Shadow Maulers are survivors shaped by a brutal bargain: taken to be turned into silent killers, they proved too strong-willed to discard. Their trainers taught them to draw darkness from their own shadows and to endure the pull of death without surrendering to it. A Shadow Mauler stands between danger and their companions, fastening an enemy’s attention on them and meeting lethal blows with stubborn endurance.
The shadow that refuses to die—and refuses to let others fall.
Front-line tank and protector who draws attacks toward them, mitigates damage to nearby allies, and can endure a potentially fatal blow.
At a glance
Hit die d12
Strength
ConstitutionSubclass of Barbarian
You gain blindsight with a range of 15 feet. Within that range, you can see anything that isn’t behind Total Cover, even if you have the Blinded condition or the target is Invisible. You can’t use this blindsight while Incapacitated. When you enter your Rage, darkness seeps from your shadow in harmless wisps; it sheds no light, doesn’t create an area of magical Darkness, and has no effect on visibility.
While your Rage is active, once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with an attack, you can lash its shadow to yours. The creature is marked until your Rage ends, you are Incapacitated, or you mark another creature. While the marked creature is within 15 feet of you, it has Disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you. The mark ends early if you have the Incapacitated condition.
When you enter your Rage, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Barbarian level. In addition, while your Rage is active, when a creature you can see within 15 feet of you hits a target other than you with an attack, you can take a Reaction to reduce the damage dealt to that target by 1d10 + your Constitution modifier (minimum reduction of 1).
While your Rage is active, when you take damage from a creature you can see within 15 feet of you, you can take a Reaction to force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your Constitution modifier + your Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, the creature has the Frightened condition until the end of its next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.
When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points while your Rage is active and aren’t killed outright, you can drop to 1 Hit Point instead. When you do, you regain Hit Points equal to 4d12 + your Barbarian level, and your Rage ends. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
StrengthConstitutionHit pointsAs a Barbarian: d12 Hit Die; Hit Points at 1st level equal 12 + your Constitution modifier, and (or 7) + your Constitution modifier for each later Barbarian level.
Saving throwsUses the Barbarian’s saving throw proficiencies and defenses. Shadow Sight grants 15-foot blindsight, and Shadow's Claim can hinder attacks against creatures other than you.
TrainingYou gain no additional proficiencies from this subclass. You retain the Barbarian’s weapon, armor, and tool proficiencies.
ResourceRage uses, as provided by the Barbarian class. Darkness Interposed uses your Reaction, and Deathward Glare can be used once per Short or Long Rest.
MulticlassingUse the 2024 Barbarian multiclassing prerequisites and proficiencies. These subclass features require Barbarian levels 3, 6, 10, and 14; they do not grant spellcasting.
Shadow Maulers are survivors shaped by a brutal bargain: taken to be turned into silent killers, they proved too strong-willed to discard.
Their trainers taught them to draw darkness from their own shadows and to endure the pull of death without surrendering to it. A Shadow Mauler stands between danger and their companions, fastening an enemy’s attention on them and meeting lethal blows with stubborn endurance.
You are a close-range protector who wants to keep dangerous enemies near you.
Use Shadow's Claim on the foe most likely to attack your allies, then position yourself within 15 feet of both that foe and anyone you need to protect. Your reaction is valuable: choose between reducing an ally’s damage and frightening an attacker. Your shadow’s darkness is flavor, not a way to obscure the battlefield.
A Shadow Mauler often begins as a captive selected for conversion into a trained killer.
A perceptive mentor recognizes the captive’s will and potential, then teaches them alongside the other trainees rather than casting them aside. The crucial lesson is not how to kill, but how to keep living: draw darkness from the self, face fear without yielding, and choose whom to protect. Some later students are freely accepted by veteran Maulers, especially survivors seeking to prevent others from being taken.
People who know the Shadow Mauler’s history may see a survivor and protector; others mistake the dark wisps and hard stare for signs of a killer.
Those who have been targeted by recruiters or slavers often trust a Mauler more readily than local authorities do.
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