Just read the new Quickstart 2E and felt inspired by the new lifeforms. In most game systems custom Species seems daunting (or their are no meaningful rules for them), not so in ICRPG!
This table is totally impractical, maybe I’d use it for NPCs or a oneshot.
- Elemental (+1 CON, Innate Elemental Wisdom Spell) Roll for an element or pick your own: 1) Fire 2) Water 3) Earth 4) Air 5) Smoke 6) Lava 7) Ice 8) Slime/Mud 9) Star 10) Steam 11) Lightning 12) Time
- Crystalloid (+1 STR, Innate Arcane Missile OR Crystal Sanctuary) Distant relatives of the Xill.
- Gnome (+1 INT, Innate Enchant)
- Plantman (+1 CON, Photosynthesis) Roll for plant feature: 1) Mighty Oak 2) Vines 3) Sunflower 4) Rose 5) Pineapple 6) Forest
- Reflector (+1 CHA, 5 HP, Innate Illusory Self ON ANY CREATURE)
- Zoltan (+1 WIS, CON check to power machines, Death Nova on dying)
- Bloodhound (+1 STR, Super Senses, Blind) You may track anyone anywhere with a little blood to know their true-scent. You may also track by ordinary scent but this can be fooled.
- Thark (+1 GUN, Four Arms, 10 to 20 feet tall) Mighty warriors of a dying world.
- Psyker (+2 INT, Mind Reading (everyone knows you can do this)) Where did all the others go?
- Wonderlander (Speak in rhyme to cast Shrink or Growth on yourself) Humans, cats, and rabbits from a dream dimension.
- Feather-friend (Innate Levitate, Talk to birds): You may also make a HARD INT check to talk to reptiles and flying animals.
- Muppet (Made of felt, +2 CHA, Innate Song of the Mountain) “So what is the difference between a puppet and a muppet?” “Well, a puppet is controlled by a person. And I’m an actual talking frog.”
- Beastman (Variable): Roll or choose a tribe: 1) Cheetah:+1 DEX, Innate Quickness 2) Wolf: +1 WIS, CLOSE Allies may reroll WEAPON Effort 3) Buffalo: +1 CON, +5 Carried Inventory 4) Viper: +1 INT, Poison saliva 5) Rat: +1 DEX, You can gnaw through anything 6) Parrot: +1 CHA, Distraction is always EASY 7) Eagle: +1 STR, Glide 8) Eel: +1 CON, Grappling is always EASY.
- Wyrmkin (+1 INT, Dragon Boon): Roll 1d6 or choose a Dragon Boon*: 1) Innate Fire Ball 2) Gold Sense 3) Dragon Scales (+3 Armor) 4) Rending Claws 5) Wings: Able to fly with half inventory 6) Dragon Soul *You can gain more.
- Cursed Toad (+1 CON, Leap, Tongue Grab) Must make WIS check vs. Obsession OR CHA check vs. Shame.
- Lycanthrope (+1 WIS, Sacrifice 1d4 days of sanity for Dire Form): In D12 days you will go homicidally insane. Reset this timer through costly acts of charity and selflessness OR bearing no thought of violence for a week. With three days left you benefit from Dire Form constantly, but must make a WIS check not to attack anything that flees from you. Silver is an ULTIMATE poison to you.
- Engi (+1 INT, Spend HP to repair things) Made of nano-machines. Hackable.
- Lobster (+1 STR, Pincers, Gills)
- Surfacer (+1 CON, Heavy) Fish-man wearing a reverse diving suit.
- Holo-Pixie (+1 INT, +1 CHA, 5 HP) You project yourself into meatspace from digital tech. Alternatively, a regular pixie.
This list started with seeing how the Xill could innately cast spells and I wondered, “How many spells can have a lifeform based on them?” I genuinely don’t remember how I thought of Wonderlander though.