Kenku
Kenkus, also known as Tengu in Pathfinder, are an avianoid race that resemble bipedal ravens or crows. They're basically walking, talking, flightless birds, much like the kiwi bird (in secret). Kenkus live in the underbelly of society, forming criminal groups or "flocks" (they're dead fucking serious) and performing minor crimes and giggling about getting away with it, because they consider themselves above the law.
They can only speak through mimicking voices/sounds they have heard before. (Crows and other corvids can mimic speech, actually).
Due to lack of fluff and only slightly interesting crunch, playing a kenku is mostly uninteresting. For those inclined, they make a good sorcerer, rogue or assassin.
Kenkus in 4th Edition
Introduced as a monster type and optional player race in the Monster Manual 2 for 4e. Stats:
- Average Height: 5'0" to 5'6"
- Average Weight: 110 to 150 lb.
- Ability Score Bonuses: +2 to DEX and CHA
- Size: Medium
- Flock Effect: You gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls against a creature you are flanking instead of the normal +2 bonus, and you grant a +3 bonus to attack rolls or skill checks when aiding another instead of the normal +2 bonus.
- Mimicry: You can mimic sounds and voices. A successful Insight check opposed by your Bluff check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked.
Kenkus in 5th Edition
Introduced as a monster in the Monster Manual and optional player race in Volo's Guide to Monsters. Notably, they can no longer talk, and in general be original, relying on expert copy-pasting and mimicking to communicate, much like Bumblebee from the Michael Bay movie. Still thieves, mostly. Stats:
- Average Height: 4'6" to 5'10"
- Average Weight: 52 to 148 lb.
- Ability Score Bonuses: +2 to DEX, +1 to WIS
- Size: Medium
- Speed:30 ft.
- Expert Forgery: They can copy-paste everything. And they get advantage on the roll.
- Kenku Training: Proficiency in two of Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth and Sleight of Hand.
- Mimicry: You can mimic sounds and voices. A successful Insight check opposed by your Deception check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked. This is also the only way for them to speak.
| Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Races | |
|---|---|
| Player's Handbook 1 | Dragonborn • Dwarf • Eladrin • Elf • Half-Elf • Halfling • Human • Tiefling |
| Player's Handbook 2 | Deva • Gnome • Goliath • Half-Orc • Shifter |
| Player's Handbook 3 | Githzerai • Minotaur • Shardmind • Wilden |
| Monster Manual 1: | Bugbear • Doppelganger • Githyanki • Goblin • Hobgoblin • Kobold • Orc |
| Monster Manual 2 | Bullywug • Duergar • Kenku |
| Dragon Magazine | Gnoll • Shadar-kai |
| Heroes of Shadow | Revenant • Shade • Vryloka |
| Heroes of the Feywild | Hamadryad • Pixie • Satyr |
| Eberron's Player's Guide | Changeling • Kalashtar • Warforged |
| The Manual of the Planes | Bladeling |
| Dark Sun Campaign Setting | Mul • Thri-kreen |
| Forgotten Realms Player's Guide | Drow • Genasi |
| The Races of Pathfinder | |
|---|---|
| Player's Handbook: | Dwarf - Elf - Gnome - Half-Elf - Half-Orc - Halfling - Human |
| Advanced Race Guide: |
Aasimar - Catfolk - Changeling - Dhampir - Duergar Drow - Fetchling - Gillman - Goblin - Grippli - Hobgoblin Ifrit - Kitsune - Kobold - Merfolk - Nagaji - Orc - Oread Ratfolk - Samsaran - Strix - Suli - Svirfneblin - Sylph Tengu - Tiefling - Undine - Vanara - Vishkanya - Wayang |
| Bestiaries: | Android - Astomoi - Caligni - Deep One Hybrid - Gathlain Gnoll - Kasatha - Munavri - Naiad - Orang-Pendak Reptoid - Rougarou - Shabti - Trox - Yaddithian |
| Adventure Paths: | Being of Ib - Kuru |
| Inner Sea Races: | Ghoran - Monkey Goblin - Lashunta - Skinwalker Syrinx - Triaxian - Wyrwood - Wyvaran |
| Ultimate Wilderness: | Vine Leshy |
| Blood of the Sea: | Adaro - Cecaelia - Grindylow - Locathah - Sahuagin - Triton |
| Planar Adventures: | Aphorite - Duskwalker - Ganzi |