Atavist

Atavist

An armored frontlining human takes blow after blow, and when she begins to weaken, she becomes all the more savage - hitting harder, striking faster, dying slower. A wounded dog is lethal, but a wounded atavist is a bloody nightmare. With caution halfway around the world, she wounds her own arm, but the enemy falls to the ground as he takes all the pain. Another foe comes near, but finding her only stronger than she was previous.

A Catfolk throws more than his all into each blow, hurting himself in a magical effort to strengthen his blows, but knows it’s not enough. He stills and lets the alien forces take over his mind, as his body erupts aberrant flesh strips, covering him entirely, growing out of holes and hairs - eyes darkening and true horror creeping. If his mark doesn’t falter at the mere sight of the abomination, he will soon fall in battle.

The fireball rounds the corners of the maze, the wizard’s foul fire chasing his would be killer down the hall, but a sacrificial slight crippling of his arm gives him the power he needs to dodge out of the fiery current.

No matter their upbringing, race, culture, or even time period, atavists are united by their ability to make use of their own vitality in their weapon play. There may have been bloodlines at one point, but those are gone now.

Old, Vengeful, and Scattered

Before iron, before the blade, before organized cities, there were the atavists - using the only tools they had available: their bodies and their magic. In tandem, they use these dual aspects to protect, to conquer, to hunt monsters, or to achieve any other ends.

These people build on failure. They take their combat training of reflexive attacks when they’re hurt and apply it to their lives: those that wrong atavists should know they will be struck back ten times harder. Some atavists even enjoy being attacked, hurt or betrayed, and use it as an excuse to hit back.

Atavists can come from anywhere in the world: tribes, kingdoms, royalty, or gutter poor; however, those peoples that trend towards using hemomancy and other necrotic, vitality-affected powers would seem to have a higher chance of a child with atavistic powers.

The Origin of Hemomancy

Magic that drains and takes from you is a studied and developed field that comes from atavists first. They started blood magic. But, what started the atavists? How did atavists begin in your setting—or is a piece of history lost long ago? Is it even important? Has it began multiple times, or can be it be restarted or instilled into potential users a variety of ways? Or, is every atavist in the same family tree, leading farther and farther back; it might lead to creatures beyond humanoids, perhaps from some union of opposite beings; or from a creature who has long left this universe.

The power to use one’s own body in a general sense has been around for eons. Atavism is tied and twisted around that idea. To those born with the talent, it’s no more difficult than training an instrument for others - the inclination was born into them. However, many atavists were not simply born with it - through the prowess of a strong blood warrior, a child can be formed and shaped physically, giving him or her a much higher chance of developing atavistic powers. It’s up to you to decide how you obtained this talent.

Powers Without Direction

Many classes in Dungeons and Dragons have a clear indication and will for what a member would be doing - wizards study magic, paladins take up the cause of righteousness, and clerics serve their gods. But, many atavists have no such direction. If your character was ingrained with these powers through a blood rite, the question is, why?

The same question exists for those who were born with the abilities. Are you part of some tangential, many-webbed plan of a deity or another powerful being, or was it just chance?

If you don’t know the answers - like many of those in the world do not know the purpose of their lives - you decide it. Maybe you don’t care, and you focus on what you want and how you can get it in the future, instead of dwelling on the past.

Infamous Heroes, Oft Villains

The magic used (or abused) by atavists is normally questionable at best in most cultures, and when under close examination, can often be found to be a type that is commonly disowned, unsupported, and generally looked down on. This creates prejudice against atavists. They are more often cast as villains in stories, and tend not to be heroes; at least, in most of the world. It’s harder for an atavist to be admired and easier to villainize.

If you have hidden your powers, or put them to an unusual cause, what effect has that had on how confident your character is? Would ‘I was born like this’ as a defense have held up wherever you came from?

Creating an Atavist

The most important question to consider when creating your atavist is the effect that their powers have had on them - and how those effects and powers were treated by those around you. Did you lose sets of friends due to fearful ignorance? Did your family embrace and accept you for who you are, or did they turn a blind eye to your powers and hope they - or maybe you - would disappear?

