Herald
Herald
Whether for good or ill, the most important aspect of being a herald is holding oneself to a set of oaths that might define all aspects of their lifestyles or be an important influence on their lives. A herald’s promise also often defines their goals (to protect others or to persecute an enemy). For some heralds this may be a personal choice, while others let the order they serve determine who the threats are.
Powers That Be
It’s said that heralds gain their magic by keeping to their oaths, though certain ideologies see instead an inner strength brought out by living in accordance with a strict lifestyle instead. Another interpretation states that a herald’s power is in fact innate. In such cases, oaths are a way to contain them and keep the herald humble, though there are orders that prefer their heralds to flaunt their powers as a show of prowess instead.
Heralds are best known for using their magic to heal, protect, or eradicate. A herald’s magic can however also be used to facilitate negotiations or threats, conduct thorough investigations, or detect abnormalities.
Creating a Herald
When making your herald, ask yourself these questions: What is the cause they have dedicated themselves to? Do they serve a deity, a philosophy, or something else entirely different? Why have they chosen this path? Who do they consider the greatest threat?
What kind of message do they hope to bring to the world? How do they intend to spread this message? Do they do so by action, or with words? What sort of impression do people have of your herald after interacting with them? What does your herald think about the powers they have been given? Do they think this power is bestowed from another, unlocked by another from within, or something that they are naturally capable of?
Table: Herald
Level |
Proficiency |
Features |
Lessons |
Smite |
Maneuvers |
Maneuver |
1st |
+2 |
Divine Sense, Lay on Hands, Spellcasting |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
+2 |
Combat Maneuvers, Divine Smite |
— |
1d8 |
2 |
1st |
3rd |
+2 |
Divine Lessons, Herald Archetype |
1 |
1d8 |
2 |
1st |
4th |
+2 |
Ability Score Increase, Empowered Smite |
1 |
1d8 |
3 |
1st |
5th |
+3 |
Extra Attack, Heraldic Sermon |
2 |
2d8 |
3 |
1st |
6th |
+3 |
Sacred Aura |
2 |
2d8 |
3 |
1st |
7th |
+3 |
Archetype Feature |
3 |
2d8 |
4 |
2nd |
8th |
+3 |
Ability Score Increase, Greater Empowered Smite |
3 |
2d8 |
4 |
2nd |
9th |
+4 |
Inspiring Devotion |
4 |
3d8 |
4 |
2nd |
10th |
+4 |
Improved Sacred Aura |
4 |
3d8 |
5 |
2nd |
11th |
+4 |
Divine Warrior |
5 |
3d8 |
5 |
2nd |
12th |
+4 |
Ability Score Increase, Divine Recovery |
5 |
3d8 |
5 |
2nd |
13th |
+5 |
— |
5 |
4d8 |
6 |
3rd |
14th |
+5 |
Infectious Resolve |
6 |
4d8 |
6 |
3rd |
15th |
+5 |
Herald Archetype Feature |
6 |
4d8 |
6 |
3rd |
16th |
+5 |
Ability Score Increase |
6 |
4d8 |
7 |
3rd |
17th |
+6 |
— |
6 |
5d8 |
7 |
3rd |
18th |
+6 |
Aura Improvements |
6 |
5d8 |
7 |
3rd |
19th |
+6 |
Ability Score Increase |
7 |
6d8 |
8 |
4th |
20th |
+6 |
Holy Exemplar, Herald Archetype Feature |
7 |
6d8 |
8 |
4th |
CLASS FEATURES
As a herald, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per herald level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per herald level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You begin the game with 200 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Blessed Explorer’s Set (Cost 189 gold): Handaxe (4), hauberk, priest’s pack
- Divine Warrior’s Set (Cost 200 gold): Longsword, hauberk, medium shield, explorer’s pack
Divine Sense
Choose one of the following sets of enemies: celestials and fiends, fey and elementals, or aberrations and undead. You can always sense when a creature of one of your chosen types is within 30 feet of you, but cannot determine their number, type, or location. As a bonus action, you can briefly enhance your senses to learn the location, number, and type of any creatures of your chosen types within 30 feet of you. When you do so, creatures of those types that are within range make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, with advantage if the creature’s CR is higher than your herald level. On a failed save, you also learn the creature’s identity. Within the same radius, you also detect any locations that have been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.
You can activate this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, and regain spent uses upon finishing a long rest . Upon finishing a long rest, you may also swap your chosen set of creature types for another.
Lay on Hands
Your blessed touch can heal wounds. You have a pool of healing power that replenishes when you take a long rest . With that pool, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your herald level × 5.
As an action, you can touch a creature and draw power from the pool to restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool.
Alternatively, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use of Lay on Hands, expending hit points separately for each one.
This feature has no effect on undead and constructs.
Spellcasting
You have learned to draw on divine magic through meditation and devotion to your oath.
Level |
Cantrips |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
1st |
2 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
2 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
2 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
2 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
3 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
3 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
8th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
9th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
10th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
11th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
12th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
13th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
14th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
15th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
16th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
17th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
18th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
19th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
20th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the Herald spell list. You learn additional Herald cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as seen in the Cantrips Known column of the Herald table.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Herald table shows how many spell slots of each level you have to cast your spells. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all spent spell slots upon finishing a long rest.
You can prepare a number of spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your herald level, rounded down (minimum 1 spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and must be chosen from the Herald spell list.
For example, if you are a 5th level herald, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Charisma of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st- or 2nd-level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change the spells you have prepared whenever you take a long rest . Preparing a new list of spells requires you to spend time reflecting in meditation; at least 1 minute per spell level for each new spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your herald spells, since their power is derived from your dedication to your oath. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a herald spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your Herald spells.
Combat Maneuvers
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in two combat traditions from the following list: Sanguine Knot, Spirited Steed, or Tempered Iron. You learn two maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.
You use your maneuvers by spending exertion points, but you do not gain an exertion pool. Instead, at the start of each of your turns you can expend spell slots of 1st-level or higher to gain exertion points that go into a temporary exertion pool which lasts until you start your next long rest . You gain 2 exertion points for a 1st-level spell slot, and 2 more for each spell slot level above 1st. Only spell slots gained from the herald class can be expended in this way.
The Maneuvers Known column of the Herald table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.
Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.
Divine Smite
Starting at 2nd level, whenever you hit a creature with a weapon attack you can choose to deliver a divine smite that deals an additional 1d8 radiant damage. The amount of extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Smite Damage column of the Herald table.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain spent uses upon finishing a long rest .
Divine Lessons
In preparing to take your oath, you have learned a number of skills and tricks that can help you during your adventures. At 3rd level, you gain a divine lesson of your choice. The divine lessons available to you are detailed at the end of the class description. The Lessons Known column of the Herald table shows when you learn more divine lessons.
Herald Archetype
Also at 3rd level, you choose the oath and tenets that you as a herald will swear to uphold. Until now you have merely been preparing, committed to the path but not sworn to it. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.
Archetype School
Each archetype has an associated school of spells, which you gain access to upon reaching 3rd level. You can choose spells from this school when preparing your spell list. If you would choose a spell that is not on the herald spell list, it is considered a herald spell for you.
Channel Divinity
Your oath allows you to channel the divine for more magical effects than just casting spells. Each Channel Divinity option granted by your oath explains how to use it. Whenever you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which option to use. Once you have used this feature you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest .
Some Channel Divinity options require saving throws . When using such an effect, the DC for the saving throw equals your herald spell save DC.
Empowered Smite
At 4th level, you are able to manipulate magic to add extra power to your smites. Whenever you would use your Divine Smite feature, you can choose one of the following effects. Once you have used this feature you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest . Alternatively, you can empower a smite by expending a spell slot of 1st-level or higher.
Some empowerments require your target to make a saving throw to resist some of the empowerments effects. The DC for these saving throws is the same as your herald spell save DC.
Igniting Smite
Your smite instead deals fire damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns or take 1d6 fire damage. On a successful save, it takes no damage and the fire is extinguished. The fire can also be put out as an action or by the environment, and extinguishes itself after 1 minute.
Marking Smite
Your smite causes the target to shed bright light for 5 feet, and dim light for an additional 5 feet. The effect lasts for up to 1 minute, or until you target another creature with a weapon attack. As long as the effect lasts, the target gains no benefit from invisibility and has disadvantage on checks made to hide.
Repelling Smite
Your smite instead deals force damage, and the target must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone . On a successful save, the target is knocked back only 5 feet and is not knocked prone.
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.
Extra Attack
At 5th level, you can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
Heraldic Sermon
Also at 5th level, your oath has so inspired you that your words seem to be imbued with magic when you talk about it. Choose one of the following features.
Devout
You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. You have advantage when using this skill to influence others by discussing your oath or deity, and witnesses that hear your words are inspired to share any useful or important information they might have.
Evangelism
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. You have advantage when using this skill to convert others through preaching about your oath or deity, and witnesses that hear your words are inspired to donate to your cause.
Fearmonger
You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. You have advantage when using this skill and your faith to intimidate others, and witnesses with opposing views make obvious efforts to avoid you.
Sacred Aura
At 6th level, you are able to manifest an aura that aids you and your allies. Each aura has a radius of 15 feet, is centered on you, and you must be conscious for you and your allies to benefit from it. You can have only one of the following auras active at a time, and can change which aura is active whenever you finish a long rest . At 18th level, the range of all auras increases to 30 feet.
Aura of Courage
You and allies within range cannot be frightened .
Aura of Resistance
You and allies within range of your aura gain a bonus on saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (+1).
Aura of Willpower
You and allies within range cannot be charmed .
Archetype Feature
At 7th level you gain another archetype feature.
Greater Empowered Smite
At 8th level you learn the following new empowerments for your smites, and can use this feature twice at no cost in between long rests . Alternatively, you can use an empowered smite by expending a spell slot of 1st-level or higher.
Blinding Smite
The target makes a Constitution saving throw . On a failure, it is blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Disorienting Smite
Your smite instead deals psychic damage and the target makes a Wisdom saving throw . On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Taunting Smite
The target makes a Wisdom saving throw . On a failed save, it takes an additional 1d6 radiant damage when attacking a creature other than you and cannot make opportunity attacks against anyone but you. This effect lasts up to 1 minute, and the target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Inspiring Devotion
At 9th level, you can draw upon your oath for extra assistance in social situations. Choose one of the following features.
Lend Faith
When an ally within 30 feet that can see and hear you would make a saving throw or ability check you can inspire them with your faith, adding your Charisma modifier to the roll. Once you have used this feature you can’t do so again until you finish a short rest .
Reveal Heresy
You gain proficiency in the Insight skill, and and gain an expertise die on Insight checks. Whenever a creature is lying to you, it makes a Charisma saving throw against a DC equal to your passive Insight score. This save is made with disadvantage and done in secret by the Narrator. On a failure, you get a strong sense that they are being untruthful.
Truth of Conviction
Whenever you or an ally are telling the truth and make any Charisma ability check to do so, you can use this feature to treat any roll of 10 or less as an 11 for that roll. Once you have used this feature you can’t do so again until you finish a short rest .
Improved Sacred Aura
At 10th level, you gain a more powerful aura that is active alongside your Sacred Aura. The range of this aura is the same, and you can only have one Improved Sacred Aura active at a time. You can swap your active improved aura upon finishing a long rest .
Aura of Healing
Whenever you or an ally cast a spell to heal yourself or another ally while both are within your aura, both the spellcaster and target gain additional hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.
Aura of Overcoming
Weapon attacks made by allies within your aura are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistances and immunities .
Aura of Smiting
Whenever an ally within your aura scores a critical hit with a weapon attack, they deal additional radiant damage equal to half your herald level (rounded down).
Divine Warrior
Beginning at 11th level, each of your strikes is infused with divine might. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage.
Divine Recovery
At 12th level, you can transform divine energy into more easily manipulated magics. You can use a bonus action to recite a short prayer or mantra and expend a use of Channel Divinity to regain a spell slot of 3rd-level or less.
Once you have used this feature three times, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Infectious Resolve
Starting at 14th level, you can use your action to touch one willing creature (or yourself) and choose one of the following effects.
All In. The target gains advantage on its next weapon attack, and deals an extra 1d8 radiant damage on a hit.
Iron Will. For the next minute, as long as you are conscious the target gains advantage on Wisdom saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
Walk It Off. One spell or condition affecting the target ends.
Once you have used this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Archetype Feature
At 15th level you gain another archetype feature.
Archetype Feature
At 20th level you gain another archetype feature.
Holy Exemplar
At 20th level, your deity constantly watches over you. Even death cannot touch you as you recover from mortal wounds in a flash of holy light, a sudden swelling of unnatural darkness, or another expression of potent divine power. When you die after being reduced to 0 hit points by an attack or spell, after 1d4 rounds you return to life with 100 hit points. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Divine Lessons
When you gain access to a new divine lesson, choose one of the following.
Bestowed Understanding
When attempting to understand a language with which you are not proficient (whether spoken or written), you can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check to understand the basic message. If the language is considered forgotten, you roll with disadvantage . You can do so a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and regain spent uses upon finishing a long rest .
Divine Health
You are immune to disease and have advantage on saving throws made to resist the poisoned condition.
Divine Vision
You gain darkvision . 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. In addition, you always have the see invisibility spell prepared and can use this feature once per long rest to cast it without expending a spell slot.
Do Without
Your divine connection and years of training combine to allow you to survive without Supply for a number of days equal to your Charisma modifier without suffering any adverse effects.
Exemplary
You gain an expertise die on Acrobatics and Athletics checks made to climb, jump, run, and swim. When your party makes a group Acrobatics or Athletics check, you may apply the results of your roll to yourself and one ally. You can choose which ally to apply your result to after everyone has rolled, but must do so before the Narrator says whether you succeed or fail.
Glorious Purpose
When you agree to undertake a quest that specifically fulfills the tenets of your herald archetype, you gain proficiency with a skill that will be crucial to completing that quest. The skill is chosen by the Narrator. If you are already proficient with the skill, you gain an expertise die instead. The benefits of this divine lesson do not change until the quest has been completed.
Heraldic Order
Whenever you would pay for a meal, room, or minor supplies (such as mundane ammunition) roll 1d6. On a result of 4 or higher the merchant recognizes you as a herald of an order they either fear or respect and charge you nothing. If you insist on paying, they may offer you information about individuals or places that might be of interest to your heraldic order.
Miraculous Discovery
You gain an expertise die on Investigation checks, and your passive Investigation score increases by 3. Additionally, you can always choose to use your Charisma when making Investigation checks.
Naturalist
Choose one type of terrain; arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, subterranean, or swamp. You gain an expertise die on Nature and Survival checks made in this terrain. In addition, once each week when you have run out of Supply, you can spend 8 hours in the wilderness to find 1d4+2 Supply.
Prophetic Protection
Whenever you would trigger a trap, the Narrator makes a secret Charisma (Perception) check against the DC to spot the trap. On a success, you do not spot the trap but get a strong sense that moving any further will put you in danger.
Seek Truths
You gain an expertise die on Insight checks made to discern the truth. In addition, after you have made a successful Insight check opposed by a creature’s Deception check, you have advantage on Insight checks made against it for 24 hours.
Sense Import
Your Divine Sense extends to detect whenever you enter a place that is or once was of great holy or unholy significance, and you learn basic information about why or to whom it was important. Additionally, you have advantage on checks made to learn more information about the area while you are there.
Silvered Tongue
You gain an expertise die on Intimidation and Persuasion checks. In addition, when you successfully intimidate or persuade a creature, you have advantage on Intimidation and Persuasion checks made against it for the next 24 hours.
Undaunted
While exploring a place which you have never been to before, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on ability checks and attack rolls until the end of your next turn. You can do so a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and regain spent uses upon finishing a long rest .
Fighter
Fighter
Their skills and approaches differ, and they employ a dazzling array of fighting styles and special tricks, yet in the end they are defined by their skill in battle, and the true difference between them is not how they fight but when and why.
