Bestial Shifter (Class)

Man, or beast? For most people, there’s an obvious distinction, but for some, they blend together. Forced to walk a fine line between man and monster, bestial shifters either fight against their true nature or learn to embrace it. They are haunted by an ancient curse that predates even lycanthropy, and is much wilder and chaotic. Abominations by all means, bestial shifters are forced into hermitage as they cope and combat their cravings and desires, unpredictably shifting into a beast-like hybridization between their humanoid selves and the vicious animal inside them.

Bestial shifters are identifiable by their often crazed and unkempt appearances, a skittish behavior or long, untamed hair. It wasn’t their fault, though, that their bloodline was cursed with this maddening beast form… or was it? Driven by bloodlust and chaos, bestial shifters are even stronger during the turn of a full moon, and those that dare to mistake them for simple lycanthropes are often wrought with doom when a bestial shifter attacks.

Unfortunately to them, or fortunately for others, a known bestial shifter is exiled from society, sent off into the far corners of the world so that their hidden nature can not be exploited nor bring harm to others, most hoping that this banishment will cause the bestial shifters to die out. Little do they know, however, that this curse is eternal, and will sooner find a new host than be put to rest.

Cursed Bloodline
Bestial shifters are individuals who have been, in one way or another, cursed to carry the blood of a beast within them. At a certain age this blood might awaken, allowing the individual to call upon the power granted to them by this curse. It turns them into fearsome monstrosities that are neither humanoid nor beast, but rather an unholy combination of the two. This transformation comes with great benefits for those who chose to shift, however not every bestial shifter readily embraces this gift, and for a good reason.

Because of their similarities with lycanthropes, most bestial shifters are reviled and hated by the common folk. Unlike lycanthropes, bestial shifters cannot afflict anyone else with their curse through physical contact, a detail that is often forgotten or completely ignored by most. When a bestial shifter is discovered, especially while in their beast form, they are often chased out of civilization or even hunted down by individuals they once knew. As such, most bestial shifters who have even an inkling of desire to stay among civilization tend to live on its fringes, attempting to keep their true nature under wraps. The worst bestial shifters become feral, more beast than anything other, reveling in the power they gain while transformed, and these are the ones with the bad reputation that the bestial shifters with good hearts struggle against.

Nature's Abominations
Not even favored by the deities of nature, and rejected completely by druids who can actually shapeshift into wild animals at their own will, bestial shifters are considered abominations. Their transformations only manifest in a mutilated hybrid form, often eldritch in appearance, and so they are looked down upon by those who revere nature and its beauty, refusing to see its uglier side. Most bestial shifters are fine with this treatment, however, as it means their hunger can not harm those that would otherwise be close.

Few bestial shifters actually rebel against those that treat them so unkindly, and entire towns and villages could be decimated by a single bestial shifter that strikes in the night with a heart full of vengeance and fury. Because of these malevolent beasts, bestial shifters have gathered a worse reputation than simply being abominations; they’re bloodthirsty, furious monsters.

Creating a Bestial Shifter
When creating a bestial shifter, one of the first questions you should ask is how your character became a bestial shifter. Were they born with their accursed bloodline? Is this an inherited affliction passed along through generations? Or was this a curse placed upon them by some foul witch’s magic? Was it intentionally cast, or was it an accident?

Furthermore you should ask how your bestial shifter interacts with normal society. Did they decide to stay among civilization even with their tainted blood? Do they keep their powers under wraps? Does anyone else know what they can do, or have they decided to live outside of civilization? If so, why? Did they decide themselves to flee into the wilderness, or were they chased out of their original home once their beast form was discovered? Is anyone after them?

When they do meet other people, what do they feel? Do they feel nervous about their true self being discovered? Do they feel ashamed of their abilities? Do they resist using it until absolutely necessary, or have they come to accept or even appreciate the gift they now have?

Quick Build
You can make a bestial shifter quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background.

Class Features
As a bestial shifter, you gain the following class features.

