Diverse Ear Shape

One or both of your ears has a shape that’s unusual for your ancestry. Choose or use the following table to determine the unusual shape and effects. This is a permanent condition.

• Miniature or Missing. You have either no outer ear or a vestigial or embedded ear that causes Hearing Loss. This gives −(IE) on hearing-related Wisdom (Perception) checks but +(IE) on saving throws related to attacks that use sound (e.g., banshee wail). (Note: Thunder Damage is vibration, not sound, so this does not grant benefits against Thunder Damage.)
• Dangling earlobes. Your earlobes hang down (IE × 10) percent of your height. Any attempt to surgically sever them results in a loss of 1 hp per ear and the earlobes growing back (IE) percent per week to full length. They must be secured during combat or cause −(IE) on all melee attack rolls due to swinging around your face.
• Aquatic. Your fin-shaped ears are adapted to hearing underwater, giving you disadvantage on all hearing-related checks above water but advantage on all hearing-related checks when underwater.
• Musoid. Your ears are large and round like those of a mouse but horizontal to your nose and pointing forward. This gives you advantage on hearing-related checks if the source is in front of you but disadvantage on hearing-related checks in any other direction. You also can’t wear hats or helmets that cover the ears.
• Fennec. Your ears are large and pointed like a fennec fox, but point forward. This gives you advantage on hearing-related checks if the source is in front of you but disadvantage on hearing-related checks in any other direction. You also can’t wear hats or helmets that cover the ears.
• Forked. Your ears come to (IE + 1) points, like a saw blade. This makes them sensitive to vibration, giving +(IE) on Wisdom (Perception) checks to sense movement but giving a −(IE) penalty on saving throws against Thunder Damage.

Real-world Examples

Protruding Ears, Constricted Ears, Cryptotia, Microtia, Antonia, Cauliflower Ear, Goldenhar Syndrome

Assistive Options

An external apparatus may be worn over the ear to focus sound for Miniature or Missing ears to assist with ear shape, but these tend to be cosmetically noticeable and cannot be worn while sleeping. They can reduce the Hearing Loss penalty by 1 IE while worn. You can benefit from learning a sign language, which can be exchanged for any language or proficiency.