Path of the Chimera (5.5e)

Those that walk the Path of the Chimera embody adaptability taken to its brutal extreme. With each surge of their Rage, they mold their bodies into whatever form the fight demands.

Level 3: Monstrous Adaptation

Starting at 3rd level, you can reshape your body to meet the demands of battle. When you enter your Rage, you manifest animalistic and mythical traits, transforming parts of your body for the duration of that Rage. You choose which body parts to manifest each time you Rage. Your Monstrous Adaptation lasts until your Rage ends. It also ends early if you make an attack with a weapon that is not one of your natural weapons.

While your Monstrous Adaptation is active, you can expend one use of your Rage as a bonus action to replace one of your manifested body parts with a different one. You cannot replace the body part manifested by your Chimera Soul feature.

As you gain levels in this class, you can manifest additional body parts simultaneously. You can manifest one body part at 3rd level, two at 6th level, three at 10th level, and four at 14th level.

Each manifested body part counts as a simple and natural melee weapon for you. You use Strength for the attack and damage rolls of these natural weapons unless a body part states otherwise.

If a manifested body part requires a creature to make a saving throw, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

Level 3: Juvenile Form of the Chimera

The following body parts are added to the selection when using your Monstrous Adaptation feature.

Bite. Your jaw reshapes into a savage muzzle or snapping mandibles, dripping with predatory intent. It deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you damage a creature with this bite, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to your proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier.

Horns. Brutal, forward-curving horns jut from your skull, built to drive enemies back through sheer force. Your horn attack deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage, and when you hit a creature, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you in a straight line. If you moved at least 20 feet straight toward the target immediately before the hit, the target has Disadvantage on the Strength saving throw.

Pincer. Heavy chitinous pincers grow from one or both of your arms (your choice), crushing and trapping prey with ease. They deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and when you hit a creature, you can attempt to grapple it as part of the same attack.

Tail. A spined, muscular tail lashes behind you, striking with brutal precision. It deals 1d8 slashing damage and has the reach property. When a creature within 10 feet hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to swipe your tail and roll a d4, adding the result to your AC against that attack.

Thorns. Your body is covered in sharp, hardened thorns that you can fire as natural ranged weapons. These thorns deal 1d6 piercing damage and have a range of 30/60 feet. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with one of these thorns, it becomes lodged in the target. The target immediately takes extra piercing damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

Level 6: Adult Form of the Chimera

The following body parts are added to the selection when using your Monstrous Adaptation feature.

Hooves and Hooks. Your limbs harden into hooked hooves or talons that cling to stone and wood alike. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Saltatorial Legs. Your legs coil with explosive power, built for monstrous leaps. Once on each of your turns, you can jump up to 30 feet by spending 10 feet of movement. This jump does not require a running start. When you land in another creature's space as a result of this jump, apply the Falling onto a Creature(TCE) rule as normal.

Pheromones. As an Action, you exude powerful chemical signals that influence a creature's behavior. Choose one creature you can see within 15 feet of yourself. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. It makes this saving throw with Advantage if you or your allies are currently fighting it. On a failed save, the target gains the Charmed condition for 1 minute, or until you or your allies deal damage to it. While charmed in this way, the creature perceives you as a member of its pack, brood, herd, or other social group. Once a creature succeeds on or fails this saving throw, it becomes immune to this feature for 24 hours.

Webbing and Gills. Your body adapts for aquatic hunting, sprouting slick webbing and pulsing gills. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe underwater.

 

Note: Falling onto a Creature(TCE). If a creature falls into the space of a second creature and neither of them is Tiny, the second creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be impacted by the falling creature. Any damage resulting from the fall is divided evenly between them. The impacted creature is also knocked prone, unless it is two or more sizes larger than the falling creature.

Level 6: Chimera Soul

When you finish a short or long rest, choose one body part from your Monstrous Adaption feature. The chosen body part manifests and remains active until you finish your next short or long rest, even when you are not raging. This body part counts against the number of body parts you can select when you enter your Rage.

Level 10: Ancient Form of the Chimera

Starting at 10th level, the body parts manifested by your Juvenile Form of the Chimera feature grow stronger. The damage die of any natural weapon granted by that feature increases by one size, from a d6 to a d8 or from a d8 to a d10. In addition, the Tail - Swipe reaction improves, increasing the bonus it grants from a d4 to a d6.

The following body parts are added to the selection when using your Monstrous Adaptation feature.

Claws. Your fingers on one or both hands (your choice) elongate and harden into wicked talons, made for rending flesh. These claws are natural weapons that each deal 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action.

Glands. Specialized glands within your body produce and store volatile elemental compounds. When you take the Attack action, you can replace one attack with an exhalation of destructive energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage when you use this feature. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes damage equal to a number of d6s equal to your Rage Damage bonus on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Stinger. A barbed, venom-dripping stinger lashes out with terrifying speed. It deals 2d6 poison damage on a hit, and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your save DC or gain the Poisoned condition for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns.

Level 10: Monstrous Weapon Masteries

Your ever-shifting form strikes with a precision that rivals a trained wielder and their finely crafted weapons, each motion guided by instinct rather than discipline.

When you hit a creature with one of your natural weapons, you can apply a weapon mastery property based on its damage type: Topple for bludgeoning, Slow for slashing, or Sap for piercing.

Level 14: Mythical Form of the Chimera

The following body parts are added to the selection when using your Monstrous Adaptation feature.

Exoskeleton and Scales. Your hide thickens into arcane scales or layered chitin, made to endure devastating blows. You gain resistance to two damage types of your choice, or resistance to one damage type and a +1 bonus to AC; choose from acid, cold, fire, poison, lightning, thunder, or force.

Wings. Massive wings unfurl from your back, feathered or leathery in form, carrying you aloft like a mythical creature. You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed, and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.

Level 14: Mythical Presence

As a Bonus Action, you unleash your terrifying, mythical presence. When you do so, each creature of your choice in a 30-foot Emanation originating from you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your save DC. On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of the Frightened creature’s turns, the creature repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a use of your Rage (no action required) to restore your use of it.