Shaman
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Spirit Guide | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Shamanistic Spellcasting | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Totemic Focus | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Totemic Focus Feature | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Bestial Cloak | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Totemic Focus Feature | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Totem Spells | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Tied to the Mortal | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Totemic Focus Feature | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Tied to the Spiritual | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Seeing the Unseen | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Totemic Focus Feature | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As a Shaman, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Shaman level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per shaman level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons
- Tools: Herbalism kit
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
- Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch or (b) a druidic focus
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- Leather armor, any simple weapon, and a wooden shield
Quick build
Making a shaman is easy due to it not focusing on stats at all. I would recommend making Constitution your highest stat and either Strength or Dexterity for more combat focused characters or pick one of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma for more skill based characters.
After thats done pick Outlander or Acolyte backgrounds and your good to go.
Spirit Guide
At 1st level you gain the service a spirit guide to teach you the way. Choose a beast with a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. As you gain levels your guide will be able to become more powerful animals as shown by the table below.
| Level | Spirit guide CR | Example beast |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1/4 | Wolf |
| 5th | 1/2 | Black Bear |
| 10th | 1 | Dire Wolf |
In addition it gains some static changes and abilities.
- The spirit shares your initiative, taking actions after your turn.
- It gains additional hit points equal to five times the number of shaman levels beyond what was needed to summon the creature. For example a Black bear summoned by a level 10 shaman adds 5 times 5 (25) HP to it's total.
- It losses access to the Multiattack feature until you reach level 10.
- It's hit chance is equal to your spell attack modifier if it's regular attacks hit chance is lower.
- If your bonus to a skill is higher than the Spirit guide it uses yours instead.
- It adds your Proficiency Bonus to it's saving throws.
- It's creature type becomes Undead.
- It is still treated as a valid target for spells that specifically affect beasts like animal messenger and beast sense.
- Your spirit guide can speak and understand any language you can but it can only speak to you. To others it sounds like the normal call the beast would make.
- The spirit guide can speak to the land's spirits to offer information about it's health and wants. For example a river may tell the shaman bandits are tossing trash into it up river. (This information is provided the the GM's discretion.)
- The spirit can be resurrected or it's form changed at the end of a long rest.
The spirit guide has it's own personality and opinion. Keep in mind that it may abandon you if you mistreat it or it has unreconcilable issues with your decisions.
Advice on the spirit guide
Like a warlock patron the Guide will judge your actions and have it's own objectives, both the player and the GM should keep this in mind.
While the guide is likely to be under the control of the player most of the time it should be expected the GM may take control of the spirit on occasion if the player's orders clash with it's objectives.
Like any patron relationship though you should discuss your patrons objectives and how they will interact with your GM.
Shamanistic Spellcasting
By 2nd level, you have learned how to Draw on the power of spirits, you can cast spells to direct them to your will. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the Shaman spell list.
Wild Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three Cantrips of your choice 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.
You can also change your list of prepared Cantrips when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Shaman Cantrips requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Shaman table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Shaman spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Shaman spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of Shaman spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Shaman spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Shaman spells equal to your Proficiency Bonus + Shaman level. The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Shaman spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Shaman's use their Proficiency Bonus for Shaman spells, since your magic draws upon the strength of spirits you call and not yourself. You use Proficiency Bonus whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Proficiency Bonus when setting the saving throw DC for a Shaman spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + twice your proficiency bonus
Spell attack modifier = twice your proficiency bonus
Ritual Casting
You can cast a Shaman spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a druidic focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your Shaman spells.
Totemic Focus
At 3rd level, you begin to attune to an aspect of nature and it's spirits. The lessons they teach grant the shaman an aspect of your totem of choice. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 5th, 7th, 10th, 14th and 20th level.
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.
Bestial Cloak
Starting at level 6 your connection to your spirit guide allows it to grant its powers to others. The Guide can use it's action to possess a willing creature, The creature still has full control but gains the following traits.
- The creature gains temporary hit points equal to the remaining hit points of the spirit guide. If the spirit leaves the creature the guide's hit points become the same as the remaining temporary hit points. If these temporary hit points are reduced to zero the spirit guide dies.
