Doppelganger

Race and Class Guide to Playing a Doppelganger

Table Of Contents
1 Doppelganger
1.1 Doppelgangers as a Race
1.1.1 Traits
1.2 Doppelgangers Table
1.2.1 Creating a Doppelganger
2 Class Archetypes
2.1.1 The Sneaky Doppel Archetype
2.1.9 The Magic Doppel Archetype

I make no claim to Information used from wizards of the

coast's Players Hand Book or information gathered from
dandwiki.com.
Doppelgangers as a Race Doppelgangers Table
Many cultures around the world feature terrifying stories of
monsters that steal the souls of mortals to take on their Proficiency Change
appearance and destroy their lives. They whisper of the Level Bonus Features Points
frightening, alien horror of such beings, and the pain they 1st +2 Class Archetype, 2
inflict in their wake. Shapechanger
The truth is much less fantastic: these legendary
shapeshifters are actually doppelgangers. Doppelgangers are, 2nd +2 ─ 2
by and large, lazy hedonists who harm others more out of 3rd +2 Archetype Feature 4
self-centered greed than deliberate malice. They are usually 4th +2 Ability Score 4
created when doppelgangers, who can't be bothered to put in Improvement
the effort of raising their own children, seduce women whose
children grow up to, around adolescence, become 5th +3 Identity Theft 6
doppelgangers themselves. 6th +3 ─ 6
Still, like all mortals, doppelgangers are capable of making 7th +3 Archetype Feature 8
their own moral choices, and occasionally one rouses itself to
do more with its life than an endless sequence of cons and 8th +3 Ability Score 8
robberies. Improvement
9th +4 ─ 10
Traits 10th +4 Becoming the Enemy 10
When you start making your doppelganger character pick a 11th +4 ─ 12
different race, your physical appearance becomes that of that
race but you don't take any racial bonuses from that race. 12th +4 Ability Score 12
This will be noted as racial appearance later in the text. Improvement
Ability Score Increases Your Charisma Score increases 13th +5 Archetype Feature 14
by 2 and your Dexterity Score increases by 2 14th +5 ─ 14
Age Most Doppelgangers live to around 400 years of age.
Alignment Doppelgangers might not have an innate 15th +5 Robbing Them of Peace 16
tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or 16th +5 Ability Score 16
not, an independent nature inclines many doppelgangers Improvement
towards a chaotic alignment. 17th +6 Archetype Feature 18
Size You are considered the size of your Racial
Appearance 18th +6 ─ 18
Speed Your Base Walking Speed is 30 feet. 19th +6 Ability Score 20
Darkvision You have superior vision in dark and dim Improvement
conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if
it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. 20th +6 Empty Eyes 20
You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Psychic Trance Instead of sleeping for 8 hours during a
long rest you meditate for 4 hours.
Slippery Mind You can't be charmed. You also have
resistance to psychic damage. Creating a Doppelganger
Language You know Common, the base language from As you create your Doppelganger character, consider the
your racial appearance, and 1 language of your choice. character's relationship to the law. Do you have a criminal
Names Your name will also be from your Racial past-or-present? Did you get caught stealing someone's
Appearance. identity, or impersonating someone important? Or did you
leave your life in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is
Quick Build it greed that drives you in your adventures. or some other
You can make a Doppelganger quickly by following these desire or ideal?
suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, What was the trigger that led you away from your previous
followed by Dexterity. (Some doppelgangers who focus on life? Maybe you were lucky and a successful impersonation
melee weapon fighting make Strength higher than Dexterity.) gave you the money or needs you needed to escape the
Second, choose the outlander or hermit background. Thirdly squalor of your life or gain the respect you deserve. Did
Choose High Elf as your Racial Appearance wonderlust finally call you away from your life? Perhaps you
suddenly found yourself found out by your friends and family
and they banished you from their lives. That forced you to
find a new means of supporting yourself. Or maybe you made
a new friend (possibly another member of your adventuring
party) who showed you new possibilities for earning a living
and employing your particular talents.
Class Features
Hit Dice
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Doppelganger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Level: 1d8 (or 5) + your constitution
modifier per Doppelganger level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light
Weapon: Simple
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Deception, Stealth, and 1 more of your choice
Equipment
Your Equipment is decided by your Class Archetype and is
located there.
Archetype Features
When you reach 3rd level, and again at 7th, 13th, and 17th
level you gain a class feature as dictated by your class
archetype.
Ability Score Improvements
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.
Change Points
You can use your Change Points to activate Doppelganger
abilities. You regain your Change Points on a long rest.
