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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Wild Trickster (Druid-flavored Rogue archetype) (PEACH)



Crisis21
2018-02-27, 12:09 PM
Inspired by the homebrew request here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?552158-Help-with-a-balanced-Druid-with-Sneak-Attack). As always, Please Evaluate And Comment Honestly. Seriously, feedback is important for us homebrewers. How else will we know what we got wrong or even what we got right?


Wild Trickster

Some rogues enhance their fine-honed skills of stealth and agility with the magic of the wild, learning how to use the survival instincts of animals to better their roguish ways. These rogues include pickpockets and burglars, but also pranksters, mischief-makers, and a significant number of adventurers.


Druidic Study

When you gain this Archetype at 3rd level, your study into Druidic powers and magic has also given you enough insight into their culture to learn Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher it without magic.



Spellcasting

Wild Tricksters gain the ability to cast Druid spells to enhance their abilities, trick their foes, and defend themselves more effectively.

Cantrips: You learn three cantrips: Druidcraft and two other cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. At 10th level you learn another cantrip from the druid spell list.

Spells Known: You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the transmutation and enchantment spells on the druid spell list. The third can be from any school of magic.
Thereafter you learn another spell at levels 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, and 20.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list (of a level you can cast). The new spells must come from the transmutation or enchantment schools of magic unless you are replacing one of the spells you learned at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level that could be from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability: Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. Your spell saving throw DC is 8+ your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. Your spell attack bonus is your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Spell Slots: You start with two 1st level spell slots at Rogue level 3, and gain more as you gain more Rogue levels.




—Spell Slots per Spell Level—


Rogue Level
Cantrips Known
Spells
Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th


3rd
3
3
2
—
—
—


4th
3
4
3
—
—
—


5th
3
4
3
—
—
—


6th
3
4
3
—
—
—


7th
3
5
4
2
—
—


8th
3
6
4
2
—
—


9th
3
6
4
2
—
—


10th
4
7
4
3
—
—


11th
4
8
4
3
—
—


12th
4
8
4
3
—
—


13th
4
9
4
3
2
—


14th
4
10
4
3
2
—


15th
4
10
4
3
2
—


16th
4
11
4
3
3
—


17th
4
11
4
3
3
—


18th
4
11
4
3
3
—


19th
4
12
4
3
3
1


20th
4
13
4
3
3
1




Wildshape

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature once (twice when you reach 9th level). You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

You can only take the form of a beast with CR 0 that does not have a swimming speed or a flying speed (such as a cat). As you reach higher levels, you can take the form of more dangerous creatures. At 6th level, you can take a beast form up to CR ⅛, at 9th level you can take a beast form up to CR Ό, at 12th level you can take a beast form up to CR ½, and at 15th level you can take a beast form up to CR 1.

You may use your Sneak Attack feature while in Wildshape under all usual conditions and restrictions. When you do, you use only half your Sneak Attack dice (rounded down).

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to one third your rogue level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.


Improved Wildshape

Starting at 9th level, your skill with Wildshape improves. When you use Wildshape, you may take the form of a beast that possesses a swimming speed or a flying speed. In addition, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made while in Wildshape.


Animal Trickster

At 13th level, you gain the ability to cast any cantrip you know while in your Wildshape form. You can perform the verbal and somatic components without issue, but providing the material components may take some creativity on your part without ready access to your components pouch. In addition, your Wildshape form counts as magical for purposes of inflicting damage.
Furthermore, when you Wildshape into a creature of CR ½ or more, you may use your full Sneak Attack dice when using Sneak Attack.


Form Thief

At 17th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the form of another living creature for your Wildshape ability. To do so, you must perform the following tasks with the following restrictions:

The target creature must have a CR less than or equal to half your Rogue level.
You must personally harvest enough blood from the creature to fill a vial. Blood harvested by anyone else is useless for this feature.
When you wish to use the creature's form for your Wildshape ability, you must drink the vial containing their blood.
You do not turn into an exact replica of the creature, but simply a general member of their species and gender.
You may use this feature to turn into a member of another intelligent race. If you do, you retain your physical ability scores of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution and related saving throws and instead simply replace your racial abilities with theirs for the duration of your Wildshape.
You may keep vials of harvested blood stored for up to a year before they become unable to be used for this ability.
All other conditions and restrictions of Wildshape duration and usage still apply.

Secret Wizard
2018-02-28, 02:20 AM
Wildshape or casting, not both. Otherwise this 3rd level is a broken power boost.

If anything, I'd focus the early levels on general wilderness skill and give Wildshape as a 17th level thing.

