Atavist

A
n armored frontlining human takes blow after
blow, and when she begins to weaken, she
becomes all the more savage - hitting harder,
striking faster, dying slower. A wounded dog is
lethal, but a wounded atavist is a bloody
nightmare. With caution halfway around the
world, she wounds her own arm, but the enemy
falls to the ground as he takes all the pain. Another foe comes
near, but inding her only stronger than she was previous.
An orc throws more than his all into each blow, hurting
himself in a magical effort to strengthen his blows, but knows
it's not enough. He stills and lets the alien forces take over his
mind, as his body coalesces into a single strip of lesh, and ive
hairs grow from his head, like tentacles, but sprout mouths
on the ends - arms thinning, skin stretching into wings, and
he takes light through the masses.
The ireball rounds the corners of the maze, the wizard's foul
ire chasing his would be killer down the hall, but a sacri icial
slight crippling of his arm gives him the power he needs to
dodge out of the iery current.
No matter their upbringing, race, culture, or even time
period, atavists are united by their ability to make use of their
own vitality in their weaponplay. There may have been
bloodlines at one point, but those are gone now.

Old, Vengeful, and Scattered

Before iron, before the blade, before organized cities, there
were the atavists - using the only tools they had available, their
bodies, and their magic. In tandem, they use these dual aspects
to protect, to conquer, to hunt monsters, or to achieve any other
ends.
These people build on failure. They take their combat
training of re lexive attacks when they're hurt and apply it to
their lives: those that wrong atavists should know they
will be struck back ten times harder. Some atavists even enjoy
being attacked, hurt or betrayed, and use it as an excuse to hit
back.
Atavists can come from anywhere in the world: tribes,
kingdoms, royalty, or gutter poor; however, those peoples that
trend towards using hemomancy and other necrotic, vitality-
affected powers would seem to have a higher chance of a child
with atavistic powers.

The Origin of Hemomancy

Magic that drains and takes from you is a studied and
developed ield that comes from atavists irst. They are the
beginning of what started it. But, what started the atavists?
The power to use one's own body in a general sense has been
around; well, forever. Atavism is tied and twisted around that
idea. To those born with the talent, it's no more dif icult than
training an instrument for others - the inclination was born into
them. However, many atavists were not simply born with it -
through the prowess of a strong blood warrior, a child can be
formed and shaped physically, giving him or her a much higher
chance of developing atavistic powers. It's up to you to decide
how you obtained this talent.

THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 1

 Powers without Direction
Many classes in Dungeons and Dragons have a clear indication
and will for what a member would be doing - wizards study
magic, paladins take up the cause of righteousness, and clerics
serve their gods. But, many atavists have no such direction. If
your character was ingrained with these powers through a
blood rite, the question is, why?
The same question exists for those who were born with the
abilities. Are you part of some tangential, many-webbed plan of
a deity or another powerful being, or was it just chance?
If you don't know the answers - like many of those in the
world do not know the purpose of their lives - you decide it.
Maybe you don't care, and you focus on what you want and how
you can get it in the future, instead of dwelling on the past.

Circumstantial Equivocators
The magic used (or abused) by atavists is sometimes
questionable at best, and when under close examination, can
often be found to be a type that is commonly disowned,
unsupported, and generally looked down on. However, this
usually is not true in all parts of the world - perhaps you have
had bad traveling experiences because of it, or you've never
been in a place where you've been shunned; perhaps the
opposite.
If you have hidden your powers, or put them to an unusual
cause, what effect has that had on how con ident your character
is? Would 'I was born like this' as a defense have held up
wherever you came from?

Creating an Atavist
The most important question to consider when creating your
atavist is the effect that their powers have had on them - and
how those effects and powers were treated by those around
you. Did you lose sets of friends due to fearful ignorance? Did
your family embrace and accept you for who you are, or did
they turn a blind eye to your powers and hope they - or maybe
you altogether - would disappear?
Atavists are known for their rigid health, physicality, and
aptitude for circumstantially evil magics. Certain sages and
other scholars would love to study you, or those with the same
motives and less morals may pose a danger to you; maybe they
already have. Do you wish you could hide or remove your
power? Or do you want to defeat the stereotype you're applied
to and be a hero?
After your journey begins as an atavist, it might happen upon
a new road. Are you a brutal warrior who wants to be attacked -
a jaded, wearied soldier who will never fall? Are you a hopeful
and strong warrior that has fallen to af lictions of the mind; the
in luence of strange beings, that are a cursed blessing? Or are
you a ruthless killer, lethal and weaponized, who will not stop
to get what they want?

