Captured Nature

Totemists, much like druids and rangers, draw on the power of nature, but rather than working spells with the aid of spirits or nature deities, they draw on the essential concept of wild creatures, especially beasts and monstrosities. Shaping these essences into objects which can be worn on their person allows totemists to draw on the powers of the creature it was based on, or even abstract powers based on what that creature represents.

Objects created by a totemist are imbued with a magical energy, called essentia by some. Essentia produces a resonating effect; a totemist can infuse an object with essentia from their own spirit to call on deeper powers temporarily, and essentia so infused causes the object to be more powerful for a time.

Primal Soul

Totemists spend much of their time with their essentia intermingled with the essentia of wild or savage creatures, and it begins to reflect back upon their personality with time. Almost every totemist becomes a little bit feral as they learn to shape the melds, and they tend to wear rough-made garments of hide and prefer simple or brutal weapons such as spears or axes, if they don't choose to fight with claws or teeth gained through use of a meld.

When forced to interact with other people in civilization, totemists tend to be terse and direct, and most are not comfortable in cities for too long. Their hearts yearn for wild lands and wild beings too strongly for that.

Creating a totemist

When creating a totemist, consider how your character came to learn the art of meldshaping. Did they learn it from an individual mentor to apprentice, or from a pack or circle of other totemists? Perhaps they even discovered or developed the skill on their own while living feral and wild away from others. Also consider what exact form their melds take? Some totemists carve their melds from wood or bone or other materials. Some mark themselves with paint or tattoos showing stylized versions of the source of power. Still others might simply collect the essentia into a ghostly form that hovers near them while active. Define your own style as you like.

After determining how your totemist learned their powers and what their style is, consider their role in society. Have they learned to adapt and live among others like the rat or wolf? Or do they prefer a solitary existence, grouping only when necessary to achieve their goals? Perhaps their mental and emotional state varies based on the melds they shape each day. Work with your DM to decide how others perceive totemists in the world.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per totemist level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per totemist level after 1st.

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons
• Tools: None

• Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
• Skills: Choose 2 from Animal Handling, Arcana, Insight, Nature, Perception, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a shield or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a shortbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple melee weapon
• leather armor, an explorer's pack, and a Totemist focus

Meldshaping

As a Totemist, you have the ability to create ethereal objects over your body known as melds.

Elemental Attunement

At 2nd level when you first gain this mark, you become attuned to an elemental force. Choose from acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. You have resistance to that damage type. You may change your elemental attunement whenever you complete a long rest.

Elemental Strike

Also at 2nd level, you learn to expend essentia to create a burst of elemental energy. As an action you may spend 1 essentia to make a ranged meld attack against a creature within 100 feet. On a hit, the creature takes 2d8 damage of the element currently associated with your Elemental Attunement. Essentia spent on this ability is considered invested in it, with the normal restrictions on investing essentia. While you have essentia invested in this ability, your weapon attacks and this ability deal additional damage of the same type equal to the invested essentia.

Elemental Blast

At 6th level, you learn to attack a wider area with elemental energy. As an action, you may spend 2 essentia to force creatures in a 15 foot cone to make a Dexterity saving throw against your meld save DC. On a failed save, creatures take 5d8 damage of the type associated with your elemental attunement. On a successful save, they take half damage.

Elemental blast gains bonus damage from essentia invested in elemental strike. Essentia spent to activate elemental blast may be invested in elemental strike.

Timeless Cycle

At 10th level, you embody the ever-changing seasons and the symbolic rebirth they represent. Each year at the start of spring (marked by the Vernal Equinox), you Reincarnate, as the spell with the following modifications:

• You do not need to be dead.
• No spell need be cast, nor spell components provided. You automatically undergo the effects throughout the course of the night before the equinox.
• Your new body is always the same as the race you were before the effect. It is also the youngest age considered adult for your race, unless your natural age is younger.

Throughout the year, you progress rapidly through the normal lifetime of your race, such that immediately before your reincarnation at the start of spring you are an elderly representative of your race, before becoming a young adult again during this effect.

Elemental Empowerment

At 15th level, your elemental prowess improves. You no longer need to spend essentia in order to use your elemental strike feature. If you choose to spend essentia on it, it instead deals 4d8 damage. Your elemental blast improves to deal 8d8 damage on a failed save, but its cost is unchanged.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you receive this mark at 2nd level, you become proficient in medium armor and martial weapons.

