Shaman (Class)

## Learning Magic as a Shaman

Shaman do not learn spells, but instead prepare them. You prepare the list of Shaman spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Shaman spell list. Spells marked with **[C]** may only be chosen by the Channeler Subclass; those marked with **[D]** may only be chosen by the Dreamweaver Subclass. When you do so, choose a number of Shaman spells less than or equal to your Wisdom modifier + your Shaman level (minimum of one spell). These spells can be of any level you choose.

### Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Shaman spells, as your magic draws upon your experience with spirits and the natural world. 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.

### Spellcasting Focus

As a Shaman, you utilize a Shamanistic Ward as an Arcane Focus. This means without your ward, you cannot cast any magic. If something happens to your ward, you can make or buy a new one. (See Below.)

## Class Features

As a Shaman, you gain the following class features:

### Hit Points

**Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Shaman level

**Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier

**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 8) + your Constitution modifier per Shaman level after 1st

### Proficiencies

**Armor :** Light Armor, Shields

**Weapons:** Light Crossbows, Maces, Sickles, Flails, Morningstars, Blowguns

**Tools:** Alchemist's Supplies

**Saving Throws:** Constitution, Wisdom

**Skills:** Choose two skills from Arcana, Nature, Religion, Medicine, Survival, Performance

### Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) Padded Armor and Alchemist Supplies or (b) Leather Armor

• (a) a Shamanistic Ward

• (a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

## Shamanistic Ward

Shamans use a unique item called a Shamanistic Ward. You choose what your Shaman's Ward is made of, as well as it's size, shape, and any other visual (and audible) details. You must have the Ward equipped in place of a shield in order to cast a spell. If your Ward is lost or damaged beyond repair, you may construct a new one, so long as you have an adequate amount of one of these materials: Wood, Hide (requires a frame made of one of the other materials in this list), stone, any metal, chitin, shell, or bamboo. If you wish to use a different material, your DM may allow you to at his or her discretion. You also must succeed a DC 15 Arcana check in order to turn the Ward into an arcane focus. If you cannot meet these requirements, you must visit a Shaman who meets these requirements to make, repair, or enchant a ward for you. When you have your Ward equipped as a shield, it gives you +2 AC.

## Axiom

At 1st Level, you must choose whether your Shaman is of the *Channeler Axiom* or the *Dreamweaver Axiom.* Your choice determines various spells, features, and traits regarding your character. These details are specified at the end of this class page.

## Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 3rd level, and again at 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th, and 17th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. You can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature

## Ritualistic

Your Shamanistic Ward serves as a tool for rituals. Starting at 4th Level, when you attempt to cast a *ritual* spell, you may sit down and lay your Ward across your lap, tapping it for 1 minute. If you do, this ritual spell does not require any *Verbal, Somatic, Material,* or *Exposure Cost* to be cast. You may only cast each ritual spell in this way once before you must finish a trance to do so again.

Starting at 10th level, this ability can also be used to remove the *Material* cost from non-ritual spells. This does not change the *Verbal, Somatic,* or *Exposure Cost* requirements of non-ritual spells. You may only cast each spell in this way once before you must finish a trance to do so again.

## Vivid Attunement

Your body, mind, and soul have become extensively familiar with serving as a conduit for your Axiom. You take advantage on all rolls regarding spells that you cast which are unique to your Axiom.

## Enhanced Ward

Your Ward is more powerfully attuned with your Axiom, and this shows when you are defending with it. Starting at 12th Level, whenever you complete a trance, you may choose one damage type. When you have your Ward equipped as a shield, you resist all forms of this damage. This damage type may be changed again whenever you complete a trance. In addition, when you equip your Ward as a shield, your AC is increased by 4 instead of 2.

## Ultimate Crest

Starting at 19th Level, when you have your Ward equipped as a shield, you may use your action to increase your AC by 6 instead of 4 while the ward is equipped. This effect is active for the next 3 rounds. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest.

## Channeler Axiom

Shamans who are part of the Channeler Axiom draw their magickal connections from the Natural World and it's Elements. The Channelers are more than capable of various methods of communing with animals and elementals. They are also capable of assuming an animal's form, for combat reasons or otherwise.

### Telluric Trance

Starting at 2nd Level, you no longer need to sleep. Instead, you may use the *Telluric Trance* ability. When you use the Telluric Trance ability, you meditate deeply, communing with the forces of the natural world for 4 hours a day. While in this trance, Shamans sit with their legs crossed, lay their Ward across their lap, and lightly pat on the Ward. This drumming serves as a mental and spiritual exercise, and must be audible to the Shaman in order for the Telluric Trance ability to affect you in any way. After meditating in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. Using Telluric Trance is considered a long rest, and allows you to prepare new spells. If you are a race with the Trance ability, this ability replaces it.

