigued by the innocence of a mortal child. On occasion, they will steal that child away to the Fey realms, replacing them with a near identical copy made from clay, wood or ceramic. This copy has a life of its own and is known as a Weschelkind and can use its nimbleness and magic to hide and disguise itself.
• Wulven – Wulven are the natural born children of those cursed by lycanthropy. While they possess traces of their lycanthropic nature, they are not cursed with the same kind of bloodlust or controlled by the appearance of a full moon. They still retain a strength and speed associated with lycanthropes and make great hunters.

Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting species

Heliana’s Guide contains an array of monstrous species, mainly based on more unusual members of the animal and plant kingdom.

• Cnidaran – Cnidarans are jellyfish like humanoids that are semi-translucent. Adults become one of two splinter forms, ‘Nematocysts’ – that carry a long, barbed whip-like appendages, and ‘Shimmerskins’ capable of producing dazzling bioluminescent displays across their skin.
• Cyclopian – Cyclopians are single eyed humanoids that appear a little like nothics and crave knowledge, excelling at information gathering.
• Gobboc – Gobbocs are small, bird-like humanoids. They’re small and nimble allowing them to slip in and out of combat.
• Golynn – Armadillo humanoids with tough skin and claws that allow for burrowing.
• Lotol – Swamp-dwellers that excel at exploration through swimming, climbing and visual enhancements.
• Mycelian – Fungal humanoids that like to recycle. They symbiotically merge with a host corpse allowing them to take on traits of other species.
• Ombrask – Those that wander the Shadow Plane become transformed into translucent creatures known as Ombrasks. They can become invisible and draw from the psyche of the dying.
• Oozekin – Made of slimy ooze, they can reshape themselves and engulf others within their body.
• Opteran – Large insects that can undergo metamorphosis to develop wings.
• Rakin – Nimble racoon humanoids that love to sneak around playing tricks.

Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms species

Based on East Asian legends, Ryoko’s Guide gives a range of species fit for the oriental fantasy setting of the Yokai Realms.

• Enkoh – Ape-like humanoids that possess the might and resilience of a Hulking or the nimbleness of a Springtail.
• Fuyōren – Born of peaceful ponds, they are mobile plants that can walk on water and better resist conditions that immobilise.
• Hanamori – Plant creatures that possess power and influence over death, able to temporarily borrow the capabilities of the dying.
• Haniwa – Formed of clay to help guide souls to the afterlife, they create a clay companion and have some spellcasting ability and make their weapon attacks magical.
• Isetsu – Crab-like guardians of shorelines they have a resilient shell, sharp pincers and some amount of good fortune.
• Kitsune – Skillful shapeshifters that can transform into a fox and create magical disguises.
• Oniborne – Descendants of the Yokai, they possess differing magical capabilities depending on their colour (red, green or blue).
• Ryokido – Humanoids that possess the hardened shell of a turtle and the fierce claws and mane of a lion.
• Tatsumi – Like the Pokemon magikarp and gyarados, Tatsumi progress from a fish-like form into a draconic form as they age. They’re amphibious and possess magical capabilities like healing, a breath weapon and a cantrip.
• Tengu – Yokai that have 2 forms that can either launch a rapid assault of attacks or that barrage the mind with psychic energy.

Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt species

Taking a fair bit of inspiration from dark fantasy worlds like Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Elden Ring, Steinhardt’s Guide contains many an accursed species and a rather grim array of creatures.

• Accursed – Monstrous looking beings, though with a fraction of the power of their dark mother. They possess necrotic powers, but can also be compelled to perform acts by the Black Goat.
• Cursed Blood – Cursed for the sins of their forebears, cursed bloods are always one of a pair of conjoined twins, though one must die in the womb for the other to live. The dead twin’s powers persist in its sibling which can manifest with powers like telepathy and the ability to see the unseen.
• Demidritch – Miraculously conceived, some consider demidritches as half-angels (though they are not). They have enhanced sight that allows them to overcome challenges like the blinded condition and invisibility.
• Deep One Dwarf (Y’ha-Nthlei) – Cursed with warped flesh, they possess eldritch limbs like tentacles and pincers while exuding a natural illusion about themselves to hide their deformities.
• Manikin – Constructed like a marionette, but with the instructions of life and personality inscribed into their skulls, they possess integrated armor and programmed talents.
• Scourgebourne – Beings that see beyond the veil into the eldritch horrors of beyond can be physically altered by the madness they see. They become scourgebourne. These alterations manifest in different ways granting things like rapid climbing, blindsight or flight.

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