Shapechanger:
At level 1 you may use your action and 1 Change Point to
change into a humanoid of small or medium size, or back
into your Racial Appearance. It must be a humanoid you can
currently see, once you take a different form you must be able
to see the original target to retake that form. Your statistics
are not changed by this transformation, and any equipment
you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If you die while
changed in this way, you return to your true form. You also
return to your true form during a long rest.
Someone can identify your true form by making an
investigation or arcana check with a DC of 8 + Your Charisma
+ Your Proficiency.
Identity Theft
At level 5 you gain this ability, as an action, you can spend 4
Change Points and lock eyes with a humanoid target and
have them make a constitution check against your spell save
DC. On a fail, they take 1d8 Psychic Damage and you
transform into the target humanoid. You can remember this
form for 1d4 weeks and can transform into it using 1 change
point as a reaction. If the target succeeds on the saving throw
they take no damage and you can't target them with this
ability again for 1 week.
Someone can Identify you by making an investigation or
arcana check with a DC of 8 + Your Charisma + Your
Proficiency.
Becoming the Enemy
At level 10 you gain this ability, as an action, you can spend 6
Change Points and lock eyes with a humanoid target and
have them make a constitution check against your spell save
DC. On a fail, they take 4d6 + 15 Psychic Damage and you
can transform into the target humanoid. You can remember
this form for 3d6 weeks. You also can make your gear and
armor appear just as they do on the target. The gear is
completely indistinguishable from the original, but provides
no bonuses.
Someone can Identify you by making an investigation or
arcana check with a DC of 8 + Your Charisma + Your
Proficiency.
Robbing Them of Peace
At level 15 you gain this ability, as an action, you can spend
10 Change Points and link minds with a sleeping or
unconscious creature that you can see. They are to make a
Constitution Check (DC of 8 + Your Charisma + Your
Proficiency). If they fail they are dealt 8d8 + 30 Psychic
Damage. You can Permanently assume their form as well as
gain the use of their armor as if you were actually wearing it
(other gear appears as an illusion).
An arcana or investigation check with a DC of 10 + Your
Charisma + Your Proficiency can be made to Identify you as
extremely unusual but not outright give away your true form.
Empty Eyes
At level 20 you gain this ability, as an action, you can spend
14 Change Points and lock eyes with a humanoid, they make
a wisdom save with a DC of 8 + Your Charisma + Your
Proficiency. On a fail, everything about them flows from their
mind. Their eyes go black and they go rigid unable to move or
act. You can then take their form as well as have a perfect
copy of armor (you take the AC of that armor while in this
form). You are always able to transform into this form by
using 1 change point. Your physical attributes also become
that of theirs. You take their Strength and Dexterity but keep
all your other stats. You are completely indistinguishable
from them.
This paralysis lasts for 1 minute, at which point the target
makes a wisdom save If they fail they Die. If they pass than
they awake from the trance without recollection of prior
events including information about you and your allies.
If the target were to instead pass the original save they take
8d12 + 50 Psychic Damage and are uneffected by the rest of
the ability.
After using this ability you gain 1 level of exhausting from
the tax of taking or attempting to take one's soul. You are also
unable to use this feature again until 1d6 + 4 days have
passed.
3

Class Archetypes
At level 1 you choose an archetype. Archetypes will affect
how you play your doppelganger you can choose from either
The Sneaky Doppel Archetype, which fights with physical
weapons of all kinds, Or the The Magic Doppel Archetype
who fights with spells and other magical means. Either
choice you will be living the life of someone else. Your
deceptions can be so grand that even you can forget who you
really are.
The Sneaky Doppel Archetype
Your physical attributes are stronger and your love of the
sneaking and stabbing draws you to a world of Swords and
Bows. When you take this Archetype you gain the following
benefits:
Extra Proficiencies
You gain the use of Shields and Medium Armor.
You gain use of Martial Weapons.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
equipment granted by your background:
(a) a Martial Melee Weapon (b) or a Martial Ranged Weapon
with 20 round of ammunition
(a) a Dungeoneering Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack
(a) a Breastplate
(a) a Shield
(a) a simple weapon
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty,
Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting
Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose
again. You gain one of these at 1st level, one at 8th level, and a
final one at 16th level.
ARCHERY
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged
weapons.
DEFENSE
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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.
PROTECTION
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you
that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to
impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding
a shield.
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your
ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
FAST WEAPON FIGHTER
When using a Finesse Weapon you can up the amount of
damage it does by one die, for example, a dagger that does
1d4 damage will now do 1d6.
