5e custom Barbarian totem spirit animal: Displacer Beast!

[Five]

Hey everyone,

A barbarian in my campaign has chosen a Displacer Beast as her spirit animal. The effects of taking a malevolent evil monstrosity as a totem will be explored as her character develops.

Mechanically, I'm looking for a balanced Aspect of the Beast option.

I thought of the effects of the spell Mirror Image being applied as the barbarian enters rage, but would three mirror images be too overpowered? Would one or two be a better fit?

Does anyone have any better ideas?

Thanks!

 

[panzerjess]

Personally I would say something like blur would be more suitable not too overpowering yet still desirable

 

[cmad1977]

Maybe, similar to the wolf totem, it only applies to people who are next to the barbarian.


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[Croesus]

Hey everyone,

A barbarian in my campaign has chosen a Displacer Beast as her spirit animal. The effects of taking a malevolent evil monstrosity as a totem will be explored as her character develops.

Mechanically, I'm looking for a balanced Aspect of the Beast option.

I thought of the effects of the spell Mirror Image being applied as the barbarian enters rage, but would three mirror images be too overpowered? Would one or two be a better fit?

Does anyone have any better ideas?

Thanks!

One thing to keep in mind is that Aspect of the Beast totems do not typically give combat abilities, so I would not do so with the displacer beast totem. See below for my suggestions across all levels for this path.

TOTEM SPIRIT
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you choose a totem spirit and gain its feature. You must make or acquire a physical totem object -an amulet or similar adornment—that incorporates fur or feathers, claws, teeth, or bones of the totem animal. At your option. You also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit. For example. if you have a hear totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick-skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn bright yellow.

Your totem animal might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your homeland. For example. you could choose a hawk or vulture in place of an eagle.

Displacer Beast: At 3rd level, while raging, you project a magical illusion that makes it appear that you are standing near your actual location, causing attack rolls against you to have disadvantage. If you are hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of your next turn. This trait is also disrupted while you are incapacitated or have a speed of zero.

ASPECT OF THE BEAST
At 6th level, you gain a magical benefit based on the totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

Displacer Beast: You are adept at ambushing your foes. If you have at least one minute to prepare, you have advantage on all stealth checks to conceal yourself. (If you feel this is too weak, you could give advantage on all stealth checks.)

OR

Displacer Beast: You gain darkvision out to 60 feet.

SPIRIT WALKER
At 10th level, you can cast the commune with nature spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual version of one of the animals you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek.

TOTEMIC ATTUNEMENT
At 14th level, you gain a magical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected previously or a different one.

Displacer Beast: While raging, if you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail .

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I like it, but I think you need to clarify the it in "If it is hit by an attack" for the 3rd level ability--is "it" the barbarian or the illusion?

For aspect of the beast, I would pick the first one (advantage on all stealth checks).

I like the 14th level ability, but I would be awful tempted to make it "you grow two tentacles out of your back when you start to rage, and when you make opportunity attacks, you use these tentacles for X damage."

 

[Croesus]

I like it, but I think you need to clarify the it in "If it is hit by an attack" for the 3rd level ability--is "it" the barbarian or the illusion?

For aspect of the beast, I would pick the first one (advantage on all stealth checks).

I like the 14th level ability, but I would be awful tempted to make it "you grow two tentacles out of your back when you start to rage, and when you make opportunity attacks, you use these tentacles for X damage."

I copied the language from the MM entry for the displacer beast, so "it" refers to the barbarian. I'll edit the post to be clearer.

I really like your idea for the 14th level ability. Using that on an NPC opponent could freak out some players.

 

[Coroc]

I would say this can be a two edged blade, since sometimes the barbarian might be glad if he is hit in combat to keep his rage up.

I think displacer beasts shtick is displacement not mirror image or blur. Blur might hit the spot better although it is quite powerful. I would rather go with something like 1 "mirror image" but for an attack the barbarian choses, so it is not that powerful but more meaningful. So basically he negates 1 attack that targets him that he choses. How does that sound for you?

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I copied the language from the MM entry for the displacer beast, so "it" refers to the barbarian. I'll edit the post to be clearer.

I really like your idea for the 14th level ability. Using that on an NPC opponent could freak out some players.

Thanks. I should have remembered that about the displacer beast.

I have been half heartedly playing around with the notion of a demon-rage path for the barbarian (at least NPC barbarians), so I have barbarians with tentacles (or horns or leaking ooze) on the brain.....