As travelers from the Feywild, harengon are rabbitfolk with a lucky foot that helps them avoid danger while sticking their noses in it. Introduced toDungeons & Dragons5th edition through the Wild Beyond the Witchlight adventure module, harengon differ from the other animal-like species with a lack of claws or fangs that is made up for with their evasion and quick reflexes.
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Playing as a harengon can be useful for experienced players who want to build some truly overpowered builds or for new players that want to ensure their first character will stand out. Either way, there are some things to consider in getting the most out of their somewhat complex abilities.
8Consider Medium Or Small Options
Like owlins, harengon get the option of being medium or small size. For role-play reasons, you might beinclined to lean smallas rabbits often are.
Although combined with a harengon’s other abilities, either size will not affect your jumping height, speed, or initiative bonus.
You will want to be aware that a small-sized creature cannot wield heavy weapons without getting a disadvantage on the attack roll, but can move through non-hostile creature spaces. For campaigns using carrying capacity, small creatures halve the amount of weight they can push or carry, so take these rules into account when building your harengon.
7A Significant Initiative Bonus
Mimicking the flighty nature of rabbits, harengon gets a bonus to their initiative equal to their proficiency bonus. Not only does this scale as you level up, but can be combined with feats like Alert to ensure you will always be at the top of the initiative order.
With this in mind, you can start to plan how combat encounters will go by placing your character in strategic positions or preparing certain spells with the understanding that you’ll likely go before most enemies. This can help you line up the distance for an important Counterspell or even grapple escaping enemies.
6What Big Ears You Have
Harengon get proficiency in arguably themost used skillin D&D 5E, perception. Using those leporine senses, your character should be the first to ask if you hear any noises behind the door, smell blood at the abandoned campsite, or taste poison in your drink.
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If you want to maximize your innate bonus, try to keep a positive Wisdom modifier or take a class with Expertise, like Ranger, Bard, or Rogue. Also be aware that just because your bonus is likely higher than the party’s doesn’t mean you should always make the check, otherwise you might make take away the enjoyment of rolling dice from others.
5Take Advantage Of Leporine Reflexes
Due to their quick reflexes, harengon can potentially turn a failed Dexterity save into a success as a reaction. While the bonus is only a d4 to the roll, combined with the other abilities you’ll likely succeed on most saves, which allows you to lead the group with less risk of getting hit by trips, but not necessarily avoiding them.
However, this is another ability that greatly benefits from combining it with feats and spells. For example, the Guidance spell can stack an additional d4 if you suspect you might trigger a trap, adding a minimum +2 to the roll, and a 7th-level rogue takes only half damage if you still manage to fail.
4Use Your Powerful Hops
As a way to help struggling DMs and players who refuse to remember jumping rules, harengon get a unique ability that gives them a single leap that you can use as a bonus action. Although, unlike firbolgs, harengon can only use this ability a short number of times per day but with the added bonus of not triggering opportunity attacks.
While this ability is situational in combat, it can be applied to mobility to allow a low-Strength character to jump much higher or farther than usual. Although you will want to make sure you use this feature when it is most needed, or when you don’t want to use expendable resources.
3A Rabbit’s Role In The Party
Harengon are designed to avoid danger as much as possible, especially when you throw yourself into it. However, you are just as vulnerable to most magical attacks that don’t involve Dexterity saves.
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With this in mind, don’t be afraid to jump into combat to pull allies to safety or lead the way through a trapped ruin, but keep in mind that when faced with an aberration or fiend, this can be turned against the party.
While somewhat useful as a scout, other species are more efficiently designed to stealth ahead. Instead, focus on looking for ways to provide flanking opportunities or block escape routes with your movement and escape artist tricks.
2From the Feywild
In canon adventure settings, especially The Wild Beyond the Witchlight, they are considered travelersfrom the Feywild. With this in mind, your role-play might see your harengon as a trickster or prankster. As a rabbitfolk you might lean overly skittish or paranoid.
This would be similar to characters like The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland or Floor from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, since the Feywild is a chaotic place where rules don’t apply, you can justify any playstyle or character choice approved by your DM.
1Recommended Class Options
Despite their adorable appearance, harengon are designed for martial combat and if you want to make the most of their unique abilities, don’t be afraid to put your fluffy, white tail in the middle of battle.
Rogue
Almost every harengon ability benefits from a rogue feature. If you want to end combat as soon as it begins, the Assassin archetype gives you advantage against creatures that haven’t taken a turn yet, which allows your bonus to initiative to be especially useful.
If you want to maximize your efficiency, choose small as a creature size option so you can move through ally spaces.
Fighter
As versatile as the fighter class is, each harengon ability gives them the mobility that they would otherwise be lacking without taking additional feats or sacrificing choices. When choosing a fighting style, however, you will want to avoid choosing something that requiresa bonus action, like Two-Weapon Fighting, as this will prevent you from using the Rabbit Hop feature.
Barbarian
Most of the barbarian’s abilities can be used to make a harengon’s features even stronger, rather than combine effects. For instance, a 7th-level barbarian will have an advantage on Dexterity saving throws as well as initiative rolls, which stack with a harengon’s Lucky Footwork and Hare-Trigger abilities instead of replacing them.
