Biological Imperative

An animus is one who studies life and evolution, documenting nature and researching its change. To most animi, if one studies a creature's form, habits, and biological impulses, one can then tap into the shapechanging magic required to become that creature. An animus is a scientist first and foremost, a student of nature and researcher of animals and creatures of all kinds.

Call of the Wild

The impulse to study nature and fauna forces animi at some point to leave behind the dusty scrolls and forgotten tomes of those who have come before them, and add to the knowledge of the world. Animi seek to discover things about life that were previously unknown, using their power to study creatures well enough to walk among them, unnoticed. While animi constantly add to their notes and research, they mostly strive to uncover new discoveries, or disprove what was thought to be fact.

Animus

Quick Build

You can make an animus quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the sage background. Third, choose the following forms for your field journal: boar, cat, elk, giant wolf spider, panther, and rat.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d6 per animus level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 plus your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per animus level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons
• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
• Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion

Equipment

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

• (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a light crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack
• Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
• A field journal

Alternately, you can purchase your own starting equipment. At 1st level, an animus begins with 3d4 x 10 gp.

Animus

Field Journal

At 1st level, you have a field journal containing information on six beasts of your choice that have a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. Your journal is the repository of beast forms you know.

Preparing Animorphs

You prepare the list of creatures that are available for you to morph into. To do so, choose a number of creatures from your field journal equal to your Intelligence modifier + your animus level (minimum of one creature). The creatures must be of a challenge rating no higher than the challenge rating of beasts you can morph into, as shown in the Max CR column of the Animus table. You are also subject to the limitations as shown on the Animal Shapes table.

Learning Creatures of Higher CR

Each time you gain an animus level, you can add two creatures of your choice to your field journal. Each of these creatures must be of a challenge rating which you can transform into, as shown on the Animus table. On your adventures, you might find more creatures that you can add to your field journal (see the "Your Field Journal" sidebar).

Morphing

At 1st level, you can use a bonus action to assume the shape of a beast that you have prepared. The Animus table shows how many uses of Animorph you have. You regain all uses of this feature when you finish a short or long rest.

You can stay morphed for a number of hours equal to half your animus level (rounded down, minimum of 1 hour). 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.
• If any of the creature's traits or actions require a target to make a saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier if that is higher than the normal DC of the creature.
• 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.
• 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.
• Your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form.
• 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 GM 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.

Gaining Edges

At 2nd level, you gain two primal edges of your choice. Your primal edge options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain animus levels, you gain additional edges of your choice, as shown in the Edges Known column of the Animus table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the edges you know and replace it with another edge that you could learn at that level.

Edge Actions

Primal edges apply to your normal form, as well as when you morph. These edges may need to alter your form in some way. For example, if you choose the Horns of the Ram edge, you might grow large curled horns from your head.

You may wish to hide these features in certain situations. You can express or suppress any number of your edges as an action. While suppressed, you do not gain the benefit of a primal edge, and there is no outward manifestation of its existence on your person.

Edge Ability

Intelligence is your ability for primal edges. You use your Intelligence when setting the saving throw DC for an edge.

Edge Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Intelligence modifier

Research

As an animus, you have the ability to quickly learn things based on your observations. Beginning at 2nd level, you can spend time doing research about a specific subject you wish to know about. This research can be direct study of a creature or object, or indirect study such as pouring over tomes or scrolls related to the knowledge you seek. If you have information about a subject in your field journal, your journal can be used as a source for your research.

If you spend at least 1 hour researching the subject (which can be done over the course of a short or long rest), you have advantage on any Intelligence ability checks you make in regards to that subject for the next 24 hours.

The kinds of checks your research will apply to is subject to your DM's discretion. If your topic is suitably broad (for example, surviving in the jungle), you may have advantage to learn about the types of creatures that inhabit the jungle or particularly dangerous or poisonous plants there. On the other hand, if your research topic is more narrow (such as a specific culture), you might have advantage on the history of the people, local customs, and other cultural knowledge.

Discipline

At 3rd level, you begin to focus your studies on a particular branch of science. Choose Botany, Dragonology, Entomology, Monstrology, Oceanography, Oozology, or Zoology. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th levels.

 

Your Field Journal

The beasts you study and add to your field journal as you gain levels reflect the research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the the interconnectedness of life and evolution. You can spend time studying creatures in the wild to add to your journal, as well as copying accounts of beasts you've never seen before found in ancient tomes.

