Adapting Walker in the Waste (3.5th edition Prestige Class) to 5th edition?

[Forechosen]

Hi there!

Question is pretty much in the title, but how would you go adapting the Walker in the Waste prestige class to 5th edition? It's genuinely my been my favourite class for years upon years, and since our playgroup has recently got a new DM who absolutely loves homebrew so long as it's balanced, I thought now would be a perfect time to try and use this class in a new (5th edition) campaign.

Hopefully I'm allowed to post links here.. but if not, I'm sure a moderator will remove the following if necessary - Here's a link detailing the 3.5th edition prestige class - http://srd.dndtools.org/srd/classes/prestigeSand/walkerInTheWaste.html

The 10th level ability 'Dry Lich' - enables the Walker to become a 'sand lich' of sorts, the details aren't on that link, so here's another link detailing the Dry Lich - https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/drylich.shtml

(if these links are removed, please just google Walker in the Wastes 3.5)

My first thoughts were that firstly - obviously this is a prestige class, that I'd be attempting to homebrew as a Subclass - for a Cleric? I imagine a Cleric, as that seems the most fitting to me. However, this means that I'd have to completely change the levels one would acquire each ability. Would you simply just double the levels everything is acquired (i.e. 'The Wasting' acquired at 2nd level, you would now acquire at level 4. etc etc.) ?

Secondly, none of the abilities seem particularly overpowered (perhaps a little tweaking here and there), albeit, with the abilities handed out at different levels. Apart from the 10th level 'become a lich' one - which even if we gave out as a level 20 capstone, does sound a little absurd. However, as we're unlikely to ever reach level 20 anyway, this is actually the one I'm least concerned about.

What do you guys think? Am I on to a loser with this idea? If not, how would you guys go about changing anything? Really, balance is absolutely the key principle here - I'd much rather be underpowered, in fact, than risk being overpowered. That being said, it would be ideal to keep the class as intact as possible.

Thanks very much for reading!

[GreyBlack]

Hi there!

Question is pretty much in the title, but how would you go adapting the Walker in the Waste prestige class to 5th edition? It's genuinely my been my favourite class for years upon years, and since our playgroup has recently got a new DM who absolutely loves homebrew so long as it's balanced, I thought now would be a perfect time to try and use this class in a new (5th edition) campaign.

Hopefully I'm allowed to post links here.. but if not, I'm sure a moderator will remove the following if necessary - Here's a link detailing the 3.5th edition prestige class - http://srd.dndtools.org/srd/classes/prestigeSand/walkerInTheWaste.html

The 10th level ability 'Dry Lich' - enables the Walker to become a 'sand lich' of sorts, the details aren't on that link, so here's another link detailing the Dry Lich - https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/drylich.shtml

(if these links are removed, please just google Walker in the Wastes 3.5)

My first thoughts were that firstly - obviously this is a prestige class, that I'd be attempting to homebrew as a Subclass - for a Cleric? I imagine a Cleric, as that seems the most fitting to me. However, this means that I'd have to completely change the levels one would acquire each ability. Would you simply just double the levels everything is acquired (i.e. 'The Wasting' acquired at 2nd level, you would now acquire at level 4. etc etc.) ?

Secondly, none of the abilities seem particularly overpowered (perhaps a little tweaking here and there), albeit, with the abilities handed out at different levels. Apart from the 10th level 'become a lich' one - which even if we gave out as a level 20 capstone, does sound a little absurd. However, as we're unlikely to ever reach level 20 anyway, this is actually the one I'm least concerned about.

What do you guys think? Am I on to a loser with this idea? If not, how would you guys go about changing anything? Really, balance is absolutely the key principle here - I'd much rather be underpowered, in fact, than risk being overpowered. That being said, it would be ideal to keep the class as intact as possible.

Thanks very much for reading!

Is there any particular reason that you wouldn't just reskin the Undying Warlock patron? Maybe swap the Fiend's spell list onto the Undying patron to keep the fire/heat theme going?

In both classes, you're a character who takes their power from another source (divine or a patron; I'll be honest, I tend to interpret warlocks and clerics pretty similarly), you're essentially learning to become some sort of living undead, and you gain certain "cheat death" abilities (e.g. Withered Toughness vs Defy Death).

Of note, it's entirely reasonable to say "No, that doesn't have the flavor I'm going for" in which case I can start working on something of a homebrew; just that this catches my eye as the simplest solution.

[Forechosen]

Is there any particular reason that you wouldn't just reskin the Undying Warlock patron? Maybe swap the Fiend's spell list onto the Undying patron to keep the fire/heat theme going?

In both classes, you're a character who takes their power from another source (divine or a patron; I'll be honest, I tend to interpret warlocks and clerics pretty similarly), you're essentially learning to become some sort of living undead, and you gain certain "cheat death" abilities (e.g. Withered Toughness vs Defy Death).

Of note, it's entirely reasonable to say "No, that doesn't have the flavor I'm going for" in which case I can start working on something of a homebrew; just that this catches my eye as the simplest solution.

Honestly - well, as you said, it just doesn't have the flavor I'm going for!

I mean, don't get me wrong - the parts about slowly turning undead (Undying Nature and Indestructible Life) I can sort of get behind, as that's part of the reason I like the Walker. But the other part is the whole sand/plague/desiccation/disease/dryness/desert/ aspect that the Undying Warlock simply don't have. Sure, you could reskin some spells and some invocations I guess.. but I don't know, it just doesn't really appeal to me? It just doesn't have quite enough 'mechanical' support that I'm after.

I don't want to sound ungrateful or rude or anything! It was a good idea and it has made me think. It's just not really what I want to go for, I don't think.

[DrKerosene]

Well, I would probably just shuffle a few of the 3.5 abilities around until I felt I had gotten some subclass features in a decent order.

The Desiccating Touch could either be a typical Divine Strike class feature, dealing Necrotic Damage, or it could be a reflavored Shocking Grasp (dealing Necrotic damage, having advantage vs Plants and Water Elementals). Possibly replacing the “No Reactions” part with increased damage dice size vs Plants & Water Elementals (like Toll The Dead, increased to d12).

Improved Heat Resistance could either be basic Fire Resistance, or maybe the Heavy Armor Master fear but with reducing Fire Damage by 3. Or you could skip that feature.

I would just have Contagion be a domain spell, and say that’s the 5e version of The Wasting.

I don’t feel like (Greater) Local Drought really has a 5e counterpart, I’d probably ignore it. Maybe I’d make this a regional type Lair effect for a monster.

Withered Toughness is mostly just no longer needing to drink, and resistance/immunity to sun related blinding effects. I’d probably package this with something else, if not ignoring it.

Flesh To Salt 1/day seems like it would probably be a reflavored Flesh To Stone spell, but I’d probably go for homebrewing a Disintegrate spell that Petrifies you instead of turning you to ash.

For the ability to a Create Sand Golem, I’d probably just look at a tweaked Homunculus or Familiar/Beast Companion for 5e. Since I think trying to properly port the abilities of a Sand Golem would be broken/OP for a PC to have. Maybe tweak the default Summon Celestial/Elemental spell(s).

I would just have normal spell Create Undead replace the Salt Mummy feature.

The Dry Lich thing could either be a reflavoring of the Timeless Body thing from a Monk (but now immortal), or I’d probably use a tweaked version of the Gothic Horror UA Ravenloft Revenant racial-background thing, and have the Regeneration tied to an object (boom, phylactery).



If you’re familiar with Wave from 3.5e and 5e, desiccation damage got changed to Necrotic damage.

[clash]

Well, I would probably just shuffle a few of the 3.5 abilities around until I felt I had gotten some subclass features in a decent order.

The Desiccating Touch could either be a typical Divine Strike class feature, dealing Necrotic Damage, or it could be a reflavored Shocking Grasp (dealing Necrotic damage, having advantage vs Plants and Water Elementals). Possibly replacing the “No Reactions” part with increased damage dice size vs Plants & Water Elementals (like Toll The Dead, increased to d12).
...

All of what he said with the addition that you could probably convert the local drought and greater drought into some sort of channel divinity, coming up with new effects to fit the theme.

[J-H]

1. 5e Liches are a different animal, with soul consumption required. You don't want to be a traditional lich.
2. Are you looking at making this a full subclass?
3. Are you OK with a wizard or sorcerous class? I'm not sure why a deity would necessarily be interested in one of its followers becoming an immortal undead who pretty much never gets to go to the afterlife. Cleric never seemed to fit it well.

[Forechosen]

Well, I would probably just shuffle a few of the 3.5 abilities around until I felt I had gotten some subclass features in a decent order.

The Desiccating Touch could either be a typical Divine Strike class feature, dealing Necrotic Damage, or it could be a reflavored Shocking Grasp (dealing Necrotic damage, having advantage vs Plants and Water Elementals). Possibly replacing the “No Reactions” part with increased damage dice size vs Plants & Water Elementals (like Toll The Dead, increased to d12).

Improved Heat Resistance could either be basic Fire Resistance, or maybe the Heavy Armor Master fear but with reducing Fire Damage by 3. Or you could skip that feature.

I would just have Contagion be a domain spell, and say thatÂ’s the 5e version of The Wasting.

I donÂ’t feel like (Greater) Local Drought really has a 5e counterpart, IÂ’d probably ignore it. Maybe IÂ’d make this a regional type Lair effect for a monster.

Withered Toughness is mostly just no longer needing to drink, and resistance/immunity to sun related blinding effects. IÂ’d probably package this with something else, if not ignoring it.

Flesh To Salt 1/day seems like it would probably be a reflavored Flesh To Stone spell, but IÂ’d probably go for homebrewing a Disintegrate spell that Petrifies you instead of turning you to ash.

For the ability to a Create Sand Golem, IÂ’d probably just look at a tweaked Homunculus or Familiar/Beast Companion for 5e. Since I think trying to properly port the abilities of a Sand Golem would be broken/OP for a PC to have. Maybe tweak the default Summon Celestial/Elemental spell(s).

I would just have normal spell Create Undead replace the Salt Mummy feature.

The Dry Lich thing could either be a reflavoring of the Timeless Body thing from a Monk (but now immortal), or IÂ’d probably use a tweaked version of the Gothic Horror UA Ravenloft Revenant racial-background thing, and have the Regeneration tied to an object (boom, phylactery).



If youÂ’re familiar with Wave from 3.5e and 5e, desiccation damage got changed to Necrotic damage.

Wow, firstly apologies for the late reply - it's been a busy day!

Thank you so much for this post, this is absolutely perfect! Honestly, having even one other person's opinion on the matter does a lot to validate the idea. Your ideas completely keep the Walker class mechanics and flavor intact.