Primal Rage

At 2nd level, you learn to enter a primal rage. As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose to enter this primal rage until the end of your next turn. While enraged, your form shifts to represent your current totem meld, becoming more bestial and savage. Additionally, your melee attacks while enraged deal additional damage equal to the essentia invested in your totem meld, and you resist bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If you have more than one totem meld, use the greater value.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum once). You regain all uses whenever you complete a short or a long rest.

Extra Attack

At 6th level, you learn to make multiple attacks in a savage flurry. You can make two attacks, instead of one, when you take the Attack action on your turn.

Beast Speech

At 10th level, you can cast the spell speak with animals at will without consuming a spell slot.

Predatory Instincts

At 15th level, you have advantage on Perception checks. Additionally, you can spend two essentia to activate your Primal Rage feature without consuming a use of that feature. Essentia spent in this way may be invested in your totem meld.

List of Melds by Meld Slot

Descriptions

Melds are presented alphabetically.

Totem

Your limbs and torso elongate, while your face becomes narrower.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relating to sight, and those checks receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Avoidance (1 essentia): You may spend 1 essentia to take the Disengage action as a bonus action.

Limbs

A leathery membrane forms between each arm and your torso. With a flick of your wrist, it extends into a massive wing.

Your move speed increases by 5 feet per invested essentia, and you automatically make standing jumps with lengths up to half your move speed.

Ancient Flight (3 essentia): You may spend 3 essentia to give yourself a fly speed equal to your land speed for 1 minute.

Totem

Your skin takes on a dappled coloring perfect for blending in to wild settings.

When in a natural grassy or forested environment, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and those checks receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Hunting Call (1 essentia): You let out a cry to coordinate your pack. An ally who can hear you within 60 feet may use their Reaction to move up to their speed and make a single weapon attack.

Limbs

Clawlike spurs form on the backs of your legs, and vigor fills your limbs.

Whenever you take the Dash or Disengage actions, your move speed for the turn increases by an additional 10 feet, plus 5 feet per essentia invested in this meld.

Pounce (2 essentia): If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a target before attacking it, you may spend 2 essentia as a bonus action to strike with your talons. Make two melee meld attacks. On a hit, each does 1d6 slashing damage plus 1 per essentia invested in this meld.

Totem

Strength infuses your limbs, improving your stability.

You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws made to avoid grapples or avoid being knocked prone or moved. Those checks receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Stomp (1 essentia): As a bonus action, you may spend 1 essentia to cause a localized quake. Creatures within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw or have their move speed reduced by half until the end of their next turn. If they fail this save by 10 or more, they are instead knocked prone.

Throat

A maw filled with serrated teeth forms from your face.

You gain a bite attack, a Strength-based melee weapon which deals 1d10 slashing damage plus the essentia invested in this meld. If you hit with your bite attack, you may attempt to grapple the target as a bonus action.

Rending Jaws (3 essentia): When you hit with your bite attack, you can spend 3 essentia to cause the target to begin bleeding. A bleeding target must make a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of their turns, taking 1d8 damage on a failed save. This effect ends after a target makes two consecutive saving throws or after one minute.

Totem

Fur covers your body, and your overall strength increases.

Your carrying capacity increases by 50%. Your Strength (Athletics) checks receive a bonus equal to 1 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Brutal Grapple (1 essentia): As an action, you may attempt to grapple a creature with advantage. If you succeed, the creature also takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage plus your Strength modifier, and it is restrained until the grapple ends.

Limbs

Your arms lengthen, and muscles bulge beneath the skin.

You gain a climb speed equal to your land speed plus 5 feet per essentia invested in this meld.

Hurl Boulder (2 essentia): You hurl a massive boulder at a creature. The boulder is a Strength-based ranged thrown weapon which deals 3d6 damage and has a range of 30/120. On a hit, the target must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Totem

Heavy fur grows from your body, and your skin becomes thick and leathery.

You gain temporary hit points equal to your meldshaping ability bonus whenever you activate a feature of this meld using essentia. The temporary hit points are increased by 1 for each essentia invested in this meld.

Anger Strike (1 essentia): When a creature strikes you with an attack, you may use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against them.

Crown

A massive pair of horns grows from your skull.

You can make a melee meld attack as a bonus action after taking the Dash or Attack action on your turn. This headbutt deals 1d12 damage plus twice the essentia invested in this meld.

Herd Master (4 essentia): As a reaction before an ally you can see within 60 feet takes damage, you can grant yourself and all allies within 60 feet of you temporary hit points equal to your level plus your meldshaping ability bonus.

Totem

Your skin takes on a scaly texture the color of old stones. Your eyes glow with an inner light.

