D&D 5E Skinwalker class

[Shadowcortax]

Just refluff the healing spells as involving herbs, Conjure Animals RAW already summons spirits, not real animals, and it's up to the DM what philosophies druids believe in in their setting.

As for skinwalkers, from what I know of the myths, these are monsters, not player characters.

I'm always wary if a player wants a non-rules class. It seems to smack at either special-snowflakeism, experience that 3rd part classes tend to be overpowered, or a failure of imagination. Usually, I just say "no, but you can refluff an existing class".

But see the thing is half the party is already using homebrew classes and he asked me to make a race and 2 classes for him

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But see the thing is half the party is already using homebrew classes and he asked me to make a race and 2 classes for him

Then your game has already moved a long way from 5e, but even given that you player is demanding you do a ridiculous amount of work, beyond all the effort of creating and running adventures.

3rd party classes and races are fine, but it should be the DM who decides what works in their setting, and states in session zero "you can choose to play as X, Y or Z" (and possibly "you can't play as I, J, K" core classes and races).

 

[Shadowcortax]

Then your game has already moved a long way from 5e, but even given that you player is demanding you do a ridiculous amount of work, beyond all the effort of creating and running adventures.

3rd party classes and races are fine, but it should be the DM who decides what works in their setting, and states in session zero "you can choose to play as X, Y or Z" (and possibly "you can't play as I, J, K" core classes and races).

I'm not the DM, but they already okayed it and I'm passing it all through them for approval first.
I'm the one in the group who does most of the class and race and equipment home-brewing for our group

 

[DEFCON 1]

If you want to build a "new" class and find that the druid has a lot of what you want but not everything (or has stuff you don't want)... my advice would be to copy the Druid write-up into Word, and insert the Circle of the Moon mechanics into the proper places in the list. Thus you get your "starting point" for the class-- the Circle of the Moon Druid.

At that point, you can start changing small features here and there to suit your needs. You cross out the rule you don't want and write in the replacement rule you do. This allows you to have a better idea of balance since you are only exchanging one rule at a time and can have a better sense if the rule you are putting in is about the same power as the one you are taking out.

Then, you can add in roleplay requirements for certain features the class is giving you. So for instance in the Wildshape section you add in you have to have a piece of the animal you wish to skinwalk into.

Finally... you can copy into Word the current Druid spell list for all levels (or probably you only need to go to like level 4 right now) and then start crossing off the spells you don't think fit the Skinwalker theme. Once you've done that... you can then go back into the PHB and see if there are any spells that the other classes get that you can add to this one. There probably will be a handful that make sense for it. You can then build the spell lists back up so you have about maybe 10-12 spells per spell level.

You do all that... and you end up with a class that is pretty well balanced against the Druid (because you were self-balancing by feature as you went along). For some people it might look a lot like a Druid and they'd think the "new" class was unnecessary... but it doesn't matter what those other people think. So long as your player sees the Skinwalker as what they are looking for, how "close" it is to another class in the game doesn't matter a lick.

But I also wouldn't allow another player to play a Druid in the same game. The overlap would be a little too much and one of the two would always feel like an also-ran.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I'd go with an Artificer archetype, with proficient with Herbalism and Leather working tools. Artificers already have a bunch of shape altering spells (disguise self, false life, alter self etc)

Create new Infusions that are taking the skin and soul of creatures to infuse your stuff.

At 3rd level:

• Prof with herbalism kit and leather working tools.
• Class spells:

1- Goodberry, Fog Cloud
2- Spiritual Weapon, Phantasmal Force
3- Aura of Vitality, Speak with death
4- Deathward, Polymorph
5- Commune with nature, Danse macabre

Soulmeld: Oncer per short rest, take the form of monstruosities of CR 1 or lower (increases the same as moon druid) for a number of minutes.

At 5th level:
- Attack from Souldmeld count as magical
Healing Herbs: During a short rest, people spending HD gains an extra 1d6 hit points

At 9th level:
Poultices Maker: you can create special herbal poultices that have healing power comparable to some potions. You can spend 1 hour gathering herbs and preparing herbal poultices using treated bandages to create a number of such poultices equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). You can carry a number of poultices at one time equal to your Int modifier (minimum 1). The poultices you create cannot be applied by anyone but you. After 24 hours, any poultices that you have not used lose their potency.

If you spend 1 minute applying one of your poultices to a wounded humanoid creature, thereby expending its use, that creature regains 1d6 hit points for every two artificers levels you have (rounded up).

at 15th level:
Master Skinwalker: Can use Soulmeld a number of time per shor rest equal to Int mod.

New Infusion
Skin of the Shark: Gain the Blood Frenzy trait
Skin of the Gorgon: gain a acid breath
Pelt of the Displacer Beast: can teleport 10 ft then speed fall to 0 ft for the rest of the turn.
Troll Bark: gain regen 1 when under half hp.

etc

 

[Brainwatch]

Instead of a Druid, what if you take the inspiration from the Warlock, more specifically the blade pack. The warlock is magical, but not a full caster class. This should make it easier to allow options, but keep the focus on the skin walking and not spell casting. Think Blade pack but instead of a magic weapon, a "skin" the character changes into. You can raid the druid spell list and features for spell/cantrips and wild shape features in place of pact boons. You can have features that enhance the fighting abilities while wearing the skin.

 

[bedir than]

Why does a single player need two subclasses built?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If you don't like using the standard D&D classes, have you considered using a classless rules system instead?

 

[Eltab]

While casting about for ideas, look at the Shifter race in the Ebberon book. You might find an idea that helps you out.