Plasmoid 5e

In the dimly lit alley of Waterdeep, a group of adventurers stared in awe as their companion, a Plasmoid named Oryz, squeezed through a narrow gap in the massive gate. The thick gate, believed to be impenetrable, was no match for Oryz’s unique physiology. As the Plasmoid reformed on the other side, it took on a humanoid shape, its translucent body shimmering in the moonlight. It was simple for it to simply open the latch that locked the massive gate.

“Always handy to have a Plasmoid around,” chuckled the Rogue.

What is a Plasmoid 5e?

Plasmoids are sentient amorphous creatures that have no fixed shape. It’s like choosing a gelatinous cube to be your character. They can take whatever shape they need to and form back to humanoid shape at will. 

Plasmoids are one of the unique races introduced in the Spelljammer: Adventures in Space supplement, specifically mentioned on page 14. Unlike other races, Plasmoids can alter their form, squeeze through tight spaces, and have a unique set of abilities that set them apart. If you’ve been looking for a unique character that can change up the game in roleplaying and combat mechanics, the Plasmoid is definitely worth checking out.

It’s also important to note that although it’s introduced in the Spelljammer setting you don’t need to set your world in the Spelljammer space exploration world to use Plasmoids. They’re fully compatible with the standard high fantasy settings. You may want to check with your DM first, though. 

Plasmoid 5e Traits

As we mentioned early all of the Plasmoid’s special species traits can be found on page 14 of the Spelljammer Adventures book. 

Creature Type: Ooze
Size: Medium or Small to be chosen on character creation. 
Speed: 30 ft. 
Languages: 2x (Player’s Choice)

The Plasmoids also have the following special traits. 

Amorphous

Plasmoids can squeeze through spaces as narrow as 1 inch, provided they aren’t carrying or wearing anything. This is probably the main reason players will want to choose the Plasmoid. There’s almost nothing that can stop them from sneaking into a place. A one-inch gap is all it takes. 

Along with the Amorphous trait is a bonus to all Grapple checks to escape or that the Plasmoid initiates. This of course makes sense since opponents would in essence be grappling with a liquid form.

Darkvision

They can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light, discerning colors only as shades of gray. 

Standard Darkvision may not make sense at first, but the more you think about it, the more logical it becomes. Plasmoids have the ability to sneak through small holes, and chances are light won’t necessarily be readily available they would have to come up with a way to see in the dark naturally, hence the Darkvision. 

Hold Breath

A Plasmoid can hold its breath for up to 1 hour, making underwater adventures or toxic environments less threatening for them.

This is another trait that makes sense the more you think about it. If a Plasmoid was moving through a small opening or pipe their body would displace what little oxygen is available. Therefore they again would have to develop some way to either hold their breath or not need to breathe. This trait combined with Amorphous is actually very horrifying and crafty players can come up with some devastating combos. We’ll get into those later. 

Natural Resilience

They have resistance to acid and poison damage and have an advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. Poison resistance is always useful regardless of species or class. 

Shape Self

Shape Self allows the Plasmoid to use an action to take a humanoid shape (head, 1-2 legs, 1-2 arms, and torso) or turn into a shapeless blob. The key point is that it requires an action and you can’t become a 6-armed 8-legged monstrosity. You’re limited to only 1-2 limbs. 

Shape Self also allows the Plasmoid to create a Pseudopod tentacle that can reach out from its body using a Bonus Action. The Pseudopod cannot attack, but it can pick up small items, flick a switch, or open and close doors. It has no sensory organs in the Pseudopod which is an important distinction. The Plasmoid will not be able to tell what it’s feeling. This means that it can’t lock pick a door or form into a key-hand without a bit of effort. 

Building a Plasmoid 5e Character

Like most other species in DnD, every species can effectively take on any role. Wizards of the Coast is always changing and diversifying how characters are created. This started with the alternative character creation rules included in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and the Spelljammer species follow suit. 

Ability Scores have changed so that instead of all orcs being strong or all dwarves having a high constitution players have the option of what Ability Scores to increase. There are 2 options. 

• +2 & +1 to two different Ability Scores of your choice.
• +1 to three different Ability Scores of your choice. 

It’s simple and diverse enough that any Plasmoid will be able to fill any role in the game. 

That’s basically all you need to create your Plasmoid before choosing a Class. There is one final detail and it could get lost in the excitement of creating one of these characters and that’s age. There is no indication of how long Plasmoids actually live, but there is a small bit of text at the beginning of the Spelljammer supplement stating that most species have a lifespan of a decade. This is completely unrelated and can be changed at will by your DM, but it’s worth noting. 

