Simic Archetypes: Biomancer & Guardian
When I was setting out rough design notes for each of the guilds, Simic very nearly designed itself. Using a shared list of features, or adaptations, that both the caster and martial subclass would access and use in different ways was thematically and mechanically resonant in a way that was almost prescient - at the time, I hadn't settled on using shared guild mechanics across the caster and martial subclasses, but the idea made too much sense to abandon.
Adaptations
Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek
The Simic Combine expands and improves on nature, drawing inspiration from existing creatures and refining their natural traits into powerful adaptations that enable its members to handle any situation.
Level 1 Adaptations (Minor) | |
Climb | You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and can walk upside down on ceilings while leaving your hands free. |
Keen Senses | You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. |
Amorphous | You can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. |
Leaping Legs | With or without a running start, your maximum long jump distance is 20 feet, and your maximum high jump distance is 10 feet. Whenever your proficiency bonus increases above 2, each of these distances increases by 5 feet. |
Aquatic | You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and can breathe underwater. |
Acid Spit | You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged attack with a range of 30 feet, and counts as a natural weapon. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is acid, and its damage die is a d6. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you may replace any number of your attacks with this special attack. |
Chameleon Skin | You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide. |
Natural Weapon | You grow a natural weapon from your body. Your natural weapon is a simple melee weapon that you are proficient with. Choose bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Your natural weapon uses that damage type. It deals 1d6 damage on a hit, which increases to 1d8 when your proficiency bonus increases to 4, and 1d10 when your proficiency bonus increases to 6. |
Level 2 Adaptations (Major) | |
Flight | You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. |
Large Size | Your size increases to Large. |
Extended Limbs | Your reach with melee attacks increases by 5 feet. |
Burrowing Claws | You have a burrow speed equal to half your walking speed. |
Reinforced Hide | Your AC increases by 1. |
Constricting Limbs | Once on each of your turns when you hit a hostile creature with a melee attack, you can automatically grapple that creature. You can only have one creature grappled at a time. |
Protective Membrane | Choose a damage type. You have resistance to that damage type. You may take this adaptation multiple times, choosing a different damage type each time. |
Venom Glands | Once on each of your turns when you deal damage with an attack, you may change the damage type to poison. The target of your attack must make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of its next round. The DC for the save is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. |
Level 3 Adaptations (Apex) | |
Blindsight | You have blindsight out to 60 feet. |
Huge Size | Your size increases to Huge. You must have the Large Size adaptation to take this adaptation. |
Swallow Whole | When you hit a creature you’re grappling that is at least one size smaller than you with a natural melee weapon, you can swallow that creature whole. The grapple ends, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside you, and it takes 3d6 acid damage at the start of your turn. You can have only one target swallowed at a time. You must have the Constricting Limbs adaptation to take this adaptation. |
Trample | If you move at least 10 feet on your turn before hitting a creature that is at least one size smaller than you with a melee attack, that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for the save is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. |
Multiattack | Once on each of your turns when you attack with a natural weapon, you can make an additional attack with a natural weapon as part of the same action. |
Shielding Plax | You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. |
Regeneration | At the start of each of your turns, if you have at least 1 hit point, you gain 5 temporary hit points. |
Spew Acid | As an action, you can expel acidic secretions in a 30 foot cone. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 acid damage for each point of your proficiency bonus, or half as much on a successful save. The DC for the save is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. |
Simic Biomancer
Illustrated by Aleksi Briclot
The Simic Combine views magic as the engine by which evolution may be driven forward, allowing its members - and ideally all of Ravnica - to transcend the limitations of their current forms.
Simic Druids cultivate vast gardens of specimens, sampling and vivisecting them to better understand the workings of nature. Simic Artificers and Wizards wield transmutation magic with the precision of a surgeon and the pragmatism of an engineer, endlessly tinkering with and optimizing their organic creations.
Level | Artificer | Druid | Wizard |
2+ | Simic Biomancer Spells, Krasis Companion | ||
5+ | Bioshift | ||
9+ | Cytoshape | ||
14+ | Master Biomancer | ||
Illustrated by Chase Stone
Simic Biomancer Spells
Level 1+ Simic Biomancer Feature
You learn the acid splash and prestidigitation cantrips. You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Simic Biomancer Spells table.
Each of these spells counts as a class spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of spells you know. If you are a druid, you always have these spells prepared, and they don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you are a wizard, you can add these spells to your spellbook upon learning them, without expending any gold, and prepare them as normal.
Simic Biomancer Spells
Spell Level | Spells |
1st | cure wounds, entangle |
2nd | alter self, enlarge/reduce |
3rd | gaseous form, wall of water |
4th | guardian of nature, polymorph |
5th | creation, reincarnate |
Illustrated by Mike Bierek
Krasis Companion
Level 1+ Simic Biomancer Feature
Through extensive experimentation, you have created your own labgrown krasis, which serves you loyally as a test subject.
In addition to the abilities in its statblock, your krasis has a number of adaptations of your choice. The total level of the adaptations your krasis has must be equal to or less than your proficiency bonus, and the highest level of adaptation you can grant your krasis to is equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up. Your krasis cannot have more than one Apex adaptation.
When you finish a long rest, you can restore any hit points your krasis has missing, or grow a new one if your existing krasis has died. As part of this process, you can change any number of adaptations that your krasis has.
The krasis is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. In combat, the krasis shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action.
