Difference between revisions of "Bogeyman (5A)"

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''Howling at the high moon and revelling in her bestial form, the werewolf leaps out of the darkness and snatches one of her former pursuers, dragging the screaming man into the shadows and depriving him of his innards with her sharp fangs and claws. Backing out of the tavern with the merchant lord’s gaze locked onto his, the vampire slips into an alleyway nearby, baring his fangs to better slake his thirst on the blood of the foolish human trundling toward him.  
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|align="center"|[[User:Starfox|Starfox]]'s 5th Edition Fan Page
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[[Category:5A]][[Category:5E]]
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''Shrouded in darkness, the bogeyman approaches the lone child being kicked and bullied. Revealing itself with a roar, the bogeyman makes a mock charge, causing the bullies to flee before picking up the limp body. Slowly nursing the child to health in the perfect darkness of its cave lair, dreading the day he will reach out to touch the monstrous face or realize the helping hand is a claw.
  
''Powered by unnatural chemicals, the once-living flesh of an abomination stands unyielding against the hail of arrows pelting her form and she charges forward unheeded, slamming into and through a barred door to shatter it into pieces.
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Source: En5ider 83, heavily rewritten.
  
Brutes are people who have become the dark things that stalk in the night. Empowered by mystical rituals, unnatural science, or otherworldly forces, brutes are thought by most to be monsters, shunned and feared by society. Some seek this power out for themselves, but not all of these individuals are beholden to their base desires and some turn their frightful power into a force of good.   
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Bogeymen are men and women who have become the dark things that stalk in the night. Empowered by mystical rituals, unnatural science, or otherworldly forces, bogeymen are thought by most to be dangerous and are shunned and feared by society.   
  
== Class Features ==
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Bogeymen are the stuff of dark secrets and fell power, things of legend and forbidden lore. Becoming one of these otherworldly creatures is sometimes the ultimate goal of a cultist, drinking the blood of an existing monster or engaging in strange rituals to fully realize their power. To others it is a curse bestowed by bloodline or destiny, a burden that strengthens them through hardship. 
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While many bogeymen to fall to evil or are driven there by the angry and misunderstanding society around them, but not all of them give in to their darker desires—some, some survive all this to emerge as monstrous heroes.
  
=== Monstrous Origins ===
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=== Creating an Bogeyman ===
Brutes are the stuff of dark secrecy and fell power, things of legend and forbidden lore. Becoming one of these otherworldly creatures is sometimes the ultimate goal of a cultist, drinking the blood of an existing brute or engaging in strange rituals to fully realize their power. To others it is a curse bestowed by bloodline or destiny, a burden that strengthens itself through hardship.  
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The first thing to decide when making an bogeyman is the source of your character’s abilities: did you seek out your dark path or was it forced upon you by destiny?
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You might have discovered a dark object or accidentally happened into a nexus of otherworldly energies, stumbling into a ritual or coming upon the decaying essence of a dying monster whose cursed power was looking for a new soul to tether itself to.
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Perhaps your character has always sought power regardless of its source, seeking it out with others in a cult or through weird science.
 +
Perhaps an ancestor was a monster and you realized your inherited talents in a moment of panic.  
 +
Perhaps you were an orphan that grew up under the care of another bogeyman, or perhaps you were even abducted. In the gothic stories that inspired this class, an abducted child might redeem a bogeyman abductor or take their curse upon themselves.
  
=== Agents of the Beyond ===
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Other questions relate to society.
While there is certainly a predilection for brutes to fall towards evil, not all of them give in to unnatural compulsions and darker desires—most are driven there by the angry and misunderstanding societies around them. Many of the fell adventurers that resist their inner natures are raised far from civilization or hidden away from the world in utter secrecy, tainted by otherworldly power inherited from their reclusive parents or bestowed upon them by fate and the workings of cults.  
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Did you grow up among people, or were you a bogeyman as a child? This affects which backgrounds make sense for you.
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Did you try to hide from society and remain beneath its notice or choose instead to live far from civilized life, surviving in the wilderness?
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Who—if anyone—knows your truths or helped aid you keep them secret? Perhaps most importantly, does your character feel scorned by society’s treatment of them for their monstrous nature or driven to prove that they are more than their otherworldly appearance suggests?
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What does your adventuring companions think of you?
 +
You cannot keep your identity as a bogeyman secret in the long run, it is best to check with the other players what their attitudes will be and make sure they are ok with you playing a bogeyman.
  