Morphed Weapons
Beginning at 2nd level, You will be able to transform your
weapon into a weapon you have previously seen or handled,
physically altering its properties. Using this ability costs 1
Change Point per change and takes 1 bonus action. This
effect last for 1 hour before the weapon changes back to its
original form. When using a morphed weapon you gain a +1
to hit and a +1 to damage rolls. You can also take a reaction
to make your morphed weapon into a shield adding +2 to
your AC. Morphing your shield back into a weapon takes one
bonus action.
Morphing a magic Weapon does not transfer any magical
abilities to its new form. Magical properties a weapon has are
not lost by morphing it.
Archetype Feature 1
At 3rd level, you gain the following abilities. Once per turn,
you can add 1d6 Psychic damage to any successful attack
taken during the Attack action, this feature doesn't affect non-
humanoids or humanoids with the Frightening Presence
trait.
Archetype Feature 2
Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of
certain area effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an
ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that
allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half
damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the
saving throw, and only half damage if you fail'
Extra Attacks
Beginning at 8th level, you can attack twice, instead of once,
whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Morph Dangerous Than it Seems
Beginning at 9th level, you gain the ability to morph your
weapons into other objects that seem less dangerous. You
can spend 2 change points to make your weapon appear as if
it were a mundane object such as an oil lamp or walking
stick, while in this form they can last for up to an hour but
can not be used as weapons. As a bonus action, you can
switch it back to its original form.
Archetype Feature 3
Beginning at 13 level, you are able to outwit and outsmart
your enemies by distracting them with your morphing
weapons. You have advantage on attack rolls made with a
weapon you just morphed. In addition, any hit you score
against a creature that round is a critical hit.
Archetype Feature 4 Spell Casting
Starting at 17th level, you become a master of the minds of At 1st level, you gain the ability to harvest energy from the
your enemy. When you attack and hit a creature with a arcane plane. You gain the ability to cast wizard Spells. See
weapon morphed this round, it must make a Constitution chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting.
saving throw DC of 8 + Your Charisma + Your Proficiency. On Cantrips
a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the At 1st level, you know two Cantrips of your choice from the
creature and regain 1 change point. wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your
The Magic Doppel Archetype choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known
column of the Spell Table.
You have chosen to pursue the use of the arcane plane's
endless power. When you take this Archetype you gain the Preparing and Casting Spells
following benefits: The Doppelganger table shows how many Spell Slots you
have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of
Extra Proficiencies these Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or
higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a
You gain proficiency in the arcana skill.
Long Rest.
Equipment You prepare the list of Doppelganger Spells that are
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
equipment granted by your background:
available for you to cast, choosing from the wizard spell list.
(a) a Simple Melee Weapon (b) or a Simple Ranged Weapon When you do so, choose a number of wizard Spells equal to
with 20 round of Ammunition your Spells Known column in the Spell Table.
(a) a Dungeoneering Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack
(a) Leather Armor For example, if you are a 5th-level Doppelganger, you have
(a) n Arcane Focus four 1st-level Spell Slots and two 2nd-level. You will have 5
Spells of 1st or 2nd level, in order of spell slots received. If
you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it
Spells using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't
remove it from your list of prepared Spells. You have an
Cantrips Spells 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th amount of prepared spells = Charisma modifier + half your
Level Known Known level level level level level level Doppelganger level, rounded down (minimum of one spell)
1st 2 1 2 — — — — — You can change your list of prepared Spells when you
2nd 2 2 2 — — — — —
finish a short or Long Rest. Preparing a new list of
Doppelganger Spells requires a short or long rest.
3rd 3 3 3 2 — — — —
Spellcasting Ability
4th 3 4 3 2 — — — —
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Doppelganger
5th 4 5 4 2 — — — — Spells. The power of your Spells comes from your connection
6th 4 6 4 2 2 — — — to the arcane plane. You use your Charisma whenever a
Doppelganger spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In
7th 5 7 4 3 2 — — — addition, you use your Charisma modifier when Setting the
8th 5 8 4 3 2 — — — saving throw DC for a Doppelganger spell you cast and when
9th 6 9 4 3 2 1 — —
Making an Attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma
10th 6 10 4 3 2 1 — — modifier
11th 7 11 4 3 3 1 — — Spell Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your
12th 7 12 4 3 3 2 1 — Charisma modifier
13th 8 13 4 3 3 2 1 — Ritual Casting
14th 8 14 4 3 3 2 1 — You can cast a Doppelganger spell as a ritual if that spell has
the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
15th 9 15 4 3 3 3 1 1
16th 9 16 4 3 3 3 1 1
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see "Equipment") as a
17th 10 17 4 3 3 3 2 1 spellcasting focus for your Doppelganger Spells.
