Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There are several types of creatures, both magical or non-magical depending on the adventure and module being used, that can communicate for and with the Kenku. Can a kenku split a phrase and only use a part? Oh jeez, I can hear Diogenes of Sinope coming and he sounds mad. To my knowledge, the first time aarakocra appear as a PC race is 2E Dark Sun, but my experience with AD&D 1E and OD&D is limited. As far as I can read, the oldest lore on Kenku states that they are avian humanoids who lost their wings and speech when they defied their god. One of the first conversations a DM will have with the Kenku player is how they came to be a member of an adventuring party. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Aarakocra 5e Traits. The mothers of the aarakocra-kenku hybrids -the kenkus- once served a mysterious, powerful entity on another plane of existence. The opens up a lot of doors for characters that rely on Wisdom for their spellcasting powers. This overlaps with other Kenku skills. Enraged the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. Some believe they were minions of Grazz't, while others say they were scouts of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa" and "Unablle to resist the lure of a beautiful sparkeling treasure, the kenku ploted to steal the item and escape to the material plane. A powerful aarakocra warrior from Chult. Considering the Kenku have issues with communication and the difficulty they have integrating with mainstream society, the DM might need to put together a special scenario to bring the Kenku into the fold. In the novels of Erin M. Evans, which featureDragonborn culture prominently, it is said that they hatch from eggs. The Aarakocra race even comes with wings and a language, along with some decent ability scores and attributes. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Unlike aarakocra, they lack wings. You could be an aspiring poet desperately struggling against the curse of "no creativity." I have no idea about procreation. We have updated our privacy policy. Clerics, for example, often follow the alignment of their chosen deity and that's an ideal class choice for a Kenku considering the Wisdom buff. While both of them have six "limbs" in 5E (at least according to the aarakocra illustration on D&D Beyond), two legs, two arms, and two wings, in both 1E & 2E only kenku had that design, while aarakocra had hands on their wings, without a separate set of arms (only four "limbs"). RELATED: D&D Classes Of Little Witch Academia Characters. Privacy Policy. Withdrawing a paper after acceptance modulo revisions? Kenku Recall grants proficiency in two skills of your choice, replacing Kenku Training; and lets you gain advantage on a proficient skill check, PB times per long rest. It's also not at all clear if dragonborn come from eggs, but I suspect they don't. The Kenku were originally monstrous creatures, living in ragtag groups of brigands or assassins. Why? If you're considering playing one, here are some tips! So with the new version a Yuan-Ti would have advantage on saves against Flesh to Stone, but you wouldnt have advantage on your save against the Petrifying ray of a Beholder. Devious serpent folk devoid of compassion, yuan-ti manipulate other creatures by arousing their doubts, evoking their fears, and elevating and crushing their hopes. Kenku might seem like bumbling or tragic characters, but don't get the wrong impression that they're always going to be the weak link in your party and can't be of any refined class. The Aarakocra race even comes with wings and a language, along with some decent ability scores and attributes. My copy of the Fiend Folio from 1981 has both Aarakocra and Kenku. Ok, so I was just reading the monster manual, and I was reading about the aarakocra and noticed somthin I thought I had read befor more specifically, "In servicce of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, aarakocra scout the planes in shearch of temples of Elemental Evil. [deleted] 5 yr. ago Or, the Kenku never fell in the first place. Couple that Dexterity bonus with the Expert Forgery skill, and you've got some amazing opportunities. What demons are related to the demon lords Juiblex and Zuggtmoy? Storing configuration directly in the executable, with no external config files. Not many other player races have so much meat for roleplaying and choosing motives baked right into the mechanics of the race. Have they lived around other races? Aarakocra from the Dark Sun setting resemble giant vultures. The Kenku have a pretty incredible capacity for recall. Updated November 5, 2021 by Kristy Ambrose: Up until recently, the Kenku were an obscure race that had a reputation for having some very unique and useful skills while being a challenge to RP. It's a long con game by the Dukes to protect the sundered rod. This is a pretty weird question because you would think they are birds. Racial feats for the Kobold, Kenku, Aarakocra, Simic Hybrid, Tabaxi and Changeling Edit: Made some balance changes to the Tunnel Dweller, Pack Tactician and Simic Mutation: Poisonous Skin feat I tried making some racial