Minotaur (Playable Race)
Aimil gritted her teeth as the all-too-common insult rang in her ears. “Let it go,” muttered her companion, Kamdoth. Before he could stop her, she charged at the boisterous drunks with a sudden swiftness, trampling one beneath her powerful hooves, nearly impaling another with her silver-tipped horns, and sending the third flying across the room. As the dust settled, she looked around the bar and asked, “Is there anyone else here who would care to call me a ‘cow-person’?”
Kamdoth and Aimil, Minotaurs
Minotaurs are an enigmatic race, who strike an imposing figure, often growing to a height of seven feet or more. They proudly display their achievements, whether by taking monikers such as ‘the Brave’, ‘the Mighty’, or ‘the Unyielding’, or by decorating their horns with engraved sigils, runes, or even jewelry. Those fearsome horns also mean that a minotaur is never truly unarmed, and woe to any one who gets in the way of a charging minotaur. Another unique trait to minotaurs is their ability to retrace any path they have previously taken, a talent some say is passed down from the ancestral minotaurs who once roamed the labyrinths of the world…and some of whom who still do.
Roleplaying Tips.
While minotaurs have a well-earned reputation for ferocity, they are not all fearsome warriors. Your minotaur character might be a wizened scholar, a pious cleric, or a simple farmer who decided to trade in their shovel for a sword one day. They possess a wide range of alignments, just as most races do, mixing a love of personal freedom and a respect for history and tradition. A minotaur character likely earned a title when they entered adulthood, which might signify a great deed they accomplished. Consider what mighty deed your character accomplished in their past, to earn such a title.
Minotaur Variants
At a GM’s discretion, players may use one of two minotaur variants. The Bhain Kwai typically come from low-lying wetlands, while the Boghaid hail from the highlands or mountains. Bhain Kwai are tall and barrel-chested, with a thin, coarse coat of hair, while the Boghaid are covered in thicker, curly hair, with large horns that sweep out to the sides. Each variant has a different Ability Score Increase that replaces the base minotaur’s.
The minotaurs are one of the many races available to subscribers in our Core Content Pack, along with races and subraces like the Dhampir or Spindrift Dwarves. The race is also available from Kobold Press as part of the Midgard Heroes Handbook, though these variants are unique to Shard!
Build your own minotaur character and tell us about it in the comments below or on any of our social channels for a chance to win a 6-month Adventurer subscription to Shard Tabletop! A winner will be chosen by random on Wednesday, May 19th. Only one entry per person.
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