Hedgehoggamoffyn is a new player class option for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. This is playtest material and not official. Please feel free to leave any comments and constructive criticisms down in the comments section.
Hedgehoggamoffyn Class Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Design Notes
- Class Features
- Hedgehoggamoffyn Habits:
- Hedgehogitect
- Hedgehog Mage
- Lycanhog
- Appendix: New Creatures
- Closing
“Come to me, my furry friends!” the halfling exclaims. In seconds, the swarm of diminutive hedgehogs surrounds his body, offering him spiky protection. He then draws his sword and charges. Bewildered by this half-man who can seemingly command hedgehogs and wear them like armor, the orcs aren’t sure how to respond.
The tiefling smiled as her army of hedgehogs curled into balls and leaped at her, each one vanishing into her as if absorbed by her. After the last hedgehog disappeared, the tiefling immediately transformed. Massive quills sprouted from her back, her snout elongated, and her eyes turned black. She was no longer just a tiefling, but something that was half woman and half hedgehog. A lycanhog!
Waking from his nap, the ogre stared at the odd, little creature sitting on its chest. “What you?” he asked. But then another appeared. And another. And another. Soon, the ogre was covered in this tiny, spiky critters. Of course, what the ogre didn’t know was that they were there to help the hedgehog mage hiding just around the corner channel his call lightning spell. Zap!
All of these bizarre characters are hedgehoggamoffyns, humanoids selected for their affinity with nature or the Feywild, to become one with the tiny, spiky creatures known as hedgehogs. For the hedgehoggamoffyn, a hedgehog is more than a pet, but a companion, a guardian, and a fellow adventurer.
A hedgehoggamoffyn is more than just a person covered in hedgehogs, too. They are one with their adorable allies, combining their humanoid wisdom and intelligence with the hedgehogs’ simplicity and charm.
Fey Connection
The Feywild loves its furry critters. Unsurprisingly, hedgehogs are held in high regard across all of the Feywild, in both courts, as their appearance is pleasing to both the Summer Queen and the Queen of Air and Darkness. Those who have a close connection to the Feywild, especially elves and eladrin, are often the chosen to carry on the mantle of hedgehoggamoffyn.
Hedgehog Swarm
A hedgehoggamoffyn’s connection to hedgehogs gives it power over literally hundreds of the little guys. They appear after the hedgehoggamoffyn rests, seemingly from nowhere. Upon arrival, they follow the hedgehoggamoffyn’s orders and do everything they can to protect him or her. From this group of hedgehogs, a clear leader emerges as the alpha hedgehog. This lead hedgehog is not only the commander of the hedgehoggamoffyn’s spiky forces but also works as its familiar.
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Design Notes
A quick intermission before we jump into the details of this class. The class itself uses the barbarian class as its core structure with, as you’ll soon see, quite a few differences.
Note that the basic character hiding behind the hedgehog armies is relatively weak. This is intentional. And since so many of its powers require you to forego armor and shields, class dipping won’t be as effective (at least, if you want to get that sweet, sweet hedgehog armor bonus).
It may seem that the action economy is out of whack on first glance. But keep the following things in mind:
- Once one of your swarms is gone, you don’t get it back until you take a short or long rest. And for the most part, if the swarm drops to less than half its hit points, it loses a lot of its abilities.
- Swarms can’t be healed unless you pick the Hedgehog Mage sub-class option.
- Like ranger companions, you have to use your action in order to command your swarms. And you cannot give individual commands to your swarms.
- The swarms themselves don’t scale in terms of damage (although some of your powers do).
As always, thanks a ton in advance for reading. And just know that I love criticism and I take it all to heart! Just be sure to be constructive. 😉
Enjoy!
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Creating a Hedgehoggamoffyn
When you create your hedgehoggamoffyn character, think about where your character comes from and his or her place in the world. But more importantly, why in the world did your character decide to become the hedgehog-wrangling hedgehoggamoffyn in the first place? Discuss with your DM an appropriate origin. Did you live in the forest for a length of years, which is where you met your pokey, little friends? Or did you live in a pet shop surrounded by the little guys?
Once you learned about your hedgehog powers, why did you decide to go adventuring? Or was it the hedgehogs that convinced you to set out? Do other people see you as charming and your animal companions as adorable, or do they find you strange, wondering why anyone would dare cover themselves in hedgehogs? Perhaps you just like the warmth and cuteness of hedgehogs. And maybe you even get angry when people call your friends “rodents” (which they aren’t).
Quick Build
You can make a hedgehoggamoffyn quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score. Your next highest score should be Constitution, or Wisdom if you plan to adopt the Hedgehog Mage hedgehoggamoffyn habit. Second, choose the outlander background.