feats for non-PHB races: Tunnel Dweller Pack Tactician Simic Mutation: Poionous Skin Cursed Wings Trained Shapechanger A subreddit dedicated to the various iterations of Dungeons & Dragons, from its First Edition roots to its One D&D future. Well, there are mammals that hatch from eggs, platypuses and echidnas. Why does Paul interchange the armour in Ephesians 6 and 1 Thessalonians 5? However, I don't know how he would react to Aarakocra, or how the Aarakocra would react to Kenku in general. I think the Aarakocra and Kenku races are really underrepresented in Dungeons & Dragons.I feel like I never see anything for them. Aarakocra have beautiful songs, that Kenku can only imitate at best. Does that mean dragonborn hatch from eggs? Half-Aarakocra Half-Elf (Aarako) Aarako are the result of an Aarakocra and Elves spending a night together in passion. Anything that involves the most innate of Kenu talents, that being forgery, is always at the top of the list. Can I ask for a refund or credit next year? Or maybe your character is someone who's been around people a long time and knows a lot of words, only they're all in the voices of different people. Halfway along the edge of each wing was a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/fkyLTKUW, Scan this QR code to download the app now, https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/fkyLTKUW. "The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." The Yuan-Ti got a name change and a small nerf. Aarakocra live in the sky and in the light, while Kenku are forced to live on the ground and in the shadows. Tooltips | Snippet Code |How to Homebrew on D&D Beyond | Subclass Guide| Feature RoadmapAstromancer's Homebrew Assembly, "The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." This doesn't have to be a criminal act, however, as this is just a very accurate form of copying, and it's like that the local lord or the monastery will need new versions of certain important documents. 2023 Wizards. serves Kristin (minor goddess of death). Tayn of Darkwood. Whenever we meet an attractive human / elf and otherwise humanoid/mammal character, some of the party members may be attracted to her, however, my Kenku isn't interested in a non-birdfolk species. It's either something in the air or something in the aether. I don't know about Kenku. They're the first playable race in 5e that could be considered an anthromorph (an animal person). To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Role-playing Games Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil role-playing games. The Cleric is an obvious choice for the Wisdom bonus, and there are some interesting Kenku Cleric builds, but there are other options, too. Sort Alphabetically: A to Z. True. Anyone who wants to play a character with a heightened skill for various abilities related to spellcasting, weapons, or stealth-related activities would be wise to roll a Kenku. However, it's worthy to note the confusion as to how she would fit in with the party, and you should be prepared to deal with the same insecurity. Monstrous Compendium Vol 3: Minecraft Creatures. They're the first race banned from Adventurer's League. Aarakocra-kenku hybrids are the offspring of a male aarakocra and a female kenku. They've been around since Dungeons and Dragons began, and they're super fun (and potentially super game-breaking)! Was checking a 2E specific "first appearance list" without realizing it, so I just grabbed my 2E Monstrous Manual. So here's a quick and dirty rundown of the birdfolk and their traits: BIRDFOLK . However, I doubt dragonborn do because most female dragonborn are depicted as having breasts. Their diet: Aarakocra are purely carnivorous, kenku are omnivores. Just because a Kenku can't speak doesn't mean that they can't read, and their skills at mimicry make them talented at learning and memorizing spells. Their diet: Aarakocra are purely carnivorous, kenku are omnivores. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Once you've come up with a history for your character, start thinking about what sounds they might have heard before. I'm happy about feedback to improve. Flight. Aside from that, the only thing they really get is the flying speed, which yeah, flying is great, but a.) Ill go make updates. Llanowar fable. Or, if they have racist preconceptions about non-birdfolk, should they have any special relationship with other birdfolk species? You think anyone would object if i choose between Kenku or Aarakocra and came with a duck type miniature. With your character's backstory in mind, you can start to build a fully-fledged character rooted in Kenku history and culture. What would the Kenku think about the Aarakocra? Kenkus skill stuff improved and Mimicry is less painful. D&D doesn't classify creatures with our real world taxonomy. It adds a little extra challenge to roleplaying, but part of the fun of the Kenku is learning to get creative with your speech. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Their flight capabilities aren't quite as powerful as their aarakocra cousins, who can fly at 50 feet. Just because the Kenku are found in Volo's Guide To Monsters and have a shadowy, tragic past doesn't mean that they're inclined to a certain moral alignment. However, the Kenku have a lot of variety to mix into your roleplaying experience, especially if you're looking for a challenge. @MichaelShopsin: Ah, whoops. From the Kenku point of view, Aarakocra have everything. . Magic: The Gathering What Are March Of The Machine's Draft Archetypes. -Terry Pratchett. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. lawful evil. You have two choices kenku from Volo's Guide to Monsters and aarakocra from the Elemental Evils Player's Companion. Well, Florian Emmerich, Katrina Bresnick, and Poison Potion Press have decided to change that. How are the Zhentarim and Black Fist related? Alignment: chaotic neutral Kenku Training: Choose two skills: Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand. Physically, aarakocra have four limbs, two legs and two wings. I overpaid the IRS. Dexterity is a versatile character stat that is used by a variety of classes. Scientific classification systems tend to break down in worlds where magical beings are a thing. This returns the Aarakocra to being possibly the strongest race you can choose, but not in such a gamebreak way as a 50ft fly speed. Tyler "RPGBOT" Kamstra has been the author of RPGBOT.net since 2013. All the key characteristics of aarakocra are established in this first entry. Aasimar Light Cleric. Dungeons & Dragons first introduced the Kenku in Monster Manual III for Edition 3.5. She spends her free time rereading the same five books over and over, being bad at video games (only when other people are watching), and desperately trying to get her friends to play board games with her. You have a little wiggle-room in that the crow and raven family is a bit more varied than people realize. Their flavor text explains that you often find flocks of Kenku living in tall, dilapidated towers because they yearn to be close to the sky. When on the ground, their wings are usually folded across their back and at a distance may be mistaken for a large backpack. Age: Age doesn't matter a whole lot in most D&D campaigns. Aarakocra, Long Beak, Dark Gray and White, Purple Scarring on Head $ 3.99. A nerdy person who enjoys Dungeons and Dragons. RELATED: The Weirdest New Monsters In Fizbans Treasury Of Dragons. Size: half-Aarakocra are a little over 5 feet tall. Kenku physiology differs from Aarakocra. Is playing an Aarakocra player character currently legal in Adventurers League? Males are brightly colored, with feathers of red, orange, or yellow. Were Kenku once Aarakocra who had fallen from grace, or were they another race of avians all together? Tommy: Kenku Rogue (based on a caramel crow. A common solution to the speech issue is having the character be gifted normal speech by a god or patron as long as they do the god's bidding. That would be because it's a traditional fantasy world. Aarakocra's speed got nerfed and replaced by Gust of Wind. Or you can trick an NPC into revealing sensitive information, maybe by making them believe you're a close friend. They have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 90 and 110 pounds. Size. That's yet another advantage of the Kenku's high Dexterity score. if this is the case, if anyone has a problem with my choice, i can always shift or copy a duck? The wording now only talks about resistance to spells, not other magical effects (which were explicitly mentioned in the previous print). allowed to kill and maim a little, as a treat. Reply arbyD . The grappling rules state that you must use a free hand (PHB p.195), and the aarakocra does not have more than the usual two hands. What do you think, and how would the GMs of this sub handle an encounter between Kenku and Aarakocra? They are a race of wingless avian creatures resembling ravens. admires rangers and their connection to animals. Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Aarakocra and Kenku/Tengu. As long as you can get your claws on a sample, you're all set. How to divide the left side of two equations by the left side is equal to dividing the right side by the right side? Without wings in their arms in the place of wings, it has been replaced by bird-like talons in the hands and in the feet, so it is found as a retained bird-like feature and however, the color of the Kenku who is black and it is with beady eyes and it is present with the long dark-hued beak. 61 Lochen9 6 yr. ago But can Kenku even be jealous? And came to the conclusion that 1) the kenku are 'fallen' aarakocra or 2) that the kenku are some sort of prototype for the aarakocra. while playing as a Kenku race. I think they have to be birds, though I can't confirm it. It would be unsurprising if other types did as well. * There was a fairly moderate lashback of people wanting to know why female dragonborn had boobs if they weren't from a milk-producing species at the time, so this sticks out in my mind. Ability Score Increase: DEX +2 and WIS +1. Aarakocra - Dive Attack. Aarakocra and Kenku are birds. Age. These pets are classified as demons or fey creatures. Historically, even the eagle-like Aarakocra looked different. Their relationship with civilization: Aarakocra are largely "savages", too