Creating a Shaman

When creating an elemental shaman, consider how the elements affect your personality. Although elemental shaman have resonance with all four primary elements, some tend to outwardly display aspects of one over the others. Those leaning towards fire might be impatient, temperamental, or full of energy in everything they do. Water leaning shaman are adaptable, chaotic, and tend to go with the flow. Those who favor earth are typically lawful, stalwart, and stubborn. Shaman who favor air are aloof, distant, and typically the most neutral in arbitrations.

Think about your bond with your totems and how they represent the elemental planes from which you gain your power. Are they simply tools to you for channelling raw planar power, or are they sacred and worthy of reverence? Do they act as representations of a favored element or do you use them to keep a favored element in check?

Class Features

As a shaman, you gain the following class features.

Equipment

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

• (a) scale mail or (b) studded leather
• (a) a mace and shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• a druidic focus

PART 1 | CLASSES

Primordial

You know Primordial, the language of elementals. You can speak the language and use it to leave messages in rocks and pools of water that only you and other shamans spot. The messages are spoken as through a sending spell, with the limitations that comes of that spell.

Spellcasting

Drawing on the elements themselves, you can manifest them into casting spells. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 6 of this book for the shaman spell list.

Cantrips

You know two cantrips of your chocie 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.

Spell Slots

The Shaman table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the shaman spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Shaman table shows when you learn more shaman spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the shaman spells you know and replace it with another spell from the shaman spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your shaman spells, since your power comes from the elements and spirits. You use your Wisdom whenever a shaman 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 you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your shaman spells.

Totemist

You can harness elemental powers and bind them into totems. As an action, you summon forth a known totem in an empty square within 30 feet of you that you can see.

The totem has an AC of 14, and hit points equal to your Shaman level + your Wisdom modifier. It is considered an immobile object for determining damage and immunities.

In combat, it rolls its own initiative using your Initiative modifier, but you determine its actions, if any.

You can only have one totem summoned at a time. Once summoned, the totem lasts for 1 minute, or until it is destroyed or replaced.

You learn two Lesser Totems of your choice. Your totem options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the lesser totems you know and replace it with another lesser totem you could learn at that level.

Shamanic Attunement

Starting at 2nd level, you attune yourself to a practice of shamanism: Elemental, Enhancement, or Restoration, each detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 14th and 18th level.

Attunement Spells

Each attunement has a list of spells that you gain at the shaman levels noticed in the attunement description. Once you gain an attunement spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against your number of spells known.

If you have an attunement spell that doesn't appear on the shaman spell list, the spell is nonetheless a shaman spell for you.

Elemental Shield

Also at 2nd level, you learn to manifest the elements into shields to aid you in combat. You learn two such shields: Water Shield and a shield determined by your attunement.

Elemental Shield: Water

As an action, you manifest an orb of water that orbits around you. The orb has a number of charges equal to your Wisdom modifier, and lasts for 1 minute or until its charges have been spent.

When you roll a 1 or 2 on the damage or healing dice for an attack or spell, you can expend a charge to reroll those dice, you must use the new roll even if it is a 1 or 2.

PART 1 | CLASSES

Elemental Boon

At 3rd level, you align your powers in favor of one of the domains of the Elemental Plane, receiving a boon from its Elemental Lord. Choose one of the following options.

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.

Ghost Form

Upon reaching 5th level, you can use your action to trans-form into the ghostly visage of your spirit animal, an animal who embodies your character or that you carry a strong bond with. You can use this feature twice, You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

You can stay in this form for a number of hours equal to half your Shaman level before reverting to your normal form. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action, and revert automatically if you fall uncon-scious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

• Your base movement speed changes to 50 feet.
• You are considered unarmored and add your Wisdom modifier to your Armor Class.
• If you make an attack or cast a spell you immediately revert to your normal form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, how-ever, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell that you've already cast, such as call lightning.
• Your ability to speak or take any actions that require hands is limited to the capabilities of your ghost form.
• Your equipment merges into your ghost form and has no effect until you leave the shape again.

A deeper explanation of shamans and their spirits can be found in Appendix A at the end of this book.

Greater Totems

Starting at 10th level, you can use your Totemist feature to summon forth greater totems.

You learn two Greater Totems of your choice. Your totem options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the lesser totems you know and replace it with another lesser totem you could learn at that level.

You can summon a number of greater totems equal to your Wisdom modifier. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Far Sight

At 11th level, you learn to hone your vision through the element of air. As an action, you can manifest your sight on a point you can see within 1 mile of you, discerning even fine details as though looking at something no more than 100 feet away. The sight lasts for 10 minutes, or until you choose to end it.