You have darkvision with a range of 30 feet plus 10 feet per invested essentia. If you already have darkvision, your current darkvision improves by 10 feet per invested essentia.

Chameleon Skin (1 essentia): You blend in with your surroundings, giving you a +5 bonus to Stealth checks for 10 minutes. While this effect lasts, you can attempt to hide by standing still next to a wall, tree, or other large stationary object.

Totem

Your ears lengthen, and your eyes turn yellowed.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relating to hearing, and those checks receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Echolocate (1 essentia): For one minute, you are aware of the direction to every creature within 100 feet. This does not allow you to know the distance to those creatures.

Limbs

Your fingers lengthen, and leathery wings sprout from your back.

You reduce all fall damage you take by 10, plus 5 per invested essentia.

Flitter (1 essentia): At the start of your turn, you may spend one essentia to give yourself a fly speed of 60 feet until the end of your turn.

Throat

Your teeth lengthen, and your tongue becomes narrow and pointed.

You gain blindsense to a range of 30 feet plus 10 feet per invested essentia. This blindsense does not function if you are deafened, and does not allow you to perceive fine detail, merely the general location of creatures and obstacles.

Sonic Cry (4 or more essentia): As an action, you can unleash a burst of sonic energy, damaging creatures in front of you. Each creature in a 40 foot cone centered on you must make a Constitution save. On a failed save, they take 5d8 thunder damage and are deafened. On a successful save, they take half as much damage and are not deafened. The damage increases by 1d8 for each additional essentia spent, up to a maximum of 9 essentia.

Totem

Your skin seems to take on the vibrant blue of a lightning bolt's afterimage.

You reduce lightning damage you take by 5 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Shimmer (2 essentia): As an action, you wreathe yourself in electrical discharge. For up to one minute or until discharged, you are immune to lightning damage, and whenever you would take lightning damage as a Reaction you can redirect an equal amount of damage to a creature up to 30 feet away without an attack roll or saving throw. Once you have redirected damage in this way, this effect ends.

Throat

A wide smile hides crackling energy at the back of your throat.

As an action, you can make a ranged meld attack with a jolt of electricity, dealing 2d10 lightning damage on a hit. This damage is increased by 2 for every essentia invested in this meld.

Storm Breath (6 essentia): As an action, you expel a blast of electricity. Each creature in a line 60 feet long and ten feet wide must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 8d6 lightning damage. On a successful save, they take half as much lightning damage.

Totem

Rows and rows of teeth seem to grow in your mouth, and the scent of rotting flesh causes you to salivate.

You no longer suffer any penalties for eating rotten or decaying food. You also add the essentia invested in this meld as a bonus to Perception checks relating to smell. This bonus is doubled for smells relating to rotting or decaying food.

Spider Climb (2 essentia): For one hour, you can climb on any surface as though you were under the effects of the spider climb spell.

Limbs

An array of grasping feelers extends from your wrist at your command.

You gain a tentacle attack. This is a melee weapon using Strength with a 10 foot reach. It deals 1d4 slashing damage on a hit, plus additional poison damage equal to your invested essentia.

Grasping Reach (1 essentia): As an action, you can make three tentacle attacks. If at least two of those attacks hit the same target, you may grapple them as a bonus action, and can maintain that grapple from up to 10 feet away.

Totem

Your flesh turns a pale purple and gains a rubbery mushroom-like texture.

You reduce all necrotic damage you take by 5 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Motionless (1 essentia): As a bonus action, you can hide. Until you move or take an action (up to 1 minute), you appear to be a simple mushroom, and you have resistance to all damage.

Limbs

Whenever you move, you leave a trailing cloud of spores behind you.

As a reaction when you take damage from a melee attack, you can release a cloud of spores that cause the source of that attack to take necrotic damage equal to 1 plus the amount of essentia invested in this meld.

Shrouding Spores (2 essentia): As a bonus action, you create a thick cloud of spores in a 20-foot cube centered on you. This cloud heavily obscures the area and creatures other than you which start their turn inside it or enter it for the first time on their turn must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their next turn. A wind of moderate speed (at least 10 miles per hour) can disperse the cloud. Otherwise, it lasts for one minute.

Totem

You become more fluid of motion, seeming almost to have no solid form.

You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action on your turn. If you do, you gain additional move speed equal to 5 feet per essentia invested in this meld.