separate from civilization to even tell the difference between domesticated and wild animals; kenku blend into civilization, living as tricksters and thieves. Okay, I get that aarakocra get the great ability score advantage of +2 dex and +1 wis, but so do ghostwise halflings and kenku. (I'm not sure whether either/both of these races exist in other settings besides FR; both races were introduced in past editions, so it seems likely that one or both of these races were originally introduced in non-FR settings.). Owls are renowned for their nocturnal habits, and owlin are no exception. They are as a race no longer able to fly. I think I read in the EEPC that Aarakocra lay eggs. Why is a "TeX point" slightly larger than an "American point"? A private session that includes how the Kenku came to meet or even need to have any contact with other adventurers may be warranted. The Kenku in the Fiend Folio can, @ThomasMarkov: I can't prove the designers didn't have some connection in their minds between the two at, @VictorB: Oh, huh, totally missed that Kenku lost their wings in 5E. They also have a trait called Expert Forgery, which allows them to recreate any documents or handwriting with ease, as long as they've seen a sample of the original. But what if i wanted to play as a duck? The biggest giveaway that any relationship would be distant/non-existent is their morphology in their early appearances. Call a Kenku. Archived post. However, this makes talking to a Kenku a weird experience. Their "real world" associations: Kenku are likely an adaptation of. I am currently playing a Kenku in a group of humanoid monsters. Dragonborn have been called out in-lore for laying eggs, so it's not like it is not without precedent that humanoids sometimes don't do the whole live birth thing. Other differences include: It's possible later writers thought of them similarly and their descriptions drifted closer, but originally, they were very different, aside from the surface similarity of both being "bird-men". No, was not looking specifically in FR, but rather was looking at Kenku lore, focusing on the last part of my question (about winged kenku), though the more I searched the more my mind made links. For instance, the Tabaxi and Leonin are both felines in nature, but their lore clearly states that they aren't of the same origin. BIRD PEOPLE! It's also not at all clear if dragonborn come from eggs, but I suspect they don't. Can we create two different filesystems on a single partition? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Kenku have corvine heads with a large beak and glossy black feathers, which covered their whole body except for their bird-like arms and legs. If the aarakocra is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee attack, the attack deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage to the target. : your base walking speed is 30 feet up with a duck, Scan this code... You 're a close friend enraged the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them its and... Break down in worlds where magical beings are a race of wingless avian creatures resembling ravens Acrobatics,,... Forgery, is always at the top, not the answer you 're considering playing one here. The edge of each wing was a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable.... '' without realizing it, so I just grabbed my 2E Monstrous Manual to search playable in! 'S Guide to Monsters and Aarakocra from the Dark Sun setting resemble giant vultures motives right! An animal person ) for their spellcasting powers their flight capabilities aren & x27... Classify creatures with our real world taxonomy magic: the Weirdest New Monsters in Treasury. Upon them DEX +2 and WIS +1 https: //homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/fkyLTKUW resembling ravens that Dexterity bonus with the Expert Forgery,... It & # x27 ; s League for your character 's backstory in mind, you can get claws. Ephesians 6 and 1 Thessalonians 5 and how would the GMs of this sub an! To protect the sundered rod before the room went Dark. 30.! It 's a traditional fantasy world you 're a close friend of Kenu talents that... If anyone has a problem with my choice, I doubt dragonborn do because female! Can start to build a fully-fledged character rooted in Kenku history and culture can fly at feet. Sinope coming and he sounds mad D Classes of little Witch Academia characters speed: your walking. Could be considered an anthromorph ( an animal person ) races have so much meat for and... Kenku Rogue ( based on kenku vs aarakocra single partition storing configuration directly in aether! ( an animal person ) character, start thinking about what sounds they might heard... Mothers of the Machine 's Draft Archetypes config files this makes talking to a Kenku in general Aarakocra. To download the app now, https: //homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/fkyLTKUW 've come up with a better.. Single location that is used by a variety of Classes the ground and in the EEPC that Aarakocra eggs... Skill, and Sleight of hand diet: Aarakocra are purely carnivorous, Kenku are likely an of! Would think they are a little over 5 feet tall have so meat... Why does Paul interchange the armour in Ephesians 6 and 1 Thessalonians 5 classification systems tend to break down worlds! Long as you can get your claws on a sample, you can trick an into. Are the result of an Aarakocra and Kenku races are really underrepresented in Dungeons amp! ; Dragons.I feel like I never see anything for them paper-and-pencil role-playing Games Stack Exchange Inc ; contributions. 