100%(2)100% found this document useful (2 votes) 187 views99 pagesADnD DMGR11 Shaman 2nd Edition
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Suggested Begging Modifiers
Locale Modifier
‘Uninhabited Automatic failure
Countryside 7
Hamlet, Village 5
Town 2
City 0
Believers/followers of spirits
that are served by shaman 42
Shaman Equipment Lists
‘The following lists should be used in lieu ofthe starting
funds provided in the Player's Handeaok.
Tribal Shaman Equipment
Ritual Tools: Drum, rattle, mask, implements of sacrifice
(one bone, one stone), gourds, and pots. Material
components for spells (three measures for each spell in
which components are consumed, one measure for others),
Personal Equipment: Badge of rank, bowl, mortal and
pestle, spare clothes and footwear (all natural materials),
wood bow (for starting fires), large leather sack, waterskin,
and a one-person tent (made of leather or similar heavy
material), blanket.
Funds: 2410 gp (if culturally appropriate).
‘Weapons: One weapon of character's choice.
Solitary Shaman Equipment
‘The solitary shaman actually has little use for equipment
beyond that which he can secure from his natural,
surroundings.
Ritual Tools: Implements of sacrifice. Material
components for spells (three measures for each spell in
which components are consumed, one measure for others).
Personal Equipment: Badge of rank, backpack, 4 small belt
pouches, 10 torches, rope (30 feet), thick blanket, flint and
steel, and a waterskin.
Funds: 1d4+2 gp.
Weapons: Two weapons of the character's choice.
Spiritualist Shaman Equipment
‘Not content with a simple knife, each spiritualist carries an
‘eccentric array of half a dozen sacrificial tools. Many
Spiritualists insist that the more a sacrifice bleeds, or the
noisier its death, the more likely it is that the spirits will
notice and respond to the sacrifice,
Ritual Tools: Implements of sacrifice (2d6 different sets)
and bowls and pots. Material components for spells (three
measures for each spel in which components are consumed,
‘one measure for others).
Personal Equipment: Small sack, iron pot, bowl and
eating utensils, chalk, flint and steel, 10 candles, five torches,
two blankets (count as 1 winter blanket), one set of spare
clothing, bird seed, and a whetstone.
Funds: 1410 gold pieces.
‘Weapons: Two weapons of the character's choice.Dungéons& Dragons
Shama
Designer: Kevin Hassall
Developer and Editor: Steve Miller
Project Coordinators: Karen S. Boomgarden and Roger Moore
Interior Art: Randy Post, Mark Nelson, Valerie Valusek, and Karl Waller
Cover and Border Art: Alan Pollack
Graphic Design: Paul Hanchette & Don Danowski
Art Director: Stephen A. Daniele
‘Typesetting: Angelika Lokotz
Proofreading: Karen S. Boomgarden
Dedicated to E. S. Miller for patience above and beyond the call of duty.
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‘material or artwork therein is prohibited without the express written conzent of TSR, In.Table GE Ge
iis aie:
Introduction...
Using This Book
Shamans and the Spirits...
‘The Invisible Landscape
What the Spirits Know
Setting Up Shrines ...
Shaman Character Classes io
General Information... a 7
Format of the Class Descriptions . 8
The Tribal Shaman sevetaceniea®
‘The Solitary Shaman 3 snerell
The Spiritualist ... aiyaegiscll
Proficiencies ..
‘Compiled Proficiencies
Modified Proficiencies
New Proficiencies
Equipment ..
Shaman Equipment
Shamanic Magic -
Spells and Starting Characters .
Tribal Shaman’s Spell List .
Solitary Shaman’s Spell List
Spiritualist’s Spell List...
The World of the Spirits .
The Truth About the Spirits
a5
The Invisible Landscape Charted -A7
Spirits and the Material World ............48
Contacting the Spitits .....--.200e260000+49)
A Spiritual Bestiary .......-..........---.30
‘Combating the Spirits .
Bringing It Into Play
“Where Did Thal Come From?” .
Notes on Sacrifices to the Spirits
Notes on the Character Classes ..
Spiritual Sites
The Birthing Stones .
The Sacred Herd
The Mountain of the Ancestors .......
‘The Hunting Shrine ..
The Funeral Ground
New Magic Items ....
Shamanic Magic Items
‘Non-Shamanic Magic Items
Spiritual Weapons ......
Adventures
‘Adventures for Tribal Shamans
Adventures for Solitary Shamans
‘Adventures for Spiritualists ........
Adventures for All Character Classes
NIs33 Bank
Monstrous COMPENDIUM® APPENDIX...
3
Index to Tables
‘Table One: Experience Levels
Table Two: Spell Progression .
‘Table Three: Shaman
Proficiency Slots...
Jib Tear: Sacer Nomireapon
Proficiency Slots .........
Table Five: Suggested Begging
Modifiers: - 18
Table Six: Failed Trance Results veeeeeee sD
‘Table Seven: Random Spirit Contact ....... 55
Table Eight: Random Spirit
Personality ....
‘Table Nine: Demanded Value: of
Sacrifice . . .
Table Ten: Social Disadvantage /
Minor Curse ... . th vse BE
Table Eleven: Disrupted Animal
Contact Results ......
Inside Front Cover
Complied Information for Player's Reference
Inside Back Cover
Compiled Information for DM’s ReferenceIntroduction
With a gesture, the wizard lights up the evening sky
with the destructioe power of a fireball. The cleric
whirls on a booted hel, presenting her holy symbol
forcefully, and her goddess rewards her faith by bring-
ing a flame strike dowon upon the adoancing trolls.
‘Meaniohie, the party’s third member, the shaman, is
gesticulating wildly, shouting seemingly to nobody, “I
‘novo this isa stronghold of your enemy, but I just can’t
take the time to topple every stone and sew the ground
‘with salt right now! Yes, we'll doit afterwards, just let
‘me control the ghost pack that duvells here I just reant
them to drive off the trolls before they kill ust”
As the cleric and wizard turn to face the smoldering
trolls, now almost upon them, the shaman joins his
companions with a frustrated sigh, readying his staff
for a final, desperate stand. But then the trolis stop
their lumbering advance. Some of them cry out, beat-
ing at the air around them. Others turn tail and flee,
{fire erupting om their bodies. Squinting at the scene be-
{fore them, the wizard and the priest think they can just
‘make out the ghostly outlines of a dozen hellkourtds.
“Thank you, kind spirits,” the shaman cries.
Introduction
You hold in your hand an AD&1D* accessory
that presents Dungeon Masters (DMs) and play-
cers with three brand new character classes, as well
as providing expansion rules that will lend a new
dimension to the cosmology of any campaign
world—the world of spirits.
Although shamans wield magic, they are not
typical spelleasters who either manipulate unseen
forces to predictable ends or who serve powerful
entities and are rewarded with the power to per-
form minor miracles. Instead, shamans must ca-
jole and persuade the inhabitants the spirits, to
grant them unpredictable and subtle magics; and
in return they may be required to perform certain
services for the spirits, Shamans are not masters of
the magic arts, but must work as partners with
those who fuel their spells. Certain shamans are
loners or outcasts from society, while others are
important functionaries within their tribes or
communities. The shaman classes are not well-
suited for campaigns where there is a constant
focus on combat and straightforward dungeon
crawls, as they have few combat abilities, but are
well suited to investiga
lar styles of play,
, diplomatic, and simi-
Ising this Book
The information in Shaman is designed to in-
spire players and DMs alike, and to provide ideas
for interesting characters and adventures.
‘The first section of the book details the three
shamans character classes. These chapters are in-
tended as a resource for both players and DMs,
explaining not only the skills and powers of the
shamans, but also suggesting what the personali-
ties, beliefs and objectives of these characters
might be, and how they fit into the world around
them. The goal is to give players the tools to cre-
ate characters with interesting powers as well as
fully developed personalities.
‘The second section of the book is for the DM's
eyes only, and those who would play shaman
characters should not read these pages. Here the
secrets of the spirits are fully revealed and DMs
can find useful notes on integrating the informa-
tion in this material into ongoing campaigns.
Monstaous ComPeNDIun® pages detailing some of
the spirits most useful as antagonists in adven-
tures are also included, as well as scores of adven-
ture ideas and new magic items,
‘One word of caution before proceeding: All the
information presented in Shaman is completely op-
tional. While care has been taken to not violate any
published information about the cosmology of the
various TSR campaign worlds, this book can add
an additional “mystic” layer to the fabric of those
realities. DMs should feel free to accept as much of
this volume as they think fits with the vision they
have of the campaign world and reject the rest.
Shamans and the Spirits
‘To properly understand the shaman character,
either as a PC or NPC, some time needs to be
spent exploring their views of the spirits around
which their lives revolve.
Different shamans disagree about exactly what
spirits exist, and where they are found. What fol-
lows are three “in-character” views of the spirits,
given by three very different types of shamans.
Introduction + 34 + Shaman
‘The spirits are of three types, like clans. First, there
‘are the spirits of the wind and sky, rain and sun, the
Great Spirits who took down upon us from afar. Second,
there are those who walk in the wild places, the Grand-
father Animals from whom all beasts are descended, the
lost dead, and darker creatures. Third, there are our an-
cestors and the heroes whose deeds are told of it legend,
to whom most of our sacrifices are given.
‘The spirits gave us our laws and our traditions, and
they punish us if we offend them. They are like elders of
the tribe, but greater; being old and venerable they are
‘wiser, and so rust be obeyed,
—Ryambe, tribal shaman.
Everything feels. Everything sees, and hears. And if
you listen hard enough, everything will talk to you.
Every speck of earth can tell of the footsteps that have
fallen upon it, Every gust of woind can sperk of the
;places it has blown across before. The trees are old and
‘wise, the beasts of the forest smell every scent and sce
every movement. Is that wohat you mean when you ask
about spirits? Or are you asking about the people who
stay behind when their bodies have gone, to finish a task
‘or to stand by an obligation? Perhaps those are spirits.
do not kriow what you mean. Everything is alive!
—Mariella, solitary shaman,
Spirits? You want to know about the spirits? Ha!
Why should I tell you? You give me something —you
pay me? All right then,
The spirits are the shadows that erazoled across the
ceiling woken you were a child; they made the sounds
that your parents said was just the wind on the shut-
ters. You probably expected they'd be found in bloodier
places, farther may—around the crumbled altars where
lunatics cut their breasts, in the alley where the mur-
derer struck—well they're there, too. Just don’t forget to
look closer ta home.
