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Diablo IV Subclasses, Rogue and Druid

Diablo IV Subclasses, Rogue and Druid

With the recent launch of Diablo IV, players take on the role of one of five classes in that game: barbarian, druid, rogue, sorcerer, or warlock. These classes bear a notable resemblance to their 5E counterparts (and Tales of the Valiant!).

The game offers a selection of abilities and powers. If you find yourself wanting a 5E character modeled after a Diablo IV character, try a druid or rogue subclass inspired by their features!

Druid: Circle of Predators

Druids of the Circle of Predators channel the strength and fury of predator beasts such as the bear and wolf. They use their wildshape ability to assume a hybrid form, part animal, part humanoid, similar in appearance to werewolves and werebears, but without the taint of lycanthropy.

Druids of this circle believe in a more proactive approach to defending and preserving nature. They prefer to deal with potential threats preemptively.

Social hierarchy among these druids is often dependent on their totem animal. Bear totem druids are usually solitary, gathering only during certain sacred days. Wolf totem druids form packs led by an alpha. A wolf totem druid, however, can choose a pack outside of the circle in service of their calling.

Stories persist of other predator totems within this circle: tiger totems, hawk totems, and even crocodile totems. 

Appropriate spells for these druids can be found in Deep Magic (hunter’s cunning, potency of the pack, and wolfsong) and in Tome of Heroes (beast within and harrying hounds).

Predator Totem

When you enter this circle at 2nd level, you choose a predator beast, bear or wolf, which determines your abilities. You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling and Survival) checks that deal with animals matching your chosen beast.  

Hybrid Form

Also at 2nd level, you can use a bonus action to expend one use of your Wild Shape to transform into a beast-humanoid hybrid form based on your totem animal for 1 hour. As a bonus action, you can revert to your normal form earlier. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you revert to normal form.

Your hands transform into claws, a melee weapon attack you are proficient with, dealing 1d6 + Strength modifier slashing damage. This damage increases to 2d6 when you reach 10th level.

In addition, while in this hybrid form:

  • Your Strength becomes 18.
  • Your AC becomes 14 when you’re not wearing armor.
  • You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
  • You gain temporary hit points equal to your druid level.

Primordial Strength

Starting at 6th level, when you are in your hybrid form, your claws are magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

You also gain a special attack based on your totem animal:

Bear. As an action, you slam the ground with your fists. Creatures within 10 feet of you must make a Strength saving throw, taking 2d10 thunder damage and falling prone on a failed save. On a successful save, they take half damage and aren’t prone.

Wolf. You can infuse your strikes with the power of rabies. When you hit a creature with a claw attack, you may deal an extra 2d6 poison damage and the target creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses after a long rest.

Savage Howl

At 10th level, you channel the ferocity of your totem animal. As an action, choose a number of creatures up to your proficiency bonus within 30 feet of you that you can see and that can hear you. Each creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. An affected target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 

If you use this ability while in your hybrid form, a targeted creature’s first saving throw is made with disadvantage.

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

Summon Pack

At 14th level, as an action, you can summon up to six fey spirits that take the form of a pack of your totem beast. They appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within 60 feet. If your totem is bear, these spirits use the statistics of a brown bear, and if your totem is wolf, they use the statistics of a dire wolf. Each is a fey creature, and it disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or after 1 hour.

The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal commands you issue to them (no action required by you). If they receive no commands, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions.

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

Rogue: Shadowbound

Shadowbound rogues have an innate connection to darkness. This can originate from a relationship with a creature of darkness, or because the rogue spent significant time in a realm of shadow. Shadowbound rogues channel darkness to hide, teleport, and to absorb damage.

Shadowsight

Starting at 3rd level, you gain darkvision. If you already have darkvision, its range extends to 120 feet.

Flicker

Also at 3rd level, you can shift in and out of the Shadow Realm for brief periods. As a bonus action, you can start to flicker in and out of darkness until the end of your next turn. While you are flickering, attacks against you are made with disadvantage and your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain expended uses after a long rest.

Shadow Step

At 9th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action, you can teleport up to 90 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of your turn.

Fade Away

Beginning at 13th level, when you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.

In addition, you can use a bonus action to select a point that you can see within 30 feet of you. A 5-foot radius sphere of magical darkness appears, centered on that point. The sphere lasts for 1 minute, until you dismiss it (no action required), or until you fall unconscious. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain expended uses after a long rest.

Umbral Cloak

At 17th level, as a bonus action, you can surround yourself with a cloak of shadows that absorbs damage. Until the end of your next turn, you have immunity to radiant damage and resistance to all other damage. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain expended uses after a long rest. 

about Rajan Khanna

Rajan Khanna is a writer, game designer, and musician who lives in Brooklyn, NY. His work appears in several Kobold Press products including Tome of Heroes, the Kobold Guide to Dungeons, Wastes of Chaos, Deep Magic 2, and the Tales of the Valiant RPG. Fiction details can be found on his website, www.rajankhanna.com and he tweets occasionally, @rajanyk.

2 thoughts on “Diablo IV Subclasses, Rogue and Druid”

  1. Three raccoons in a trenchcoat

    The two games that I can’t stop playing these days. Love the mash-up. D&D shadow fey weep for envy with that shadowbound rogue. And rabies wolf druid may be underwhelming in the current meta but man if it isn’t fun making everyone sick around you before triggering that lacerate ultimate.

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