Fighters are masters of combat, passing beyond basic proficiency to become experts in their chosen style of combat. Each fighter learns a set of techniques that mark them as something special, regardless of whether they are self-taught or guided by a mentor: honing their senses to a razor’s edge and flowing just out of harm’s way while seizing every opening, harmonizing with allies and knowing how to coordinate with them without sharing a word, or harnessing incredible strength to weather enemy blows before crushing them with a single strike.
Hardened Warrior
Bladeseer
Brute
Charging Shield
Dungeoneer
Duelist
Gadgeteer
Gladiator
Houndmaster
Knight
Militarist
Seadog
Sharpshooter
Waverider
More than skill sets a fighter apart from other combatants: a fighter has gone through a crucible and come out the other side hard as steel. A fighter might be a veteran scarred by the wars they have fought, a knight dedicated body and soul to their oaths, or a student of the sword who spent years in the tutelage of a demanding master. Even the most inexperienced and gentle fighter has a strength within them that makes them unique.
Creating a Fighter
When creating a fighter, it’s important to ask why they fight. Are they a rebel fighting for a cause, or are they a mercenary lending their blade where it suits them? Did they pick up the blade after a tragedy, or is it a skill passed down by their family?
|
Proficiency |
|
Knacks |
Maneuvers |
Maneuver |
1st |
+2 |
Fighting Style, Combat Maneuvers, Soldiering Knacks |
1 |
3 |
1st |
2nd |
+2 |
Steely Mien |
1 |
4 |
1st |
3rd |
+2 |
Maneuver Specialization, Martial Archetype |
1 |
4 |
1st |
4th |
+2 |
Ability Score Increase, Reserves (1) |
1 |
5 |
2nd |
5th |
+3 |
Extra Attack |
2 |
6 |
2nd |
6th |
+3 |
Martial Lore |
2 |
7 |
2nd |
7th |
+3 |
Maneuver Specialization, Martial Archetype Feature |
2 |
7 |
2nd |
8th |
+3 |
Ability Score Increase, Reserves (2) |
2 |
8 |
3rd |
9th |
+4 |
Indomitable (one use) |
3 |
9 |
3rd |
10th |
+4 |
Martial Archetype Feature, Reputation |
3 |
10 |
3rd |
11th |
+4 |
Extra Attack (2), Maneuver Specialization |
3 |
10 |
3rd |
12th |
+4 |
Ability Score Increase, Reserves (3) |
3 |
11 |
4th |
13th |
+5 |
Indomitable (two uses) |
4 |
12 |
4th |
14th |
+5 |
War’s Toll |
4 |
13 |
4th |
15th |
+5 |
Maneuver Specialization, Martial Archetype Feature |
4 |
13 |
4th |
16th |
+5 |
Ability Score Increase, Reserves (4) |
4 |
14 |
5th |
17th |
+6 |
Indomitable (three uses) |
5 |
15 |
5th |
18th |
+6 |
Martial Archetype Feature, Martial Legacy |
5 |
16 |
5th |
19th |
+6 |
Ability Score Increase |
5 |
16 |
5th |
20th |
+6 |
Warmaster |
5 |
17 |
5th |
CLASS FEATURES
As a fighter, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per fighter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per fighter level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You begin the game with 140 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Brigand’s Set (Cost 114 gold): 2 dueling daggers, garrotte, rapier, 5 throwing daggers, leather brigandine, burglar’s pack, vial of basic poison
- Guard’s Set (Cost 107 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, pike, shortsword, medium shield, padded leather, backpack, bell, lantern (standard), manacles, signal whistle
- Scout’s Set (Cost 117 gold): Greatsword, 4 javelins, hide, medium shield, climbing gear, explorer’s pack
- Squire’s Set (Cost 128 gold): Shortbow and 20 arrows, shortsword, leather brigandine, pony with padded cloth barding, sewing kit, smith’s tools
Fighting Style
At 1st level 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.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Battle Ready
You may activate up to 2 combat stances you know without expending any exertion points using the same bonus action. Once you activate a set of combat stances in this way you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
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.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Mounted Combatant
While mounted, you gain an expertise die on attack rolls against creatures that are Medium-sized or smaller and not mounted. In addition, you gain an expertise die on saving throws made to resist being unmounted.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, if you are wielding a shield you can use your reaction to hinder the attack, forcing the creature to roll with disadvantage .
Technical Fighting
Whenever you use a combat maneuver any damage dealt by attacks using it deal an additional 2 damage, and your maneuver DC increases by 1.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
Whenever you would make an attack using a weapon with the Thrown property you may draw the weapon as part of the attack. In addition, your ranged weapon attacks with thrown weapons deal an additional 2 damage.
Tireless Fighting
Whenever you expend Hit Dice to recover exertion points, you recover 3 exertion points per Hit Die expended (instead of 1d4 exertion points as normal).
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.
Unarmed Fighting
Your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield, you can strike with both of your hands to deal damage equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier. If you start your turn grappling a creature, you may deal your basic melee damage to any creature you are grappling.
Combat Maneuvers
At 1st level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in two combat traditions of your choice. You learn three maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool. The Maneuvers Known column of the Fighter table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.
Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.
Soldiering Knacks
Over the course of your training and adventures you have picked up a variety of skills and tricks to help you make your way. At 1st level you gain a soldiering knack of your choice. Your soldiering knacks are detailed at the end of the class description. The Knacks Known column of the Fighter table shows when you learn more fighter soldiering knacks.
Steely Mien
At 2nd level your combat experience becomes obvious on some subtle level, influencing how people perceive you, or perhaps how you see them. Choose one of the following options:
Closed Helm
You have great control over your emotions; your face is an unmoving mask, revealing nothing of what you’re thinking. Creatures have disadvantage on Insight checks made against you. In addition, you gain an expertise die on saving throws against being charmed or frightened .
Heroic Flair
Your victories have emboldened you and you radiate with heroic confidence. You have advantage on Persuasion checks made to influence friendly creatures with a CR lower than your fighter level.
Watchful Eye
You are eternally alert and wary, ready for trouble. You have advantage on Insight checks made to determine hostile intent or predict violence, and your passive Perception increases by 5.
Maneuver Specialization
As you experience combat and perfect your techniques they get easier for you to perform and more difficult for your foes to overcome. At 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level you may choose to master a combat maneuver you know. You cannot master the same maneuver more than once in this way.
- The exertion point cost of mastered maneuvers is reduced by 1 (minimum 1).
- Your maneuver DC for mastered maneuvers increases by 1.
- Any attack you make as part of a mastered maneuver (including triggering attacks) deals 2 additional damage.
Martial Archetype
Also at 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.
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.
Reserves
At 4th level your stamina increases, allowing you to engage foes longer without tiring. Your exertion pool increases by 1. At 8th, 12th, and 16th level your exertion pool increases by an additional point.
Extra Attack
At 5th level you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class.
Martial Lore
At 6th level, your knowledge of martial lore deepens. Choose one of the following options:
Military Traditions
You’ve familiarized yourself with wars long past and military protocols of the present. You gain an expertise die on Intelligence checks made to recall lore or gather information regarding warfare or military action. In addition, you gain an expertise die on Charisma checks made to influence soldiers, guards, or other organized martial forces.
Size Up
Your combat experience against a wide variety of foes has given you a good eye for evaluating threats. You can use a bonus action to determine the CR of a creature you can see within 200 feet, and that creature’s maneuver DC.
Weapon Lore
You gain an expertise die on Intelligence checks made to recall lore or gather information about weapons, armor, and other martial equipment. In addition, you can use an action to investigate the magical properties of such an item by handling it, such as swinging a sword or hefting a shield. You learn its properties, how to use them, whether it requires attunement, and how many charges it has. You also learn if the item has any sentience or bears a curse, though you only learn if it is sentient or cursed (not the nature of that sentience or curse).
Archetype Feature
At 7th level you gain another archetype feature.
Indomitable
At 9th level, you can draw upon your indomitable will to overcome pain, resist overwhelming forces, or retaliate when most warriors would be shirking back. You can use this feature to perform any of the following reactions:
- Reroll a failed saving throw . If you do so, you must use the new roll.
- Reduce the damage you would take from a single source or attack by 2d8 + half your fighter level (rounded down).
- Make a single attack against a creature that has just completed an attack against you.
You gain an additional use of this feature at 13th level and a third use starting at 17th leveI. You regain all spent uses of this feature whenever you finish a long rest .
Reputation
At 10th level, your reputation has begun to precede you. Choose one of the following options:
Inspiring
You’re a reputed leader, a person to be trusted whose words are to be heeded. You gain an expertise die on Persuasion checks. In addition, you may spend 1 exertion point as a bonus action to inspire a creature that can hear you. The creature makes an Insight check opposed by your Persuasion check, becoming inspired by you on a failure. Indifferent creatures you inspire in this way become friendly towards you and your allies, and friendly creatures you inspire in this way will consider you an ally and may provide you with local information that would otherwise remain secret. Creatures will remain inspired by you indefinitely unless you do something that would make them hostile or lose confidence in you, such as lying, stealing, or causing them or their allies harm, or being proven cowardly or untrustworthy in any way.
Intimidating
You’re reputed to be a terror to your foes and a fearsome ally. You gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks. In addition, you can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion point to intimidate one creature you can see. The creature makes a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a frightened creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Legendary
Your deeds have become epic stories, growing bigger and more outlandish with each retelling. You gain an expertise die on Deception checks. In addition, you can spend 1 exertion point to weave your real legendary deeds into a Persuasion check as boasting, or include fabricated legendary deeds into a Deception check. When you do so, you have advantage on the check.
Archetype Feature
At 10th level you gain another archetype feature.
War’s Toll
At 14th level, your experiences have left their impressions on you. All the lives ended—both friends and foes—inevitably weighs down on a person, and each must find their own way to cope and pay the toll of war. Choose one of the following.
Battle Scarred
You’ve embraced every victory and loss, and you wear each battle scar like a badge of honor. Whenever you are reduced to 0 hit points you gain a new permanent scar or mark, and you gain inspiration. Once you gain inspiration in this way you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Carouser
You cope through drink and revelry, and have mastered both. You can gain the benefits of a long rest by spending 4 hours drinking, carousing, and taking the occasional blackout nap. You can carouse in this way so long as you consume at least 4 pint’s worth of ale (or equivalent drink), and you are alert and aware of your surroundings while doing so. If you carouse with another creature in this way, you can attempt to learn secrets from it by drinking it under the table. Each hour you spend carousing with a willing creature, make an opposed Constitution check. On a success, that creature answers a question truthfully (even questions it would not normally answer).
In addition, you can enjoy alcohol as normal but can’t gain the poisoned condition from it.
This feature has no effect on creatures that are immune to the poisoned condition.
One Eye Open
Your life has been so regularly in danger that you’ve learned to literally sleep with one eye open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings while sleeping during long rests . You can also never be surprised and you gain an expertise die on initiative checks.
Archetype Feature
At 15th level you gain another archetype feature.
Martial Legacy
At 18th level, your mastered maneuvers have become as natural as breathing, and you have the opportunity to pass your techniques down to the next generation. By spending 8 hours sparring, you can teach another willing creature a maneuver you have mastered using Maneuver Specialization. A creature must be proficient in at least one combat tradition to learn a maneuver in this way, it can only learn maneuvers of a degree from which it already knows at least one maneuver, this counts against its numbers of maneuvers known.
Archetype Feature
At 18th level you gain another archetype feature.
Warmaster
At 20th level, you have become an undisputed master of battle. You gain the following features.
Master of Combat
You master every maneuver you know and any future maneuvers you learn as per Maneuver Specialization. Additionally, choose one maneuver of 3rd degree or less that you know. You are able to use the chosen maneuver without expending any exertion points.
Finishing Blow
You can make spectacular, devastating attacks which inspire awe in those nearby. When you miss with a weapon attack while taking the Attack action, you can choose to hit instead. Alternatively, you can choose to change a hit with a weapon attack into a critical hit, or when you score a critical hit you can choose to deal maximum damage.
All hostile creatures who see your Finishing Blow make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC or become frightened for 1 minute.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest .
Soldiering Knacks
When you gain access to a new soldiering knack, choose one of the following.
Amphibious Combatant
You gain a swimming speed equal to your Speed, and may spend 1 exertion to reroll a failed Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check related to aquatic activity (such as Athletics checks to swim, Acrobatics checks to keep balance on a ship’s deck, or Constitution checks to hold your breath). You may choose whether to use the new roll or the original. In addition, you add your proficiency bonus to the number of minutes you can hold your breath before suffocating, and can spend 1 exertion to hold your breath for an additional minutes equal to your proficiency bonus.
Burst of Strength
You have moments of incredible strength. You may spend 1 exertion to add your proficiency bonus to a Strength check, even if you already add your proficiency bonus to the check.
Campaigner
You have the ability to go for the long haul, carrying heavy equipment across long distances. You double your Strength score when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can lift, push, or drag. You may also add your proficiency bonus to the number of hours you can march before you risk fatigue from a forced march.
Clearsight Sentinel
You gain darkvision. 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. In addition, you do not suffer disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks in lightly obscured areas (such as in light fog, moderate foliage, or heavy precipitation).
Extreme Leap
When you take the Dash action and make a long jump after moving no less than 20 feet, your jump distance is doubled for the turn. You may spend 1 exertion to triple your jump distance for the turn instead, and may move the full distance of your jump even if it exceeds your Speed.
Mountaineer
You gain a climbing speed equal to your Speed, and may spend 1 exertion to reroll a failed Athletics check to climb, choosing whether to use the new roll or the original. In addition, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement.
Nightwatch
You are used to sleeping light and making the most of your rest. When taking a long rest , add your proficiency bonus to the number of hours you can spend in light activity. In addition, one hour of that time can be spent in strenuous activity near the rest site (such as patrolling, fighting, or other adventuring activities) without interrupting your rest.
Stable Footing
A steady stance and careful footwork is instinctive to you. You have advantage on any check or saving throw to avoid falling prone or handle difficult ground (such as against a grease spell or slippery ice). You are never prone after taking fall damage, and when calculating fall damage you treat the fall distance as if it were shorter by a number of feet equal to your proficiency bonus × 10.
Weather Beaten
Exposed to all kinds of weather over your life, you are inured to all but the most deadly effects. You gain advantage on saving throws against cold and hot weather, as well as any adverse effects from wind or precipitation.
Druid (Class)
Druid (Class)
Living within the rules they impose upon themselves, they embody and represent an ideology that espouses becoming part of nature instead of civilization. Wielding magic drawn from all that is around them, druids are capable of shaping the environment or themselves to accomplish their goals.
While anyone might come to understand how nature works, only druids can express how nature feels as they are, to an extent, an extension of the wilderness itself.
Secretive Magic
Most druids come from orders and families known as circles that define the powers and philosophies that they hold. Circle druids are particularly secretive due to historical anecdotes of exploitation that caused harm to both humanity and nature. For these druids the decades spent under their elders is not just for the sake of mastery, but also to learn the restraint and ethics necessary for one to responsibly wield the powers of nature.
There are druids that do not learn their magic from circles but rather from nature itself, often stumbling upon their gifts by accident or through the instruction of creatures of nature (such as the fey). While they operate much more openly, these hedge druids often lack the language to describe how their magic works. Most ultimately seek out a circle to join while some continue to develop their understanding independently until they take on apprentices to form a new circle of their own. All druids, regardless of origin, are welcome at cyclical congregations where tips on magic and shapeshifting are shared and matters of importance discussed.
Axis Slayer
Blinkwitch
Decomposer
Guardian
Shade Collector
Skinchanger
Steel Renegade
Stormwalker
Treespeaker
An Unlikely Adventurer
With secrecy being so important to druids many would wonder why they’d embark on an adventuring career—to most adventuring is seen as both a way to master their skills and as the ultimate test of character. Some circles even require their members to have a certain number of years adventuring experience before they can officially become druids. There are also occasions when adventuring is used as a cover for a druid to pursue another mission, often related to the restoration of nature to an area or to seek out the root of an issue plaguing a druid circle.