### Druidic Morphing

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 or long rest. Your Shaman level determines the maximum challenge rating of the beasts you can transform into. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn’t have a flying or swimming speed. Listed are the creatures you can use this ability to transform into, by shaman level:

* **2nd Level:** Maximum CR ¼, no flying or swimming speed
* **5th Level:** Maximum CR ½, no flying speed
* **7th Level:** Maximum CR 1
* **9th Level:** Maximum CR 2, no flying speed
* **11th Level:** Maximum CR 2
* **14th Level:** Maximum CR 3
* **16th Level:** Maximum CR 4
* **18th Level:** Maximum CR 5
* **20th Level:** Maximum CR 6

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.

**While you are transformed, the following rules apply:**

• 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.

• You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

• You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

### Elemental Senses

Starting at 3rd Level, your senses have become more sensitive to the forces of nature. If a creature is vulnerable, resistant, or immune to Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water, this information is revealed to you when you see them.

### Vessel of the Elements

Starting at 5th Level, when in a Telluric Trance, you may commune with the natural elements, and choose one. (Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water). When you roll initiative, you may choose to have an elemental corresponding to the element you chose emerge from your Ward, at no cost of Exposure. The elemental disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when one hour passes. The elemental is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the elemental, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the elemental, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions. You can spend an action to dismiss the elemental. This elemental cannot be summoned in this way again until you complete a long rest, where you can also choose to change your selection.

### Ritual Morphing

Starting at 7th Level, you may use your *Druidic Morphing* ability by trancing for the duration of a short rest. If you morph in this way, you do not expend a use of your Druidic Morphing ability. In addition, you may cast the *Alter Self* spell at will.

### Rain Dance

Starting at Level 9, you may use your action to perform a ritualistic dance which alters the weather and wind within a 5 mile radius. This ritual takes about 10 minutes to complete, after which the changes occur instantly. When you change the weather conditions, find a current condition on the following tables and change its stage by one, up or down. When changing the wind, you can change its direction.

**Precipitation**

* Clear
* Light Clouds
* Overcast or Ground Fog
* Rain, Hail, or Snow
* Torrential Rain, Driving Hail, or Blizzard

**Temperature**

* Unbearable Heat
* Hot
* Warm
* Cool
* Cold
* Arctic Cold

**Wind**

* Calm
* Moderate Wind
* Strong Wind
* Gale
* Wind Storm

In order to move one of these tables further than one position, you may continue the dance for another 10 minutes. This can be repeated as desired.

### Beast Magic

Starting at 11th level, you can cast many of your Shaman spells while in your animal form. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a shaman spell while in beast form, but you aren’t able to provide material components.

### Planetary Wrath

Starting at 14th Level, when casting a shaman spell which deals damage to multiple targets, the damage dealt is increased by 1d4 per creature you are targeting. In addition, if you have an elemental active, and you cast a spell which corresponds with their element, you may direct them to cast the same spell during your action. You have full control over the elemental's choices while it is casting this spell.

### We Are of The Same

Starting at 16th Level, you may use your action to ward off Elemental or Fey creatures. When you use this ability, all Elemental or Fey creatures within 150ft. of you must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. If a creature fails this save, you may choose to Frighten or Charm them. You must complete a long rest to use this ability again. In addition, if you target an Elemental creature with a shaman spell to deal damage and this damage kills it, you may immediately conjure an Elemental of the same kind. You may only use this ability once before needing to take a long rest to use it again.

### Master of The Natural World

Starting at 18th Level, you resist all damage from Elemental and Fey creatures and cannot be charmed or frightened by them. In addition, you resist Cold, Fire, and Lightning damage, and you are immune to all forms of poison and disease. You also age more slowly, with every 10 years that pass only aging your body by a single year.

### Archdruid

At 20th level, you can use your Druidic Morphing feature an unlimited number of times.

## Dreamweaver Axiom

Shamans who are part of the Dreamweaver Axiom draw their magickal connections from the Spiritual Plane - that which is found in all Strata. The Dreamweavers are more than capable of various methods of healing, to the extent of being able to raise the dead and conjure spirits from other planes to aid them, either in combat or other means.

### Spirit Trance

Starting at 2nd Level, you no longer need to sleep. Instead, you may use the *Spirit Trance* ability. When you use the Spirit Trance ability, you meditate deeply, communing with either spirits or the deity you worship for 4 hours a day. While in this trance, Shamans sit with their legs crossed, lay their Ward across their lap, and lightly pat on the Ward. This drumming serves as a mental and spiritual exercise, and must be audible to the Shaman in order for the Spirit Trance ability to affect you in any way. After meditating in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. Using Spirit Trance is considered a long rest, and allows you to prepare new spells. If you are a race with the Trance ability, this ability replaces it.