- The creature gains the benefit of the Enhance Ability spell. The temporary hit points from Bear's Endurance adds to the total granted by the possession but can only be granted to a creature once per long rest. They still gain the other benefits of Bear's Endurance however.
- The creature takes on subtle physical traits of the animal like longer hair or slit pupils.
The Spirit guide moves with the possessed and can't take actions unless it's to end the possession. When it ends the possession it appears in the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of the possessed creature.
Totem spells
Starting at level 10, you've learned how to cast spells as totems. When casting a spell requiring concentration you can choose to create a Small totem in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, that totem concentrates on the spell instead. The totem has the following traits.
- The totem has an armor class of 18.
- It has a movement of 0.
- It has a number of hit points equal to your spellcasting modifier + your shaman level.
- The totem doesn't make constitution checks to maintain concentration, instead the spell only ends when the totem dies. The shaman ending the spell or the shaman moving more than 120 feet from the totem will also destroy the totem.
- The totem uses the shaman's stats to make saves.
- If a spell deals half damage on a successful save the totem takes zero damage if it succeeds on the saving throw.
You can have only one totem active at a time and can’t create one while another totem is active
Tied to the mortal
At level 11, when your spirit guide is slain it returns with half it's hit points rounded down appearing in an unoccupied space 5 feet from the shaman. Once this feature is used you must complete a long rest to use it again.
Tied to the Spiritual
At level 15, if your spirit guide allows it you can see and speak through them as long they exist on the same plane of existence.
Seeing the unseen
At level 18, you may cast the spell Foresight without expending a spell slot. Once this feature is used you must complete a long rest before you can do so again.
Totem of Benevolence
The totem of Benevolence emphasises directing positive spirits to where they do the most good. These spirits bestow knowledge and skills to those who listen.
Totemic Spell
When you choose this totem at 3rd level, you learn the cantrip Guidance. When you cast this spell you don't need to concentrate on it, however any additional Guidance spells active at the same time will require your concentration.
Call benevolent spirits
When you take up this totem you learn the spell Guiding Bolt, you can cast this spell at 1st level without expending a spell slot needing a long rest to do so again.
Additionally you can use your reaction to re-apply advantage granted by Guiding Bolt when the advantage benefit is used.
Words of the ancestors
Beginning at 5th level, you know the spells Augury and Borrowed Knowledge and can cast them without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. These spells don't count towards your spells known.
Spirit of Synergy
Beginning at 7th level, choose a skill or tool proficiency you have. You can grant that proficiency to any creature possessed by your spirit guide. If they have that proficiency already they gain expertise instead. You can change what proficiency you grant at the end of a long rest.
Spiritual assistance
At 14th level, you can touch a creature as an action and give them one of your spell slots. If the creature can't cast a spell of the level you granted you instead grant them a specific spell. The spell cast this way is cast using your spellcasting modifiers and doesn't require a focus or material components unless the spells consumes the material component like the Resurection spell.
If they do not use this spell slot it fades after you complete a long rest.
Army of souls
At 20th level, once per turn you can make an attack or spell you see that misses a target a guaranteed hit instead. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all lost uses after a long rest.
Totem of Mountain
The totem of mountain emphasises strength and endurance. The mountain is something that can't be struck down in a single blow but worn away with the progression of time. The mountain can also use it's mass to crush the weak and unaware.
A shaman who masters this totem will be akin to watching a moving mountain, trampling the weak, decimating structures and shrugging off lesser attacks.
Totemic Spell
When you choose this totem at 3rd level, you learn the cantrips Primal Savagery and Thunderclap. Additionally you can choose to change the damage dealt by these spells to bludgeoning when you cast them. You always know these spells and they do not count towards the number of cantrips you know.
Stonecall
When you take up this totem stone, sand and metal come to your call. At the start of every turn you gain temporary hit points equal to your spellcasting ability modifier + Shaman Level at the start of each of your turns. You do not gain this benefit when Unconscious.
At higher levels when you gain the Bestial Cloak feature these temporary hit points add to the temporary hit points granted by the Bestial Cloak feature. Damage taken is dealt to hit points granted by this feature before damaging the points granted by Bestial Cloak.
Avalanche
Beginning at 5th level, cantrips with a range less than 30 feet always deal half damage even on a miss or successful save. In addition you add your proficiency to damage your cantrips deal.
