Survivalist (5e Class)

Survivalist

You're stuck out in the middle of nowhere with little food and virtually no water to last you more than a couple days. Wild animals and hazards may befall you at every turn. Can you prawn it out in this barbie world until rescue comes? You bet!

Nature!

The Survivalist is a being so well adapted to nature that they can use the properties of animals as survival tactics against enemies. Just look at Ted Bear.

Creating a Survivalist

So what happened that made your character such an able adept of survival? Did they have an accident that left them stranded? What was their story of survival? Build a strong backstory for your character based around this central experience.

Quick Build

You can make a Survivalist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the Outlander background. Third, choose Stealth, Nature and Acrobatics for class skills.

Class Features

As a Survivalist you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Survivalist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Survivalist level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: —
Weapons: improvised and simple weapons
Tools: Navigator's Tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, Strength
Skills: Choose 3 from Survival, Nature, Stealth, Acrobatics, Athletics, Animal Handling and Perception

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• two simple melee weapons of your choice
• one simple ranged weapon of your choice
• Explorer's Pack
• one musical instrument
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 5 in funds.

Table: The Survivalist

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Traits Copied
1st	+2	Animal Traits, One with Nature	3
2nd	+2	Second Wind	3
3rd	+2	—	4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	4
5th	+3	—	5
6th	+3	Survival Roulette	5
7th	+3	—	6
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	6
9th	+4	—	7
10th	+4	Survival Reality	7
11th	+4	—	8
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	8
13th	+5	—	9
14th	+5	Adaptability	9
15th	+5	—	10
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	11
17th	+6	—	12
18th	+6	Master of Form	13
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	14
20th	+6	True Survivor	15

Animal Traits

As a survivalist, you can copy the traits of animals to better protect yourself from danger. Starting from 1st level, you know a number of Animal Traits equal to the Traits Copied on the table above. These and further traits are chosen from the Animal Traits List provided at the end of this class description. Everytime you gain a level, you may change out traits from the list to Traits Copied as according to your level.

One with Nature

Starting from 1st level, you are considered permanently under the effects of Speak with Animals.

Second Wind

When in your tip-toppest of shapes, it can be hard to pin you down. Starting 2nd level, you gain advantage on saving throws against effects that reduce your maximum hit points.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Survival Roulette

You can take a pretty good gander at what your opponents may attempt, and so better prepare yourself against it. Beginning at 6th level, you may choose an ability score at the end of a long rest. Until you finish another long rest, whenever you must make a saving throw with the chosen ability score, you gain a bonus equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1) on saving throws belonging to that ability score.

Survival Reality

You never have to worry about death from hunger or thirst. As a Survivalist, you can shape the very reality of nature to suit your needs. Beginning 10th level, you may roll a d20 twice to trigger up to two of the following effects based on the results:

• 1-10

You found a muffin and milk. When eating the muffin, make a Constitution saving throw against poison, DC 10. This fulfills your water and half your food requirement for the day.

• 11-13

You encounter a tree of bacon! This fulfills your food requirement for the day.

• 14-16

You find a small lake of fruit juice! This fulfills your water requirement for the day.

• 17-18

You find a pile of chocolate dirt that is perfectly safe to eat and a nearby chocolate geyser. This fulfills your food and water requirements for the day.

• 19-20

You stumble upon a fresh carcass of a beast under a juice tree, both perfectly safe for consumption. This fulfills your food and water requirement for the day, and halves your food and water requirements for the next three days.

The effects above last for ten minutes once triggered and fade after duration. You may use this feature once, then regain usage after you complete a long rest.

Adaptability

You are an adept at switching tactics and adapting to all hardship and obstacles. Starting level 14, you may now swap out the Animal Traits you know from the list to Traits Copied as according to your level every time you conduct a long rest.

Master of Form

Using your traits is second nature, and you are GOOD at utilizing them to their fullest! Starting 18th level, you can really go all the way when emanating your animal, which eliminates some of your prior inhibitions. You may use two traits that are actions instead of one when you choose to use an action trait. Alternatively, you may use two bonus trait actions when you use one bonus action. You may use this feature the amount of times equal your Strength modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

True Survivor

You are a true master of the art of survival. Starting 20th level, when an attack would reduce you to 0 hitpoints, you can instead drop to 1 hitpoint. You may use this feature equal times your Constitution modifier, regaining all use after you finish a long rest.