Crushing Grasp (4 essentia): As an action, you conjure a crushing surge of water around a foe. Make a melee meld attack against a creature within 10 feet. On a hit, the target takes 6d8 bludgeoning damage and is grappled by you. As an action on subsequent turns, you may force the grappled creature to make a Strength saving throw or be restrained until the start of your next turn. The affected creature can make a Strength saving throw at the end of its turn to escape the grapple. Otherwise, this effect ends after one minute.

Throat

You become more at home in the water, ethereal gills and fins granting you greater control.

You can breathe water as comfortably as you can breathe air. You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed plus 10 feet per invested essentia.

Ocean Maw (7 essentia): As an action, you create a 15-foot radius whirlpool centered on a point within 60 feet. Creatures in the whirlpool's radius must make a Dexterity saving throw or be drawn to the center and take 9d6 bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and is only drawn 5 feet towards the center.

Totem

Long lashing tentacles sprout from your shoulders, tipped with sharp horns.

You gain a tentacle attack. Your tentacle is a melee finesse weapon with a 15 foot reach. On a hit, it deals 1d4 piercing damage. You may add half the essentia invested in this meld (rounded up) to attack rolls with this attack.

Multiattack (1 essentia): You make two tentacle attacks with a +1 bonus to attack and damage. This counts as taking the Attack action on your turn.

Chest

Your image blurs, allowing you to blend into almost any terrain.

You can hide even if only mildly obscured by mist or shadows. You receive a bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Mislead (3 essentia): As a bonus action on your turn, you can create a duplicate image of yourself for one minute. Treat this as the spell mirror image, but only one image is created and it is not destroyed when it takes damage. You cannot create a new image with this effect while the old one lasts.

Totem

Your skin takes on the texture of old clay, and stony spurs grow from your joints.

When you gain temporary hit points or healing, you gain additional temporary hit points or healing equal to your meldshaping ability bonus plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Rockslide (5 or more essentia): As an action, you create a 30-foot cube of rumbling stone centered on you. Creatures in the cube must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its save by 5 or more is additionally knocked prone.

Chest

Ethereal plate seeming to be crafted from granite surrounds you.

Your armor class is equal to 16 plus half the essentia invested in this meld. You can still use a shield and retain this benefit.

Earthen Guard (3 essentia): As a bonus action, gain temporary hit points equal to your level. While these temporary hit points last, you have resistance to slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing damage (your choice each time you use this ability).

Crown

Hovering diamonds circle your head, the perfect representation of elemental earth's might.

You have tremorsense with a range of 60 feet plus ten feet per essentia invested in this meld.

Mighty Quake (11 essentia): As an action, you create a localized earthquake centered on yourself. Creatures on the ground within 100 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 17d10 thunder damage and are knocked prone. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not knocked prone. Structures on the ground in the quake's radius take maximum damage from the quake. If a structure collapses, creatures may become buried in the rubble.

Totem

Your pupils become vertical slits and smooth scales grow on your limbs.

You reduce poison damage you take by 5 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Shed Skin (3 essentia): You can use this ability even if you are otherwise prevented from taking actions. As an action, you shed your skin. Until the end of your turn, you ignore any one spell, disease, or poison that is affecting you. If the effect originally allowed a saving throw, you may repeat that saving throw at the end of your turn. Otherwise, the effect resumes at the end of your turn.

Throat

Long fangs grow in your upper jaw, and your mouth widens into a serpentine grin.

You gain a bite attack. This is a Strength-based melee weapon which deals 2d6 piercing damage plus poison damage equal to twice the essentia invested in this meld.

Intensify Poison (3 essentia): When a creature you can see within 30 feet takes poison damage due to an attack or failed saving throw, you may use your reaction to increase that poison damage by 4d6 and inflict the poisoned condition on that creature for up to one minute. At the end of each of that creature's turns, it may make a Constitution saving throw to end the poisoned condition on itself.

Totem

Brilliant plumage in fiery colors sprouts from your joints, and heat radiates from your person.

You shed bright light with a radius of 30 feet plus 10 feet per essentia invested in this meld, and dim light for an additional distance equal to half that amount.

Insulate (3 essentia): As a reaction when you or a creature within 30 feet of you takes fire or cold damage, you may grant them immunity to that damage type until the start of your next turn.

Limbs

Shimmering embers follow your every move. With a gesture, they expand into glorious wings of fire.

You reduce all fire damage you take by 5 plus the amount of essentia invested in this meld.

Talons of Flame (3 essentia): As an action, make two melee meld attacks against a creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, each attack deals 1d6 slashing plus 2d6 fire damage. If both attacks hit, you ignite the target, dealing an additional 2d6 fire damage at the start of its next turn.