=== Creating an Brute ===
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=== Multiclassing ===
The first thing to decide when making an brute is the source of your character’s abilities: did you seek out your dark path or was it forced upon you by destiny? You might have discovered a dark object or accidentally happened into a nexus of otherworldly energies, stumbling into a ritual or coming upon the decaying essence of a dying monstrous entity looking for a new soul to tether to itself. Perhaps your character has always sought out power regardless of its source, seeking it out with others in a cult and only to be the one to unlock the secrets of the order. Perhaps your parents were brutes and you realized your unnatural inherited talents in a moment of panic. Did you try to hide from society and remain beneath its notice or choose instead to live far from civilized life, surviving in the wilderness? Who—if anyone—knows your truths or helped aid you keep them secret? Perhaps most importantly, does your character feel scorned by society’s treatment of them for their monstrous nature or driven to prove that they are more than their otherworldly appearance suggests?
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You must have a Constitution of 13 to multiclass into or out of this class and multiclassing gives no benefits besides class features.
  
 
== Class Features ==
 
== Class Features ==
As an brute, you gain the following class features.  
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As an bogeyman, you gain the following class features.  
 +
 
 
=== Hit Points ===
 
=== Hit Points ===
* '''Hit Dice:''' 1d8 per brute level  
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* '''Hit Dice:''' 1d12 per bogeyman level  
* '''Hit Points at 1st Level:''' 8 + your Constitution modifier  
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* '''Hit Points at 1st Level:''' 12 + your Constitution modifier  
* '''Hit Points at Higher Levels:''' 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per brute level after 1st  
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* '''Hit Points at Higher Levels:''' 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per bogeyman level after 1st
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=== Proficiencies ===
 
=== Proficiencies ===
* '''Armor:''' Light armor
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* '''Armor:''' None
* '''Weapons:''' Simple weapons  
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* '''Weapons:''' Simple weapons
* '''Tools:''' Ceremonial relics
 
 
* '''Saving Throws:''' Constitution, Charisma  
 
* '''Saving Throws:''' Constitution, Charisma  
* '''Skills:''' Choose two from Athletics, Arcana, Insight, Perception, and Religion
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* '''Skills:''' Choose two from Athletics, Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Religion, and Stealth.
  
 
=== Equipment ===
 
=== Equipment ===
 
You start with the following equipment, in addition to any gear acquired through your background.  
 
You start with the following equipment, in addition to any gear acquired through your background.  
* a dagger or (b) a sickle  
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* (a) a dagger or (b) a sickle  
* a shortbow with 10 arrows or (b) a sling with 15 bullets  
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* (a) a shortbow with 10 arrows or (b) a sling with 15 bullets or (c) 5 javelins.
* a hooded robe and leather armor or (b) studded leather armor
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* a hooded robe  
* 'ceremonial relics
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* (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) scholar’s pack
* an explorer’s pack or (b) scholar’s pack  
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Alternatively you can start with 2d4 x10 gp or 50 gp.
  
