The campaign I was running needed a Shaman and D&D 5E didn’t have one. Here’s my take on how to play a Shaman in Dungeons and Dragons.
“Know this: a shaman must never demand power; to do so would arouse the anger of the elements, and a shaman without the elements’ protection is nothing. Those that follow the path of the shaman must never forget this most vital tenet.
However, a shaman that works in a respectful union with the elements wields a power rivaled by few.”
— Teo Hammerstorm
Spiritual guides and practitioners, Shamans are masters of the elements, using spells and totems that heal or enhance their allies while unleashing the fury of the elements upon their foes.
A Shaman is more of a strategic class in a fight, placing totems that grant a variety of effects that help or hinder. They can battle at range or close up in melee if they so choose, but it is their ability to put down powerful passive or aggressive totems that make them incredibly versatile and reliable in battle.
They can attack and heal, ward and protect. Some more knowledgeable Shamans can even summon elemental spirits to fight alongside them and their allies.
The Earthen Ring is a neutral faction of shaman dedicated to preserving the balance between the elements. Led by the Council of Elders, it includes shaman from both the Alliance and the Horde, who put aside old rivalries for the good of the world. During the Cataclysm, they healed the world and the elements wherever they could. They also fought the Burning Legion alongside the other class orders during the demons’ third invasion. Invitation to join this faction is an honor bestowed on few Shamans and is highly coveted.
Types of Totems:
There are three main categories of totem for this class; the damage totems reflect the forces of the elements while the healing totems provide passive and active ways to recover the health of allies. Summoning totems are reserved for those who have proven themselves to the guardians of the elemental plane, requiring many materials and quests in order to gain their favor. They do not give this ability to just any Shaman; it requires hard work and dedication, and also the combined help of their friends to achieve this lofty goal.
Most totems are cantrips that can be used as a bonus action, with the ability to replace them requiring an action to remove one. There is a particular order to how each type of totem is utilized in battle; failure of the Shaman to remember this will have the penalty of less potent power from that totem during that round. All totems placed can be seen and attacked by enemies, with some differing amounts of hp and AC per totem.
Only one totem of its type may be active at a time.
Healing Totems:
The effects of these totems must be activated each round by the Shaman at the beginning of their turn. If they forget and do something else first, the lowest passive effect will be used instead, regardless of the Shaman’s character level.
Totem of Spirit – Allies within 10 feet of the Spirit Totem add your charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to saving throws and death saves.
Minor Healing Totem – A small wooden totem that provides a minor passive heal of 1 hit point to an ally during their turn for that round. This totem’s effects are restricted to radius of 10ft from the object. Higher character levels will provide a more potent version of this effect, raising to a roll of 1d4 at 5th level and raising an additional 1d4 at the 11th and 17th levels respectively. This more potent version must be charged by the Shaman or it will revert to the base effect of 1 until the Shaman’s next turn. This totem has 10 in both AC and hit points.
Totem of Healing – This wooden totem allows the Shaman to choose an ally at the beginning of their turn within 20 ft of the totem. The ally heals for 1d6 hit points. The more potent versions add an additional 1d6 at 5th, 11th, and 17th of the Shaman’s character levels. This totem has an AC of 13 and 15 hit points.
Totem of Heart – Within a range of 20ft of this totem, the Shaman can heal their nearest ally up to 1d12 hit points. Any points remaining will spill over to that ally’s nearest friend for the remainder and so on, until all hit points from that roll are spent. This totem has 15 AC and 15 hit points.
Totem of Affliction – Within range of 20ft, choose an ally to remove one affliction of choice, e.g. poison, charm, etc. This totem has a total of 10 hit points and an AC of 12.
Totem of Fortification – This totem reduces damage taken by you and your allies as a group by 1d4 for one round. Failure to roll will have the effects revert to a passive effect of shielding the party for 1 hit point for that round. More potent versions of this effect add an additional 1d4 at the 5th, 11th and 17th character levels. The totem has 12 hit points and an AC of 13.
Totem of the Ancestors – At the end of a fight, the Shaman will place their crafted totem and commune with the spirits to revive their fallen allies, who will sit up from where they fell. Allies will be brought back with half of their hit points; the rest can only be regained by a long rest. Healing spells and potions will not bring the allies up to more than half of their hit points. The totem will only have two charges and must be re-crafted in order to use again, taking one long rest to construct. It also can be used once per day. This totem can only be obtained through a long quest line to convince the spirits of the Shaman’s worthiness, with expensive materials to craft it. If the Shaman was not present for that fight, they cannot use this totem to revive their allies.
Summoning Totems:
Totem of the Elemental – There is really only one totem a Shaman will use for summoning an elemental to aid them in battle. The materials required to activate it will depend on which one they are calling, and which summoning rituals they know. Each of these can only be gained by earning the trust of the spirits of that portion of the elemental plane. Their decision will lean on what the Shaman has done for the spirits, and their requests will vary.
An elemental is naturally passive and will not obey orders when summoned. They will only attack when the Shaman does and to that target only. It is friendly to the Shaman and their allies for the duration of its presence. A summoned elemental can be attacked and destroyed; it has an AC of 13 with a total of 1d12 hit points, decided upon summoning. Only one type of elemental (earth, air, water, fire) may be summoned at a time, once per day. The totem and elemental will stay on the mortal plane either until it is destroyed or a total of 2 rounds have occurred, whichever comes first. The elemental cannot move further that 30 ft from the Shaman once summoned.