Creating a Druid
When creating a druid it’s important to ask what first connected them to nature. Were they raised within a druidic circle, taught nature’s lessons by animals or fey, or did they spurn the civilized world? Who was it that taught them the mystical arts? Is there some aspect of nature they’ve become intertwined with or feel they need to protect, or are they merely learning to be a druid to maintain a tradition? What part of being a druid do they like the most, or are most comfortable with?
In addition, ask why your druid has decided to become an adventurer. Is this a pilgrimage of sorts to a sacred location? Are they on a mission? What challenges do they expect to encounter? How different is the environment they are in in comparison to where they grew up? What aspects of adventuring shock them that they will have to learn to adjust to?
Table: Druid
|
Proficiency |
Features |
Wild |
Secrets |
1st |
+2 |
Druidic Training, Secrets of Nature, Spellcasting |
— |
2 |
2nd |
+2 |
Druid Archetype, Nature’s Bond, Wild Shape |
3 |
2 |
3rd |
+2 |
Natural Demeanor |
3 |
2 |
4th |
+2 |
Ability Score Increase, Wild Shape Improvement |
4 |
2 |
5th |
+3 |
4 |
3 |
|
6th |
+3 |
Druid Archetype Feature |
5 |
3 |
7th |
+3 |
Druidic Lore |
5 |
3 |
8th |
+3 |
Ability Score Increase, Wild Shape Improvement |
6 |
3 |
9th |
+4 |
Ferocity or Serenity |
6 |
4 |
10th |
+4 |
Druid Archetype Feature |
7 |
4 |
11th |
+4 |
Improved Natural Bond |
7 |
4 |
12th |
+4 |
Ability Score Increase, Wild Shape Improvement |
8 |
4 |
13th |
+5 |
8 |
5 |
|
14th |
+5 |
Druid Archetype Feature |
9 |
5 |
15th |
+5 |
Harmonize or Tyrannize |
9 |
5 |
16th |
+5 |
Ability Score Increase, Wild Shape Improvement |
10 |
5 |
17th |
+6 |
10 |
6 |
|
18th |
+6 |
Greater Natural Bond |
11 |
6 |
19th |
+6 |
Ability Score Increase |
11 |
6 |
20th |
+6 |
Archdruid, Wild Shape Improvement |
12 |
6 |
CLASS FEATURES
As a druid, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per druid level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per druid level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (you are never proficient with metal armors or shields)
Weapons: Blowguns, clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, scythes, sickles, slings, spears
Tools: Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Religion, and Survival
Equipment
You begin the game with 115 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Hermit’s Set (Cost 107 gold): Quarterstaff, hide, light shield, herbalism kit, priest’s pack, focus tattoo (nature focus), tent (one person), healer’s satchel
- Forager’s Set (Cost 98 gold): Blowgun with 50 needles, sickle, padded leather, explorer’s pack, healer’s satchel, herbalism kit, ironwood acorn, poisoner’s kit, staff (nature focus)
- Survivor’s Set (Cost 114 gold): 4 javelins, spear, bone breastplate, medium shield, explorer’s pack, hunting trap, totem (nature focus)
Secrets of Nature
During your druidic training and exploration of nature you pick up several methods of surviving in the wilderness. At 1st level you gain two secrets of nature of your choice, detailed at the end of the class description. The Secrets Known column of the Druid table shows when you learn more secrets of nature.
Druidic Training
All druids are taught to commune with nature, to become a conduit for natural power, and to maintain the secrets of their druid circle. Also at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Nature, and you learn the druidcraft cantrip (this does not count against your total cantrips known).
You know Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message’s presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can’t decipher it without magic.
Spellcasting
Drawing on the power of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape nature’s essence to your will. See Chapter 11: Spellcasting for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the druid spell list.
|
Cantrips |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
2 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
2 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
2 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
8th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
9th |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
10th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
11th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
12th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
13th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
14th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
15th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
16th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
17th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
18th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
19th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
20th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn additional druid cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Druid table.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Druid table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your druid spells. To cast one of these druid 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 .
You prepare the list of druid spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the druid spell list. When you do so, choose a number of druid spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your druid level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Casting spells doesn’t remove them from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells whenever you finish a long rest by meditating for at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your druid spells. 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 druid 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 Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a nature focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Druid Archetype
At 2nd level, you choose a circle of druids to identify with. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Wild Shape
At 2nd level, you know 3 wild shapes of your choice for creatures of CR 1/2 or less that have the beast or plant type. You learn additional and more powerful wild shapes of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Wild Shapes Known column of the Druid table.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wild shapes you know with a new one.
As an action you can magically assume one of your known wild shapes. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest .
Whenever you use your Wild Shape feature to transform into a creature, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d4 × the creature’s CR (minimum 1d4).
You can stay in a wild shape for a number of hours equal to your druid level. You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
- Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature, except you retain your hit points and Hit Dice, personality, the ability to speak and understand any languages you know, and your 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 a higher bonus to a skill or saving throw , you may use the creature’s bonus instead.
- You gain all of the wild shape’s senses, movement speeds, resistances , immunities , vulnerabilities , traits, actions, and attacks. If you take a Multiattack action of a creature, you cannot make any further attacks that turn, even if another feature would normally allow you to do so.
- While in a wild shape your Armor Class equals 12 + ¼ your druid level (rounded down) as shown on the Wild Shapes table. If your wild shape would have a higher AC, you may use that instead.
- While in a wild shape you may only cast spells with a range of Self or Touch. You can perform the verbal and somatic components of such spells while in a wild shape and your wild shape itself acts as your spellcasting focus. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, nor does it prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
- You still retain the benefit of any features from your class, destiny, or culture and can use them if your wild shape is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t utilize any features gained from your heritage or heritage gift while in a wild shape.
- Any equipment you are wearing or wielding merges into your new form. Equipment that merges with your form has no effect until you leave the form.
Table: Wild Shapes
Level |
Max CR |
Armor Class |
Example |
2nd |
1/2 |
12 |
|
4th |
1 |
13 |
|
8th |
2 |
14 |
|
12th |
3 |
15 |
|
16th |
4 |
16 |
|
20th |
5 |
17 |
Nature’s Bond
Also at 2nd level, nature provides you with the ability to summon its minor spirits. As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to cast the find familiar spell, without material components.
The familiar you summon is a fey instead of a beast, and it disappears after a number of hours equal to half your druid level.
Natural Demeanor
At 3rd level your connection to the natural world comes forth and becomes omnipresent. Choose one of the following:
A Way With Animals
Beasts understand anything you verbally communicate in Druidic, and you can comprehend them in return. The knowledge and awareness of many beasts is limited by their intelligence, but at minimum beasts can give you information about nearby locations and monsters, including whatever they have perceived within the past day. At the Narrator’s discretion, you might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you. In addition, you gain an expertise die on Animal Handling checks.
First-Hand Naturalist
You’ve learned the intricacies of nature through firsthand experience rather than academic study.
You gain an expertise die on Nature checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making Nature checks.
Leyline Awareness
Druidic rituals attune you to the leylines that course through the Material Plane. While you are on the Material Plane, you always know the following information:
Which way is north.
The direction of the nearest forest.
The direction of the nearest natural body of water.
The direction of the nearest city or other humanoid community.
The general health of the local ecosystem, and if anything unnatural or magical is upsetting the natural order.
Scholar of Old Ways
Your circle taught the old magic at the root of all things, granting you eldritch insights beyond mundane arcane studies.
You gain proficiency with Arcana, or if you already have proficiency you instead gain an expertise die on Arcana checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making Arcana checks.
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.
Archetype Feature
At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.
Druidic Lore
At 7th level, your knowledge of the natural world grows. Choose one of the following:
Druidic Secrets
You’re adept at covertly performing druidic magic without attracting attention. When you cast a druid spell you may choose to do so utilizing silent and subtle Druidic motions and signs in place of both the spell’s seen and vocalized components, gestures that creatures which can speak Druidic are aware of. Once you cast a druid spell in this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest .
Toxin Intuition
You are a veteran of nature’s chemical warfare. You automatically know if any flora or fauna is poisonous or venomous. In addition, you gain advantage on checks made to determine if a foodstuff is poisonous and saving throws against poison.
Truthspeaker
You’ve learned to tap into the fundamental truth that connects all things, at least briefly.
You may cast the spell legend lore without expending a spell slot and without material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you cannot do so again for the next 24 hours.
Waste Not
With 10 minutes work you can scavenge valuable cuts from the corpse of a beast, dragon, monstrosity, or plant that has a CR of 1 or higher and has died within the last hour. If sold to a collector, naturalist, or other druid, this notable component is worth an amount of gold equal to 5 × the creature’s CR.
Ferocity or Serenity
At 9th level you choose to embrace either the wild savagery of nature or the control you need to protect it. Choose one of the following:
Embraced Ferocity
You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls you make while in a Wild Shape. In addition, whenever you use Wild Shape to transform into a creature, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d8 × the creature’s CR (minimum 1d8) instead of 1d4 × CR.
Embraced Serenity
You have advantage on concentration checks made to maintain spells. In addition, as a bonus action you may sacrifice a use of Wild Shape to recover an expended spell slot of 3rd-level or lower, or two uses of your Wild Shape feature to recover an expended spell slot of 6th-level or lower.
Archetype Feature
At 10th level you gain another archetype feature.
Improved Natural Bond
At 11th level your bond has grown and you are able to summon forth far greater nature spirits. As an action, you can expend a use of Wild Shape to cast the conjure animals spell.
Archetype Feature
At 14th level you gain another archetype feature.
Harmonize or Tyrannize
At 15th level you choose to harmonize with nature or to harness it. Choose one of the following:
Harmonize
During a short rest you may choose to meditate and harmonize with your surroundings. If you do, at the end of your rest you attune to the area in a 5-mile radius around you. You magically know what types of creatures are present in your attuned area, their approximate numbers, and if there are any magics disturbing the natural order in your attuned area. While in your attuned area, you have advantage on Nature, Perception, and Survival checks, and blindsight out to a range of 30 feet. Once attuned to an area, you remain attuned for the next 24 hours. You can only attune to one area at a time.
Tyrannize
You draw upon nature’s power to become a prime example of one of its children. Whenever you assume a wild shape you may choose to assume the apex form of that wild shape. An apex form is one size category larger than the creature’s normal size category (maximum Gargantuan) and any attack made by an apex form wild shape deals an extra 1d8 damage. In addition, while in an apex form wild shape you gain an expertise die on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks and saving throws .
Greater Natural Bond
At 18th level your bond expands to encompass the Dreaming and you are able to summon any woodland beings. As an action, you can expend a use of Wild Shape to cast the conjure woodland beings spell as if you cast it using a 6th-level spell slot.
Archdruid
At 20th level, you become an extension of nature. Your Wild Shape has no duration. In addition, when you cast a druid spell you do not need seen or vocalized components, or any material components that have no cost or aren’t consumed by the casting. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and while using Wild Shape.
You also learn to tap into the intricate ebb and flow of life around you and how to divert it as you see fit. You may cast the spells power word kill and true resurrection without expending a spell slot and without any material components. Once you cast either spell in this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Finally, you can turn nature in its rawest elements into deadly weapons no matter your form. Once each turn, you can use a bonus action to choose a target point within 30 feet and one of the following element options. If the element you choose is not present at or near the target point, any damage dealt by this feature is halved, you have disadvantage on your spell attack, and creatures have advantage on any saving throws made to resist it.
Air. Each creature within 20 feet of that point must make a Strength saving throw . On a failure, a target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 3d8 + your Wisdom modifier and is flung up 20 feet away from the target point in a random direction and knocked prone . If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 1d8 bludgeoning damage. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or it takes the same damage and is knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t flung away or knocked prone.
In addition, all ranged attacks within 30 feet of the target point have disadvantage until the beginning of your next turn.
Earth. Clumps of dirt and stone explode outward. Creatures within 10 feet of the target point take 4d8 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone . A creature that makes a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC takes half damage is not knocked prone.
Fire. Flames roil outward in a burst of inferno. Creatures within 15 feet of the target point take 6d6 fire damage. A creature that makes a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC takes half damage.
Ice. You condense and flash freeze the water from a vast area above you into a massive boulder to drop down with immense force. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature at least 30 feet below the target point. On a hit, the creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and 4d6 cold damage.
In addition, the area in a 20-foot radius around the creature becomes
difficult terrain
for 1 minute.
Water. You create a 20-foot tall, 20-foot wide wave that travels 30 feet in one direction and then crashes down. Any Large or smaller creatures and objects in the wave’s path make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, a creature takes 4d8 bludgeoning damage and is carried with the wave. Any creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes no damage and is not moved.
Wood. Splinters appear and fling themselves into flesh and armor alike. Creatures within 20 feet of the target point take 4d6 piercing damage. A creature that makes a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC takes half damage.
Secrets of Nature
When you gain access to a new secret of nature, choose one of the following.
Aerial Surveyor
You are at home soaring at dizzying heights and peering towards the horizon. You can familiarize yourself with a 5-mile radius area around you by spending a minute studying your surroundings while flying or at great heights. Once you familiarize yourself with an area in this way, you gain an expertise die on any Perception or Survival checks you make while outdoors in that area for the next 24 hours, and you cannot familiarize yourself with another area until you finish a long rest .
Aquatic Delver
You are at home in the depths, able to control your breathing and attune to the subtle movements of the water. You gain a swimming speed equal to your Speed and you add your Wisdom modifier to the number of minutes you can hold your breath before suffocating. In addition, while fully submerged in water you gain blindsight out to a range of 10 feet.
Cavern Skulker
You’ve grown accustomed to the echoing solitude of vast caverns. You always know the actual direction of any sound you hear regardless of any echoes. In addition, while you are in complete darkness and not deafened you gain blindsight out to a range of 15 feet.
Desert Dweller
Few choose to willingly live where the sun relentlessly burns overhead but you find tranquility amongst the sands. You are naturally acclimatized to hot weather and extremely high temperatures. In addition, while in a desert or similar arid environment you can spend 1 hour scouring the area for food and digging for water to generate 1 Supply. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Eldritch Survivor
You’ve grown to know the lands twisted by the fey, distorted by magical pollution, or places otherwise warped in unnatural ways. You may make Survival checks in place of Arcana checks regarding magical environments, foodstuffs, and creatures, and gain an expertise die on any checks made this way.
Herbal Apothecary
Forests and jungles are filled with natural medicines ripe for the picking. You gain an expertise die on checks made using an herbalism kit and checks made to locate herbal ingredients. In addition, whenever you obtain a medicinal or rare herb using an herbalism kit, you gain twice as many medicinals or rare herbs.
Marshland Guide
Bogs and swamps are unpleasant to most but are filled with natural beauty to you. Moving through swamps, bogs, or muddy difficult terrain costs you no extra movement and you cannot become naturally lost while traveling through marshlands. In addition, you ignore the effects of roughing it imposed by resting in wet or swampy environments.
Master Forager
No matter the brush you always know how to harvest nature’s bounty. You have advantage on checks made to locate or harvest edible flora in the wild and gain twice as many Supply as normal when doing so.
Mountain Climber
You gain a climbing speed equal to your Speed. You gain an expertise die on any Athletics checks made while climbing and you are also acclimated to high altitudes, including elevations above 20,000 feet. In addition, you ignore the effects of roughing it imposed by resting in rocky or uneven terrain.
Tundra Explorer
You embrace the cold of snowbound tundra. You are naturally acclimatized to cold weather and extremely low temperatures, you ignore the disadvantage to Perception checks imposed by blizzards, and you automatically succeed on concentration checks imposed by blizzards. In addition, you ignore the effects of roughing it imposed by resting without warmth in environments of extreme cold.
Cleric
Cleric
Some clerics worship one or many gods (possibly even entities of darkness) while others attend to a philosophy or ideology which resonate with matters of ultimacy. Witting or unwitting, joyful or begrudging, lighthearted or solemn—clerics are the sheer presence of divine favor.