What are they? What are they? How should I know?
What are you? Dumb question, you're a human, they're
spirits. What else can I say?
Now... if you woant to know more, you hand over
more silver.
—Karalach, spiritualist shaman
The Invi
ble Landscape
‘There is an unseen place, a world that exists at
once alongside and in the same space as the gameworld—the world in which the spirits dwell. While
shamans universally agree that this place exists and
is as real the one they inhabit, they do not agree on
what the spirit world is like. The shamans only
know what the spirits have told them of the spirit
world, and the spirits give conflicting descriptions.
As different shamans speak with different spirits,
they each hear different sets of descriptions, and so
formulate different pictures of the place.
Here are some examples of how spirits describe
their world:
Our world és the same as the world we lived in earlier
times. There are great forests and rolling plains. Wild
beasts are plentiful. The rains always come when they
should, and all plants give forth good harowsts, plump
swollen fruit and all healthy things; the hunters come
‘hack laden from each foray, and when wild beasts attack
us we drive them off after great fights—always victori-
cous but carrying a sear that the womenfolk will admire
Here we carry on our trades as before, the potter,
weaver and basket maker all, creating objects far above
what living men can make. Here rulers are wise, and
are always obeyed; here women are beautiful and men
are always strang.
—The Ancestor’s Story
1 stand on the mountain where I was born—
bleached and bare as it was then, not all builé upon as
it is now—and look down upon the city that | founded.
My feet are on the summit, where the city’s priests
have now built me a temple, and my head is far above
so that I can see all.
The city i as it was, with all the buildings that I had
commissioned standing still. The purple flags of our
‘greatest days still flutter on the towers, and the crash
(of stee! echoes from battlefields far axoay. For those rere
the days tohen the coalls gleamed white and strong,
when the goldenrobed priests in the courts would tell at
atglance the right from wrong.
—The Founder's Story
Black and red black and red, always burning fighting
Iuurting, the world screams and I scream back and its not
good and not just and not fair and you conte here and see
if you like it, you smug self-satisfied ugly hate you cut
‘you rip claw bite you. Black and red black and red... .
—The Lesser Spirit's Story
Many shamans hope to experience the spirit
world for themselves, but although most have
had visions of the place, none have ever proved
that they have managed to visit it. Some speculate
that the living may not travel into the spirit
world; others suggest that if a shaman ever suc-
ceeded he or she would be bound to remain—
having thereby become spirits, unable to resume
life on the material plane.
‘Of course, there is a reason that these accounts
differ. Ifyou are a DM, you will find an explana-
tion later in this book; if you are playing a shaman
asa character, you will enjoy the game more if
you know only as much as your character does,
and learn with him as the mystery of the spirits
unfolds.
Dealing with the Spirits
It is not just anyone who may ask a favor of the
spirits. Special rituals and techniques have been
developed—by shamans—to do this properly.
Characters other than shamans may attempt to
gain aid from the spirits, but often do so at their
peril.
‘The usual method is to give the chosen spirit a
gift (a sacrifice) and ask the favor. For this, the aid
of a competent shaman is required, to advise on
which spirit should be approached, to identify a
place where it may be contacted, to determine
what type of sacrifice is required, and to conduct,
the ritual or sacrifice in the correct manner. A
good number of requests fail simply because the
shaman has not correctly guessed where a spirit is
at a particular time, or fails to conduct the sacri-
fice properly.
What sacrifice is suitable depends upon the
spirit receiving it, and the reason for the sacrifice.
Different spirits have different tastes, Some prefer
bloody offerings (slaughtered livestock), while
others require that weapons or gems be thrown
into sacred waters, that wooden effigies be burnt
on special pyres, or make some other demand. In
any case, the sacrifice will always require a certain
quantity of money or effort. (Rules governing sac-
rifices to spirits are located in the DM's section of,
this volume.)
Shamans have easier methods of contacting the
introduction + 5spirits. Each type of shaman has its own tech-
nique, which relies on meditation or exhortation
rather than the more expensive method of giving
a sacrifice. These techniques are described in the
next chapter, which provides rules and roleplay-
ing guidelines for the three shaman classes.
Although they spend most their time in an in-
visible state, virtually all spirits can also manifest
themselves on the prime material plane, some-
times appearing as opaque or shimmering forms
but usually as apparently solid shapes. Unlike
many other supernatural beings, they have no
power to change their appearance.
‘The power of individual spirits varies greatly.
Some can only create effects that mirror one 1st-
level priest spell per day, while others have an
array of powers that rival those of even the might-
iest priest or wizard
Generally speaking, the spirits’ powers, like the
spirits themselves, are invisible. They cause sub-
tle, often imperceptible affects, and many of their
actions might be mistaken for fluke or natural
events. Many use only slow, insidious magics
(cursing an enemy army rather than appearing to
fight them), while others prefer to possess mortals
and using them to attack foes.
They can affect human emotions, can aid or
hinder warriors and others in combat, and affect
the fertility of animals, crops or people.
Should a character wish to combat a spirit
physically, it is said that not even the most power-
ful magics can affect it while it is in the spirit
world. However, enchanted weapons will injure a
spirit who has taken form on the prime material
plane, particular the spiritknives created by
shamans.
Know
What the Spi
A spirit’s knowledge depends on its age and
the things that it has experienced.
A young tree, for example, able to “feel” the
world around it through its leaves, and perhaps
conversing with the wind that blows through its,
boughs, may know a little of the affairs of the area
6 aman
during its life time, but nothing of the time before
it grew.
Less impressive still, a pebble in a stream may
be acutely aware of the way that it has tumbled
through the waters, but is unlikely to know any-
thing more.
By contrast, an ancient ancestor, watching over
its people through the generations and speaking
with their shamans, will amass an encyclopedic
knowledge of the tribe's history.
ing Up Shrines
Spirits are generally only worshipped in spe-
cific locations, either at sites of some importance
to what they A shaman may wish to set up a
shrine to a Spirit, on his or her own behalf, or on
behalf of the tribe or other associates, The purpose
of this is to sanctify an area so that the sacrifices
made there are received by the spirit (assuming
that the shaman presiding over the sacrifice
makes a successful Shamanic Ritual nonweapon
proficiency check, explained in the chapter “Profi-
iencies."). Itis also easier to contact the spirit at a
shrine dedicated to it, though a spirit may have
dozens of shrines and can hardly be expected to
be at all of them at once.
‘To set up a shrine, the shaman must specify
which spirit the shrine is to be dedicated to, and
perform any rituals or tasks dictated by the spirit
(in other words, the DM).
The shrine may be a small building, a fenced-
off area of prairie, a grove of trees, or anything,
else suitable for the spirit to which it is dedicated.
‘These are fixed places, not comprised of portable
objects. Each shrine may be dedicated to only one
spirit or group of spirits (one rogue hero, one
ghost pack, etc.), but may be used by any shaman
who can physically gain access.
Maintaining a shrine is not difficult. An hour
per week is usually all that is required to keep the
place clean and tidy, and players’ shamans should
be able to leave the place for a few weeks to go
adventuring, Shamans leaving on longer adven-
tures or journeys should find someone to tend the
shrine in their absence, as the spirit may be in-
sulted if its shrine is left to rot.cael cces
At this writing, there are already a half-dozen
shaman priest kits in the AD&D game, like those
in the Complete Barbarian's Handbook and the Com-
plete Book of Humanoid, Itis likely that shaman
PCs are already being run in many campaigns out
there. How does the information in those acces-
sories relate to the information in this one?
In two words: It doesn’t, Shaman presents an
entirely optional take on the shaman as a stand-
alone priest class, and many DMs may chose to
reject it due to the additionally complications
added to the cosmology of the AD&D game.
However, should DMs chose to incorporate this
material into an ongoing campaign in which sha-
mans already exist, there are two different basic
approaches that can be taken, one which is fairly
heavy-handed, and one which bends the dual-
class system to allow for the mixing of the two
shaman types.
First, one can simply convert the existing sha-
mans into a type that is presented in this book,
perhaps allowing the PC to retain one or two spe
al abilities from the original kit.
More subtle, perhaps, the DM might incorpo-
rate the change into the campaign, by having the
character be contacted by the spirits or a tribal or
solitary shaman who needs his help. An adven-
ture might be devised where a shaman becomes
a dualclassed or multiclassed shaman, one class
the “priest shaman, the other a “spirit” shaman
type as presented in here. Of course, a character
may not normally dual- or multiclass within the
same the class group, so this involves a bit of
rules-bending. However, since most of the sha-
man kits are similar to the tribal shaman in this
accessory, with the exception of their spellcasting
capability, it doesn’t hurt game balance too much
to allow a mixing of the two types of classes in
this fashion. It is advisable, however, that DMs
only limit this approach to characters using sha-
man priest kits,
‘One note of caution, however: Before making,
changes to a player’s character, make sure the
player doesn’t mind. While the DM, having defined
the game world, and now wishing to modify a part
of it because of new and exciting ideas, the player,
the player, having defined the character, may have
firm ideas about his faith, and may resent the DM
dictating an alternate creed. Ideally, any incorpora-
tion of the material in this accessory into campaigns
where existing shaman characters might be affected
should be a compromise where both and player are
happy.
General Information
‘The shaman classes belong to the priest group
featured in the Player's Handbook. They are spe-
cialty priests, but are unlike most other specialty
priests currently in the game.
Shamans do not serve a deity or pantheon of
deities. Instead, they act as a bridge between the
prime material plane and the unseen spirit world.
Different shaman types have different approaches
to this,
‘The tribal shaman is a religious functionary,
who deals with the spirits on the behalf of his
‘community, and so is concerned with performing.
important social rituals and acting as the spirits’
representative
‘The solitary shaman, by contrast, is a loner, a
man or woman outside of normal society who
communes with nature and the spirits of the nat-
ural world
Finally, the spiritualist shaman is a dark, brood
ing figure, who speaks with rats and wolves, com-
mands vengeful spirits, and often serves forgotten
gods,
‘The relationship between shamans and the
spirits, although superficiously similar to that of
other priests and their deities, is actually some-
What more intimate. This relationship is touched
upon below, and further detailed in "Shamanic
Magic” and “The World of the Spirits.”
All shamans use eight-sided Hit Dice (d8s).