Crown

A crested flame erupts from just in front of your brow.

You are immune to fire damage. Whenever you would take fire damage, you instead heal for an amount equal to your invested essentia or half the damage taken, whichever is lower.

Fiery Rebirth (11 essentia): When you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you can use a reaction to explode in a violent blast. Creatures you designate within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 10d6 fire damage. On a successful save, they take half as much damage. Using this effect leaves behind a small egg and a pile of ashes instead of your unconscious body. At the start of your next turn, you return to life in the space the egg occupies, with half your maximum hit points.

Totem

Your eyes become eagle-like and your skin takes on the appearance of a lion's tawny fur.

You can see twice as far as normal in all light conditions. Your passive perception increases by the essentia invested in this meld.

Regal Eye (7 essentia): For one hour, you have truesight with a range of 60 feet.

Limbs

A pair of gauntlets, covered in tawny fur and tipped with wicked talons, cover your hands.

When you strike a target with a melee attack, you can use your bonus action to deal slashing damage to a creature which is also within your reach and which is within 5 feet of the first target. The damage dealt is equal to 3 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Blinding Gash (2 essentia): As an action, make a melee meld attack against a creature. On a hit, it takes 4d6 slashing damage and must make a Constitution saving throw or be blinded for one minute or until it receives healing from any source.

Crown

Feathers grow from your temples, seeming to form the shape of a coronet.

As a reaction when a creature you can see misses with a weapon attack, you can allow them to reroll the attack. If it hits, it deals additional damage equal to twice your invested essentia.

Soul of Ancient Kings (6 essentia): As an action, you call upon the spirit of an ancient king to cast the spell Tenser's Transformation on yourself.

Totem

Your teeth lengthen and dark-grey fur grows on your body.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track creatures, and those checks receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Knockdown Bite (1 essentia): When you strike a creature with a melee attack, you may force them to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, they take 1d8 additional damage and are knocked prone.

Chest

A shirt seemingly made of wolfskin causes you to blend into your surroundings. In direct moonlight you even seem to disappear.

You may attempt to hide even if only lightly obscured by shadows. You add your invested essentia to Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Moon Fade (5 essentia): For one minute or until you take a hostile action, you are invisible. The first time you damage a creature while you have a clear view of the moon in the next hour, you deal 3d10 additional radiant damage.

Totem

Tough scales grow over your skin, and your eyes take on a serpentine appearance.

At the start of your turn, if you have taken damage since the end of your last turn, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1 plus half the essentia invested in this meld (rounded down).

Hold Breath (1 essentia): You can hold your breath indefinitely for the next hour.

Crown

Additional snakelike heads seem to grow from a circlet around your head.

You can no longer be surprised, even while asleep. You gain a bonus equal to your invested essentia to saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.

Multibite (2 or more essentia): As an action, you make two melee meld attacks against creatures within 10 feet. On a hit, a creature takes 2d12 slashing damage. You may spend 2 additional essentia as part of the same action to make an additional such bite, up to a maximum of 5 bites at 8 essentia spent. Using this ability counts as taking the Attack action on your turn.

Totem

Your skin becomes clammy and pale, and your eyes become yellow with square pupils.

You ignore difficult terrain when moving, up to a total number of feet equal to 10 plus 5 per essentia invested in this meld.

Water Adaptation (1 essentia): As an action, you grant yourself and up to 8 creatures you touch the ability to breath both air and water for one hour.

Limbs

With a thought, your arms stretch out into lashing tentacles or return to their normal state.

You gain a tentacle attack, which is a melee reach. Your tentacle deals 1d10 bludgeoning damage on a hit, plus one for each essentia invested in this meld.

Lashing Tentacles (3 essentia): As an action, you can make three tentacle attacks. Each has +2 to its attack and damage roll. One target affected by this attack is flung 15 feet in a random direction and takes an additional 2d6 damage.

Crown

Uncountable tendrils spring from your brow, forming a writhing crest.

You are immune to lightning damage. As a reaction when you take damage, you can cause the source of that damage to take 2 lightning damage plus 2 for every essentia invested in this meld.

Lightning Storm (7 essentia): As an action, you create three bolts of lightning, each of which can strike a target you can see within 120 feet of you. A target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. For the next minute, you can call a single such lightning bolt as an action.

Totem

Tawny fur covers your body, and mighty claws spring from your hands with a thought.

When you attack a creature within 5 feet of you and at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of your target and not incapacitated, you gain a bonus on your attack roll equal to 1 plus one-third the essentia invested in this meld (rounded down).