Quick Build
You can make a atavist quickly by following these suggestions.
First, Constitution should be your highest ability score,
followed by Strength or Dexterity (if you want to focus on
melee or ranged weapons respectively). Second, choose the
Soldier background.

2 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW

 The Atavist
—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
Proficiency
Level Bonus Features 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +2 Rend Ichor, Unstopping Heart — — — — —
2nd +2 Spellcasting, Hardened Viscera 2 — — — —
3rd +2 Atavistic Aspect 3 — — — —
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 — — — —
5th +3 Avenging Attack 4 2 — — —
6th +3 Atavistic Aspect feature, Humansbane (CR 1/2) 4 2 — — —
7th +3 Greater Viscera, Rend Dice (2d4) 4 3 — — —
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 — — —
9th +4 — 4 3 2 — —
10th +4 Atavistic Aspect feature, Humansbane (CR 1) 4 3 2 — —
11th +4 Extra Attack 4 3 3 — —
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 — —
13th +5 — 4 3 3 1 —
14th +5 Sanguine Sacraments (5th level), Humansbane (CR 2) 4 3 3 1 —
15th +5 Rend Dice (3d4) 4 3 3 2 —
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 2 —
17th +6 Sanguine Sacraments (6th level) 4 3 3 3 1
18th +6 Atavistic Aspect feature, Humansbane (CR 3) 4 3 3 3 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 3 3 3 2
20th +6 Nigh Immortality, Sanguine Sacraments (7th level) 4 3 3 3 2

Class Features Multiclassing

The prerequisites for multiclassing into an atavist is a Strength
As an atavist, you gain the following class features. and a Constitution score of 13. When you multiclass into
atavist, you gain pro iciency in light armor, medium armor,
Hit Points shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. When
Hit Dice: 1d4 per atavist level determining your total spell slots, you add one half of your
Hit Points at 1st Level: 4 + your Constitution modi ier atavist levels (rounded down) to the total.
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d4 (or 3) + your Constitution
modi ier per atavist level after 1st. Rend Ichor
You can tap into your raw health to bolster your effects on the
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields world. You have a rend die which powers certain class features,
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons which is a d4. When you rend, you roll this die and lose hit
Tools: None points equal to the result. You can never rend more than once
for a rend effect unless the effect says so.
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Any time that a feature says that you can rend to a roll, it
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, means that you can rend yourself and add the result of the rend
Arcana, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Survival die to the roll. You can rend yourself to damage rolls of melee
and thrown weapon attacks. There is no limit on how many
times you may rend per turn - for example, if you are two-
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the weapon ighting, you can rend for the damage of each attack.
equipment granted by your background: At 7th level, you can rend to Strength, Dexterity, and
Constitution saving throws, and your rend dice increase to 2d4.
(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor At 15th level, they equal 3d4.
(a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any martial weapon
(a) a greataxe or (b) a battleaxe and shield
(a) an explorer's pack or (b) a priest's pack
Unstopping Heart
Once per turn, when you would be reduced to 0 hitpoints
Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment here and in your because of rend damage, you are instead reduced to 1 hitpoint.
background, and buy 4d4 × 10gp worth of equipment from Additionally, you are pro icient in Death saving throws.
Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook.

THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 3

 Spellcasting
By 2nd level, your physical essence, either through your family,
the blessing of some divine (or unholy) being, or even through
sheer chance has produced a forti ied and living ichor within
you, wieldable for magical prowess. See chapter 10 for the
general rules of spellcasting and the end of this document for
the atavist spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Atavist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast
your spells. To cast one of your atavist spells of 1st level or
higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You
regain all expended spell slots when you inish a long rest.
You prepare the list of atavist spells that are available for you
to cast, choosing from the atavist spell list. When you do so,
choose a number of atavist spells equal to your Constitution
modi ier + your atavist level. The spells must be of a level for
which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level atavist, you have four 1st-
level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Constitution of 14,
your list of prepared spells can include seven spells of 1st or
2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell
in lict wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level
slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of
prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you inish a
long rest. Preparing a new list of atavist spells requires time
spent attuning to your vitality: at least 1 minute per spell level
for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Constitution is your spellcasting ability for your atavist spells,
since the power of your magic relies on your own body, blood,
and ichor. You use your Constitution whenever a spell refers to
your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Constitution
modi ier when setting the saving throw DC for a atavist spell
you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your pro iciency bonus +
your Constitution modi ier
Spell attack modi ier = your pro iciency bonus +
your Constitution modi ier
Ritual Casting
You can cast an atavist spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual
tag and you have the spell prepared.
Self Focus
When you cast spells that require a material component, you
can ignore that component unless it has a value, such as the
specially marked sticks, bones, or similar tokens worth at least
25 gp for the augury spell, in which case the components are
required.
4 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW
Hardened Viscera
At 2nd level, your body takes on physical traits and aspects of
even the toughest and farthest wanderers. You gain the
following bene its:
Any instance of damage you take is reduced by 2 (except
from rending). If you have temporary hit points, those are
affected irst. Multiple effects of damage reduction do not
stack, you choose which to use.
You become naturally adapted to hot and cold climates, and
are immune to the effects of heavy precipitation and high
altitude.
You are immune to disease, and your hitpoint maximum
cannot be reduced.
Atavistic Aspect
Choose an aspect at 3rd level, which describes and emulates
your bodily magical power: Bloodied, Slayer, or Anomalous,
detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants
you features when you choose it at 3rd level and again at 6th,
10th, and 18th levels.
Ability Score Improvement
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.
Avenging Attack
Starting at 5th level, when an attack hits you, you fail a saving
throw, or you fail an ability check which requires an action, you
can make a weapon attack against any creature within range as
a reaction.
Humansbane
Starting at 6th level, you exude physical might, and can take
apart lesser humanoids with single blows. Whenever you land
an attack on a humanoid and rend to its damage, the creature is
instantly destroyed if its challenge rating is at or below a
certain threshold, as shown in the Humansbane table.
Humansbane
Atavist Level Destroys Humanoid of CR . . .
6th 1/2 or lower
10th 1 or lower
14th 2 or lower
18th 3 or lower
 Against Leveled Characters
If an atavist is in a situation to use humansbane
against a humanoid and their CR is unknown
because they have class levels, simply count the CR
for humansbane equal to the level of the character.
Greater Viscera
At 7th level, your body has taken on alabaster and bedrock
properties. Any instance of damage you take is reduced by 4
(except from rending), instead of 2, for your Hardened Viscera
feature. Additionally, Choose one of the following features.
Plasma Elasticity. Your attention to expended blood is
unprecedented. Whenever damage is rolled against you (except
from rending), your next rend dice are maximized if used
within 1 minute.
Greedy Render. You take hold of hits and roll with the
punches. Whenever damage is rolled against you (except from
rending) by a hostile creature, your next immediate rend
doesn't cost you hitpoints if used within 1 minute.
Bastion Countenance. You bend and weave ichor to dance
around enemies. When you are hit by an attack, you can rend
yourself as a reaction creating a wall of blood. You gain a bonus
to AC against that attack equal to your rend, potentially causing
the attack to miss.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 11th level, you can attack twice, instead of once,
whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Sanguine Sacraments
Starting at 14th level, you begin to unravel hallowed secrets of
the interwoven magic and body called a sacrament. Choose one
5th-level spell from the atavist spell list as this sacrament.
You can cast this sacrament spell once without expending a
spell slot. You must inish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more atavist spells of your choice
that can be cast in this way: one 6th-level spell at 17th level,
and one 7th-level spell at 20th level. You regain all uses of your
Sanguine Sacraments when you inish a long rest.
Nigh Immortality
At 20th level, you are nearly impossible to kill. Your body ceases
to age, and if you die and at least one part of your body exists,
such as a inger joint or an eye, your body can regrow from that
part over the course of one day. At the end of that day, you will
return to life with 1 hit point. If you were killed due to the
disentegrate spell or a similar effect, or all of your body has
been burned or otherwise ruined, this feature has no effect.
Atavistic Aspects
The specializations of atavists usually lie in their interests, and
in what direction they use their power. Ancient families would
develop techniques and pass them down, but no one inherits
this power anymore: they make their own.
Bloodied Aspect
Your color of atavism is one who thrives on a wounded
physique, gaining adrenaline and power from being closer to
death. These atavists tend towards extreme masochism, and are
sometimes only truly happy when they can feel cuts, bruises,
and blood pumping from their body alarmingly.
Wounded Nature
Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this aspect, you gain a
series of bene its as an atavist warrior, which strengthen as you