They do not receive additional spells for high wis-
dom scores. Each shaman class is limited to the
selection of weapons listed under the detailed de-
scription,
All shamans use Table 1 to determine their ad-
vancement in level as they gain experience points,
Shamans with Wisdom scores of 16 or greater re-
ceive a 10% bi
They also use
spells they can cast at each level of experience.
The way spells work for shamans is one of the
Shaman Character Classes *primary difference between these classes and
most other priest classes. Shamans do not pray for
new spells every day, but instead have them pro-
vided by one or more patron spirits. A spirit that
grants a shaman spells or other long-term favors
is termed his a patron spirit. Once the shaman has
devoted one of his siots to a particular spell, he
cannot change it to a different one, except under
unusual circumstances. However, unlike other
AD&D spellcasting classes, the shaman may cast
‘each spell in his repertoire more than once a day.
Full details on the spelicasting abilities of sha-
mans is provided in the section titled “Shamonic
Table 1: Shaman Level Progression
Level XPs Hit Dice (48)
Alll shamans gain one eight-sided Hit Die (1d8)
per level from 1st through 9th. After 9th level,
shamans earn 2 hit points per level and they no
longer gain additional hit points for high Consti- 6 2,100,000
tution scores, 2,550,000
Shamans may be dual or multi-classed, and fol- 3,000,000
low the same combinations and restrictions as the
cleric class in the Player's Handbook. If the cam-
paign already contains shaman characters (cre-
ated using rules from another AD&D accessory),
DMs and players may bend the rules as described
above.
Format of the Class Descriptions
‘The three character class descriptions are split
into two broad sections.
First, there are the nuts-and-bolts rules about
creating the character, all the ADSL) game me-
chanics that haven't been covered in the general
section, such as the class’ special abilities and re-
strictions. Then, there is a overview of a typical
background for a character of that class, looking,
at training, selection, life style, and so on. A sec-
tion with general roleplaying tips is offered as
well.
Hopefully, the information presented will help
players take their characters beyond the numbers
on a piece of paper and to develop them more
fully as a personalities with likes and dislikes, and
allies and enemies.
8 + Chapter Onethe Trik
Wher you are shaman, you will know one thing from
another, and tell all what those things are. You will say
when the dead are dead and when the lioing are tres
passing against their spirits, you will say who might
rightly marry whom, and who owes allegiance to which
in this you have power aver all men, for only yout,
shaman, can make it clear who is who and wheat is
what
man
ibal shaman
—Ryambe,
The tribal shaman is the intermediary between
the people of his tribe and the spirits. He is a reli-
gious functionary (offering sacrifice to the spirits),
an oracle (determining the spirits’ wills), a lore
master and an advisor to the tribe. He is respected
by all and expected to provide moral guidance by
example and word.
Depending on the nature of the tribe and the
spirits they worship, the tribal shaman may be
part of a rigid hierarchy, may be alone or a mem-
ber of a small group of shamans at a shrine or vil-
lage, or may wander from settlement to settle-
ment.
Requirements: Tribal shamans must have a
minimum Wisdom of 12, must match the overall
alignment of their culture.
Role: Tribal shamans are sources of moral and
religious authority, sources of explanation, and
guardians of the tribe’s traditions and status quo.
He is also the one who conveys the will of the
spirits to the tribe.
The spirits with which a shaman deals are
invariably the spirits of his or her tribe, and
each tribe has a different array of spirits which
they traditionally venerate. In some tribes, spirits
are seen as being everywhere—in trees and
streams, rocks and beasts, in the air and the
earth, Other tribes do not venerate nature spirits,
but the tribe’s forebears. Some tribes worship a
small number of greater spirits, each associatedwith specific elements—for example water and
fire,
In most tribal religions, the spirits are seen as
the causes of all hardship and good fortune. If
crops are abundant, and the people are in good.
health, then thanks are given to the spirits. If there
is a bad harvest, if a woman is barren, or a son is
ill, the spirits are considered to be responsible,
and the people need to know why the spirits have
struck them down,
Itis their role as mediators between the spirits
and the people that makes the shamans impor-
tant, for often it is only through them can the
cause of misfortune be identified and the suffer-
ing alleviated. Moreover, some shamans are be-
lieved to be able to call down the spirits’ wrath on
the wicked
In this way, the spirits (and thus the shamans)
maintain the tribe's social order. The spirits de-
mand that the people behave in certain ways. The
shamans then must instruct the people as to what
is right and what is wrong,
Restrictions: There are no racial restrictions on
the tribal shaman; any PC race permitted by the
DM, and who comes from an appropriate back-
ground, may become a tribal shaman. (NPC sha-
mans can be of virtually any intelligent species.)
‘The sex of a tribal shaman is generally dictated by
tribal tradition. The DM must decide whether to
limit tribal shamans from a given tribe to males,
females, or allow either sex to serve. (For exam-
ple, the Que-Shu in the DRAGONLANCE* setting
allow priests and shamans of either sex, while the
wandering Vistani tribes of the RAVENLOFT* demi-
plane would only tolerate female shamans.)
‘Tribal shamans only use weapons that have
everyday-life functions as well as the ability to in-
flict harm; these include daggers, staves, and
hand axes. Tribal shamans may not wear armor,
and do not use shields.
Special Benefits: The tribal shaman is trained
from childhood in dealing with the spirits that
help or hinder his tribe. For this reason, at first
level he already knows the Shamanic Ritual non-
weapon proficiency (without needing to devote
one of his starting slots to it), as well as two ritu-
als that may be used to facilitate dealings with the
spirits.
—.——
lo + Chapter On
The ritual of contact: This ritual allows the sha~
man to speak with the spirits, and can only be
used in sacred areas. He may specify which spirit
they wish to speak with (especially wise if malign
spirits might be nearby), or may attempt to con
tact any available spirit. The shaman performs a
dance, beats a drum, sings a chant, or performs
some other function to attract the spirits’ atten-
tions, usually beginning energetically, and slip-
ping into a light slumber if the spirit comes to
speak with him or her. The ritual takes 1 turn to
complete.
The conversation takes place telepathically. The
shaman see himself, as if in a dream, standing
with the spirit in the spirit world, talking as nor-
mal. There are no dramatics, no levitating objects,
and no oozing ectoplasm. Often the interaction
both informal and public, with friends and assis-
tants of the shaman loitering nearby. The shaman
usually mutters as if talking in his or her sleep,
but the spirit’s side of the conversation remains
inaudible to spectators.
‘The ritual of introduction: This rite is usually per-
formed at the edge of one tribe’s lands, when en-
tering the territory of another. The shaman buries
at least one day’s worth of food and drink and en-
treats the spirits of the area to accept the offering
and believe that he or she has no ill intent.
All spirits of the area thereafter react to the sha-
man more favorably. Suspicious or hostile spirits
tolerate the stranger, and indifferent spirits be-
come friendly. However, if the shaman betrays the
promise and attacks or harms the people or spirits
of the area, all of the territory’s spirits immedi-
ately become hostile, and any subsequent ritual of
introductions fail to appease them.
The ritual affects all spirits linked with the ter-
ritory entered, such as ancestors, hero spirits, and
any other spirit traditionally worshipped by the
people) and any spirits bound to the area (tree
and animal spirits, etc.) It has no effect on spirits
who are incidental inhabitants of the area,
Special Disadvantages: Aside from being
overly conservative (see “Roleplaying” in this sec-
tion), the tribal shaman has no special disadvan-
tages.
Class Background: Each tribe has its own pro-
cedures for selecting and training shamans, andthese methods are firmly rooted in longstanding
tradition. The process is the same from generation
to generation, and often originates from laws
given to the tribe by the spirits. A typical selection
process might be as follows:
‘A child is first chosen according to an omen a
sacred bird lands on the roof of his or her hut on a
certain holy day, for example). The boy or git] is
taken to live with the shamans on the edge of the
village, where he or she works asa servant for
them, helps with ceremonies, and so on. When the
child reaches puberty, he or she is sent to a sacred
cave, with water but no food, and must stay there
until the spirits come and accept the new shaman
and bestowing a new name upon him
or her.
Roleplaying: Many tribal shamans are severe,
humorless sorts, acutely aware of the great re-
sponsibility which they bear. They have been
trained to safeguard the tribe, both its morals and
its actual safety, and cannot take this lightly.
The role of the tribed shamans demands that
they must Speak out boldly for what is right, and
yet when dealing with important members of the
iribe they must learn tact and control. Committed
to serving ancient spirits and maintaining tribal
traditions, they are usually extremely conserva~
tive, fiercely resisting any sort of religious or so-
cial change.
They are not by nature questioners, as they
have taken on trust what their elders taught them.
Now, they expect others to accept the same teach-
ings on trust from them.
Most try to make themselves paragons of
moral respectability, strictly adhering to the stan-
dards that the spirits demand the tribe follows.
Few are so strong willed that they have no
human failings, but their tribes usually expect
them to live exemplary lives and may cease to re-
spect them if they do not. More importantly, the
spirits themselves are often determined that the
shamans should live blamelessly and may punish
those who stray.
Followers and Strongholds: On reaching 9th
level, the tribal shaman receives a number of fol-
lowers (in addition to any henchmen he or she
may already have gained). These are: 1d8 Ist-level
fighters and 1d4-1 Ist-level tribal shamans.
The tribal shaman does not automatically re-
ceive a stronghold, although at any time he or she
may set up a shrine or other permanent base and
fortify it.
ae \
he Solitary Shaman
Every raindrop lives its life, falling through the sky,
born of a cloud and killed as it strikes the ground, and
the things that it sees and hears it will remember, and
it will sing to you if you listen hard enough. And as
the wind whistles through the branches it tells of the
places it has been and what it has felt there; and as the
Teaves rustle the tree talks with the wind and tells you
its story, too. Stay with me, then, and Foil! teach you
hhow to hear. It will not take so very long to learn, a feto
years perhaps; no more than the fall between clouds
seems for the raindrop.
—Mariella, solitary shaman,
‘The Solitary is the most benign of the three sha-
man classes. Rarely concerned with politics or
personal gain, they are recluses, hermits who live
apart from society and usually lack the will or
means to threaten anyone.
Requirements: Solitary shamans must have a
minimum Constitution of 10 and a minimum Wis-
dom of 14.
Role: Most solitary shamans lead simple, self-
sufficient lives and avoid contact with others.
They have no use for riches or luxuries, or power.
