"Caught between savagery and civilization, these warriors struggle against the beast within" - Sortar, General
Minotaurs embody the tension between civilization and savagery, discipline and madness, for they stand in two worlds. Tugged toward violence but bound by conscience, numerous minotaurs are driven to rise above their dark impulses. Such a minotaur seeks the balance between the monstrous and the refined. Some minotaurs give in to the temptations, staining their souls and finding themselves thralls to some evil leader. Minotaurs must struggle to become more than the beasts they resemble or else succumb to the demonic brutality they despise.
Minotaurs were thought merely as legends of a past time on Athas. But few colonies of them still exist on the outskirts of civilization. One or two have actually been caught and used in gladiatorial games to the amusement of spectators as they draw immense crowds.
A minotaur combines the features of human and bull, with the build and musculature of a hulking humanoid, but with cloven hooves, a bovine tail, and, most of all a bull's head. Fur covers a minotaur's upper body, coarse and thick on the head and neck, gradually thinning around the shoulders until it becomes human-like hair over the arms and upper torso. The thick hair turns shaggy once more at the minotaur's waist and thickens around the loins and legs, with tufts at the end of the tail and around their powerful hooves. Minotaurs take pride in their horns, the sharpness, size, and color are typically related to an individual's place in minotaur society. Fur and skin coloring runs from albino white to coal black, though most have red or brown hair.
Minotaurs live as long as humans do.
Each Minotaur must navigate the perils of the self to transcend bestial impulses. One minotaur might achieve this easily. Another might wander the corridors of his or her mind and soul for a life-time, trapped within the circuitous passages of self-deception and monstrous desire. Those who fail might descend into depravity, becoming thralls to evil.
Perhaps as a result of this inner struggle, minotaurs seek structure and order in all they do. They take great pleasure from perfecting their talents, and many spend lifetimes mastering trades, artistic styles, magic, and fighting techniques. Once minotaurs commit themselves to a task, they see it through. Failure is not perceived as a personal flaw, but as an opportunity for growth. Giving up when faced with a challenge is seen as a weakness of character. The greatest challenge for a minotaur is to remain vigilant against inner corruption, and so to capitulate in any effort is more than dangerous; it is the first step on the road to spiritual corruption.
Although minotaurs may be civilized, civilizations on Athas treat them as objects os suspicion and hatred. This stems in part from their monstrous appearance, but also from their infamy. Wicked minotaurs are remorseless raiders and killers, and these are often the most known to any Athasian.
Ability Score Increase: +2 to Strength, +1 to Constitution and +1 to Wisdom.
Age: Minotaurs tend to live as long as humans, up to 80 years.
Alignment: Player character Minotaurs must be lawful.
Size: Males and females average 7 to 7 and 1/2 feet tall and weigh upwards of 300 pounds.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages: Common and Minotaur.
Vitality: Minotaurs are hardy creatures and have one more hit die than their level.
Ferocity: When a minotaur drops to zero hit points they may immediately use a reaction to make a single melee attack.
Heedless Charge: A minotaur gets +2 to its AC to any attacks of opportunity provoked while making a charge.
Goring Charge: A minotaur may take, as a bonus action a Goring Charge attack if it moves at least half its movement in a straight line. It may target one creature. You may use any of the following attribute modifiers and add them to the attack and damage rolls. You also make this attack using your proficiency modifier. Damage is as follows;
-Levels 1-5: 1d6
-Levels 6-10: 2d6
-Levels 11-15: 3d6
-Levels 16-20: 4d6
Any attack that hits the target must make a Strength save or be knocked Prone. The DC of the save is 8+the damage taken, creatures huge or greater have advantage on this save. Small creatures have disadvantage on this save.
Inner struggle: Any time that a minotaur quits a task or avoids a challenge (DM's Discretion) they must make a Wisdom saving throw or shift their alignment one direction towards Chaotic. The DC for the save is 8+ the number quits. This penalty stacks even when previous saves succeeded. Once the alignment shifts the minotaur must do something truly heroic (DM's discretion) to shift it back towards lawful. Any character who shifts to Chaotic is no longer playable and taken over by the DM.
Goring Shove: You must have a strength of 15 and use Strength as the ability used for Goring Charge. You gain +1 to your strength and when you hit with a Goring Charge attack you may shove the target 5 feet back.
Greathorn: +1 to strength, Dexterity or Constitution (whichever you use for your Goring Charge). The damage from your Goring Charge attack uses d8s instead of d6s.
Opportunity Gore: Whenever you make an attack of opportunity you may use your Goring Charge attack instead of a normal melee attack. You also gain another reaction but cannot use it for the opportunity attack you used the Goring Charge, nor can you use the Goring Charge as a reaction until after your next turn.
Beast Within: When you are at less than full hit points you gain +1 to all attack and damage rolls.
Uncanny Scent: Must have a 14 in Wisdom. You cannot be surprised by creatures within 10 feet of you. Additionally, a creature within 10 feet of you cannot be hidden, or invisible to you.