Echo of the mountain
Beginning at 7th level, after using an action to cast a cantrip you can use your bonus action to cast another cantrip.
Built by pressure
At 14th level you have advantage on saving throws against spells. In addition if a spell that targets only you misses you can use your reaction to have it target another creature within 10 feet of you. You must take a long rest before you can redirect a spell this way again.
Titan
At 20th level for 1 minute you gain size categories until you fill your space or become Gargantuan. For each size category above medium your damage adds 1d6 damage and armor class increases by 1.
Totem of Lava Flows
The totem of Lava Flows emphasises controlled destruction. The lava flow destroys all that stand in its way using extreme power as earth's furnace pumps its lifeblood brining forth opportunity for new life in it's wake.
When you take control of your inner fire you gain a dire responsibility, control the fire or the flow will destroy all you hold dear. A master of this art will be able to choose who lives and who dies as it obliterates the field of battle.
Totemic Spell
When you choose this totem at 3rd level, you learn the spell Burning Hands. When you cast this spell you can choose 1 creature to be unaffected by the spell. You always know this spell and it doesn't count towards the number of spells you know.
Firecall
When you take up this totem you can cast any shaman spell without expending a spell slot of 3 or lower a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. You regain these uses after completing a long rest.
See the inner bonfire
Beginning at 5th level, at the start of your turn you can make your movement zero. When you do this the range of your spells double and you can see the bodyheat of creatures even if invisible or concealed by spells like fog or darkness.
It's up to your game master's discretion if a creature produces body heat. For example most Game master's might argue Constructs do not produce body heat.
Warpaint
Beginning at 7th level, you can grant resistance to a creature possessed by your spirit guide. Choose one element from acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison or thunder. Your spirit guide is resistant to that element and grants that resistance to any creature it possesses. You can change the element after a long rest.
Barrage
At 14th level, your spirit guide is immune to damage dealt by your spells, this benefit is granted to a creature possessed by your spirit guide. Additionally if a creature in within the melee reach of your spirit guide or a possessed creature they do not gain the benefit of half or three quarters cover.
Overwhelming
At 20th level, when you cast a spell you can reduce a creature's immunity to resistance or remove resistance to the damage type dealt by your spell. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
Totem of malevolence
The totem of malevolence emphasises control of angry or harmful spirits. These spirits undermine, sicken, deceive and decay. You must learn to direct their rage lest it be turned upon you.
Totemic Spell
When you choose this totem at 3rd level, you learn the cantrip Vicious Mockery. When you cast this spell you may make the spell silent with the target hearing the words in it's mind. However you must still mouth the words to cast the spell.
Additionally you add your proficiency bonus to the psychic damage it deals. This spell doesn't count towards the number of cantrips you know.
Call malevolent spirits
When you take up this totem you learn the spell Bane, you can cast this spell at 1st level without expending a spell slot once per long rest. Additionally you can use your reaction to re-apply bane to any one creature that ends the effect. The spell doesn't count towards your spells known.
Afflictions borne of malice
Beginning at 5th level, you know the spells Hold Person and Ray of Enfeeblement can cast them without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. These spells don't count towards your spells known.
A voice without a face
Beginning at 7th level, your spirit guide can turn invisible as an action. When it possesses a creature you can make that creature invisible as well for 1 hour. You can grant this benefit once per long rest or must expend a second level spell slot to do so again.
Tied to evil
At 14th level you know and can cast the spell Bestow Curse at your highest spell slot level without expending an spell slot. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a long rest or you expend a spell slot of 3rd or higher. This spell doesn't count towards your spells known.
Mortal Harm
At 20th level, you can choose to cast bane at no cost on a single creature that is hit by your spells. In addition you can empower bane as a reaction when a bane dice is rolled reducing the roll by an additional 1d4.