 Hit Points 

Hit Dice: 1d12 per bestial shifter level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per bestial shifter level after 1st

 Proficiencies 

Armor: Light armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: none

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, or Survival

 Equipment 

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: Alternatively, you may start with 3d4 x 10 gp to buy your own equipment.
 * (a) a simple weapon and a shield or (b) two simple weapons
 * (a) two handaxes or (b) a shortbow and 20 arrows
 * Two daggers and an explorer’s pack

Bestial Strike
At 1st level, you gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only simple weapons:
 * You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain bestial shifter levels, as shown in the Bestial Strike column of the Bestial Shifter table.
 * Your unarmed strikes deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
 * When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a melee simple weapon, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a dagger, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn. This only applies when using a simple melee weapon that doesn’t have the heavy or two-handed property.

Beast Form
At 1st level, your bestial blood has awoken. Choose a beast type; Bear, Raven, or Wolf. Your chosen beast type reflects the beast associated with your curse, and it gives you features listed in that beast’s description below. Additionally, your Beast Form grants you additional features at 3rd, 6th, 11th, and 17th levels. You can use your bonus action to shift into your hybrid Beast Form. You can use this feature twice, and you regain expended uses when you finish a short or a long rest. At 9th and 14th levels, you gain one additional use of this feature.

You can stay in your Beast Form for a number of hours equal to half your bestial shifter level (rounded down, minimum of 1 hour). At the end of this duration, you 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, but if you do, you take an amount of psychic damage equal to your bestial shifter level. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While in this form, you retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, and items that you were wearing. However, while in your Beast Form, you cannot cast any spells nor maintain concentration on any, and you can’t use any weapons.

Bestial shifters, while in Beast Form, suffer from a loss of their humanity, bringing on the wild mentality of a beast. As such, you have disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma ability checks and saving throws, you are immune to being charmed and frightened, and you can not benefit from a long rest as long as you are in your Beast Form.

Cursed Blood
At 1st level, your tainted bloodline has given you a natural edge against disease and poison, but at a tormenting cost. Any saving throws you make to resist being poisoned or diseased are made with advantage, and you are resistant to poison damage. Additionally, you cannot suffer the effects of lycanthropy or similar afflictions.

However, your bestial urges bring on a hunger that can’t be sated by normal means. At the turn of a full moon, you immediately transform into your hybrid Beast Form, stuck in this form until dawn. Additionally, whenever you take piercing or slashing damage, you must make a Wisdom saving throw, with a DC of 5 + the damage taken. On a failed save, you immediately transform into your hybrid Beast Form, and you are stuck in this form until 8 hours have passed.

Bestial Attunement
When you reach 2nd level, beasts can understand your speech, and you gain the ability to decipher their noises and motions. Most beasts lack the intelligence to convey or understand sophisticated concepts, but a friendly beast could relay what it has seen or heard in the recent past. This feature doesn’t grant you any special friendship with beasts, and a territorial or hostile beast may be inclined to attack.

Unarmored Defense
When you reach 2nd level, while you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Abnormal Resilience
At 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your bestial shifter level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or a long rest before you can use it again. The healing increases by 1d8 when you reach 9th level (2d8), 15th level (3d8), and 19th level (4d8).

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Magical Physiology
Starting at 7th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Chosen Prey
At 9th level, you can choose one enemy to mark as your Chosen Prey as a bonus action. The first time you hit the target with an unarmed strike, you can roll an additional Bestial Strike damage die. You can only roll this damage once per round, and you can only have one Chosen Prey at a time. Your Chosen Prey lasts until the creature dies or you dismiss it as a bonus action.

Sate Hunger
When you reach 10th level, whenever an effect would force you to transform using your Beast Form feature, such as by your Cursed Blood feature or similar magic, you can use your reaction to sate the hunger of the beast within you, cancelling the transformation. When you cancel a transformation in this way, you take an amount of psychic damage equal to your bestial shifter level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or a long rest. Once you reach 15th level, you can use this feature an additional time before needing to rest.

