Shepherd
The Shepherd
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips | Spells Known | Spell Slots | Spell Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Unarmored Defense | 1 | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 2nd | +2 | Jack of All Trades, Spellcasting | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1st |
| 3rd | +2 | Expertise, Invigorating Touch | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1st |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1st |
| 5th | +3 | Nature's Boon | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2nd |
| 6th | +3 | Bonus Feat | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2nd |
| 7th | +3 | Stillness of Mind | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2nd |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3rd |
| 9th | +4 | Nature's Boon | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3rd |
| 10th | +4 | Purity of Body | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3rd |
| 11th | +4 | Expertise | 3 | 9 | 2 | 4th |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 10 | 2 | 4th |
| 13th | +5 | Nature's Boon | 3 | 10 | 2 | 4th |
| 14th | +5 | Bonus Feat | 4 | 11 | 2 | 5th |
| 15th | +5 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 5th | |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 12 | 3 | 5th |
| 17th | +6 | Nature's Boon | 4 | 12 | 3 | 5th |
| 18th | +6 | Timeless Body | 4 | 13 | 3 | 5th |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 13 | 3 | 5th |
| 20th | +10 | Supreme Expertise | 4 | 14 | 3 | 5th |
The shepherd is a class which has been designed with the intent of being used primarily for Non Player Characters. While this class could certainly be utilized by a player for their character, either in part via multiclassing, or for all 20 levels, the class is intended to have fewer strengths and specialities than most player character classes do, and thus the player's character will likely have fewer opportunities to 'shine' during the typical game session.
Servitors by Choice
Shepherds are individuals who primarily put others before themself. A shepherd's goals will all tend to focus on the protection of others, the welfare of others, and the advancement of others' goals.
For some shepherds, this is a universal subservience, trying to do the greatest good for as many others as possible. Other shepherds have specific indivudals (a 'flock,' as it were), whose well-being and prosperity are placed above all others'.
Sometimes this takes the form of purely reactive assistance, while at other times the shepherd will feel the need to step in and guide others on the safest or most prosperous path.
Class Features
As a shepherd, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d6 per class_name level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per shepherd level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons
- Tools: Herbalism Kit
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
- Skills: Choose any four.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a quarterstaff or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a shield or (b) any simple weapon
- An explorer's pack and a druidic focus
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know one cantrip 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 Shepherd table.
Jack of All Trades
Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.
Spellcasting
By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook for the druid spell list.
Spell Slots
The Shepherd table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your shepherd spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 9th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell healing word, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.
When multiclassing, Shepherd spell slots are tracked separately from most other spellcasting classes; if you have the Pact Magic feature from the Warlock class, you can add one half your Shepherd level (rounded down) to your warlock levels to determing the number and level of your spell slots.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
At 2nd level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the druid spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Shepherd table shows when you learn more druid spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 7th level, for example, you learn a new druid spell, which can be 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the druid spells you know and replace it with another spell from the druid spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your shepherd spells. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the strength of your convictions. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a shepherd spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
- Spell save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier
- Spell attack modifier = proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a druidic focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Expertise
At 3rd level, choose two of your skill or tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 11th level, you can choose another two skill or tool proficiencies to gain this benefit.
Invigorating Touch
Starting at 3rd level, your very touch can heal wounds and inspire your allies. You can touch a willing creature that can see and hear you as an Action. You may choose to heal the creature for 1d4 hit points of damage, grant the creature 1d8 temporary hit points, or grant the creature advantage on the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes within the next 10 minutes. Once you have used your invigorating touch a number of times equal to your level, you must finish a long rest before you may use this ability again.
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.
Nature's Boon
At 5th level, you gain one boon chosen from the list below. This boon is granted to you from 'nature' however it is that you choose to venerate (it/him/her).
You gain an additional boon at 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. Once you select a boon, you may not change it.
- Beast Speech You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot.
- Charm Animals You can, as an action, present your Druidic Focus and invoke Nature, in whatever form you venerate it. Each beast that can see you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While it is charmed by you, it is friendly to you and other creatures you designate.
- Charm Person As Charm Animals, but it works with humanoid creatures instead of beasts.
- Charm Plants As Charm Animals, but it works with plant ceatures instead of beasts.
- Enhanced Shillelagh Add the following line to the end of the Shillelagh spell; "The weapon's attack and damage rolls gain a bonus when you reach 5th level (+1), 11th level (+2), and 17th level (+3)."
- Mask of Many Faces You can cast disguise self at will, without expending a spell slot.
- Master of All Trades As an action, choose any one skill or tool and for 10 minutes, you are proficient with it.
- Potent Goodberries Add the following line to the end of the Goodberry spell; "At higher levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing provided by a berry increases by 1 for each slot level above 1st, to a maximum of 5 points per berry."
- Soothing Rest You can sooth your wounded allies during a short rest. If any friendly creatures whom you can tend regain hit points at the end of a short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.
- Superior Expertise Choose one skill or tool with which you have expertise. You now have advantage on all checks made with that skill or tool. (Advantage from more than one source does not stack. If you have both Advantage and Disadvantage, they cancel each other out.)
Bonus Feat
At 6th level and again at 14th level you may select a feat from the following list: Alert, Athlete, Actor, Durable, Healer, Inspiring Leader, Keen Mind, Linguist, Lucky, Magic Initiate, Observant, Resilient, Ritual Caster, Skilled, or Tough.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.
You can take this action even if one or more charm or fear effects currently affecting you would normally prevent you from taking actions, or would require your action to be used in another manner.
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the primal forces of nature makes you immune to disease and poison.
Timeless body
Starting at 18th level, the magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
Supreme Expertise
At 20th level, increase your proficiency bonus to +10. This is your base proficiency bonus, meaning it is doubled (+20) for a skill or tool which you have Expertise in, and you apply half of it (+5) as your Jack of All Trades bonus.