Regarding Desiccating Touch, I like the idea of Shocking Grasp sort of spell - as you wouldn't be limited to only one or two casts a day, as you would with Channel Divinity. Would the original Desiccating Touch damage be too overpowered though? (1d6 at level 1 - then +1d6 every odd level, up to level 5d6 at level 9). For comparison, Shocking Grasp would be 3d8 at level 11, but the fact that with Desiccating Touch the opponent can make a (Fortitude - CON?) save for half damage, would surely balance the damage out, wouldn't it? I'm not sure. I mean, this would be a Sublcass feature (albeit a starting one) rather than just an actual cantrip - so it ought to be marginally stronger right?

Regarding anything 'heat' related (Improved Heat Endurance, and the Drought abilities) - I'm pretty sure I read somewhere there are heat rules for DnD 5e, aren't there? Maybe in the Dungeon Master's Guide, or in Tomb of Annihilation? I'm pretty sure they had something to do with exhaustion. Although honestly I might be dreaming this up completely, I've certainly never seen any used in any campaign. I'll try and do some googling and see if anything comes up.

For Withered Toughness, I agree that it's mostly just a flavor ability, (not needing to drink, etc) - however, it does mention that your 'natural armor bonus increases by 2' - If we're doubling the level we get Walker abilities for the Cleric, then a +2 to AC at level 8 (Walker's get Withered Toughness at 4) seems completely ok, doesn't it?

I completely agree about the Sand Golem not working for 5e - although a tweaked beast seems a little on the weak side. Going more on doubling the level we get abilities, (Create Sand Golem for Cleric at 12, instead of 6) - would the Conjure Elemental spell be a reasonable substitute?

For the Dry Lich capstone - I really like the Revenant idea. I feel Timeless Body would purely be a flavor ability, with literally 0 mechanical benefit. Although it's fitting, being immortal and all, it just wouldn't feel great as a capstone. Revenant on the other hand gives some small bonuses, and it's completely fitting. Love it :D

Lastly, I have mentioned this doubling the level of the acquisition of Walker abilities for the Cleric - looking the abilities over, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea, does it?

Really, I can't thank you enough for your input. Thank you!

[Specter]

The problem you have is that most of its abilities don't have much to do with combat. The golem thing is especially problematic, since crafting golems takes a lot of time and resources in 5e, and is usually an arcane thing.

Some hints:

- Drought Domain is probably the name you're looking for.

- 1st level in this domain could give the player resistance to all heat effects, and twice as much time without water or food before suffering adverse effects. But you also need some trademark combat feature to go with it.

- Dissecating Touch would simply be the Cleric's weapon damage boost to weapon attacks (necrotic damage) starting at 8th level, and improving later on.

- The Wasting needs to be changed into a more immediate feature rather than disease. Probably a Channel Divinity that deals damage to multiple creatures.

[Forechosen]

1. 5e Liches are a different animal, with soul consumption required. You don't want to be a traditional lich.
2. Are you looking at making this a full subclass?
3. Are you OK with a wizard or sorcerous class? I'm not sure why a deity would necessarily be interested in one of its followers becoming an immortal undead who pretty much never gets to go to the afterlife. Cleric never seemed to fit it well.

1.) - Hmm, good point about the lich - but I never saw Dry Liches as 'traditional liches' anyway I guess. Case in point, I'm not too bothered about being a 'true lich' - rather just a mummy-esque-dried-up-undead-ish-thing.
Honestly though, as I said in the original post, I'm very doubtful we'd ever reach level 20 anyway (although it's certainly possible) - so I'm not too worried about this ability. At the moment at least.

2.) - I think so?

3.) - I'm pretty set on Cleric to be honest, or, Divine Magic based at least. I toyed with the idea of Druid for a while too, but in the end the Divine flavor won out. I suppose it really is a completely flavor thing, in my head, I see the Walker as more-or-less a DnD version of the 'Mummy' out of the Mummy film franchise (I'm not saying I love that franchise or anything! it's just how I see it). So, to me, Divine Magic works - it's their complete faith in the Gods, regardless of their 'evil' intentions. I don't see them (especially) as studying over tomes like a Wizard, or being born with an important bloodline, like a Sorcerer. Rather, just devout guys, wandering the desert, bringing their corrupt ideas into the world... sort of thing!

I understand that might not make a lot of sense, it's hard to try and encapsulate why I think something works from a flavor standpoint.. but that's just my train of thought.

[Forechosen]

The problem you have is that most of its abilities don't have much to do with combat. The golem thing is especially problematic, since crafting golems takes a lot of time and resources in 5e, and is usually an arcane thing.

Some hints:

- Drought Domain is probably the name you're looking for.

- 1st level in this domain could give the player resistance to all heat effects, and twice as much time without water or food before suffering adverse effects. But you also need some trademark combat feature to go with it.

- Dissecating Touch would simply be the Cleric's weapon damage boost to weapon attacks (necrotic damage) starting at 8th level, and improving later on.

- The Wasting needs to be changed into a more immediate feature rather than disease. Probably a Channel Divinity that deals damage to multiple creatures.

Hmm, I'm not sure I agree that there's not a lot of combat related stuff. Although you may be right, I'm not sure.

Improved Heat Endurance and arguably Withered Toughness (although you get a bonus to armor there) are not combat related.

And I suppose the Drought abilities aren't either, although having said that, I still haven't looked up the rules for Heat in 5th edition - perhaps (if they exist) they could be manipulated to work in a combat scenario? I genuinely have no idea.

The Wasting, I agree is at the moment more or less a fluff spell. DrKerosene above suggested just adding in Contagion as a domain spell to replace it, which I think works perfectly fine to be honest.

Why would you not have Desiccating Touch as the first level 'trademark combat feature'? Then have something else for the 8th level?