Copying a Form into the Journal. When you come across a creature you want to add to your journal, it is easiest to spend time studying it directly. You must be able to observe the creature for enough time to take detailed notes and observations about the beast's behavior. You can copy any creature into your field journal, not just those you can morph into.

The process takes 1 hour, and costs 10 gp per challenge rating of the creature (minimum 1 hour and 10 gp). The cost represents enough parchment and ink to record multiple drawings and sketches of the creature, as well as the fine inks you need to record it permanently. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the creature's form just like other forms you know (if it is of a suitable CR).

You can also record a creature's form into your journal so long as you have seen it for any amount of time within the last 24 hours, or not seen it directly (such as in a book illustrated by someone else). To record a creature in this way, the process takes 2 hours, and costs 50 gp per challenge rating of the creature (minimum 2 hours and 50 gp).

Replacing the Journal. You can copy a creature's form from your own journal into another book. This is just like copying a new creature into your journal without directly observing it.

If you lose your field journal, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the beasts that you have prepared into a new journal. Filling out the remainder of your field journal requires you to study new beasts as normal.

The Journal's Appearance. Your field journal is a unique compilation of drawings, observations, and margin notes. It might be a finely bound tome of creatures you discovered in a forgotten library and added to, or even just a loose collection of sheets of parchment barely held together with frayed strapping.

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.

Benign Transformation

Beginning at 5th level, you gain the ability to turn into small and unassuming creatures at will. You can undergo a transformation into a beast you have prepared of challenge rating 0 by taking 1 minute to concentrate, taking no actions. At the end of this minute, you become the creature. This ability acts as Animorph, except you do not expend a use of it.

Animus

Botany

Botanists study not only those living plants that grow across the world's surface, but also those plants which have taken on moving shapes. Plants which can think, plants which can make decisions, and plants which can act on their own.

Draconic Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity with dragons. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

Additionally, you can prepare and morph into dragons. As dragons are powerful magical creatures, it requires more of your focus and attention to realize these forms to their true potential. You must expend two uses of Animorph to assume the form of a dragon of up to CR 4, and three uses of Animorph to assume the form of a dragon of a higher CR than that (you are still subject to the Max CR column of the Animus table). The draconic forms you take do not have fly or swim speeds until you reach the appropriate level of the Animal Shapes table.

Magical Presence

Also at 3rd level, your senses are more focused, finding creatures which attempt to stay hidden from you. You gain blindsight to a range of 15 feet.

Chromatic Defenses

Beginning at 7th level, your skin takes on a colorful sheen in accordance with a dragon of your choice. Choose one damage immunity from a dragon which you currently have prepared for morphing. You gain resistance to that type of damage. This resistance persists until you choose to change it, which can be done when you prepare new morphs.

Legendary Reptile

Starting at 11th level, you channel the true power and awe of dragons. You can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. You regain your legendary actions at the start of your turn.

Detect. You can make a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Move. You can move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Attack (Costs 2 Actions). You can make a single attack.

Awe-Inspiring

Beginning at 15th level, you have the ability to channel true draconic power. You can expend three uses of Animorph at the same time to morph into a dragon of a maximum challenge rating equal to your animus level for 1 minute. You can't use any legendary actions or lair actions of your new form (although you do retain your Legendary Reptile actions).

Animus

Vermin Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity with insects, bugs, and arachnids. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

Additionally, you can morph into a swarm of insects (see below), a form which is always prepared for you.

Skittering

Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to move around other creatures without issue. You can move through any other creature's space, no matter its size. You can occupy the space of another creature if the other creature is at least one size larger than you to gain half cover.

Coccoon

Starting at 7th level, you can take 10 minutes to weave a coccoon, which completely covers your body. If you spend the entirity of a long rest within your cocoon, you recover all expended Hit Dice, and recover from any blindness, deafness, or poison affecting you.

Swarm Form

Beginning at 11th level, you can expend two uses of Animorph to make your swarm of insects form more potent than a normal swarm, raising the form's challenge rating to the maximum challenge rating of creatures you can morph into, according to the Insect Swarm table below. The damage given on the table below is the normal amount of damage the swarm deals. When the form has half of its hit points or fewer, it deals half the amount of damage given on the table.