A few solitaries are known to locals as hermits
worthy of respect (“wise-men” or “wise-
women”), and the rustics sometimes go to them
with their problems—to have a dream inter-
preted, an illness cured, and so on. Some,
through choice or circumstance, play a more ac-
tive role. A threat to their wilderness habitat or to
the spirits within it may lead to their abandoning
their cozy existence. The advance of a group of
orcs or other violent creatures into the area, the
presence of a malign wizard or the erection of an
evil temple pose obvious threats to any solitary
living nearby.
Restrictions: Elves, half-elves, halflings, and
humans may become solitary shamans. All soli
tary shamans must be at least partly neutral
alignment, as most members of this characters ofthis class are true neutral. They may not use any
weapons other than those suitable for hunting, or
those that serve practical functions in everyday-
life, such as staves, daggers, knives and hand-
axes. They may use only furs and leathers as
armor, and may not learn to use shields.
Special Benefits: Through long meditations,
solitary shamans develop an affinity with the nat-
ural world (both physical and spiritual). This
affinity manifests as an acute awareness of that
environment, which, at Ist level, grants a solitary
shaman the Survival nonweapon proficiency
without expending one of the character’s avail-
able slots.
Regardless of level, solitary shamans can open
themselves up to any spirit in the immediate area.
Even apprentice solitaries must learn to do this
before gaining any other spells or powers, as it is
by this means that they negotiate with spirits to
gain their spells. The shaman simply sits ina
quiet spot for 1d6 turns: then, any spirit in the
area which wishes to speak with him enters into a
telepathic dialogue. The exchange is impercepti-
ble to even the most attentive observer, and may
be considered a more placid equivalent of the
tribal shaman’s ritual of contact
Further, as solitary shamans gain levels, they
receive a number of additional special abilities.
These, and the levels at which they are gained, are
as follows (these abilities remain with the shaman
once gained; they are cumulative):
3rd level: The shaman can tell how healthy any
plant or animal is. He or she does this by sensing
the strength of its spirit and determining its phys-
ical health from its appearance. To use this ability
the shaman must concentrate on the target for one
round. The target must be visible and within 10
yards, and the shaman must make a successful In-
telligence check
3th level: The shaman becomes immediately
aware of the overall health of all plants and ani-
mals within 5 yards, without having to concen-
trate or make any other special effort. DMs may
still require Intelligence checks to discern the
health of specific plants or animals.
7th level: With a successful Wisdom check, the
character can sense the general level of spiritual
activity around him or her on the primematerial
plane. He or she can estimate roughly how many
spirits are present within 20 yards and can distin-
guish between nature spirits—like telling tree
spirits from air spirits, and whether or not the
spirit present are even nature spirits
91h level: The shaman has such an affinity with
the natural world that it protects and respects
him. Animals are universally friendly to him—
even the most timid are unafraid, even the fiercest
are harmless. The shaman may pass without trace
through any natural area without leaving tracks
or scent nor making any sound, and may auto-
matically hide in natural cover as if possessing a
65% Hide in Shadows ability.
11th level: The shaman’s connection with the
spirit world is now so strong that he can pinpoint
the location and nature of any spirit within 40
yards of him.
Special Disadvantages: As the solitary sha-
man’s affinity for the spirit world grows, and he
moves closer to and better understands the nat-
ural world, he becomes more detached from nor-
mal mortal affairs. Just as the benefits are gained
as the character advances in levels, so are disad-
vantages. Their nature and the levels they're
gained at are as follows:
2nd level: The shaman receives a ~2 penalty on
all rolls to identify and interpret manmade orurban sounds, including recognizing the voices of
individual beings.
4th level: The character is easily disorientated in
crowded, noisy areas, and busy urban environ-
ments, such as marketplaces, become terrifying to
the shaman. If a successful Wisdom check isn’t
made, the character is at -3 to all attack and dam-
age rolls, and ~4 to all proficiency checks. The sha~
man is always startled by loud noises and auto-
matically loses Initiative for that round. Animal
noises and other natural sounds present no prob-
Jems, but mechanical, magical and human sounds
are both inexplicable and confusing.
6th level: The shaman, having grown accus-
tomed to the straightforward discourses of nature,
is not familiar with the inflections of verbal
speech or the meanings of facial expressions. For
example, the shaman cannot perceive subtle irony
or gentle cynicism, nor read a person's mood from
the face or bady movements, although obvious
sarcasm and expressions (laughing and crying, for
examples) and bestial behavior is readily under-
stood.
{th level: The shaman entirely loses one of his or
her five senses (taste, smell, sight, hearing or
touch), For NPCs, the sense lost is determined
randomly, but players may chose for themselves.
This sense cannot be restored by any magic less
than a wish spell
10th level: The shaman, though at home with
beasts and plants and spirits, is unable to socialize
with other humanoids. In any interaction with
other mortals the shaman’s Charisma is consid-
ered to be half of its actual score.
12th level: The shaman’s physical senses fail as
his or her spiritual awareness increases. He or she
must now apply a-2 modifier (or -20% if per-
centile) to all dice rolls pertaining to the senses
(hearing, seeing, touch, taste or smell),
Class Background: There have always been
people who despise the trappings of civilized so-
ciety and yearn for a simpler (if harder) life. From
their ranks come a scattering of people who can
perceive more of the natural world than normal
folk.
‘These are the solitary shamans, people who
hone their senses through practice and contem-
plation, so that they come to see the spirits and
other hidden things around them. Usually this
requires the aid of a tutor (a solitary of 3rd level or
above), but some exceptional individuals have
gained these skills unaided, or have even been
born with them.
‘Once a solitary shaman has gained his 1st level
powers, he usually leaves his tutor to find a se~
cluded spot to settle down.
Roleplaying: Rarely coming into contact with
other people, most solitaries are introverted and
quiet, Relishing the beauty of nature, they have no
interest in art or craftsmanship. They live quiet,
gentle lives, and rarely want anything more: what
little they have, they explain, they appreciate to its
fullest, while normal people fail to appreciate the
greater things that they have.
This quiet, reflective life fosters a great sensi-
tivity in them, while their harsh and often impov-
crished lives prevent them from becoming senti-
mental. Indeed, while solitary shamans are famed
for their ability to understand and empathize
with the natural world, they are not as passionate
as other folk, and rarely display any strong
emotion.
Solitaries rarely understand or show an interest
in politics or the dogmas of religions often seem
absurd and petty to them. Of course, some soli-
taries were brought up with strong political or re-
ligious views before they retired to the wilder-
ness, and may carry these prejudices with them
throughout their lives. But most are tolerant and
naive, narrowly concemed with the health of their
wilderness homes and the spirits who dwell there,
and disinterested in wider issues.
Followers and Strongholds; Solitary shamans
gain neither followers nor strongholds, and have
‘no interest in either.The Spiritual
Who were they? Well, 1 introduced them all, didn't 1?
There was Crow, who was once a god, the Rat Totem
sand. ..oh, what were they? They were just spirits,
that's all. Ghosts of the dead, memories of the living,
things that might have been in another time, how
should I know? But, Fill tell you this; stick with me,
and I'll teach you how to make them your friends, your
servants, and your deadliest toeapon, The chant I per-
formed— it's not begging, pleading, and threatening,
it's a dance! It'sa seduction! It's reaching out to Death
and stroking her and cuddling her and leading her
where you want her to go.
—Karalach, spiritualist
‘The spiritualist is the darkest of the three sha-
man classes. These are the descendants of tribal
shamans whose tribes were destroyed, and now
they manipulate the spirits for whatever grim
purpose they please.
Some DMs may wish to relegate the spiritualist
shaman to the status of an NPC class, The arche-
typical character belonging to it is a vicious ma-
nipulator, and callous in his or her approach to
both the lives and safety of others.
tualists must have a mini-
mum Intelligence of 12 and a minimum Wisdom
of 9,
Role: When cultures have been subsumed by
expanding empires, their sacred sites ploughed
over, and the people dispersed amongst the bur
geoning cities, the shamans continued to practice
their arts. They sometimes passed on their skills
to the younger generations, who develop new
spells and rituals to suit their situations. From
here, emerged the spiritualists
Shamans without tribes, the spiritualists have
no obligations to fulfill, no moral standards to up-
hold, and little to direct their own values except
the bitter memories of the respect and honor
speaking with spirits brought their predecessors.
Spiritualists, as a group, do not share any par-
ticular set of objectives. Many are completely self-
serving, although a minority have goals and am-
bitions which are motivated by selfless considera-
tions (such as concern for a social or ethnic
group).
Some, remembering the religions of their for-
bears, attempt to set up religious movements to
resurrect these forgotten spirits. A few succeed,
but others find that the ancient spirits have faded
away, or become the dupes of other supernatural
powers. Alternatively, rather than set up genuine
religious movements, they use their powers to set
up fake cults, hoping to manipulate the gullible or
shear them of their cash,
Most churches and relgious institutions con-
demn the spiritualists’ activities (particularly their
dealings with malign or evil spirits) and teach that
such blasphemers are damned to hideous, eternal
punishment. Spiritualists vary in their responses
tosuch condemnation: Some develop guilt com-
plexes and have little self-esteem; others embrace
any religion which forgives, overlooks or con-
dones their practices; others reject the notion that
they are the ones in the wrong, and become ob-
sessed with avenging themselves upon the culture
that absorbed their own.
Restrictions: There are no racial restrictions on
the spiritualiste class. Spiritualists may be of any
alignment, but tend towards neutral and chaotic.
Very few are of good or lawful alignments. Spiri-
tualists are not the kind of people who enjoy con-
fronting a foe face to face, and s0 are not very
skilled in the use of weapons, They may not use
heavy or awkward, nor delicate or refined weap-
ons: only simple, basic weapons are acceptable,
such asa staff, dagger, short sword, or club, They
may not use armor more cumbersome than
leather, and do not use shields.
Special Benefits: Through force of will, and a
deepseated obsession with the lost stature of their
kind, spiritualists has developed a method to call
upon the spirits. Itis not as subtle as that used by
the tribal shaman from whence this class sprang,
but it works nonetheless.
Commune with Spirits: Seeking out a quiet and
secluded area, away from prying mortal eyes, a
spiritualist may perform a ritual to invite nearby
spirits to speak with him,
Each spiritualist has a personal ritual (which
must be determined when the character is first
rolled up), which reflects his or her alignment and
temperament, which he or she may easily per-
form. Typically it takes no more than one round toperform. If the spiritualist is prevented from using,
his or her own personal ritual (due to a lack of
props or physical components), an alternative
impromptu ritual may be attempted, but this will
take longer and may have unexpected side effects.