Divine Mission
With divine power at their fingertips clerics can heal the wounded and even revive the dead. Their allies glow with boons wrought from outside the Material Plane, and their enemies fall into shadow and flame as they feel the wrath of almighty forces. These abilities are granted when the cleric is chosen by a greater entity, or even a whole pantheon, to fulfill a divine duty, and more are given as they prove themselves worthy. With expertise in both protection and affliction, clerics are indomitable allies and terrifying foes. When the time calls for it some are just as handy in close quarters with a mace or warhammer as they are at the sidelines with an amulet and divine word. Unlike many spellcasters, a cleric distills their magical ability from acts of devotion and revelations from beyond the pale. Their command over supernatural power stems from their unique connection to forces outside of this realm, and from the mission granted to them.
Aspirant
Anointer
Exorcist
Healer
Hecatomb
Labyrinth Priest
Oracle
Guardian (Cleric)
Sun Priest
Warpriest
Revelation
No matter their religion or cause, a cleric is distinct from the average worshiper and even those at the highest echelons of its hierarchy. Rather than simply choosing a spiritual path, they are called to a spiritual duty. Their greater entity has chosen them as a vessel for their will, anointing the cleric with theurgic magic to manifest commands from beyond.
A cleric may receive their divine mission in the fog of a dream, the gentle whispers of nature, or the appearance of an intercessory messenger (such as angelic or demonic beings, a holy animal, or a long-deceased ancestor) after long study of holy texts. The cleric may even have been non-religious until the moment of their calling (and might still consider themselves that way), born with an innate skill or understanding essential to their mission—for them worship is often more in the form of deeds than in prayer or meditation. Their precise goal is shaped by the entity or pantheon they worship and their chosen archetype (and perhaps a discussion with the Narrator). An oracle may be bound to travel the world and distribute word of things to come, whereas a healer may wade into the chaos of battle to rescue the wounded. Whatever their mission, adventure is central to the life of clerics as they perform the extraordinary to fulfill their duty.
Creating a Cleric
The most important detail for your cleric is their religious identity. Are you a member of a religious or philosophical tradition, or are you non-religious? How did becoming a cleric change your life? As a cleric you are a chosen of a greater entity or pantheon and a religious or ideological leader in some form. Do you have a relationship with the other elders of your faith? Were you appointed to this role, or do you come to your authority by other means?
Having faith is important, but clerics are also the hands and mouthpiece of the power they serve. Many clerics are representatives of kindly and nurturing forces, while others serve wrathful entities whose message strikes the heart with terror. What services or actions make your spiritual leadership? What is the divine message you have to share?
Table: Cleric
Level |
Proficiency Bonus |
Features |
Signs |
1st |
+2 |
Cleric Archetype, Defensive Blessing, Sacred Call, Spellcasting |
— |
2nd |
+2 |
Archetype Feature, Channel Divinity, Principles of Devotion |
— |
3rd |
+2 |
Signs of Faith |
1 |
4th |
+2 |
Ability Score Increase, Sacred Office |
1 |
5th |
+3 |
Empowered Turning |
1 |
6th |
+3 |
Archetype Feature, Channel Divinity |
1 |
7th |
+3 |
— |
2 |
8th |
+3 |
Ability Score Increase, Archetype Feature, Empowered Turning |
2 |
9th |
+4 |
Sacred Presence |
2 |
10th |
+4 |
Providence |
2 |
11th |
+4 |
Empowered Turning |
3 |
12th |
+4 |
Ability Score Increase |
3 |
13th |
+5 |
— |
3 |
14th |
+5 |
Empowered Turning |
3 |
15th |
+5 |
— |
4 |
16th |
+5 |
Ability Score Increase |
4 |
17th |
+6 |
Archetype Feature, Empowered Turning |
4 |
18th |
+6 |
Channel Divinity |
4 |
19th |
+6 |
Ability Score Increase |
4 |
20th |
+6 |
Avatar of Faith |
5 |
CLASS FEATURES
As a cleric, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per cleric level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per cleric level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Choose one from herbalism kit, an artisan tool, or a musical instrument
Saving Throws: Wisdom, and either Intelligence or Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Culture, History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You begin the game with 125 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Holy Warrior’s Set (Cost 122 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, mace, scale mail, explorer’s pack, reliquary divine focus (holy symbol)
- Righteous Combat Set (Cost 87 gold): 4 javelin, warhammer, 5 wooden stakes, chain shirt, medium shield, emblem divine focus (holy symbol), explorer’s pack
- Spiritual Protector’s Set (Cost 90 gold): Quarterstaff, 2 flasks of holy water, padded leather, healer’s satchel, amulet divine focus (holy symbol), priest’s pack
Cleric Archetype
Your holy vocation comes to the fore through your choice of a Cleric Archetype. Choose one of the following archetypes: Healer, Lightbringer, Oracle, or Warpriest. This choice represents how you wish to communicate your values and ideals to the world at large. Although some archetypes lend themselves to a given religion or ideology, each archetype is suitable for most any belief system—even if such a presentation is provocative. Your choice of archetype will likely help inform your character’s goals, desires, and even personality.
At 1st level you gain archetype spells and other features. Your archetype grants you additional features at 2nd, 6th, 8th, and 17th level.
Archetype Spells
With your archetype you gain access to a list of archetype spells at the levels noted in your archetype description. Once you gain an archetype spell it is always prepared and doesn’t count against the spells you can prepare each day.
If you gain an archetype spell that is not on the cleric spell list, it is considered a cleric spell for you.
Defensive Blessing
Starting at 1st level, the high powers which guide you bestow a modicum of protection for your journey. Choose one of the following options.
Armor of Conviction
While you are not wearing any armor or wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Also, in addition to the spells you normally prepare, you always have shield of faith prepared.
Sacred Archery
You gain proficiency with light armor, medium armor, and ranged martial weapons.
Spirit Soldier
You gain proficiency with light armor, medium armor, and shields.
Sacred Call
Also at 1st level, your clerical vocation anoints you with certain graces for spreading your message to the people. Choose one of the following.
Clerical Charisma
Crowds find your public presence irresistible. You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. Whenever you use Performance to deliver a sermon or to sing holy songs in a town or city, even on a failed check other than a natural 1, you still attract a crowd of people no smaller than your spell save DC.
Ordination
Your mission in the world is supported by the spiritual community or religious hierarchy who called you to religious service. As a formal leader within your religious order, you are expected to perform the ceremonies of your faith, including weddings and funerals. In exchange, members of your faith provide you and your companions with food, lodging, and a modest lifestyle.
Additionally, if your congregation or order is able, they send you letters with regular updates about their well-being. They are willing to help connect you with other chapters of your faith through letters of introduction.
Zeal of the Convert
You enthusiastically see the hand of a greater entity everywhere. You gain advantage on Persuasion checks when you invoke the name of your deity or movement during a conversation with a pious person. If the listener is negatively disposed to your greater entity or movement, you have disadvantage instead.
Spellcasting
Sanctioned by the highest powers, you can cast spells to enact sacred miracles. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the cleric spell list.
Level |
Cantrips |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
3 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
8th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
9th |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
10th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
11th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
12th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
13th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
14th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
15th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
16th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
17th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
18th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
19th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
20th |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn additional cleric cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Cleric table.
In addition to these, you also know the thaumaturgy cantrip.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Cleric table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your cleric spells. To cast one of these cleric 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 .
You prepare the list of cleric spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. When you do so, choose a number of cleric spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your cleric level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Casting spells doesn’t remove them from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells whenever you finish a long rest by meditating for at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells. 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 cleric 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 Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast a cleric spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared. You can also cast the ceremony spell as a ritual whether you have the spell prepared or not.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.
Channel Divinity
At 2nd level, you are able to channel the energy of your greater entity directly, and use it for a variety of magical effects. You start with two of these effects: Turn Undead and an additional effect dependent on your chosen Cleric Archetype. Some archetypes provide additional uses of Channel Divinity as your cleric level increases, detailed under the heading of your chosen archetypes.
You may choose which Channel Divinity effect to create each time you use this feature. You must then finish a short or long rest before you’re able to Channel Divinity again.
Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws . The DC for this is the same as your cleric spell save DC.
From 6th level you can use your Channel Divinity twice between rests , and beginning at 18th level you can use it three times between rests. Finishing a short or long rest regains your expended uses.
Channel Divinity: Turn Undead
As an action, you present the holy symbol of your greater entity and speak a divine word, rebuking the undead. Each undead creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw . If the creature fails it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage from any source.
A turned creature must use its turns trying to move as far away from you as possible. It cannot willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also cannot take reactions. On its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape any effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
Principles of Devotion
At 2nd level, after much contemplation and communion with your greater entity, you pledge to uphold certain standards of behavior beyond what is necessary for adventure. In return, your greater entity grants you one of the following related boons. When you fail to uphold this pledge, you lose any benefits from it until 24 hours after you finish a long rest and rededicate yourself.
Chaste
In exchange for forgoing pleasures of the heart and flesh, you are hardened to the persuasions of others. Add your Wisdom modifier to any saving throws made to resist being charmed . You also gain one skill specialty chosen from Insight, Persuasion, or Religion.
Destitute
In exchange for forgoing material luxury, vendors who are not explicitly opposed to your greater entity are compelled to give you heavy discounts of up to 20%, and inkeeps offer free lodging.
Devotional Integrity
You adhere to a strict code of morality and ethics. When an action you take is honest and non-violent, until the end of your turn you are immune to the rattled condition and you do not suffer disadvantage or penalties on Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks made as part of that action.
Image of the Divine
You exhibit a uniform, makeup, tattoo, or body modification indicating your higher entity or religious order. Creatures have advantage when discerning your religious identity. You gain advantage on saving throws against fear and ability checks made against Intimidation. You also gain one skill specialty chosen from Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion.
Merciful
In exchange for forgoing bloodshed—torture, attacking unconscious creatures, and dealing lethal wounds to creatures you reduce to 0 hit points—you are yourself granted mercy. When you have already succeeded on two death saving throws , you have advantage on death saving throws.
Rule of Ritual
You make formal religious observances and perform ritual timekeeping. You can spend 1 hour during a long rest to make these observances, and if you do you only need 4 hours of sleep instead of the normal 6. You learn the guidance cantrip if you do not already know it, and when you grant expertise dice with a spell of 1st-level or higher, the expertise die you grant increases by one step.
Secrecy
Your mission from your deity requires you to work undercover, concealing your true self with a secret identity. In exchange for forgoing the pleasure of true connection and friendship, you gain an expertise die on Deception checks.
Severity
In exchange for forgoing weaknesses such as helping or protecting others (except when it serves you), you add your Wisdom modifier to Perception checks made to find valuable objects, and on opposed checks made against the Persuasion check of another creature.
Silence
In exchange for speaking only to cast spells, you are able to compel other creatures to action with only a glance. When a creature within 10 feet of you makes a Persuasion check, you may add your Wisdom modifier to the result.
Archetype Feature
At 2nd level you gain another archetype feature.
Signs of Faith
At 3rd level, you gain a sign of faith of your choice. Signs of faith are detailed at the end of your class description. The Signs Known column of the Cleric table shows when you gain new signs.
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.
Sacred Office
Also at 4th level, your mission has taken root and is known through much of the land, conveying rumors both good and ill about your deeds. Choose one of the following.
Auspicious Collaborator
The higher powers you are attuned to have witnessed your deeds and bestowed upon you a quality of worthiness. Your requests for aid are perceived as opportunities for partnership rather than impositions.
People of all backgrounds are more drawn to help you than they would ordinarily be. You gain one specialty chosen from Culture or Persuasion, and you gain an expertise die on Persuasion checks related to seeking aid.
Divine Authority
Your connection to religious hierarchy opens many doors. Sermons you give and courtesy calls you make to different religious groups put you in contact with a local representative of your faith, who is happy to strongly recommend you to another local leader. You gain one specialty chosen from Culture, Insight, or Persuasion. In addition, you gain an expertise die on Culture, Insight, and Persuasion checks made against local leaders to whom you are recommended that would otherwise be indifferent towards you.
Engaging Proclaimer
Your recitations of divine stories, songs, or chants quickly build and hold an audience’s attention, whether you are speaking to a packed tavern or a smaller gathering. You gain an expertise die on Performance checks to gather and hold the attention of 2 or more people. In addition, you gain two skill specialties, chosen from Performance and Religion.
Reputation
Your reputation for talented ministry and good works precedes you. Common folk frequently recognize you on sight, and those who do often have a friendly disposition towards you. They often ask you for counsel, favors, and blessings. The disposition of people they introduce you to are one stage better than normal (the indifferent become friendly, the hostile become indifferent).
Symbol of Might
The strength of the powers you serve is obvious to anybody you interact with, and you are able to use it to garner a certain level of fear and compliance. You gain one Intimidation specialty, and you gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks made to convince others to comply with your demands. The people you intimidate are no longer friendly towards you, if they were previously.
Empowered Turning
At 5th level your greater entity grants you improved ways to turn undead or other abhorrent beings. You gain this feature again at 8th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level. Each time you gain Empowered Turning, choose one of the following:
Command Undead
If you choose, creatures you turn instead regard you as their master for the duration. While they are under this effect, you may use your action to issue simple commands (no more than a sentence or two) which they are compelled to obey. They will not take any action that is obviously harmful to them, and so will not leap from a great height, jump onto a sword, or purposefully self-inflict any damage. They follow the command until you issue a new one.
Destroy Undead
Creatures turned by you of CR ½ or less are immediately destroyed, transformed into dust by a blinding flash of light. You can select this option multiple times. Each time you choose it, you are able to destroy more powerful creatures, progressing to CR 1, CR 2, CR 3, and then CR 4 each subsequent time you select this option.
Turn Ideology
Choose one of the following: Chaotic, Evil, Good, or Lawful. When you use Turn Undead, you can also choose to affect creatures with the chosen alignment trait. You can select this option multiple times.
Turn Supernatural
Choose a creature type from celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend. When you use Turn Undead, you can also choose to affect creatures of that type. You can select this option multiple times.
Archetype Feature
At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.
Archetype Feature
At 8th level you gain another archetype feature.
Sacred Presence
At 9th level, you bring the true presence of your ideals wherever you go. Choose one of the following.
Cosmic Idealist
Your moral compass aligns with the transcendent forces of the multiverse. Choose Chaotic, Evil, Good, Lawful, or one of the following: Chaotic and Evil, Chaotic and Good, Lawful and Evil, or Lawful and Good. You gain the chosen alignment trait or alignment traits. You can identify creatures that have the same alignment traits as you, and you have advantage when making Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks against them.
Additionally, you do not suffer negative effects from being on a plane with which you share an alignment trait.
Eyes of the Heart
You have a way of really seeing folk’s inner character. When you succeed on a contested Insight check, if the opposing creature’s Charisma score is equal to or less than your spell save DC, for the next 24 hours you do not need to make any further checks to recognize whenever that creature is lying, telling the truth, or excluding information.
Spiritual Salve
Your spiritual mindset has given you unique insights that can help you and your companions endure hardships. Your constant encouragements and proverbs allow allies within 30 feet of you to reroll a Constitution check or saving throw that they fail. If they do so, they must use the new roll. This feature cannot be used on saving throws made to maintain concentration on a spell. Once a creature has used your Spiritual Salve to make a reroll, it cannot do so again until it has finished a long rest .
Providence
At 10th level, the potency of your faith increases. Choose one of the following.
Divine Intervention
Beginning at 10th level, you can use an action to call on your deity to intervene on your behalf when your need is great. Describe the assistance you seek and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your cleric level, your deity intervenes. The Narrator chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or cleric archetype spell would be appropriate. If your deity intervenes, you can't use this feature again for 7 days. Otherwise, you can use it again after you finish a long rest .
After each failed divine intervention roll, add 1 to the number required to succeed until it is a success, at which point it resets to your cleric level or below.
At 20th level, your call for intervention succeeds automatically, no roll required.
Imminent Turning
A powerful connection to the life force of your greater entity extends the range of your Turn Undead. You may now Turn Undead from up to 60 feet away.
