Prestige Class: Dovahkiin
Legend tells of a rare individual born with the ability consume the souls of slain dragons, and use their absorbed knowledge to speak Words of Power. These individuals are known as Dovahkiin, also sometimes called Dragonborn (not to be confused with the race) because it is believed that they are in fact dragon souls trapped within mortal bodies. Dovahkiin are incredibly rare, so much so that it is believed only one may exist in the world at any given time. The Words of Power, or Shouts, are evoked in an ancient magic known as the Thu’um. For most, mastery of the Thu’um requires decades of study and training, however the Dovahkiin have the innate ability to rapidly learn Shouts and speak them with fluency.
Prerequisites
- Complete a special task. To discover your innate ability, you must slay a dragon and absorb its soul. This will unlock your Thu’um, which must then be tempered and focused. You must seek a teacher who has mastered the Voice, such as an order of Greybeards, who may ask you to complete dangerous quests in return for training.
- Character level 5th. The ability to make effective use of the Thu’um is only awakened in powerful and experienced heroes. You must be a 5th-level character before you can gain levels in the Dovahkiin prestige class.
- Charisma 13. Shouting evokes the force of your legendary draconic command and presence.
- Constitution 13. A dragon’s soul residing in a mortal body is evident by a strong vital essence.
- Proficiency in the Arcana or History skill. Studying the Thu’um involves understanding of ancient arcane language and lore.
The Dovahkiin
| Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 1 | Draconic Soul, Way of the Voice, Thu'um Essence |
| 2 | Ancient Regeneration |
| 3 | Way of the Voice improvement |
| 4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5 | Way of the Voice improvement |
Class Features
As a Dovahkiin, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Dovahkiin level
Hit Points per Level: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Dovahkiin level
Proficiencies
Saving Throws: None
Skills: None
Equipment
The Dovahkiin prestige class does not grant any special equipment.
Abilities
Draconic Soul
At 1st level, you can speak, read, and write Draconic. Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to that check.
Way of the Voice
At 1st level, you unlock Shouts evoked in Words of Power. Choose the first word of 3 Shouts to unlock. At 3rd level, you can choose another Shout to unlock, and you gain the second Word of Power to each Shout you have unlocked. At 5th level, you can choose another Shout to unlock, and you gain the third Word of Power to each Shout you have unlocked. At any time, by killing a dragon (or being one of a party that slays one) that is not a wyrmling and meditating by its corpse for at least 1 minute, you can absorb its soul, unlocking a Shout of your choice.
The words of a Shout are spoken in succession, however a Shout only takes the effect of the final word. Unless stated otherwise, extra material that appears in the first word also appears in the others. The first and second words of a Shout are bonus actions to use, but a full Shout is an action. You can only use one Shout per turn, and the effects of only one Shout may be active at a time. All Shouts require a verbal component, but are not spells. Features that affect magical effects, such as an antimagic field, still affect Shouts, but features that specifically affect spells do not. The save DC for your Shouts is 10 + your Dovahkiin level + your Charisma modifier.
Thu’um Essence
The ability to use the ancient magic of Shouting is draining, and only those with the vital essence of a dragon can Shout continually. You have a number of essence points equal to (6 + your Constitution modifier) times your Dovahkiin level. Each Word of Power consumes a number of these points when used and you must have enough points of a given Word of Power to use it. For example: In Mid (Loyal) [4] | [4] is the essence point cost.
Essence points don’t stack; you only spend the cost of the final word you use in a Shout. You regain all essence points after a long rest.
Ancient Regeneration
At 2nd level, you can call upon the power of your draconic soul to heal you in body and mind. During a short rest you can gain extra Hit Dice equal to your Dovahkiin level. These bonus dice can also be used to regain essence points rather than hit points. Any bonus dice not used during the short rest are lost. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th 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.
Words of Power:
Battle Fury
Your Thu’um enchants nearby allies’ weapons, allowing them to attack more effectively.
- Mid (Loyal) [4] – Up to 4 friendly creatures within 15 feet of you add your Charisma modifier to all attack rolls for the next minute, as long as they stay within 15 feet of you.
- Vur (Valor) [6] – Up to 5 friendly creatures within 20 feet of you add your Charisma modifier to all attack rolls for the next minute, as long as they stay within 20 feet of you.
- Shaan (Inspire) [8] – Up to 6 friendly creatures within 30 feet of you add your Charisma modifier to all attack rolls for the next minute, as long as they stay within 30 feet of you.
Become Ethereal
The Thu’um reaches out to the Ethereal Plane, changing your form to one that cannot harm, nor be harmed.
