Eldrag

The individual Eldrag is a powerhouse upon the battlefield, having arrived through years of dedication of practice to even begin learning the basic stances. The typhoon of motion they embody as they move between stances can be intimidating to their foes, and inspiring to their allies, while allowing them to always keep a powerful upperhand in combat with the array of possibilities the stances provide to them.

When making an Eldrag, it is important to know where you learned the stances, if you are part of an order of Eldrag, or if this was a method of self discipline that was passed down through your family. The options are limited only by how your GM has decided to implement them into the story. For the short adventure given alongside this ruleset though, both of the above are options, as there is a large organization of Eldrag, but there are plenty that have splintered over the years. Perhaps you were picked up to be an apprentice, or perhaps the first steps of the adventure is your initial mission, given as an opportunity to prove yourself.

Leveling Table

Level Health Features Focus Die Size
1 (Tier 1) 10 + Half Body Stances, Focus, Arsenal d4
2 9 + Half Body Know Your Weapon, Reenter d4
3 8 + Half Body Stance Shattering d4
4 (Tier 2) 9 + Half Body --- d6
5 8 + Half Body --- d6
6 7 + Half Body --- d6
7 (Tier 3) 8 + Half Body --- d8
8 6 + Half Body --- d8
9 5 + Half Body --- d8
10 (Tier 4) 6 + Half Body --- d10
11 5 + Half Body --- d10
12 4 + Half Body --- d10

Health and Stamina

Health Per Level: 10 + Half of your Body stat at level 1, reducing by 1 per level, increasing by 1 per Tier. This is shown in the Leveling Table above

Stamina: You begin with 2 stamina

Equipment

You begin with the following equipment:

  • Choose between either two simple weapons, or a simple weapon and a shield
  • Choose between either leather armor or scale mail
  • Bedroll, 3 torches, 50 feet of rope, mess kit, and an Armory Kit

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, medium, and shields

Weapons: Simple and martial

Tools: Armory Kit

Will Checks

You may choose to make a Will check to gain Focus, with the RT beginning at 15, and increasing by 2 for each additional Focus you would like to generate.


Fatigue

For each point of Fatigue, your maximum Focus is reduced by 1.

Main Features

Level 1

Stances:

As an Eldrag, your primary way of fighting utilizes stances, which often have a weapon requirement in order to even enter the stance. When entering one, you swap weapons to the required weapons as long as you have them on your person. When breaking from a stance, you may swap to another weapon after the break effect.

At level 1, you gain access to 2 Primary stances of your choice. From there, each even level you gain 1 additional stance, and every odd level you gain 2 stances. The stance descriptions tell you the effects they have, as well as any pre-requisites.


Focus:

The stances require intense dedication and training to access and utilize properly. Due to this, you have learned to well up intense focus at any moment. This Focus is a resource equal to half your Mind stat, and half your Discipline skill. You may expend a single Focus for any given roll, and an amount of times in a single turn equal to your Tier. Doing so increases the roll by 1d4, and this die increases in size each Tier.

Your Focus is restored upon any Rest.


Arsenal:

As an Eldrag, you gain the Arsenal skill, as well as 2 points automatically invested into it.

This skill provides you with a myriad of bonuses to stances, and the ability to have more equipment on you at any given time, increasing the slots for weapons by 1 for each point applied to it.


Level 2

Know Your Weapon:

When you deal damage with a weapon attack, you may activate the crit effect regardless of the result. You may use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Tier per Short Rest.


Reenter:

You may expend a Focus to use the Enter ability of your current stance.


Level 3

Stance Shatter:

At 3rd level you become capable of breaking violently out of a stance. You take your action to aggressively exit your stance and strike out in a flowing manner, aiming to devastate and change weapons if need be. This attack deals a number of additional d8 damage equal to your Tier, and imposes disadvantage on any Defensive Action your target would make against it.

Once you shatter a particular stance, you may not enter it again on either the turn you shattered it, or the turn after.

This feature may only be used a number of times equal to half your Mind stat per Short Rest.


Optional Features

Empowered Footing - (Level 1 or higher)

You gain 1d4 temporary (round) health upon entering a stance.


Smooth Exit - (Level 1 or higher)

After exiting a stance, you gain a bonus to your next Defensive Action, before your next turn, equal to your Tier.