Master Ritualist
Careful study of your holy texts has made you intimately familiar with all of your ritual spells. You may cast any ritual spell on the cleric spell list you could cast as a ritual, whether or not you have it prepared.
Prayer of Protection
After each long rest choose one damage type from the following list: cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, psychic, radiant, or thunder. You gain resistance to this damage type until the end of your next long rest .
Archetype Feature
At 17th level you gain another archetype feature.
Avatar of Faith
At 20th level, your secret inner divinity is finally revealed. You can use your Channel Divinity to become a conduit of the divine, flooding the world around you with the unfettered power of the Moral Planes. Once you have used either of these options, you cannot use that option again until you finish a long rest .
Channel Negative Energy
You can use an action to evoke baleful energy from the Lower Planes to harm creatures you are able to see. You choose the creatures. Each creature makes a Charisma saving throw or takes 5d10 force damage and 5d10 necrotic damage, or half damage on a success.
When you use this feature, you also choose one of the following conditions: blinded , confused , deafened , frightened , poisoned , rattled , or slowed . A creature that failed its saving throw also gains the chosen condition. At the end of each of its turns, a creature can repeat the saving throw to end the effect on itself.
In addition, you can choose any number of creatures you can see that have the Evil alignment trait. Each regains 5d10 hit points.
Channel Positive Energy
You can use an action to evoke energy from the Upper Planes to heal creatures you are able to see. You choose the creatures and divide 200 hit points of healing among them.
A creature that regains hit points from this feature is also healed of one level of fatigue and one level of strife , and if it is blinded , charmed , confused , deafened , doomed , frightened , paralyzed , petrified , poisoned , rattled , slowed , or stunned those conditions end for it. This feature cannot be used on undead or constructs.
Signs of Faith
When you gain access to a new sign of faith, choose one of the following.
Ancestral Guidance
In addition to the spells you normally prepare, you always have speak with dead prepared, and you can use this feature to cast it once between long rests without spending a spell slot. When you do so, you do not have to target a corpse; you can also target a grave marker, memorial, statue, painting, or other depiction of the deceased creature you wish to talk to. If the chosen creature is not dead, or if such a creature never existed in the first place, the spell fails.
Compassionate Nurse
Your insight and sympathy more than make up for your lack of formal medical training. You gain an expertise die on Medicine checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making Medicine checks.
Faithful Historian
You have a deep relationship with religious history and art. You gain an expertise die on History checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making History checks.
Gentle Healer
During a short rest , you can spend uses from your healer’s satchel to aid your allies in their recovery. A creature you choose may roll expended Hit Dice twice, taking the higher result. You may not expend your own Hit Dice while using this feature, since you use all of your energies to heal your companions.
Graceful Fall
Falling from a height greater than 30 feet causes your greater entity to intervene. You are protected as if by the feather fall spell. This sign does not use your reaction.
Monastic Austerity
Your greater entity acts as a buffer to shield you from hardship or your religious self-discipline sustains you even during harsh times. Preventing the first level of fatigue you would take each day.
Numinous Awareness
When you see a creature that appears to be a beast, you automatically recognize whether it is a celestial, fiend, or fey. You have advantage on Arcana and Medicine checks made to interact with magical wounds and maladies caused by celestials, fiends, and fey.
Premonition
You have the ability to interpret messages sent to you in dreams or visions by your greater entity. After each long rest you know either:
- a piece of information that will help you in your endeavours before the end of your next long rest,
- or, how one action will play out before the end of your next long rest. Roll a d20. Before the end of your next long rest, you may choose to replace any roll made by a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you with the result of this d20 roll.
The Narrator lets you know which benefit is available whenever you finish a long rest.
Preservation
Your connection to a greater entity allows you to sense poison or disease in food, drink, or other consumables. You must have had direct contact with them or their container in order to sense this corruption.
Righteous Path
Divine intuition guides you through the tangled paths of constructed or inhabited areas without confusion. Once per day you may choose to walk the Righteous Path for 1 hour. While walking the Righteous Path, you are aware when enemies are within 60 feet of you, and you know if backtracking or alternate routes could avoid them. You can also use an action to sense if there are traps within 30 feet, but not the location or nature of the traps.
Soothing Words
Your divinely-inspired counsel and wise advice can calm troubled minds. You may reduce one ally’s strife by one level. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Supernal Intuition
Choose a creature type from fiend, fey, celestial, elemental, or undead. You know when a creature of this type is within 60 feet of you, although you do not know its location. Nondetection protects against this feature. You may select this sign multiple times, choosing a different creature type each time.
Theologian
Years of devoted learning have given you a deep understanding regarding the evolution of religion, theology, and the figures involved. You gain an expertise die on Religion checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making Religion checks.
Voice of Doom
Your personal knowledge of divine wrath and the end times make your proclamations utterly chilling. You gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks. In addition, you may always choose to use Wisdom when making Intimidation checks.
Bard
Bard

An expert of music, stories, and trickery, no team of adventurers are complete without their trusty chronicler enshrining their legend with every step. Serving as their face when it comes to social interactions and also as their support when battle inevitably breaks out, bards can be molded to fit whatever group they choose to be a part of.
More Than Vocal
The most important part of playing a bard is knowing your party’s strengths and weaknesses. For the most part understanding what your team lacks is beneficial to someone who is an actual jack-of-all-trades. Bards offer fantastic support to all the other classes either as a backup healer, a secondary spell slinger, or a magician with great utility. However when on their own and in the right company, bards can easily outshine others in both magic, combat, and social interactions—but be warned for a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none, and not focusing on particular aspects of adventuring can spread a bard quite thin.
Analyst
Hotshot
Loremaster
Lore Weaver
Mentalist
Minstrel
Mountebank
Orator
Sound Sculptor
Vagabond
Warchanter
Whisperkeeper
Music Makes the World Go Round
It is said that if one’s name is taken in song that they can never truly die, and so it is the bard’s purpose to immortalize in their art the adventures they experience. From a tossed coin to the symphony of the greatest goblin, bards across the land can influence the world around them with the power of their song. History is written by the winners, but rebellions can be sparked by the single twang of a lute.
Creating a Bard
Being a bard is more than just grabbing a musical instrument and strumming alongside the party. Your job—outside of basically being the lifeline of everyone’s livelihood—is to tell the tales of adventure and valor from the perspective of someone who lived them. Are you doing it so you can tell the specific tales of a specific person? Are you on the hunt for something grander than other people have found? Or have you foreseen the course of current events and noticed that a pivotal moment shall come with the actions of a few good adventurers, so you join them hoping to become something greater?
Always remember however that of all things your reputation is what makes you stronger, be it good or bad. Not many can work wonders amongst the people of your world like you can.
Level |
Proficiency |
Features |
Battle |
Tricks |
1st |
+2 |
Art Speciality, Bardic Inspiration, Battle Hymn, Spellcasting |
1 |
— |
2nd |
+2 |
Adventuring Tricks, Jack-of-All-Trades, Varied Expertise |
1 |
1 |
3rd |
+2 |
Bard Archetype Feature |
1 |
1 |
4th |
+2 |
Ability Score Increase, Bardic Legend (1st), Battle Hymn Focus |
2 |
1 |
5th |
+3 |
Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration, Key Change |
2 |
1 |
6th |
+3 |
Bard Archetype Feature, Prestigious, Varied Expertise |
2 |
2 |
7th |
+3 |
Bardic Legend (2nd), Maestro |
3 |
2 |
8th |
+3 |
Ability Score Increase, Battle Hymn Specialization |
3 |
2 |
9th |
+4 |
Bard Archetype Feature |
3 |
3 |
10th |
+4 |
Bardic Inspiration (d10), Varied Expertise |
4 |
3 |
11th |
+4 |
Art Mastery, Bardic Legend (3rd) |
4 |
3 |
12th |
+4 |
Ability Score Increase, Battle Hymn Specialization |
4 |
3 |
13th |
+5 |
Universal Trick |
5 |
4 |
14th |
+5 |
Bard Archetype Feature, Varied Expertise |
5 |
4 |
15th |
+5 |
Bardic Inspiration (d12) Bard Archetype Feature |
5 |
4 |
16th |
+5 |
Ability Score Increase, Universal Trick |
6 |
5 |
17th |
+6 |
Art Mastery, Grand Battle Hymn |
6 |
5 |
18th |
+6 |
Varied Expertise |
6 |
5 |
19th |
+6 |
Ability Score Increase, Universal Trick |
7 |
5 |
20th |
+6 |
Virtuoso |
8 |
6 |
CLASS FEATURES
As a bard, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Two musical instruments of your choice, or 1 musical instrument and any other tool
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose any three
Equipment
You begin the game with 135 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Agitator Set (Cost 110 gold): Dagger, hand crossbow with 20 crossbow bolts, padded cloth, entertainer’s pack, flute
- Ambassador Set (Cost 91 gold): Longsword, shortbow with 20 arrows, padded leather, diplomat’s pack, violin
Art Speciality
No bard is complete without their instrument. Be it a flute, a lute, or even your own voice, starting at 1st level you learn how to make art your greatest weapon for influencing the battlefield. For the purposes of spellcasting, any musical instrument that you have proficiency with counts as a spell focus. Although spells can be cast without these instruments, only targets that are able to perceive your performance can benefit from this feature. Whenever you finish a short or long rest , choose one of the following to be your Art Specialty.
Percussion (Casabas, Castanets, Drums, Maracas). Any instrument played by being struck or scraped (either by other instruments or against each other) qualifies as a percussion instrument. When using this musical art as a spell focus, you double the ranges of bard spells from the sound school. A sound spell that has a range of touch increases its range to 30 feet.
String Instruments (Harp, Lute, Lyre, Violin, Dulcimer). String instruments are played by plucking and twanging strings. When using this musical art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell from the movement or teleportation school you can target an additional creature within 15 feet of you.
Visual (Calligraphy, Dance, Light Manipulation, Shapes). There are many ways to undertake a visual performance whether through illustration, illusion magic, or legerdemain. When using this art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell you may choose to make an ally able to see you the point of origin of that spell. You must be able to see any targets of the spell.
Voice (Humming, Insults, Oration, Singing). When using this musical art as a spell focus, you have advantage on checks made to maintain concentration on a bard spell.
Wind Instruments (Flute, Horn, Ocarina, Trombone, Bagpipes). Any instrument played by passing air through it qualifies as a wind instrument. When using this musical art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell you can make a Deception or Performance check. Any observers with a passive Insight score equal to or less than the result of your check do not see or hear you cast the spell. Once you have used this feature three times, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Bardic Inspiration
You have a preternatural ability to inspire those around you. You can use a bonus action to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear or see you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.
Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the Narrator says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest .
At 5th level your Bardic Inspiration die increases to d8, at 10th level it increases to d10, and at 15th level it increases to d12.
Battle Hymn
Like music, battle can be wild and chaotic, and through the sensible use of formula and talent order can be brought with a dedicated change of tune. At 1st level, you learn a battle hymn. It can be expressed in any way you like—a special leitmotif in your music, a change in pitch, or even a more advanced version of your favorite art.
Once at the start of your turn, you can activate a battle hymn by expending a use of Bardic Inspiration (no action is required). Performing a battle hymn requires your concentration, as though you were casting a spell. Once activated, a battle hymn continues until you lose concentration or the start of your next turn.
The number of battle hymns you know are listed in the Battle Hymns Known column of the Bard table. Whenever you gain a bard level, you may swap one battle hymn you know for a new battle hymn.
Audience. Unless stated otherwise a battle hymn does not have a target until you choose one, and each targets a single creature within 30 feet. You may choose to target a creature at any point, but after targeting a battle hymn its target cannot be changed.
Sustained Song. When you have an activated battle hymn but have not chosen a creature to benefit from it yet, at the start of your turn when it would end you can instead choose to sustain the battle hymn until the start of your next turn without expending a use of Bardic Inspiration.
Table: Battle Hymns
Bard Level |
Battle Hymn |
1st–4th |
Harmony of Pain. The creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die. |
5th–8th |
Bastions of Justice. The creature gains a bonus to
saving throws
equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum +1). |
9th–12th |
Heaven’s Blessing. When the creature benefits from your Bardic Inspiration, it rolls the Bardic Inspiration die twice and uses the higher result. |
13th–16th |
Doomsayer. The creature takes a –1d8 penalty on attack rolls. |
17th–20th |
Bring Low the Foe. The creature takes a –1d8 penalty on saving throws. In addition, it is rattled for 1d4 rounds after the battle hymn ends. |
Spellcasting
You have developed a talent for creating magic through artistic expression, whether that be a melody made enchanted or a dance that unlocks power from beyond the mortal realms.
Level |
Cantrips |
Spells |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
2 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
2 |
5 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
2 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
3 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
3 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
3 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
3 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
8th |
3 |
11 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
9th |
3 |
12 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
10th |
4 |
13 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
11th |
4 |
14 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
12th |
4 |
15 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
13th |
4 |
16 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
14th |
4 |
17 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
15th |
4 |
18 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
16th |
4 |
19 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
17th |
4 |
20 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
18th |
4 |
21 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
19th |
4 |
22 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
20th |
4 |
23 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard table.
Spell Slots
The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st-level and higher. To cast one of these bard 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.
Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher
You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st- or 2nd-level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Ritual Casting
You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells, as your magic is fueled by how you express your inner self upon the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus or Art Speciality as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.
Adventuring Tricks
Even when abroad you are most at home when surrounded by those who love you—or at least tolerate you. At 2nd level you learn one adventuring trick of your choice. Adventuring tricks are detailed at the end of the class description. The Adventuring Tricks Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more adventuring tricks.
Jack-of-All-Trades
Starting at 2nd Level, whenever you make an ability check with a skill or tool you are not proficient with, you add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).
Varied Expertise
Also at 2nd level, choose one skill or tool you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill or tool. At 6th level, and again at 10th, 14th, and 18th level, choose an additional skill or tool.
Bard Archetype
At 3rd level you choose exactly what kind of bard you want to be: a loremaster, minstrel, mountebank, or warchanter. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.
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 increase two ability scores of your choice 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Bardic Legend
No one is a true artist until others appreciate their work. Through the course of your career as a bard your talent can attract to your doorstep both the most curious of fans and also the vilest of enemies.
At 4th level you write a bardic tale of your adventures. Your bardic legend takes whatever form you like. When you enter a settlement and spend a day playing or recounting the tale, the reputation of you and your allies starts to grow. In addition to receiving local quests suited to the exploits detailed in your bardic legend, when you rest in a settlement that knows your bardic legend you and your allies regain all spent Hit Dice over the course of a long rest . In addition, you gain an expertise die on Prestige checks made in the settlement.
Starting at 7th level, you craft a second bardic legend. Commoners are either more amenable or afraid of you depending on the type of bardic legend you create. Choose one of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion. You gain advantage on checks made using the chosen skill against any commoner that has heard your bardic legend.
Beginning at 11th level, you craft a third bardic legend that is able to spawn other tales. Whenever you enter a settlement, you can name a new bardic legend of your choice. Allies that are part of the tale gain inspiration when they finish a long rest in that settlement. Any other creatures that are part of that tale have their reputations ruined—either they confront you directly to stop the rumor, or they are unable to hide or deal in that town for the length of time you are in it. Once you have used this feature in a settlement, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest .
Battle Hymn Focus
Also at 4th level, as soon as battle commences your mind focuses on inspiring your allies. At the end of another creature’s turn, you can use your reaction to activate a battle hymn. This battle hymn replaces any currently activated battle hymns. Replacing an activated battle hymn does not require expending a use of Bardic Inspiration if it has no target yet.
In addition, choose one of the following.
- Your battle hymns no longer require concentration .
- Your battle hymns can affect a number of additional creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
- You learn an additional battle hymn that does not count against the number of battle hymns you can know. When choosing this battle hymn, you are treated as having 4 more bard levels for the purpose of meeting its prerequisites. If you change this Battle Hymn Focus, you forget the additional battle hymn.