Predator's Advance
At 13th level, your movement speed increases by 10 feet, and you can move an additional 20 feet when you take the Dash action. Additionally, if you are tracking another creature, you and friendly creatures within 30 feet of you can move at a normal travel speed.

Unnatural Fortitude
At 14th level, you can add half your Constitution modifier to any saving throws that you make. Additionally, you make Strength and Constitution saving throws with advantage.

Restless Spirit
At 18th level, the time required for you to fulfill a short or a long rest is halved. During a rest, you are always alert as if you were awake.

Accursed Reckoning
At 20th level, your bestial blood has fully awakened, making your Beast Form and your body more powerful. Increase your Constitution score by 4, also increasing its maximum by 4. You also gain an additional feature for your Beast Form type. Additionally, you can transform into your Beast Form an unlimited number of times, and it does not end unless you choose to end it early or you die.

Beast Forms
Bestial shifters take on hybrid forms of certain beasts. While their forms can not be of any beast, unlike the abilities of the druids, their beast forms are distinct for not quite being true beast forms. Combining their racial features with the bestial features of their cursed blood, the beast forms of bestial shifters is seen as a mutation, a twisted amalgamation of nature, and is visually unsettling, especially during the brief and painful transformation process.

Form of the Bear
Bestial shifters that possess the blood of the bear often have naturally prominent muscles, and their body is covered in thick hair. Many with the blood of the bear have short tempers, loud voices, and a territorial nature about them. They are widely referred to as “ursine shifters”, and they often set themselves up as hermits, for fear that their inner rampaging bear would destroy all that they care about.

Beast Form: Bear
As part of your Beast Form feature, the beast you transform into is a bear. Your body and build grow to a much larger and burly size, with your hair growing thicker, your hands and feet becoming similar to a bear’s claws, and your face shifting into a rather ghastly resemblance of a bear’s face. While you are in your hybrid form, you gain the following benefits: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * Your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
 * You gain a +2 natural armor bonus to your AC.
 * You can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with an unarmed strike.
 * You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Frightening Roar
At 3rd level, you can use your action to let out a menacing and terrifying roar. Each creature within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw, becoming frightened of you for 1 minute on a failed save. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

Barrel Down
At 6th level, when you take the Dash action and move at least 20 feet in a straight line, you can make an immediate unarmed strike against a creature as a bonus action, you gain advantage on the attack roll. If the attack hits the target, that creature has to succeed at a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone, you may also push the target up to 5 feet. The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus.

Great Cleave
When you reach 11th level, whenever you kill a creature, you can make an immediate unarmed strike against another creature. The effects of this feature can occur multiple times on the same turn, for example, if you killed a creature and made an unarmed strike against another creature, and your unarmed strike kills that creature, you may again make another unarmed strike against a different creature. This unarmed strike must happen immediately after you kill a creature, so you can’t move before making this free unarmed strike.

Ursine Regeneration
When you reach 17th level, your Abnormal Resilience feature gains two additional uses, and you can add your Constitution modifier to the amount of hit points regained.

Accursed Reckoning: Bear
When you reach 20th level, you have embraced the full form of the bear, and you gain the following benefits while you are in your hybrid form: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * At the start of each of your turns, you gain 20 temporary hit points.
 * You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
 * Your natural armor bonus increases to +4 instead of +2.
 * When damage reduces you to 0 hit points, as long as this damage does not kill you outright, you can instead drop to 1 hit point and revert to your normal form.

Form of the Raven
Feeble, gaunt, and skittish, those with the blood of the raven often have quick movements, black hair, hooked noses, and are kleptomaniacs. Their terrifying hybrid form is what nightmares are made of, with their hands becoming sharp avian talons and their glowing red eyes instilling a supernatural fear into those that gaze into them. Bestial shifters of this ilk are typically cast aside as street urchins and outcasts, but they are truthfully dangerous and unpredictable.