Hive Mind

Starting at 15th level, you can spread your consciousness further among bugs and insects. When you use this feature, choose one insect, bug, or arachnid of CR 1 or lower. You can use Animorph to become a number of that creature equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

When you morph in this way, the beasts appear in your space and unoccupied spaces adjacent to you of your choice (if there isn't room, they share space with adjacent creatures). You control all of the creatures on your turn. While in your Hive Mind, the creatures must remain within 120 feet of one another (any creature which is separated by that distance disappears instantly). You can remain in this form for Animorph's normal duration, unless all creatures in your Hive Mind are reduced to 0 hit points. You do not revert to your base form until the last creature is reduced to 0 hit points.

Animus

Alien Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity with monstrosities. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

Additionally, you can prepare and morph into monstrosities. As monstrosities are strange magical creatures, it requires more of your power in order to transform into them. Your must expend two uses of Animorph to assume the form of a monstrosity of up to CR 4, and three uses of Animorph to assume the form of a monstrosity of a higher CR than that (you are still subject ot the Max CR column of the Animus table). The forms you take do not have fly or swim speeds until you reach the appropriate level of the Animal Shapes table. You do not gain the equipment or items of any creature you morph into. For example, if you morphed into a centaur, you would not gain access to the centaur's pike or longbow attack unless you already have those items.

Everchanging

Also at 3rd level, you can change your form almost at will. Any time you are morphed, you can take a bonus action to become any other creature you currently have prepared. If your new form has more hit points than your current one, your hit points remain at their current value. If your new form has fewer hit points than your current form, your hit points revert to the lower value.

Shifting Mind

Starting at 7th level, your mind becomes moving and strange to those creatures which would seek to control it. You cannot be charmed.

Mutation

By 11th level, you can mutate the forms of other creatures, granting them power. Once per day when you finish a short rest, choose a number of willing creatures which have spent the entire length of the rest within 30 feet of you equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1 other creature).

Choose two of your primal edges. Each creature affected by Mutation gains the benefits of both edges as though they were an animus of your level. These edges last for 8 hours, unless you choose to end them (no action required).

Moving Form

Beginning at 15th level, you can spend 1 hour focusing on your primal abilities, which can be done over the course of a short or long rest. At the end of this hour, you can change any or all of the primal edges you currently know into different edges. You must meet all qualifications for the edges you take.

Aquatic Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity with beasts which can breathe water or which have a swimming speed. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

You ignore the swimming speed limitation of the Animal Shapes table, but must abide by the other limitations there.

Water Acclimation

Also at 3rd level, you feel more at home in the water than on land. You gain the Waterborne primal edge (ignoring its prerequisite). This edge cannot be changed when you gain a level in this class.

In addition, you have advantage on Strength and Dexterity ability checks made while underwater.

Slumber of the Deep

Beginning at 7th level, if you spend the entirity of a long rest submerged underwater, you gain a Rested d10 die. You can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw you make. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use this die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Rested die is rolled, or if you finish a short or long rest, it is lost. You can only have one Rested die at a time.

Liquid Form

Starting at 11th level, you gain the ability to turn into a creature made entirely of water. You can expend an additional use of Animorph to become a water elemental creature in the shape of a creature you are morphing. While in your Liquid Form, the following rules apply:

• The creature's type is changed to elemental.
• You have vulnerability to lightning damage.
• You have resistance to acid damage.
• You have immunity to poison damage or being poisoned, as well as to being grappled, prone, or restrained.
• You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
• Your speed while underwater is doubled.

Master of Waves

Beginning at 15th level, you can become a magical being of the sea. You can expend three uses of Animorph at the same time to transform into a marid (p. 146 of the Monster Manual), a form which is always prepared for you.

Animus

Slimy Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity for oozes. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

Additionally, you can prepare and morph into oozes.

Ooze Form

Also at 3rd level, you have the ability to turn your animal morphs into oozes. When you morph into a beast, you can choose to become an ooze in the shape of that beast. While in your Ooze Form, the following rules apply:

• The creature's type is changed to ooze.
• You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
• You can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical metal in 1 round.
• While you remain motionless, you are indistinguishable from an inanimate object such as a statue or a rock, depending on your form.

Engulf

Starting at 7th level, you gain the ability to engulf creatures while you are an ooze. You can move up to your speed, and enter a creature's space that is of your size or smaller. Whenever you enter a creature's space, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to your edge save DC). On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of you. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw. On a failed save, you enter the creature's space, and the creature takes an amount of acid damage equal to your Wild Die and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can't breathe, is restrained, and takes acid damage equal to your Wild Die at the start of each of your turns. When you move, the engulfed creature moves with you. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a Strength saving throw. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of you.