=== Dark Strike ===
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== Bogeyman Table ==
Beginning at 1st level, your strikes are imbued with a darkness that allows you to deal more damage with every blow.
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{|class="wikitable"
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|valign="bottom"| '''Level ||valign="bottom"| '''Proficiency Bonus ||valign="bottom"| '''Dark Strike ||valign="bottom"| '''Features
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|-
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|valign="top"| 1st ||valign="top" align=center | +2 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d6 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path, Dark Strike, Dark Ward, Unnatural Scent
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|-
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|valign="top"| 2nd ||valign="top" align=center | +2 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d6 ||valign="top" | Darkvision, Monster Scare (15 feet)
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|-
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|valign="top"| 3rd ||valign="top" align=center | +2 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d6 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|-
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|valign="top"| 4th ||valign="top" align=center | +2 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d6 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 5th ||valign="top" align=center | +3 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d8 ||valign="top" | Extra Attack
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|-
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|valign="top"| 6th ||valign="top" align=center | +3 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d8 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|-
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|valign="top"| 7th ||valign="top" align=center | +3 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d8 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|-
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|valign="top"| 8th ||valign="top" align=center | +3 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d8 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 9th ||valign="top" align=center | +4 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d10 ||valign="top" | Supernatural Movement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 10th ||valign="top" align=center | +4 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d10 ||valign="top" | Monster Scare (30 feet)
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|-
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|valign="top"| 11th ||valign="top" align=center | +4 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d10 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|-
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|valign="top"| 12th ||valign="top" align=center | +4 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d10 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 13th ||valign="top" align=center | +5 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d12 ||valign="top" | Supernatural Movement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 14th ||valign="top" align=center | +5 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d12 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 15th ||valign="top" align=center | +5 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d12 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|-
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|valign="top"| 16th ||valign="top" align=center | +5 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d12 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 17th ||valign="top" align=center | +6 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d20 ||valign="top" | Supernatural Movement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 18th ||valign="top" align=center | +6 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d20 ||valign="top" | Monster Scare (50 feet)
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|-
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|valign="top"| 19th ||valign="top" align=center | +6 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d20 ||valign="top" | Ability Score Improvement
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|-
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|valign="top"| 20th ||valign="top" align=center | +6 ||valign="top" align=center | 1d20 ||valign="top" | Bogeyman Path Feature
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|}
  
For abominations, this is a reflection of the chemistry or fell power that drives you onward. For vampires or werecreatures, it is emblematic of sharpening fang or claw. You gain the following benefits:
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== Class Abilities ==
* You can add your Dexterity or Strength modifier to the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes.
 
* You can roll 1d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain brute levels, as shown in the Dark Strike column of the Brute table.
 
* When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike on your turn, you can spend a bonus action to deal necrotic damage instead of your unarmed strike’s usual damage type. You add your Constitution modifier to attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strike when dealing necrotic damage.
 
  
=== Brute Path ===
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=== Bogeyman Path ===
At 1st level, your supernatural abilities begin to manifest themselves as
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{|class="wikitable" align=right
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|+'''Boogeyman Subclasses
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|-
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|{{ : Boogeyman Subclass (5A) }}
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|}
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At 1st level, your supernatural abilities manifest in the pattern of a famous type of bogeyman.
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Select a Bogeyman Path matching the type of bogeyman you want to be.
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Your bogeyman path grants you features at 1st level and again at 3rd, 6th, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level.
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It also changes your creature type, but unless mentioned specifically you keep your racial features.
  
an abomination, vampire, or werecreature, all detailed at the end of the class description.  
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=== Dark Power ===
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Unless mentioned in a specific ability, when a saving throw is called for against any bogeyman ability, the DC is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.
  
Your brute path grants you features at 1st level and again at 4th, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level.  
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=== Dark Strike ===
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Beginning at 1st level, your strikes are imbued with a dark power that allows you to deal more damage with every blow.
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You gain the following benefits:
 +
* You are proficient with unarmed attacks.
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* You can roll 1d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain bogeyman levels, as shown in the Dark Strike column of the Bogeyman table. Your bogeyman path decides what kind of damage your dark strike inflicts.
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* Your unarmed strikes attacks count as magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
  
=== Supernatural Save ===
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=== Dark Ward ===
At 1st level, you gain proficiency in a saving throw of your choice. You may change which type of saving throw you gain proficiency in by performing an hour long ritual that requires the use of ceremonial relics. At the end of the ritual, make a DC 15 Charisma check. On a success, you may change one type of saving throw proficiency granted by this ability. On a failed check, you cannot change the type of saving throw again for one week. You gain proficiency with an additional type of saving throw at 6th level and again at 18th level.  
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Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, you can choose to use your usual AC or your AC equals 10 + your Constitution bonus + your Proficiency Bonus.
  
