Just yesterday, I created a little mousefolk race called laicosts (pronounced LIE-costs). Well, let me take that back: my six-year-old son, Jack, came up with the idea for the laicosts. His description was simple:
“They’re little mouse people and they’re really cute and they can go really fast and teleport.”
Now, I may have omitted the part about teleportation (although, I do love me some misty step), but the rest of his description remained intact.
And much to my excitement, people seemed to respond very well to the cute, little buggers! So today, I think I’ll flesh them out a little more plus add in a couple more variants. And for those who missed the original post, I’ve included the stat block for the laicost and laicost nest boss, as well.
Laicosts for Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons
Don’t assume that laicosts are gentle because they look like adorable mouse people. In fact, laicosts (colloquially called mousefolk) are dangerously fast cutthroats, known to haunt under-patrolled backroads and dimly lit city alleys.
Touched by Magic
While many who study the humanoid races argue about the true origin of laicosts, most agree that there was some degree of magic involved. The biggest school of thought posits that laicosts originate from the elemental plane of air, which is how they get their speed. Yet others believe they were created by the Queen of Air and Darkness in the Feywild which would, of course, explain their wicked ways. However, you’d never know from speaking with a laicost; either they don’t know or they’re not telling.
Organized Criminals
The laicosts are hardly a bunch of petty thieves. Laicost society organizes itself by nests, tight-knit clans of soldiers and their families. Each nest is lead by the fastest member, the laicost nest boss. A region can have as many as three to four laicost nests operating at any given time. The leader of all the nests is called the king/queen. However, this is more of an honorary title than anything, since the kings and queens are pulled from laicost nest bosses that prove their speed and wits, and not through bloodlines.
The kings and queens drive the bosses to increase their reach in their respective regions. That includes, but isn’t limited to, ambushing wagons, raiding farms, and mugging pedestrians in city alleys.
Looking for that rare magic item? Just find a laicost. He can tell you how to find no less than three of them; for a little coin, of course. Thanks to their close ties to other criminal organizations, mousefolk use their black market connections to funnel stolen magical items and precious artifacts.
Lightning Tails
Sometimes, a laicost is born with the raw power of the wind and lightning in its veins. Although these laicosts live relatively short lifespans compared to their brethren, they are greatly respected by all and live quite comfortably. Laicost bosses not only see a lightning tail as a great asset to the entire organization but as a favorable sign granted by the Elder Tempest.
Laicost (Mousefolk)
Small humanoid (laicost), lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 60 ft.
Abilities Str 7 (-2), Dex 17 (+3), Con 10 (+0), Int 10 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 11 (+0)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Laicosti
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Hit-and-Run. The laicost doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy’s reach.
Keen Smell. The laicost has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Laicost Nest Boss
Small humanoid (laicost), lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (studded leather, shield)
Hit Points 21 (6d6)
Speed 60 ft.
Abilities Str 9 (-1), Dex 19 (+4), Con 10 (+0), Int 10 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 13 (+1)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Laicosti
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Hit-and-Run. The laicost doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy’s reach.
Keen Smell. The laicost has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The laicost makes two attacks: one with its rapier and one with its dagger.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Mark for Death (Recharge 5-6). The laicost makes a melee weapon attack against a target it can see. Regardless of whether or not the attack hits, until the start of the laicost’s next turn, all of its allies have advantage on their attack rolls against the same target.
Laicost King/Queen
Small humanoid (laicost), lawful evil
Armor Class 19 (studded leather, shield)
Hit Points 58 (13d6 + 13)
Speed 60 ft.
Abilities Str 11 (+0), Dex 20 (+5), Con 12 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 15 (+2)
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Laicosti
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Hit-and-Run. The laicost doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy’s reach.
Keen Smell. The laicost has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The laicost makes three attacks: two with its scimitar and one with its dagger. It may substitute its pistol for its dagger.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) slashing damage.
Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Mark for Death (Recharge 5-6). The laicost makes a melee weapon attack against a target it can see. Regardless of whether or not the attack hits, until the start of the laicost’s next turn, all of its allies have advantage on their attack rolls against the same target.
Reaction
Riposte. The laicost can make an opportunity attack when a creature the laicost can see rolls to hit the laicost and misses. The attack occurs right after the creature misses. The laicost can then move up to half its movement.
Laicost Lightning Tail
Small elemental, neutral evil
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 65 (10d6 + 30)
Speed 120 ft.
Abilities Str 6 (-2), Dex 24 (+7), Con 16 (+3), Int 12 (+1), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 16 (+3)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning, thunder
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Auran, Common, Laicosti
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Hit-and-Run. The lightning tail doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy’s reach.
Keen Smell. The lightning tail has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Living Lightning. A creature that touches the lightning tail or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The laicost makes three shock attacks.
Shock. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Blitz (Recharge 6). The lightning tail turns into living lightning and moves 60-feet in a straight line that is 5 feet wide. During this move, the lightning tail can move through a hostile creature’s spaces without provoking attacks of opportunity. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 9 (2d8) thunder damage plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage and is pushed 10 feet away from the lightning tail. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage isn’t pushed. In addition, unsecured objects that are completely in the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from the lightning tail by the lightning tail’s attack, and the movement emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet.
New Player Option: Laicosts (Mousefolk)
I had a request from some folks on Instagram about making laicosts a playable race. In fact, I’d agree that mousefolk lend themselves pretty well to playable races. However, they are a little weaker than most PHB races, so be sure to okay it with your DM if you plan to play one.
Laicost Traits
Your laicost has a variety of natural abilities, some of which are believed to have been gifted by the Elder Tempest itself.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 3 and your Strength score is reduced by 2.
Age. Laicosts reach adulthood at age 7 and can live up to 50 years.
Alignment. Laicosts are selfish, deceptive beings, so they tend towards evil. However, they’re very organized and have close ties to their nest. Therefore, laicosts have a tendency towards lawful, too.
Size. Laicosts are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 30 and 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Hit-and-run. You don’t provoke opportunity attacks when you move out of an enemy’s reach.
Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Laicosti.
Thanks for reading!
Hopefully, the laicosts can add an element of excitement to your adventures! If not as a playable race, then perhaps as a good low-to-mid level challenge.
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The next time I touch on the laicosts, it’ll probably be with an adventure.
See you then!
Art by Wizards of the Coast, Paizo Publishing, and Redwall RPG.
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