Crisis21
2018-02-28, 09:32 AM
Hmm... What if I nerfed the Wildshape to CR 0 creatures at 3rd level (things like cats and rats) and didn't give them access to CR 1/2 creatures until 13th?

Blackbando
2018-02-28, 11:31 AM
Wildshape or casting, not both. Otherwise this 3rd level is a broken power boost.

Personally, I disagree. The spellcasting doesn't help a rogue as much as a wizard's casting does, and wildshape is situationally useful.

You could turn into a spider and stealth around, I suppose, but like I said, the spellcasting isn't too handy. Really the only spells you'll get that are worthwhile for rogue-ing about would be Pass Without Trace (at 7th level), maybe Hold Person (same level), and possibly some other stuff at later levels.

The only really good spells at 3rd level for roguish activities are Entangle (which is debatable on how useful it'd be for a rogue compared to a fullcaster) and Faerie Fire (which is a pretty decent source of advantage, i'll admit). However, none of those 3 are part of the required schools, meaning you'll only get one at 3rd.

I'm not saying the casting is worthless, though; later on, it gets pretty useful. I just don't think it's busted, at all, at 3rd.

nickl_2000
2018-02-28, 12:06 PM
Is there a reason mechanically that you don't give the Rogue the ability to use it's sneak attack while in Wildshaped form (I know it isn't allowed RAW, but giving it could be a class feature)? Would it break that much to allow it?

It really would be an ambush ability more than anything else since the bonus to attack won't be all that great from a CR 1/2 level beast and they would quickly be knocked out of it in "real" combat.

Crisis21
2018-02-28, 04:11 PM
Is there a reason mechanically that you don't give the Rogue the ability to use it's sneak attack while in Wildshaped form (I know it isn't allowed RAW, but giving it could be a class feature)? Would it break that much to allow it?

It really would be an ambush ability more than anything else since the bonus to attack won't be all that great from a CR 1/2 level beast and they would quickly be knocked out of it in "real" combat.

To be completely honest, it didn't actually occur to me that I had to. I just assumed the rogue would be able to use their sneak attack no matter their shape. Hmm... would allowing them to do this at 3rd level be broken, or should they need to wait until 9th? Or should they get only half their Sneak Attack when in Wildshape?

Blackbando
2018-02-28, 04:37 PM
I'd personally say half their sneak attack. Stealthing around as a tiny CR 0 creature is one thing, but being able to nuke people to death as one is another.

Crisis21
2018-02-28, 09:19 PM
Okay, here's the new breakdown for this archetype's Wildshape.


At 3rd level, the Rogue can only wildshape into a CR 0 beast. No swimming speed, no flying speed, one use per short or long rest. They can Sneak Attack in Wildshape, but only using half their Sneak Attack dice.

The CR rating of the beasts they can Wildshape into increases every 3rd level, becoming CR 1/8 at 6th level, CR 1/4 at 9th level, CR 1/2 at 12th level, and CR 1 at 15th level.

At 9th level, the restriction on swimming and flying creatures comes off, they get advantage on Stealth checks in Wildshape, and they get two uses per short or long rest.

At 13th level, their Wildshape form is considered magical, they can fulfill the verbal and somatic components of cantrips in Wildshape, and they can use their full Sneak Attack dice if their Wildshape form is at least CR 1/2.




Wildshape

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature once (twice when you reach 9th level. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

You can only take the form of a beast with CR 0 that does not have a swimming speed or a flying speed (such as a cat). As you reach higher levels, you can take the form of more dangerous creatures. At 6th level, you can take a beast form up to CR ⅛, at 9th level you can take a beast form up to CR Ό, at 12th level you can take a beast form up to CR ½, and at 15th level you can take a beast form up to CR 1.

You may use your Sneak Attack feature while in Wildshape under all usual conditions and restrictions. When you do, you use only half your Sneak Attack dice (rounded down).

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to one third your rogue level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.
When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.


Improved Wildshape

Starting at 9th level, your skill with Wildshape improves. When you use Wildshape, you may take the form of a beast that possesses a swimming speed or a flying speed. In addition, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made while in Wildshape.


Animal Trickster

At 13th level, you gain the ability to cast any cantrip you know while in your Wildshape form. You can perform the verbal and somatic components without issue, but providing the material components may take some creativity on your part without ready access to your components pouch. In addition, your Wildshape form counts as magical for purposes of inflicting damage.
Furthermore, when you Wildshape into a creature of CR ½ or more, you may use your full Sneak Attack dice when using Sneak Attack.