Animal Traits List

1st Level

• Squirrel-like Agility. You are agile as you should be to escape dangers. You may use your bonus action to dash.
• Turtle Armor. Your base AC when unarmoured is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You may wear a shield and still gain this benefit.
• Owl Eyes. You gain Darkvision out to 120 feet.
• Mongoose Claws. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 slashing damage. This increases further when you reach higher levels: your unarmed strike's damage die increases to a 1d8 at 5th level, a 1d10 at 11th level, and a 1d20 at 17th level.
• Mule. Your carrying capacity doubles.
• Flea's Spring. Your jumping height triples.
• Porcupine Quills. You can expend an action to make a ranged weapon attack, shooting a small barrage of pointy quills at a target up to 60 feet in range. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 piercing damage. This trait's piercing damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level, (3d4), and 17th level (4d4)
• Colt's Run. Your movement speed is doubled.
• Troglodyte Adeptness. You gain resistance to one damage type of your choice from fire, cold, poison, and psychic.
• Crow's Wire. You gain proficiency in a tool of your choice.
• Gator Submersion. While underwater, you have advantage in Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• Bioluminescence. You can emit light from your location up to 30 feet with an action. You may dispel this light with a bonus action.
• Polar Bear Paws. You do not consider any snowy or arctic terrain as a difficult terrain.
• Snow Hare. When in snowy or arctic terrain, you are proficient in stealth checks. If you already have proficiency, double your bonus.
• Puppy Eyes. You are proficient in persuasion checks. If you already have proficiency, double your bonus.
• Bear Size. Whenever you perform checks to shove or grapple another creature, your size is considered Large.
• Parrot. You learn a language of your choice.

3rd Level

• Weasel Wile. When you make a melee attack against a target, you may use a bonus action to take the Disengage action.
• Dragonbreath. Make a ranged magic attack against a target. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency. On a fail, the target takes 2d6 fire damage. Dragonbreath gains 1d6 damage die every 3 levels after 3rd level. The range starts with a 15 ft cone or a 5 by 30 ft line, and it increases by 5 ft every 3 levels after 3rd level.
• Brawling Gorilla. You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with melee weapons as well as unarmed strikes.
• Mongoose Fur. You gain resistance against poison damage and you are now immune to being poisoned.
• Oblivious Sloth. You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.
• Withdraw. You can withdraw your arms, legs, and head into your clothes as an action. While you are withdrawn, you are invulnerable and immune to any effect that would move you against your will but you cannot move or perform any actions, and you can only see in front of you. You may revert as an action.
• Snake's Rattle. As an action, choose one creature that is within 15 feet of you and aware of your presence. You wave your rear at them. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw equal to 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus or become frightened of you until your next turn. If a creatures saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to your frightful presence for the next 24 hours.
• Flying Squirrel. You gain a glide speed of 30 feet.
• Reptilian Eyelid. You are immune to non magical blindness.
• Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated.
• Beastal Face. You gain proficiency in intimidation checks. If you already have proficiency, double your bonus.
• Bat Eyes. You gain blindsight up to 30 feet.
• Cowbird Deception. You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your {5a|cha}} (Deception) check.

5th Level

• Dragon Blood. You are immune to non magical diseases.
• Camel's Resilience. You can survive extra days without food, water, sleep, or anything else that normally you would need to spend time every day to do, equal to your Constitution modifier. You don't enter death saving throws until you reach -X hit points, where X is your Constitution ability score. This -X is equal to the normal 0 hit point condition.
• Frog Lungs. You can breathe while in both air or water.
• Squid Ink. Make a ranged weapon attack against a target up to 30 feet from you. You squirt ink in their face. They are blinded for 1d4 rounds.
• Cuttlefish Propulsion. Your underwater movement speed is doubled.
• Eagle Wings. You gain the ability to summon and dismiss wings as a bonus action, gaining a flight speed of 25 feet. If you already had flight speed, your flying speed is instead increases by 10 feet when this feature is activated. You may use this feature three times, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Kangaroo Buff. You may expend your bonus action to add one extra damage die to your next attack, granted it hits.
• Python Coil. You gain proficiency in all actions that grapple another creature.
• Mole Dig. You gain a Burrow speed of 15 feet.
• Crow's Adroitness. You may choose one skill proficiency you have and double that bonus.
• Cobra Spit. You may expend an action to make acid eject from you to a point you choose within range (30 feet), which explodes upon impact. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC of 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. On failure, they are blinded and take 3d6 acid damage. On success, the creatures are not blinded and take 3d4 acid damage.

7th Level

• Bear Strength. You gain proficiency in Strength checks and saving throws. If you already have it, double the bonus.
• Dragon Skin. While you aren't wearing any armor, your AC becomes 10 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Constitution modifier.
• Armadillo Jump. When exiting Withdraw, you may also expend a bonus action to push all creatures within melee range of your position 5 feet away.
• Bloodhound's Nose. You gain the ability of scent detection. You have advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks involving your sense of smell.
• Skunk's Stench. You create a 15-foot-radius Sphere of yellow, nauseating gas centered on a point within range. The cloud spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. The cloud lingers in the air for 1D4 rounds. The cloud mimics the effects of Stinking Cloud
• Barracuda Stomach. You cannot get disease or poisoned from edibles.
• Falcon Glare. You may use your action to Glare at a creature that you can see and can see you within 30 ft. The creature must succeed a Wisdom saving throw of DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier or become overwhelmed with fear, causing them to be paralyzed for 1 minute. On failure, they become frightened instead. The creature can make another Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its turns to remove the condition. A creature subjected to Glare will become immune to it for the next 24 hours. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest
• Feline Reflex. When you are targeted by a nonmagical weapon attack, you may expend your reaction and halve the damage dealt.
• Cat's Revenge. When you have taken damage from a creature's melee attack, you may expend your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the creature.
• Gila Skin. You are able to comfortably tolerate Extreme Heat environments as per the DMG. This confers complete protection in these environments resulting in no Constitution save for these environments.