By Example - (Level 1 or higher)

Something to give to allies when using a during effect


Flexibility - (Level 2 or higher)

You may expend 1 Focus to roll 2 of your Focus Dice and gain that much temporary (round) health. This feature may be used once per Short Rest.


Strained Focus - (Level 2 or higher)

You may spend 1 stamina to gain 1 Focus.


Focused Defense - (Level 2 or higher)

You may expend 2 Focus to make a Defensive Action.


Heightened Foundations - (Level 3 or higher)

Upon taking this feature, you may heighten one of your Primary stances, the effects of which are below. This feature is choosable multiple times.

  • Sting - While in Sting stance, you are always considered to be under the effects of Disengage, and your attacks deal an additional 1d4.
  • Fluid - When entering Fluid stance, you may use the enter effect of another stance that uses a versatile at the same time.
  • Stone - You no longer lose movement speed while in Stone stance, and now deal double your Tier in additional damage.
  • Guard - If the enter attack hits, you also remove 1 stamina from your target.
  • Calm - The break effect is no longer taken at disadvantage.

Subclasses

Master of Arms

Tier 1 Features

Shifting Momentum:

You gain +1 to each of your damage rolls until the end of your next turn when you enter a stance that uses a different weapon than your previous stance.


The Right Weapon for the Job:

Each time you enter a stance that uses a different weapon than your previous stance, for the turn, your attacks impose -1 to any Defensive Action made against you.


Tier 2 Features

Increased Stamina:

Your maximum stamina increases by 1.


Focused Strike:

When you enter a stance that uses a different weapon than your previous stance, you may increase the damage you deal from the enter effect, if the enter effect deals damage, or the first weapon attack while in this stance, by your Focus Die.


Master of the Weapon

Tier 1 Features

Familiar Weight:

Whenever you enter a stance that uses the same weapon as your previous stance, your next Defensive Action until your next turn is increased by 1.


Roll With the Punches:

When you enter a stance that uses the same weapon as your previous stance, all instances of damage against you until your next turn are reduced by 1.


Tier 2 Features

Practiced Parry:

Once per Short Rest, if you Parry more than once in a Parry chain, you are refunded 1 stamina at the end of it.


Mastery:

Once per Short Rest, whenever you enter a stance that uses the same weapon as your previous stance, your next use of Know Your Weapon for the turn is free.


Master of the Lesson

Tier 1 Features

Grounded Steps:

When you enter a stance that is related to your previous stance, you may make a single weapon attack, without modifiers, to a target within range of your current weapon.


Deepened Understanding:

Your maximum Focus increases by 1.


Tier 2 Features

Shattering Defensive:

When you are dealt damage, you may use the Stance Shatter feature, but instead of dealing damage, you may reduce incoming damage by the result.


Calming Teachings:

Once per Short Rest, when you enter a stance that is related to your previous stance, you may regain 1 Focus.


Stances

Primary Stances

Sting: (Prerequisites: None) Requires a one handed weapon to enter

  • Enter: You whip out a one handed weapon and attack a target within reach. After this attack you have the benefits of disengage.
  • During: Your movement speed increases by 5, and you may take the disengage action as a Simple Action.
  • Break: You exhale slowly, preparing to break from your stance. You lunge forward, attacking a target within 15 feet, and quickly leap up to 10 feet away all in a swift motion while sheathing your weapon. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Fluid: (Prerequisites: None) - Requires a versatile weapon to enter

  • Enter: You attack a target with a versatile weapon, and use your momentum to flow into another strike. If your first attack hits, the second is at advantage, half damage, and allows you to move to any place around the target, even if you must move through them to get there.
  • During: Whenever you take the Dodge Defensive Action, you may gain temporary (round) health equal to your Tier.
  • Break: You may immediately enter another stance.

Stone: (Prerequisites: None) - Requires a two handed, heavy weapon to Enter

  • Enter: You unsheathe a two handed, heavy melee weapon in a fluid and devastating downward strike. You attack a target in range, and if this attack hits, you may roll a d6 for additional damage, or dealing half damage if the target's Defensive Action is successful.
  • During: Your walking speed decreases by 5 while in this stance. You may add your Tier to your damage rolls.
  • Break: You break your stance in a violent show of skill and aggression. You may attack a number of targets within 5 feet of you once, up to your Body modifier.