The Hedgehoggamoffyn
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |
| 1st | +2 | Hedgehog Army, Hedgehog Armor, Hedgehog Alpha |
| 2nd | +2 | Hedgehog Hurl, Spiky Slam |
| 3rd | +2 | Hedgehoggamoffyn Habit |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase |
| 5th | +3 | Quick Spin, Hedgehog Army (two swarms) |
| 6th | +3 | Hedgehoggamoffyn Habit feature |
| 7th | +3 | Hedgehog Sense |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase |
| 9th | +4 | Hedgehog Hail Mary |
| 10th | +4 | Hedgehoggamoffyn Habit feature |
| 11th | +4 | Hedgehog Army (three swarms) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Increase |
| 13th | +5 | Hedgehog Blitz |
| 14th | +5 | Hedgehoggamoffyn Habit feature |
| 15th | +5 | Hedgehog Guardians |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Increase |
| 17th | +6 | Hedgehog Army (four swarms) |
| 18th | +6 | Aura of Adorability |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Increase |
| 20th | +6 | Hedgehog Sovereign |
Class Features
As a hedgehoggamoffyn, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per hedgehoggamoffyn level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per hedgehoggamoffyn level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Nature, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, or Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a spear or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a light crossbow with 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
- an explorer’s pack
Hedgehog Army
Starting at first level, you command a swarm of hedgehogs, detailed at the end of this article, that follows you on your adventures and will fight on your behalf. You add your proficiency bonus to the hedgehog swarm’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills the swarm is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your hedgehoggamoffyn level, whichever is higher. Due to the hedgehogs’ swarm nature, it can’t be healed with magic. But it naturally replenishes its numbers (regains its maximum hit points) at the end of a long rest.
The swarm of hedgehogs obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the swarm where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. The swarm can share the same space as you at no penalty to your movement and you may both move as one.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the swarm acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The swarm never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
If the swarm dies, you magically obtain a new swarm at the end of a short or long rest.
At later levels, you gain additional swarms of hedgehogs. You get two swarms at 5th level, three swarms at 11th, and four swarms at 17th. Once you have multiple swarms, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one.
Hedgehog Armor
While one of your hedgehog swarms is in the same space as you, you gain the following benefits while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. You lose these benefits if the hedgehog swarm in your space is incapacitated:
- You can force a weapon attack targeted at the hedgehog swarm in your space to target you instead and vice versa. And if the attack reduces the hedgehog swarm to 0 hit points, you take the remaining damage and vice versa.
- You and your hedgehog swarm share each other’s AC which equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus, or 10 + your Dexterity modifier + half your proficiency bonus if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
- While the hedgehog swarm has half its hit points or more, your proficiency bonus is doubled for your Dexterity saving throws.
- A creature that touches you or your hedgehog swarm or hits you or it with a natural weapon attack (such as a bite, claw, slam, or unarmed strike) while within 5 feet of you takes 1d6 piercing damage from the hedgehogs’ quills. If the hedgehog swarm has half its hit points or fewer, you lose this benefit.
Alpha Hedgehog
At 1st level, you gain the service of an alpha hedgehog that takes on the role of leader of your hedgehog army and companion to you. The alpha hedgehog has the statistics of a normal hedgehog as detailed at the end of this chapter. It functions similarly to an animal companion created with a find familiar spell and it is a fey instead of a beast.
Your alpha hedgehog acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. The alpha hedgehog can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
When the alpha hedgehog drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. It reappears after you finish a short or long rest.
While the alpha hedgehog is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your alpha hedgehog’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of the alpha hedgehog’s special senses. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
Alpha hedgehogs are insanely jealous of other pets, animals, and companions that aren’t part of your hedgehog army. If you gain the services of a familiar, companion, or any other assisting animal through a spell or class feature, the alpha hedgehog runs off in a huff and disappears (presumedly to pout in a pocket dimension).
Like a familiar, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your alpha hedgehog can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your alpha hedgehog must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier for the roll.
Hedgehog Hurl
At 2nd level, as long as you have a hedgehog swarm in the same space as you that isn’t incapacitated, you can make a ranged weapon attack with one of your hedgehogs to a target within 30 feet of you. You use the same ability modifier (Strength or Dexterity, your choice) for your attack and damage rolls.
Note: you cannot use your alpha hedgehog to make a Hedgehog Hurl attack, nor would it ever let you.