All the rest of the abilities work pretty ok in combat, on paper at least, don't they? Desiccating Touch, Flesh to Salt (Stone?) - Create Sand Golem (... Conjure Elemental? Not sure) - Create Salt Mummy (Create Undead?) - As I'm sure you can tell, I'm not convinced, but I think they all sound fine don't they? perhaps with a little bit of tweaking, but certainly not too much?

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'd be more inclined to say Druid subclass than Cleric. Something like...

Walker Spells
At 2nd level, you learn the Desiccating Touch cantrip (below). At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Walker in the Wastes Spells table.



Druid Level

Spells



2nd

Inflict Wounds, False Life



3rd

Dust Devil, Ray of Enfeeblement



5th

Vamperic Touch, Wall of Sand



7th

Blight, Sickening Radiance



9th

Antilife Shell, Contagion





Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous

Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 necrotic damage, and it can’t regain hit points until the start of your next turn.


Desert Walker: At 2nd level, you gain resistance to fire damage.

Create Sand Golem: At 6th level, you may use your action to summon a Sand Golem (below). The creature is friendly to you and your companions, acts on your initiative count, and obeys all verbal commands issued by you. You must concentrate on this ability to maintain your companion, as on a spell, to a maximum of one hour.


Use the stats for a Gargoyle, but remove its fly speed and add the Smother action, below:

Smother. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The creature is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the golem can't smother another target. In addition, at the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.


Pillar of Salt: At 10th level, you may attempt to transform a creature to salt. This functions as the Flesh to Stone spell. You do not need to provide spell components, but you must succeed on a melee spell attack against the target to initiate the curse.

Dry Lich: At 14th level, you learn to apply the secrets of waste preservation to your own body, becoming a dry lich. You must undergo the Sere Rite, over seen by another dry lich, which includes preserving your flesh, removing your organs and storing them in special canopic jars, and imbuing your body with foul magic to make it undying.

Your type becomes Undead, and you become immune to poison damage, the poison condition, and exhaustion. If you are reduced to zero hit points, you die-- however, as long as your canopic jars remain intact, you rise again the next time your body is left out under the noon sun.

------------

For a Cleric version, keep the spells as the domain spells, drop Pillar of Salt, and change Dry Lich to also provide resistance to cold and lightning damage, and so that you don't die when reduced to zero hit points, only when you fail your three death saves. Add Potent Spellcasting and this Channel Divinity ability:

Channel Divinity: The Wasting
All creatures within 30ft must make Constitution saves or be cursed to have the liquid gradually vanish from their bodies. Those who fail their saves suffer 1d6 necrotic damage and suffer disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves for one minute. At the end of each of their turns, they must make a new Constitution save or take another 1d6 damage. If they succeed on this save, the effect ends.

The necrotic damage increases by 1d6 at 5th level, and again by 1d6 at 11th and 17th level.

[J-H]

Preserver
All things in the world rot and pass away, save for those preserved by purpose or by the dry heat of the desert. Your deity values the preservation of knowledge, old relics, and the past, that others may learn from it. You serve as a bulwark against decay, rot, and mold. This can be a deity of any alignment, likely aligned with the desert and knowledge.

Preservation domain spells
1st level Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil & Good
2nd level Gentle Repose, Spider Climb
3rd level Bestow Curse, Speak with Dead
4th level Guardian of Faith, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere
5th level Legend Lore, Antilife Shell

1st level features
You gain advantage on death saves.
You gain resistance to Fire damage and any saving throws produced by heat or heat exhaustion.


Channel Divinity (2nd level)
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your channel divinity to Preserve an area from decay, extinguishing all natural fires and also sucking the moisture out of objects. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and evoke an echo of the deep desert within a 30' radius around you. All non-magical fires are extinguished and all insects, fungi, and molds of CR 1/4 or less are instantly turned to ash. Any remaining insects, fungi, molds, and plant creatures within the radius take fire damage equal to three times your character level as the moisture is sucked out of them.

Undying Nature (6th level)
You begin to take on the characteristics of the undead, as your body is prepared for its millenia-long task.
You require only 1/4 the normal amount of food, sleep, and water as an ordinary creature of your race. You gain Darkvision 60', or if you already have Darkvision, your Darkvision gains 60' of additional range. You gain resistance to Poison & Disease.

Divine Strike (8th level)
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. At 14th level, you may elect to replace the necrotic damage Exhausting touch. When you do so, the target must save against your spell DC or gain one level of exhaustion as the heat of the desert and the weight of ages bears down upon it.

Preserver of Ages (17th level) (Cleric capstone is 20, subclass features stop at 17)
You have dedicated yourself to the service of your god and may not multiclass after this point. In a magical ritual that takes 8 hours, you channel the energy of your god into a prepared circle. Spectral tools manifest around you and go to work, ritually disemboweling you and removing your no-longer necessary organs, while your unliving nerves become deadened to pain. Your god binds your soul to three canopic jars containing your removed organs, and you gain the following characteristics:
-Your type changes to Undead. You no longer require food, water, or sleep, although sleep is still a pleasant indulgence from time to time.
-Immunity to disease, poison, sleep, or exhaustion.
-Your deity strengthens you; you have advantage on saving throws against any effect which would turn undead.
-Canopic jars:
a) 3 Canopic jars are created by the ritual, and are magically placed by your deity. Typically, one is placed at a major temple of your deity, one is placed at a desert refuge or ruin you are familiar with, and the third is placed somewhere of significance to you, often a library or museum.
b) If you are killed, you may elect to regenerate yourself with a repaired body 1d10 days later at the location of one of your canopic jars. Doing so shatters the jar, which can be replaced in a ritual consuming 5,000gp, 3 days, and the fragments of the shattered jar.
c) Once per 24 hours, a beneficial or harmful spell cast upon one of your canopic jars by someone else can affect you. You save against the spell as normal, and are aware of the spell, its effects, and which jar it was cast upon.

