[3.5] The Homebrew Spirit Shaman Handbook

[Mephibosheth]

Base Class Variants and Alternate Class Features


Modified Base Class

Note: Unless noted here, this version of the spirit shaman base class is identical to that presented in Complete Divine.

Table 1 - Spirit Shaman
{table=head]Lvl|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9
1|+0|+2|+0|+2|Spirit Guide, Wild Empathy|3|2||||||||
2|+1|+3|+0|+3|Chastise Spirits|4|3||||||||
3|+2|+3|+1|+3|Detect Spirits|5|4|2||||||||
4|+3|+4|+1|+4|Blessing of the Spirits|6|5|3||||||||
5|+3|+4|+1|+4|Follow the Guide|6|6|4|2|||||||
6|+4|+5|+2|+5|Ghost Warrior|6|6|5|3||||||
7|+5|+5|+2|+5|Warding of the Spirits|6|6|6|4|2|||||
8|+6/+1|+6|+2|+6||6|6|6|5|3|||||
9|+6/+1|+6|+3|+6|Spirit Form 1/day|6|6|6|6|5|2||||
10|+7/+2|+7|+3|+7|Guide Magic|6|6|6|6|5|3||||
11|+8/+3|+7|+3|+7|Recall Spirit|6|6|6|6|6|4|2|||
12|+9/+4|+8|+4|+8||6|6|6|6|6|5|3|||
13|+9/+4|+8|+4|+8|Exorcise|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2||
14|+10/+5|+9|+4|+9||6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3||
15|+11/+6/+1|+9|+5|+9|Spirit Form 2/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2|
16|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Weaken Spirits|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|
17|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Spirit Journey|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2
18|+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3
19|+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Favored of the Spirits|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4
20|+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Spirit Form 3/day, Spirit Who Walks|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5[/table]

Class Features:

Spells: A spirit shaman casts divine spells from the spirit shaman spell list. A spirit shaman can cast any spell she has retrieved and the spirit shaman’s spell retrieval and casting mechanics are identical to those presented in Complete Divine. A spirit shaman can retrieve a limited number of spells every day as indicated in Table 2. Like all spellcasters, a spirit shaman is limited in the number of spells they can cast every day. The number of spells a spirit shaman can cast every day is indicated in Table 1.

Table 2 - Spirit Shaman Spells Retrieved
{table=head]Lvl|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9
1|3|1
2|3|2
3|3|2|1
4|3|3|2
5|4|3|2|1
6|4|3|2|2
7|4|3|2|2|1
8|4|4|3|2|1
9|5|4|3|2|2|1
10|5|4|3|3|2|1
11|5|4|4|3|2|2|1
12|5|4|4|3|2|2|1
13|5|4|4|3|3|2|2|1
14|5|4|4|4|3|2|2|1
15|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|1|1
16|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|2|1
17|5|4|4|4|4|3|3|2|1|1
18|5|4|4|4|4|3|3|2|2|1
19|5|4|4|4|4|4|3|3|2|2
20|5|4|4|4|4|4|3|3|3|2[/table]

Spirit Guide: All spirit shamans have a spirit guide, a link between their physical existence and the spirit world. In some sense, a spirit shaman and her spirit guide are one being, knowing and seeing and experiencing the same things. Unlike a familiar, a spirit guide is not a separate entity from a spirit shaman. Under normal circumstances, she is the only one who can perceive or interact with her guide.

The spirit shaman’s spirit guide confers greater awareness of her spiritual surroundings and grants her the Alertness feat. A spirit shaman’s spirit guide also grants her the use of a spell-like ability (choose one of the options listed on Table 3) based on the spirit guide’s characteristics and personality. The spirit shaman can use this spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to her charisma modifier. A spirit shaman’s spirit guide also grants additional abilities as her power and experience increase, as outlined in Table 1 and explained below.

The exact form of the spirit guide is chosen by the spirit shaman at first level based on the qualities it represents and the bonuses it grants. A spirit guide usually appears to the spirit shaman in the form of an animal that represents the spirit guide’s characteristics (for example, a lion for an aggressive spirit guide or a fox for one characterized by cunning). However, the exact form and personality of the spirit guide is purely personal preference and confers no special advantages or disadvantages beyond those outlined here.