Duplicate

Beginning at 11th level, you can expend an additional use of Animorph when you morph into an ooze to gain the Split ability (see below). You do not revert to your normal form until the final piece of ooze has been reduced to 0 hit points.

• Split. When you are Medium or larger and are subjected to lightning or slashing damage, you split into two new oozes if your form has at least 10 hit points. Each new ooze has hit points equal to half of the original ooze it split from, rounded down. New oozes are one size smaller than the original.

Ooze Morphology

Starting at 15th level, your practice in transforming into oozes starts to apply their strange and unique properties to your form at all times. You have resistance to acid damage. You are immune to being blinded, charmed, deafened, or frightened.

You also begin to secrete an ooze which allows you to stick to things. You gain a climb speed equal to your movement speed. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Ancient Research

Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this discipline, you gain an affinity for beasts. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to these creatures, you add your proficiency bonus to that check if you are not already proficient. If you are proficient, your proficiency bonus for any such ability check is doubled.

You can spend time observing fossils and other relics of beasts in order to copy those creatures into your field journal from their bones alone, as though you were directly studying a living creature.

Animal Assistant

Also at 3rd level, you can cast the find familiar spell, but only as a ritual. Your familiar can take the form of any creature you have prepared which is of challenge rating 1/2 or lower.

Natural Talents

At 7th level, you channel the power of ancient creatures. You gain proficiency in two skills from the following list: Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, and Survival.

Unlock Potential

Starting at 11th level, you gain two additional primal edges of your choice.

King of Beasts

Beginning at 15th level, you can expend two uses of Animorph at the same time to alter your form, becoming even more powerful. This raises the challenge rating of the creature you are morphing into by 2, which must still be of a challenge rating which you can morph into. While morphed in this way, you gain the following benefits:

• Strength. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and you add your proficiency bonus to the damage of all attacks you make.
• Damage Resistance. You have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• Condition Immunities. You can't be charmed or frightened. You also do not suffer from exhaustion.

No Prerequisites

5th Level

Waterborne

Prerequisite: 5th level
You can breathe both air and water, and gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed.

Animus

Ape's Strength

Prerequisite: 7th level
You have advantage on ability checks made to grapple or shove other creatures.

Chameleon

Prerequisite: 7th level
You have advantage on Stealth checks made to hide. If you remain motionless for 1 minute, you are invisible until you move.

Constrictor

Prerequisite: 7th level
When you successfully grapple a creature, the target is restrained until the grapple ends. You cannot constrict more than one target at once.

Elephant Stance

Prerequisite: 7th level
You can use your reaction whenever you would be pushed from your space or knocked prone to negate the effect, remaining in place.

Frog Slime

Prerequisite: 7th level
You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to resist becoming grappled or restrained.

Kestral Swiftness

Prerequisite: 7th level
Your speed increases by 10 feet. This applies to all forms of movement.

Earthborne

Prerequisite: 9th level
You gain a burrow speed equal to your movement speed. You can burrow through sand, earth, mud, or ice, but not through solid rock. You leave a hole with a 5-foot diameter in your wake, which increases by 5 feet for each size larger than Medium you are. If you are Small or smaller you do not leave a hole as you burrow.

Additionally, you gain tremorsense to a range of 20 feet.

Echolocation

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can take a bonus action to focus your senses. Until the beginning of your next turn, you have blindsight to a range of 60 feet. You cannot use this edge if you are deafened.

Spider Climb

Prerequisite: 9th level
You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Defensive Curl

Prerequisite: 12th level
When an attacker you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Wings of the Falcon

Prerequisite: 12th level
You gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed, and you can hover.

Wolf Pack

Prerequisite: 12th level
You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies are within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Blood Frenzy

Prerequisite: 15th level
You deal an additional Wild Die of damage on attacks to any creature which has fewer hit points than half its hit point maximum.

Furious Roar

Prerequisite: 7th level
You can take an action to target each creature of your choice that is within 60 feet of you and aware of you, letting loose a bestial howl. Targeted creatures must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to your Furious Roar for the next 24 hours.

Animus

Trinkets

The following table functions as an addition to the Trinkets table on page 160 of the Player's Handbook. You can roll for a trinket on the following table (or just choose your favorite) when you make your animus character.

Quirks

Roll on the following table or just choose your favorite(s) to add a bit of extra flavor to your animus character. This might be a trait that gives your animus just a bit more personality.

Multiclassing Prerequisites

Multiclassing Proficiencies

Animus