Therion
The smell of rust and blood fills the air like an unforgiving miasma, its scent most pungent near the bloodied gnome. While his eyes could barely see through the crimson rain flowing down his head, Rurgut knew the last drake was still near, adamant in killing the small folk that killed its siblings. He could hear the hoarse clicks of its tongue echo around the cavern, a sign the dragon was calculating its next strike, a decisive blow to finish the gnome.
Without as much time as to even blink, Rurgut found the nerves in his arm scream as dozens of fangs ripped into his flesh, before the pain roared at his shoulder as the arm was ripped off. The mercenary turned, grabbing hold onto the exposed drake's horn as it trashed away, realizing its mistake as the gnome pried the drakes jaw wide open with his legs. Its desperate hisses were drowned out as Rurgut's screams filled the cavern, letting the drake watch as a new clawed arm emerged from his bleeding stump.
"I'll be taking back what's mine." He rasped, forcing his new arm into the drake's open jaw.
The cavern was once again a symphony of noise, rocks crashing and stalagmites falling as the two thrashed. Soon, it fell to silence. Rurgut rested in the drake's cracked maw, his lost arm in one hand and the dragon's heart now half-eaten in his other. As he finished the still-beating meat, he winced as his vision blurred, feeling his eyes warp before providing him a vision akin to the dark-dwelling drakes
He smiled. New arms, new eyes. Just what else could his body do?
Art by Karmacores!
Be it the lab experiments of cruel wizards, individuals touched by special lycanthropic curses, or simple farmers who found themselves eating food corrupted by the plane of Chaos, therions fulfill their names, gradually becoming more and more akin to monsters as they grow.
Warped Body
Creatures of terror and change, therions are individuals who have awakened the capability to alter their body and mind, sacrificing a part of their being for a deeper touch with the wild and ones own flesh. They embody and manifest the many dangers found outside civilization, warping themselves to adapt and overcome their obstacles. This adaptability can manifest in dozens of ways, ranging from ordinary gills, claws, or horns, with more capable therions being able to manifest powers only accessible through selective kinds of creatures.
Fading Humanity
Therions are often feared by common folks, with bounties often placed to hunt down those thought to be one. This need to move around to avoid being killed often leads therions to join adventuring parties, where such groups are often already outcasts in mundane societies. To those with magic bloodlines or a connection to higher powers, a person capable of twisting their form may be hardly out of the ordinary for them. Such groups and companionship may be what keeps a therion from fully losing their humanity and becoming the danger others seem them as.
Creating a Therion
When creating a therion, the two most important things to consider is how they came to gain these monstrous abilities, and what do they seek now that they have them? Were these powers sought out, or were they the victim of terrible circumstances? Do they wish to seek how far these powers can grow, or do they seek out a way to quell these mutations?
You choose with your DM how your character came to be a therion, and can use Therion Origin table as possible inspirations for your class origins.
Therion Origin
| d8 | Origin |
|---|---|
| 1 | A shapeshifting creature has bonded to your flesh and spirit, granting you surnatural abilities as well as its enemies. |
| 2 | Your parents were great hunters who fed entirely on the strange monsters in the land nearby. Such a diet, continued for years, has made you a part of what you have consumed. |
| 3 | It is said you share a great lineage with powerful non-humanoid beings, but this lineage has not provided their magic. It has provided you their flesh. |
| 4 | Your rich parents sought out any healer who could cure the incurable within you. They found someone capable of doing so, but their ritualistic treatment has left your body... unstable. |
| 5 | In killing a great beast of the wild, you were cursed to slowly become a feral monster. You already appear half-human half-monster, and you seek a way to control this curse before it consumes you. |
| 6 | You found yourself trapped in the plane of chaos, be it for seconds, hours, weeks, or months. You managed to survive, but its energy has permeated your blood and soul. |
| 7 | You were a being cursed into a humanoid form, your mutations being your previous form wishing to break free. |
| 8 | You were fashioned to become a champion of an old god, be it willingly or not. |
Art by Kinseviing!
Class Features
As a therion, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per therion level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per therion level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Animal Handling, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow with 20 bolts or (b) four light axes
- Any simple weapon
- (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail
- (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
- two daggers
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Mutation Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Brute Mutations, Defensive Vigor | 2 |
| 2nd | +2 | Survival Instincts | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Manifestation, Metamorphosis | 4 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Smell out Death | 6 |
| 6th | +3 | Manifestation feature, Monstrous Power | 6 |
| 7th | +3 | Bloodied Horror | 8 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 9th | +4 | Rip and Tear (1 die) | 10 |
| 10th | +4 | Manifestation feature | 10 |
| 11th | +4 | Greater Metamorphosis | 12 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability School Improvement | 12 |
| 13th | +5 | Rip and Tear (2) | 14 |
| 14th | +5 | Manifestation feature | 14 |
| 15th | +5 | Master of Flesh | 16 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 16 |
| 17th | +6 | Rip and Tear (3) | 18 |
| 18th | +6 | Constant Growth | 18 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 20 |
| 20th | +6 | Truly a Monster | 22 |
Quick Build
You can quickly create a therion by following these suggestions. Make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending if you want to play as a brute monster or an agile one. Your next highest score should be Constitution. Finally, choose the Haunted One or Hermit background.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose the therion as one of the classes.
- Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least a 13 Strength or Dexterity to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a therion.
- Proficiencies Gained. If therion isn't your initial class, you gain one proficiency of your choice from its class skills.
Brute Mutations
1st-level Therion feature
Your inner monstrosity has revealed itself to you, allowing you to morph your body in various ways. Your monstrous capabilities are represented by mutation points. Your therion level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Mutation Points column of the Therion table.
You can spend these points to gain various mutations that provide new powers, attacks, and even spells. The list of mutations you can choose from are detailed on the Brute Mutations page.
Additionally, whenever you gain a level in this class, you can choose to lose one of the mutations you currently have, at which point you regain the mutation points spent on it and can then spend them on other available mutations.
If the mutation has a manifestation requirement, you must be playing that subclass to learn it. If a mutation has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to obtain that mutation.
If the mutation requires another mutation, you must have the latter to be able to use your new mutation. As such, a Superior mutation requires its Greater, Improved, and base equivalents.
If a feature refers to a mutation attack, it refers to any mutations you can obtain that provide a new way of attacking.
Defensive Vigor
1st-level Therion feature
You can use your Constitution modifier, rather than your Dexterity modifier, for the purposes of calculating your Armor Class while unarmored or while wearing light or medium armor.
Survival Instincts
2nd-level Therion feature
You have heightened your instincts in a specific manner to ensure your survival. Choose one of the following options:
- Fight. Upon missing a mutation attack, you can attempt to attack that target again with one of your mutation attacks. On a hit, you don't add your ability modifier to this damage roll.
- Flight. You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action. When you use your action to Disengage, you gain extra movement equal to half your movement speed.
- Freeze. You have advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone or forcefully moved. You also have advantage on ability checks made to hide.
- Fawn. You gain proficiency in two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Deception, Insight, Performance, or Persuasion.
Manifestation
3rd-level Therion feature
You manifest unique attributes from a certain monster type, forever altering your body. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
| Aberrant Manifestation |
| Beastial Manifestation |
| Draconic Manifestation |
| Ooze Manifestation |
| Plant Manifestation |
Metamorphosis
3rd-level Therion feature
You can let yourself go and become more monster than man. As a bonus action, you transform, gaining the following benefits for the next minute:
- Roll a number of d4's equal to your half your level in this class (rounded up). You gain the total + your Constitution modifier as temporary hit points.
- You gain a 1-point mutation of your choice.
- You change your creature type to your Manifestation's creature type.
- As an action, you can consume a corpse within 5 feet of you, regaining one spent hit dice. This corpse must be at least your size or one size smaller.
This feature ends early if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or end it early (no action required).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Therion feature
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.
Extra Attack
5th-level Therion feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Smell Out Death
5th-level Therion feature
You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception, Survival) checks made to find creatures that are missing hit points.
Monstrous Power
6th-level Therion feature
Attacks and weapons you possess thanks to your mutations count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Feral Instinct
7th-level Therion feature
Your mind has grown strong suppressing your monstrous urges from overflowing, but these urges begin to take over when you are in danger. You are proficient in Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws when you have more than half your hit points. Once you reach a number of hit points equal to or lower than half your hit point maximum, you instead gain proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
Rip and Tear
9th-level Therion feature
You can reroll one of your damage dice and choose between either roll each time you attack. This increases to up to two rerolls at 13th level and three rerolls at 17th level.
Greater Metamorphosis
11th-level Therion feature
Your Metamorphosis now lasts for up to 10 minutes. Furthermore, each time you use the feature, you gain one of the following benefits of your choice:
- You roll d8's for temporary hit points.
- You instead gain a mutation of your choice, so long as the cost is equal or lower than half your proficiency bonus (rounded up).
- For the duration, one Ability Score of your choice, bar Constitution, increases by 2.
Master of Flesh
15th-level Therion feature
Your body's constant growth and change grants you immunity to any spell or effect that would unwillingly alter your form, and you only physically age 1 year for every 10 years that pass.
Constant Growth
18th-level Therion feature
Uou gain an amount of hit points equal to double your Constitution modifier (minimum of +2) at the start of each of your turns if you have no more than half of your hit points. You don't gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.
Truly a Monster
20th-level Therion feature
You have mastered your mutations and can freely change between them without extensive periods of time. Each time you finish a short or long rest, you can choose one of the mutations you have and either replace it with another mutation of the same cost, or dissolve it into its cost of mutation points.
Once per long rest, you can do this as a bonus action.