You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Totem Mastery

Upon reaching 17th level, you have mastered the binding of totems. You are able to summon a totem as a bonus action, and the maximum range at which you can place a totem becomes 60 feet.

You can use your bonus action to move a summoned totem to an empty square within range that you can see.

Additionally, when you roll for initiative and have no uses of Greater Totems list, you regain one use.

Reincarnation

At 20th level, you no longer suffer any of the drawbacks of old age, and you can't be aged magically. If you die and your body was not destroyed, your spirit will linger around it for up to 24 hours. During this time, you can choose to return to your body and come back to life with 1 hit point.

Once used, you can't use this feature again for 7 days.

Shamanic Attunement

Shamans strive to deepen their understanding and connec-tion with the elements, often forming a bond with it for life. Some prefer a more brutal approach as they rein powers of fire and earth for physical combat, or the forces of fire and air to fight at range. Others in turn, prefer a more subtle approach of peace and meditation, bending water and air to their will. You attune with one of these groups.

PART 1 | CLASSES

Elemental

More than any other, Elemental shamans have dedicated themselves to forging a deep bond with the elements. This bond often favoring the element of fire, allowing them to wield their powers to great effect, manipulating the land itself. To battle an Elemental shaman is to taunt the very forces of nature.

Enhancement

For Enhancement shamans, their b ond with the elements is the means to an end for their martial prowess. Often keeping the element of air as their closest ally, channeling their powers through their weapons, they favor facing their adversaries up close with devastating force.

Ascendant of Air

At 18th level, you can use your action to draw upon your powers and ascend into a raw manifestation of elemental air. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain immunity to lightning damage.
• You ignore difficult terrain, and your movement speed can't be reduced.
• Your melee weapon attacks gain a reach of 30 feet.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

PART 1 | CLASSES

Healing Rain

5th-level transmutation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a vial of rain water)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon a cloud at a point within range, blanketing a 15-foot radius area around it in rain. Each friendly creature enters the rain for the first time on their turn, or starts their turn within the rain regains 2d6 hit points. The healing rain extinguishes nonmagical fires within its area of effect.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the healing increases by 1d6 for every two slot levels above 5th.

Invoke Elements

Transmutation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Up to 1 minute

You invoke a minor portion of the elements, within range. You create one of the following magical effects within range:

• You create a harmless sensory effect that predicts what the weather will be for the next 24 hours. This effect persists for 1 round.
• You light or put out a small flame.
• You cause flames to flicker, brighten, drim, or change color for 1 minute.
• You cause harmless tremors in the ground for 1 minute.
• You cool or heat up a small amount of liquid.

If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its 1-minute effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Lava Burst

2nd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You manifest molten stone and magma into a ferocious ball, and hurl it at a target within range. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 fire damage and 3d6 bludgeoning damage, or half as much on a successful one.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 fire and bludgeoning damage for each slot above 2nd.

Lesser Chain Lightning

3rd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 150 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a bit of fur; a piece of amber or glass; and three silver pins)
• Duration: Instantaneous

You create a bolt of lightning that arcs toward a target of your choice that you can see within range. Forming a chain from that target and through three other targets, each of which must be within 30 feet of the previous target.
A target can be a creature or an object. A target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 3d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the lightning can form a chain through one additional target for each slot level above 3rd.

Lightning Blast

Evocation cantrip

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: S
• Duration: Instantaneous

An arc of lightning blasts from your palms towards a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 lightning damage.

This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

PART 1 | CLASSES

Appendix A

Shamans bond with spirit animals and are granted their favor, making them able to assume the form of their spirit animal at will through the aid of the spirits of the wild. Whilst druids are able to take the complete shape of certain animals, shifting into various beasts, the strain upon a shamans ghost form lies much deeper within. As a result the shape they take appears as an incorporeal transparent shape in the material world.

Most shamans choose one spirit animal, and sticks with that spirit animal throughout their life. Orcs and trolls commonly go for a dire wolf, a shape well known to both, known for its ferocity and speed. Whilst a dwarf might choose a bear, a steadfast companion by many of the dwarven kin. Think about your spirit animal, why and if it fits your character, a shamans spirit animal is in many ways an extension of who they are, reflecting their personality. The only limitation given upon a spirit animal is that it cannot have a swim, or fly speed.

Shamans ghost form is limited, as so it has a specific set of statistics no matter which animal you choose, as shown in the Ghost Form class feature.

PART 1 | CLASSES