Introduced in the crossover Strixhaven campaign setting, owlins are ideal for being cute and deadly at the same time. Although they are similar to aarakocra, and you might have even flavored an aarakocra as an owl once or twice, owlins have powerful abilities that make them unique when compared to other feathered species.
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However, since they are new toDungeons & Dragons, let alone 5E, some players might struggle to find out how best to use owlins in their campaign. To help you build the strongest owlin you can, here are their broken-down abilities and hidden aspects to consider when rolling for stats.
8Take Advantage Of Bonus Size Options
One rare choice Strixhaven gave to owlins is allowing you to choose between a medium or small size. While small creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls made with heavy weapons, they are allowed to maneuver through smaller spaces and can hide easier than medium-sized creatures. Also, a small owlin will still have 30 feet of movement rather than the standard 25.
You will want to make sure you know which class you plan on taking and what your role in the party will be before deciding if you care about the restrictions to either size. For role-play reasons, you might also want to study real-world owls and determine whether they would be more appropriate as medium or small.
7Hide While Flying
Owlins begin with a proficiency in Stealth, which makes sense considering owls can fly silently to hunt prey. While the rules rarely allow you to stay hidden while flying through the air, the additional skill proficiency will always come in handy.
If you want to fly silently through the air like a nocturnal predator, look for feats and class abilities that allow you to hide in dim light. Otherwise, you might want to verify you have a positive Dexterity modifier to make the most out of your stealth bonus.
6Know Your Unique Flight Rules
Improving on the other species' unique movement abilities like triton Swimming or aarakocran flying, owlins gain a flying speed equal to their movement speed rather than a flat 30 feet. This can be exploited with class abilities like a monk’s Unarmored Movement which will also affect your flying speed.
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If you are a caster, prioritize choosing spells like haste, which will double your flying speed. However, be mindful of your position in the air because, if you are knocked prone or your speed becomes zero,you will falland potentially take a lethal amount of damage. You don’t want to dash twice just for a wizard to stun you and cause you to take 12d6 damage.
5Make Use Of Enhanced Darkvision
While most species have darkvision up to 60 feet, owlins have an impressive range of up to 120 feet. This also plays into being a nocturnal predator and lets you get away with ability checks and spells that most other species and class combos wouldn’t be able to succeed.
The main benefit being at night or in expansive, dark spaces, you may make attack rolls with ranged weapons without having disadvantage. Also, long-range spells that require you to see the target are more useful to owlins since they are now possible to cast past the usual 60-foot darkvision limit. This buffs spells like Magic Missile, Thunder Step, and Hold Monster for owlin casters.
4Consider Your Party Role
Since owlins can fly, see deep into darkness, and are proficient in stealth, they are perfectly suited to being the recon for the party, even more so than aarakocra or halflings. If you plan to put yourself in harm’s way often, make sure to have positive modifiers in Intelligence and Dexterity to make successful saves and Investigation checks when looking for traps.
Owlins are also useful for initiating combat since they are more likely to give enemies the Surprised condition, especially when attacked from above or at night. However you play your owlin, they will likely be most useful as the first and last thing any bandit or monster sees.
3Draw Inspiration From Media
While birdfolk are semi-common in fantasy, owlfolk are especially rare and might make you struggle when coming up with a unique concept for your character. Luckily there are a few examples we can use to ensure you make your first owlin has as much context surrounding them as possible.
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One of the more intense examples is Wan Shi Tong from Avatar: The Last Airbender who makes a perfect Order of Scribes wizard burdened with an important task. Nite Owl from the Watchmen comics can be expressed as a rogue fighter that is struggling to regain his will to fight. However you go about it, don’t be afraid to steal ideas from media when making an owlinunique to you.
2Recommended Class Options
Owlins can realistically be applied to any core class as they have almost no downsides, and their abilities aren’t specific to any class features. Although a few classes blend perfectly with a set of wings and nocturnal senses.
Ranger
Because of the additional darkvision range, spells like Hunter’s Mark and longbow attacks are more likely to succeed, especially at night. If you choose theGloom Stalker archetype, you gain an additional 30 feet of darkvision, a ten-foot bonus to your flying speed, and invisibility in darkness.
Monk
As a flying creature, most monk abilities directly benefit you while in the air. The Deflect Missiles feature will prevent most ranged enemies from being able to hit the easiest target, and Slow Fall will reduce any falling damage you take. Additionally, Unarmored Movement increases your flying speed by ten feet.
Rogue
While rogues cannot hide in the air without certain feats, the speed bonus from Cunning Action can make a ranged, owlin rogue deadly and especially mobile from the skies. As the Scout archetype, you gain a ten-foot speed bonus to flying and can use your flying speed with the Skirmisher feature to move upwards.
1Recommended Feat Options
The best way to eliminate an owlin’s weaknesses and exploit their many strengths is with feats. Although owlins don’t have species-specific feats, many work to benefit owlins more so than the rest. If you are proficient in medium armor, Medium Armor Master will allow you to make use of your bonus proficiency whilewearing certain armorsthat force disadvantage on stealth checks while also bumping your AC.
The Mobile feat, while ignoring rough terrain and ignoring opportunity attacks, will also increase your flying speed by ten feet. Finally, Sharpshooter will make your owlin deadly at incredible ranges while being more than a safe distance away in the sky, especially in darkness.
