tzurk
2022-01-01, 12:53 AM
Hey dudes,
Here is an attempt to bring a playable Warcraft-style shaman to 5e.
Inspired by the Circle of Wildfire (which I have used with great enjoyment to play an Elemental shaman by simply reskinning the Wildfire Spirit as a Fire Totem), I've tried to translate the feeling of playing an Enhancement shaman into the world of DnD. No totems this time, but a variety of benefits to a melee combatant that hopefully toe the line between theme and mechanics in a balanced way.
Trying to get that casty slashy feel in a way that was different to the many gishes available was a bit tricky. I would have loved to give this subclass the Bladesinger version of Extra Attack but was worried about the power level.
C&C welcome as always - are 3 resistances too many for 14th level? Is 2nd level overloaded? Is it overshadowed by a melee moon druid? Cheers!
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fd/cc/26/fdcc2638aab91fb2b4bf16fcbff5c0c1.jpg
Art by Anton Zemskov
Circle of the Tempest
Druids of the Circle of the Tempest are elemental warriors bound to the powers of thunder, rain and lightning. They channel and direct the swirling energies of the storm as they are needed by their allies, providing rain to desolate lands, saving port towns from lightning strikes, and summoning destructive energies to clear swEathes of invaders. In addition to being powerful spellcasters, they are capable warriors who enjoy being in the eye of the storm during battle, directing the energies of their tempest as they best see fit.
Storm Warrior
When you choose this druid circle at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with simple and martial weapons.
In addition, you learn the booming blade and shillelagh cantrips, which count as druid cantrips for you and do not count against your number of druid cantrips known. When you cast shillelagh, you can replace the club or staff mentioned in the spell description with any melee weapon you are holding, and may choose to roll the weapon’s damage dice in place of the one provided by the spell.
Stormstrike
Starting at 2nd level, when you use your action to cast a leveled druid spell that requires concentration, or to produce the effects of a druid spell you are concentrating on (such as in moonbeam or call lightning), you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
Extra Attack
Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Lightning Shield
Starting at 10th level, you can use your mastery of the storm to surround yourself with crackling motes of lightning. As an action, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to gain a number of lightning motes equal to 1 + the level of the spell slot expended.
When you are hit by a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to cause one or more of the motes to explode, dealing lightning damage to the attacker equal to 1d8 per mote expended + your Wisdom modifier.
Motes last for one hour, or until they are expended.
Storm-hardened
Starting at 14th level, you gain resistance to lightning, thunder and cold damage as your body becomes well-suited to life within the tempest.
Some feedback I have already received suggests that the subclass is lacking in storminess until 10th. This is true in that I largely rely on booming blade to carry the theme until then which may have been a mistake.
What do you think about moving the Lightning Shield ability to 2nd, replacing the spell slot cost with using a Wildshape to gain a number of motes equal to (wis mod? prof bonus?) and folding in the Stormstrike benefit - you can make the bonus action attack while casting/using action on a concentration druid spell, as long as one of the motes is active - is that too much in one feature? Too convoluted on how to gain the benefit?
Thanks for any thoughts!
EDIT: my further thoughts below...
I worried about circle spells as potentially too many features/too much power at 2, but maybe they will help carve out an identity for the build.
Potential circle spells:
2nd - Fog Cloud/Absorb Elements, Thunderwave/Witch Bolt (getting a Stormstrike BA attack when you auto-zap on future turns could finally make this spell worth it?)
3rd - Shatter, Skywrite/Warding Wind
5th - Call Lightning/Lightning Bolt (too much?), Thunder Step
7th - Ice Storm, Elemental Bane
9th - Maelstrom/Destructive Wave, Control Winds
Then redo features as follows:
2 - Bonus Proficiencies, simple & martial weapons
2 - Storm Warrior
Starting at 2nd level, you can expend a use of your Wildshape feature to summon a number of lightning motes equal to your Wisdom modifier.
While these motes are active, you gain the following benefits:
You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier when making a melee weapon attack.
When you use your action to cast a druid spell that requires concentration, or to produce the effects of a druid spell you are concentrating on (as in moonbeam or call lightning), you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
When hit by a melee attack, you can use your reaction to cause one of the motes to explode, dealing lightning damage to the attacker equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
Motes last for one hour or until expended.
6 - Extra Attack (Bladesinger style? Thorn Whip + attack could be fun) OR the BA attack deals an extra 1d8 lightning.
10 - Motes grant temp HP equal to damage caused. (should this be a baked-in part of the motes to begin with? Temp HP is a big part of spores and Moon Druid wildshapes. if so, maybe resistances here)
14 - Resistances if not at 10. Or if 6 is Extra Attack, maybe an extra 1d6 lightning to melee attacks ala imp divine smite - maybe (probably) too good. Maybe add Wis to concentration checks while motes are active. hmmmmm...