---

I purposely kept the immunity list relatively short, and the resurrection parameters limited to avoid nasty exploitation. The canopic jar spellcasting can be a boon if coordinated, or a bane and totally a quest hook if an enemy gets hold of it.

Spells are selected for a theme of preservation, containment, knowledge, death/the dead, and then Bestow Curse because mummies and liches.

[Forechosen]

I'd be more inclined to say Druid subclass than Cleric. Something like...

Walker Spells
At 2nd level, you learn the Desiccating Touch cantrip (below). At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Walker in the Wastes Spells table.



Druid Level

Spells



2nd

Inflict Wounds, False Life



3rd

Dust Devil, Ray of Enfeeblement



5th

Vamperic Touch, Wall of Sand



7th

Blight, Sickening Radiance



9th

Antilife Shell, Contagion





Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous

Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 necrotic damage, and it can’t regain hit points until the start of your next turn.


Desert Walker: At 2nd level, you gain resistance to fire damage.

Create Sand Golem: At 6th level, you may use your action to summon a Sand Golem (below). The creature is friendly to you and your companions, acts on your initiative count, and obeys all verbal commands issued by you. You must concentrate on this ability to maintain your companion, as on a spell, to a maximum of one hour.


Use the stats for a Gargoyle, but remove its fly speed and add the Smother action, below:

Smother. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The creature is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the golem can't smother another target. In addition, at the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.


Pillar of Salt: At 10th level, you may attempt to transform a creature to salt. This functions as the Flesh to Stone spell. You do not need to provide spell components, but you must succeed on a melee spell attack against the target to initiate the curse.

Dry Lich: At 14th level, you learn to apply the secrets of waste preservation to your own body, becoming a dry lich. You must undergo the Sere Rite, over seen by another dry lich, which includes preserving your flesh, removing your organs and storing them in special canopic jars, and imbuing your body with foul magic to make it undying.

Your type becomes Undead, and you become immune to poison damage, the poison condition, and exhaustion. If you are reduced to zero hit points, you die-- however, as long as your canopic jars remain intact, you rise again the next time your body is left out under the noon sun.

------------

For a Cleric version, keep the spells as the domain spells, drop Pillar of Salt, and change Dry Lich to also provide resistance to cold and lightning damage, and so that you don't die when reduced to zero hit points, only when you fail your three death saves. Add Potent Spellcasting and this Channel Divinity ability:

Channel Divinity: The Wasting
All creatures within 30ft must make Constitution saves or be cursed to have the liquid gradually vanish from their bodies. Those who fail their saves suffer 1d6 necrotic damage and suffer disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves for one minute. At the end of each of their turns, they must make a new Constitution save or take another 1d6 damage. If they succeed on this save, the effect ends.

The necrotic damage increases by 1d6 at 5th level, and again by 1d6 at 11th and 17th level.

Wow thank you so much for your detailed response! If you don't mind me asking, what was your reasoning in selecting druid, rather than cleric? Was it purely from a flavor viewpoint, or something else?

Regarding Desiccating Touch - as I wrote above in response to DrKerosene - is the original Desiccating Touch just too overpowered to be a subclass starting ability? It just seems to me that simply giving an 'ordinary cantrip' seems a little weak? I accept I might be completely wrong about this! That was just my first thought.

I actually really like the idea of The Wasting as a Channel Divinity option, it seems to fit the original description, being a once-per-day option.

The Sand Golem as a Gargoyle sounds like an amazing idea too! I'm a little worried that a Gargoyle might be a little overpowered for 6th level though, but maybe I'm being too cautious. Are there any other comparable level 6 class features?

With 'Desert Walker: 2nd level resistance to fire damage' - I think this sounds great! However, I've just found the rules to 'extreme heat' in DnD 5th edition - I'll copy and paste them here -

''Extreme Heat
When the temperature is at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a creature exposed to the heat and without access to drinkable water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first hour and increases by 1 for each additional hour. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.''

Now, do we think it's worth attempting to incorporate those rules somehow into the 'heat' abilities of the walker, i.e. Improved Heat Endurance, Local Drought and Greater Drought? Or do we thinking that would be completely unnecessarily complicating the whole thing?

Once again, thank you so much for your reply!

[Specter]

Hmm, I'm not sure I agree that there's not a lot of combat related stuff. Although you may be right, I'm not sure.

Improved Heat Endurance and arguably Withered Toughness (although you get a bonus to armor there) are not combat related.

And I suppose the Drought abilities aren't either, although having said that, I still haven't looked up the rules for Heat in 5th edition - perhaps (if they exist) they could be manipulated to work in a combat scenario? I genuinely have no idea.

The Wasting, I agree is at the moment more or less a fluff spell. DrKerosene above suggested just adding in Contagion as a domain spell to replace it, which I think works perfectly fine to be honest.

Why would you not have Desiccating Touch as the first level 'trademark combat feature'? Then have something else for the 8th level?

All the rest of the abilities work pretty ok in combat, on paper at least, don't they? Desiccating Touch, Flesh to Salt (Stone?) - Create Sand Golem (... Conjure Elemental? Not sure) - Create Salt Mummy (Create Undead?) - As I'm sure you can tell, I'm not convinced, but I think they all sound fine don't they? perhaps with a little bit of tweaking, but certainly not too much?

