Ability Score Modifiers: Con +2
Ability Score Minimums: none
Ability Score Maximums: Con 22
Hit Point Adjustment: none
Move: 25ft, Swim 40ft
Native Language: Gupgup (racial language)
Playing a Bullywug
Bullywug culture is all about station. They have titles for everything and will do everything they can to assert high status on everyone they interact with.
Among humans this would be repulsive but when you understand that it is simply how Bullywug social structure functions it is kind of adorable. The Wilder Elves they trade with simply start any encounter with them by surrendering status, usually addressing Bullywugs as “Most Revered Lords of the Swamp”.
Age
Bullywugs mature quickly. They grow to full size in 2 years and are considered mature in 4. Most are very short lived, seldom living more than 12 years but this is due to diet more than anything. With proper diet a Bullywug can live as long as any human, sometimes longer. Bullywugs who live longer than 40 years start to aquire the “bloat” which causes them to grow gradually until they lose the ability to leap and their size becomes Large. Bloated Adventurers often retire before this happens around age 50.
Size
Bullywugs are shorter than humans but are broader and bulkier so are considered Medium.
Gender and Reproduction
Female Bullywugs are rare, which makes them highly prized in Bullywug society. Unfortunately the instinct to shelter and protect their women has created a deeply patriarchal society. Females are only in “season” once a year. Breeding is a privilege awarded by the tribe to males who have performed great deeds on behalf of their people. Bullywugs are egg layers. A clutch of eggs gestate inside the mother for a month and outside the parent for an additional month. Each clutch produces anywhere from 3 to 6 young. Bullywugs have no concept of parents or parenting. The females of each tribe tend to all of the young of that tribe until they are self sufficient.
Names
Bullywugs have names that sound like noises a frog might make such as Bublug, Debbobub or Glubdub. More important to them are their many titles such as Fibgubug the Speckled Lord, wanderer of the gray marsh, master of the rarest art of the three spoons, whose croak is a symphony and whose every leap made with heartbreaking poetry. They often decide they are Lords no matter what their actual role is and their titles usually make littele sense to anyone but another Bullywug.
Bullywug Traits
Amphibious: A Bullywug can breathe both air and water.
Croaking: When speaking Gupgup it is possible to communicate simple messages by croaking. This can be heard over distances two or three times farther than the loudest human speech.
Speak with Frogs and Toads: A Bullywug can communicate simple concepts to frogs and toads when it speaks in Gupgup.
Swamp Camouflage: Bullywugs have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain.
Poison Resistance: Bullywugs are immune to the Poison Condition and are Resistant to damage caused by Poison.
Standing Leap: A Bullywug’s long jump is up to 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.
Leap Away: Once per short rest a Bullywug may use a Reaction to respond to an attack against them by leaping directly way. This is done after the attack roll is made and adds 2 to the their Armor Class. If the attack still hits damage is taken before the Bullywug moves away. The Leap Away positions the Bullywug 10ft directly away from their attacker and is considered a Disengage so doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. At Level 4 they may Leap away twice per short rest and at level 7 they may do so three times.
Underwater Warriors: When fighting underwater a Bullywug makes melee at an advantage.
Bullywug Class Options
Open Classes: Bard, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock
Closed Classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard
Bard
Bullywug Bards do not have the Expertise class feature. Instead they have the following;
Countercroak: Once per short rest the Bard may use a Reaction to attempt to counter any spell being cast within 60 ft. The Bard makes a spellcasting ability test against a DC equals 8+ twice the spell’s level (Lvl 1 spell DC 10, Lvl 2 DC 12 and so on). On a success, the spell fails and has no effect. At Level 4 they may do this per short rest and at level 7 they may do so three times.
Druid
A Bullywug Druid who chooses Circle of the Land must choose Swamps.
Fighter
Bullywug fighters have access to the following Fighting Style in addition to the usual list -
Quarterstaff: When you have a Quarterstaff equipped it counts as a shield when it is held in both hands - granting +2 Armor Class.
Bullywug Battle Masters have this additional Manuever -
Death From Above: When you leap into battle spend a superiority die to gain advantage and if you hit add the die to your damage.
Monk
Bullywug monks only use quarterstaffs as monk weapons. They cannot follow the Way of Shadow.
Ranger
Bullywug Rangers have access to the following Fighting Style in addition to the usual list -
Quarterstaff: When you have a Quarterstaff equipped it counts as a shield when it is held in both hands - granting +2 Armor Class.
A Beast Master can only choose Giant Frog as their Animal Companion.
Rogue
Normally Bullywugs are too ungainly to make proper Rogues. Only unusually small specimens whose Strength and Constitution are no higher than 14 may take this class and once taken can never improve either if these abilities above 14.
Bullywug Rogues can’t be Assassins.
Warlock
Bullywug Warlocks may only choose to serve Archfey Patrons. They may only take the Pact of the Chain and must choose a Sprite as their familar.
As a Warlock gains levels, their flesh darkens and purple spots appear. High level Bullywug warlocks are black skinned with bright purple spots.
Bullywug Backgrounds
Bullywug Villager
Some Bullwugs spend most of their lives in their own village with thier own tribe. These individuals learn the strange dance of social manuvering so well that they become adept at diplomacy and negotiation even outside their own culture.
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Persuasion
Puffery: As part of an Intimidation attempt the Bullywug can puff itself up by inflating ouches in their cheeks, an impressive and startling display which grants them advantage.
Swampy
A few Bullywugs prefer to spend most of their time in the swamps, only returning to their village for supplies. They are less obsessed with titles and their place within their tribe and know the wilds better than most.
Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival
Eater: They can digest almost anything organic and have advantage on constitution saving throws against anything ingested. When they take a short rest, if they eat until they are sated they recover an additional 3d6 hit points.