become weaker, and re lexes take over. Choose one of the
following features, which remain active as long as you are
below your maximum hitpoints:
Alacrity. You can hover in and out of a foe's arm reach,
stepping in and out as easily as a lick of the hand. You can take
the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Waste Not. You draw out power of a deceased creature to
fuel your own. When a creature within 30 feet of you dies, your
next rend doesn't require hitpoints if used within 1 minute.
Beating Re lexes. Your agility and hardiness are
unparalleled across people. You can rend to Strength and
Dexterity ability checks.
In addition, choose one of the following features. When you fall
below half your maximum hitpoints (rounded up), your chosen
feature activates for you and replaces your above feature, and
remains active as long as you are under that threshold:
Thickening Humors. Your spells are overloaded as your
bones crack and disjoint under the heavy hand of atavism. You
can add your Constitution modi ier to the damage you deal with
any atavist spell.
Serrated Strike. Your blade's edge coats and sharpens in
the blood spilled. If you roll the maximum value on a damage
die, rend die, or this feature for a weapon's damage, you can
add a d8 to the result.
Flowing Veins. Your vessels open. When you rend yourself
and add the result to a weapon damage roll, the result is
doubled, thus you both take and apply double the rend result.
Maiming Aura
At 6th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you
add your Constitution modi ier to their weapon damage rolls
when you are below half your maximum hitpoints.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
Halfbound
At 10th level, you have advantage on a weapon attack roll once
per turn if you are below half your maximum hitpoints.
Rage Against the Dying
Starting at 18th level, when you are below half of your
maximum hitpoints, you are under the effect of a haste spell.
THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 5
 Slayer Aspect
Slayer atavists are honed on the hunt: they use their power to
deplete and destroy that of others'. They attack strategically
weak spots in a creature, and take them down in stride. Their
motivations for this are more varied than the monsters they
kill: money, fame, the good of the world, addiction, unwillingly
through blackmail, or divine cause - ordained or not.
Fighting Style
Beginning at 3rd level, you've disciplined raw power into a
ighting form. Choose one of the following ighting styles, for
which you can't choose the same again.
Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with
ranged weapons.
Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one
hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage
rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon
ighting, you can add your ability modi ier to the damage of the
second attack.
Throwing. You gain a +2 bonus to to ranged attack rolls you
make with a thrown weapon. Whenever you make a ranged
attack with a thrown weapon, you can immediately draw
another weapon as part of the attack.
Lethal Strike
Also at 3rd level, you can pick a creature apart with a killer's
instinct and know exactly where to strike. Once per turn, you
can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an
attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack
cannot be made with a reach or heavy weapon to gain this extra
damage.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if there is no
other hostile creature within 5 feet of the target, or if one of
your allies is within 5 feet of it. The amount of damage you gain
increases as you reach higher levels: it becomes 2d6 at level 6,
3d6 at level 10, and 4d6 at level 18.
Skirmisher
Starting at 6th level, you become highly effective at tracking and
eluding enemies. You gain pro iciency in the Survival and
Stealth skills, and for one of those skills of your choice, you
double your pro iciency bonus for any ability checks made with
that skill. Additionally, you can take the Hide action as a bonus
action.
Cruorbent Accuracy
At 10th level, you can rend yourself to attack roll. You can use
this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution
modi ier, and regain all expended uses when you inish a long
rest.
Additionally, when you rend to an attack roll, you're able to
use your Lethal Strike feature even if you don't meet the
prerequisites.
Coup de Grâce
Beginning at 18th level, as an action, you can attempt to kill a
creature with an attack. If you hit them and that creature has
150 hitpoints left after you damage them or fewer, they die.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you
inish a long rest.
6 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW
Anomalous Aspect
Atavists, with a connection to old powers and a formidable
physical body, are occasionally coveted as hosts for eldritch
forces, pairing an alien consciousness with a mighty host form.
Because of its in luence, you pick up strange qualities, and can
shapeshift into weaker aberrations. In addition, you can pick up
weird quirks. You may select or roll on the table below.
Anomalous Quirk
d4 Quirk
1 When you wake up, daydream, or lose focus, you hear
indecipherable tongues from many voices.
2 The stars sometimes seem as if they're not in the right
place.
3 You tend to talk about the current pantheon of gods as
if they are children.
4 You have a taste for humanoid brains.
Aberrant Shape
At the levels below, you gain the ability to shapeshift into the
stated creature. You can shapeshift as a bonus action on your
turn, regaining the ability to do so when you inish a short or
long rest. You decide if your equipment falls to the ground,
merges with you, or is worn by your new form if applicable. You
can stay in this form for up one hour, and can exit it as a bonus
action.
Your game statistics are replaced by those of the aberration,
but you retain your alignment, personality, class, race, or other
features, skills, senses, and saving throws in addition to gaining
those of the creature.
When you transform, you assume the creature's hit points
and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return
to the number of hit points you had before you transformed.
However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points,
any excess damage carries over to your normal form. As long as
the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit
points, you aren't knocked unconscious. If you drop to 0 hit
points, fall unconcious or die, you revert to your true self. At
10th level, you can remain transformed even when you fall
below 0 hit points of your form and are using your own hit
points, until your hit points fall to 0, and you revert.
When you gain the ability to change into a new aberration,
you gain one of its features permanently, as shown in the table
below. The statistics can be found at the end of this supplement.
Your statistics cannot be lowered because of a feature you gain.
Aberration Shapes
Level Aberration Permanent Feature
3rd Hydrafly Touch of the Elders
6th Void Treader Languages
9th Cave Fisher Spider Climb
12th Chuul Sense Magic
15th Young Aboleth Probing Telepath
18th Mamura Distraction (Spellcasting DC)