(And these have been left up to the creative
whims of the DM.)
Ifa ritual is correctly performed, the spiritualist
sends out a psychic invitation to all spirits in the
area, attracting them to him or her. No spirit is
bound to respond to this invitation, but most are
at least curious to understand why the spiritualist
wishes to commune with them.
Those nearby spirits wishing to commune with
the shaman appear, visible to all who are present,
as ghostly images of what they were in life, and
converse normally. They appear separately, not en
masse, each individual spirit or groups of spirits
coming to him or her in turn; there is no order of
precedence—the first to answer appears first, and,
later arrivals approaching the spiritualist when
these have departed.
A spirit who answers the call stays to speak
with the spiritualist for as long as it wishes. Most
depart if the spiritualist asks them to do so, but
some may refuse. In this instance the only way
that the spiritualist can get rid of them is to termi-
nate the ritual.
Most spirits consider this communion to estab-
lish a kind of truce. Even if hostile to each other or
to the spiritualist, they rarely attack; only the most
chaotic ignore the truce and assault their enemies,
Conversely, the spirits expect the spi
honor the truce and are usually appalled if he or
she violates it.
Special Disadvantages: Aside from being cold-
hearted and almost pathologically manipulative,
spiritualists have no disadvantages.
Class Background: As mentioned above, the
spiritualist shaman is the product of the displaced
people from a shattered culture. Therefore, itis no
surprise that the training of a spiritualist shaman.
resembles a twisted version of the training of a
tribal shaman.
Spiritual shamans are often found in the most
destitute areas of the world’s cities, and there they
Keep an eye out for young people, ideally of their
‘own ethnic background, who seems suited tocarry on the legacy they have begun. This gener-
ally means the shaman watches for ruthless,
angry youngsters , tests them for sensitivity to the
spirit world, and then coaxes or coerces the
youngster to enter training,
The relevant knowledge that most spiritualists
possess—rituals, lore, and so on—could be taught
ina matter of weeks. In practice, however, spiritu-
alists tend to stretch the instruction over a number
of years, using the pupil as a servant, guard, and
guinea pig for the duration of the training.
On becoming full spiritualists, most pupils
move away from their masters, so their interests
don’t conflict. Some, however, may be bound to
continue to serve their masters, particularly if the
elder has the bind fetish spell (detailed in the next
chapter):, or simply by threatening the pupil with
the powers of other spirits or mortal allies, the
master may force the younger to serve him or her
for decades.
In some cases one spiritualist even manages to
direct a number of such protégés. Usually it is
‘only fear of the leader’s power that maintains
these groups, and the younger spiritualists are
often keen to break free from their elder’s control.
When large groups exist, the leader maytake steps
to ensure that the younger members do not know
of each other, as this prevents them from conspir-
ing together against him or her.
Roleplaying: Spiritualists are concemed with
the manipulation and control of spirits and mor-
tals. They therefore tend to be manipulat
sensitive,m and unscrupulous in their dealings
with other, living people. Life to the spiritualist is
cheap and disposable in the face of the eternal
spirits. Spiritualists rarely take death seriously, ei-
ther as a personal threat or an abstract concept,
and rarely understand why others make such a
big deal of it: “So | murdered a few people?
People die every day. So what?”
Often studying magics of which society disap-
proves, spiritualists usually pursue sordid,
grubby lifestyles. Surviving in poverty or strug-
gling to gain power in the cities’ toughest quar-
ters, they tend to be hardheaded, practical people,
with little time for idealists or dreamers, an atti-
tude that frequently clashes with their own
dreams of past glories. Nonetheless, spiritualists
are usually intuitive, and good judges of people,
but rarely develop interests in such abstracts as
art or academia.
‘As spiritualists’ activities put them outside of
respectable society, their objectives usually serve
the interests of those outside of the mainstream.
Some side with the poor, with rebel movements or
with persecuted minorities; others become in-
volved in dark cults or the criminal underworld.
Followers and Stronghold: Spiritualists do not
automatically gain followers or strongholds. Any
haven or servants which they might gain should
result from the intelligent use of their powers, and
the manner in which they interact with the other
inhabitants of their area. Indeed, several spiritual-
ist spells exist just to create a base or gain guards
for the spiritualist, and these are detailed in the
next chapter.
‘Generally, a high level spiritualist establishes a
haven, guarded by animals and spirits, and can
rely on the support of several local allies such as
beggars who act as spies, and thieves who act as
henchmen.
16 * ChaptAlthough the AD&D Player's Handbook estab-
lishes proficiencies as an optional part of the
game, it is strongly encouraged that these rules
are used in play. Proficiencies add greatly to the
variety of the AD&D game, and much of the ma-
terial in this book assume their use.
Asa general rule, shaman characters may only
acquire the proficiencies listed on Table 4. How-
ever, all of these can be considered the “shaman
group,” even if they are broken down according
to their original sources in the Player's Handbook.
Essentially, shamans are barred from taking many
of the highly technical proficiencies, as they de-
vote so much of their time to spirits that they are
not able to dedicate themselves to the needed
training. Further, the skill slot costs of several pro-
ficiencies have been modified to reflect the unique
nature of the shaman classes.
It should be noted that the list also contains
several new proficiencies, some of which have
also appeared in The Complete Thief's Handbook or
The Complete Barbarian's Handbook.
At creation, shamans receive three weapon pro-
ficiencies and the nonweapon proficiencies, with
appropriate bonus proficiencies as mentioned
under the class descriptions.
Table 3: Shaman Proficience
Weapon Nonweapon
Proficiencies _Proficiencie
Initial #Levels Penalty Initial #Levels
3 3 3 3 4
Multiclassed and dual-classed shamans, or
already-existing shamans who are modified using
using the suggestions offered on page 7, are ex-
ceptions to the general rule. In the case of these
characters, they follow the rules for proficiencies
put forth in the Player's Handbook or the appropri-
ate Complete Handbook.
1aman Nonweapon Proticiencies
‘The skill slot costs mentioned on this table
takes precedence over those given in the Player's
Handbook. The adjustments reflects the unique na-
ture of the shamans.
ed Proficiencies
#of Slots Ability Modifier
Alteress) rn Wis
Animal Handling 1 It 4
Artistic Ability 1 Wis 0
Blacksmithing 1 Str 0
Boating 2 Wis 41
Brewing 1 Int 0
Dancing” 1 Dex o
Etiquette 2 Cha 0
Fire-building 1 Wis -1
Foraging. 1 Int am
Geography lor2 Int -l
Leather-working 1 Wis 3
i BW
otter 1 Dex 2
Singing 1 Cha 0
Swimming 2 Str 0
Weaving 1 Int -
Priest # of Slots Ability Modifier
ian ees
History 1 Int -
Dream
Interpretation 2 Wis -1
pe. 3
alism 2 2
an \ 2 Int o
Local History 2 Cha 0
Musical
Instrument 1 Dex -1
Omen Interpretation 1 Int 2
Read/Write 2 Int +1
Religion — 1 Wis 0
Spirit Lore 1 Wis +2
Shamanic Ritual 1 Wis 4H
Trance 2 Con 3
Rogue Wof Slots Ability Modifier
Begging === Cha ‘Variable
Observation z Int 0
Warrior Hof Slots Ability Modifier
Animal Lore 1 Int 0
Survival: z Int °Modified Proficiencies
A number of proficiencies that function differ-
ently for shaman characters than other character
classes. Again, this reflects the uniqueness of this
new class. These modifications apply only to
shamans.
Artistic Ability: Shamans use this ability only
to craft items for use in ceremonies. (If the charac-
ter picks painting as the emphasis, then he can
paint flawless images and symbols upon altars
and ceremonial items, while sculpting will allow
the character to create an exceedingly beautiful
spirit mask
When performing shamanic rituals involving
artistic efforts, the character receives a +1 bonus to
the shamanic ritual check.
Dancing: Shamans are only adept in dances re-
quired in shamanic rituals. Attempts at performing
other dances are made with a -2 to -4 penalty to
the proficiency check, depending on factors such as
the intricacy of the dance, or whether it is common
among the people of the character's culture,
When performing shamanic rituals involving
dancing, the character receives a +1 bonus to the
shamanic ritual check.
Healing: Shamans cannot treat poison victims
unless they are aware of what type of poison itis,
History, Ancient & Local: For tribal shamans,
this proficiency always centers on the spirits
whom the community reveres. Tribal shamans
with this proficiency, upon making a successful
check, receive +10% to the chance that a spirit is
“home” when they attempt to contact it.
For other shamans, the history proficiencies op-
erate as normal, although any shaman may
choose to specialize in lore about the spirits.
Pottery: This proficiency works as described,
‘except when the character attempts to create clay
ritual masks: then the character receives a +1
bonus to the Shamanic Ritual check.
New Proticiencies
Alertness: Characters with this proficiency
have an instinctive knack for noticing distur-
bances and discrepancies in the immediate vicin-
ity. A successful proficiency check reduces the
charactet’s chance of being surprised by one,
(This replaces the description of the alertness pro-
ficiency in The Complete Thief's Handbook.)
Ancient Geography: Characters with this profi-
ciency are familiar with the location and size of
settlements and cities in their native region at
some point in the past. A successful proficiency
check allows characters to determine where a
ty’s limits were during the period they are famil-
iar with, recognize a ruined keep as an ancient
ducal seat, and whatever else information the DM
deems may have been recorded in ancient docu-
ments. If two skill slots are devoted to it, charae-
ters’ knowledge extends to an entire nation or do-
main in the campaign setting.
This proficiency gives a +1 modifier to the char-
acters’ spirit lore proficiencies in relation to checks
in the region they are familiar with.
‘This proficiency allows traveling or
otherwise displaced shamans to procure a very
minimal daily income. Success requires that there
be people to beg from—people with money to
give. A shaman attempting to beg in a recently
pillaged village or an abandoned fortress is as-
sured of failure, regardless of how well he rolls on
the proficiency check.
The following modifiers are suggested to the
DM as guidelines. They do not consider the
wealth of the locale, just the population density.