Cantrips (0 Level)
- Acid Splash
- Chill Touch
- Control Flames (EE)
- Create Bonfire (EE)
- Druidcraft
- Fire Bolt
- Frostbite (EE)
- Guidance
- Gust (EE)
- Infestation (XGE)
- Light
- Lightning Lure (SCAG)
- Mage Hand
- Magic Stone (EE)
- Mending
- Mold Earth (EE)
- Poison Spray
- Primal Savagery (XGE)
- Produce Flame
- Ray of Frost
- Resistance
- Sapping Sting (EGW)
- Shape Water (EE)
- Shillelagh
- Shocking Grasp
- Spare the Dying
- Thaumaturgy
- Thorn Whip
- Thunderclap (EE)
- Toll the Dead (XGE)
- True Strike
1st Level
- Absorb Elements (EE)
- Animal Friendship
- Bane
- Beast Bond (EE)
- Bless
- Burning Hands
- Cause Fear (XGE)
- Chromatic Orb
- Comprehend Languages
- Create or Destroy Water
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Evil and Good
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison and Disease
- Dissonant Whispers
- Earth Tremor (EE)
- Expeditious Retreat
- Feather Fall
- Fog Cloud
- Gift of Alacrity (EGW)
- Grease
- Healing Word
- Hex
- Hunter's Mark
- Ice Knife (EE)
- Identify
- Jump
- Longstrider
- Protection from Evil and Good
- Purify Food and Drink
- Ray of Sickness
- Snare (XGE)
- Speak with Animals
- Thunderwave
- Unseen Servant
- Witch Bolt
- Zephyr Strike (XGE)
2nd Level
- Acid Arrow
- Aganazzar’s Scorcher (EE)
- Animal Messenger
- Augury
- Beast Sense
- Borrowed Knowledge (SaCC)
- Calm Emotions
- Continual Flame
- Darkvision
- Dragon's Breath (XGE)
- Dust Devil (EE)
- Enhance Ability
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Find Traps
- Flame Blade
- Flaming Sphere
- Flock of Familiars (LLoK)
- Gentle Repose
- Gust of Wind
- Healing Spirit (XGE)
- Heat Metal
- Hold Person
- Lesser Restoration
- Locate Animals or Plants
- Locate Object
- Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp (EE)
- Mind Spike (XGE)
- Pass without Trace
- Prayer of Healing
- Protection from Poison
- Scorching Ray
- See Invisibility
- Spiritual Weapon
- Summon Beast (TCE)
- Warding Bond
- Warding Wind (EE)
3rd Level
- Aura of Vitality
- Bestow Curse
- Call Lightning
- Clairvoyance
- Conjure Animals
- Create Food and Water
- Elemental Weapon
- Erupting Earth (EE)
- Fireball
- Fly
- Gaseous Form
- Haste
- Life Transference (XGE)
- Lightning Bolt
- Meld into Stone
- Protection from Energy
- Remove Curse
- Revivify
- Sleet Storm
- Speak with Dead
- Spirit Guardians
- Spirit Shroud (TCE)
- Stinking Cloud
- Thunder Step (XGE)
- Tidal Wave (EE)
- Tongues
- Wall of Sand (EE)
- Wall of Water (EE)
- Water Breathing
- Water Walk
- Wind Wall
4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Aura of Purity
- Conjure Minor Elementals
- Control Water
- Death Ward
- Divination
- Dominate Beast
- Elemental Bane (EE)
- Faithful Hound
- Fire Shield
- Freedom of Movement
- Guardian of Nature (XGE)
- Ice Storm
- Locate Creature
- Polymorph
- Stone Shape
- Stoneskin
- Storm Sphere (EE)
- Summon Elemental (TCE)
- Wall of Fire
- Watery Sphere (EE)
5th Level
- Awaken
- Circle of Power
- Cloudkill
- Commune with Nature
- Cone of Cold
- Conjure Elemental
- Contagion
- Control Winds (EE)
- Dispel Evil and Good
- Greater Restoration
- Hallow
- Hold Monster
- Immolation (EE)
- Legend Lore
- Maelstrom (EE)
- Mass Cure Wounds
- Raise Dead
- Reincarnate
- Scrying
- Skill Empowerment (XGE)
- Telepathic Bond
- Transmute Rock (EE)
- Wall of Stone
- Wrath of Nature (XGE)
Source Key
- EE - Elemental Evil Player's Companion
- XGE - Xanathar's Guide to Everything
- TCE - Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
- SaCC - Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
- LLoK - Lost Laboratory of Kwalish
- EGW - Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
- SCAG - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Art references
All art for this document is made by me and most of my work including these images can be found here under the alias Ashnerune https://www.deviantart.com/ashenrune
This Document is sparse on art for the moment but you should expect updates with art included.