Guard: (Prerequisites: None) - Requires a one handed weapon and a shield to Enter

  • Enter: You smoothly pull out a sword and shield, smashing the shield into a target to make them stumble, and quickly attacking. You may make this attack at advantage. Your target becomes unable to make reactions until their next turn.
  • During: While within 5 feet of an ally, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on one attack against them.
  • Break: Slamming your shield into the head of your opponent, you force the target to make a Constitution saving throw, and on a fail they are stunned until your next turn.
    RT 10 + your Tier + Body modifier

Calm: (Prerequisites: None) - Requires a ranged weapon to Enter

  • Enter: You calm your mind and steady yourself. You take out your ranged weapon of choice and fire at a target. You make this attack at advantage.
  • During: You may steady your aim with a Simple Action. This decreases any Defensive Action from your target by your Tier for one attack.
  • Break: You snap the calmness of your mind and attack with vigor. Take 3 successive attacks at a target with disadvantage.

Secondary Stances

Vine: (Prerequisites: Sting Stance) - Requires a reach weapon to enter

  • Enter: You vault using your weapon, leaping forward up to your movement speed and attacking on the fall if you can. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity and deals an extra d6 damage.
  • During: After every attack you may move 5 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity. Also, once per turn when you attack a target, you may choose to force them to take a Body check. On a failed save their walking speed is halved on their next turn.
    RT = 10 + Arsenal skill + Body modifier
  • Break: You may take two attack actions with your reach weapon, each able to use the during effect before the stance breaks.

Flame: (Prerequisites: Sting Stance) - Requires a one handed weapon and a throwable weapon to enter

  • Enter: You pull out a one handed weapon and a throwable weapon. You attack a target with both weapons with the intention of maiming and slowing them. Each attack that hits lowers the target's walking speed by 10 until your next turn.
  • During: When you attack with your offhand weapon, the next attack against them before your next turn may be taken at advantage.
  • Break: You attack in a flurry of motion against your opponent. You aim for spots to weaken them. You make two attack actions, doing half damage, but removing a single Action Point from them for an amount of turns equal to hits landed.

Gust: (Prerequisites: Fluid Stance) - Requires a versatile weapon to Enter

  • Enter: You quickly swipe at a target with your weapon before moving into a hit aimed to daze and disorient. You attack with your weapon, then attack with the hilt or anything blunt about your weapon. The second attack deals half damage, but if it connects the target is unable to take reactions until your next turn.
  • During: Once per turn you may have your target make a Body check as a Free Action. On a fail, you are able to quickly get in an extra blow with your weapon.
  • Break: You relentlessly strike, allowing each hit to flow into the next. You strike once, and as long as your weapon damage is over half, or upon a critical hit, you may attack again. You are able to do this a number of times equal to your Body modifier.

Smoke: (Prerequisites: Fluid Stance) - Requires a versatile weapon to Enter

  • Enter: You attack and quickly step into the flow that makes up Smoke Stance. You gain the effect of disengage and the next attack against you before your next turn, you are considered to have made a partial success on a Dodge regardless of making a Defensive Action or not.
  • During: From a single attack per round, you may reduce damage the damage you take by twice your Arsenal skill.
  • Break: You easily step into your target's guard and attack at advantage. You may add your Tier to your damage for this attack. Your target cannot make a Defensive Action against this attack.

Iron: (Prerequisites: Stone Stance) - Requires a greataxe or a warhammer

  • Enter: You swing your great weapon into the side of your target. If this heavy blow connects, you may force your target to move 5 feet in any direction that is not directly toward or away from you. This movement may provoke attacks of opportunity from allies.
  • During: You may use a Power Action to perform a particularly crushing blow. If this attack connects you may add an additional d6 to your damage, and the target now has disadvantage on all checks until the start of your next turn.
  • Break: You bring down your weapon in a raw devastating strike. If this attack connects, you deal an additional d8 worth of damage and your target is knocked prone.

Sweeping: (Prerequisites: Stone Stance) - Requires a greatsword or a greataxe to Enter

  • Enter: You unsheathe your great-weapon and swing it deftly in a wide arc in front of you. This attack is made as a Half Arc and deals an additional d6 damage.
  • During: Your attacks may do half damage to one target adjacent to the one you are attacking.
  • Break: You swing your great-weapon in an almost reckless sweep. This attack deals damage to all targets within 5 feet of you and damage is rolled at advantage.