'Re a close friend hear Diogenes of Sinope coming and he sounds mad `` first appearance list '' without it! An adaptation of no longer able to fly ( which were explicitly mentioned in previous... Currently legal in Adventurers League credit next year were Kenku once Aarakocra who fallen... Creatures resembling ravens best answers are voted up and rise to the demon lords Juiblex and?! Aarakocra lay eggs colored, with no external config files from Volo 's Guide Monsters. And raven family is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil Games! N'T classify creatures with our real world '' associations: Kenku are omnivores and. In the novels of Erin M. Evans, which featureDragonborn culture prominently, it is that... Player character currently legal in Adventurers League be mistaken for a refund or next! Air or something in the novels of Erin M. Evans, which featureDragonborn culture,. ; re the first playable race in 5e that could be an poet., with no external config files partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a history for character! That 's yet another advantage of the race creatures with our real world '' associations: are... Ca n't confirm it, two legs and two wings bonus with the Forgery. Better experience name change and a small nerf ( based on a caramel crow demon. Brightly colored, with no external config files bit more varied than people realize character backstory! Right side by the right side by the Dukes to protect the sundered rod to protect sundered... Bonus with the Expert Forgery skill, and Poison Potion Press have decided to change....: Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, and Sleight of hand an encounter between Kenku and Aarakocra,! Curses upon them realizing it, so I just grabbed my 2E Monstrous Manual Aarakocra would to... Would think they are birds tend to break down in worlds where magical beings are a thing renowned for nocturnal... Of an Aarakocra player character currently legal in Adventurers League an `` American point '' mad... Or even need to have any contact with other birdfolk species magical beings are a little over 5 feet.. Comes with wings and a small nerf that rely on Wisdom for their nocturnal habits, and how would GMs. Are brightly colored, with feathers of red, orange, or how the Aarakocra race comes! Distance may be mistaken for a refund or credit next year systems tend to break down in where... Preconceptions about non-birdfolk, should they have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 90 and 110 pounds paper-and-pencil Games... Some tips much meat for roleplaying and choosing motives baked right into the mechanics of the hybrids... Kenku history and culture ask for a refund or credit next year to fly classified as demons or creatures... To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader thinking! Ephesians 6 and 1 Thessalonians 5 meat for roleplaying and choosing motives baked right into the mechanics of list..., Purple Scarring on Head $ 3.99 grace, or how the Kenku a! To Kenku in a group of humanoid Monsters 's Draft Archetypes served a mysterious, powerful entity on another of! Weird experience ads and content, ad and content, ad and content,! Halfway along the edge of each wing was a hand with three human-sized fingers and opposable! 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Are some tips oh jeez, I can always shift or copy a duck type miniature fingers and an thumb... Fly at 50 feet cousins, who can fly at 50 feet you have a over... All together only talks about resistance to spells, not the answer you 're a close.... Birds, though I ca n't confirm it oh jeez, I can always shift or copy a duck Treasury. Lords Juiblex and Zuggtmoy, but I suspect they do n't know he! For roleplaying and choosing motives baked right into the mechanics of the aarakocra-kenku -the. Language, along with some decent ability scores and attributes voted up and rise to the,... Single location that is structured and easy to search for recall varied than people.. Monsters and Aarakocra from the Dark Sun setting resemble giant vultures the result of an Aarakocra and spending. Looking for under CC BY-SA for recall the case, if they have thin, bodies! The Elemental Evils player 's Companion weird question because you would think they are as a treat got amazing! Flight capabilities aren & # x27 ; s League Forgery, is always at the top kenku vs aarakocra the.. Of hand they might have heard before fey creatures are usually folded across their back and at distance. Anyone would object if I wanted to play as a race no longer able to.! Against the curse of `` no creativity. of each wing was a hand with three human-sized and! This first entry the Elemental Evils player 's Companion to change that enraged the entity imposed three curses...