Ranger Conclave
Shoalstrider
There exists a group of rangers dedicated to patrolling the coasts, guardians of the shore and of the tides. The Shoalstrider Conclave are dedicated protectors and maintainers of the balance, with a keener understanding of civilization's boundary than most. They defend humanity from the ocean's threats, with a watchful eye open to ensure the sea is also receiving proper respect.
Shoalstriders are more often than other rangers to be explicit servants of the balance, tasked with ensuring the prosperity of both the coastline and those who profit from it. Shoalstriders are more likely to be commoners or come from backgrounds close to nature; they are rarely nobles or heirs to great wealth, though it is not unheard of. They are typically of good or neutral alignment, though an evil Shoalstrider might simply be one that enforces the balance in brutal fashion.
Shoalstrider Conclave Features
| Ranger Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Shoalstrider Spells, Shoal Swimmer, Crashing Blows |
| 7th | Liminal Defenses |
| 11th | Tides of Destruction |
| 15th | Tidal Transport |
Shoalstrider Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the table below. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | manipulate waterK,SDS, crashing waveK |
| 5th | dancing waveK |
| 9th | water wallSDS |
| 13th | control water |
| 17th | shape windsSDS |
Shoal Swimmer
When you join the Shoalstrider conclave at 3rd level, you gain the skills required to protect the coasts. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and are able to hold your breath for up to 1 hour. If you already have a swimming speed, it increases by 15 feet. In addition, you learn Aquan.
Crashing Blows
Also at 3rd level, you can summon the force of the tides with your attacks. Once on each of your turns when you damage an enemy with a weapon attack, you deal an additional 1d8 bludgeoning damage.
When you deal this damage, you may choose to channel the tides and amplify the wave. A Large or smaller target must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone and suffer an additional 1d8 damage. You can channel the tides in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a long rest.
Liminal Defenses
At 7th level, you can call upon the elements of the coastline to bolster your defense. You gain advantage on all saving throws to avoid being knocked prone, and resistance to your choice of either cold or lightning damage. Whenever you complete a long rest, you can change your selection.
Tides of Destruction
At 11th level, your Crashing Blows feature increases in power. Its base damage increases to 2d8, and the amplified effect now works on Huge or smaller creatures.
Tidal Transport
At 15th level, you are able to call upon the waves to carry your essence as needed. As a bonus action, you may teleport to an unoccupied space within any body of water you can see within 60 feet. The body of water must have at least a 5' diameter.
If you make a weapon attack immediately after teleporting in this way, you have advantage on the attack.
Note that dancing wave, water wall, and control water can all be used to create or manipulate targets for Tidal Transport.
Shoalstrider Conclave quirks
The following are some optional quirks for a player of this subclass to choose from.
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You enjoy the taste of saltwater. |
| 2 | You treat every crab, shellfish, and other beach-dweller with reverence. |
| 3 | You're actually scared of deep water. |
| 4 | You've been known to rescue fishermen in trouble, before making them throw back their catch. |
| 5 | You have a dire shellfish allergy. |
| 6 | You've learned a precise technique for cutting out the poisonous parts of dangerous fish. |
Appendix 1: Spells
Crashing Wave
1st-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (20 foot cone)
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Instantaneous
A wave of water sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked 10 feet away from you. If a creature is knocked into a wall, another creature, or fails by 5 or more, it is additionally knocked prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and is not knocked back. If there is a source of water of at least 5 cubic feet within 5 feet of you when you cast the spell, you can displace that water, increasing the range of the spell to a 25 foot cone.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each level above 1st.
Dancing Wave
2nd-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
-
You summon a surging mass of water into existence at a point on the ground within range. The mass of water remains cohesive filling a 5 foot radius, though only rises 3 feet from the ground. The area is difficult terrain for any creature without a swimming speed.
For the duration of the spell, as a bonus action you can move the wave of water up to 30 feet along a surface in any direction. The first time the wave enters any creature's space during your turn, they must make a Strength saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. A creature automatically fails this saving throw if they are prone.
Manipulate Water
Transmutation cantrip
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Special
- Replaces: Shape Water
You shape water you can see within range, causing it to move and shape at to your command, selecting one of the following effects:
- You can move or direct the flow of a 5-foot cube of water in direction, but the water will collapse back to following the flow of gravity at the start of your next turn unless you concentrate on keeping it in place.
- You can form the water into shapes or cause it to animate. This change lasts for 1 minute.
- You can change the color or opacity of water in a 5-foot cube. This change lasts for 1 hour.
- You can freeze up to a 5-foot cube of water or thaw up to a 5-foot cube of ice. The water unfreezes or refreezes naturally based on the environmental conditions (usually taking an hour or more to melt or freeze, unless in extreme conditions).
Shape Winds
5th-level transmutation
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 100 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
- Replaces: Control Winds
You seize control of the air in a cube up to 300 feet on a side you can see within range, bending it to your will. Choose one of the following effects. The effect persists until the spell ends, or until you use your action to pause it or change it to a different effect. You can resume a paused effect as an action.
Gale. A steady wind blows in a horizontal direction of your choice. Creatures moving against the wind must spend 3 feet of movement for each foot, and ranged attacks made against the wind are impossible. Creatures moving with the wind cover an additional foot for each foot of movement spent. When a creature or projectile moves within the area, you can use your reaction to change the wind's direction. As a bonus action, you can create a gust, forcing all creatures within the area to make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 feet in the wind's direction.
Turbulence. You whip the wind into a chaotic vortex. Ranged attacks passing through the the wind are made at disadvantage. Creatures that fly into the wind's area, start their turn flying there, or start flying there have their fly speed reduced by half, and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Thermal Column. You direct the wind to blow upwards. All creatures suffering fall damage within the wind can reduce that damage by 5 x your spellcasting modifier. When a creature within the wind makes a vertical jump, their jump height is tripled.
Water Wall
3rd-level conjuration
- Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a drop of water)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
- Replaces: Wall of Water
You summon a wall of swirling water at a point you can see on the ground within range. The wall can be up to 30 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick, or a ring up to 15 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick. Moving within the wall costs 3 feet of movement for each foot. The wall's water disappears when the spell ends.
Creatures entering the wall must make a Strength saving throw, suffering 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a failure or half as much on a success. Ranged attacks passing through the wall have disadvantage and deal half damage. Fire effects passing through are instantly extinguished. Cold effects passing through apply to any creature within 5 feet of the point they touch the wall. Lightning effects apply half their damage to any creature in contact with the wall when they pass through.
Change Log
v0.3
- Made Crashing blows "once on each of your turns" instead of "the first time" (more usable for ranged builds)
- Buffed swim speed
v0.2
- Added art
v0.1
- Rough Draft
Credits & References:
Shoalstrider Conclave created by somanyrobots Discord | Patreon
Art
Shoalstrider Ranger, by Will Roqq
License
© 2024 somanyrobots
Includes spells from Spells That Don't Suck by Omega Ankh and somanyrobots, which is licensed CC-BY and available here.
Includes spells from Kibbles' Casting Compendium 2.0 by KibblesTasty Homebrew LLC, which is licensed CC-BY and available here.
5E SRD Content
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available here.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available here.