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Circle of the Chimera v0.5
Chimera Shape
The rites of your circle grant you the ability to transform into more dangerous combinations of animals, taking the best parts of each into your own.
Starting at 2nd level, you lose the ability to Wild Shape but instead have the ability to Chimera Shape. You gain a base form with a CR of 1(minimum 1, Beast or Monstrosity Creature type, no Swam Tag). You also get to choose two beast parts and add the abilities granted onto your base form, replacing it's parts with their better alternatives.
You get access to higher beast forms and two more combinations at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn more beast forms this way, you can also replace your old beast parts with others.
Base Form
Starting at 2nd level, you choose a base form for your Chimera Shape. You gain access to 1 more base forms at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. You may change on of your base forms upon gaining new ones.
Example Base forms shall be listed at the end of the subclass description
Multiple Forms, Multiple Parts
Each base form gets to have their own options for parts.
Beast Parts
Starting at 2nd level, you choose two beast parts to merge with your base form. You gain 2 more parts to merge with at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. You may also change your base parts whenever you have access to new ones.
Example Beast Parts shall be listed at the end of the subclass description.
Part Save DC
Some parts will have a saving throw attached to them, the saving throw is equal to your Druid Spell Save DC
Chimeric Savagery
Starting at 6th level, your attacks in chimera form count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage since you are considered a magical creature.
Symbiotic Head
At 10th level, you gain wings and an extra head to aid (or annoy) you in battle. You gain yet another head at 14th level.
In the case of multiple heads granting wings, you take the larger of the two flight speeds.
The extra heads available to you will be listed at the end of the subclass description.
Symbiotic Mastery
Starting at 14th level, you have mastered having more than one mind and are able reap the benefits for having your symbiotic companions. You gain the following benefits:
Multiple Heads. You have advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Reactive Heads. You gain 2 extra reactions that can be used only for opportunity attacks.
Wakeful. While you sleep, at least one of its heads is awake.
Base Forms
You are limited in the amount of base forms you may have, but there is more options than just these.
Work with your DM if there is a form you want, just rmember it's CR cannot exceed 1, nor can it be a Swarm. Creature Type can be Beast or Monstrosity
Beast Parts
There really isn't much to this, just keep in mind the power scale of the party.
A part should never give more than 1 extra ability to your chimera form.
And remember to work with your DM.
Second Level Parts
Giant Hyena
Rampage
When the you reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, you can take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make a bite attack.
Giant Octopus
Ink Cloud(Recharges after a Short or Long Rest)
A 20- foot-radius cloud of ink extends all around you if you are underwater. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute, although a significant current can disperse the ink. After releasing the ink, you can use the Dash action as a bonus action.
Giant Rocktopus
Camoflauge
You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Giant Spider
Spider Climb
You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Giant Spider
Web (Recharge 5-6)
Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC (Part Save) Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Giant Toad
Swallow
You make one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target you are grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside you, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of your turns. You can have only one target swallowed at a time. If you die, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Hunter Shark
Water Breathing
You can breathe air and water, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Manta Ray
Gliding
You have ray-like fins that you can use as wings to slow your fall or allow you to glide. When you fall and aren’t incapacitated, you can subtract up to 100 feet from the fall when calculating falling damage, and you can move up to 2 feet horizontally for every 1 foot you descend.
Seventh Level Parts
Giant Constrictor Snake
Constrict
Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC (Part Save)). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.
Ettercap
Web Garrote
Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or Small creature against which you have advantage on the attack roll. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC (Part Save)). Until this grapple ends, the target can’t breathe, and you have advantage on attack rolls against it.
Female Steeder
Extraordinary Leap
The distance of your long jumps is tripled; every foot of your walking speed that it spends on the jump allows it to move 3 feet.
Giant Crab
Carapace
Your skin in places is covered by a thick shell. You gain a +1 bonus to AC when you’re not wearing heavy armor.
Giant Snake
Acid Spit
As an action, you can spray acid from glands in your mouth, targeting three creatures or objects you can see within 30 feet of you. The target takes 2d10 acid damage unless it succeeds on a Dexterity saving throw against your Part Save DC. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 15th level (3d10) and 17th level (4d10).
Giant Tentacle
Grappling Appendages
You have two special appendages growing alongside your arms. Choose whether they’re both claws or tentacles. As an action, you can use one of them to try to grapple a creature. Each one is also a natural weapon, which you can use to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with it, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Immediately after hitting, you can try to grapple the target as a bonus action. These appendages can’t precisely manipulate anything and can’t wield weapons, magic items, or other specialized equipment.
Spider Ice Queen
Cold Aura
Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of you takes 5 (2d4) cold damage.
Young White Dragon
Ice Walk
You can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost it extra movement.