Spiky Slam
Starting at 2nd level, if a swarm of hedgehogs under your control shares the same space as you at the start of your turn and the swarm has half its hit points or more and isn’t incapacitated, and you are wearing no armor or wielding a shield, you and the swarm can work together to make a spiky charge attack. When you use your action to Dash, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately before taking this bonus action, you add 1d10 piercing damage to the attack’s damage roll if you make a melee attack and hit. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 9th level (2d10) and 16th level (3d10). After you use this feature, the hedgehog swarm is stunned until the end of your next turn.
Hedgehoggamoffyn Habit
Once you reach 3rd level, you choose a hedgehoggamoffyn habit that influences your training and techniques: Hedgehogitect, Hedgehog Mage, or Lycanhog. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th 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.
Quick Spin
At 5th level, when you use your Spiky Slam feature, your speed increases by 10 feet or by 20 feet when moving downhill.
Enchanted Hedgehogs
By 6th level, your hedgehogs’ connection to the Feywild increases. If you are sharing the same space as one of your hedgehog swarms, your melee weapon attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Plus, your Hedgehog Hurl attacks and your hedgehog swarms’ pelt attacks are also magical.
Hedgehog Sense
Starting at 7th level, your hedgehogs’ sense of danger improves. Your hedgehog swarms have advantage on initiative rolls and they gain proficiency with Dexterity saving throws. In addition, if you are sharing the same space as one of your hedgehog swarms and it is not incapacitated, you also gain advantage on your initiative rolls.
Hedgehog Hail Mary
At 9th level, you can make long-range attacks with your Hedgehog Hurl feature up to 90 feet. When attacking a target beyond the normal 30-foot range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. And you can’t attack a target beyond the hurl’s long range.
Hedgehog Blitz
Starting at 13th level, your hedgehog swarms do not provoke attacks of opportunity when they move out of an enemy’s reach. And if one of your hedgehog swarms moves through a hostile creature’s space, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + the hedgehog swarm’s Strength modifier) or fall prone. If you are incapacitated, the target automatically succeeds on its saving throw.
Hedgehog Guardians
At 15th level, your hedgehogs reflexively protect you even when you’re down. If you become incapacitated, you and your hedgehog swarms gain the following benefits:
- Your hedgehog swarms can use their reactions to move up to their full movement speeds towards you.
- If there is one of your hedgehog swarm with half or more of its hit points in the same space as you, your hedgehog swarm can make Strength and Dexterity saving throws on your behalf. You lose this benefit if your hedgehog swarm becomes incapacitated.
- If you are paralyzed or unconscious, but there is one of your hedgehog swarms with half or more of its hit points in the same space as you, weapon attacks made by creatures within 5 feet of you are not automatically critical hits if they hit.
Aura of Adorability
Beginning at 18th level, your hedgehogs are so freakin’ cute, it makes it hard for your enemies to concentrate on their attacks. If you and one of your hedgehog swarms are sharing the same space, and the swarm is not incapacitated, as an action you can exude an aura of adorability that extends 60 feet around you. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (the save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or have disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the aura ends. Creatures immune to charm automatically pass their saving throws. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.
Hedgehog Sovereignty
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no hedgehog swarms remaining, you can summon a hedgehog swarm for free which appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you.
Hedgehoggamoffyn Habits
Three traditions of hedgehoggamoffyn pursuits are common among the hedgehoggamoffyns in the known universe. Furthermore, there is no apparent exclusivity among hedgehoggamoffyn cohorts; a hedgehoggamoffyn’s gotta do what hedgehoggamoffyn’s gotta do. Regardless, a hedgehoggamoffyn’s habit is often a reflection of its training and aptitudes.
Hedgehogitect
Hedgehogitects are the ultimate hedgehog army commanders. They can use their influence over hedgehog swarms to control and shape them into helpful devices, tools, and more. In addition, hedgehogitect hedgehog swarms are generally stronger than the hedgehoggamoffyns swarms of other habits.
Hedgehogitecture
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you learn new ways to organize and command your hedgehog swarms. Choose two of the following design of your choice, which are detailed under “Hedgehogitect Designs” below. You learn one additional design of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Each time you learn new designs, you can also replace one design you know with a different one.
Hedgehogitect Designs
The designs are presented in alphabetical order.
Adorable Allies. If you and one of your hedgehog swarms or your alpha hedgehog share the same space together, you have advantage on Charisma checks that involve social interactions with non-hostile creatures.
Distracting Sidekicks. When one of your hedgehog swarms with half its hit points or more hits a creature with its pelt attack, they can distract the creature. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than the hedgehog swarm has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.
