Totemist (3.5e Class)

This article is for the Tome Totemist. You may be looking for the Totemist in Magic of Incarnum.

Adopted By

Surgo (talk)
Original Creator:	FrankTrollman
Date Created:	11/14/2009
Status:	Complete
Editing:	Please feel free to edit constructively!
Balance:	Wizard

{{#set:Summary=A totemist that isn't crazy complicated to use. |Length=20 |Minimum Level=1 |Base Attack Bonus Progression=Moderate |Fortitude Save Progression=Poor |Reflex Save Progression=Poor |Will Save Progression=Good |Class Ability=Alternate Magic |Class Ability Progression=Full }} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Lawful Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Neutral Evil}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Good}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Neutral}} {{#set:Allowed Alignments=Chaotic Evil}}

Totemist

“

My soul burns with the strength of the behir of my ancestors.

”

Totemists are people whose souls are filled with an arbitrarily blue flame that causes them to channel the beast souls of the natural world. This being the natural world of Dungeons & Dragons, those beast souls are crazy crap like displacer beasts and give the Totemist real magical powers.

Making a Totemist

A Totemist has powers that are comparable in strength to spells that are usable an unlimited number of times in a day. However, each power has a cool-down period that makes it unlikely to be used twice in the same battle. These powers are Charisma based, so it is to be expected that a Totemist will be put Charisma as their primary attribute.

Alignment: Totemists can be of any alignment, but like Magical Beasts that alignment is largely to be taken with a grain of salt. They behave a lot like animals, so even if they are totally all chaotic evil and torture fools it's more like how cats spend an hour killing a mouse if they aren't hungry than any depraved sadism. Totemists hardly detect a non-neutral alignment at all even if they have one.

Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp (150 gp).

Starting Age: As Druid.

Table: The Totemist

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Chakras
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Basic Totems, Call Totems, Soulmelds, Wild Empathy	2
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Respect for the Dead, Woodland Stride	3
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Arcane Sight	3
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Better Soulmelds	3
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Blood of Soulfire	4
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Beast Companion	4
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Advanced Soulmelds	4
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Speak With Souls	5
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Corpse Fashion, Reincarnate	5
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Astounding Soulmelds	5
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7		6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Auto-Life	6
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Favor of the Totems	6
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Exciting Soulmelds	7
15th	+11/+6/+6	+5	+5	+9	Embody Totem	7
16th	+12/+7/+7	+5	+5	+10		8
17th	+13/+8/+8	+5	+5	+10	Giant-Size Soulmelds	8
18th	+13/+8/+8	+6	+6	+11	Limitless Favor of the Totems	8
19th	+14/+9/+9	+6	+6	+11		9
20th	+15/+10/+10	+6	+6	+12	Triumph Promised by Ancestors	9
Class Skills (Skill Points::4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Int) (all skills, taken individually), Listen (Wis) Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Totemist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Totemists are proficient with Simple Weapons, as well as the Trident, the Kukri, the shortsword, the gladius, the light and heavy pick, the shortbow, the longbow, the pincerstaff, the net, and the guisarme. Totemists are proficient with light and medium armor.

Soulmelds (Su): A Totemist has the ability to call upon a number of special blue glowing intangible yet vaguely beast-related wardrobe accessories that cause them to glow blue and gain additional powers. Each Soulmeld is unique, and should have its own name (check the Soulmeld chart below in order to name it). Each Soulmeld has a Basic bonus and a Totemic Power. A Totemist can only show a fraction of the Soulmelds they have at a time. At first level, the Totemist "knows" 3 Soulmelds and learns two additional Soulmelds every time they gain a Totemist level. The number of Soulmelds that can actually be used at one time is the character's number of Chakras, which is 2 at first level, rising to 3 at 2nd, 4 at 5th, 5 at 8th, 6 at 11th, 7 at 14th, 8 at 16th, and finally 9 at 19th. It takes 1 minute of meditation to change which Soulmelds are available (up to the character's number of Chakras), but only a Swift Action to activate and display any or all of them. Soulmelds shed light as a torch. Actually calling upon the Totem's power is usually a Standard Action (see Call Totems.