Claws (1 essentia): As an action, make two melee meld attacks against creatures within 5 feet of you. On a hit, you deal 2d6 slashing damage plus your Strength modifier. Using this ability counts as taking the Attack action.

Chest

A lion's pelt with a tufted tail drapes your shoulders.

Whenever you spend essentia, including essentia spent on other melds, you gain temporary hit points equal to the essentia spent.

Nemean Hide (4 essentia): As a bonus action, you gain resistance to slashing and piercing damage for 1 minute.

Totem

Spiny quills grow on your scalp, showing through your hair, and a manticore's barbed tail emerges from your back.

You gain a tail attack, which is a melee weapon dealing 1d8 piercing damage. As a bonus action, you can give your tail attack the thrown (30/120) property until the end of your turn, hurling spines from it when used to make a ranged attack.

Spine Volley (1 or more essentia): You use your tail to hurl a volley of spikes. Creatures in a 15 foot cone centered on a point you can see within 100 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, they take half that. Each additional point of essentia spent on this attack increases the damage by 1d6.

Chest

Batlike wings drape your shoulders, and a jacket of stiff fur covers you.

You gain a fly speed equal to 30 feet plus 5 feet per essentia invested in this meld.

Bristling Defense (2 essentia): As a reaction when a creature within 5 feet of you strikes you with a melee attack, you can unleash a spray of quills. The attacker takes 2d6 piercing damage.

Totem

Your skin is covered in a thin layer of mucous, and develops brilliant coloration patterns.

Creatures attacking you with melee attacks take 1 poison damage plus one for every 2 essentia invested in this meld.

Sticky Mucous (1 essentia): You spit a glob of sticky mucous to restrain your foes. Creatures in a 15 foot cube centered on a point within 30 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw or be grappled for one minute. A creature which fails its save by 5 or more is additionally restrained until the end of your next turn. Creatures grappled by this effect may make use their action to make a Strength saving throw to escape the grapple.

Throat

You gain a long grasping tongue attack, and feel at home in both the water and the air.

You can breath both air and water, and both your long jump and high jump increase by 5 feet per essentia invested in this meld, regardless of whether you have a running start.

Tongue Lash (4 essentia): As an action, make a ranged meld attack against a creature within 30 feet of you. On a hit, the creature takes 1d10 bludgeoning and 4d4 acid damage and is pulled 10 feet closer to you. If a creature is pulled to within 5 feet of you as a result of this attack, you can use your bonus action to swallow them whole. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects, and takes 1d4 acid damage at the start of each of your turns. A swallowed creature can make a Strength saving throw at the end of its turn to escape your maw, reappearing in an adjacent space.

Totem

Your teeth lengthen, your eyes become small and beady, and your fingers become more delicate and nimble.

You have advantage on Sleight of Hand checks made to steal items from people. When you use Sleight of Hand to attempt to steal an item from someone, you receive a bonus equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Opportunistic (1 essentia): When a creature you can see within 5 feet of you is struck by a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to grant yourself advantage on the next melee attack you make against that creature before the end of your next turn.

Totem

Feathers grow at your joints, and thick muscles flex under your skin.

When you make an Athletics check to grapple or shove, you receive a bonus equal to 2 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Mighty Blow (2 essentia): When you roll weapon damage, you can use this power to reroll any number of the weapon damage dice. If you do, you also roll one additional weapon damage die.

Limbs

Long powerful claws grow at your fingertips, and thick fur covers your body.

You may calculate your armor class as being equal to 13 + the essentia invested in this meld.

Savage Claws (1 essentia): As an action, you can make two claw attacks against a creature within 5 feet. Each claw is a melee weapon attack which deals 1d10 slashing damage on a hit. If both claws hit, you deal additional damage equal to 2d4 plus your meldshaping ability score.

You cannot use Savage Claws if you do not have both hands free. Savage Claws counts as taking the Attack action.

Totem

Tough chitin covers your chest, shoulders, and hips.

Your melee weapon and meld attacks count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. When you strike a creature in the ethereal plane, you deal additional force damage equal to twice the essentia invested in this meld.

Envenom (3 essentia): Make a melee meld attack against a creature within 5 feet. On a hit, you deal 1d10 piercing damage plus your Strength modifier and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they take 5d8 poison damage and are poisoned for one minute. On a successful save, they take half as much damage and are not poisoned.

Chest

A long draping cloak seems to obscure you not just from sight but also from physical form.