Aberration Shapes

Hydrafly

Medium aberration, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
Speed 20ft., fly 40 ft., swim 40 ft.


STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

6 (-2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 3 (-2) 13 (+1) 9 (-1)


Saving Throws Wis +3
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages —

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Touch of the Elders. The hydrafly can turn
incorporeal and move through other creatures
during its turn as part of its movement, but not
objects or walls. If its speed drops to 0, it cannot
Void Treader
Medium aberration, lawful evil
use this ability.
Flyby. The hydrafly doesn't provoke opportunity Armor Class 15
attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach. Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
Speed 15ft. fly 20 ft. (hover)
Multiple Heads. The hydrafly has 2d4 heads. It has
advantage on saving throws against the blinded and
deafened conditions. For each head the hydrafly has STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be
used only for opportunity attacks. 8 (-2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 8 (-2) 8 (-2)
    Whenever the hydrafly takes 4 or more damage in
a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 8
die, the hydrafly dies. Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Actions
Elder Mind. Any creature that attempts to read the
Multiattack. The hydrafly snaps thrice. void treader's thoughts takes 2d10 psychic damage.
Snap. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., Thought Shield. The AC of the void treader includes
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) slashing damage. its intelligence bonus.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The void treaders's
innate spellcasting ability is intelligence (spell save
DC 12). The void treader can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no components:
At will: mage hand (the hand is invisible), minor
illusion.
1/day each: dissonant whispers.

Actions
Entangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach
5ft., one target. Hit 11 (3d4 + 3) bludgeoning
damage, if the target is a creature, it is grappled,
(escape DC 13).
Psychic Crush (Recharge 3-6). The void treader
targets two creatures within 60 feet of it. The
targets must make a DC 12 Intelligence saving
throw, taking 10 (3d6) psychic damage on a failed
save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 7

 Cave Fisher Chuul
Medium monstrosity, unaligned Large aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33)
Speed 20ft., climb 20 ft. Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 5 (-3) 11 (+0) 5 (-3)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5 Skills Perception +4

Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Damage Immunities poison
Languages — Condition Immunities poisoned
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands Deep Speech but can't
Adhesive Filament. The cave fisher can use its action speak
to extend a sticky filament up to 60 feet, and the Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
filament adheres to anything that touches it. A
creature adhered to the filament is grappled by the Amphibious. The chuul can breathe air and water.
cave fisher (escape DC 13), and ability checks made
to escape this grapple have disadvantage. The Sense Magic. The chuul senses magic within 120
filament can be attacked (AC 15; 5 hit points; feet of it at will. This trait otherwise works like the
immunity to poison and psychic damage), but a detect magic spell but isn't itself magical.
weapon that fails to sever it becomes stuck to it,
requiring an action and a successful DC 13 Strength Actions
check to pull free. Destroying the filament deals no
Multiattack. The chuul makes two pincer attacks. If
damage to the cave fisher, which can extrude a
the chuul is grappling a creature, the chuul can also
filament on its next turn.
use its tentacles once.
Flammable Blood. If the cave fisher drops to half its
Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
hit points or fewer, it gains vulnerability to fire
one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
damage.
The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large
Spider Climb. The cave fisher can climb difficult or smaller creature and the chuul doesn't have two
surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without other creatures grappled.
needing to make an ability check.
Tentacles. One creature grappled by the chuul must
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be
Actions poisoned for 1 minute. Until this poison ends, the
Multiattack. The cave fisher makes two attacks with target is paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving
its claws. throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
effect on itself on a success.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage.
Filament. One creature grappled by the cave fisher's
adhesive filament must make a DC 13 Strength
saving throw, provided that the target weighs 200
pounds or less. On a failure, the target is pulled into
an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the cave
fisher, and the cave fisher makes a claw attack
against it as a bonus action. Reeling up the target
releases anyone else who was attached to the
filament. Until the grapple ends on the target, the
cave fisher can't extrude another filament.

