Path of the Skinwalker
Some barbarian tribes worship certain animals as their spirit guides and totems, channeling their innate powers to invoke the traits of beasts that they honor. Among them, there are a rare few that can call upon these powers in ways deemed unimaginable by many and disturbing by more than few. Such individuals are highly esteemed by their tribes and rightly feared by their enemies. Skinwalkers, as they are often called, are mostly shamans or descendants of long forgotten lineages that mixed blood between a humanoid and a creature with the shapeshifter subtype. While they do not posses the understanding of beast and nature a druid may have, their transformations are of a more primal origin - a result of intense worship or an inborn ability. The forms they take are often slightly unnatural and almost always a gruesome sight to behold. As such, skinwalkers are rare in civilized societies, both because of the status they enjoy in their tribes and the tendency of the common folk to hunt them down, often mistaking them for lycanthropes. Those that do decide to venture into the open world use their powers to adapt and blend in, holding onto their more wretched forms until absolutely necessary.
Skinwalking
Realigning your body in gruesome ways, you transform your visage in a supernatural manner.
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level you gain the ability to cast the alter self spell, without providing any components and requiring no Concentration to maintain. Once you do so, you must finish a long rest to regain the use of this ability.
Warshaper
Claws protruding from your fingertips, sharp spines sprouting from your arms or fearsome horns growing from your forehead, you display a cunning ability to turn your body into a living weapon.
Starting at 3rd level, while raging, you may choose gain the following additional benefits:
- You grow natural weapons that deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage; as appropriate to the natural weapon you choose to form.
- When you hit with a natural weapon on your turn, you can immediately make another attack using your natural weapons as a bonus action.
- Your natural weapons deal 1d4 damage, which increases to a 1d6 at the time you reach 6th level, then to 1d8 when you reach 10th level, and to 1d10 when you reach the 14th level in this subclass.
Master of Many Forms
As you spend more time shifting between forms and manipulating your physiology, you gain a more subtle understanding of the changes your body is undergoing and the primal magic that lies behind these effects.
Beginning at 6th level, while raging, your natural weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Additionally, your Skinwalking class feature is restored after each short or long rest and its duration is increased for a number of hours equal to your Constitution modifier.
Unnatural Anatomy
Stretching sinew beyond its normal capacity and dislocating your joints without a second thought, you catch your enemy by surprise, him being unaware of your abilities.
Starting at 10th level, your reach increases by 5 feet and you have advantage on all saves and ability checks made to avoid being grappled or restrained.
Furthermore, you may add your Constitution modifier as a bonus on any Charisma (Intimidation) checks you make.
Evershifting Form
Your body and mind are ever changing, no tissue remaining in its natural place more than needed. Once fatal wounds close with supernatural speed as your organs shift and rearrange in an instant.
Starting at 14th level, you gain the Shapechanger subtype and you have the following qualities while raging:
- When a critical hit is scored against you, you may use your reaction and spend a Hit Die to turn it into a normal hit instead.
- You have advantage on all saves against any spell or effect that would render you poisoned, paralyzed or stunned.
- You are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form against your will.
Artwork Credits
Kudos to Ilse Gort and Nomax:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YZNNq