Basic Bonuses: Every Soulmeld (even Advanced or Giant-Size Soulmelds) has exactly one Basic Bonus, which is defined when the Soulmeld is learned:

• Deflection bonus to AC (1/3 level, rounded up)
• Resistance Bonus to Saving Throws (1/3 level, rounded up)
• Enhancement Bonus to an attribute (1/3 level, rounded up)
• Enhancement Bonus to a Skill other than Use Magic Device (Level + 2)
• Enhancement Bonus to Natural Armor Bonus (1/3 Level, rounded up)
• Spell Resistance (8 + Level)
• Energy Resistance to one Energy type (3 points per level)

Basic Totems: At first, each Soulmeld is attached to a Basic Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Ankheg: Spit soul acid out to close range. This is a ranged touch attack that inflicts d4 Acid damage/level and on the Totemist's next turn will inflict a similar amount unless the acid has been doused with vinegar or beer or something in the meantime.
• Corollax: Rainbow colors shoot off into a close ranged cone. Creatures in the cone must make a Will save or be stunned for 1d2 rounds. This is a [Mind Affecting] [Pattern].
• Carrion Crawler: Touch forces target to make a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for one minute.
• Ash Rat: Heavy Smoke extends around the Totemist like Obscuring Mist. The mists last for 4 rounds, and creatures other than the Totemist suffer 1 point of Fire damage per round that they are in the ashy haze.
• Flame Snake: Touch forces target to take d4 Fire damage/level and to make a Fortitude Save against poison or take 1d6 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution damage.
• Blood Hawks: The Totemist makes a ranged touch attack against up to one enemy within medium range per level. Each target struck suffers 1d3 points of Force damage and 2 points of Constitution damage from blood loss.
• Howler: Scream causes Wisdom Damage. This is a burst out to close range. Those in the burst must make a Will Save or suffer 1d6 Wisdom damage. The Totemist is immune to this damage; this is a [Mind Affecting] [Sonic] effect.
• Dark Mantle: As Darkness, but all light is blocked and it provides complete concealment. Or 3e darkness if you prefer.
• Krenshar: Screech causes a single target within close range to be panicked for 1d4 rounds if they fail a Will save. This is a [Sonic] [Mind Affecting] [Fear] Effect.
• Blood Ape: The character increases in size by 1 size category, and their attributes are adjusted as normal. This change lasts for 4 rounds.
• Mephit: Breath Weapon of something weird and noxious. Extends to a cone out to close range. All creatures in the area must pass a Fortitude Save or be nauseated for 1d2 rounds.
• Owlbear: Melee touch attack pins a single target for 1 round.
• Rust Monster: As rusting grasp.
• Shocker Lizard: Melee touch attack inflicts d8/level nonlethal Electricity damage.
• Stirge: Melee touch attack causes d4 damage/level to a living creature and heals the Totemist an equal amount.
• Harpoon Spider: A soul harpoon is sent after an enemy within close range. This is a ranged touch attack. On a hit, the target suffers d8 Force damage and must make a Fortitude save or be drawn as many squares towards the Totemist as the totemist feels like dragging them (as if bullrushed).

Call Totems (Su): A Totemist can use the Totem Powers of any active Soulmelds any number of times in a day. However, upon calling upon such a Totem, they may not call on the same Totem for the next three rounds. So at first level a Totemist has only 2 Chakras bound, so they could call upon two different powers in the first two rounds of combat, but then they would be unable to use either one again in the next two rounds of combat, forcing them to fall back on weaponry or hiding. The Save DC of any save a Totem's power offers is 10 + 0.5 ½ Level + Charisma Modifier. And every power is used at the Totemist's Character Level.

Wild Empathy (Ex): Totemists can use Handle Animal as if it was frickin Diplomacy and they were speaking the Queen's Bloody English with any Animal or Magical Beast, whether that creature has a language or not.

Respect for the Dead (Ex): At 2nd level, Totemists treat any armor made out of animal parts as if it was a lot easier to use, and reduce the Armor Check Penalty and Armor Stealth Penalty of such armors by 4, making it a lot more likely that they can move at full speed while wearing someone's mother as a breastplate.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Totemists of 2nd level and up are totally at home in natural environments, even really jacked up ones. They ignore naturally occurring difficult terrain and don't take damage from crap like thorns.

Arcane Sight (Su): At 3rd level, a Totemist benefits at all times from Arcane Sight.