About Dissecating Touch: it's an at-will attack boost, and Clerics already get those at 8th level, so it would be unbalanced to bring it on earlier unless it's a Channel Divinity.

About the rest: be careful not to turn all these abilities into spells, because a) that's what domain spells are for, and b) you want uniqueness in a subclass.

[Forechosen]

Preserver
All things in the world rot and pass away, save for those preserved by purpose or by the dry heat of the desert. Your deity values the preservation of knowledge, old relics, and the past, that others may learn from it. You serve as a bulwark against decay, rot, and mold. This can be a deity of any alignment, likely aligned with the desert and knowledge.

Preservation domain spells
1st level Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil & Good
2nd level Gentle Repose, Spider Climb
3rd level Bestow Curse, Speak with Dead
4th level Guardian of Faith, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere
5th level Legend Lore, Antilife Shell

1st level features
You gain advantage on death saves.
You gain resistance to Fire damage and any saving throws produced by heat or heat exhaustion.


Channel Divinity (2nd level)
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your channel divinity to Preserve an area from decay, extinguishing all natural fires and also sucking the moisture out of objects. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and evoke an echo of the deep desert within a 30' radius around you. All non-magical fires are extinguished and all insects, fungi, and molds of CR 1/4 or less are instantly turned to ash. Any remaining insects, fungi, molds, and plant creatures within the radius take fire damage equal to three times your character level as the moisture is sucked out of them.

Undying Nature (6th level)
You begin to take on the characteristics of the undead, as your body is prepared for its millenia-long task.
You require only 1/4 the normal amount of food, sleep, and water as an ordinary creature of your race. You gain Darkvision 60', or if you already have Darkvision, your Darkvision gains 60' of additional range. You gain resistance to Poison & Disease.

Divine Strike (8th level)
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. At 14th level, you may elect to replace the necrotic damage Exhausting touch. When you do so, the target must save against your spell DC or gain one level of exhaustion as the heat of the desert and the weight of ages bears down upon it.

Preserver of Ages (17th level) (Cleric capstone is 20, subclass features stop at 17)
You have dedicated yourself to the service of your god and may not multiclass after this point. In a magical ritual that takes 8 hours, you channel the energy of your god into a prepared circle. Spectral tools manifest around you and go to work, ritually disemboweling you and removing your no-longer necessary organs, while your unliving nerves become deadened to pain. Your god binds your soul to three canopic jars containing your removed organs, and you gain the following characteristics:
-Your type changes to Undead. You no longer require food, water, or sleep, although sleep is still a pleasant indulgence from time to time.
-Immunity to disease, poison, sleep, or exhaustion.
-Your deity strengthens you; you have advantage on saving throws against any effect which would turn undead.
-Canopic jars:
a) 3 Canopic jars are created by the ritual, and are magically placed by your deity. Typically, one is placed at a major temple of your deity, one is placed at a desert refuge or ruin you are familiar with, and the third is placed somewhere of significance to you, often a library or museum.
b) If you are killed, you may elect to regenerate yourself with a repaired body 1d10 days later at the location of one of your canopic jars. Doing so shatters the jar, which can be replaced in a ritual consuming 5,000gp, 3 days, and the fragments of the shattered jar.
c) Once per 24 hours, a beneficial or harmful spell cast upon one of your canopic jars by someone else can affect you. You save against the spell as normal, and are aware of the spell, its effects, and which jar it was cast upon.

---

I purposely kept the immunity list relatively short, and the resurrection parameters limited to avoid nasty exploitation. The canopic jar spellcasting can be a boon if coordinated, or a bane and totally a quest hook if an enemy gets hold of it.

Spells are selected for a theme of preservation, containment, knowledge, death/the dead, and then Bestow Curse because mummies and liches.

Sheesh, thank you! I feel like I'm saying thank you to everybody here, this is an amazing forum!

I've got to say, I really like the way you've handled the capstone. Your rules about the canopic jars really lend themselves to plot hooks, which both myself and my DM absolutely love.

Also how you've incorporated exhaustion into the Divine Strike feature. After reading about the heat rules (as I posted in my previous post), I love the idea of exhaustion somehow playing a part in the subclass, as it really seems to encapsulate that 'desert' feel.

As a side note, you mentioned ''Cleric capstone is 20, subclass features stop at 17'' - is it generally a bad idea then to slot in homebrew features at a level where a subclass wouldn't ordinarily get them? I mean, obviously giving a bonus feature every single level would be ridiculous - but is it still a big no-no to add in one or two, at levels where you would perhaps get nothing ordinarily?

After thinking about it, I'm guessing it is really a bad idea. So in the interest of balance, if you do want more features/abilities than ordinary - you would need to water down the features power levels, in order to incorporate 'more than one bonus', where you would usually only receive one, at any specific level.

Ek, that was difficult to explain. Apologies for 'rambling' here, this is my first attempt at homebrew of this level - and I'm just trying to get everything clear in my head.

I think after seeing all these suggestions I may try my hand at writing this subclass out and posting it here, and seeing what you guys think of it all!

[Grod_The_Giant]

Wow thank you so much for your detailed response! If you don't mind me asking, what was your reasoning in selecting druid, rather than cleric? Was it purely from a flavor viewpoint, or something else?
Flavor, mostly-- from the quick flavor blurb in Sandstorm, I got a "one with nature" feel that felt more Druid-y than Cleric-y. The 5e Cleric list is also pretty centered on (un)holy-ness, which didn't seem as appropriate. Mostly I didn't see your post that you'd prefer Cleric.