Whenever you take damage other than psychic or force damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage you take by an amount equal to your meldshaping ability bonus plus twice the essentia invested in this meld. If you reduce the damage to 0 in this way, you also ignore any other effect that damage may have had (such as the poison from a venomous creature's attack).

Ethereal Shift (5 essentia): As an action, you enter the border regions of ethereal plane for up to one minute. While on the ethereal plane, you can see and hear the plane you originated from, but everything looks gray and flat, and you cannot see more than 60 feet away.

While on the Ethereal Plane, you can only affect and be affected by other creatures on that plane. Creatures that aren’t on the Ethereal Plane can’t perceive you and can’t interact with you, unless a special ability or magic has given them the ability to do so.

You ignore all objects and effects that aren’t on the Ethereal Plane, allowing you to move through objects you perceive on the plane you originated from.

When the effect ends, you immediately return to the plane you originated from in the spot you currently occupy. If you occupy the same spot as a solid object or creature when this happens, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space that you can occupy and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved.

Totem

Rough scales cover your skin, harming anyone who tries to hold you too tightly.

When you grapple a creature or when a creature grapples you, you can use your reaction to deal damage to that creature equal to 1d4 plus your invested essentia.

Sharkbite (1 essentia): As an action, you attempt to bite a creature. Make a melee meld attack against a creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, they take 2d6 piercing damage and 2d6 slashing damage. You may add your Strength modifier to either the piercing or the slashing damage. Using this power counts as taking the Attack action.

Limbs

Sleek fins grow from your forearms and calves, and webs form between your fingers and toes.

You can breathe both air and water. You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed plus 5 feet for each essentia invested in this meld.

Blood Scent (3 essentia): As an action, you move up to 60 feet towards a creature and take the Attack action. If you have more than one attack, you must use all of your attacks on the target creature. If the creature is below its hit point maximum, your attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage to it until the start of your next turn.

Totem

A thin, clear slime covers your limbs. With a wave, you can shape and harden the slime into a stony flail.

You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb or grapple. You may add half the essentia invested in this meld (rounded up) as a bonus on those checks.

Flail Tendril (1 essentia): As an action, you shape the slime growing on you into a mass of flails. You grow one flail plus an additional flail for every 2 essentia invested in this meld. When you use this action and as an action on subsequent turns for 1 minute, you can use your flail to make a melee meld attack against a creature within 10 feet. On a hit, you deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage per flail you have grown, plus your meldshaping ability modifier. While the effect lasts, you can spend 1 essentia at the start of your turn to grow an extra flail, to a maximum of 5 flails grown.

Chest

A faintly transparent pauldron of brilliantly hued spiral shell forms on your shoulder, glowing with internal power.

You shed bright light with a radius of 20 feet plus 5 feet per invested essentia, and dim light to twice that radius. You can suppress or activate this effect as a bonus action.

When a creature you can see starts their turn in the radius of your bright light, you may use your reaction to deal radiant damage to them equal to the essentia invested in this meld.

Scintillating Shell (4 essentia): As an action, you release a brilliant and colorful burst of light. Creatures within the radius of your bright light have disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn, and must make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of your next turn. A creature stunned by this effect automatically takes the radiant damage from this meld with no reaction required, and that damage is doubled.

Once a creature has been stunned by this effect or succeeded on their saving throw against it, they are immune to this effect for one hour.

Totem

Red and blue ethereal feathers cover your body, and mighty talons form in place of your hands.

You grow rending talons. Your talons are melee weapons with the light property, dealing 1d4 slashing damage. While you are enlarged from an effect such as the enlarge/reduce spell, your talons deal an additional 1d4 damage plus three times the essentia invested in this meld.

Kingly Majesty (2 essentia): As an action, you can force a creature which you can see within 60 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, that creature is charmed by you for up to a minute. Birds and bird-like creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw and are instead dominated if they fail their save.

This effect ends early if the affected creature is harmed or threatened by you or your allies. Once a creature has made their saving throw against this ability, they are immune to it for 24 hours.

Chest

Great wings grow from your back, carrying you easily over battlefields.

You have a fly speed equal to your land speed, plus 10 feet for every essentia invested in this meld.

Whirling Updraft (6 essentia): As an action, you create an updraft in a cylinder 100 feet tall and with a 20-foot radius. Creatures in the updraft must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed into the air, rising 20 feet each round. A creature repeats that save any time they enter the updraft for the first time on a turn or end their turn in the updraft. Large or larger creatures have advantage on their saving throw against this effect. You are immune to the effects of your own updraft. While pushed into the air, creatures' with fly speeds have their fly speed halved and cannot fly downward. Any other creature cannot move except by means of pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling).

