How to make a North American Indian shaman?

[AxeMental]

I'm designing a Thanksgiving adventure to be played over the holiday. I'm going to include an N American Indian based shaman with appropriate magical items spells and monsters and setting (probably earthen mounds, kinda like the Lost Tamochan but not Mayan, probably central continent. Any ideas of a good location in Greyhawk?).

Anyhow, was there a shaman created in one of the early D&D products that would work or at least be a good template? Shaman posted something along those lines a while back (some art thread), but I can't remember his source (and I doubt I own it). It may have been Lost Tamochan which I don't have a copy of.



Anyhow, any ideas you have please let loose.

[TRP]

Did you checkout D&DG yet? IIRC, there are rules in the Native American mythos section re: medicine bags.

[rredmond]

Wasn't there stuff in Dragon mag too? There was definitely a Central American shaman module methinks.

[TRP]

Yeah, Axe. Checkout the American Indian Mythos in D&DG. There's a few paragraphs at the beginning explaining how cleric/shaman operates, and it's immediately followed by the Sacred Bundle. Then look at Yanauluha; he's depicted as the first priest, and his classes are cleric and druid.

It all appears straightforward, and what we'd expect of a medicine man.

[SimperingToad]

You might also check out the humanoid witch doctor/shaman section in the DMG for examples of which spells shamans might use.

[godentag]

First thing you need Axe, is to give that mofo some feathers.

Second thing is the DDG, as others have mentioned. Not only the Native American mythos, but the Aztec one is a good resource, depending on the level of civilization you're looking to create.

I would avoid the rules on non-huhman shamans presented in the DMG as not that helpful, but a subjective judgment as I equate those rules with demon- or devil-worshipping humanoid tribes.

[AxeMental]

Thanks, I'll have to check out the DDG (have to find my copy in the back of my closet which is a disaster at the moment.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the DMG shaman, not a great fit. The witch stuff (both Dragon mag and MoM) also doesn't seem like a very good fit. Any good indian shaman movies I might be able to mine?

[Black Vulmea]

The standard, by-the-book cleric works fine for a shaman. Curative magic is part-and-parcel with the shaman's role, and if you consider that undead and extraplanar beings are the 'spirits' of the shaman's world, then so does everything from protection spells to turning to speaking with the dead. The sacred bundle from D&DG replaces the benefits the class normally draws from wearing heavy armor.

[AxeMental]

So saturday night I ran my Thanksgiving dungeon. Had a North American style shaman, indian warriors, sasquatch, and giant turkey (the later two were close in power to the yeti and axe beak). Of course they weren't presented that way, so I guess they just appear as savages or beserkers.


If your interested:

The group consisted of an illusionist thief gnome, an elf thief (both 1st), a halforc cleric/fighter (2nd) and a henchman and war dog. The group was investigating reported nightly attacks on a local village bordering black woods. They chose to hide on top of a high hill with a good look out view of a mire between the town and forest (to look out for anything crossing the mire during the night hopefully spotting movement under moon light). A war partydid leave the forest, headed to town on a raid. Unfortunately for the group (who couldn't see much) they were detected (The Sasquatch smelt out the groups horses) and the raiding party then attempted a surprise attack on the PCs. The shaman hung back behind some shrubbery and sent his pet big foot from the front, while 5 warrior braves snuck up from the rear. The fighter on guard detected an odd pre-dawn fog rolling in (cast by the shaman) and wisely woke his fellows (the two thieves immediately climbed a tree...brave souls). After a blistering defense of amazing roles (arrows mostly, a color spray and a couple well placed oil flask bombs) the group took out the Sasquatch and braves. An attempt to follow the shaman (who by this time was detected and making a run for it) was blocked by a giant pet viper who managed to kill the war dog before being taken out. The fighter in the group was a hunter and could thus track the shaman who shape shifted into a large stag and headed back to Black Forest. The group eventually tracked it to one of those platforms they stick dead bodies, and found shaman's underground lair. Group smoked out 2 giant turkey (covering hole at top of teepee causing them to fly out, they had been hiding below) and wiped them out with some more incredible roles. Had to break early so will have to get back to it next weekend. They made it about 1/3 way.

[rredmond]

Heh, they did get to the turkeys though! Sounds like fun.

[Ska]

Indian Shaman for AD&D

feathers
-15 to all rolls versus intoxication
willing to trade gems, magic, territory, etc for fools gold or flask of rum



Sorry, in a politically incorrect state of mind.

[AxeMental]

Indian Shaman for AD&D

feathers
-15 to all rolls versus intoxication
willing to trade gems, magic, territory, etc for fools gold or flask of rum



Sorry, in a politically incorrect state of mind.

Don't forget the rock candy.

[AxeMental]

Should be finishing this up in the coming weekend.

[prespos]

Wasn't there stuff in Dragon mag too? There was definitely a Central American shaman module methinks.

There is the Barbarian Cleric in Dragon 109, though this is not BTB.

BTB, all you have to go with is the info in the DDG (see Appendix III and the American Indian Mythos chapter).

[genghisdon]

see above (not the greatest fit, but it's there).

2e has a couple versions of the shaman class, as well as sp priests of native american gawds. All of them would work pretty well with minimal conversion.