Whenever you gain a bard level, you may change your Battle Hymn Focus.
Font of Inspiration
Starting at 5th level, you regain all expended uses of Bardic Inspiration whenever you finish a short rest .
Key Change
Also at 5th level, you can use a bonus action to switch instruments and change your Art Speciality. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest .
Prestigious
Beginning at 6th level, you cannot help but draw attention and spread your reputation. Your Prestige rating increases by an amount equal to half your proficiency bonus. When you reach 11th level, your Prestige rating instead increases by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.
Archetype Feature
At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.
Maestro
At 7th level you become so perfect in your craft that your style begins to bleed over into all your other workings. Choose one type of Art Speciality. You always gain the benefits of that Art Speciality no matter what instrument or art you are using.
Battle Hymn Specialization
At 8th level, the energy and focus you bring to battle make your presence in combat a crucial factor for victory. The range of your battle hymns increases to 60 feet.
In addition, choose one of the following.
- You can expend 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration to activate two Battle Hymns at the same time. Losing concentration or changing battle hymns deactivates both.
- Pick three spells of 4th-level or lower that have only vocalized components. These spells may be from any class spell list. You may spend 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration to cast one of the chosen spells at the start of your turn with no action required (instead of activating a battle hymn).
- When you expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to activate a battle hymn, you may also grant a Bardic Inspiration die to a creature within 60 feet.
Whenever you gain a bard level, you may change your Battle Hymn Specialization.
At 12th level, you gain a second Battle Hymn Specialization.
Art Mastery
At 11th level, the use of your art specialty has transcended into something beyond majestic. You gain one of the following art masteries. At 17th level, you gain an additional art mastery.
Percussion: Rolling Rhythm. You can throw a spell’s magic, rebounding it from one place to another. When using this musical art as a spell focus, if you cast a spell that targets only one creature, you can target an additional creature within range of the first (as if it were casting the spell). Once you have used this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, you can’t do so again until you finish a short rest .
String Instruments: Melody for All. The melodies you pluck spread like gusts of wind. You gain a number of melody charges equal to your Charisma modifier, which you regain whenever you finish a long rest . When using this musical art as a spell focus, if you cast a spell that targets only one creature you can spend a melody charge to target an additional creature within the spell’s range.
Visual: Dual Masterpiece. Your magic resonates through the air. When using this musical art as a spell focus, after casting a bard spell that used an ally as its point of origin on your last turn, if you cast the same spell normally its spell level increases by 2. Once you have used this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Voice: Everlasting Song. The spells you cast resound upon themselves. When concentrating on a bard spell, you automatically succeed on checks made to maintain concentration while you are using this musical art as a spell focus.
Wind Instruments: Perfect Pitch. While using this musical art as a spell focus, you gain advantage on Deception and Performance checks to conceal the casting of bard spells.
Universal Trick
Whether from watching your fellow adventurers work, from tales of your predecessors, or simply because you are just that talented, you have taken to adopting the techniques of your peers.
At 13th level, and again at 16th and 19th level, you learn a developed talent from the berserker class, a sign of faith from the cleric class, a soldiering knack from the fighter class, or an elective study from the wizard class. You may only learn one Universal Trick from any individual class.
Archetype Feature
At 14th level you gain another archetype feature.
Grand Battle Hymns
At 17th level, you master one of three grand battle hymns that can shake the firmament with arcane power. Choose one of the following grand battle hymns. Once you have used your grand battle hymn, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest .
Beyond the Grave. All allies within 60 feet of you that are bloodied or unconscious are restored to half their maximum hit points. In addition, each is healed of up to 3 levels of fatigue .
Magic Never Dies. Allies within 30 feet of you regain up to 5 levels of spell slots, or if they have no spell slots, gain 30 temporary hit points.
Taste of Victory. Allies within 30 feet of you gain a blessing of victory that remains for up to 24 hours or until it is expended. A blessing of victory can be expended while rolling a d20 to gain advantage on an attack roll or opposed ability check.
Virtuoso
At 20th level, your capacity for drawing a crowd reaches dizzying new heights. As an action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to start an epic performance that lasts for 1d4 rounds. During that time, you can choose up to 50 creatures that are within 120 feet of you. Each creature able to hear or see your Epic Performance makes a Charisma saving throw against your bard spell save DC. If a creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for the duration plus 6 days, or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. A charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance.
The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced , or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). At the end of the duration, you can expend an additional use of Bardic Inspiration to extend the duration by 1d4 rounds.
When your Epic Performance lasts at least 1 minute, at the end of the duration you can target each charmed creature as if using the mass suggestion spell cast at 9th-level. Creatures do not make saving throws to resist this effect. The commands you give a charmed creature are not obvious, and other creatures must make a Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Performance) check to understand that you are doing anything more than giving a performance. You can give each creature its own set of commands, but can only give out 6 different sets of commands.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest .
Adventuring Tricks
When you gain access to a new adventuring trick, choose one of the following.
Bewitching Companion
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill.
In addition, you gain an expertise die on checks made to influence anyone accompanying you on a journey.
Brutish Confrontation
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill.
In addition, you gain advantage on ability checks made to prepare an ambush.
Improvised Engineering
You gain proficiency with Engineering. If you are already proficient with Engineering, you instead gain an expertise die . In addition, you gain advantage on Engineering checks made to build a temporary construction (such as a bridge or ladder) and shore up existing structures (like the wall of a collapsing building).
Marching Song
You know how to inspire and motivate your companions as they travel. Allies within 30 feet of you travel 1 mile per hour faster than normal. Your party cannot use Stealth while traveling in this manner.
Profitable
You gain proficiency with Performance. If you are already proficient with Performance, you instead gain an expertise die . Whenever you make a Performance check to earn coins, you gain twice as much as normal.
Resonance
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill.
In addition, when either you or a companion casts a ritual spell, its duration is doubled and it affects twice the usual number of targets.
Sly Confidant
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill.
In addition, when you succeed on an opposed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check, you gain advantage on your next opposed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check against the same creature.
Song of Rest
Any creatures able to perceive you performing your art while taking a short rest and rolling Hit Dice regain an additional 1d8 hit points.
Showoff
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill.
In addition, when you succeed on an Acrobatics or Athletics check to climb, balance, leap over danger, or otherwise physically overcome an obstacle, a number of allies equal to your proficiency bonus gain advantage on the same check made to overcome the same obstacle.
Townie
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using the chosen skill. As long as you have a positive reputation in a town or city, all basic goods and spellcasting components cost 1/3rd less (rounded down).
Widely Known
You do not have disadvantage on Prestige checks made outside the area described by your Prestige rating.
Adept
Adept
Every adept has a different reason for striving towards ever greater heights of personal achievement, but all can be incredibly deadly.
Be they rough pugilists used to life in the pits, religious dancers whose prayer is battle, or covert assassins from secret societies adepts all learn amazing supernatural abilities that set them apart from common warriors.
Power of Discipline
Adepts harness mental and physical power through training, an energy they call focus. While this can be fuel for supernatural feats, in essence it is nothing more than the innate potential every living being has. Adepts channel this power within themselves to accomplish the impossible and surpass the limitations of their bodies, allowing them to be as deadly unarmed as a trained warrior is with sharp blades. As they grow more powerful, they learn several new ways of using their focus.
Arachnid Guardian
Brawler
Bruiser
Durala Carao
Exalted Athlete
Ghostly Soul
Oaken Fist
Quickstepper
Tranquil Master
Warrior Monk
Masters and Students
The art of the adept is old and personal, often taught by one master to a single student, and though the path to perfection is always long, each chooses their own different way to reach it. However they are all united by the generations of adepts that came before them, the ones who discovered these secrets and passed them forward. Adepts are always ready to learn, both when it comes to their own abilities and about the world around them. They are also always ready to teach, for they know their craft will never survive unless more adepts are trained like they were.
Creating an Adept
When creating an adept, ask yourself the following questions. Where did you meet your master? Why did they choose to train you? How was your relationship while you were training? Is your master still alive? Do they have enemies that might know about you? How ingrained are you with the adept community? Are you familiar with other adepts? Have you visited other masters, maybe even trained under them? Do you have any friends or rivals in other schools? Do you have any scars, whether physical or emotional, from engaging in battle with your peers?
Why have you chosen to walk the path to perfection? Have you suffered a crushing defeat due to your lack of martial prowess, or lost a loved one because you were not able to defend them? Did you witness a true master in action and hoped you could be like them? Are you the reincarnation of a legendary martial arts prodigy?
>Level |
Proficiency Bonus |
Martial Arts |
Features |
Techniques |
Focus |
Bonus |
Maneuvers |
Maneuver |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st |
+2 |
1d4 |
Adroit Defense, Martial Arts |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
+2 |
1d4 |
Combat Maneuvers, Exertion Focus, Practiced Techniques |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
1st |
3rd |
+2 |
1d4 |
Adept Archetype, Battlefield Etiquette |
1 |
1 |
— |
2 |
1st |
4th |
+2 |
1d4 |
Ability Score Improvement |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2nd |
5th |
+3 |
1d6 |
Extra Attack |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2nd |
6th |
+3 |
1d6 |
Tradition Feature |
3 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
2nd |
7th |
+3 |
1d6 |
Empty Mind |
3 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
2nd |
8th |
+3 |
1d6 |
Ability Score Improvement |
4 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
3rd |
9th |
+4 |
1d6 |
— |
4 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
3rd |
10th |
+4 |
1d6 |
— |
5 |
8 |
4 |
6 |
3rd |
11th |
+4 |
1d8 |
Tradition Feature |
5 |
9 |
5 |
6 |
3rd |
12th |
+4 |
1d8 |
Ability Score Improvement |
6 |
10 |
5 |
6 |
3rd |
13th |
+5 |
1d8 |
Acquired Knowledge |
6 |
11 |
6 |
7 |
4th |
14th |
+5 |
1d8 |
— |
7 |
12 |
7 |
7 |
4th |
15th |
+5 |
1d8 |
Great Reputation |
7 |
13 |
7 |
8 |
4th |
16th |
+5 |
1d10 |
Ability Score Improvement |
8 |
14 |
8 |
8 |
4th |
17th |
+6 |
1d10 |
Tradition Feature |
8 |
15 |
8 |
9 |
5th |
18th |
+6 |
1d10 |
— |
9 |
16 |
9 |
9 |
5th |
19th |
+6 |
1d10 |
Ability Score Improvement |
9 |
17 |
9 |
10 |
5th |
20th |
+6 |
1d10 |
Grandmaster |
10 |
18 |
10 |
10 |
5th |
CLASS FEATURES
As an adept, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per adept level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per adept level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, punching daggers, shortswords, throwing daggers
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Perception, Religion and Stealth
Equipment
You begin the game with 30 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
- Dungeoneer's Set (Cost 18 gold): Quarterstaff, 10 darts, dungeoneer’s pack
- Explorer’s Set (Cost 25 gold): Shortsword, 10 darts, explorer’s pack
Adroit Defense
At 1st level, you learn special defensive techniques. Choose one of the following options.
Agile Defense
While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Brutal Defense
You are proficient with light armor. While you are wearing light armor, you replace your Dexterity modifier with your Strength modifier for AC. If you know the Adept Speed practiced technique or any other that has it as a requirement, you can use them while wearing light armor.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your trail to perfection gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and adept weapons, which are quarterstaffs, punching daggers, shortswords, and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only adept weapons and you aren’t wielding a shield:
- You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and adept weapons.
- You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or adept weapon. This die changes as you gain adept levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Adept table.
- When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or an adept weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn.
Combat Maneuvers
Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers . You gain proficiency in two combat traditions from the following list: Mirror’s Glint, Rapid Current, Razor’s Edge, Unending Wheel. You learn two maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.
You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool. The Maneuvers Known column of the Adept table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.
Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.
As an adept, you gain +1 to your maneuver DC.
Exertion Focus
At 2nd level, your training allows you to harness your mental energy into a supernatural state of focus. Some cultures refer to this energy as axé, prana, pneuma, or ki. Your access to this energy is represented by your exertion pool.
You can spend exertion points to fuel various focus features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Long Step, and Patient Defense. You learn more focus features as you gain levels in this class.
Some of your focus features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Focus save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Flurry of Blows
Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 exertion to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Long Step
You can spend 1 exertion to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Patient Defense
You can spend 1 exertion to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Practiced Techniques
You have picked up a number of tricks in your path towards perfection. At 2nd level you gain a practiced technique of your choice. Your practiced techniques are detailed at the end of the class description. The Techniques Known column of the Adept table shows when you learn more practiced techniques. Unless otherwise noted, you can gain each technique only once.
Adept Archetype
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to an adept archetype: a specialization that defines how you train your body to perfection. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Focus Feature
Focus features stem from the mastery of your internal energies. At 3rd level, and again every level after that, choose one option from the list below. Some features have requirements, such as minimum adept level or another focus feature. You must meet those requirements before you choose that focus feature.
Additional Attack
Requirement: 11th level
You can attack three times, instead of twice, when you take the Attack action.
Adept Weaponry
Requirement: 5th level
Choose two weapons or one rare weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you become proficient with them. They count as adept weapons for you.
Battering Shield
Requirement: 11th level
Your weapon attacks blend together so aggressively that your assault acts almost as a shield. When you hit a creature with two or more melee attacks in the same round, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against it until the beginning of your next turn.
Battle Dance
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. As a bonus action, you can spend 2 exertion to bob and sway, starting a battle dance. Until the end of your turn, your Speed increases by 20 feet and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage . When an opportunity attack misses you, you can use your reaction to retaliate with an unarmed strike.
Battle Meditation
As an action, you can spend 1 Hit Die to regain 1d4 exertion. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
Beyond Size
Requirement: 11th level
You have learned to use your opponents’ size against them. You can use basic maneuvers against creatures of any size. If a creature is larger than you, when it saves against your basic maneuver you can use your reaction to give it disadvantage .
Closed Soul
Requirement: 9th level
When you make a saving throw , you can use your reaction and spend 2 exertion to gain advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects until the beginning of your next turn.
Dancing Maneuver
Requirement: 11th level, any dance
When you use a bonus action to activate a combat maneuver , you can spend 2 exertion to start one of your dances as part of the same bonus action.
Deflect Missiles
You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your adept level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 exertion to make a ranged weapon attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as an adept weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Deflect Spells
Requirement: Deflect Missiles, 9th level
When you are hit by a ranged spell attack that deals damage, you can use your reaction and spend 2 exertion to deflect the magic. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 2d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your adept level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 exertion to redirect the spell to another target within 30 feet of you as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency using your Wisdom modifier.
Distant Death Dance
Requirement: 5th level
As a bonus action, you can inhale air slowly and spend 2 exertion to start the distant death dance. Until the end of your turn, your reach with unarmed strikes increases to 60 feet. You have disadvantage on melee attacks against creatures more than 20 feet away from you.
Dual Stance
Requirement: 11th level, know at least 2 stance combat maneuvers
Your martial stances don’t end when you start another stance. You can have two stances active at the same time. If you are knocked unconscious , stunned , or begin a long rest both stances end.
Eye for Detail
Requirement: Proficiency with the Insight skill
You notice patterns others cannot. As an action, you can spend 1 exertion to study a creature you have watched speak for at least 1 minute. You can ask the Narrator one of these questions:
Is the creature hiding any strong emotions?
Does the creature have a secret agenda?
Did the creature lie in the last minute?
Is the creature hiding their true heritage and/or culture?
The Narrator must give you a truthful answer.
Focused Strikes
Requirement: 5th level
Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Forbidden Strike
Requirement: 7th level
When you hit an opponent with at least one attack from a Flurry of Blows, you can spend 1 exertion to deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.
Hooked Swords Dance
When you are fighting with a shortsword in each hand, you use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to hook them together to start a hooked swords dance. Until the end of your next turn, your shortswords gain the reach property. If you hit a target with both swords in the same turn, the target takes an additional 1d10 slashing damage.