Regarding Desiccating Touch - as I wrote above in response to DrKerosene - is the original Desiccating Touch just too overpowered to be a subclass starting ability? It just seems to me that simply giving an 'ordinary cantrip' seems a little weak? I accept I might be completely wrong about this! That was just my first thought.
5e class design has a tendency towards "class features as spells"-- things like familiars and paladin spells are also spells now, for example. More importantly, making it a cantrip makes for better integration with the rest of the system. (Also, to be fair-- that's a pretty strong cantrip, especially by Druid standards).


I actually really like the idea of The Wasting as a Channel Divinity option, it seems to fit the original description, being a once-per-day option.
Thanks!


The Sand Golem as a Gargoyle sounds like an amazing idea too! I'm a little worried that a Gargoyle might be a little overpowered for 6th level though, but maybe I'm being too cautious. Are there any other comparable level 6 class features?
Eh. Conjure Animals is a 3rd level spell that gives you a CR 2 beast; Create Sand Golem is basically the same thing one level later, just giving you a CR 2 elemental.


With 'Desert Walker: 2nd level resistance to fire damage' - I think this sounds great! However, I've just found the rules to 'extreme heat' in DnD 5th edition - I'll copy and paste them here -

''Extreme Heat
When the temperature is at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a creature exposed to the heat and without access to drinkable water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first hour and increases by 1 for each additional hour. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.''

Now, do we think it's worth attempting to incorporate those rules somehow into the 'heat' abilities of the walker, i.e. Improved Heat Endurance, Local Drought and Greater Drought? Or do we thinking that would be completely unnecessarily complicating the whole thing?
Granting fire resistance means that the Walker doesn't have to worry about extreme heat.

If you want to include the Local/Greater Drought option... replace the Wasting channel divinity with something more like Local Drought? Save or eat a level of exhaustion? You could also write a unique Domain/Circle spell to do something similar.

[Forechosen]

Alright, so here's what I've been thinking - I've tried to explain my reasoning after each level increment, the formatting is a bit of a mess - because I'm bad at formatting and because the whole thing is interjected with 'why I chose this' etc. - but I hope you guys can make some sense of it.

Walker in the Waste

Domain Spells

1st Ray of Sickness, False Life
3rd Dust Devil, Bestow Curse
5th Conjure Elemental (earth/sand), Wall of Sand
7th Flesh to Stone (salt), Blight
9th Create Undead (Salt Mummy), Transmute Rock
--

Reasoning: I've attempted to put the Walker in the Waste's 5th, 6th and 8th level abilities (Pillar of Salt, Create Sand Golem and Create Salt Mummy) in to the domain spells, to save up on bloating the subclass with extra features to replicate those specific abilities. Those abilities can be more-or-less easily replicated by spells, so why not.

As far as the other spells in the list, I haven't put too much thought into them yet, I just wanted to get a general theme going.

1st level:

Desiccating Touch

As a touch attack, you can drain moisture from a living creature. At 1st level, this ability deals 1d6 points of necrotic damage, or 1d8 points to plant creatures. At every odd-numbered level thereafter, the necrotic damage increases by 1d6 (or 1d8), to a maximum of 5d6 (or 5d8) at 9th level. The touched creature can make a Constitution save against your spell save DC for half damage.

Heat Endurance

Also starting at 1st level, you have advantage on any saving throws needed as a result of heat or heat exhaustion.

--

Reasoning: Alright, so looking through the Cleric Subclasses, they get a pretty diverse set of abilities at 1st level. I really like the idea of Desiccating Touch as a starting ability, rather than an 8th level Divine Strike (for flavor reasons, really). That being said, I truly don't know if this ability is overpowered or not - considering the victim can save for half damage, it doesn't seem that bad to be honest. But I'm on the edge here.

Obviously, I haven't changed the ability whatsoever. There have been lots of great suggestions in this thread on how it could be changed - but still, does it need to be?

The Heat Endurance, on the other hand, is virtually a ribbon ability. Having said that, I actually much prefer resistance to heat/exhaustion, than substituting in fire resistance - as to me, a Mummy would go up like a bale of hay xD

2nd Level:

Channel Divinity: The Wasting

On reaching 2nd level, using your Channel Divinity, you can transform a handful of dust or sand into a terrible disease.

Using this feature, as an action you can blow sand into the face of a living opponent within 20 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target is poisoned.

At the end of each of the poisoned target's turns, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target succeeds on three of these saves, it is no longer poisoned, and the spell ends. If the target fails three of these saves, the target is no longer poisoned, but the target is subjected to the Flesh Rot disease for seven days.

Flesh Rot. The creature's flesh decays. The creature has disadvantage on Charisma checks and vulnerability to all damage.

Since this feature induces a natural disease in its target, any effect that removes a disease or otherwise ameliorates a disease's effects apply to it.

--

Reasoning: The Wasting is such a flavorful ability, and it being a once-per-day cast in the 3.5th edition version, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to use as the Channel Divinity. So OK - my idea here was to basically be able to cast Contagion as a channel Divinity, but Contagion is a 5th level spell. That seems way too overpowered, doesn't it, even for a Channel Divinity? --- so I thought perhaps always being one specific disease (Flesh Rot) rather than one of six, made it more balanced. Does it?

6th level:

Withered Toughness

When you attain 6th level, your body becomes inured to the arid conditions in which you thrive. Your flesh grows leathery and tough, and your AC improves by 2. In addition, you gain immunity to the effects of dehydration and heat dangers, such as heat exhaustion, sun glare, and sunburn, although fire damage affects you normally.