After a minute, the updraft ends, dropping any trapped creatures to the ground. Creatures take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet they fall from this effect.

Crown

A spectral helmet formed of the skull and upper beak of a roc forms around your head.

You may add twice your invested essentia to Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight. You also ignore disadvantage caused by distance when making a Wisdom (Perception) check.

King's Gaze (7 essentia): As a bonus action, you fix your gaze on a creature you can see within 200 feet of you. For the next minute, any time you deal damage to that creature you deal an additional 1d10 damage and ignore disadvantage. This effect ends early if you fall unconscious, if you use it again, or if you damage another creature with an attack or effect that does not also harm your target.

Totem

Bumpy scales form along your whole body, giving you the appearance of a rotting log when underwater.

You can hold your breath for 30 minutes, plus 5 additional minutes for each essentia invested in this meld.

Aquatic Camouflage (1 essentia): For the next hour, you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed, and a +5 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks to remain undetected when underwater. You can attempt to Hide even if unobscured, so long as you are in water deep enough to cover your body.

Throat

A stiff collar gives the impression of mighty snapping jaws.

When you attack a creature that is not aware of you or which is surprised, you deal 5 additional damage, plus 2 per essentia invested in this meld.

Crocodile's Bite (4 essentia): As an action, make a melee meld attack against a creature within 5 feet. On a hit, you deal 6d10 slashing damage plus your Strength modifier, and your target must make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your meld save DC or be grappled by you.

Totem

Sharp thorns sprout from your skin, which takes on the texture of toughened vines.

Whenever a creature strikes you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal 1d4 piercing damage to your attacker. You reduce non-magical slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage you take by an amount equal to the essentia invested in this meld, to a minimum of 1.

Totem

Weathered bark covers you, and your hair takes on the appearance of summer leaves.

While standing still, you are nearly indistinguishable from natural plant growth. You can Hide without cover as long as there are natural trees within sight. You have a bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks equal to twice the essentia invested in this meld as long as you remain completely motionless.

Take Root (5 essentia): As a bonus action while standing on the ground, you set down roots. Until you take another bonus action to uproot yourself or until a minute has passed, your movement speed becomes 0, and you cannot benefit from any bonus to your speed. While rooted, your melee weapon attacks deal additional damage equal to 2d8 plus your meldshaping ability modifier, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your level, and you have resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage. If this effect lasts for the whole minute, you can convert half of your remaining temporary hit points into healing.

Chest

Grasping branches grow from your shoulders, giving you additional limbs.

You have two additional limbs with which to manipulate and hold objects. Your weapon attacks with weapons wielded in those limbs deal additional damage equal to your invested essentia. You cannot benefit from more than one shield or effectively wield more than one weapon with the two-handed property using these limbs.

Nature's Grasp (4 essentia): As an action on your turn, you can make up to two melee meld attacks against creatures within 30 feet. On a hit, a target creature is restrained for up to one minute. It can make a Strength saving throw at the end of each of its turns to escape this effect.

Crown

A circlet of vines and brilliant blooms surrounds your head.

When you shape this meld and each time you spend essentia to activate one of its powers, you sprout 1d4 berries from your circlet, to a maximum of 10 berries. A berry may be plucked and eaten as a single action, or plucked ahead of time and saved for later. When eaten, a berry restores health equal to 2 plus the essentia invested in this meld at the time it was plucked, and grants an equal number of temporary hit points.

Regrowth (1 essentia): As an action, you grow more berries, as noted in the passive function of this meld.

Lord of Trees (7 essentia): As an action, you awaken a tree you can see within 120 feet. Use the statistics for an awakened tree (MM pg 317). The tree remains awakened until the next time you complete a long rest, until you unshape this meld, or until it falls to 0 hit points. It rolls its own initiative and follows your instructions to the best of its ability, protecting you and your allies if no instructions are given. As a bonus action while the tree is within 120 feet of you, you can allow one of the berries on your crown to wither to grant healing and temporary hit points to the tree as if it had eaten the berry.

Totem

Distant thunderclaps seem to rumble with every motion you make.

You reduce all thunder damage you take by 5 plus the essentia invested in this meld.

Thunder Slam (4 essentia): As an action, you can make a melee meld attack against a creature within 20 feet. On a hit, you deal 2d10 bludgeoning and 3d8 thunder damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw or be deafened for one minute.