Preview: The Shaman

[Belphanior]

The only companions you can have are a bear and panther? Something doesn't seem right... Hopefully it's like Ranger and you can have several variations. One of my players wants a fox spirit companion...

You can have either
"You draw on the strength of the bear or a similar protective spirit to defend and bolster your allies."
or
"You call on the stealth and cunning of the panther or a similar stalking spirit to empower and position your allies."

So all you need to do is determine whether the fox is protective or stalking. Me, I'm going for a creepy snake spirit.

 

[Shroomy]

I just checked the PHB rules for Conjurations (pg. 59) and they state that while most Conjurations cannot be attacked, if they can be attacked, they share the same defenses as their creator. So there's one question answered.

 

[Belphanior]

I just checked the PHB rules for Conjurations (pg. 59) and they state that while most Conjurations cannot be attacked, if they can be attacked, they share the same defenses as their creator. So there's one question answered.

Yeah, that was one of the first things I checked. "What does Conjuration mean, again?"

I do wonder why people tend to freak out over all these previews and ask silly questions on the internet. Just read what it all says and it's really crystal clear.

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

Hmm, are the Spirit Companions immune to Area/Close attacks? The text does only mention Melee and Ranged, after all...

 

[Fallen Seraph]

So all you need to do is determine whether the fox is protective or stalking. Me, I'm going for a creepy snake spirit.

I am thinking to go with a weird amalgamation of caribou/human for my Spirit, sorta like a Wendigo. I am thinking caribou head and legs, but the frame of the body is more reminiscent of a human. Or/also a close-knit murder of crows who look normal besides for a vaguely human looking third eye.

One thing I quite like (and those who read my posts know this is a pet peeve of mine) is the overall lack of elemental-keyword. While only first 3 levels it is a good sign. Especially with Cold being the most prevalent and that is pretty reasonable for Spirits.

While I didn't get the spirits riding allies and enemies I was hoping for. Overall I quite like it, and the way the spirit companion is used (especially the whole 11 damage thing, very good mental image of it disappearing as a sword swings through it then reforming behind the guy).

 

[Gunpowder]

I am thinking to go with a weird amalgamation of caribou/human for my Spirit, sorta like a Wendigo. I am thinking caribou head and legs, but the frame of the body is more reminiscent of a human. Or/also a close-knit murder of crows who look normal besides for a vaguely human looking third eye.

?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

More like the Wendigo spirit from the horror movie, "The Last Winter".

It is obviously a spirit so add the usual bluish/white appearance that is translucent, etc. It walks on all fours, and has the legs of a caribou but its hips, waist, chest are that of a human (I am imagining a thin human, so it has a narrow waist and chest is all muscle and bone) which is followed up by a caribou head with a full crest of horns.

 

[Scribble]

I want the spirit of a green slime as my spirit guardian.


splat.

 

[deleteme123456]

Hmm, are the Spirit Companions immune to Area/Close attacks? The text does only mention Melee and Ranged, after all...

It would seem so and that's unfortunate. To me, it seemed like the best plan. Why bother wasting an action to kill the spirit (assuming you can even roll high enough, obviously you're not a minion), when the shaman can just reform the spirit as a minor? So then I thought, well, at least a dragon's breath attack can try to kill them both. But then we get this BS about targeted only by melee and ranged attacks.

 

[Cadfan]

I think that's the idea. If your enemies want to kill the spirit, they have to actually spend an action to do it. They can't just dragonbreath the party and be done.

Attacking the spirit is a really bad idea unless you've got nothing else worth doing. You've probably got around a 50% chance of hitting, and then you have about a 50% chance of beating the threshold damage.