Foraging Friends. Your hedgehog swarms gain proficiency with the Survival skill. Your hedgehog swarms can gather food and water as you and your party travel as detailed in Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, except they can do so while you move at a Fast pace, too. Your hedgehog swarms use their own Wisdom (Survival) skill to make the foraging checks and each hedgehog swarm that forages makes a separate check. On each successful check, roll 1d6 + the swarm’s Wisdom modifier to determine how much food (in pounds) the swarm finds, then repeat the roll for water (in gallons).
Little Fighters. If you and one of your hedgehog swarms share the same space, and the swarm has half its hit points or more and isn’t incapacitated, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics checks) on contests to shove or grapple another creature. In addition, if you are grappled, you have advantage on your Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks made to escape the grapple.
Perceptive Pals. Your hedgehog swarms gain proficiency with the Investigation and Perception skills. In addition, if your hedgehog swarms move half their movement or less on their turn, they may use their action to take the Search action as detailed in Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook. The hedgehogs cannot communicate exactly what they have found but can make a happy squeal when they find something of value or out of the ordinary or something you specifically instructed them to find (such as a hidden door or trap).
Petite Protectors. You can command your hedgehog swarms to protect another creature. While one of your hedgehog swarms is in another creature’s space, the creature gains the following benefits while it is not wearing armor or wielding a shield. It loses these benefits if the hedgehog swarm in its space is incapacitated:
- A weapon attack targeted at the protected creature targets the hedgehog swarm instead. If the attack reduces the hedgehog swarm to 0 hit points, the protected creature takes the remaining damage.
- The creature and the hedgehog swarm share each other’s AC which equals 10 + the protected creature’s Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus, or 10 + the protected creature’s Dexterity modifier + half your proficiency bonus if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
- While the hedgehog swarm is in the creature’s space and has half its hit points or more, the protected creature adds your proficiency bonus to its Dexterity saving throws.
- A creature that touches the creature or the hedgehog swarm while they are sharing the same space or hits the creature or the swarm with a natural weapon attack (such as a bite, claw, slam, or unarmed strike) while within 5 feet of the creature takes 1d6 piercing damage from the hedgehogs’ quills. If the hedgehog swarm has half its hit points or fewer, the protected creature loses this benefit.
Pokey Pickpockets. Your hedgehog swarms gain proficiency with the Sleight of Hand skill. On your command, your hedgehog swarms can perform the following tasks:
- A swarm can manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial.
- A swarm can stow one object it is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature.
- A swarm can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature.
- The swarm can pick locks and disarm traps for you without using thieves’ tools. It must still succeed on a Sleight of Hand check to perform either task.
The hedgehog swarm can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if it succeeds on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by a creature’s Wisdom (Perception check). The swarm still can’t attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds (unless you take the Tiny Sherpas design).
Sneaky Sneaks. Your hedgehog swarms gain proficiency with the Stealth skill. In addition, you can command your hedgehog swarms to use their action to Hide.
Spiky Fists. As a bonus action, you can command a hedgehog swarm sharing the same space as you that isn’t incapacitated and has half its hit points or more to form spiky clumps around your fists. While attached to your fists in this way, the hedgehog swarm is effectively incapacitated and no longer shares the same space as you (so you can not use that swarm as Hedgehog Armor or a Spiky Slam attack, etc). At any time, you may dismiss the hedgehog swarm for free, allowing it to return to your space or to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, at which point the hedgehog swarm is stunned until the end of your next turn.
While active, your spiky fists count as a melee weapon attack that you are proficient with. On a successful hit, the spiky fists deal 2d6 piercing damage plus your Strength modifier. After you make a successful hit, your fist deals 1d6 less damage until the end of your next turn. If you make two successful hits with your spiky fists before the clump has had a chance to recover, effectively reducing the amount of damage dice you roll to zero, the hedgehog swarm is automatically dismissed.
Tiny Sherpas. Each of your hedgehog swarms can carry objects that you specify as long as they have half their hit points or more. Their carrying capacity is normal for a Medium creature of their Strength.
Tough Critters. Each of your hedgehog swarms’ hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or five times your hedgehoggamoffyn level, whichever is higher.
Hedgehog Mage
Hedgehog mages are spellcasters in tune with nature that use their hedgehog armies and alpha hedgehogs to help them deliver powerful spells.