=== Devotee of Darkness ===
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=== Unnatural Scent ===
At 2nd level, you gain advantage on your choice of Dexterity (Stealth) checks or Wisdom (Perception) checks made in total darkness. At 4th level you gain advantage in the skill you have not chosen yet. Darkvision At 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet, or the range of your darkvision increases by 60 feet. At 12th level, you gain the ability to see through magical darkness.  
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Creatures of the beast type react negatively to your scent.
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They get restless when they catch your scent, which they do when you come within 30 to 120 feet, depending on their Perception and circumstances such as wind.
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The beasts stir and make noise, but will not attack unless they were already inclined to do so.
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This is mainly a mood thing, but may occasionally be harmful as enemies might be warned of your approach.
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You also gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks against beasts and disadvantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks against beasts until you have worked with them for a full day.
  
=== Dauntless ===
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Humanoids have no special ability to discern that you are a bogeyman, but once they do realize it, they tend to consider you the greatest threat. If they don't run away, they are likely to make you their main target. Since bogeymen are quite sturdy, this is an advantage to your allies.
At 5th level, you gain immunity to the frightened condition. At 10th level, you gain immunity to the charmed condition.  
 
  
=== Extra Attack ===
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=== Darkvision ===
Beginning at 8th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.  
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At 2nd level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet.
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If you already have darkvision, the range of that darkvision increases by 30 feet.  
  
=== Supernatural Movement ===
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=== Monster Scare ===
Starting at 9th level, your walking speed either increases by 20 feet or you gain a new form of movement (a climb speed, swim speed, or fly speed) equal to the speed increase. This bonus to your movement speed or new movement speed increases when you reach certain brute levels, as shown in the Brute table. At 13th and 19th level, you gain one of the benefits of this ability that you have not already chosen.  
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At 2nd level, as an action, you can try to scare all creatures of your choice that you can see in a 10 feet square area adjacent to you.
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Targets must attempt a Wisdom save or become Frightened of you. At the end of each target's turn they can attempt a Wisdom save to end the effect.
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A creature that has successfully saved against this ability will automatically succeed on any saving throw against this ability until you finish a long or short rest.
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At level 10, the size of the area increases to 20 feet.  
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At level 18 it increases to 30 feet.
 +
If you are disguised when do this, you reveal yourself and if you have a separate monster form, you assume that form.
  
=== Toughened Hide ===
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You always have advantage on all Charisma (Intimidation) checks, even when your bogeyman nature is not known.
At 10th level, your AC increases by 1 and you gain resistance to one of the following types of damage: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. At 14th level and again at 18th level, you gain resistance to another type of weapon damage. Magical attacks and silvered weapons ignore this resistance.  
 
  
If you are a werecreature, you gain immunity to one of these damage types instead.  
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=== Ability Score Improvement ===
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When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 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.
 +
If feats are in use, you can replace an ability increase with a feat.
  
=== Otherworldly Shadow ===
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=== Extra Attack ===
At 16th level, you gain resistance to necrotic and psychic damage so long as you consume a specific substance (abomination: a flask of alchemical substances worth 20 gp, vampire: humanoid blood, werewolf: humanoid flesh) each time you take a long rest. At 20th level, this improves to immunity to necrotic damage.  
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Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.  
  
=== Darkened Soul ===
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=== Supernatural Movement ===
At 17th level, you gain the ability to cast darkness as a bonus action, requiring no components. This effect cannot be dispelled, and maintaining it does not require your concentration. The darkness you create lasts for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. After using this ability, you must complete a long rest before it can be used again.
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Starting at 9th level, your movement improves. Choose one of these options:
 
 
= Brute Paths =
 
== Abomination ==
 
You are a creature of occult science or mystery, possibly even a terrifying homunculus of stitchedtogether bodies, driven to monstrous form by forbidden alchemical secrets.
 