Here is an attempt to bring a playable Warcraft-style shaman to 5e.
Inspired by the Circle of Wildfire (which I have used with great enjoyment to play an Elemental shaman by simply reskinning the Wildfire Spirit as a Fire Totem), I've tried to translate the feeling of playing an Enhancement shaman into the world of DnD. No totems this time, but a variety of benefits to a melee combatant that hopefully toe the line between theme and mechanics in a balanced way.
Trying to get that casty slashy feel in a way that was different to the many gishes available was a bit tricky. I would have loved to give this subclass the Bladesinger version of Extra Attack but was worried about the power level.
C&C welcome as always - are 3 resistances too many for 14th level? Is 2nd level overloaded? Is it overshadowed by a melee moon druid? Cheers!
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fd/cc/26/fdcc2638aab91fb2b4bf16fcbff5c0c1.jpg
Art by Anton Zemskov
Circle of the Tempest
Druids of the Circle of the Tempest are elemental warriors bound to the powers of thunder, rain and lightning. They channel and direct the swirling energies of the storm as they are needed by their allies, providing rain to desolate lands, saving port towns from lightning strikes, and summoning destructive energies to clear swEathes of invaders. In addition to being powerful spellcasters, they are capable warriors who enjoy being in the eye of the storm during battle, directing the energies of their tempest as they best see fit.
Storm Warrior
When you choose this druid circle at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with simple and martial weapons.
In addition, you learn the booming blade and shillelagh cantrips, which count as druid cantrips for you and do not count against your number of druid cantrips known. When you cast shillelagh, you can replace the club or staff mentioned in the spell description with any melee weapon you are holding, and may choose to roll the weapon’s damage dice in place of the one provided by the spell.
Stormstrike
Starting at 2nd level, when you use your action to cast a leveled druid spell that requires concentration, or to produce the effects of a druid spell you are concentrating on (such as in moonbeam or call lightning), you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
Extra Attack
Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Lightning Shield
Starting at 10th level, you can use your mastery of the storm to surround yourself with crackling motes of lightning. As an action, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to gain a number of lightning motes equal to 1 + the level of the spell slot expended.
When you are hit by a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to cause one or more of the motes to explode, dealing lightning damage to the attacker equal to 1d8 per mote expended + your Wisdom modifier.
Motes last for one hour, or until they are expended.
Storm-hardened
Starting at 14th level, you gain resistance to lightning, thunder and cold damage as your body becomes well-suited to life within the tempest.
Some feedback I have already received suggests that the subclass is lacking in storminess until 10th. This is true in that I largely rely on booming blade to carry the theme until then which may have been a mistake.
What do you think about moving the Lightning Shield ability to 2nd, replacing the spell slot cost with using a Wildshape to gain a number of motes equal to (wis mod? prof bonus?) and folding in the Stormstrike benefit - you can make the bonus action attack while casting/using action on a concentration druid spell, as long as one of the motes is active - is that too much in one feature? Too convoluted on how to gain the benefit?
Thanks for any thoughts!
EDIT: my further thoughts below...
I worried about circle spells as potentially too many features/too much power at 2, but maybe they will help carve out an identity for the build.
Potential circle spells:
2nd - Fog Cloud/Absorb Elements, Thunderwave/Witch Bolt (getting a Stormstrike BA attack when you auto-zap on future turns could finally make this spell worth it?)
3rd - Shatter, Skywrite/Warding Wind
5th - Call Lightning/Lightning Bolt (too much?), Thunder Step
7th - Ice Storm, Elemental Bane
9th - Maelstrom/Destructive Wave, Control Winds
Then redo features as follows:
2 - Bonus Proficiencies, simple & martial weapons
2 - Storm Warrior
Starting at 2nd level, you can expend a use of your Wildshape feature to summon a number of lightning motes equal to your Wisdom modifier.
While these motes are active, you gain the following benefits:
You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier when making a melee weapon attack.
When you use your action to cast a druid spell that requires concentration, or to produce the effects of a druid spell you are concentrating on (as in moonbeam or call lightning), you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
When hit by a melee attack, you can use your reaction to cause one of the motes to explode, dealing lightning damage to the attacker equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
Motes last for one hour or until expended.
6 - Extra Attack (Bladesinger style? Thorn Whip + attack could be fun) OR the BA attack deals an extra 1d8 lightning.
10 - Motes grant temp HP equal to damage caused. (should this be a baked-in part of the motes to begin with? Temp HP is a big part of spores and Moon Druid wildshapes. if so, maybe resistances here)
14 - Resistances if not at 10. Or if 6 is Extra Attack, maybe an extra 1d6 lightning to melee attacks ala imp divine smite - maybe (probably) too good. Maybe add Wis to concentration checks while motes are active. hmmmmm...