8 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW

Young Aboleth
Large aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 91 (14d10+14)
Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +4, Int +7, Wis +5
Skills History +7, Perception +5
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Amphibious. The aboleth can breathe air and water.
Mucous Cloud. While underwater, the aboleth is
surrounded by a transformative mucus. A creature
that touches the aboleth or hits it with a melee
attack while within 5 feet of it must make a DC 14
Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature
is diseased for 1 hour. The diseased creature can
breathe only underwater.
Probing Telepath. If a creature communicates
telepathically with the aboleth, the aboleth learns
the creature's greatest desires if the aboleth can see
the creature.
Actions
Multiattack. The aboleth makes three tentacle
attacks.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack. +7 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning
damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed
on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become
diseased. The disease has no effect for 1 minute and
can be removed by any magic that cures disease.
After 1 minute, the diseased creature's skin
becomes translucent and slimy, the creature can't
regain hit points unless it is underwater, and the
disease can only be removed by heal or another
disease curing spell of 6th level or higher. When the
creature is outside a body of water, it takes 6 (1d12)
acid damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is
applied to the skin before 10 minutes have passed.
Mamura
Small aberration (fey), neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 97 (13d6+52)
Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 18 (+4) 19 (+4) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +7, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +6, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Elvish, Goblin, Sylvan, Void
Speech
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
All-Around Vision. Attackers never gain advantage
on attacks or bonus damage against a mamura from
the presence of nearby allies.
Magic Resistance. The mamura has advantage on
saving throws against spells and other magical
effects.
Friend to Darkness. In darkness or dim light, the
mamura has advantage on Stealth checks. It can
attempt to hide as a bonus action at the end of its
turn if it's in dim light or darkness.
Distraction. Because of the mamura's alien and
forbidding aura, any spellcaster within 20 feet of the
mamura must make a successful DC 14 spellcasting
check before casting a spell; if the check fails, they
lose their action but not the spell slot. They must
also make a successful DC 14 spellcasting check to
maintain concentration if they spend any part of
their turn inside the aura.
Flyby. The mamura doesn't provoke an opportunity
attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Actions
Multiattack. The mamura makes three claw attacks
and one whiptail sting attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) slashing damage, and the
target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned for 1 round. The poison
duration is cumulative with multiple failed saving
throws.
Whiptail Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing
damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 poison
damage. If the target is also poisoned by the
mamura's claws, it takes another 1d6 poison
damage at the start of each of its turns while the
poisoning remains in effect.
THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 9
 Protection from Energy Echo Sunder
Atavist Spells Redwood ExpansionAS 1st-level necromancy
1st Level Water Breathing Casting Time: 1 action
Water Walk Range: 10 feet
Courageous RebuttalAS
Cause FearXGE Components: V, S, M (a weapon)
4th Level Duration: Instantaneous
Detect Magic
Aura of DecayAS
Detect Poison and Disease
Blight You strike a foe, knocking their form off balance and leaving
Echo SunderAS
Death Ward their body physically weakened. As part of the action used to
Expeditious Retreat
Freedom of Movement cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon
False Life
Locate Creature against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the
Heroism
Stoneskin spell fails. The attack adds 1d6 to the attack roll. On a hit, the
In lict Wounds
Quicken AtavismAS target suffer's the attack's normal effects, and the next instance
Jump
Lesser BloodsightAS of weapon damage rolled against it is automatically maximized.
5th Level
Longstrider Contagion
Ray of Sickness Lesser Bloodsight
EnervationXGE 1st-level divination (ritual)
Withering NecrosisAS ExoscleromaAS Casting Time: 1 action
ExsanguinateAS Range: 30 feet
2nd Level Greater Restoration
Alter Self Components: V, S
Reincarnate Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Blindness/Deafness
Steel Wind StrikeXGE
Cruorbat CallAS
Darkvision Your eyes to take on a crimson hue. For the duration, you can
6th Level see the life force of nearby creatures within 30 feet of you.
Enlarge/Reduce Bones of the Earth
Hold Person When a creature is at full health, they appear perfectly normal,
Flesh to Stone
Lesser Restoration but as they become more wounded a red aura begins to
Haemorrhaging RuptureAS
Locate Animals or Plants surround them.
Harm
Needle and ThreadAS You can notice when a creature’s current hit points are below
Wind Walk
Polyphemus's MightAS their hit point maximum and half their hit point maximum.
Protection from Poison When a creature falls below their maximum hitpoints, they
7th Level
Spider Climb appear to glow red, and can be seen behind materials of 3
Eternal BloodAS
Warding Bond inches thick or less. Once a creature is below half of their hit
Greater WitheringAS
point maximum, you can see them even through walls.
MarrowmeltAS
3rd Level Regenerate
Coalesce HumoursAS Withering Necrosis
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Spells marked with AS can be found in the Atavist Speci ic
Range: Touch
section on the next pages.
Component: V, S
Duration: Up to 1 round
Atavist Specific Spells
You extend your hand and attempt to vastly decrease the health
Courageous Rebuttal of a creature you touch. Make a melee spell attack against the
1st-level abjuration target. Whether you hit or miss, the effects don't take place
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature until the end of the target's turn. If you landed the attack roll,
makes a melee attack against you the creature takes 5d6 necrotic damage.
Range: 10 feet At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
Components: V, S, M (a weapon) of 2nd level or higher, the target takes an additional 1d6
Duration: Instantaneous damage for each spell slot above 1st.