Last Dance
Requirement: any dance
When the duration of one of your dances ends, you can spend 2 exertion to make the effect last until the end of your next turn.
In addition, if you know two or more dance focus features you can spend 3 additional exertion to activate two dances using the same bonus action.
Magic Resistance
Requirement: 15th level, Closed Soul
You have advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
Maneuver Rush
Requirement: 7th level
When you hit with a maneuver that requires 2 attacks from your Attack action, you can use another maneuver that requires 1 or 2 attacks from your Attack action as part of the same Attack action. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
Mind Over Body
You can use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to gain temporary hit points equal to your martial arts die plus your adept level.
Mirage Dance
Requirement: 5th level
As a bonus action, you can spend 2 exertion to swiftly start a mirage dance. Until the end of your next turn, you are under the effect of the mirror image spell.
Paralyzing Strike
Requirement: 9th level
You can deal paralyzing blows. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 2 exertion to attempt a paralyzing strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of your next turn.
Powerful Blow
Requirement: 5th level
As a bonus action, you prepare a crushing blow. If you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack before the end of your next turn, you can spend 1 exertion to deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.
Pressure Point Secrets
Requirements: Stunning Strike or Paralyzing Strike
When you use one of the focus features required, you can spend 2 additional exertion. If you do, your target has disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the focus feature.
Purity of Body
Requirement: 7th level
You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be poisoned or diseased .
Share Focus
Requirement: 11th level
As an action, you can share your spiritual fortitude with others. Choose a creature. That creature can add your martial arts die to its next saving throw . You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
Shockwave
Requirement: 5th level
You can use an action and spend 3 exertion to hit the ground so hard it sends a shockwave in a 40-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw . A creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and falls prone on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Stillness of Mind
Requirement: 7th level
You can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened .
Stunning Strike
Requirement: 5th level
You can deal incapacitating blows. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 exertion to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Total Combat
Requirement: 11th level
When you deal basic melee damage from using a basic maneuver, you deal additional damage equal to your martial arts die.
Undefeated
Requirement: 11th level
When a creature would drop you to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against any enemy within your reach. On a hit, you can spend 1 exertion to roll your martial arts die and gain that many temporary hit points. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
Unlikely Wield
Requirement: 11th level
You can wield three weapons with the dual-wielding property at once. Typically this is done with a dagger wielded between toes, but it has been known to be done with the mouth (or even a tail for combatants that have one). When you engage in two weapon fighting, you can use the third weapon to make an additional weapon attack.
Vengeful Spirit
Requirement: 15th level
When you make a death saving throw, you can choose to set your own spirit loose as a vengeful ghost to stalk your prey. The spirit acts on your initiative, has your statistics, ethereal copies of your equipment, full hit points, and half your exertion pool. Your vengeful spirit is resistant to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. It can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain , but it takes 1d10 force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
The vengeful spirit targets only the creature who reduced you to 0 hit points. When the creature is defeated, the spirit returns to your body. While the vengeful spirit is active, you don’t need to make death saving throws, but you still suffer automatic failures if you are hit. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest .
Warding Dance
Requirement: 5th level
When you are fighting unarmed or with one weapon in one hand and nothing in the other, you can use a bonus action and spend 2 exertion to start a warding dance. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
Weapon Skill
Choose a martial weapon that does not have the Heavy or Special properties. You become proficient with that weapon and it counts as an adept weapon for you.
Battlefield Etiquette
Also at 3rd level, you learn the unwritten rules of the battlefield. After you have fought beside (or against) a martial artist for one encounter, you have advantage on Charisma checks against it. Any creature that has a martial arts die, proficiency with a combat tradition, or an exertion pool is considered to be a martial artist.
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.
Bonus Exertion
Also at 4th level, your self-awareness and discipline allow you to draw upon deeper reserves of willpower than other warriors. Your exertion pool increases by the amount listed in the Bonus Exertion column of Table: Adept. For example, at 4th level your exertion pool increases to 5, at 5th level when your proficiency bonus increases your exertion pool becomes 7, at 6th level your exertion pool becomes 8, and so on.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Archetype Feature
At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.
Empty Mind
Starting at 7th level, you can empty your mind and easily disguise your emotions. As an action, you can spend 1 exertion to enter a meditative empty mind state. This lasts for 1 hour. While in this state, Insight checks against you have disadvantage .
In addition, you gain advantage on saving throws made against enchantment spells and resistance to psychic damage.
Archetype Feature
At 11th level you gain another archetype feature.
Acquired Knowledge
Starting at 13th level, your study of different martial arts traditions and foreign cultures pays off in unexpected ways. Choose a language and a tool you are not proficient with. You become proficient with both.
Great Reputation
Starting at 15th level, your reputation spreads and you become famous (or infamous) among the adept community. When you interact with martial artists, their initial attitude towards you is friendly.
Archetype Feature
At 17th level you gain another archetype feature.
Grandmaster
At 20th level, you finally achieve true mastery and become more than adept—you are a grandmaster. You gain the following features.
Death Blow
You learn how to strike with incredible force at your target’s very life force. When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can choose to make your attack a critical hit that deals maximum damage. In addition, if the target is a creature it makes a Constitution saving throw or it is reduced to 0 hit points. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest .
Perfection Achieved
At 20th level, you finally achieve true mastery. Any time you roll your martial arts die, you can spend 1 exertion to roll a d12 instead. If you roll a 12 on this die, you can roll another d12 and add it to the result.
Practiced Techniques
When you gain access to a new practiced technique, choose one of the following. Some techniques have requirements, such as minimum adept level or another technique. You must meet those requirements before you choose that technique.
Adept Speed
Your Speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. You can choose this technique more than once. Its effects stack.
Focus Speech
Requirement: 15th level
A combination of your knowledge of body language and your spiritual awareness allows you to understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Gale Walk
Requirement: Adept Speed, proficiency with Athletics
You have advantage on Athletics checks made to jump. On your turn, you can spend 1 exertion to triple your jump distances until the start of your next turn.
Hurricane Walk
Requirement: Gale Walk
Your step is so light you seem to float in the air. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast fly on yourself. You also have advantage on Stealth checks related to noise. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
Instant Step
Requirement: Adept Speed, 11th level
You can move so fast you seem to teleport. You can use an action to spend 4 exertion and choose an unoccupied space you can see within 500 feet. You teleport and arrive at exactly the spot desired. You can bring along your gear, carried items smaller than your arm, and a single creature of your size category or smaller. In addition, you become invisible until the beginning of your next turn.
Marathon Runner
You are used to running long distances. When you move at a fast pace, you don’t suffer a penalty to your passive Perception. In addition, you add your martial arts die when making a Constitution saving throw for a forced march.
Nimble Athlete
You can always choose to use your Dexterity modifier for Athletics checks.
Power Tumble
You can always choose to use your Strength modifier for Acrobatics checks.
Religious Training
You are proficient with the Religion skill. When you are in contact with a holy relic, religious artifact, or any kind of similar object or structure, you can spend 2 exertion to learn something about it. You receive a correct answer from the Narrator for a question about the object that can be answered with a yes or no.
Shadow Walk
Requirement: 11th level, proficiency with Stealth
You can step into a shadow and come out of another. When you are in dim light or darkness , as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You have advantage on Stealth checks until the beginning of your next turn.
Sixth Sense
Requirement: 11th level
You have advantage on initiative checks. In addition, you can always choose to use your Wisdom for Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, and Religion checks.
Slow Fall
You can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your adept level.
Wall Walk
Requirement: Adept Speed, proficiency with Acrobatics
You gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces on your turn without falling during the move. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast spider climb on yourself. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
Warrior’s Awareness
Requirement: Proficiency with Survival
Your honed battlefield awareness is unmatched even in the wilderness. When you make a Survival check to avoid being lost, you ignore penalties for moving at a fast pace and gain a bonus to the check equal to your martial arts die.
Water Walk
Requirement: Adept Speed
You gain the ability to move across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 exertion to cast water walk on yourself. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
Wilderness Training
You are proficient with the Survival skill. For the purposes of adept class features, you consider beasts to be martial artists.
Starting Gear Past First Level
Starting Gear Past First Level
When starting at a higher level, adventurers may spend their starting gold on the following equipment packages, organized by tier (tier 2: 5th–10th level, tier 3: 11th–16th level, tier 4: 17th–20th level). These packages represent popular and common choices for characters of a given class and level, intended to present an easy-to-use index. Characters with unique builds might prefer to swap out items or buy entirely different items.
Starting gear packages for tier 0 and tier 1 characters are available in their class and background information.
The higher tier gear packages presented here are based on the starting gold of that tier’s lowest level, which are 5th, 11th, and 17th levels respectively. If the characters begin at a level other than these, subtract the value of the suggested starting packages from their starting gold for that level, and grant the player the difference. Note that sometimes leftover gold from your tier’s suggested package is enough to also buy a lower level equipment package.
Starting Wealth Past 1st Level
If you are creating a character of higher than 1st level, your starting wealth changes as shown below.
Level | Starting Wealth |
1st | By character class |
2nd | By character class + 25 gp |
3rd | 225 gp |
4th | 400 gp |
5th | 700 gp |
6th | 1,000 gp |
7th | 1,500 gp |
8th | 2,000 gp |
9th | 3,000 gp |
10th | 5,000 gp |
11th | 7,000 gp |
12th | 9,000 gp |
13th | 12,000 gp |
14th | 16,000 gp |
15th | 20,000 gp |
16th | 30,000 gp |
17th | 40,000 gp |
18th | 50,000 gp |
19th | 70,000 gp |
20th | 100,000 gp |
Starting Packs
1st-level characters may choose one of the suggested packs below, or one of the sets suggested in their class description.
Assassin's Pack (175 gp). Includes a chest, a vial of advanced poison, 3 vials of basic poison, a set of fine clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, a vial of perfume, a costume, and a flash bomb.
Burglar's Pack (16 gp). Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
Demolitions Pack (250 gp). Includes a backpack, a vial of unstable arcanum, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, 3 black powder charges, a hooded lantern, 3 flasks of oil, a tinderbox, and 10 sand bags.
Diplomat's Pack (39 gp). Includes a chest, 2 cases for maps and scrolls, a set of fine clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, a vial of perfume, sealing wax, and soap.
Dungeoneer's Pack (12 gp). Includes a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
Entertainer's Pack (40 gp). Includes a backpack, a bedroll, 2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days of rations, a waterskin, and a disguise kit.
Explorer's Pack (10 gp). Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a mess tin, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
Pirate's Pack (70 gp). Includes a backpack, a bedroll, an eyepatch, a compass, a distant map, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin.
Priest's Pack (19 gp). Includes a backpack, a blanket, 10 candles, a tinderbox, an alms box, 2 blocks of incense, a censer, vestments, 2 days of rations, and a waterskin.
Scholar's Pack (40 gp). Includes a backpack, a book of lore, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, 10 sheets of parchment, a little bag of sand, and a small knife.
Adept
You begin the game with 30 gold.
Dungeoneer's Set (30 gold): Quarterstaff, 10 darts, dungeoneer’s pack, plus 12 gold.
Explorer’s Set (30 gold): Shortsword, 10 darts, explorer’s pack, plus 5 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): periapt of health (350 gold), ring of swimming (200 gold), plus 150 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): ring of protection (1,000 gold), spirit lantern (1,000 gold); either dust of disappearance or oil of slipperiness (500 gold); boots of speed (3,000 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): staff of striking (20,000 gold), Ioun stone (either agility, fortitude, insight, or strength) (15,000 gold), plus 5,000 gold.
Other Favorites: Amulet of health (5,000 gold), bead of force (3,000 gold), boots of elvenkind (500 gold), bracers of defense (2,000 gold), cloak of displacement (5,000 gold), cloak of elvenkind (500 gold), cunning tools (250 gold), elemental gem (250 gold), ioun stone (reserve; 600 gold), ring of free action (2,500 gold), ring of telekinesis (12,000 gold), ring of water walking (500 gold), slippers of spider climbing (500 gold), tyrant’s teeth (7,000 gold), vicious weapon (400 gold).
Bard
You begin the game with 135 gold.
Agitator Set (135 gold): Dagger, hand crossbow with 20 crossbow bolts, padded cloth, entertainer’s pack, flute, plus 25 gold.
Ambassador Set (135 gold): Longsword, shortbow with 20 arrows, padded leather, diplomat’s pack, violin, plus 44 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): hat of disguise (250 gold), message whistle (95 gold), portraiture gremlin (200 gold), plus 155 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): horn of blasting (4,000 gold), instrument of irresistible symphonies or spellcasting symphony (harp of harmony) (500 gold), box of party tricks with 4 uses remaining (500 gold), glamoured padded leather (500 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): spellcasting symphony (flute of the wind) (10,000 gold), echo force (5,000 gold), figurine of wondrous power (any rare) (5,000 gold), marvelous pigments (8,000 gold), magic mirror (hand) (3,000 gold), three superior potions of healing (1,650 gold), plus 7,350 gold.
Other Favorites: atlas to libation (35 gold), flask of inebriation (90 gold), hat of grand entrances (35 gold), paramour’s daisy (130 gold), perfume vile (120 gold), philter of love (250 gold), pipes of haunting (500 gold), pipes of the sewers (350 gold), prismatic gown (90 gold), spellcasting symphony (defending drum, triangle of terror, lute of legends; 1,500 gold, 4,500 gold, 95,000 gold), wand of the scribe (75 gold).
Berserker
You begin the game with 120 gold.
Rugged Explorer’s Set (120 gold): Greatsword, 4 javelins, spear, hide, medium shield, climbing gear, explorer’s pack, plus 2 gold.
Tracker’s Set (120 gold): Greataxe, shortbow and 20 arrows, chain shirt, explorer’s pack, plus 4 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): scale mail (50 gold), 1 greataxe or javelin of lightning (500 gold), security gremlin (100 gold), plus 50 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): 1 greataxe (500 gold), cloth brigandine +2 (500 gold), javelin of lightning (500 gold), belt of giant strength (hill) (4,000 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): dragon scale mail (red or blue) (15,000 gold), belt of giant strength (fire) (20,000 gold), plus 5,000 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), armor of invulnerability (70,000 gold), bag of cheese (5 gold), belt of dwarvenkind (5,000 gold), flame tongue (5,000 gold), frost brand (8,000 gold), gauntlets of ogre power (400 gold), glove of swift return (200 gold), hammer of thunderbolts (60,000 gold), infernal carapace (17,500 gold), plate armor of etherealness (55,000 gold), ring of mind shielding (500 gold), vorpal sword (55,000 gold), winged boots (1,500 gold).
Cleric
You begin the game with 125 gold.
Holy Warrior’s Set (125 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, mace, scale mail, explorer’s pack, reliquary divine focus (holy symbol), plus 4 gold.
Righteous Combat Set (125 gold): 4 javelin, warhammer, 5 wooden stakes, chain shirt, medium shield, emblem divine focus (holy symbol), explorer’s pack, plus 38 gold.
Spiritual Protector’s Set (125 gold): Quarterstaff, 2 flasks of holy water, padded leather, healer’s satchel, amulet divine focus (holy symbol), priest’s pack, plus 35 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): 3 potions of healing (basic) (150 gold), periapt of wound closure (400 gold), plus 150 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): mace of smiting , mace of disruption , or staff of healing (5,000 gold), cloak of protection (500 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): elven chain (5,000 gold), necklace of prayer beads (3,000 gold), ring of shooting stars (20,000 gold), pouch of emergency healing (4,000 gold), plus 8,000 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of health (5,000 gold), angel eyes (4,500 gold), candle of invocation (50,000 gold), crystal ball (50,000 or 150,000), death’s essence pendant (500 gold), staff of the python (500 gold), staff of swarming insects (5,000 gold), robe of stars (25,000 gold), talisman of pure good (75,000 gold), talisman of ultimate evil (75,000 gold).
Druid
You begin the game with 115 gold.
Hermit’s Set (115 gold): Quarterstaff, hide, light shield, herbalism kit, priest’s pack, focus tattoo nature focus, tent (one person), healer’s satchel, plus 8 gold.