Impoverished regions might have greater nega-
tive modifiers—but then so might affluent areas
with traditions of stinginess
eging Modif
Locale
Uninhabited Automatic failure
Countryside a
Hamlet, Village 5
Town =z
City 0
Believers followers of spirits
that are served by shaman 42
Ifa proficiency check is successful, the charac-
ter is able to panhandle enough money, goods, or
services that day to meet his basic needs. (A little
food and drink, and a place to sleep.)‘The begging proficiency should not be used to
force player characters to give away money; play-
ers are always free to decide if and how generous
their characters are in response to supplications,
Boating: This proficiency lets characters pilot
‘small boats, including canoes, rafts, and kayaks. A
successful proficiency check is necessary to pilot
the craft at maximum speed or to execute a diffi-
cult maneuver, such as steering around rocks in a
rapid river.
Dream Interpretation: A successful check in
this proficiency allows characters to understand
that a dream, which either they have had, or that
some other character relates having had, is
prophetic, The characters can then attempt to in-
terpret the dream, and the players must try to
make sense of these details, much as a riddle that
must be solved.
Most dreams are of no real significance, but on
occasion a dream might hold important clues
about the present or future, perhaps suggesting a
way to deal with a present dilemma or warning of
a future hardship.
For example, a royal advisor might come to
Mriela seeking an interpretation of the following
dream: A tame bear dances to the tune of a pallid
foreigner’s pipes, while jugglers hurl documents
into the air and tumblers spin somersaults; the
crowd are all blinded, with silver scarves across
their eyes, and joyfully toss their money to the
bear. Mariella (making a successful proficiency
check) determines that the important images are
the dancing bear, the piper, and the blinded
crowd; she also understands (and is thus in-
formed by the DM) that the bear symbolizes a
member of the royal court, obeying the com-
mands of an outsider or foreigner, and that the
crowd are the people, appreciating the courtier’s
actions and therefore supporting him or her. The
details of the dream may not immediately be
clear, but in time the advisor or shaman may
come to better understand them.
The Dream Interpretation proficiency is a vehi-
cle through which DM’s can provide players with
clues, as well as launch exciting investigative ad-
ventures.
idea be pve the proficiency, and for
vi
DM's who want to use dreams inthe adven-
‘tures,
Acrobat: The defiance of natural forces; a pre~
carious situation.
Animals: Each has its own which is
te to what i conaidered thei defining ott
lion represents courage and nobility, the cat
ining th to he none ie,
Ge sea arate ‘strength,
beaver industriousness,
Ashes: A passing oie the
away, never to return;
destruction of material things and mortal life.
Date ie ero oa
Balance scales: An important judgment; the
need for an accurate assessment of a situation; a
balance of opposites.
Craftwork: The act of creation,
fatcniing Barnes olan e ya |
business, etc.
Fruit: Fertility, plenty; the result of previous
actions.
i scunenee
waren
Geath (pechepe ailiberata plo?) s cheed pave
‘one that has already happened.
cibapionl: Kay Oscars ee ro meee
‘ways, WI friends separate;
Meusisio enim dscns
Knots: Binding and losing; holding captive,
constraining or controlling.
Lantern: A light in the darkness, leading the
way; the last hope of success.
Mountain; A great obstacle or enormous
as firmness and constancy; a massive
Tesisting change.
irae
Eee pe he yer
Scythe: A cutting fence
Sood toca ond p
ning from which reat
Teds Thee Of Uae Seb a iG OF
fragile link.
‘Wheel: Progress, a forward movement or
powerful force; fate. A ‘wheel might in-
dicate the passing of time or the revolutions of
the seasons.Foraging: By using this proficiency, characters
can search wilderness areas in an attempt to locate
a desired substance, such as edible plants, a medi-
cinal herb, or a wren’s egg.
The character must search for 2d4 hours in an
area where the material is theoretically available
(wren’s eggs aren't available in the arctic, for ex-
ample).
The DM decides if the material is actually avail-
able; if he decides the material isn’t available, he
reveals that the character’s search was in vain; no
proficiency check is needed. If the DM decides the
material is available, a successful proficiency
check means the character found what he was
looking for. Generally, the character locates no
more than a handful of the material, though the
DM may make exceptions. If the check is failed,
the material isn’t found. The character may search
a different area, requiring another 2d4 hours and
anew proficiency check.
This proficiency also helps shamans to survive
in wildemess environments. When paired with the
Survival, proficiency the character can locate an
abundance of edible or potable substances. While
every character with survival has an equal chance
of locating food in the wilderness, the shaman
who also has foraging can locate enough food and
water to sustain two people on a successful forag-
ing check in the terrain he is knowledgeable about.
(This proficiency has been expanded from its form
in The Complete Barbarian's Handbook.)
Geography: As the nonweapon proficiency
“ancient geography,” but focused on the present-
day state of the region. The one exception is that
this proficiency does not provide a modifier to the
Spirit Lore proficiency.
Medium: This proficiency allows characters to
invite selected spirits to temporarily possess
them. The usual reason for a character to seek
possession is so that a certain spirit may be easily
conversed with. The spirits thus contacted are
usually benign spirits, with whom the character's
community has a steady relationship, as inviting
an unknown spirit to take part in the possession,
could be very dangerous.
Many tribal shamans routinely contact the an-
cestors and other key spirits this way, in order to
establish why some hardship has befallen the
tribe or to seek advice in a political matter. In
some tribes, the spirits are routinely contacted
whenever a person falls sick or suffers any minor
misfortune. In these circumstances, the spiritual
possession is regarded as something quite mun-
dane, and other senior tribesmen, besides the sha-
mans, might have this proficiency,
In order to use this proficiency, a character
‘must spend one round in quiet meditation on the
target spirit. If the spirit wishes, it simply enters
the shaman‘s body, causing it to move around and
speak as the spirit desires, The character acting as
the host for the spirit may not converse with it,
and so another must put questions to and speak
with the spirit.
Successful use of this proficiency depends not
only on the proficiency check, but also the pres-
ence of at least one spirit within 150 feet of the
medium, either in the spirit world or prime mate-
rial world. Spirits are most easily found at their
“home” or attending important festivals.
‘The advantage of this, over the shamans’ usual
method, is that it may be used to selectively contact
only one spirit, whose words are publicly heard.
Any spirit in the area, even one different from
the one a shaman wishes to contact, may attempt
to possess him or her. The shaman can sense that
itis not the desired spirit and can resist the at-
tempt if a successful saving throw vs. paralyza-
tion is rolled. A malign spirit could easily use the
shaman's body for murderous ends.
Finally, if the characters are ever unwillingly
possessed, the Medium proficiency allows them a
greater chance of regaining control from the spirit.
‘The character attempts a saving throw vs, para-
lyzation at the end of the first round after the pos-
session takes place, and then at the end of the next
turn, at the end of the day, the end of the week, and
so on (month, year, decade, century, etc). If any of
these rolls succeed, the spirit is expelled, and may
not attempt to possess the character again.
Observation: Characters with this proficiency
have cultivated exceptionally acute powers for
‘observation, The DM may ask for (or secretly roll)
a proficiency check anytime there is something
subtly askew; he may also allow characters with
‘observation to increase their chance of finding a
secret or concealed door by 1.‘Omen Interpretation: A character with this pro-
ficiency is able to infer information about the pre-
sent or future from natural phenomena. Therefore,
the character cannot choose when to use the profi-
‘The following are examples of omens that DMs
grouped according to their subject; the information
in quotation marks is an interpretation of the omen.
Battle
+ The night before a battle the flames of the camp-
fire flicker with a reddish hue—"one of those
‘around the fire will die if he or she joins the bat-
He tomorrow.”
‘As the forces gather on the field vultures wheet
lazily overhead—"the vultures are lethargic be-
cause they know that there will be few deaths
here today.”
+ A few drops of rain fall from a clear sky as the
forces gather—"‘the gods/spirits cry, saddened
that this batile is fo be fought.”
* A sacred bird wheels above the battlefield—"the
spirits know that this battle is of great impor-
tance, and have sent a messenger to watch for its
outcome.”
Birth
* Two usually solitary animals (like eagles) are
seen "the birth will produce twins”.
* Asnake is found in the house where the woman
is in labor—"the child will be evil and should be
abandoned or sent far away.”
A dead mouse is found in the house around the
time of the birth~"the child will not live to
adulthood,”
* An owl lands on the roof of the house where a
‘woman is in labor—"the child will be exceed-
ingly wise” (in other words, would make an
ideal apprentice for @ shaman).
Joumey
© A vulture is perched wi the travelers as
they walk towards it along the road—"there will
be death on this journey.”
+ As the travelers assemble @ cuckoo lands close
‘by—“one in the group is not all that he or she
ciency, nor what questions to seek answers to,
(Omens are signs hidden within the seemingly
mundane or natural world, thought to have been
sent by the spirits or deities, giving warnings or
lainié and should not be trusted.”
* As the group begin their journey a fox is spotted
in the bushes just up the path—an ambush has
‘been set further on.”
King/Ruler
*A lion in the forest is being chased down by a
pack of wild dogs—"the fate of the noble is in
the hands of the base.” One night a storm blows
up, and though not particularly ferocious it fells
the great old tree that stands in the center of the
wood—“though the danger may not seem great,
it may lead to the downfall of the ruler or
his/her dynasty.”
‘Trade
* Immediately upon leaving home in the morning,
a merchant finds a gold piece in the gutter—
“today will bring many opportunities for easy
profit.”
‘+ The town’s mayor is given a fine, rare, smoked
fish by an ambassador or trade envoy, but
when he has it served up that evening he nearly
chokes on a bone—"trade with that place (the
ambassador's /envoy’s city) will bring ruin for
this town.”
War
* Thecall of war goes out, but when one of the
officers goes to fetch his weapons
from his vault he finds his sword flecked in
rrust—"the armies of the nation are ill-prepared
for this coming conflict.”
* As the party enter the gates of a city, a single
stone falls from the top of its impressive walls—
“if the city is besieged, it wil fall, despite its
mighty defenses.”
On the morning that the army marches out, they
pass a funeral cortege—"the army is doomed.”
* The day that hostilities break out the sunrise
bathes the land in a deep golden light—the war
shall bring the nation vast wealth.”encouragement to mortals. The flight of a rare
bird, patterns in the sunset, the color of smoke ris-
ing from a campfire, all of these things may be
omens containing hints toward the likely outcome
of a battle, the wisdom of starting a journey, or
any similar matter. This proficiency allows a char-
acter to recognize and identify an omen.
It is possible for a character to seek an Omen.
