Shaman

     The Shaman is a mediator between the realms of mortals and the realms of the spirits. He is also an enforcer of the celestial order and watches for transgressions on both sides. The duty of a Shaman includes guarding places of power, such as graveyards, sacred sites and shrines, as well as keeping malicious spirits, ghosts and those who overstep their bounds at bay.

     A Shaman’s power is granted by the spirits and most have various allies from different realms to call upon. Consequently, all Shamans follow an animistic faith, often becoming Shinto priests, practising Fuusui (Feng Shui), or even elder folk religions.

Hit Dice and Ability Scores
The Shaman uses d8 Hit Dice.

     Wisdom and Charisma are the Shaman’s most prominent abilities, as their role includes a lot of common sense, willpower and diplomacy when interacting with the spirits. A fair share of Intelligence is useful if one has to eventually learn the names of all the spirits and the tenets they follow.

Class  Skills and Skill Points

The Shaman’s class skills (and the key Ability for each) are:

Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (Arcane, Occult, Religion) - Int), Listen (Wis), Medical (Wis), Perform (Cha), Power Usage (varies), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Languages (Int), Archery (N/A), Melee Attack (N/A), Melee Defence (N/A), Thrown Weapons (N/A), Unarmed Defence (N/A)

The Shaman gets 4 + Int modifier Skill Points per level.

Special Note

     Urban Shamans sometimes learn the Computer Scanning Attribute, while those roaming rural areas or the wilderness prefer Alternate Forms (typically that of animals). Territorial Shamans usually have a Place of Power and some Flunkies nearby, whereas roving Shamans often carry Items of Power.

     A Shaman’s Pet Monster Attribute always allows her to summon an allied spirit.

by CoffeeFiend
written for Campaign Setting "Big Darkness, Small World"