Tenth Level Parts
Banderhobb
Shadow Stealth
While in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
Crag Cat
Spell Turning
You have advantage on saving throws against any spell that targets only you (not an area). If your saving throw succeeds and the spell is of 7th level or lower, the spell has no effect on you and instead targets the caster.
Giant Lightning Eel
Lightning Jolt (Recharge 5-6)
One creature you touch within 5 feet outside water, or each creature within 15 feet of it in a body of water, must make a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw. On failed save, a target takes 13 (3d8) lightning damage. If the target takes any of this damage, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage and isn't stunned.
Gold Dragon Wyrmling
Weakening Breath
You exhale gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Strength saving throw or have disadvantage on Strength-based attack rolls, Strength checks, and Strength saving throws 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.
Hook Horror
Echolocation
You have blindsight up to 60ft. You can’t use it while deafened.
Hunter Shark
Blood Frenzy
You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that are half their maximum hitpoints.
Manticore
Tail Spike
Multiattack. You make three attacks with your tail spikes.
Tail Spike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Tail Spike Regrowth. You have twenty-four tail spikes. Used spikes regrow when you finish a long rest.
Silver Dragon Wyrmling
Paralyzing Breath
The dragon exhales paralyzing gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed 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.
Fifteenth Level Parts
Barlgura
Reckless
At the start of your turn, you can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls you make during that turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until the start of your next turn.
Chaos Quadruped
Chaos Cloud (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest)
The chaos quadrapod shoots forth a knot of roiling ethereal light that explodes at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Charisma saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Girallon
Aggressive
As a bonus action, you can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that you can see.
Gorgon
Petrifying Breath (Recharge 5-6)
You exhale petrifying gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained target must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends on the target. On a failure, the target is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
Phase Spider
Ethereal Jaunt
As a bonus action, you can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.
Young Brass Dragon
Sleep Breath
You exhale sleep gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 5 minutes. This effect ends for a creature if the creature takes damage or someone uses an action to wake it.
Young Copper Dragon
Slowing Breath
You exhale gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can't use reactions, its speed is halved, and it can't make more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the creature can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn, but not both. These effects last for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a successful save.
Young Remorhaz
Heated Body
A creature that touches the remorhaz or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Symbiotic Heads
You aren't limited to merely this list.
If there is something you want that doesn't appear on this list, work with your DM on making a new head for yourself.
Keep in mind that your Level 10 head should have a flight speed, and that any abilities that pertain to the head itself, such as senses, or abilities that would require it's head, such as innate spell casting, should carry over into the form.
Tenth Level Heads
Couatl
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate Spellcasting. The couatl head's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC (Part Save)). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components:
At will: detect evil and good, detect magic, detect thoughts
3/day each: bless, create food and water, cure wounds, lesser restoration, protection from poison, sanctuary, shield
1/day each: dream, greater restoration, scrying
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 40ft.
Dragon - Black/Copper
You gain the following characteristics:
Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon head exhales acid in a 5 by 30 ft. line. Each creature in that area must make a DC (Part Save) Dexterity saving throw, taking 31 (7d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 80ft.
Dragon - Blue/Bronze
You gain the following characteristics:
Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon head exhales lightning in a 5 by 30 ft. line. Each creature in that area must make a DC (Part Save) Dexterity saving throw, taking 31 (7d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 80ft.
Dragon - Red/Gold/Brass
You gain the following characteristics:
Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon head exhales fire in a 5 by 30 ft. line. Each creature in that area must make a DC (Part Save) Dexterity saving throw, taking 31 (7d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 80ft.
Dragon - Silver/White
You gain the following characteristics:
Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon head exhales ice in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC (Part Save) Dexterity saving throw, taking 31 (7d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 80ft.
Faerie Dragon
You gain the following characteristics:
Euphoria Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales a puff of euphoria gas at one creature within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw, or for 1 minute, the target can’t take reactions and must roll a d6 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behavior during the turn:
1–4. The target takes no action or bonus action and uses all of its movement to move in a random direction.
5–6. The target doesn’t move, and the only thing it can do on its turn is make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC (Part Save)). It can innately cast a number of spells, requiring no material components. As the dragon ages and changes color, it gains additional spells as shown below.
1/day: suggestion, major image, hallucinatory terrain, polymorph
With your newfound wings you gain a flying speed of 30ft.
Felidar
You gain the following characteristics:
Bonding. The felidar can magically bond with one creature it can see, right after spending at least 1 hour observing that creature while within 30 feet of it. The bond lasts until the felidar bonds with a different creature or until the bonded creature dies. This bond has the following effects: The felidar and the bonded creature can communicate telepathically with each other at a distance of up to 100 feet. The felidar can sense the direction and distance to the bonded creature if they're on the same plane of existence. As an action, the felidar or the bonded creature can sense what the other sees and hears, during which time it loses its own sight and hearing. This effect lasts until the start of its next turn.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of
Griffon
You gain the following characteristics:
Detect Invisibility. Within 60 feet of you, magical invisibility fails to conceal anything from your sight.
Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Poison Sense. You can detect whether a substance is poisonous by taste, touch, or smell.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 80ft.
Peryton
You gain the following characteristics:
Dive Attack. If the peryton is flying and dives at least 30 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 9 (2d8) damage to the target.
Keen Sight and Smell. The peryton has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.
Flyby. The peryton doesn't provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemies reach.
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 60ft.
Eblis
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate Spellcasting. The eblis's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC (Part Save)). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: blur, hypnotic pattern, minor illusion
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 40ft.
Hollyphant
You gain the following characteristics:
Aura of Invulnerability. An invisible aura forms a 10-foot-radius sphere around the hollyphant for as long as it lives. Any spell of 5th level or lower cast from outside the barrier can't affect creatures or objects within it, even if the spell is cast using a higher level spell slot. Such a spell can target creatures and objects within the barrier, but the spell has no effect on them. Similarly, the area within the barrier is excluded from the areas affected by such spells. The hollyphant can use an action to suppress this trait until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell).
With your newfound wings, you also gain a flying speed of 60ft.
Fourteenth Level Heads
Catoblepas
You gain the following characteristics:
Stench. Any creature other than a catoblepas that starts its turn within 10 feet of the catoblepas must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the creature's next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the stench of any catoblepas for 1 hour.
Death Ray (Recharge 5–6). The catoblepas targets a creature that it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target instead takes 64 necrotic damage. The target dies if reduced to 0 hit points by this ray.
Banderhobb
You gain the following characteristics:
Resonant Connection. If the banderhobb has even a tiny piece of a creature or an object in its possession, such as a lock of hair or a splinter of wood, it knows the most direct route to that creature or object if it is within 1 mile of the banderhobb.
Barlgura
You gain the following characteristics:
Innate Spellcasting. The barlgura’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC (Part Save)). The barlgura can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: entangle, phantasmal force
2/day each: disguise self, invisibility (self only)
Basilisk
You gain the following characteristics:
Petrifying Gaze. If a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the basilisk and the two of them can see each other, the basilisk can force the creature to make a DC (Part Save) Constitution saving throw if the basilisk isn't incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature magically begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
A creature that isn't surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can't see the basilisk until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again.
If it looks at the basilisk in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. If the basilisk sees its reflection within 30 feet of it in bright light, it mistakes itself for a rival and targets itself with its gaze.
Bulette
You gain the following characteristics:
Standing Leap. The bulette's long jump is up to 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Deadly Leap. If the bulette jumps at least 15 feet as part of its movement, it can then use this action to land on its feet in a space that contains one or more other creatures. Each of those creatures must succeed on a DC (Part Save) Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target's choice) or be knocked prone and take 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage. On a successful save, the creature takes only half the damage, isn't knocked prone, and is pushed 5 feet out of the bulette's space into an unoccupied space of the creature's choice. If no unoccupied space is within range, the creature instead falls prone in the bulette's space.
Displacer Beast
You gain the following characteristics:
Avoidance. If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Displacement. The displacer beast projects a magical illusion that makes it appear to be standing near its actual location, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the displacer beast is incapacitated or has a speed of 0.
Giant Subterranean Lizard
You gain the following characteristics:
Swallow. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature the lizard is grappling. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage. The target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the lizard, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the lizard's turns. The lizard can have only one target swallowed at a time.
If you die, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Umber Hulk
You gain the following characteristics:
Confusing Gaze. When a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the umber hulk and is able to see the umber hulk’s eyes, the umber hulk can magically force it to make a DC (Part Save) Charisma saving throw, unless the umber hulk is incapacitated.
On a failed saving throw, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during that turn. On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no action but uses all its movement to move in a random direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes one melee attack against a random creature, or it does nothing if no creature is within reach.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the umber hulk until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the umber hulk in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Credits
- This Idea is given to you by me, Scorpio, the original creator of this thing~
- Editing of abilities are Accredited to YuriFanatic on discord.
- Formatting is thanks to gmbinder.com
- This content was made under Wizards of the Coast's Fan make license thingy.
- All images presented here in this document belong to their rightful owners.
- Staining was done courtesy of Full Page Watercolor Stains found here on gmbinder.
- I would also like to thank the Tome of Heroes community for the help they provided with this subclass, and to the people of MFD9k's server for their help as well.
Optional Feats
Under your DM's discretion, whenever you gain a feat, you can take one of these, should they allow it.
Extra Beast Parts
Requirement: Chimera Shape feature
This feat can be taken multiple times
Whenever you take this feat, you gain 1 extra beast part of which you match the level to gain.
Extra Head
Requirement: Symbiotic Head Feature
This feat can be taken multiple times
Whenever you take this feat, you gain 1 extra Symbiotic Head of which you match the level to gain.