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you learn how to wield magic that helps you and your hedgehogs in combat. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the druid spell list.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Hedgehog Mage Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell animal friendship and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast animal friendship using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st-level and Higher. You know three 1st-level druid spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the conjuration and evocation spells on the druid spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Hedgehog Mage Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a conjuration or evocation spell of your choice and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be a conjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells since you learn your spells through your connection to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Hedgehog Mage Spellcasting
|
Hedgehoggamoffyn Level
|
Cantrips Known
|
Spells Known
|
– Spell Slots per Level – | |||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |||
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | – |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | – |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | – |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Hedgehog Replenishment. At 3rd level, you can use your action to expend one of your druid spell slots of 1st level or higher to heal a hedgehog swarm that is in the same space as you. The hedgehog swarm instantaneously regains hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. When you use this feature using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
The Erinaceinae Effect. Beginning at 6th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can command one of your hedgehog swarms as a bonus action.
Pokey Conduits. Starting at 10th level, your hedgehogs boost the potency of your spells. Whenever one of your hedgehog swarms is in another creature’s space and it hits the creature with its pelt attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
Hedgehog Switcheroo. At 14th level, when you would be hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to exchange positions with one of the hedgehog swarms that you can see within 30 feet of you. The hedgehog swarm is hit by the attack instead.
Lycanhog
Hedgehoggamoffyns obsessed with erinaceinae ecology have taken their hedgehog powers one step further, volunteering to become a lycanhog. Lycanhogs actually absorb their hedgehog swarms. This transforms the hedgehoggamoffyn into something that is half-hedgehog, half-humanoid, and all pokey.
Lycanhoggathropy
Starting when you select this hedgehoggamoffyn habit at 3rd level, you can use your action to polymorph into a hedgehog-humanoid hybrid. In order to do this, one of your hedgehog swarms must be in the same space as you, have half its hit points or more, and not be incapacitated. When you change, the hedgehog swarm permanently disappears and does not return until you finish a short or long rest. Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. You revert to your true form if you die. While transformed into your hybrid form, you gain the following benefits:
- Bite Attack. Your bite is a natural weapon, which you can use to make a melee weapon attack as a bonus action. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. Note: your lycanhogthropy is not contagious.
- Keen Hearing and Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smell.
- Lycanhogthropy Resistance. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
- Natural Armor. While in your hybrid form, and you are not wearing armor or wearing a shield, your Armor Class is 12 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. You cannot use your Hedgehog Armor feature while in hybrid form.
- Quills. A creature that touches you or hits you with a melee weapon attack while within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier or take 1d10 piercing damage.
- Rolling Charge. You can curl into a spiky ball and roll. When you use your action to Dash, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately before taking this bonus action, you add 1d10 piercing damage to the attack’s damage roll if you make a melee attack and hit. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier or be knocked prone. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 6th level (2d10), 10th level (3d10), and 14th level (4d10).
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while you are in your hybrid form.
This change lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. You can also revert back to your original form as a bonus action.
Healing Hedgehogs
At 6th level, while in your hedgehog-humanoid hybrid form, if one of your hedgehog swarms is in the same space as you and it is not incapacitated, you can use your action to absorb the swarm. You regain a number of hit points equal to the hedgehog swarm’s current hit points. The hedgehog swarm permanently disappears and does not return until you finish a short or long rest.
Charming Critter
Beginning at 10th level, your adorability knows no bounds. While in your hybrid form, you can choose one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or be charmed by you. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend the duration of this effect on the charmed creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more than 60 feet away from you.
If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.
Permanently Pokey
Starting at 14th level, when you change into your hybrid form, it ends early only if you fall unconscious or if you choose to end it.
Appendix: New Creatures
This appendix contains statistics for hedgehogs and swarms of hedgehogs.
Hedgehog
Tiny beast, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 1 (1d4 – 1)
Speed 20 ft.
Abilities Str 2 (-4), Dex 11, Con 9 (-1), Int 2 (-4), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 7 (-2)
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 0 (0 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smell.
Quills. A creature that touches the hedgehog swarm or hits it with a natural weapon attack or unarmed strike takes 1 piercing damage.
A hedgehog has no effective attacks. It feeds on small insects and typically dwells near trees or underground.
Hedgehog Swarm
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 14 (4d8 – 4)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities Str 9 (-1), Dex 11, Con 9 (-1), Int 2 (-4), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 7 (-2)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and smell.
Quills. A creature that touches the hedgehog swarm or hits it with a natural weapon attack or unarmed strike takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny hedgehog. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Actions
Pelt. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage, or 3 (1d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Thanks for reading!
Hope you enjoyed this zany class. Please try it out and let me know what you think. And if you haven’t already, be sure to check out some more of our class options: oozemancer and gravetouched.
Big thanks to the artists: Veirgacht on DeviantArt and Richard Whitter (Wizards of the Coast).
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