 
 
=== Abominable Nature ===
 
Starting at 1st level, you gain resistance to poison damage and immunity to the poisoned condition. You do not need to breathe, eat food, or drink water, though you still require periods of rest similar to sleep. You have disadvantage on Charisma ability checks made against humanoids unsettled by your disturbing appearance and rotting stench.
 
 
 
=== Unnatural Threshold ===
 
Beginning at 4th level, choose from bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. You ignore an amount of damage equal to your proficiency bonus whenever you are hit with an attack that deals this type of damage. If you possess resistance to this damage type, this reduction is applied before that resistance.
 
 
 
=== Rampaging Brute ===
 
At 7th level, you gain advantage on attack rolls made against objects and deal double damage when using your Strength to damage an object.
 
 
 
=== Strange Resistance ===
 
Starting at 11th level, choose one type of energy that is not necrotic, poison, or psychic. You gain resistance to this type of energy. Alternatively, you may choose to gain immunity to this type of energy but you also gain vulnerability to a different energy type of the GM’s choice. This vulnerability may not be a damage type you are already resistant, vulnerable, or immune to.
 
 
 
=== Unbreakable Senses ===
 
Beginning at 15th, you gain immunity to the blinded, deafened, and exhaustion conditions. Unstoppable Abomination When you reach 20th level, you gain immunity to the paralyzed, petrified, and stunned conditions, and you gain a number of hit points equal to your level.  
 
 
 
== Vampire ==
 
Infused with unholy energies and driven by a thirst for blood, you are becoming a master of the night, one of the most powerful types of undead.
 
 
 
=== Bloodsucker ===
 
Starting at 1st level, you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. You gain vulnerability to radiant damage; at the GM’s discretion, you may choose instead to take an amount of damage equal to your proficiency bonus each turn you are in sunlight. You are no longer considered a humanoid, instead gaining the Undead type. Once you gain this feature, you grow two sharp fangs. You regain 1d4 hit points whenever you use your fangs to deliver a Dark Strike.
 
 
 
=== Darkness Form ===
 
Beginning at 4th level, if you aren’t in sunlight or running water, you can use an action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist. Anything you are wearing transforms with you, but nothing you are carrying does. You can stay in bat or mist form for a number of hours equal to half your brute level (rounded down), after which you revert to your normal form. You also revert if you fall unconscious, die, or spend a bonus action to end your transformation early. You can use this feature twice between short or long rests.
 
 
 
While in bat form, you can’t speak, your walking speed is 5 feet, and you have a flying speed of 30 feet. Your statistics, other than size and speed, are unchanged. While in mist form, you can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless, have a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, you can do so without squeezing; however, you can’t pass through water at all. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and you are immune to all nonmagical damage. When in sunlight, you take 10 radiant damage at the start of each of your turns. Once you gain this feature, you take 20 acid damage whenever you enter running water for the first time on your turn or begin your turn immersed or partly immersed in running water.
 
 
 
=== Charm ===
 
Starting at 7th level, you can spend an action to target one humanoid you can see within 30 feet. If the target can see you, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma bonus) or be charmed by you. The charmed target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under your control, it interprets your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for your Dark Strike attack. Each time you or your companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until you are destroyed, are on a different plane of existence than the target, or take a bonus action to end the effect. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest. Once you gain this feature, you can’t enter a private residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. You can enter inns, stores, and other public places without an invitation.
 
 
 
=== Children of the ===
 
Night Beginning at 11th level, you can spend an action to magically call 1d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. Outdoors, you can call 2d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as your allies and obeying your spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until you die, or until you dismiss them as a bonus action. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest. When you reach 16th level, you can call 2d4 swarms when indoors or 3d6 wolves outdoors. Escaping Mist Starting at 15th level you establish a resting place and imbue a coffin with unholy power. When you drop to 0 hit points outside your resting place, you transform into a cloud of mist (as in the Darkness Forms feature) instead of falling unconscious, provided that you aren’t in sunlight or running water. If you can’t transform, you are destroyed. While you have 0 hit points in mist form, you can’t revert to your normal form, and you must reach your resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in your resting place, you revert to your normal form. You are then paralyzed until you regain at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in your resting place with 0 hit points, you regain 1 hit point. Once you gain this feature, you take 2d6 psychic damage whenever you look upon a holy symbol.
 
  
=== Master of the Night ===
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* Your land speed increases by 10 feet. You can take this option multiple times.
When you reach 20th level, you regain 20 hit points at the start of your turn if you have at least 1 hit point and aren’t in sunlight or running water. If you take radiant damage or damage from holy water, this feature doesn’t function at the start of your next turn.  
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* You gain a burrowing speed equal to half your land speed. You can move through dirt, soil, and clay, but not brick, stone, or mortar.
 +
* You gain a climb speed equal to your land speed.
 +
* You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed and the ability to breathe water.
 +
* You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed.
 +
* You can hover (prerequisite: Fly speed).
  
== Werecreature ==
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You can choose again at level 13 and 17. You can choose speed increase several times, but each of the other options can only be picked once.
You are filled with animalistic fury and cursed with a strange form of lycanthropy that changes you into a beast when the full moon hangs high in the sky.  
 
  
=== Lycanthropic Forms ===
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== Designer's Notes ==
Beginning at 1st level, you can use an action to polymorph into a beast-humanoid hybrid or into a beast (bear, boar, tiger, rat, or wolf; this is chosen when you take this Occult Path and cannot be changed), or back into your true form. While in hybrid or beast form your AC increases by an amount equal to half your proficiency bonus. Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment you aren’t wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. You revert to your true form if you die. When the moon is full, you cannot assume human form. You can only use your Dark Strike while in hybrid or beast form. Your Dark Strike takes the form of a bite or a claw attack.
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=== Additional Ideas ===
 +
* Revenant (ends up incorporeal)
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* Seelie Fey
  
=== Keen Senses ===
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=== What Makes a Good Boogieman Subclass ===
Starting at 4th level, you gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.  
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Not all classic monsters do well as Boogieman subclasses. Here are a few pointers.
  
=== Lycanthropic Hide ===
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'''Size
Beginning at 7th level, while in hybrid or beast form you gain resistance to any bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons.  
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A boogieman cannot be permanently larger than Medium size. It is simply too inconvenient. You will see that several subclasses can grow and gain power by growing - which is balanced by the inconvenience of size.
  
=== Powerful Leaps ===
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'''Class
Starting at 11th level, while in hybrid or beast form you quadruple the distance of any jumps you make.  
+
A boogieman cannot dip deep into the abilities of another class. If you want to build a lich, you could combine wizard/sorcerer with revenant to, but you cannot make a lich subclass. It simply would not be fair to wizards.
  
=== Corrupting Fangs ===
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'''Tank
Beginning at 15th level, you may force a humanoid damaged by your Dark Strike (if performed as a bite) to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma bonus) or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target may make a new saving throw at the end of each of their turns. If the target is poisoned in this way for a full minute, it falls unconscious for 24 hours. The target only awakens early if its spreading lycanthropy is purged by a remove curse or greater restoration spell. Otherwise, after 24 hours, the target awakens as a lycanthrope of the same type as you (werebear, wereboar, weretiger, wererat, or werewolf) under the GM’s control. Once you have used this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest. 
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The boogieman has a d12 hit points.  
=== Master Werecreature ===
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Sure, hit dice is not everything when it comes to defense, but it is a strong clue.
When you reach 20th level, your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24. Additionally, your Keen Senses and Improved Lycanthropic Hide features can all be used in human form.
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The boogieman is a tank, and the subclass should not break too far out of that archetype.

Latest revision as of 22:47, 5 January 2024

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Shrouded in darkness, the bogeyman approaches the lone child being kicked and bullied. Revealing itself with a roar, the bogeyman makes a mock charge, causing the bullies to flee before picking up the limp body. Slowly nursing the child to health in the perfect darkness of its cave lair, dreading the day he will reach out to touch the monstrous face or realize the helping hand is a claw.

Source: En5ider 83, heavily rewritten.

Bogeymen are men and women who have become the dark things that stalk in the night. Empowered by mystical rituals, unnatural science, or otherworldly forces, bogeymen are thought by most to be dangerous and are shunned and feared by society.

Bogeymen are the stuff of dark secrets and fell power, things of legend and forbidden lore. Becoming one of these otherworldly creatures is sometimes the ultimate goal of a cultist, drinking the blood of an existing monster or engaging in strange rituals to fully realize their power. To others it is a curse bestowed by bloodline or destiny, a burden that strengthens them through hardship. While many bogeymen to fall to evil or are driven there by the angry and misunderstanding society around them, but not all of them give in to their darker desires—some, some survive all this to emerge as monstrous heroes.

Creating an Bogeyman

The first thing to decide when making an bogeyman is the source of your character’s abilities: did you seek out your dark path or was it forced upon you by destiny? You might have discovered a dark object or accidentally happened into a nexus of otherworldly energies, stumbling into a ritual or coming upon the decaying essence of a dying monster whose cursed power was looking for a new soul to tether itself to. Perhaps your character has always sought power regardless of its source, seeking it out with others in a cult or through weird science. Perhaps an ancestor was a monster and you realized your inherited talents in a moment of panic. Perhaps you were an orphan that grew up under the care of another bogeyman, or perhaps you were even abducted. In the gothic stories that inspired this class, an abducted child might redeem a bogeyman abductor or take their curse upon themselves.

Other questions relate to society. Did you grow up among people, or were you a bogeyman as a child? This affects which backgrounds make sense for you. Did you try to hide from society and remain beneath its notice or choose instead to live far from civilized life, surviving in the wilderness? Who—if anyone—knows your truths or helped aid you keep them secret? Perhaps most importantly, does your character feel scorned by society’s treatment of them for their monstrous nature or driven to prove that they are more than their otherworldly appearance suggests? What does your adventuring companions think of you? You cannot keep your identity as a bogeyman secret in the long run, it is best to check with the other players what their attitudes will be and make sure they are ok with you playing a bogeyman.

Multiclassing

You must have a Constitution of 13 to multiclass into or out of this class and multiclassing gives no benefits besides class features.

Class Features

As an bogeyman, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

  • Hit Dice: 1d12 per bogeyman level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per bogeyman level after 1st

Proficiencies

  • Armor: None
  • Weapons: Simple weapons
  • Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Religion, and Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to any gear acquired through your background.

  • (a) a dagger or (b) a sickle
  • (a) a shortbow with 10 arrows or (b) a sling with 15 bullets or (c) 5 javelins.
  • a hooded robe
  • (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) scholar’s pack

Alternatively you can start with 2d4 x10 gp or 50 gp.

Bogeyman Table

Level Proficiency Bonus Dark Strike Features
1st +2 1d6 Bogeyman Path, Dark Strike, Dark Ward, Unnatural Scent
2nd +2 1d6 Darkvision, Monster Scare (15 feet)
3rd +2 1d6 Bogeyman Path Feature
4th +2 1d6 Ability Score Improvement
5th +3 1d8 Extra Attack
6th +3 1d8 Bogeyman Path Feature
7th +3 1d8 Bogeyman Path Feature
8th +3 1d8 Ability Score Improvement
9th +4 1d10 Supernatural Movement
10th +4 1d10 Monster Scare (30 feet)
11th +4 1d10 Bogeyman Path Feature
12th +4 1d10 Ability Score Improvement
13th +5 1d12 Supernatural Movement
14th +5 1d12 Ability Score Improvement
15th +5 1d12 Bogeyman Path Feature
16th +5 1d12 Ability Score Improvement
17th +6 1d20 Supernatural Movement
18th +6 1d20 Monster Scare (50 feet)
19th +6 1d20 Ability Score Improvement
20th +6 1d20 Bogeyman Path Feature

Class Abilities

Bogeyman Path

Boogeyman Subclasses
  1. Aberration
  2. AbominationEN
  3. Automaton
  4. Dragonling
  5. Elemental
  6. Ghoul
  7. Godling
  8. Jinni
  9. LycanthropeEN
  10. Possessed
  11. Revenant
  12. Slime
  13. Unseelie
  14. VampireEN

At 1st level, your supernatural abilities manifest in the pattern of a famous type of bogeyman. Select a Bogeyman Path matching the type of bogeyman you want to be. Your bogeyman path grants you features at 1st level and again at 3rd, 6th, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level. It also changes your creature type, but unless mentioned specifically you keep your racial features.

Dark Power

Unless mentioned in a specific ability, when a saving throw is called for against any bogeyman ability, the DC is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.

Dark Strike

Beginning at 1st level, your strikes are imbued with a dark power that allows you to deal more damage with every blow. You gain the following benefits:

  • You are proficient with unarmed attacks.
  • You can roll 1d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike. This die changes as you gain bogeyman levels, as shown in the Dark Strike column of the Bogeyman table. Your bogeyman path decides what kind of damage your dark strike inflicts.
  • Your unarmed strikes attacks count as magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Dark Ward

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, you can choose to use your usual AC or your AC equals 10 + your Constitution bonus + your Proficiency Bonus.

Unnatural Scent

Creatures of the beast type react negatively to your scent. They get restless when they catch your scent, which they do when you come within 30 to 120 feet, depending on their Perception and circumstances such as wind. The beasts stir and make noise, but will not attack unless they were already inclined to do so. This is mainly a mood thing, but may occasionally be harmful as enemies might be warned of your approach. You also gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks against beasts and disadvantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks against beasts until you have worked with them for a full day.

Humanoids have no special ability to discern that you are a bogeyman, but once they do realize it, they tend to consider you the greatest threat. If they don't run away, they are likely to make you their main target. Since bogeymen are quite sturdy, this is an advantage to your allies.

Darkvision

At 2nd level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, the range of that darkvision increases by 30 feet.

Monster Scare

At 2nd level, as an action, you can try to scare all creatures of your choice that you can see in a 10 feet square area adjacent to you. Targets must attempt a Wisdom save or become Frightened of you. At the end of each target's turn they can attempt a Wisdom save to end the effect. A creature that has successfully saved against this ability will automatically succeed on any saving throw against this ability until you finish a long or short rest. At level 10, the size of the area increases to 20 feet. At level 18 it increases to 30 feet. If you are disguised when do this, you reveal yourself and if you have a separate monster form, you assume that form.

You always have advantage on all Charisma (Intimidation) checks, even when your bogeyman nature is not known.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 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. If feats are in use, you can replace an ability increase with a feat.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Supernatural Movement

Starting at 9th level, your movement improves. Choose one of these options:

  • Your land speed increases by 10 feet. You can take this option multiple times.
  • You gain a burrowing speed equal to half your land speed. You can move through dirt, soil, and clay, but not brick, stone, or mortar.
  • You gain a climb speed equal to your land speed.
  • You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed and the ability to breathe water.
  • You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed.
  • You can hover (prerequisite: Fly speed).

You can choose again at level 13 and 17. You can choose speed increase several times, but each of the other options can only be picked once.

Designer's Notes

Additional Ideas

  • Revenant (ends up incorporeal)
  • Seelie Fey

What Makes a Good Boogieman Subclass

Not all classic monsters do well as Boogieman subclasses. Here are a few pointers.

Size A boogieman cannot be permanently larger than Medium size. It is simply too inconvenient. You will see that several subclasses can grow and gain power by growing - which is balanced by the inconvenience of size.

Class A boogieman cannot dip deep into the abilities of another class. If you want to build a lich, you could combine wizard/sorcerer with revenant to, but you cannot make a lich subclass. It simply would not be fair to wizards.

Tank The boogieman has a d12 hit points. Sure, hit dice is not everything when it comes to defense, but it is a strong clue. The boogieman is a tank, and the subclass should not break too far out of that archetype.