Spelljammer: Adventures in Space introduced new spells, items, and races to the Dungeons and Dragons 5e Universe. This sourcebook also opens up a new realm to explore, the Astral Sea.
Many races call the Astral Sea home, but the Hadozee 5e hold a special place among them. They are known as deckhands on Spelljammers or space-faring ships. The physiology and spirit of the Hadozee make them perfect for manning a Spelljammer and exploring the multiverse.
Should you play as a Hadozee in your next campaign? Read this guide and find out.
Table of Contents
What are Hadozee 5e?
The Hadozee are a simian race known for their prowess as mariners in the Astral Sea. They are small to medium in size. They have a snout that protrudes from their face and a mouth full of sharp teeth with pronounced canines. Fur that varies from beige to dark brown covers their entire bodies. They have no tails and walk upright.
The most distinct feature of a Hadozee is the extra limb skin they use for gliding, similar to a flying squirrel. This feature helped Hadozee react to predators and better gather resources in their home world. Now they utilize it for quick travel from deck to deck on Spelljammer ships.
Hadozee 5e Stats
From the Spelljammer sourcebook:
Creature Type: Humanoid.
Lifespan: Roughly 100 years.
Size: Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.
Speed: Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.
Dextrous Feet: As a bonus action, you can use your feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object.
Glide: If you are not incapacitated or wearing heavy armor, you can extend your skin membranes and glide. When you do so, you can perform the following aerial maneuvers:
- You can move up to 5 feet horizontally for every 1 foot you descend in the air, at no movement cost to you.
- When you would take damage from a fall, you can use your reaction to reduce the fall’s damage to 0.
Hadozee Resilience: The magic that runs in your veins heightens your natural defenses. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d6. Add your proficiency bonus to the number rolled, and reduce the damage you take by an amount equal to that total (minimum of 0 damage). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
How to Build Hadozee 5e
Hadozee has an average walking speed of 30ft. They can be medium or small, depending on the player’s choice. The color and characteristics of their Hadozee are simian, so a player can find inspiration for their character by considering terrestrial species of ape, like a gorilla-like Barbarian.
Like many new races introduced by Wizards of the Coast, they do not have specified racial bonuses. They follow the lineage model for Ability Scoring. The player can build a Hadozee however they want without being steered to a particular class.
When selecting Ability Scores for their Hadozee, they can add +2 to one score and +1 to another. The other option is for the player to choose three scores and add +1 to all three. The bonuses should go to STR or CON if the player wants to build a fighter. Most Rogues will need a high DEX.
The Hadozee have a few bonuses based on their simian nature. They do not need to make additional rolls when climbing, and they can grip with their feet. Rangers can better view the surrounding area and prepare for ranged attacks from above.
The Hadozee can also Glide using their extra limb skin. The Hadozee Glide feature is essentially Feather Fall but as a racial feature. This feature can be helpful to many different classes and subclasses.
Hadozee cannot Glide when wearing heavy armor. Hadozee might not be the best race for anyone looking to build a tank. However, a gliding Barbarian Hadozee would be a scary sight.
On top of that, Glide has some exciting implications. Hadozee can Glide 5ft without movement cost. This feature implies they can jump from the mast of a Spelljammer down to the deck without losing movement. RAW also means that a Hadozee could jump 1ft in the air and then move five feet forward with no movement penalty beyond the 1ft of a jump. You might have to ask your DM about this, but there is some great potential with this class feature.
Hadozee Resilience is another excellent feature. It allows Hadozee to reduce damage as a reaction. Though not as great as the Rogue’s Uncanny Dodge, it is still advantageous for martial classes. Hadozee Resilience allows players to improve their Dodge without using up an extra feat.
What are the Best Classes for Hadozee in 5e DnD?
Barbarian
Barbarian is an excellent choice for a Hadozee character. Barbarians do not wear heavy armor, so they can always benefit from the Hadozee Glide feature.
Hadozee Resilience is also great paired with Barbarian Rage. Rage reduces the Brabarin’s damage taken by half. Hadozee Barbarians can use their reaction to reduce damage further.
Artificer
The Artificer class can make the most out of Hadozee’s dodge skill. Hadozee Resilience will allow the Artificer a little more versatility in battle.
Artificers see magic as a skill to practice and use practically. This ideology goes along with the Hadozee’s Spelljammer crew background. The time the Hadozee spent on Spelljammers gave them a deeper understanding of magic. They know magic can enhance their world. These are skills necessary for the Astral Sea.
How to Play Hadozee in 5e DnD
The Hadozee are designed for play in an Astral Sea in a Spelljammer setting. They are used to a transient life and have a great sense of adventure. Most Hadozee have adventuring in their blood.
Their sense of adventure also works in the entire DnD 5e universe. They are agile and versatile creatures that have a lot of valuable skills. Their climbing and gliding are beneficial in many situations. They can scout ahead in the forest and return quickly to their party using their Glide feature.
The Hadozee are also well suited to roleplaying situations. They are characteristically loud and boisterous. They have valuable skills without being overpowered. Additionally, Hadozee uses the lineage Ability Score model, and they can come in many different shapes and sizes, perfect for customization. The Hadozee are a unique addition to the DnD 5e universe, especially in the Astral Sea.
Hadozee 5e FAQs
How long does a Hadozee live?
The Hadozee have similar life spans to humans (70-100) in 5e DnD.
Where do Hadozee originate?
Hadozee come from the planet Yazir.
What makes Hadozee special in 5e DnD?
The Hadozee have the Gilde and Resilience features that separate them from other DnD 5e races. However, they do not have any features or skills that make them exceptionally useful or unique.
What happened with Hadozee and Wizards of the Coast?
Wizards of the Coast came under fire after the publication of Spelljammer and the depiction and lore surrounding the Hadozee. Critics remarked that the original lore, previously enslaved monkey soldiers, hit a little too close to home regarding the history of enslavement in the Atlantic.
Additionally, some pointed out that the artwork in Spelljammer depicted the Hadozee in ways that reflected racially insensitive stereotypes. Wizards of the Coast issued a formal apology, removed some of the lore, and altered the artwork in all publications of Spelljammer going forward.
Jillian started learning Dungeons & Dragons in 2014. After being encouraged by a friend to make a character, she became fully involved in character creation and later became an awesome Dungeon Master. Jillian strives to use her creativity to spread her knowledge of DnD and interpret the ruleset.