Better Soulmelds: At fourth level, each Soulmeld can be attached to a Better Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Aranea: Can throw a soul Web. Creatures within or moving within a 15' burst within close range must make a Reflex Save or be entangled and anchored in place. An entangled creature may make an Escape Artist or Strength check (DC 20) as a full-round action to wriggle or break free, but if they move out of their square into another square with soul web in it they'll have to make another Reflex save or be caught again. The web dissipates in 1 minute/level or when dismissed, and does not burn.
• Behir: A line of electricity extends out to close range from the Totemist's mouth. It does 1d6 Electricity damage/level and allows a Reflex Save for half damage.
• Chimera: A cone of fire is breathed out to close range. It does 1d6 Fire damage/level and allows a Reflex Save for half damage.
• Cloaker: Creates images equivalent to major image within close range. The Totemist need not concentrate on the images, but they vanish in 4 rounds.
• Cockatrice: Touch forces target to make a Fortitude Save or be petrified.
• Digester: A cone of acid is spat out to close range. Targets in the area suffer d4 Acid damage/level (Reflex Half), and then the following turn suffer the same amount of damage unless they have cleaned themselves off.
• Ahuizotl: A melee touch attack causes a single target to be permanently blinded.
• Briarvex: With a melee touch attack, a single target suffers 2d6 Force damage. There are then thorns of force crawling in their skin like a Linkin Park song, and they take 2d6 of Force damage each round on the Totemist's turn for 1 round/level. This ongoing damage can be halted by taking a Standard Action to make a DC 15 Heal check to gouge out the force thorns. Each attempt inflicts 1 hit point of damage whether it succeeds or fails.
• Joystealer: Target within medium range must make a Will Save or suffer 1d6 Charisma damage and be afflicted with crushing despair.
• Manticore: The Totemist launches a number of spikes of soul energy equal to their level, distributed between one or more targets within medium range. Each spike inflicts 1d6 damage.
• Pegasus: The Totemist gains a 90' Flight Speed with Good Maneuverability for the next 4 rounds. Activating this is a Swift Action.
• Cloaked Ape: The Totemist gains Fast Healing equal to their level for 4 rounds. This ability can be invoked as a Swift action.
• Phase Wasp: The Totemist gains the benefits of True Seeing for 4 rounds.
• Shadow Mastiff: All other creatures within close range must make a Will Save or become Panicked for 1d6 rounds. This is a [Sonic] [Mind Affecting] [Fear] effect.
• Unicorn: Heal a touched target by 1d6/level and remove any poisons they are afflicted with.
• Winter Wolf: The Totemist breathes a cone of cold out to close range. It inflicts d6/level Cold Damage, with Reflex save for half damage.

Blood of Soulfire (Su): A 5th level Totemist is immune to poison and when they suffer damage from physical attacks they cause 1 point of Force Damage to all creatures within 5' of them as Soulfire splashes out.

Beast Companion: At 6th level, a Totemist is entitled to a companion. Their companion is a Magical Beast with a CR 2 less than their character level. When the Totemist gains a level, their companion either advances for no reason so that it keeps a CR 2 less than the Totemist, or their companion wanders off and they get a new companion of the appropriate CR. Either way.

Advanced Soulmelds: At seventh level, each Soulmeld can be attached to an Advanced Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Basilisk: A single target within medium range must make a Fortitude save or be petrified.
• Bulette: The ground trembles as earth and stone excavate themselves at the Totemist's urging. The character can create tunnels out up to a 10'x10'x40' area. Every end must be within close range, and yes you can create holes under enemies and drop them in.
• Blink Dog: As dimension door.
• Displacer Beast: The Totemist gains full concealment and a 50% miss chance for 4 rounds. This is a Swift Action to activate.
• Ethereal Marauder: The Totemist and everything they carry is shifted to the Ethereal Plane or back to the Material from the Ethereal.
• Girallon: Spectral arms rip the target to pieces. The Totemist makes 4 melee touch attacks, and each is a claw that inflicts 1d6 damage / 2 levels.
• Lamia: As charm monster. This is a [Mind Affecting] [Compulsion] and allows a Will Save.
• Nymph: All creates in a close ranged burst that can see the Totemist must make a Fortitude Save or be permanently blinded.
• Phoenix: For the next 4 rounds, the Totemist is immune to Fire, and heals when they would suffer fire damage. Also there is a 5' burst of flame centered on the Totemist that inflicts d6/level Fire Damage (Reflex Half), and that heals the Totemist because it is Fire Damage.
• Remorhaz: The Totemist catches on fire, and anything that she touches or even hits her in melee suffers d6/level of Fire damage from the experience. This effect lasts 4 rounds.
• Frost Salamander: The Totemist exudes an aura of cold. All creatures that begin their turns within 15' of the Totemist suffer d6/2 levels of Cold Damage. This effect lasts 4 rounds.
• Mudmaw: Two soul tendrils lash out and grab enemies. The Totemist can make two melee touch attacks against one or two creatures within 10'. Any creature touched is pinned for 1 round.
• Brood Keeper: A spectral swarm races out to engulf your enemies, as the spell summon swarm. The swarm summoned uses your save DC (10 + 0.5 ½ level + Cha modifier) for its abilities, inflicts force damage rather than normal damage, is incorporeal, and persists for four rounds.
• Umber Hulk: One target within close range must make a Will Save or be confused as per the spell confusion. This can be invoked as a Swift Action.
• Wyvern: Melee touch attack causes a single target to suffer 3d6 Constitution damage from poison. Fortitude Save for half.
• Yrthak: A single target within medium range suffers d6/level Sonic damage, Fortitude half.