Best Classes for Plasmoid 5e

Barbarian

Plasmoids make surprisingly good front-line characters because of their natural resistances and combined with the Barbarian Rage and unarmored abilities, they’ll be an excellent tank or damage dealer. The only negative is that a lot of the Plasmoid’s bonuses are already granted by Rage. 

Bard

For roleplaying purposes, Plasmoids are fine as Bards, but you won’t have access to all of your equipment if you plan on taking advantage of the Amorphous feature. 

Cleric

Clerics have a lot of equipment. This poses a problem when you have to leave all of your equipment behind as a blob. This means if they do sneak in they won’t have access to armor, weapons, or their holy symbol. 

Druid

I like the idea of a Druid Plasmoid, purely for RP purposes. In Wild Shape, I imagine it simply boosts the Amorphous feature. Instead of turning into a copy of the animal, the Druid could Wild Shape into a blob dire wolf or blob alligator. Functionally it would just be the standard Wild Shape unless you convince your DM otherwise, but it’s a cool concept.  

Monk

The Monk is probably the best option for a Plasmoid character. They don’t need armor or weapons which is perfect combined with the Amorphous trait of the Plasmoid. They’ll have access to all of their Class special abilities and still be able to slip through holes without any penalties. If you’re trying to maximize your abilities, then this is the optimum choice. 

Paladin

Paladins are another Class that requires a lot of equipment to use. It could work, especially if you focus on a Grapple-Build character. 

Ranger

Rangers also rely on weapons to do the most damage which automatically negates the Plasmoid’s coolest feature. They could be impressive scouts, but if they’re caught without weapons it could turn ugly fast. 

Rogue

The sneaky Rogue archetype fits so well with Plasmoids. The damage resistances are great since Rogues are typically glass cannons. Their sneak abilities will allow the Plasmoid to easily maneuver, scout, and backstab. The same problem as most of the other Classes is still present. If you use Amorphous, you’ll lose access to your weapons. However, finding a finesse weapon on site shouldn’t be too hard, and the Rogue can still rely on Sneak Attacks for damage. 

Sorcerer

The Sorcerer is one of the 2 viable spellcasters classes for the Plasmoid. Their spells and abilities allow them to class plenty of useful and damaging spells without any components, and their Metamagic can help extend their number of uses. 

Warlock

Warlock is the best spellcasting option for the Plasmoid. They don’t need anything other than their Eldritch Invocations and they can squeeze out of a mouse hole and start Eldritch Blasting everything in sight. Good times. 

Wizard

Wizard Plasmoids are going to have the roughest time. If they want to use the Amorphous ability, they’ll have to leave behind their all-important spell books. It’s not something most Wizards are keen to do. 

Playing as a Plasmoid in 5e

The Plasmoids are such a unique race that you may as well lean into their ability every chance you can get. It’s so cool, and if you’re really creative it can be terrifying what they can do. 

Plasmoids can, of course, be excellent infiltrators and scouts. Any 1-inch hole is basically a welcome mat to them, and if it’s easily opened from the other side, all the better. 

Another interesting concept is a Grapple Build for the Plasmoid. They already have Advantage on Grapple checks, so it’s tailor-made for the Plasmoid. While grappling, the Plasmoid will be able to attack just like any other creature, but there is an interesting opportunity here (only if your DM allows it).

An enemy’s windpipe would definitely be considered 1-inch at least, and a Plasmoid could simply enter their enemy’s lungs and grapple them from the inside, suffocating them and literally choking the air and life out of them. Horrifying, but as the rules are written, completely legal. 

Plasmoid 5e FAQs

Where can I find the Plasmoid Rules?

The Plasmoid Rules can be found on Page 14 of the Spelljamer Adventure supplement. 

What is the best class for plasmoid 5E?

Monks are the best class to take advantage of the Plasmoid’s unique abilities. They don’t require any equipment and can use the Plasmoid’s added defensive abilities. 

Are plasmoids a good race?

Yes, the Plasmoids are a race/species in 5e with a unique set of abilities, most notably the Amorphous ability that lets them take liquid form. 

How old is Plasmoid 5E?

There is no official rule stating the lifespan of Plasmoids in DnD 5e. There is a catch-all statement at the beginning of the Spelljammer sourcebook that states most species live to be a century. You can assume Plasmoids have a lifespan of approximately 100 years. You and your DM can, of course, change this to whatever fits your setting. 

Do plasmoids need food?

Yes. Plasmoids are still living creatures and therefore need food. They can eat almost anything by absorbing it into their bodies and expelling any undigestible materials.