For example, an interpreter might spend a di
standing on a hilltop looking for unusual birds, or
he or she might spend take a walk through the
woods studying the wildlife and plants; After
1d10 hours have passed, a successful proficiency
check (rolled either by the player or secretly by
the DM) means the character identifies an omen,
and the DM should then give vague hints regard-
ing the matter he seeks information on. The char-
acter has no control over when, or if, an omen ap-
pears, and the DM has the option of presenting
the character with a false omen if the proficiency
check is failed.
Shamanic Ritual: This proficiency is concerned
with the correct performance of shamanic cere-
monies
‘The correct performance of ritual is vital to a
tribal shaman. If a funeral is not conducted prop-
erly, the deceased may rise as some form of un-
dead to terrorize the community. Ifa sacrifice is
not given properly, the spirits will not consider
the offering as having been given—which, if the
sacrifice is designed to lift an illness or assure a
bountiful harvest, may have disastrous results.
If the DM chooses, he may roll this check
Nonshamans may learn this proficiency if they
wish, but they will not be able to sacrifice to the
spirits to gain spells and other shamanic powers;
at best, nonshamans can use this proficiency to
understand what a shaman is doing in a particu:
lar ritual, and perform minor sacrifices to ap-
pease spirits they have wronged. However, while
a failed proficiency check from a shaman gener-
ally means the ritual or spell just doesn’t work,
nonshamans will generally enrage the spirits,
who will view their behavior as mockery,
Players should be aware that certain spells and
shamanic class abilities require a sacrifice to be
made, and should be aware that every sacrifice
requires a Shamanic Ritual check. If this profi-
ciency does not come with the class as a bonus, it
is worth the player's while to choose it for the
character.
Spirit Lore: This proficiency enables a charac-
ter to make sensible decisions concerning the
spirits. It means that they have some idea what
powers spirits have, what aid they can give sha-
mans.
Further, although it does not include the
knowledge of ritual details covered by the Sha-
manic Ritual proficiency, it does allow the charac
ter to identify shrines and other sites dedicated to
the spirits, tools created for use in shamanic ritu-
als, and to determine what sacrifice is required by
a known spirit for any given reason.
DMs may also use this proficiency as a way
wam players who are about to commit errors
which their characters simply would not make.
(The spirits might just find that insulting...”)
‘Trance: A character with this proficiency may
access the knowledge and memories of predeces-
sors— tutors, the tutor’s tutor, and so-on, back to
the first shaman of their line or priest of the
religion,
This means that a character can find the correct
solution to any doctrinal or historical question, as
if he or she had every proficiency on the shaman
proficiency list. Each time that the trance profi-ciency is used, the answer to one question may be
sought—anything from “where was the bound-
ary of the tribe's lands originally?” to “what are
the weaknesses of the Jendahla Spirit?” but only
concerning matters known to past generations. A
trance cannot be used to discover facts about the
recent past, the present, or the future, or know!-
edge beyond the ken of previous shamans.
To delve back into the memories of past gener:
ations is not, however, without risks, There is a
chance that the character will pick up prejudices,
ideas, half-memories and idiosyncrasies from the
Table 5: Failed Trance Results
2-3: No adverse effect.
4: Theshaman develops a strong prejudice or
hatred, consistent the attitude of ancient
peoples: this may be an old-fashioned view
‘of women (“beat your wife if she disobeys
) or children ("should be seen and hot
‘or might involve a refusal to par-
‘in “new” customs or practices (like
trade with outsiders or listening to music),
5: The shaman gains a firm belief that a cer-
tain hitorcl person sl ives Ts gure
failed, the character forgets the evidence,
and is deluded again by the following
morning If the save is successful, the char-
acter’s original knowledge is restored.
6 Asabove, but the character becomes con-
vinced that a whole political structure, now
‘extinct, still survives. This may be a now ex-
tinct clan, a royal family, an evil cult, an
‘order of paladins, and 50 on.
7: The character becomes obsessed with achiev-
‘ing a certain goal, which was achieved or has
been irrelevant for centuries, such as defeat-
ing a now-friendly “enemy,” recovering a
Jost relic, protecting an extinct family, and so
on. No evidence can convince the character
that this goal is futile.
predecessors whose memories he or she has ac:
cesses, In extreme cases, the shaman might de-
velop dual personalities, or loose his or her own
memory entirely.
Ifa player rolls a natural 20 while attempting
to use this proficiency, the DM should roll 246
and consult the follor table for effects to the
character‘s mind. The resulting conditions cannot
be removed by any magic less than a wish spell:
the character is fundamentally altered, not just
magically influenced, Encourage the player to
roleplay the new character's quirks,
& The character’ gains an antiquated sense of
the geography of his or her home region,
functioning as though the character has the
ancient geography nonweapon proficiency,
but believing it's the way things are now.
He or she remembers within
‘one mile as it would have been generations
ago—roads and buildings (or lack of them),
steams and ponds, and so on. The current
geography of places that he or she knows
can be relearned at the expenditure of a
skill slot on the geography nonweapon pro-
ficiency, but until this is done, the character
will always be lost and confused in such
areas. (If the character already had skills
lots devoted to geography, these are lost,
and replaced with the ancient geography.
proficiency.)
9: _As4-5, but the character now believes that
he or she is living under the rule of several
centuries ago, believing that the royal family
and shamans, warriors and administrators
now living are those who ruled all those
‘years ago. He or she cannot be dissuaded of
this delusion for longer than one turn,
10-12: ‘The character loses his or her memory en-
tirely, and instead remembers the world as
it was several hundred years ago—the ge-
ography, politics, important people, every-
thing. If changes are explained, the charac-
ter will remember and try to understand
them, but it will be some time before he or
she can relate to the world again,ph eeu
For the most part, shamans use the basic equip-
ment presented in the Player's Handbook. While
they spend their lives with one foot in a world be-
yond their own, they mostly ply their trade with
the same tools that others of their community use
in their daily lives. Most of the objects needed to
perform sacrifices and other rituals are gourds or
jars, spears or arrows (or another weapon), mats
to lay out the sacrifices upon, bowls into which
sacrificial meat or objects can be placed, and so
on. Because of this, all shamans can move swiftly
from locale to locale when needed.
‘There are, however, a handful of unique items
that shamans must possess and protect above all,
items that are the comenstones of their
coexistence with the spirits.
All shamans carry an item that identifies their
status to members of their tribe or culture,
(Should anyone else try to fake such an object or
steal one to claim to be a shaman, the spirits
would be enraged.)
‘The object may be a'staff, necklace, wand,
bangle, cloak, or any other item the DM and
player can agree upon. They are often made for
the new shamans by the elders, usually involving
feathers, thongs of hide, bones, stones, shells,
teeth, hair, and similar natural materials. By using,
certain combinations of colored beads and other
objects, these badges can be made to carry
complex messages (read only by those with the
Shamanic Ritual nonweapon proficiency), telling
the shaman’s name, lineage and year of birth,
who trained him or her, and so on, A successful
Shamanic Ritual check is required to make a
badge.
In some tribes all shamans have similar badges
(they all have staves of a certain wood, for
example), while in others shamans have widely
differing emblems, Players and DMs should
decide what a shaman player character's badge
of rank looks like.
Each shaman also carries two knives, one of
bone and one of stone, which must never be used
for any mundane purpose, They may only be
used for sacred purposes, be it drawing blood
from an animal offering, making ritual scars upon
the people of the tribe (common at initiation
ceremonies), or to create mystical markings in the
dirt or on trees around ritual areas. Attempts to
sacrifice with any other tool er weapon imposes a
~2 penalty upon the Shamanic Ritual check for
that sacrifice. If used for any commonplace
purpose, (like food preparation or combat), the
knives can no longer be considered specialized
ritual tools and all rituals the shaman attempts to
perform with them will automatically fail.
Drum, Rattle, and Mask
‘The shaman’s drum and rattle are used to call
the spirits, Their function is to attract the
attention of the desired spirits, If either is
missing, all shamanic ritual rolls are made at a-1
penalty; if both are missing a -3 penalty is
applied.
The drum is usually made from hide stretched
over a wooden frame, and the rattle is normally
just a gourd filled with pebbles on the end of a
stick. More elaborate drums and rattles may be
used, made of hollowed boughs, bones, or similarmaterials. The shamanic drums and rattles must
never be made with metal parts, as dictated by
tradition born in ancient times.
‘The masks are, in fact, carefully crafted magical
items that serve as focal points for both spirits
and shamans. These important treasures are
described in “Shamanic Treasures.” Shamans
wear them during important rituals, and each
‘mask is created specifically to facilitate the
relationship between a particular spirit and a
specific shaman. It takes weeks to create each
mask, which are always elaborately painted and
shaped in the visage of the spirit,
Shaman Equipment Lists
The following lists should be used in lieu of
the starting funds provided in the Player's
Handbook; in other words, players are encouraged
to start their shaman characters with the items
mentioned for each class. DMs may allow players
to select other items that match their vision of
their characters, and, of course, may rule that
they must select equipment as all other starting
characters do. However, all shamans should have
a set of implements of sacrifice, regardless of the
methods used to determine starting equipment.
aman Equipment
Ritual Tools: Drum, rattle, mask, implements of
sacrifice (one bone, one stone), gourds, and pots.
Material components for spells (three measures
for each spell in which components are
consumed, one measure for others).
Personal Equipment: Badge of rank, bowl,
mortal and pestle, spare clothes and footwear (all
natural materials), wood bow (for starting fires),
large leather sack, waterskin, and a one-person
tent (made of leather or similar), blanket,
Funds: 2d10 gp (if culturally appropriate.)
‘Weapons: One weapon of character's choice.
Solitary Shaman Equipment
The solitary shaman actually has little use for
equipment beyond that which he can secure from
his natural surroundings.
Ritual Tools: Implements of sacrifice. Material
components for spells (three measures for each
spell in which components are consumed, one
measure for others).
Personal Equipment: Badge of rank, backpack, 4
small belt pouches, 10 torches, rope (30 feet),
thick blanket, flint and steel, and a waterskin
Funds: 1d442 gp.
Weapons: Two weapons of the character's
choice.
Spiritualist Equipment
Not content with a simple knife, each
spiritualist carries an eccentric array of half a
dozen sacrificial tools. Many spiritualists insist
that the more a sacrifice bleeds, or the noisier its
death, the more likely it is that the spirits will
notice and respond to the sacrifice.
Additionally, spritiualists tend to keep records
of which rituals seemed to be the most effective.