When an enemy swings their weapon to strike you, you surge in Cruorbat Call
an inspired moment against them. As part of the reaction used 2nd-level conjuration
to cast this spell, you must make a melee spell attack against Casting Time: 1 minute
the creature that attacked you, after they either hit or miss you. Range: 10 feet
On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and you Components: V, S, M (a handful of bone marrow)
gain half the damage dealt in temporary hitpoints that last until Duration: Instantaneous
the end of your turn.
This spell creates an undead familiar. Organically created from
the bites of vampires, cruorbats can be summoned for a short
while through mirrored forms of hemomancy. When you cast
this spell, choose a corpse of a Large or smaller bat within
range. The target becomes a cruorbat, but only of a size itting
for its corpse (The DM has the creature's statistics).

10 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW

 On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally The coalesced creature is friendly to you and your
command the cruorbat you made if the cruorbat is within 60 companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creature, which
feet of you. You decide what action the it will take and where it has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue
will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general to them (no action required by you).
command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you don’t issue any commands, the blood ooze defends
If you issue no commands, the cruorbat only defends itself itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions.
against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the cruorbat If your concentration is broken, the ooze doesn’t disappear.
continues to follow it until its task is complete. Instead, you lose control of the blood ooze, it becomes hostile
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An
it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain uncontrolled ooze can’t be dismissed by you, and it disappears
control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this 4 hours after you coalesced it.
spell on the cruorbat again before the current 24-hour period If it drops to 0 hitpoints, it loses animation and splashes into
ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control of the cruorbat a pool that can be reused for this spell. The DM has the
you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new creature's statistics.
one.
Redwood Expansion
Needle and Thread 3rd-level transmutation
2nd-level evocation Casting Time: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet
Range: 150 feet Components: V, S, M (a pinch of powdered steel)
Components: V, S, M (a needle and thread) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Duration: Instantaneous
For the duration, you cause a creature of your choice to
Select a target within range, who must then make a undergo a spontaneous expansion of sinews, bones, muscle,
Constitution saving throw. On a success, they take half as much organs; their entire body. If the target is unwilling, it can make a
damage; on a failure, they take 3d8 piercing damage and their Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell has no effect.
blood explodes in sharpened needles from their body to as Everything the creature is wearing and carrying changes size
many as three other creatures or objects, each of which must be with it. Any item dropped by an affected creature returns to
within 30 feet of the irst target. A target must make the same normal size at once.
saving throw, taking 1d8 piercing damage per needle on a The target’s size quadruples in all dimensions, and its weight
failure, or none on a success. is multiplied by thirty-two. This growth increases its size by
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot two categories – from Medium to Huge, for example. If there
of 3rd level or higher, one additional needle leaps from the irst isn’t enough room for the target to double its size, the creature
target who also takes 1d8 additional piercing damage for each attains the maximum possible size in the space available. Until
slot level above 2nd. the spell ends, the target also has advantage on Strength checks
and Strength saving throws. The target’s weapons also grow to
Polyphemus's Might match its new size. While these weapons are enlarged, the
2nd-level enchantment target’s attack with them deal 2d4 extra damage.
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 30 feet Aura of Decay
Components: V, S, M (a few delicate lowers) 4th-level evocation
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot radius)
You imbue one creature of your choice within range with a Components: V, S
lickering of giants' strength and capability in their hands, arms, Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
and chest, which grow slightly for the duration. Whenever a
melee weapon damage roll is made by the creature, they add A disease and weakening aura radiates from you in an aura
1d6 to the roll. with a 30-foot radius. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot you, centered on you. Each hostile creature that enters the area
of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for or starts its turn there has disadvantage on death saving throws
each slot level above 2nd. and must make a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6
necrotic damage.
Coalesce Humours
3rd-level conjuration Quicken Atavism
Casting Time: 1 minute 4th-level transmutation (ritual)
Range: 90 feet Casting Time: 16 hours
Components: V, S Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, up to 4 hours Components: S
Duration: Forever
Choose a corpse or large volume of blood within range. You
morph and change it to extract the blood, which comes to life,
so that it becomes a blood ooze under your control for the
duration.

THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW 11

 You perform a rite of blood on a young person. Choose a Eternal Blood
humanoid that is ive years or younger. You imbue them with an 7th-level abjuration
atavistic spark, giving them the potential to develop into the Casting Time: 1 minute
atavist class, which will take at minimum a full month to Range: Touch
mature. Whether or not this takes place is the DM's decision. Components: S
When complete, the child's Constitution score raises to 13 if it Duration: 8 hours
was lower. You touch a creature and grant it momentary dominion over
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot death. If a creature dies while under the effect of this spell, they
of 5th level or higher, the humanoid's maximum age increases are revived with a new body in the place that they took their
by 1 year and the casting time halves for each spell slot above last long rest one day later.
4th.
Greater Withering
Exoscleroma 7th-level necromancy
5th-level necromancy Casting Time: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch
Range: Touch Components: S
Components: S Duration: Instantaneous
Duration: Instantaneous
A creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw or
Touch a creature, who must make a Constitution saving throw. be af licted with a living greater withering curse. On a failed
On a failure, they are cursed, and their bones slowly begin to save, immediately and at the end of each long rest that they
dissolve and regrow under their skin. This spell has no effect inish, they lose 2 points from their Strength and Constitution
against creatures who are immune to poison damage or the scores. If either falls below 1, they die.
poisoned condition. After they inish their irst long rest, they This greater curse can only be removed by a remove curse
become poisoned. After the second, deafened; after the third, spell of 7th level or greater, or an equivalent level healing spell
restrained; fourth, incapacitated; ifth, paralyzed; sixth, such as regenerate.
petri ied.
To be cured, a creature must be healed by a healing spell or Marrowmelt
any restoration spell of the same level of day progression they 7th-level transmutation
are on or higher. Once three days has passed for a petri ied Casting Time: 1 action
creature under the effect of the spell, only 9th level spells or Range: 90 feet
equivalent magic can cure them. Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Exsanguinate
5th-level necromancy You snap your ingers and cause the spine of a humanoid within
Casting Time: 1 action range to break in half and then melt into marrow. The
Range: 120 feet humanoid chosen must make a Constitution saving throw. On a
Components: S failure, they are permanently paralyzed. If they fail the saving
Duration: Up to 1 round throw by 5 or more, they die instead.
The effects of paralysis can only be reversed with a 7th-level
Choose a creature within range that has blood. The creature or higher healing spell, such as regenerate.
cannot be a construct, an undead, or an elemental. They must
make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, half of their
blood falls through their skin to the ground in a puddle of
dif icult terrain in a 10 foot radius around them, and they take Credits and Notes
10d10 necrotic damage and become incapacitated until the end This class is created by SwordMeow with many
of their next turn. thanks to the feedback and input of users Caim,
SgtBriar, VampireBagel, Leuku, Layhnet, and others
Haemorrhaging Rupture on the Discord of Many Things and
6th-level enchantment r/UnearthedArcana. If you use the DA in your
Casting Time: 1 action games (statblocks for cruorbat call and coalesce
Range: 60 feet humors), the atavist has access to all hemomancy-
Components: S tagged spells. Throwing style is from Rule of Law.
Duration: Up to 1 minute
Created using the Homebrewery. The creatures
not made for this document and their original

statblocks can be found in these places:
You momentarily soften the blood vessels of a creature you
choose within range, who must make a Constitution saving Front Page Artwork, Second Page Artwork, knife
throw. On a failure, for every 5 feet of movement they make in Hydrafly, Void Treader, Sword
the duration, they lose 2d12 hitpoints due to blood loss or half Cave Fisher on pg. 130 of Volo's Guide to
as much on a success as their blood pours through their skin Monsters, Chuul on pg. 40 of the Monster
and out of their body, as if they were a cup over lowing with Manual, Young Aboleth on pg. 6 of the Monster
water. They take this damage even if they were moved against Module, Mamura on pg. 284 of Tome of Beasts
their will.

12 THE ATAVIST | SWORDMEOW