Speak with Souls (Su): A Totemist of 8th level can see the souls of the living and the dead. They are apparently little blue flamy things like in Soul Eater. The Totemist can speak with the souls of the dead as if the dead were still alive. The souls depart in about a week unless they get transformed, consumed, or returned to life before that point.

Corpse Fashion (Su): Three times a day, a 9th level Totemist can fabricate things out of animal parts. This can make things as respectable as hide armor or as creepy as human bone swords.

Reincarnate (Su): Three times a week, a 9th level Totemist can bring someone back from the dead in a new body as per reincarnate.

Astounding Soulmelds: At tenth level, each Soulmeld can be attached to an Astounding Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Avalancher: As transmute rock to mud.
• Nightmare: The Totemist can plane shift into a different realm of existence.
• Inferno Spider: The Totemist can throw a flaming soul web. Creatures within or moving within a 15' burst within close range must make a Reflex Save or be entangled and anchored in place. An entangled creature may make an Escape Artist or Strength check (DC 20) as a full-round action to wriggle or break free, but if they move out of their square into another square with soul web in it they'll have to make another Reflex save or be caught again. The web dissipates in 1 minute/level or when dismissed, and is on fire. All creatures suffer 1d8 + Level Fire damage every round they begin in the area of the web.
• Pixie: All creatures in a 15' burst within medium range must make a Will Save or fall asleep for 10 minutes/level. This is a [Mind Affecting] effect.
• Frost Worm: A strange trill forces everyone to stand still. This is an emanation that extends to medium range and affects every creature except the Totemist. Creatures that fail a Will Save are stunned for d4 rounds. This is a [Sonic] effect.
• Lodestone Marauder: Magnetic pulse yoinks all freestanding and handheld metal objects in a medium range cone and piles them at the Totemist's feet. Creatures can hold onto their weapons and whatnot by making a Reflex Save. Creatures wearing metal armor are subjected to a strong gale.
• Rapture Locust: All creatures within close range must make a Will save or be dazed for d6 rounds. Dazed creatures have locusts made of blue soulfire chewing on them for 2d6 Force damage per round until they snap out of it.
• Naga: Target within close range must make a Fortitude Save against poison or die. A successful save still results in d8 Poison damage to Constitution.
• Nightmare Beast: A creature that is asleep within 5 miles that the Totemist is aware of must make a Fortitude save or die. This is a [Death] effect.
• Purple Worm: A melee touch attack shrinks the target to the size of a walnut, which the Totemist swallows whole. The target suffers 4d8 Acid damage per round and cannot free themselves. If they are transported out of the Totemist or the Totemist dies, they return to normal size.
• Roper: The Totemist can fire 6 soul strands at one or more targets within close range. Each Strand is a ranged touch attack that inflicts d8 Strength Damage.
• Sphinx: The Totemist lets out a mighty roar, and all creatures within long range must make a Will Save or become panicked for 2d6 rounds. Even creatures that succeed in their save are shaken for 2d6 rounds. This is a [Mind Affecting] [Sonic] [Fear] effect.
• Cloud Ray: As telekinesis.
• Peryton: A melee touch attack inflicts 10 points of damage per level.

Auto-Life (Su): If a 12th level Totemist has been dead for a whole day, they reincarnate into a new body unless something has happened to their soul in the meantime. This does not cost them a level, it's just slightly disconcerting.

Favor of the Totems: From 13th level on, a Totemist need only forgo calling on a Totem's powers for 2 rounds after the last time they called upon the Totem's Powers.