9th Level

• Bear Hug. Make a melee unarmed attack on a target within range. On hit, the target takes 5d4 bludgeoning damage and is restrained.
• Cave Salamander. You gain Blindsight up to 60 feet.
• Chameleon Color. You gain proficiency in stealth checks.
• Fox's Cunning. When you are subjected to an Intelligence saving throw, you may choose to instantly succeed the roll. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Crow's Eye. You gain proficiency in all investigation checks.
• Cat's Scorn. You may expend an action to designate one target up to 60 feet of your location you can see. The target's attacks now roll with disadvantage until your next turn. You may use this feature three times, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Swift Starling. Your flying movement speed is doubled. If you did not have any to begin with, you instead double your jump distance.
• Python Squeeze. This feature can only be used on a medium or small creature while the user has advantage on the attack roll. Make a grapple against the target. On success, the target is grappled. Until the grapple ends, the target cannot breath and begins to choke, and the user has advantage on attack rolls against it. The target also has disadvantage in checks to get out of the grapple.

11th Level

• Shedding Tail. When you are subjected to an effect that allows a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
• Sixth Sense. You may expend one bonus action. All weapon and spell attacks in the next round have a disadvantage against you. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Wolf's Howl. You may expend your action to grant up to three creatures that can hear you an inspiration die. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Preemptive Mantis. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't incapacitated.
• Seal Blubber. You are able to comfortably tolerate Extreme Cold environments as per the DMG. This confers complete protection in these environments resulting in no Constitution save for these environments. You also gain resistance to cold damage.
• Dragon Art. You may perform an hour long ritual that allows you to choose up to two damage types. You become resistant to those types for the next hour. You may use this feature three times, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

13th Level

• Fugu Blowup. You can expend an action to puff yourself until you are considered large, with several spikes covering. Any creatures within melee range of you take 3d6 poison damage and are poisoned
• Cobra Charm.As an action, you can target one creature you can see within 30 feet. If the target can see you, it must succeed a Wisdom saving throw against 8 + your proficiency level + your Charisma modifier, or be charmed. The charmed target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Every turn, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts for 24 hours, until the target no longer sees you or if you take a bonus action to end the effect.
• Slime Slip. All attempts to grapple or restrain you roll with disadvantage.
• Octopus Cover. You spew a cloud of ink to conceal yourself. This feature mimics darkness but is non magical. The effects last up to 1D8 turns.
• Late Apes. You can double your proficiency in improvised and simple weapons.

15th Level

• Cicada Molt. You may end up to three conditions on you at a time. You can use this an amount of times equal your Constitution modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Brave Lion. You are immune to the frightened condition. You can also grant up to five creatures you can see this immunity for 1D8 turns.
• Vampire Bat. As an action, you can make a melee attack on a target with your teeth, adding your proficiency and Dexterity modifier. On a hit, the target takes piercing damage equal to 5d6 + your Dexterity modifier. If the target is an organic humanoid or a beast, and the target is paralyzed, charmed, incapacitated, restrained, or grappled, you may use your bonus action to drink their blood, dealing 3d8 plus your Constitution modifier of necrotic damage.
• Species Competition. You gain bonus proficiency in all ability checks and saving throws when any of the hostile creatures you can see are not of the same race as you.

16th Level

• Electric Eel You can discharge the electrical energy coursing through your body when a creature attacks you. As a reaction, you force the creature, that just hit you with a melee attack, to make a Constitution saving throw, with the DC of 10 + your Constitution modifier. On a failure, the target is stunned for 1d4 turns.
• Ignorance You gain proficiency in all Intelligence saving throws.
• Oblivious Sloth You may expend your action and become immune to mind-altering magical effects for the next hour.

17th Level

• Natural Master of Disguise. You become invisible up to one hour. Anything you are wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on your person. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Coy Fox. You gain proficiency in all Charisma saving throws.

18th Level

• Wizened Owl. You gain proficiency in all Wisdom saving throws.
• Bugbear Charge. By expending an action, you may double your movement speed and use a bonus action to dash instead of an action.

19th Level

• Nature's Sixth Sense. You gain truesight up to 120 feet.
• Tarrasque Immunity. You gain immunity to three conditions of your choice.

20th Level

• Tarrasque Fury. Expending a bonus action, you may make up to three attacks on your next turn instead of one when you use your action. You may use this feature the amount of times equal your Strength modifier, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Parrot Spell. You may cast a spell that you have witnessed in the last 10 minutes, imitating its effects. The spell cannot be over third level and you use Dexterity as your spellcasting ability for your parroted spells. You may use this feature once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.
• Mantis Decapitation. You may expend one action to make a melee attack on a creature within range of your choice. Upon success, the creature's hit points are instantly reduced to 0. If the creature's hit point maximum is below 200, this attack automatically hits. You may use this trait only once, regaining use after you finish a long rest.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Survivalist class, you must meet these prerequisites: Strength 13, Constitution 14

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Survivalist class, you gain the following proficiencies: animal handling, Nature, simple weapons

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