Forager’s Set (115 gold): Blowgun with 50 needles, sickle, padded leather, explorer’s pack, healer’s satchel, herbalism kit, ironwood acorn, poisoner’s kit, staff nature focus, plus 17 gold.
Survivor’s Set (115 gold): 4 javelins, spear, bone breastplate, medium shield, explorer’s pack, hunting trap, totem nature focus, plus 1 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): pearl of power (300 gold), 1 hide armor (150 gold), mourning medallion (135 gold), plus 115 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): either staff of the web-tender , staff of the woodlands , or staff of withering (5,000 gold); seeds of necessity (500 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): either staff of fire or staff of frost (15,000 gold), dragon scale mail (green or white) (15,000 gold), survivor’s cloak (3,000 gold), plus 7,000 gold.
Other Favorites: bag of beans (5,000 gold), bag of tricks (300–800 gold), cloak of arachnida (10,000 gold), cloak of the bat (5,000 gold), cloak of the manta ray (400 gold), mask of the white stag (4,950 gold), pumpkin bomb (570 gold), ring of animal influence (2,500 gold), scimitar of speed (6,000 gold), staff of swarming insects (5,000 gold), staff of the python (500 gold), wand of web (500 gold).
Fighter
You begin the game with 140 gold.
Brigand’s Set (140 gold): 2 dueling daggers, garrotte, rapier, 5 throwing daggers, leather brigandine, burglar’s pack, vial of basic poison, plus 26 gold.
Guard’s Set (140 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, pike, shortsword, medium shield, padded leather, backpack, bell, lantern (standard), manacles, signal whistle, plus 27 gold.
Scout’s Set (140 gold): Greatsword, 4 javelins, hide, medium shield, climbing gear, explorer’s pack, plus 23 gold.
Squire’s Set (140 gold): Shortbow and 20 arrows, shortsword, leather brigandine, pony with padded cloth barding, sewing kit, smith’s tools, plus 12 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): splint armor (450 gold), bastard sword (35 gold), 2 potions of healing (basic) (100 gold), plus 115 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): full plate armor (1500 gold), schooled weapon (2,500 gold), 1 heavy shield or helm of telepathy (1,000 gold), 3 potions of healing (greater) (450 gold), warhorse (400 gold), bag of holding (500 gold), plus 650 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): dwarven plate (20,000 gold), figurine of wondrous power (obsidian steed) (10,000 gold), sword of life stealing (2,000 gold), plus 8,000 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), weapon +1 (500 gold), weapon +2 (3,500 gold), weapon +3 (8,000 gold), animated shield (6,000 gold), armor of invulnerability (70,000 gold), armor of resistance (1,250 gold), arrow-catching shield (5,000 gold), assembling armor (2,500 gold), composite bow (200 gold), dancing sword (8,000 gold), emperor’s blade (9,000 gold), gloves of swimming and climbing (300 gold), ironweed rope (200 gold per 50 feet), mirror shield (50,000 gold), necklace of adaptation (250 gold), plate armor of etherealness (55,000 gold), ring of mind shielding (500 gold), rope of climbing (500 gold), sun blade (5,000 gold), sword of sharpness (7,000 gold), sword of wounding (5,000 gold), Vekeshi blade (15,750 gold), vicious weapon (400 gold), vorpal sword (55,000 gold), wind fan (450 gold).
Herald
You begin the game with 200 gold.
Blessed Explorer’s Set (200 gold): Handaxe (4), hauberk, priest’s pack.
Divine Warrior’s Set (200 gold): Longsword, hauberk, medium shield, explorer’s pack.
Tier 2 (700 gold): 2 potions of healing (basic) (100 gold), halberd (25 gold), splint armor (450 gold), plus 125 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): full plate armor (1,500 gold), flame tongue (greatsword) (5000 gold), plus 500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): celestial aegis or infernal carapace (17,500 gold), ioun stone (absorption) (10,000 gold), pouch of emergency healing (4000 gold), plus 8,500 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of health (5,000 gold), armor of invulnerability (70,000 gold), composite bow (200 gold), frost brand (8,000 gold), helm of telepathy (1,000 gold), holy avenger (100,000 gold), mirror shield (50,000 gold), plate armor of etherealness (55,000 gold), ring of spell storing (4,000 gold), rod of absorption (30,000 gold), scarab of protection (80,000 gold), schooled weapon (2,500 gold), spellguard shield (20,000 gold), sun blade (5,000 gold), Vekeshi blade (15,750 gold), vorpal sword (55,000 gold).
Marshal
You begin the game with 200 gold.
Skirmisher’s Set (200 gold): 6 javelins, longsword, hauberk, light shield, explorer’s pack, plus 7 gold.
Soldier’s Set (200 gold): Battleaxe, scimitar, 2 spears, longbow and 20 arrows, padded leather, dungeoneer’s pack, plus 90 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): splint armor (450 gold), longsword (20 gold), medium shield (20 gold), 3 potions of healing (basic) (150 gold), plus 100 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): full plate armor (1,500 gold), 2 longsword (3,500 gold), 1 medium shield (1,000 gold), warhorse (400 gold), bag of holding (500 gold), plus 1,600 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): adamantine full plate (6,000 gold), spellguard shield (20,000 gold), horn of valhalla (bronze) (10,000 gold), 2 longsword (3,500 gold), plus 500 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of health (5,000 gold), armor of invulnerability (70,000 gold), assembling armor (2,500 gold), composite bow (200 gold), defender (60,000), emperor’s blade (9,000 gold), helm of telepathy (1,000 gold), horn of valhalla (silver, brass, bronze, iron; 1,000 gold, 5,000 gold, 10,000 gold, 75,000 gold), mirror shield (50,000 gold), plate armor of etherealness (55,000 gold), schooled weapon (2,500 gold), sword of life stealing (2,000 gold), Vekeshi blade (15,750 gold), vorpal sword (55,000 gold), wand of elocution (500 gold).
Ranger
You begin the game with 150 gold.
Deep Delver’s Set (150 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, scimitar, shortsword, scale mail, dungeoneer’s pack, plus 7 gold.
Marksman’s Set (150 gold): Battleaxe, longbow and 20 arrows, scimitar, padded leather, explorer’s pack, plus 44 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): boots of elvenkind (300 gold), bead of tracking (200 gold), plus 200 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): lantern of revealing (3,500 gold), cloak of protection (500 gold), two 1 scimitars (1,000 gold), message stones (450 gold), quiver of the hunt (300 gold), plus 1,250 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): oathbow (6,000 gold), scimitar of speed (6,000 gold), dragon scale mail (green or black) (15,000 gold), quiver of the hunt (rare version) (4,000 gold), helm of telepathy (1,000 gold), plus 8,000 gold.
Other Favorites: ammunition +1 (10 pieces; 500 gold), ammunition +2 (10 pieces; 2,000 gold), ammunition +3 (10 pieces; 8,000 gold), armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of the planes (50,000 gold), arrow of slaying (8,000 gold), bag of tricks (300–800 gold), composite bow (200 gold), gauntlets of summer (2,500 gold), gloves of swimming and climbing (300 gold), grappling gun (25,000 gold), helm of telepathy (1,000 gold), long fang of the moon (29,700 gold), ring of animal influence (2,500 gold), ring of water walking (500 gold), rope of climbing (500 gold), survivor’s cloak (3,000 gold), trident of fish command (500 gold).
Rogue
You begin the game with 125 gold.
Skulker’s Set (125 gold): 2 daggers, shortbow and 20 arrows, shortsword, padded leather, explorer’s pack, thieves’ tools, plus 35 gold.
Swashbuckler’s Set (125 gold): Saber, sling and 20 sling bullets, 2 throwing daggers, padded leather, burglar’s pack, thieves’ tools, plus 33 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): box of bees (110 gold), message stones (450 gold), plus 140 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): winged boots (1,500 gold), dagger of venom (2,500 gold), goggles of night (500 gold), glamoured padded leather (500 gold), message stones (450), plus 1,550 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): nine lives stealer (10,000 gold), grappling gun (25,000 gold), plus 5,000 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of proof against detection and location (5,000 gold), assassin’s ring (2,500 gold), bag of tricks (300–800 gold), book of storing (350 gold), candle of the surreptitious scholar (150 gold), elven chain (5,000 gold), hat of disguise (250 gold), immovable rod (400 gold), luck blade (150,000 gold), medallion of thoughts (450 gold), mindrazor (100,000 gold), oil of etherealness (3,500 gold), ring of water walking (500 gold), ring of x-ray vision (2,500 gold), robe of useful items (400 gold), slippers of spider climbing (500 gold), tools of the hidden hand (30 gold), wand of cobwebs (150 gold), wand of enemy detection (3,500 gold), wand of magic detection (250 gold), wand of secrets (250 gold), warpblade (150,000 gold).
Sorcerer
You begin the game with 100 gold.
Light Traveler’s Set (100 gold): Quarterstaff, sling and 20 sling bullets, component pouch, explorer’s pack, plus 64 gold,
Troublemaker’s Set (100 gold): 2 daggers, light crossbow and 20 bolts, explorer’s pack, wand arcane focus, plus 30 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): robe of useful items (400 gold), organizer gremlin (90 gold), plus 210 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): either wand of fireballs or wand of lightning bolts (5,000 gold), ring of water walking (500 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): rose of the enchantress (3,875 gold), robe of stars (25,000 gold); either bowl of commanding water elementals , brazier of commanding fire elementals , censer of controlling air elementals , or stone of controlling earth elementals (3,000 gold); plus 8,125 gold.
Other Favorites: cantrip wand (500 gold), elven chain (5,000 gold), eyes of charming (250 gold), orb of elsewhere (55,000 gold), ring of spell storing (4,000 gold), robe of scintillating colors (8,000 gold), robe of the archmagi (70,000 gold), sonic staff (9,000 gold), staff of gravity bending (5,000 gold), staff of power (50,000 gold), staff of the magi (250,000 gold), steelsilk mantle (5,000 gold), wand of magic missile (500 gold), wand of wonder (5,000 gold).
Warlock
You begin the game with 110 gold.
Heretical Scholar’s Set (110 gold): Dagger, sickle, padded cloth, grimoire arcane focus, scholar’s pack, plus 37 gold.
Inconspicuous Civilian’s Set (110 gold): Quarterstaff, padded cloth, crystal arcane focus, dice set, explorer’s pack, laudanum, plus 49 gold.
Shadowy Scoundrel’s Set (110 gold): 2 daggers, light crossbow and 20 bolts, padded leather, component pouch, dungeoneer’s pack, plus 8 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): contract of indentured service (150 gold), scrap of forbidden text (20 gold), wand of the war mage +1 (250 gold); either badge of seasons , barbed devil’s bracelet , or focusing eye (150 gold); plus 130 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): cape of the mountebank or broom of flying (2,500 gold), wand of the war mage +2 (2,500 gold), slippers of spider climbing (500 gold), plus 1,500 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): wand of the war mage +3 (7,500 gold), subtle mage gloves (5,000 gold); either tome of clear thought , tome of leadership and influence , or tome of understanding (20,000 gold); plus 7,500 gold.
Other Favorites: armor +1, +2, or +3 (cost varies by type), amulet of health (5,000 gold), candle of the surreptitious scholar (150 gold), cloak of arachnida (10,000 gold), cloak of the bat (5,000 gold), cloak of the manta ray (400 gold), cloak of the shadowcaster (5,000 gold), death’s essence pendant (500 gold), elven chain (5,000 gold), faerie love letter (150 gold), How to Make Fiends and Influence People (60,000 gold), jarred brain (75 gold), magic mirror (pocket, handheld; 300 gold, 3,000 gold), ring of spell storing (4,000 gold), robe of eyes (3,500 gold), robe of the archmagi (70,000 gold), satyr boots (110 gold), seven-sided coin (250 gold), skeleton key (145), skull liqueur (370 gold), staff of swarming insects (5,000 gold), staff of the magi (250,000 gold), wand of fear (5,000 gold).
Wizard
You begin the game with 100 gold.
Arcane Investigator’s Set (100 gold): Dagger, backpack, 4 candles, chalk, clothes (common), component pouch, spellbook, 2 vials, plus 19 gold.
Mage Scholar’s Set (100 gold): Quarterstaff, abacus, clothes (fine), ink (1-ounce bottle), ink pen, orb arcane focus, 10 sheets of parchment, sack, spellbook, plus 11 gold.
Traveling Mage’s Set (100 gold): Quarterstaff, backpack, bedroll, clothes (traveler’s), component pouch, flask of oil, lantern (hooded), mess tin, spellbook, plus 14 gold.
Tier 2 (700 gold): spell scroll of find familiar (125 gold), 3 2nd-level spell scrolls (225 gold), organizer gremlin (90 gold), dreamscrying bowl (100 gold), plus 160 gold.
Tier 3 (7,000 gold): 3 4th-level spell scrolls (1,500 gold), 1 5th-level spell scroll (1,250 gold), headband of intellect (500 gold); either bowl of commanding water elementals , brazier of commanding fire elementals , censer of controlling air elementals , or stone of controlling earth elementals (3,000 gold); plus 750 gold.
Tier 4 (40,000 gold): staff of thunder and lightning (12,000 gold), ring of telekinesis (12,000 gold), a 7th-level spell scroll , plus 8,000 gold.
Other Favorites: candle of the surreptitious scholar (150 gold), crystal ball (50,000 or 150,000 gold), death’s essence pendant (500 gold), eyes of charming (250 gold), listening quills (150 gold), ring of the ram (8,000 gold), ring of spell storing (4,000 gold), robe of the archmagi (70,000 gold), spell scrolls (cost varies), sphere of annihilation (100,000 gold), staff of charming (4,500 gold), staff of power (50,000 gold), staff of the magi (250,000 gold), talisman of the sphere (85,000 gold), wand of erudition (500 gold), wand of magic missile (500 gold), wand of paralysis (3,500 gold).
Miscellaneous Items
The following items are popular with all types of adventurers.
Tier 1: barrow bread (2 gold), canoe (25 gold), carriage (100 gold), potions of healing (basic, greater, superior, supreme; 50 gold, 150 gold, 550 gold, 1,500 gold), rowboat (50 gold), tailored suit of armor (80 gold), wagon (35 gold).
Tier 2: bag of holding (500 gold), deck of illusions (500 gold), potion of heroism (550 gold), potion of mind reading (700 gold), potion of resistance (250 gold), potion of water breathing (150 gold), quick canoe paddle (75 gold), riding horse (75 gold), ring of warmth (500 gold), stone of good luck (luckstone) (350 gold), warhorse (400 gold).
Tier 3: elephant (500 gold), folding boat (4,500 gold), handy haversack (1,250 gold), horseshoes of speed (4,500 gold), portable hole (5,000 gold), potion of invisibility (5,000 gold).
Tier 4: absurdist web (11,250 gold), apparatus of the crab (60,000 gold), deck of many things (100,000 gold), horseshoes of a zephyr (17,000 gold), instant fortress (15,000 gold), ioun stone (mastery; 50,000 gold), liquid luck (55,000 gold), potion of speed (7,000 gold), ring of regeneration (35,000 gold), ring of three wishes (200,000 gold), rod of lordly might (80,000 gold), sailing ship (10,000 gold), sky skiff (12,000 gold), the traveling chest (52,000 gold), warship (25,000 gold).
Tsunami Dash
Tsunami Dash
You sprint through your enemies, striking at every one you pass.
You take the Dash action. During your turn, any time you become adjacent to a creature, you can make a melee attack against it using a weapon that has the dual-wielding or finesse properties.
You cannot attack the same creature twice in a row in this manner or make more attacks than your proficiency bonus.
Tidal Parry
Tidal Parry
An expert parry turns a hit into a miss.
Whirlpool Strike
Whirlpool Strike
You spin around, gathering momentum as you strike your foes harder and harder.
Make a melee weapon attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, making a separate attack roll for each target. For each subsequent hit after the first, you deal an additional 1d6 damage.