- Feim (Fade) [6] – For up to one minute, your form becomes faded and transparent, like a ghost. Enemies have disadvantage to hit you, and you have disadvantage on all attacks. Additionally, you cannot become grappled or restrained. This Shout has no effect while you are on the Ethereal Plane or a plane that doesn’t boarder it, such as one of the Outer Planes. (You are not actually in the Ethereal Plane in this form.) It takes an action to dismiss this effect.
- Zii (Spirit) [10] – For up to one minute, you step partly into the Border Ethereal. You can see and hear the plane you originated from, but everything there looks gray, and you can’t see anything more than 60 feet away. You cannot interact with creatures or objects that aren’t on the Ethereal Plane, however the properties of the plane you originated from still apply to you. Therefore, you cannot move through solid objects and environmental effects such as difficult terrain still affect you. You can also move through the spaces of other creatures. Creatures that aren’t on the Ethereal Plane can’t perceive you and can’t interact with you, unless a special ability or magic has given them the ability to do so. Creatures that are on the Ethereal Plane interact with you as normal.
- Gron (Bind) [14] – For up to 10 minutes, you step entirely into the Border Ethereal. During this time, you can move in any direction. If you move up or down, every foot of movement costs an extra foot. You ignore all objects and effects that aren’t on the Ethereal Plane, allowing you to move through objects you perceive on the plane you originated from. When the effect ends, you immediately return to the plane you originated from in the spot you currently occupy. If you occupy the same spot as a solid object or creature when this happens, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space that you can occupy and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved.
Cyclone
Your Thu’um creates a whirling cyclone that sows chaos among your enemies.
- Ven (Wind) [6] – A 5-foot diameter cyclone of air appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you and lasts for 1 minute. As an action on each turn, you can move the cyclone 5 feet in any direction. Creatures within the cyclone are picked up and considered grappled. Attacks made within the cyclone are made at disadvantage. If the cyclone moves out of the original space of the creature, the creature is dropped prone in that space.
- Gaar (Unleash) [9] - A 10-foot diameter cyclone of air appears in an unoccupied space within 15 feet of you and lasts for 1 minute. As an action on each turn, you can move the cyclone 10 feet in any direction. If the cyclone moves out of the original space of a creature, the creature hurled 5 feet the opposite direction the cyclone moves, takes 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage, and is prone.
- Nos (Strike) [12] - A 15-foot diameter cyclone of air appears in an unoccupied space within 20 feet of you and lasts for 1 minute. As an action on each turn, you can move the cyclone 15 feet in any direction. If the cyclone moves out of the original space of a creature, the creature hurled 10 feet the opposite direction the cyclone moves, takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage, and is prone.
Disarm
Shout defies steel, as you rip the weapon from an opponent’s grasp.
- Zun (Weapon) [4] – Choose a creature within 30 feet that you can see. It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, it drops one weapon, shield, or other item of your choice it is holding in its hand.
- Haal (Hand) [5] – Choose a creature within 30 feet that you can see. It must make a strength saving throw. If it fails, one weapon, shield, or other item of your choice it is holding in its hand is flung 15 feet away. The item cannot deal damage.
- Viik (Defeat) [6] – Choose a creature within 30 feet that you can see. It must make a strength saving throw. If it fails, up to 2 weapons, shields, or other items in any combination of your choice it is holding are flung 15 feet away. The item cannot deal damage. If it succeeds, only one item is affected.
Dismay
And the weak shall fear the Thu’um, and flee in Terror.
- Faas (Fear) [5] – Each creature in a 20-foot cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for one minute. If a creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the effect ends for that creature.
- Ru (Run) [6] – Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for one minute. While frightened in this way, a creature must use its movement to move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns.
- Maar (Terror) [7] – Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for one minute. While frightened in this way, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move.
Elemental Fury
The Thu’um imbues your arms with the speed of wind, allowing for faster weapon strikes.
- Su (Air) [6] – For one minute, you can use a bonus action to attack on your turn.
- Grah (Battle) [8] – For one minute, you can use a bonus action to attack on your turn. Additionally, you may make an additional attack to the same target when you use the opportunity attack reaction.
- Dun (Grace) [10] – For one minute, you can make one extra attack on your turn when you use the Attack action. Additionally, you can use a bonus action to attack on your turn, and you may make two attacks when you use the opportunity attack reaction.
Fire Breath
Inhale air, exhale flame, and behold the Thu’um as an inferno.