Exciting Soulmelds: At fourteenth level, each Soulmeld can be attached to an Exciting Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Cranium Rat: All targets within a medium range cone must make a Will save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. This is a [Mind Affecting] Psionic effect.
• Catoblepas: A single target within medium range must make a Fortitude Save or die. This is a [Death] effect. Even if the target succeeds, they still take d8 damage/2 levels.
• Gorgon: The Totemist breathes a cone out to close range. All creatures in the cone must make a Fortitude Save or be petrified.
• Gravorg: As reverse gravity; targets are allowed a Reflex Save as normal.
• Greenvice: As acid fog. The fog lasts for 4 rounds.
• Lammasu: As heal.
• Quanlos: As dominate monster. Target is entitled to a Will Save. This is a [Mind Affecting] [Compulsion].
• Razor Boar: A melee touch attack decapitates a single target. This is a [Death] effect.
• Spirit of the Air: The Totemist decides what the local weather is.
• Titanic Toad: The Totemist stamps on the ground and flattens everything around them. All other creatures and standing objects in a 40' radius are subjected to a d8/level in Force damage and are knocked prone. A successful Reflex save halves the damage and negates the prone effect.

Embody Totem (Su): With a standard action, a 15th level Totemist can transform into one of the creatures that is one of their displayed totems. You can argue with the DM as to how Wild Shape works, but you get all the Extraordinary, Supernatural, and Spell-like abilities whether they are Attacks or Qualities or whatever. We recommend doing this as per Tome's Polymorph Self.

Giant-Sized Soulmelds: At Seventeenth level, each Soulmeld can be attached to a Giant-size Totem, and the power delivered when called upon is as such:

• Beholder: The Totemist can create a conical emanation of anti-magic field that extends from their body in any direction and can be rotated each turn. It persists for 4 rounds, and goes out to close range.
• Chaos Roc: All creatures in a medium range cone are struck with 2 colors from a prismatic spray.
• Chronotyrin: The Totemist takes a second round of action after her normal one. This Totem is invoked as a Swift Action.
• Fiendwurm: The Totemist vomits forth a creature compatible with summon monster viii.
• Leviathan: The Totemist is Colossal as per the spell giant size for four rounds. This Totem is invoked as a Swift Action.
• Lucent Worm: Every creature that is in the Totemist's threatened area before the start of their next turn must make a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 4 rounds.
• Megapede: A wave of force precedes the Totemist as they stampede enemies. Any creatures and freestanding objects within 20 feet are pushed out of the area, suffering a d20 of force damage per 5' moved. The force lasts until the beginning of next turn, and enemies are pushed out of their area (for another d20 of damage per 5' square pushed) as the Totemist moves. Creatures are entitled to a Reflex save for half damage and to move out of the way in a direction of their choice to avoid getting Tekken juggled.
• Sky Bleeder: Acid rains from the sky for a mile in every direction, causing 3d4 Acid damage per round for the next 4 rounds.
• Tarrasque: The Totemist is restored to full health and all baleful conditions that could be cured by Heal, Greater Restoration, or Miracle end.
• Thunder Worm: The Totemist becomes Incorporeal for the next 4 rounds, and in departing from physicality lets off a huge thunderclap that breaks things in all directions. Everything around the Totemist in a medium ranged burst is subjected to a d8/level Sonic damage (Reflex Half).

Limitless Favor of the Totems: At 18th level, the Totemist can call on any of her displayed Totems that she did not call on her last turn. They still take the normal action to call upon.

Triumph Promised by Ancestors (Su): At 20th level, the Totemist can call upon any of her displayed totems as either a Swift Action or a Standard Action (her choice when calling).

Naming Your Soulmelds

To name a Soulmeld, combine the Totem with an adjective, a color, and a thingy or roll on the following table. This can go in any order you want. So for example, you might have Dimming Electric Corollax Wings or Corollax Crushing Cyan Gauntlets. Whatever. You can fudge it a bit so it sounds less ridiculous or not, at your option. Also, you can really have your soulmelds be any color you want, as long as they are blue.

d20	Adjective	Color	Thingy
1	Crushing	Azure	Claws
2	Rising	Beryl	Mantle
3	Fierce	Aqueous	Cloak
4	Dimming	Blue	Wings
5	Clutching	Cerulean	Armor
6	Gnawing	Cobalt	Mask
7	Grasping	Electric	Gloves
8	Devastating	Midnight	Sleeves
9	Expansive	Indigo	Robe
10	Secret	Navy	Helm
11	Protective	Ocean	Hat
12	Monstrous	Sapphire	Horns
13	Horrendous	Teal	Gauntlets
14	Awesome	Turquoise	Cape
15	Wicked	Ultramarine	Belt
16	Depressive	Sky	Boots
17	Repetitive	Steel	Trail
18	Vengeful	Cyan	Eyes
19	Gorgeous	Pale	Braids
20	Futile	Red	Amulet

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