Spirit Herder (HB)

Death is natural process, one that claims almost everyone eventually. But some spirits become lost or corrupted on their journey to the afterlife. Worse still, some malevolent spirits cling to the mortal realm to sew evil even in death. Thus the task of the Spirit Herder was born. A ranger who chooses this path must seek out lost spirits and help them find their way to a life beyond death, cleanse spirits of lingering curses and corruptions, and destroy those that would infect the living.

The life of a Spirit Herder is often lonesome; there are few who wish to linger so intently around death. Many live solitary lives, travelling from place to place, for the path of a Spirit Herder is often unclear. However, there are times when a ranger in this role can provide solace to a grieving family or loved one by confirming the passage of the spirit into the afterlife. But it is their duty to clear the land of the foul and unholy ghosts that linger upon the mortal plane looking to continue their wicked deeds. In these acts, a Spirit Herder can become revered by those they saved.

Spirit Herder Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Spirit Herder Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Spirit Herder Spells

Undead Affinity

When you choose this subclass at 3rd level, your connection with the dead gives you an innate strength against them. You are resistant to necrotic damage.

Spirit Essence

From 3rd level, you can uniquely manipulate the souls of the deceased. When you gain this feature, you create a soul jar out of an object no larger than 5 cubic inches. It could be a crystal which you keep on a necklace around your neck, or a small magically sealed vial.

When a creature you can see dies within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to herd the escaping spirit into your soul jar. You can have a maximum number number of spirits inside your soul jar equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and you cannot capture another spirit inside it whilst it contains the maximum. You can use the captured spirits in the following ways:

• You can use a bonus action to expend one spirit from your soul jar and infuse it into a weapon you are wielding. The next time make an attack with that weapon within the next minute, the attack deals an additional 3d8 necrotic damage on a hit. When you reach 11th level in this class, the extra damage increases to 4d8.
• You can use a bonus action to expend one spirit from your soul jar to regain some vitality. Regain hit points equal to 3 times your proficiency modifier.
• You can use an action to release one spirit from your soul jar. When you do, you can ask the spirit one question. The spirit appears to you and answers in a language it knew in life. It’s under no obligation to be truthful, and it answers as concisely as possible, eager to be free. The spirit knows only what it knew in life, as determined by the DM.
• You can use an action to regain a spell slot by expending a number of spirits equal to twice the level of the spell slot you wish to regain.

Soul Projection

Beginning at 7th level, you can project your own spirit outside of your body. As an action, you can force your soul outside of your body. Your spirit appears as an intangible version of your physical form within 5 feet of your physical body, and whilst your spirit is outside of your body, you are in control of it.

Your spirit form shares all of your physical form's statistics. In addition, it has a flying speed equal to your movement speed, it can hover and it can pass through solid objects. However, it cannot physically interact with the world, though it can be heard if you choose to speak through it. Whilst in your spirit form, you can use an action to become invisible, rendering you completely undetectable unless you speak. On subsequent turns you can use an action to become visible. Whilst in your spirit form, you can use an action to automatically return to your body. Your spirit also automatically returns to your body after one hour.

Whilst your soul is outside of your body, you physical form is treated as unconscious. You can only use this feature once per long rest.

Spectral Strike

Beginning at 11th level, you have enough control over your own spirit to allow it to make an attack with you. When you take the attack action, you can make one additional attack with your spirit form, which momentarily becomes tangible for the attack. The spirit form uses your statistics for the attack, except any damage it deals becomes necrotic.

In addition, when the spirit form attacks a creature, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against you spell save DC. On a fail, the creature becomes frightened of you for the next minute. A creature affected by this can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A construct or an undead is immune to this effect.

Your spirit form can attack a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier and it regains all attacks when you finish a long rest.

Phantom Possession

At 15th level, you have the power to command the spirits under your control to enthrall a creature of your choice. As an action, you can expend one spirit from your soul jar to cast dominate monster without expending a spell slot, but the spell only lasts for the next minute. 

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.