Biomancer’s Krasis
Medium monstrosity |
| STR | 16 (+3) |
Armor Class | 14 (natural armor) | DEX | 14 (+2) |
Hit Points | five times your level in this subclass + your spell attack modifier | CON | 14 (+3) |
Speed | 30 ft. | INT | 2 (-4) |
Senses | passive perception 11 | WIS | 12 (+1) |
Languages | understands the languages you speak | CHA | 6 (-2) |
Challenge | - |
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Proficiency Bonus (PB) | equals your bonus |
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Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d8 +PB slashing damage.
Bioshift
Level 5+ Simic Biomancer Feature
As an action, you can change one adaptation on your krasis or a friendly creature to another adaptation of the same level.
Additionally, you gain new ways to use adaptations, depending on your class.
- Artificer. You can apply an infusion that could be applied to a weapon or piece of armor to your krasis, as though it were wielding that piece of equipment.
- Druid. When you use Wild Shape to transform into a beast, you can apply one adaptation to the beast form. The level of the adaptation cannot be higher than half your proficiency bonus, rounded up.
- Wizard. When you cast find familiar, instead of the regular effects of the spell, you can form a telepathic bond with your krasis. If you do, while your krasis is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your krasis’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the krasis has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. While this bond is in effect, you cannot summon a familiar normally.
Cytoshape
Level 9+ Simic Biomancer Feature
When you cast a spell on a friendly creature with a duration of concentration, or a spell that summons one creature, you can apply one adaptation to that creature with a level equal to or less than half the level of the spell slot used, rounded up. If you are an Artificer, the level of the adaptation can be equal to the level of the spell slot used instead. The adaptation lasts for the duration of the spell.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Illustrated by Willian Murai
Master Biomancer
Level 14+ Simic Biomancer Feature
Your experimentation and iteration with your krasis yields an evolutionary breakthrough. The total level of the adaptations that your krasis can have increases by four, and your krasis can have up to two Apex adaptations.
Additionally, any creature affected by your Cytoshape feature regains hit points equal to your spellcasting modifier at the start of each of its turns.
Simic Guardian
Illustrated by Bram Sels
Many who join the Simic Combine's ranks are not magically inclined, but believe in the guild's mission, or simply see it as a gateway to a better life. Some of these individuals join the elite ranks of the Guardian Project, wielding deadly adaptations in the Combine's service.
Simic Rangers take on improved beast forms, turning already deadly predators into unstoppable hunters. Simic Fighters and Monks augment their martial prowess with their enhanced physiology, exemplifying the principle of the survival of the fittest by rapidly mutating the adaptations they need to react to any contingency.
Level | Monk | Fighter | Ranger |
3+ | Guardian Augmentation | ||
3 | - | Simic Guardian Spells | |
6+ | Evolutionary Leap | ||
10+ | Rapid Hybridization | ||
15+ | - | Reactive Carapace | |
17+ | Biomass Mutation | - | |
Simic Guardian Spells
Level 3 Simic Guardian Feature (Ranger)
You learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Simic Guardian Spells table. Each spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Simic Guardian Spells
Spell Level | Spells |
1st | cure wounds |
2nd | enlarge/reduce |
3rd | wall of water |
4th | polymorph |
5th | creation |
Illustrated by Chris Rallis
Guardian Augmentation
Level 3+ Simic Guardian Feature
Your body has been augmented by Simic magic, granting you special adaptations, the better to serve the Combine with.
The total level of the adaptations you have must be equal to or less than your proficiency bonus, and the highest level of adaptation you can have is equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up.
If you are a Monk, natural weapons count as unarmed strikes for you.
When you finish a long rest, you can change any number of adaptations that you have.
Evolutionary Leap
Level 6+ Simic Guardian Feature
As an action, you can transform into a beast with a challenge rating equal to or less than half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, for 1 minute. When you transform, you can change any number of adaptations that you have.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
- Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
- When you transform, you assume the beast’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. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.
- You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
- You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. This includes any benefits from your adaptations.
- You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
You can use this feature once, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest, or when you meet certain conditions, depending on your class.
- Fighter. You regain the ability to use this feature when you use your Action Surge or Second Wind features.
- Monk. You can spend 3 ki points to use this feature.
- Ranger. You can spend a 2nd-level spell slot to use this feature.
Illustrated by Izzy
Rapid Hybridization
Level 10+ Simic Guardian Feature
As a bonus action, you can change one adaptation that you currently have to a different adaptation of the same level. When you do so, the sight of your body rapidly rearranging itself deeply disturbs anyone around you. Each hostile creature that can see you must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of its next round.
Additionally, the total level of the adaptations that you can have increases by three.
Reactive Carapace
Level 15+ Simic Guardian Feature (Fighter, Ranger)
You can rapidly grow plates of protective carapace to shelter yourself from harm. As a reaction when you are attacked or are forced to make a Dexterity save, you can grant yourself half cover against the triggering attack or effect. The carapace lasts until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Biomass Mutation
Level 17+ Simic Guardian Feature (Fighter, Monk)
You can extrude biomass from your body in the form of massive tentacle-like appendages to strike and grab your enemies. You can cast the spell black tentacles without expending a spell slot. The spell save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution bonus.
While you are concentrating on the spell, you gain the following benefits:
- Each creature that fails its save against the spell also becomes poisoned or blinded (your choice).
- You can use a bonus action to move the area affected by the spell, so long as it is within 90 feet of you.
- Friendly creatures are unaffected by the spell, and can move through its area freely.
You can use this feature once, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest, or when you meet certain conditions, depending on your class.
- Fighter. You regain the ability to use this feature when you use your Indomitable feature.
- Monk. You can spend 7 ki points to use this feature.