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Balosar

Medium species · Balosar
sourceECsizeMedium
Tweaked from 5eYou already know this as 5e Human — Balosars are a near-human species you can treat much like a Human, but with a couple of built-in extras — heightened senses/reflexes and a natural tolerance for poisons — rather than the Human's flat all-around ability bonuses. ✨
Balosar
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Dexterity skirmisher with poison resistance, initiative advantage or surprise immunity once per rest, and antennapalp-enhanced hearing.
Gaunt, antennapalp-bearing survivors of a toxin-soaked corporate hellworld who left for the stars rather than stay and suffocate.
scoutduelist
●●○weight · Initiative adv, poison resist
Ability focusDexterity-first with a Charisma bump — quick, perceptive, and socially capable.
Standout traits
  • Snap Senses — once per rest, gain advantage on initiative or act normally on your first turn when surprised
  • Toxin Resistance — advantage on saving throws against poison and resistance to poison damage
!Kit is solid but narrow — the standout traits only trigger reactively; active combat options rely entirely on class and gear.
survivalmobilestealthy
Pairs withOperative or Scout class · a Dexterity-finesse melee or ranged build · a party striker or skirmisher role

Biology and Appearance

Physically similar to humans, balosars appear to be sickly and gaunt when compared with the galaxy's most common species due to the heavy pollution of their homeworld. The most striking difference between balosars and humanity is a pair of antennapalps which sprouts from underneath the thick, coarse hair on their skulls. Retractable, these atennapalps allow them to listen into the subsonic range and give the species physical intuition and preternatural reflexes, which members of the Jedi Order sometimes mistook for Force-sensitivity. Balosars also possess an acute tolerance for poisonous substances, a byproduct of life on their toxic homeworld.

Society and Culture

Early in its history, the balosar homeworld was overrun by galactic megacorporations eager to exploit the world's lax ecological protection laws. The planet was home to the balo mushroom, a key ingredient in death sticks, one of the galaxy's most infamous narcotics. After its discovery, Balosar was wrought with corruption, addiction, and pollution from the production and usage of death sticks.

Since there is little opportunity to flourish on their homeworld, balosars often leave in search of fortune elsewhere. Their natural resistance to the lethal—but not the addictive—effects of the drug encourages some to enter the death stick business.

Names

Balosar names have a slight exotic tinge to them—often because Balosar parents name their children while on a death stick high. Their surnames are familial.

Male Names. Barin, Elan, Fantes, Zerba

Female Names. Delaana, Ferrika, Reki, Vetyl

Surnames. Cher'dak, Mer'darro, Sel'Sabagno

Distinctions. Antennapalps, resistance to toxins

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age. Balosars reach adulthood in their late teens and live about 70 years naturally, though death stick addiction has lead to a general decline in their lifespan.

Alignment. Balosars are notoriously cynical, selfish, and pragmatic, causing most to be neutral dark side. However, there are exceptions.

Size. Balosar stand at an average height of about 5 feet, and weigh about 115 lbs. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Keen Hearing. Your antennapalps give you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks based on hearing.

Snap Senses. Through your antennapalps, you can sense incoming danger and react accordingly. When you roll for initiative, you can choose to gain advantage on the roll. Alternatively, if you are surprised, you may act normally on your first turn. Once you've used this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spicer. You are proficient in spicer's kit.

Toxin Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in chapter 9).

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Galactic Basic and Balosur. Balosur is known by its throaty rasps and deep vocalizations, and is considered crude as a written language.