Atavists are known for their rigid health, physicality, and aptitude for circumstantially evil magics. Certain sages and other scholars would love to study you, or those with the same motives and less morals may pose a danger to you; maybe they already have. Do you wish you could hide or remove your power? Or do you want to defeat the stereotype you’re applied and become a hero?

After your journey begins as an atavist, it might happen upon a new road. Are you a brutal warrior who wants to be attacked - a jaded, wearied soldier who will never fall? Are you a hopeful and strong warrior that has fallen to afflictions of the mind; the inluence of strange beings, that are a cursed blessing? Or are you a ruthless killer, lethal and weaponized, who will not stop to get what they want? Maybe you pledge yourself to or are pledged by a powerful fiend, who is respectful of your blood magic, and extends a fiery hand of power for you to grasp. You might even divine more power from meditation and self-reflection, with the idea that the more time you spend with yourself, the more able you are.

Quick Build

You can make an atavist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Dexterity (depending on what kind of martial character you want). Second, choose the Soldier background.

Class Features

HP Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per atavist level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per atavist level after 1st
P Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Survival
E Starting Equipment
(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor (a) two spears or (b) any martial weapon (a) a greataxe or (b) a battleaxe and a shield\ (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a priest’s pack ※ Alternatively, you may start with 4d4 × 10gp to buy your own equipment.

Class Table

	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
				1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	2	Druidic, Spellcasting	2	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	2	Wild Shape, Druid Circle	2	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	2	—	2	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	2	Wild Shape Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	3	4	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	3	—	3	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	3	Druid Circle Feature	3	4	3	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	3	—	3	4	3	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	3	Wild Shape Improvement, Ability Score Improvement	3	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	4	—	3	4	3	3	3	1	—	—	—	—
10th	4	Druid Circle Feature	4	4	3	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	4	—	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	4	Ability Score Improvement	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	5	—	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
14th	5	Druid Circle Feature	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
15th	5	—	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
16th	5	Ability Score Improvement	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
17th	6	—	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	6	Timeless Body, Beast Spells	4	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	6	Ability Score Improvement	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	6	Archdruid	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

=Rend Ichor

You can tap into your raw health to deliver death. You have a rend die which powers certain class features, and is a d6. When you rend, you roll this die and lose hitpoints equal to the result, which can’t be reduced in any way. You can’t rend more than once for a feature unless the effect says so.

When a feature says that you can rend to a roll, it means that you can rend yourself and add the result of the rend die to the roll. You can rend yourself to any damage roll for an attack with a melee weapon as a part of the Attack action, for a spell attack, for a reaction, or for a bonus action. You can rend any amount of times per turn.

At 7th level, you can rend to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and you can roll 2d6 for your rend dice. At 14th level, you can roll 3d6, and 4d6 at 20th.

Spellcasting

Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the druid spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn additional druid cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Druid table.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Druid table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your druid spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these druid 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 druid spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the druid spell list. When you do so, choose a number of druid spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your druid level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 3rd-level druid, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of druid spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast a druid 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 (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.

Wild Shape

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Your druid level determines the beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swimming speed.

Level	Max. CR	Limitations	Example
2nd	1/4	No flying or swimming speed	Wolf
4th	1/2	No flying speed	Crocodile
8th	1	---	Giant eagle

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid 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 DM 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.

Druid Circle

At 2nd level, you choose one of the Druid Circles below. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

• Circle of Ashes ᴴᴮ
• Circle of Dreams
• Circle of Spores
• Circle of the Land
• Circle of the Moon
• Circle of the Shepherd
• Circle of the Stones ᴴᴮ

Wild Shape Improvement

At 4th level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before of challenge rating 1/2 or lower that doesn't have a flying speed. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

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.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Wild Shape Improvement

At 8th level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before of challenge rating 1 or lower. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Timeless Body

Starting at 18th level, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.

Beast Spells

Beginning at 18th level, you can cast many of your druid spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a druid spell while in a beast shape, but you aren’t able to provide material components.

Archdruid

At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.

Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your druid spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren’t consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape.