Hengeyokai (5A)

Starfox's 5th Edition Fan Page

This is an original Sorcerous Origin for 5A.

Hengeyokai is a group of supernatural creatures in Japanese mythology, shape-changing animals capable of taking human form. Here, it has been rendered as a type of shape-changing sorcerer that can be a human or anthropomorphic animal that learns to shape-shift and other magical powers.

Hengeyokai are shape-shifters, capable of taking animal, human, and hybrid humanoid animal forms. A hengeyokai can be a human that can assume an animal and hybrid form, an anthropomorphic animal that can assume human and animal form, or conceptually an animal that can take human or anthropomorphic forms, tough in game therms this would be either a human or an anthropomorphic animal.

Greyhawk Anthropomorphic animals have a strong presence in Nippon and Wrang. Hengeyokai are most common in these areas, but they also exist in other places, particularly the Celestial Empire.

Racial Limits

Depending on the setting, hengeyokai have racial limits. The most suitable races to be hengeyokai are antropomorphic animals, such as Aarakocra, Aven, Centaur, Giff, Hadozee, Harengon, Hybsil, Kenku, Khenra, Kitsune , Leonin, Locathah, Owlin, Sagittarian, Satyr, Tabaxi, and Tortle. Humans can also be hengeyokai, but to do so they must associate themselves very strongly with a particular animal. Potentially other kinds of creatures could become hengeyokai, replacing the human form in the Animal Forms ability with whatever is the creature's natural form.

Subclass Features

Hengeyokai Spells

Starting at 1st level, you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Hengeyokai Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.

Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be from the bard or sorcerer spell list or a wizard spell of the illusion or transmutation schools.

Aberrant Mind Spells

Sorcerer Level	Spells
1	Animal Friendship, Speak with Animals
3	Alter Self, Summon Beast
5	Aura of Vitality, Nondetection
7	Charm Monster, Polymorph
9	Commune with Nature, Dream

Animal Forms

Starting at level 1 you can use a bonus action to change form into three different shapes, a human shape, and an anthropomorphic animal form. Each is detailed below.

Animal Form. When you first gain this ability, select a beast with a challenge of 1/2 or less. Typical hengeyokai animals are foxes, crows, badgers, sparrows, and tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog), but any animal from tiny to large in size can be the animal form.

You can change into the form of this beast. Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the chosen beast. You retain your alignment and personality, mental ability scores and related skills, and hit points.

You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of this new form, and you can’t speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech.

Your gear melds into the new form. You can’t activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.

Anthropomorphic Form. You can assume the form of a humanoid with traits that are a mix of human and animal. If your normal form is a human, this is mostly a cosmetic effect, an additional option where you assume an alternate shape, but still retain your human abilities.

If your natural form is that of an anthropomorphic animal, this is your natural form and you have access to all your normal abilities.

Human. You can assume a human form. If you are human, this is your natural form and you have access to all your normal abilities. If you are an anthropomorphic animal, you lose any abilities related to senses, such as darkvision or advantage on rolls for certain senses.

This is a work in progress.

Centering

Beginning at 6th level, you can take a minute to use any artisan's tool proficiency, musical instrument proficiency, Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, or Perform to center yourself. You regain a number of sorcery points equal to your proficiency bonus in the skill, tool or instrument used. After centering you cannot have more sorcery points than your starting value. You can use centering only once and recharge the ability at the end of a long rest.

You also learn the Subtle Spell metamagic. If you already know this metamagic, you learn another metamagic of your choice. When you use Subtle Spell, the spell requires no material components unless the components are consumed by the spell.

Mystic Alliance

At 14th level, when you or an ally within 1 mile fails an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can use a reaction to grant a bonus on that saving throw equal to your proficiency bonus. You must see or be in Mystic Telepathy with the ally.

You can now use Mystic Telepathy to establish telepathic communication with any willing creature you have ever used Mystic Telepathy with, regardless of range. The target is aware it is you seeking contact and can accept or decline.

Universe of Thought

At 18th level, you can cast spells on creatures you are in Mystic Telepathy contact with as if you were touching them, regardless of range and even on other planes of existence. Target can end the Mystic Telepathy after you cast a spell on them.