18th 10 18 4 3 3 3 2 1
19th 11 19 4 3 3 4 2 1
20th 11 20 4 3 3 4 2 2

5
Blending In
Starting at 1st Level you gain the ability to magically blend
into the crowd, You can expend one 1st level spell slot to
activate this ability. Your appearance changes to that of an
average person with no out of the ordinary features, This
could mean you turn into a young man dressed in rags in a
small farming village or a monk in a temple high in the hills.
This effect lasts for 5 minutes and gives everyone
disadvantage on checks made for investigation, insight, or to
find you. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until
you have taken a short or long rest.
Minor Essence Drain
Starting at 1st level whenever you use a Change Point to
change into another creature besides your true form you can
regain 1d4 Hit Points. These hit points do not affect
Maximum health, nor do they overfill into temporary Hit
Points. If you were to use Shapechanger you would gain 1d4
hp but if you were to use Becoming the Enemy you would
gain 6d4 hp.
Archetype Feature 1
Beginning at 3rd level when you cast a spell or use an ability
that does Psychic damage you can choose to reroll a number
of damage die equal to your charisma modifier, Once you use
this feature you must take a short or long rest before using it
again you can only roll each die once and can choose from
either roll.
Altering Self
At 4th level, you gain the ability to cast Alter Self as if it were
a cantrip by spending 2 change points.
Archetype Feature 2
At level 7 you gain the ability to use your action to magically
read the surface thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of
you. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or
dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead
blocks it. While the target is in range, you can continue
reading its thoughts, as long as your concentration isn't
broken (as if concentrating on a spell). While reading the
target's mind, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) tests
made to understand things about it, on Charisma tests made
towards influencing it or for the purposes of imitating it.
However, if the target suspects your true nature, it may make
a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 8 + Your Charisma +
Your Proficiency. Success causes you to lose all of these
benefits save those involving imitating the creature, and the
creature becomes aware that you are reading its thoughts.
Whenever you use this feature you can choose to cast the
spell Dissonant Whispers without expending a spell slot.
Doing so immediately alerts the target to your true nature.
You can use this ability once for free, but then must either use
a 1st level spell slot or take a long rest before doing so again.
Instilling Fear
At level 8 you gain the ability to cast Fear without expending
a spell slot, your target has disadvantage on its saving throws
against this spell. All creatures in the cone take 3d8 Psychic
Damage. Once you have used this feature you must take
short or long rest before you can use it again.
Archetype Feature 3
At 13th level, You gain the ability to make a creature unaware
of your magical influence on it. When you attempt to use one
of your shapechange abilities or cast an enchantment spell to
charm one or more creatures, you can alter one creature's
understanding so that it remains unaware of being charmed.
Additionally, once before the spell expires, you can use your
action to try to make the chosen creature forget some of the
time it spent charmed. The creature must succeed on an
Intelligence saving throw against your Doppelganger spell
save DC or lose a number of hours of its memories equal to 1
+ your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You can make the
creature forget less time, and the amount of time can't exceed
the duration of your enchantment spell.
Blank Stare
At 14th level, your large eyes can entrance or trap people, this
allows you to add the spells Charm Person and Bestow
Curse to your list of spells if you don't already have them.
Using this feature allows you to cast Bestow Curse or Charm
Person at 5th level without expending a spell slot. Your target
for the spell has disadvantage on the wisdom save. Once you
use this feature you must take a long rest before doing so
again.
Greater Essence Drain
Starting at 15th level whenever you use a change point to
change into another creature besides your true form you gain
1d4 temporary Hit Points. These temporary hit points are
removed after a long rest. If you were to use Shapechanger
you would gain 1d4 but if you were to use Becoming The
Enemy you would gain 6d4. If the target for that ability passes
the saving throw this feature does not take effect.
Archetype Feature 4
At 17th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the
knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster.
Immediately after a creature casts a spell that targets a
creature you can see, you, or includes you in its area of effect,
you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a
saving throw with its spellcasting ability modifier. The DC
equals your spell save DC. On a failed save, you negate the
spell's effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the
spell if it is at least 1st level and of a level, you can cast (it
doesn't need to be a wizard spell). For the next 8 hours, you
know the spell and can cast it using your spell slot. You also
gain Change Points equal to the spell's level, you can not have
more Change Points than your change point maximum. The
creature can't cast that spell until the 8 hours have passed.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you
finish a long rest. If the target passes the check then you take
half-damage from the spell but gain no other benefits.