- Yol (Fire) [3] – Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
- Toor (Inferno) [5] – Each creature in a 30-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 5d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
- Shul (Sun) [10] – Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Ice Form
Your breath is winter, and your Thu’um can freeze an opponent solid.
- Liz (Ice) [4] – Choose a creature within 30 feet that you can see. The creature must be Huge or smaller. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its speed is halved for one minute.
- Slen (Flesh) [8] – On a success, its speed is halved for 1 minute. On a failure, it is frozen in a block of ice and considered petrified for 1 minute.
- Nus (Statue) [12] – On a success, its speed is halved for 10 minutes. Each minute, it can make a Constitution saving throw, with a success ending the effect. If it fails, it is frozen in a block of ice and considered petrified for 10 minutes.
Kyne’s Peace
The Voice soothes wild beasts, who lose their desire to fight or flee.
- Kaan (Kyne) [4] – Each beast with a challenge rating of 2 or less you can see and that can hear you within 20 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the beast becomes charmed by you for 1 minute. If you or one of your companions harms an affected creature, the effects end for that creature. If the beast’s Intelligence is 4 or higher, the Shout fails.
- Drem (Peace) [5] – Each beast with a challenge rating of 4 or less you can see and that can hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the beast becomes charmed by you for 10 minutes.
- Ov (Trust) [6] – Each beast with a challenge rating of 6 or less you can see and that can hear you within 40 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the beast becomes charmed by you for 1 hour.
Slow Time
Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.
- Tiid (Time) [6] - All creatures within a 20-foot cube centered on you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the Shout for 30 seconds (5 rounds). An affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity Saving throws, and it can’t use reactions.
On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted.
A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it. Creatures that exit the range of the Shout are no longer affected by it. Additionally, all environmental aspects within the Shout’s range appear to move in slow motion (the intensity determined by the level of the shout), and even creatures that resist the effects of the Shout appear sluggish.
- Klo (Sand) [9] - Range increases to a 30-foot cube centered on you, and duration increases to 60 seconds (10 rounds). An affected target moves at a third of its normal speed rounded down, it takes a -3 penalty to AC and Dexterity Saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both.
Regardless of the creature’s magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On a 9 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted.
- Ul (Eternity) [12] – Range increases to a 40-foot cube centered on you, and duration increases to 90 seconds (15 rounds). An affected target moves at a quarter of its normal speed rounded down, it takes a -4 penalty to AC and Dexterity Saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both.
Regardless of the creature’s magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On a 7 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted.
Unrelenting Force
Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path.
- Fus (Force) [3] – All creatures in a 5 by 15 ft. line must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are pushed 15 ft. back and are not able to take reactions for the rest of the round. A creature that hits solid material before going the full distance takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 for every 10 feet it moved as a result of the Shout or for every 10 feet the Shout was supposed to continue pushing the creature before it was interrupted, whichever is farther. On a success, there is no effect.
- Ro (Balance) [4] – All creatures in a 5 by 20 ft. line must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are pushed 20 ft. back, knocked prone, and are not able to take reactions for the rest of the round. On a success, they are pushed 10 ft. back.
- Dah (Push) [9] – All creatures in a 15 by 30 ft. line must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are pushed 30 ft. back, are knocked prone, and are not able to take reactions for the rest of the round. On a success, they are pushed 15 ft. back.
Whirlwind Sprint
The Thu’um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest.
- Wuld (Whirlwind) [4] – You almost instantly rush 20 feet ahead. You do not touch the ground when moving this way and as such you can move across gaps, over liquids, etc. You are not slowed by difficult terrain when moving this way, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks. You cannot change direction when moving this way.
If you are being grappled when you use this Shout, you automatically escape the grapple. You cannot use this Shout from prone. If you hit solid material (such as a stone wall) before going the full distance, the effect ends, but you do not suffer further penalties. Movable obstacles in your path, such as enemies or crates, are automatically pushed out of the way.
- Nah (Fury) [5] – You rush 30 feet ahead.
- Kest (Tempest) [7] – You rush 60 feet ahead.
Credits
- Created by u/DungeonRacer
- Edited by SanZimm (Dec 2022)
- Made using GMBinder
- Reviewed and revised with help from the Discord of Many Things
- Artwork - "Dovahkiin" by Grzegorz Rutkowski (88grzes)
- Artwork - "Unrelenting Force" (card art from The Elder Scrolls: Legends )
- Artwork - "The Wall of Words" by Aihito
- Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls games and all assets associated with them are owned by Bethesda Softworks. This is fan-made content and not for commercial use.
