Cleon
Legend
Yeesh, I'm still not sure how many spells monster spellcasters are supposed to have in 5E. The examples in the Monster Manual are all over the place.
Many of the examples in the Monster Manual have fewer than the caster level + ability modifier rule (for example, the Sahuagin Priestess is a 6th-level WIS +2 caster but has seven spells instead of the eight that 6+2 is; the Androsphinx has caster level+WIS bonus of 16 but only 12 spells; et cetera).
At least the Spellcasting section of the Statistics explanation says a monster "might also include spells from a feature in that class, such as the Divine Domain feature of the cleric" so we could give the Shaman bonus spells. Not that there's a single example of a Divine Domain caster in that book!
Anyhow, I think it'd be prudent to give the Shaman just the basic eight spells but have some nonstandard cleric spells from the "domain options" I proposed above.
We could give it a domain-like ability equivalent to a lowish level spell though.
Hmm… how about:
Innate Spellcasting. The troglodyte shaman's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). The shaman can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components.
- 3/day poison spray, speak with animals (reptiles only)
- Cantrips (at will): guidance, resistance, thaumaturgy
- 1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, detect poison and disease, inflict wounds
- 2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, hold person
- 3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals (reptiles only; such as 8 giant lizards or 4 crocodiles), spirit guardians, stinking cloud
EDIT: Was going to suggest one or two reptiles for conjure animals instead of four or eight, but the only CR 2 or CR 1 reptiles in the Monster Manual are dinosaurs, specifically the Allosaurus and Plesiosaurus.
So I think I'll change the conjure animals to include the Allosaurus. It is my favourite dinosaur after all and who doesn't love dinosaurs!
- 3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals (reptiles only; i.e. 1 allosaurus or 8 giant lizards), spirit guardians, stinking cloud
The Lystrosaurus in 5eSRD is CR 2 but not reptilian enough, being a Piglike Dicynodontid.
Some of these 5eSRD Dinosaurs are really far from their earlier incarnations, like the Deinonychus is a CR 1/4 weakling rather than the mincing machine of its earlier incarnations. Although it's probably more closer to the how the animal would really have been.
I was amused by the Mutant Raptor though - if you though regular Cinematic Velociraptors were bad, just wait until you meet one with innate spellcasting!
Many of these 5eSRD dinosaurs are a bit weak for their listed Challenge Ratings such as the aforementioned Deinonychus, although there's at least one that's too powerful - the Archaeopteryx is also CR 1/4 despite being the size of a crow! They should be Challenge 0 like a Raven.
It's almost enough to tempt me to post some "corrected" versions on Converting Prehistoric Creatures.
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