Damage Totems:
Damage totems are representative of the elemental forces that interact with the mortal plane.
Totem of Air – Any creature within 5 feet of the totem treats the area as difficult terrain. As a bonus action, you can cause a blast of razor like wind to strike out at a creature within 30 feet of the totem. You make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the creature takes 1d8 slashing damage. At 10th level, this damage increases to 2d8. At 16th level, the damage increases to 3d8.
Totem of Earth – You cause a tendril of earth to reach out and strike a creature within 10 feet of the totem as a melee spell attack. If the attack hits, the creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained until the start of your next turn.
Totem of Fire – Any creature entering into or starting their turn within 5 feet of the totem takes fire damage equal to your wisdom modifier. As a bonus action, a ray of fire springs out from the totem. You make a ranged spell attack against a single creature within 30 feet. If the attack hits, the target takes 1d8 fire damage and is set on fire. If the creature ends its turn on fire, it takes fire damage equal to your wisdom modifier. It is an action to put out the flames. The initial damage increases to 2d8 at 10th level, and 3d8 at 16th level.
Totem of Water – Creatures ending their turn within 5 feet of the totem must make a strength save or be pushed 10 feet on a successful save, they are pushed 5 feet. As a bonus action, you increase the radius to 10 feet and any creature failing the strength save takes 1d8 bludgeoning damage. This damage increases to 2d8 at level 10, and 3d8 at level 16.
Ghost Wolf Form
When a Shaman reaches level 4 they can learn the ability Wild Shape to turn into a Ghost Wolf. While in Ghost Wolf form, the Shaman can commune with the spirits of the elemental plane. With training, the Shaman may be able to transport their allies with them.
While in Ghost Wolf form the Shaman is limited in what they can do:
- Can only take the form of a Ghost Wolf
- Movement speed is increased to 40ft
- Cannot summon totems
- Cannot use spells
- Cannot use weapons
- Cannot speak
- +2 Bonus to Stealth Checks
- +2 Bonus to Athletics Checks
- Can eat and drink foods that do not require utensils
- Loses all AC bonuses from armor, weapons, etc
- Gains the Bite attack ability (+4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.)
Class Features
As a Shaman, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Shaman level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Shaman level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: daggers, axes, maces, staves and “fist” weapons (like brass knuckles)
Tools: Leatherworking and Woodworking
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- a mace or a warhammer
- scale mail or leather armor, or chain mail
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts or any simple weapon
- an explorer’s pack
- A shield and a totem
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.
Spellcasting
As a master of the elements and conduit of divine power, you can cast spells from all classes. However, your list of spells is limited to the following:
Cantrips
The Shaman knows only the following cantrips:
- Light
- Mending
- Thaumaturgy
- Druidcraft
- Dancing Lights
- Friends
- Message
- Minor Illusion
- Prestidigitation
- Shocking Grasp
- Thorn Whip
Spells
The Shaman has access to the following spells:
- True Polymorph (can only turn the target into a frog; lasts 2 rounds) – learn at level 11
- Water Walk – learn at level 9
- Comprehend Languages – 1st level spell
- Create or Destroy Water – 1st level spell
- Detect Evil and Good (limited to celestial, elemental, fey and fiend) – 1st level spell
- Detect Poison and Disease – 1st level spell
- Detect Magic – 1st level spell
- Ensnaring Strike – 1st level spell
- Entangle – 1st level spell
- Feather Fall – 1st level spell
- Fog Cloud – 1st level spell
- Heroism (limited to one use per day) – 1st level spell
- Purify Food and Drink – 1st level spell
- Thunderous Smite – 1st level spell
- Thunderwave – 1st level spell
- Barkskin – 2nd level spell
- Continual Flame – 2nd level spell
- Darkness – 2nd level spell
- Darkvision – 2nd level spell
- Protection from Poison – 2nd level spell
- Call Lightning – 3rd level spell
- Clairvoyance – 3rd level spell
- Counterspell – 3rd level spell
- Daylight – 3rd level spell
- Elemental Weapon – 3rd level spell
- Meld into Stone – 3rd level spell
- Water Breathing – 3rd level spell
- Stone Shape – 4th level spell
- Commune with Nature – 5th level spell
- Freedom of the Winds – 5th level spell
- Telekinesis (only works on objects) – 5th level spell
- Chain Lightning – 6th level spell
- Disintegrate (only works on objects; can only use out of combat) – 6th level spell
- Move earth – 6th level spell
- Transport via Plants – 6th level spell
- Wind Walk – 6th level spell
- Plane Shift – 7th level spell
- Resurrection (If the Shaman dies, they have the option to automatically resurrect. They will only have 2hp and take a penalty of -4 to all rolls of any kind. – 7th level spell
- Control Weather – 8th level spell
- Earthquake – 8th level spell
- Tsunami – 8th level spell
- Meteor Swarm – 9th level spell
- Time Stop – 9th level spell
- Gate – 9th level spell
Amy N Kaplan 
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