(Illiterate spiritualists have been known to
develope their own written languages.) This is
part of their efforts to establish some form of
traditions around their beliefs: Written records
may outlast both them and their students. To this
end, it is not uncommon for spiritualists to have
blank scrolls, vails of ink and quills on their
person,
Ritual Equipment: Implements of Sacrifice
(2d6 different sets) and bowls and pots. Material
components for spells (three measures for each
spell in which components are consumed, one
measure for others).
Personal Equipment: Small sack, iron pot,
bowl and eating utensils, chalk, flint and steel, 10
candles, five torches, two blankets (count as 1
winter blanket), one set of spare clothing, bird
seed, and a whetstone. Three blank scrolls,
stoppered ink bottle, and quill
Funds: 1d10 gold pieces,
Weapons: Two weapon of choice.
Equipment + 25As with any AD&D spellcasting character class,
the use of magic and the acquisition of spells is
important to the play of shamans.
However, since the method through which sha-
mans receive spells is a bit more involved than
most wizard or priest classes, this chapter is more
than simply a catalogue of spells and their effects;
it is also a primer for players and DMs in how to
roleplay the relationship between shamans and
spirits. (More information on this topic can be
found in the chapters titled “Introduction” and
“The World of Spirits,” but the information in the
latter is for DMs only.)
Spells and Starting Characters
‘As mentioned previously, each newly created
1st-level shaman character has two spell slots, as
well as a patron spirit that grants those spells.
Of course, a spirit does not lend its aid toa
mortal without cause. Any spirit helping a sha~
man does so for a reason, usually because it feels
it has something to gain from so-doing, or be-
cause it feels that the shaman is a person worthy
of its aid.
Many spirits are concerned only with sacrifice
or worship, but some have more complex desires.
Greater detail is provided in the DM's section of
this book, and players can look forward to uncov-
ering some of their plots in the course of play.
However, there are three basic approaches that all
shamans may take to establishing and securing,
goad relations with a spirit
1. Any shaman automatically knows how to es-
tablish and maintain such relations with the spir-
its they have been trained to deal with, as speci-
in descriptions in “The Shaman Character
Classes.”
2. A character may attempt to predict or discern
suitable procedures by making a successful spirit
lore check. To do this the shaman must know a
reasonable amount about the spirit—its goals and
attitudes, appearance and manner: Simply having
‘once glimpsed it or heard its name is insufficient
3. The character can just ask the spirit, All sha-
mans, after all, have ways to contact spirit
their locale.
26 » Chapter Pour
ane inieat las
and Sp
Like all spelicasting characters in the AD&D
game, as shamans advance in levels, they gain
more spell slots, as well as the ability to cast more
powerful spells.
‘Traditionally, the character can change his or
her spell selection every day. Shamans, however,
dono have this luxury. Since shamans do not tap
into arcane energies (as do wizards) or stand in
the benevolent shadow of a deity (as do priests),
but rather the spirits, who are beings of limited
ability and power, once the shaman chooses to re-
ceive a spell from their patron, that spell is written
down in a specific spell slot and cannot under
normal circumstances ever be replaced with a dif-
ferent spell. So, if a Ist-level solitary shaman
chooses to receive cal! animal and listen, then the
character must be content with these spells until
he advances in level and has an additional spell
slot to fill.
It is possible for a character to petition a spirit
to rescind the spell already granted and replace it
with another spell. However, spirits who have
agreed to grant a shaman particular spells may be
offended if the ungrateful mortals want to swap
these favors for other spells. This is rather like
asking for a present from a rich relative, and then
later going back and asking to trade the gift in for
another. Shamans had better have very good rea-
sons for making such requests, or they may find
themselves with no spells at all. (See the “Losing,
Spells” section.)
sining, ane
Spe I Slots
ig
Asa shaman rises in experience levels, he be-
comes eligible to gain further spells. To fill unused
spell slots, he must return to petition his patron
spirit again, or may seek out new patrons.
There is no limit to the number of patrons that a
character might have, A wide range of patron
spirits may grant a character a broader selection
of spells, but as each makes demands upon the
shaman, the character being restricted by a maze
of ritual and moral obligations.
In order to petition a spirit for a new spell, sha-
‘mans must be on a sacred site or a place wheresactifice is usually made to the spirits. (So, for ex-
ample, to petition the ancestors, a shaman might
go to the tribe’s traditional burial site.) Once
there, the shaman must contact the desired spirit
(each class has its own way of doing this) and
make his request.
Sometimes the spirit grants the spell automati-
cally. Sometimes it discusses the request with the
shaman (asking what the shaman intends to do
with the spell, why the shaman feels that he or
she deserves such power, and so on), On occasion,
the spirit might simply refuse outright. Most com-
monly, however, it agrees to grant the spell on
condition that a sacrifice be made to it. The nature
of this sacrifice depends upon the spirit (and is ex-
plained in the DM's section of this book) but oxen,
pigs, and goats are frequent sacrifices. Spirits
might demand unusual sacrifices, such as weap-
ons or vegetables. The sacrifice of rare or even leg-
endary beasts or objects may be required to gain
high level spells, and acquiring these might in-
volve the shaman in epic quests.
‘The ease with which a character may acquire a
spell is left mostly in the hands of the DM, but
there are certain rule guidelines that gover a
characters spell slots and the three types of spells
a shaman may have, specialized spells, other sha-
man spells, and standard priest spells.
Gaining Special
J Spells
Each of the three shaman classes has its own
specialized spell list. The magics of each reflect
the nature of the shaman’s training, and so are
easier for the character to cast.
‘A shaman counts the spells on his or her spe-
cialized list as being one level lower than they ac-
tually are, So, at first level, a shaman may lear
Up to two second-level spells from the appropri-
ate class list.
|
aining Spells from Other Shaman Lis
Shamans also have the option of filling spare
spell-siots with magics from other shaman classes’
spell lists
A spell from another subclass’ list is treated as
itis listed. So, a third level spell must be used to
fill a third level spell slot. Only spells on a class’
‘own list are treated as one level lower.
Gaining F Spells
Shamans may also attempt to gain the stan-
dard priest spells described in the Player's Hand-
book
Inall cases, priest spells must be treated as
being one level higher than their listed level. (A
shaman thus requires a second-level spell slot to
accommodate a first-level priest spell.) The ex-
ception to this rule are multiclass and dualclass
characters. In the case of other priest classes
being mixed with the shaman class, the priestly
side selects spells at their normal levels.
Losing Spe lls
It is possible for a shaman to lose his or her
spells. This usually results from a disagreement
between the shaman and the patron spirit that
granted the spell(s), upon which the patron sim-
ply refuses to continue to fuel the magic.
If the disagreement is minor, like over tactics
to use fighting a foe, the spirit might simply
withhold the spell once or twice, in nonlethal cir-
cumstances, to apply pressure on the character. If
the disagreement is more major, as in the charac-
ter establishing friendly relations with the spirit’s
swom enemies, a spell might be withdrawn for a
longer period—possibly permanently.
Unless the spirit agrees to release the shaman
from its grip, these spell slots are considered to
be full, even though the spells in them no longer
work, If the character deeply insulted the spirit,
if the shaman, for example, deliberately went
against the spirits dearest values, then the spirit
may never forgive the shaman, and the spell slots
remain unusable.
Ifa shaman and spirit agree to part more ami-
ably, or the spirit can be appeased with an appro-
priate sacrifice, as determined by the DM (with
possible aid from the “Scaling Sacrifices” table in
"The World of Spirits.”), then the shaman may
approach other prospective Patrons to refill spell
slots.
amanic1 Spell
Unlike other spelleasting classes in AD&D, sha-
mans do not automatically lose a spell from mem-
ory when cast. Each time the shaman uses a spell,
he must make a Wisdom check. If the check is suc-
cessful, the character may use that spell again that
day. For each use beyond the first one, the check is
made with a cumulative +1 penalty. (If Ryambe
casts bind fetish and successfully rolls under his
wisdom, he can use that spell again, Later,
Ryambe does this, and when he makes another
Wisdom check, with a +1 penalty to the roll, he is
unsuccessful. Ryambe may now not use this spell
again until after a full night's sleep.)
lt
Animal Spy Spiritualist)
Bind Fetish (Tribal)
Call Animal (Solitary)
Casting Out (Tribal)
Circle of Protection From Spirits (Tribal)
Command Another’ Pet (Spiritualist)
Contain Spirit (Spiritualist)
Create Spiritknife (Solitary)
Death Candle (Spiritualist)
Heal Spirit (Solitary)
Protection From Serpents (Tribal)
‘Sense Nature of Spirit (Solitary)
Understand Curse (Tribal)
iird-Level Spell
Call Pack (Spiritualist)
Cleanse Hearth (Tribal)
Create Mask (Tribal)
Haunting Notes (Spiritualist)
Revive Spirit (Solitary)
‘Transfer Offense (Tribal)
Walk Amongst Beasts (Solitary)
Create Sanctuary (Spiritualist)
Extract Spirit (Solitary)
Perfect Perception (Solitary)
‘Transfer Curse (Spiritualist)
‘Transfer Curse (Tribal)
2B
ifth-Level Spell
Animal's View (Solitary)
Bind Guardian (Tribal)
Call Ghost Pack (Spiritualist)
‘Charm Spirit (Spiritualist)
Cleanse Community (Tribal)
Converse (Solitary)
Beckon the spilt (Iribal)
Mortal Snare (Spiritualist)
Reinvigorate Nature (Solitary)
Tame Animal (Solitary)
Calling Melody (Spiritualist)
Call The Council of the Spirits (Tribal)
View The Animal's Mind (Solitary)
Tribal Shaman’s Spell List
nd-Level Tribal
sind Fetish
(Summoning)
Range: 10 yds
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: | target
‘Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: I rd
Saving Throw: Neg
This spell binds a fetish (a specific type of
spirit, detailed in the MC section at the back of
this volume) to a solid object—thereafter also
called a fetish.
The object must be fashioned from wood, bone,
pottery, or rock by a skilled craftsman (in other
words, someone with the appropriate non-
weapon proficiency), and may be a figurine,
wand, necklace, or other thing: what is important
is that the fetish feels at home in the object, which
means—since they are usually cruel and nasty
creatures—that it must look disturbing or other-
wise unpleasant.
The caster holds the object and casts the spell,
but the fetish spirit may attempt to save. If it suc-
ceeds, it may then attempt to attack the caster (in-
formation on this is provided in a later chapter
for the DM only). Provided that the fetish spirit
feels at home in the new fetish object, it remains