Table 3 - Spirit Guide Characteristics
{table=head]Spirit Guide|Characteristics|Granted Spell-Like Ability
Perceptive (owl, eagle)|Caution, wisdom, awareness|Eyes of the Spirit or True Strike
Aggressive (bear, leopard, badger)|Strength, self-reliance, tenacity|Produce Flame or Shillelagh
Defensive (turtle, mongoose)|Caution, stoicism, self-protection|Shield of Faith or Protection from (Alignment) (choose one alignment)
Elusive (snake, lizard, eel)|Stealth, wariness|Hypnotism or Swift Invisibility (SC)
Cooperative (wolf, lion)|Loyalty, interdependence, teamwork|Summon Nature’s Ally 1 or Enlarge Person
Deceptive (crow, coyote)|Trickiness, intelligence, deviousness|Silent Image or Disguise Self
Cunning (fox, spider)|Cunning, creativity, tactics|Entangle or Grease[/table]

Spirit Shaman Spell List

Spirit shamans can retrieve and cast any spell from the druid spell list as well as the spells listed below:

0 Level: Dancing Lights, Daze, Disrupt Undead, Message, Touch of Fatigue
1st Level: Bless, Charm Person, Deathwatch, Detect Undead, Hide from Undead, Protection from [Alignment], Remove Fear
2nd Level: Calm Emotions, Command Undead, Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility, Shield Other, Spiritual Weapon, Status, Suggestion, Touch of Idiocy
3rd Level: Arcane Sight, Clairvoyance/Clairaudience, Halt Undead, Invisibility Purge, Magic Circle Against [Alignment], Speak with Dead, Vampiric Touch
4th Level: Dimension Door, Phantasmal Killer
5th Level: Contact Other Plane, Dispel [Alignment], Dominate Person, Magic Jar, Sending
6th Level: Animate Objects, Legend Lore, Suggestion (Mass)
7th Level: Arcane Sight (Greater), Banishment, Plane Shift
8th Level: Antimagic Field, Dimensional Lock, Moment of Prescience, Temporal Stasis
9th Level: Astral Projection, Soul Bind

Design Notes

Spoiler

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I really like the spell retrieval mechanic, but at early levels the ability to change spells retrieved every day seems underwhelming compared to how few spells you get to retrieve. I slightly increased the number of spells retrieved for low level spells and transitioned back to the number as presented in Complete Divine. I was also underwhelmed by the spirit guide class feature as presented at level one. My version grants a more obvious bonus at first level and helps increase the spirit shaman's versatility a little. It is an effort to make the spirit guide more than just a flavorful ability until follow the guide kicks in at 5th level.

The new spell list is, admittedly, a bit idiosyncratic. However, I think that allowing druid spells only really limits a spirit shaman's ability to interact with spirits. I've added a number of spells that improve the spirit shaman's ability to deal with undead, spells that relate to other planes of existence (i.e. spirit worlds), a few enchantment spells that, in my opinion, could easily involve affecting a character's spirit directly and a few other spells that seemed to fit with the spirit shaman's "tribal elder/spiritual leader" role.

Alternate Class Feature: Spirit Companion

For certain spirit shamans, their connection to the spirits of nature is stronger than others. These spirit shamans often attract a loyal companion to aid them in protecting their people.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Spirit Guide and all related class features
Benefit: You gain an animal companion as a druid, as described in the Player’s Handbook.

Alternate Class Feature: Spirit Helper

Certain spirit shamans manifest their connection to the spirit world in the form of a small animal helper.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Spirit Guide and all related class features
Benefit: You gain a familiar as a sorcerer, as described in the Player’s Handbook. At 10th level, you gain the Improved Familiar feat.

Alternate Class Feature: Domain Shaman

You are most fervently devoted to spirits exemplifying a certain trait of philosophy. Your focused devotion grants you power distinct from other spirit shaman.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Spirit Guide and all related class features
Benefit: You may select a single domain at 1st level. You gain access to the domain’s granted power and can retrieve the domain’s 1st-level spells in addition to your normal spells retrieved. As you learn higher spell levels, you can retrieve your domain’s higher level spells as well in addition to your normal spells retrieved. If you select an aligned domain, it must correspond with your alignment.