Satyr 5e

Twixt day and night the spirits goad me on
They pine for ages past when hearts were pure
Against all reason now they seem unsure
They laugh and scream between mine ears anon.
Now fill my cup not once, not twice, but thrice
With flagon’s brim upon my lips I dance
Let unseen pixies toss their gowns askance
While I, the Carnal King, indulge my vice.
With folded boughs, the treants take their leave
As merry damsels’ corsets come undone
My song doth stir them like a summer breeze
They mill mine empty cup without reprieve.
The sun becomes the moon becomes the sun
I while away the hours as I please.

—Sonnet of a Naughty Satyr

What are Satyrs in 5e?

Satyrs are a cross between humans and nature spirits and appear like a half-humanoid, half-goat hybrid. They have the upper body of a human but the goats and the lower body of their animal counterpart.

They are famed for their hedonistic tendencies and lack of restraint, a trait that often leads them into trouble.

Satyr Racial Stats 5e

Speed: Their movement rate of 35 feet is faster than that of the average adventurer and so is a good combination when building a character that wants to outpace and stay out of the range of enemies.

Fey: Being a Fey creature means having some handy natural immunity to spells such as Dominate Person and Hold. The downside is that they are more susceptible to spells such as Protection From Evil & Good or Hallow. That said, on the whole, the pros out weight the cons. They are, however, particularly susceptible to Banishment.

Ram: Having a natural weapon is always a great bonus, and even though the Satyr’s ram attack is only a 1d4 + Strength bonus in terms of damage, it is better than nothing.

Magic Resistance: There is a lot of debate about whether this trait makes the Satyr too strong as a player character. To have magical resistance right from level 1 is a massive advantage, and it is perhaps up to the DM to decide whether they should have this, if it should be available in a more limited fashion, or if the Satyr should be a player character at all and maybe better suited to a helpful NPC.

Mirthful Leaps: Your goatish heritage means you can jump an additional 1 to 8 feet for any leap. The fact that this bonus distance is determined randomly means it can be unreliable.

Reveler: Considering that the race already gets +2 to CHA, getting a free proficiency in an important face skill and a decent CHA skill is a great addition.

What are the best classes for the Satyr race?

Satyrs make excellent choices for any Charisma-based class. They have great Ability Score Improvement scope as they rise through the levels, a higher than average speed, and natural magic resistance.

Barbarian

There might not be anything in the way of Strength or Constitution improvement, but it is still worth thinking about. The extra movement means that you can close in on enemies unexpectedly fast, you have an additional natural attack, and the natural resistance to magic is an excellent shield against spell attacks.

Bard

The Ability Score Improvement scale is advantageous, and when added to the skill proficiencies, the natural resistance, and the faster-than-average movement, Satyrs make natural Bards.

Druid

You don’t get the Wisdom bonus that a Druid might be looking for, but the high Charisma and skills are perfect for this class. Magic Resistance is always fantastic, and the extra movement will always give you an edge.

Fighter

No Consitution or Strength bonus, but a solid Dexterity could make for the basis of a great build. Magic Resistance is fantastic for a front-line melee magnet. The higher-than-average movement means that you can easily control and navigate the flow of combat on the battlefield.

Paladin

The +2 Charisma is a great boast to the Paladin’s spellcasting ability, and, like all fighting types, the speed and magic resistance means that you can get into combat quickly and stay there longer.

Ranger

You might only get a +1 to Dexterity, but when this is balanced against the different speeds and the natural Magical Resistance, it is still a class worth the Satyr’s consideration.

Rogue

As with the Ranger, the Dexterity bonus differs from what you would like to see, but the speed and Magical Resistance are great for a Rogue.

Sorcerer and Warlock

A perfect Ability Score Improvement array, plenty of face skill proficiencies, extra movement, and natural Magic Resistance make this an ideal class for the Sorcerer or Warlock.

Wizard

Not getting a boost to Intelligence may hurt the choice of Wizard, but as with most other class selections, the Magic Resistance and the additional rate of movement make up for that short falling.

Final Thoughts on the Satyr Race in 5e

The natural Magical Resistance alone makes this race pretty powerful. That means you don’t have to go for the perfect class match to max out the ability scores and can choose something that drives roleplaying rather than statistical considerations.

The Satyr works well with most classes, and a good role-player can make the most of the Satyr’s hedonistic tendencies.