Beast Form: Raven
As part of your Beast Form feature, the beast you transform into is a raven. Black feathers grow across your body, your arms ending in vicious claws, and your head mutates into a large raven’s head with glowing red eyes. While you are in your hybrid form, you gain the following benefits: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * Your Dexterity score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
 * Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
 * When making an unarmed strike, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
 * You have advantage when making Dexterity ability checks.

Quick Claws
When you reach 3rd level, you can make two additional unarmed strikes instead of one as part of your Bestial Strike feature.

Listen and Repeat
At 6th level, you can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. You are also able to recall a single sentence of no more than twenty words that you have heard in the past week, mimicking the sentence in the voice of whoever spoke it. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check, you have advantage on this check.

In addition, you gain proficiency in the Wisdom (Perception) skill if you haven’t already, and you add double your proficiency bonus when making Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Vicious Cunning
At 11th level, whenever a hostile creature moves within 10 feet of you, at the end of that creature’s move, you can use your reaction to move up to your speed towards that creature, and then you can make an unarmed strike against that creature.

Agile Frame
When you reach 17th level, you have advantage when making Dexterity saving throws. Additionally, whenever you succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, you may move up to half your speed (rounded down).

Accursed Reckoning: Raven
When you reach 20th level, you have embraced the full form of the raven, and you gain the following benefits while you are in your hybrid form: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * You have a fly speed of 30 feet.
 * You have darkvision out to a range of 120 feet, and truesight out to a range of 30 feet.
 * Creatures can’t make attacks of opportunity against you.
 * You can take the Dash action as a bonus action once on each of your turns.

Form of the Wolf
Strong, agile, and aggressive, those with the cursed wolf’s blood coursing through their veins are forces to be reckoned with. Frequently mistaken for werewolves, bestial shifters with the blood of the wolf are a lot more frenzied and cunning than the lycans they’re often associated with. Bestial shifters of this type are well-reserved, yet their pack mentality has given them a soft side for close friends and allies.

Beast Form: Wolf
As part of your Beast Form feature, the beast you transform into is a wolf. Thick gray fur grows across your body as your body becomes muscled and your hands extend into razor sharp claws, your face contorting into that of a wolf’s. While you are in your hybrid form, you gain the following benefits: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * Your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
 * When you make an unarmed attack, you can instead choose to bite the target of your attack with your sharp teeth, dealing piercing damage instead of slashing damage, and you can use your bonus action to make a grapple check against the target.
 * You automatically know when a creature is above or below half their hit point maximum as long as they are within 10 feet of you.
 * You have advantage on any Survival (Wisdom) checks made to track a creature as long as you have an item belonging to this creature that carries its scent.

Blood Frenzy
When you reach 3rd level, whenever you deal damage to a creature whose current hit points are below half their hit point maximum, you deal an additional amount of damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Gore Monger
At 6th level, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on one of your attacks against a creature whose hit points are below half their hit point maximum. You must declare this before you make the attack. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or a long rest.

On All Fours
When you reach 11th level, whenever you take the Dash action while in your hybrid form, you can use your bonus action to drop down on all four limbs and break into a sprint, tripling your speed until the end of your turn. At the start of your next turn, you must use your bonus action to stand up, otherwise you are considered prone.

One With the Pack
At 17th level, you have learned to move and hunt with your pack. On a friendly creature’s turn, if that creature moves and is within at least 30 feet of you, you may move up to 30 feet once per round. If that creature makes an attack against a creature, you can use your reaction to make an attack against the same creature.

Accursed Reckoning: Wolf
When you reach 20th level, you have embraced the full form of the wolf, and you gain the following benefits while you are in your hybrid form: When you revert to your normal form, you lose these benefits.
 * You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
 * You can add half your Strength modifier (rounded down, minimum of 1) to all of your unarmed strike damage rolls.
 * Whenever you make an unarmed strike against a creature and you have advantage on the attack roll, you deal an additional die of damage.
 * You make attacks of opportunity with advantage.