Wild Shaman (5e Class)
The Shaman
Holding high a gnarled staff wreathed with holly, an elf summons the fury of the storm and calls down explosive bolts of lightning to smite the torch-carrying orcs who threaten her forest. Crouching out of sight on a high tree branch in the form of a leopard, a human peers out of the jungle at the strange construction of a temple of Evil Elemental Air, keeping a close eye on the cultists’ activities. Swinging a blade formed of pure fire, a half-elf charges into a mass of skeletal soldiers, sundering the unnatural magic that gives the foul creatures the mocking semblance of life. Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, Shamans are an embodiment of nature’s resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over nature. Instead, they see themselves as extensions of nature’s indomitable will.
- Power of nature
Shamans revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many Shamans pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient Shamanic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Shamans spells are oriented toward nature and animals, the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Shamans also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and some Shamans make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form.
- Preserve the Balance
For Shamans, nature exists in a precarious balance. The four elements that make up a world (air, earth, fire, and water) must remain in equilibrium. If one element were to gain power over the others, the world could be destroyed, drawn into one of the elemental planes and broken apart into its component elements. Thus, Shamans oppose cults of Elemental Evil and others who promote one element to the exclusion of others. Shamans are also concerned with the delicate ecological balance that sustains plant and animal life, and the need for civilized folk to live in harmony with nature, not in opposition to it. Shamans accept that which is cruel in nature, and they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and mind flayers) and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Shamans sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when the monsters encroach on the Shamans’ territory. Shamans are often found guarding sacred sites or watching over regions of unspoiled nature. But when a significant danger arises, threatening nature’s balance or the lands they protect, Shamans take on a more active role in combating the threat, as adventurers.
Creating a Shaman
When making a Shaman, consider why your character has such a close bond with nature. Perhaps your character lives in a society where the Old Faith still thrives, or was raised by a Shaman after being abandoned in the depths of a forest. Perhaps your character had a dramatic encounter with the spirits of nature, coming face to face with a giant eagle or dire wolf and surviving the experience. Maybe your character was born during an epic storm or a volcanic eruption, which was interpreted as a sign that becoming a Shaman was part of your character’s destiny. Have you always been an adventurer as part of your Shamanic calling, or did you first spend time as a caretaker of a sacred grove or spring? Perhaps your homeland was befouled by evil, and you took up an adventuring life in hopes of finding a new home or purpose.
- Quick Build
You can make a Shaman quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background (in PHB p134).
Class Features
As a Shaman you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Shaman level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Shaman level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, Shields
Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Darts, Javelins, Maces, Quarterstaffs, Scimitars, Sickles, Slings, Spears
Tools: Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a wooden shield or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a scimitar or (b) any simple melee weapon
- Leather armor, an explorer’s pack, and a druidic focus
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Wild Shape CR | Wild Shape limitations | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||||
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Druidic | — | - | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Wild Shape | 1/2 | No flying or swimming speed | 2 | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Super Healing | 1 | No flying or swimming speed | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | No flying or swimming speed | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | — | 1 | No flying speed | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Beast Roar | 2 | No flying speed | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Primal Strike | 2 | No flying speed | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | - | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Beast Roar Improvement | 3 | - | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Empowered Attack | 3 | - | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 3 | - | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | - | 4 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Beast Roar Improvement | 4 | - | 4 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Faithfull Summons | 4 | - | 4 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | Timeless Body | 5 | - | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | - | 4 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Empowered Attack Improvement | 5 | - | 4 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Beast Spells | 6 | - | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | - | 4 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Master Shaman | 7 | - | 4 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Spellcasting
Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. The Shaman spell list is the same as the Druid one. See PHB chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and PHB chapter 11 for the Druid spell list.
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the Shaman spell list. You learn additional Shaman cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Shaman table.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Shaman spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Shaman spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
- Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
- Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast a Shaman spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a druidic focus (found in PHB chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your Shaman spells.
Druidic
At 1st level, you know Druidic, the secret language of Druids and Shamans. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message’s presence with a successful DC 10 + your level Perception check, but can’t decipher it without magic.
Wild Shape
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short rest. The beasts you can transform into must respect the limitations imposed and must have a CR equal to or less than your max Wils Shape CR determined by your Shaman level, as shown in the Shaman table.
• You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your Shaman level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
• Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
• When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.
• You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
Super Healing
Starting at 3rd level, you have a number of Super Healing dices equal to your Shaman level, which you regain after a long rest. You can spend them to cast the following spells without expending spell slots.
| Super Healing Word |
|---|
| Casting Time : 1 bonus action |
| Range : 60 feet |
| Components : V |
| Duration : Instantaneous |
| Description : You can spend 1 Super dice to heal a creature of your choice that you can see within the range for 1d6 + Wisdom hit points. |
| At Higher Levels : You can add 1d6 per additional Super dice you spend, up to a maximum of half your Shaman level (rounded up). Exemple : a level 6 Shaman can heal for a maximum of 3d6+Wis hit points |
| Super Cure Wounds |
|---|
| Casting Time : 1 action |
| Range : Touch |
| Components : V S |
| Duration : Instantaneous |
| Description : You can spend 1 Super dice to heal a creature you touch for 1d12 + Wisdom hit points |
| At Higher Levels : You can add 1d12 per additional Super dice you spend, up to a maximum of half your Shaman level (rounded up). Exemple : a level 6 Shaman can heal for a maximum of 3d12+Wis hit points |
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Beast Roar
Starting at 6th level, when you're in Wild shape and a creature makes an attack roll within 30ft of you, you may use your reaction to roar and impose a disadvantage on their attack roll. You have 2 charges of this feature wich reset each time you enter a new Wild shape. This only work if the targeted creature has the same size or is smaller than the creature you're transformed into.
You gain an aditional use of this feature when you reach 9th and 13th level in this class.
Primal Strike
Starting at 7th level, your attacks in beast form count as magical attacks for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Empowered Attack
Starting at 10th level, you can use you bonus action to empower the next attack of an ally within 60 ft of you. They gain advantage on their next melee attack and if they hit, the attack does crit damage. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
You gain an aditional use of this feature when you reach 17th level in this class.
Faithfull Summons
Starting at 14th level, if you are reduced bellow 30 hit points, you can immediately gain the benefits of conjure animals as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot. It summons four beasts of your choice that are challenge rating 2 or lower. The conjured beasts appear within 20 feet of you. If they receive no commands from you, they protect you from harm and attack your foes. The spell lasts for 1 hour (requiring no concentration) or until you dismiss it as a bonus action. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Timeless Body
Starting at 15th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
Beast Spells
Beginning at 18th level, you can cast many of your Shaman spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a Shaman spell while in a beast shape, but you aren’t able to provide material components.
Master Shaman
At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times. Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your Shaman spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren’t consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your Wild Shape.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Shaman class, you must have a Wisdom of 13 or higher
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Shaman class, you gain the following proficiencies: Light armor, medium armor, shields.
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