Sand Shifter - Ranger Archetype

by SkogDM

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Sand Shifter

Sand Shifters are wanderers and guides in the deserts of the world. Years of living amongst the sands and observing the subtle life that exists within the dunes has imparted to Sand Shifters the wisdom and skills of constant wind and shifting sand. Such rangers are at home anywhere in the world where there is wind and silt.

Sand Shifter Features

Ranger Level Feature
3rd Intangible Movement, Sand Blast
7th Sand Clone
11th Shifting Sands
15th Made of Silt

Sand Shifter Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Sand Shifter Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Sand Shifter Spells

Ranger Level Spells
3rd Sand Whirl
5th Warding Wind
9th Wall of Sand
13th Quicksand
17th Control Winds

Intangible Movement

3rd-level Sand Shifter feature

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Stealth if you don’t already have it. Your proficiency bonus is double for any ability check you make that uses Stealth.


Additionally, if you are part of a failed group Stealth check, you may remain hidden if your individual Stealth check passes.

Sand Blast

3rd-level Sand Shifter feature

When you are attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the roll, causing a sudden blast of sand to fly into the attacker’s face before the blow hits or misses. An attacker that can’t be blinded is immune to this feature.


You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Sand Clone

7th-level Sand Shifter feature

As an action, you move aside leaving behind a perfect clone of yourself made entirely of shifting sand that lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The sand clone appears within 5 feet of you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to your movement speed to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you.


For the duration, your sand clone mimics your actions without doing damage and can't be hurt as attacks simply pass through it. When you are hit by an attack but before you see the damage, you can use a reaction to switch places with the sand clone. Switching places with the sand clone causes it to disperse back into sand and the effect to end. Additionally, when both you and your sand clone are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the sand clone, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature due to how distracting it is.


You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Shifting Sands

11th-level Sand Shifter feature

You can shift through an area as fast as the wind: you can cast Far Step without expending a spell slot. Once you use this feature you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Made of Silt

15th-level Sand Shifter feature

Your form shifts and twists as you move through the world. Your movement is no longer impeded by magical difficult terrain and any time you end your turn in difficult terrain or have moved more than 20 feet in a turn, creatures have disadvantage on the first attack roll against you until the start of your next turn.


In addition, you automatically pass all Strength checks to do with the spell Quicksand.

Art credit: N-Deed https://www.deviantart.com/n-deed/art/Nomad-Warrior-288896159

 

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