### Aspect of The Dead

Starting at 2nd level, when your hit points reach 0, you may assume the shape of your familiar. If you have never summoned a familiar, this ability *cannot* be used. If you use this ability, you awaken, and your hit points become equal to that of your familiar. You can use this feature once. You regain this expended use when you finish a Spirit Trance. You stay in this spiritual form for an allotted time, or until your hit points reach 0, after which you return to your normal form, unconscious. When you revert to your normal from from this Spirit Form, your familiar must be re-summoned through the *Find Familiar* Spell.

You can stay in a spirit form for a number of hours equal to half your shaman level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form. 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.

**While you are transformed, the following rules apply:**

• Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the familiar, 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 familiar. If the familiar has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the familiar’s bonus instead of yours. If the familiar has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.

• When you transform, you assume the familiar's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, your hit points are restored by 1d4 + your shaman level. If this number would be more than your maximum hit points, your hit points are fully restored. 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 spirit form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t kill you, you are just knocked unconscious for 1 hour, and you have 0 hit points until awakening. When you awaken, your hit points will be fully restored.

• 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.

• You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

• You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, or merges into your new form. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

### Spirit Sense

Starting at 3rd Level, your senses have become more sensitive to the Ethereal plane. You can see 60 ft into the Ethereal Plane while in the Material Plane and vice versa.

### Ethereal Vessel

Starting at 5th Level, when in a Spirit Trance, you may commune with the spirit of a creature you've seen before. When you roll initiative, you may choose to have a spirit of the animal you chose emerge from your Ward, at no cost of Exposure. The Spirit disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when one hour passes. The spirit is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the spirit, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the spirit, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions. You can spend an action to dismiss the spirit. This spirit cannot be summoned in this way again until you complete a long rest, where you can also choose to change your selection. The list of spirits from which you may choose is dependent on your Shaman level, as listed below:

* **5th Level:** Maximum CR ½
* **7th Level:** Maximum CR 1
* **9th Level:** Maximum CR 2
* **11th Level:** Maximum CR 2
* **14th Level:** Maximum CR 3
* **16th Level:** Maximum CR 4
* **18th Level:** Maximum CR 5
* **20th Level:** Maximum CR 6

### Ritual Shifting

Starting at 7th Level, you may enter the Ethereal Plane of the stratum you are in by trancing for the duration of a short rest. If you enter the Ethereal Plane this way, your *Aspect of The Dead* ability's uses are not affected. You can freely reenter the Material Plane by using your action at any point. When in the Ethereal Plane, your movement speed is doubled, and you gain advantage on any rolls regarding an attack you make or spell you cast. This applies to you while in the Ethereal Plane and in spirit form as well. While in the Ethereal Plane, you may freely assume and exit the form of your familiar at your will. While in the Ethereal Plane, you may make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If you succeed, you may pull a creature from the Material Plane within 15ft of you into the Ethereal Plane at their current position. When you are knocked unconscious, or your hit points reach 0, you enter the Material Plane at your current position. If there is no open space in your current position, then you are placed at the nearest open space. You also are forced to enter the Material Plane in your current position after 6 hours have passed. In this case, you would not be unconscious after returning to the Material Plane.

### Sanctuary Extension

Starting at 9th Level, when casting a spell that heals one or more creatures from a distance, you may also calculate a spell's range from the position of your familiar. For example, if you cast a healing spell with a 30ft. range, you may target any creatures within 30ft. of yourself *and* within 30ft. of your familiar.

### Spiritual Magic

Starting at 11th level, you can cast many of your Shaman spells while in the form of your familiar. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a shaman spell while in spirit form, but you aren’t able to provide material components.

### Enlightened Healing

Starting at 14th Level, when casting a shaman spell which heals creatures, the amount of hit points healed is increased by 1d4 per target being healed. In addition, you may target creatures with a healing spell in order to deal radiant damage equal to the amount which would be healed. Each time you cast a healing spell, you may only choose to heal targets or deal radiant damage to targets, never both with one cast. When damaging a target with a healing spell, the damage is increased by 1d4 per target being damaged.

### Turn Undead

Starting at 16th Level, you may use your action to ward off undead creatures. When you use this ability, all undead creatures within 150ft. of you must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. If a creature fails this save, you may choose to Frighten or Charm them. You must complete a long rest to use this ability again. In addition, if you target an undead creature with a healing spell to deal radiant damage and this damage kills it, you may immediately revive it as your own undead. You must be in the same Plane as the undead to use this ability. You may only use this ability once before needing to take a long rest to use it again.

### Transcendent Magick

Starting at 18th Level, when you cast a healing spell (either to heal or deal radiant damage) and in the Ethereal Plane, you may target any creatures you can see within the Material Plane. In addition, you may target any creatures you see within the Ethereal Plane while within the Material Plane.

### Dreamstep

Starting at 20th Level, you may use your action to instantaneously switch between the Material and Ethereal plane at will. There is no limit to how many times you may use this ability.