D&D Race Guide: How to Play a Simic Hybrid
Simic Hybrid character combine some of the more common player races with animal enhancements to make them the perfect adventurers.
Did you think D&D was without its super soldiers? Because it absolutely isn’t. Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduced the Simic ‘Guardian Project’ to 5E in 2018. And now thanks to a little bit of magic and a lot of mad science Simic Hybrids combine animal traits with humanoid hosts to make people perfectly suited for adventuring.
“The Simic Combine uses magic to fuse different life forms together. In recent years, they have extended this research to humanoid subjects, magically transferring the traits of various animals into humans, elves, and vedalken. The goal of the so-called Guardian Project is to build a Simic army of superior soldiers, perfectly adapted to a variety of combat situations. These hyper-evolved specimens are called Simic hybrids, though they sometimes call themselves guardians.”
Simic Hybrid Traits
Simic Hybrid characters are created in adulthood from Humans, Vedalkens, or Elves. But you probably won’t have to worry too much about their base race’s standard traits. They have a +2 increase to their Constitution score as well as a +1 to any other ability score of your choice. Because of the races they are created from, Simic Hybrids are medium creatures and have a walking speed of 30 ft. But they also have Darkvision up to 60 feet in dim light—which would be novel to an otherwise Human or Vedalken character, but not so much to Elves.
Enhancements
As animal-human hybrids, these characters gain access to a few animal enhancements and abilities. One ability from the following list can be chosen at first level and then another at fifth.
Manta Glide is available at first level and gives the character ray-like fins that they can use to slow a fall or glide. Up to a hundred feet can be subtracted from the distance of a fall when calculating damage, and for each foot they fall, they can move horizontally two feet.
Nimble Climber is also available at first level. It gives the character a climbing speed equal to their walking speed.
Underwater Adaptation is the final first-level enhancement. It allows the character to breath underwater and gives them a swimming speed equal to their walking speed.
Grappling Appendages is available at fifth level and cause the character to grow two extra appendages alongside their arms. Each can be used to grapple a creature or be used as a natural bludgeoning weapon, but can’t wield their own weapons or cast spells.
Carapace is also available at fifth level and gives the character a +1 to their AC by making their skin think and shell-like.
Finally, Acid Spit is the last fifth-level enhancement. It gives the character spit-glands which can allow them to target and strike an enemy within 30 feet, causing them to take acid damage.
Best Classes
With the level of freedom you get to build your own Simic Hybrid character, I truly don’t think there are any bad choices for your class. Want to go with a Wizard build? Butt the extra ability score point in Intelligence and don’t take Manta Glide or Acid Spit because spells would make them superfluous. Want a class that doesn’t wear armor like a monk? Carapace has you covered. Want a hands-on character like a Fighter or Barbarian? Extra appendages will help you get some bonus strikes in, even if you do have a weapon in your regular hands.
Tips & Tricks
If you’re going in a Simic sort of direction with your character, you’re going to want to figure out what you want early on. Some enhancements are better (or worse) than others for some classes. And in some cases abilities that would be very helpful for one character can be entirely useless or superfluous with another. Don’t fall into this pit and have to ask your DM for a special one-time character re-tool down the road. When you start off making your character, try to know exactly what you want from them already.
Have you ever played a Simic Hybrid character? Have you had one in any of your adventuring parties? What enhancements did you or would you pick?
Happy adventuring!