--

Reasoning: Is this too weak for 6th level? Essentially it's just +2 AC, as the immunity to dehydration will unlikely be a gamechanger. Having said that, we do have a DM who likes to play things exceptionally realistically. Also, some other 6th level Cleric Subclass abilities don't seem particularly impact either, so perhaps this is all fine.

8th Level:

Drought

Beginning at 8th level, you can produce extreme desert conditions in a 100-foot radius emanation with you at the center, lasting for one minute. The temperature in that area rises significantly (the exact amount is up to the DM) and each creature exposed to the heat and without access to drinkable water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end of each round or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first round and increases by 1 for each additional round. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.

You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

--

Reasoning: OK - this is the one I'm least sure about by FAR. So firstly, from what I can see, every single Cleric Subclass has some sort of static damage increase at 8th level - apart from Matt Mercer's Blood Domain's 'Sanguine Recall' (which does some weird stuff). So, I'm very hesistant to not just do a damage increase like virtually ever other subclass - however, I just can't seem to find a reason to do so.

Damaging abilities we have here are Desiccating Touch (I love as a starting ability), The Wasting (fits so well as a Channel Divinity), and the spell-like abilites (which I've put as domain spells). It just seems that by a process of elimination, Drought just fits here.

On to the ability itself, I've essentially just copied the Heat Exhaustion rules and made them on a per-round basis rather than a per-hour basis (as per hour would have exactly zero application in combat). So once per long rest you can potentially cause exhaustion levels on a bunch of guys in a combat - doesn't seem too overpowered, does it? Genuinely, I'm at a complete loss with this one.

17th Level:

Dry Lich

On reaching 17th level, you learn to apply the secrets of waste preservation to your own body, becoming a dry lich. You must undergo the Sere Rite, overseen by another dry lich, which includes preserving your flesh, removing your organs and storing them in special canopic jars, and imbuing your body with foul magic to make it undying.

Your type changes to Undead. You no longer require food, water, or sleep.

You have immunity to disease, poison, sleep, or exhaustion.

Your deity strengthens you; you have advantage on saving throws against any effect which would turn undead.

Canopic jars:

- 3 Canopic jars are created by the ritual, and are magically placed by your deity. Typically, one is placed at a major temple of your deity, one is placed at a desert refuge or ruin you are familiar with, and the third is placed somewhere of significance to you, often a library or museum.
- If you are killed, you may elect to regenerate yourself with a repaired body 1d10 days later at the location of one of your canopic jars. Doing so shatters the jar, which can be replaced in a ritual consuming 5,000gp, 3 days, and the fragments of the shattered jar.
- Once per 24 hours, a beneficial or harmful spell cast upon one of your canopic jars by someone else can affect you. You save against the spell as normal, and are aware of the spell, its effects, and which jar it was cast upon.

--

Reasoning: I genuinely really liked J-H's take on the canopic jars, so I've basically just copied and pasted his/her suggestion here :)

--

WELL that's it - apologies for the wall of text! Hopefully one of you guys might be able to give some constructive criticism, I'm under no illusion that this is all fantastic right off the bat! Thanks very much for getting this far with this idea :D

[Nifft]

My initial thought was to do a Sorcerer origin, however this...


I'd be more inclined to say Druid subclass than Cleric. Something like...

Walker Spells


... this is sexy.

[J-H]

I'd recheck your spell selections. Flesh to Stone is a 6th level spell normally available at level 11, and you have it as a 4th-level domain spell (available at level 7).

Channel Divinity is normal a "always does X" feature, not a "wasted if you miss" feature. You could just go straight to "is poisoned and needs to start making saves" rather than having a first save to negate it entirely.

+2AC is very powerful with 5E's bounded accuracy.

Drought makes me nervous. 5 rounds of stacking saves from DC 5 up to DC 25, with disadvantage for some humanoid enemies, is really powerful. Everything's going to end up failing a couple of saves and will end up with a big stack of multi-day disadvantages. Also, it's not party friendly, so you probably won't get to use this.

[Forechosen]

I'd recheck your spell selections. Flesh to Stone is a 6th level spell normally available at level 11, and you have it as a 4th-level domain spell (available at level 7).

Channel Divinity is normal a "always does X" feature, not a "wasted if you miss" feature. You could just go straight to "is poisoned and needs to start making saves" rather than having a first save to negate it entirely.

+2AC is very powerful with 5E's bounded accuracy.

Drought makes me nervous. 5 rounds of stacking saves from DC 5 up to DC 25, with disadvantage for some humanoid enemies, is really powerful. Everything's going to end up failing a couple of saves and will end up with a big stack of multi-day disadvantages. Also, it's not party friendly, so you probably won't get to use this.

Ok those are all more than fair points! I will indeed have to look over those domain spells.

About the Channel Divinity, hmm I suppose that sounds fair enough. To be honest I was worried it was too powerful, not not powerful enough - what you're suggesting isn't a major change anyway, so it all sounds good :)

I can completely see that +2 AC is powerful, but is it too powerful at that level? Perhaps just a +1 AC bonus?

And.. alright I may have to rethink drought. My train of thought was that as the DC starts at a measly 5, it would surely be some rounds before it even starts taking effect (usually) - therefore it would only be effective in much longer, drawn out fights *and* it's only useable per long rest. However, I completely see what you're getting at. How about if we capped the exhaustion level to only one or two levels? Or would you say an entire rethink is in order? Actually, I hadn't even considered the party-non-friendliness of it at all, hmmmm.. that is an issue too.