D&D4 Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Hengeyokai
404 hengeyokai
This illustration of a hybrid form badger hengeyokai by Tyler Jacobson introduced the race in Dragon #404.
Abilities +2 Dexterity
and either
+2 Wisdom or
+2 Charisma
Skills +2 Bluff and
another skill, see "Animal Form"
Size Medium
Speed 7
Vision low-light
Languages Common + 1
Traits Animal Form
Elusive
Fey Origin
Beast Nature
Shapechanger
Language of Beasts
Nature's Mask
Avg. height 4'10"–5'6"
147–168 cm
Avg. weight 100–140 lbs.
45–64 kg

Hengeyokai is a character race in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons.[Dr404:51]

Hengeyokai are shapeshifters native to Kara-Tur.

Racial traits[]

As a player character race, hengeyokai receive the following racial traits.

Animal Form
Hengeyokai have one of the following animal forms. The choice of form determines a hengeyokai's second skill bonus.
Elusive
Hengeyokai receive a +1 racial bonus to Reflex defense.
Fey Origin
Hengeyokai are considered fey creatures for the purpose of effects relating to creature origin.
Beast Nature
Hengeyokai are considered both magical beasts and humanoids for the purpose of effects relating to creature type.
Shapechanger
Hengeyokai have the shapechanger subtype.
Language of Beasts
Hengeyokai in animal or hybrid form can communicate simple commands and concepts to natural beasts and fey beasts with the same form or a closely related form, for example, dogs to wolves. Beasts will not necessarily obey hengeyokai or even be friendly, however. Hengeyokai in human form cannot communicate with such beasts but can understand them.
Nature's Mask
Hengeyokai have the racial at-will power nature's mask. Nature's mask allows hengeyokai to change between human, animal, and hybrid forms.

Development[]

Hengeyokai first appeared as a Dungeons & Dragons race in the 1985 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons version of Oriental Adventures, and appeared again in the 3rd edition Oriental Adventures. Hengeyokai are presumably based on yōkai, a group of Japanese folkloric creatures, and in particular, on the group of shapeshifting animal yōkai known as henge, which includes the inugami, kitsune, and tanuki.

4th edition rules for hengeyokai first appeared in "The Ecology of the Hengeyokai" by Tim Eagon in Dragon #404.[Dr404:51]

Advertisement