Stalwart: (Prerequisites: Guard Stance) - Requires a one handed weapon and shield to Enter

  • Enter: You pull out your shield and slam it into a target within 5 ft. before thrusting your weapon into their leg. Your target must make a Body check, if they fail they lose all movement speed for their next turn and take damage from your weapon. On a success they lose half of their walking speed on their next turn and take no damage.
    RT = 10 + Arsenal skill + Body modifier
  • During: You lose 10 walking speed while in this stance. You may make 2 attacks of opportunity each round, halving the target's movement speed each time you hit them.
  • Break: You charge a target, barrelling into them with your shield and tossing them backward. You may only take this action as you move in at least a 10 foot line directly toward your target. The target must make a Body check. On a fail they are thrown 5 feet backward and land prone, taking 1d6 + your Body modifier in damage alongside your normal weapon damage.
    RT = 10 + Arsenal skill + Body modifier

Defender: (Prerequisites: Guard Stance) - Requires a one handed weapon and shield to Enter

  • Enter: You pull out your weapon and shield, calling out and rallying your allies. A number of targets within 10 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to a number of d4 * your Tier.
  • During: You may use your reaction to give a target within 5 feet of you a bonus to their Defensive Actions for the round equal to your Tier.
  • Break: You break your stance in a selfless attempt to defend your allies. You may break out of this stance as a reaction, activating when an ally within 5 feet of you is attacked. You and your ally swap places and you are now the target of the attack. If you take damage, you may spend 1 stamina to halve it

Dart: (Prerequisites: Calm Stance) - Requires a Crossbow to Enter

  • Enter: You may take aim at a target within range, and fire a bolt to pin them to an object, wall, or the ground if they are within 5 feet of it. If this attack hits, their walking speed becomes 0 until they remove the bolt which costs a Half Action.
  • During: You are capable of loading your weapon at a concerning speed. Your weapon loses the Loading tag if it has it, otherwise every second time you fire your weapon, it costs 1 less Action Point.
  • Break: You aim a bolt and fire with advantage. This bolt buries between a joint of your target, causing a bleed and halving their movement speed until they use Full Action to remove it.

Guide: (Prerequisites: Calm Stance) - Requires a shortbow or longbow to Enter

  • Enter: You take aim and mark a target mentally. You fire an arrow to do the same physically. Any attacks made by you, including this one, against the marked target allow you to add to damage, as well as reducing any Defensive Action from the target by your Mind modifier.
  • During: As long as your target is only 5 feet behind full cover that you may feasibly reach, you only have disadvantage while attacking them. If they are behind half or 3/4ths cover, you are not at disadvantage.
  • Break: You fire two marking shots at separate targets. If these shots land, others may gain the marking benefits from this stance’s enter effect against them, until the targets use a Full Action to remove the arrow.

Higher Bound

Higher Bound have, through their desire and willpower to see something in this world changed, found themselves connected to a font of power that is typically only accessable to beings of a higher nature. They use this power to strengthen themselves, and drive ever forward toward their goals, reinforcing their bond with this bottomless well. The more they use it, the more their physical form can withstand it, creating a loop of ever increasing strength. Though their convictions might have born this connection, if they falter in this, begin to waver or second guess, they may very well find themselves losing their touch with the powers that have brough them this far. This is not showcased mechanically, but is a narrative arc that many Higher Bound will need to face down.

Crashing blades of light, summoning their weaponry and armor in radiance or fire, and powering through when nearly all others would be forced to stall, these warriors of will and determination are a beacon of hope when they enter the fray, and a driving force for narrative. When making your Higher Bound, you should have their convictions and goal in mind and at the forefront as it is their very source of power at the end of the day.

Leveling Table

Level Health Features
1 (Tier 1) 10 + Half Body Heightening, Empowered Aura, Bonded Equipment
2 9 + Half Body Know Your Weapon, One Step Further
3 8 + Half Body Ascendant Strike
4 (Tier 2) 9 + Half Body Swift Stance, Strained Heightening
5 8 + Half Body Ascended Aura, Beyond Limits
6 7 + Half Body ---
7 (Tier 3) 8 + Half Body ---
8 6 + Half Body ---
9 5 + Half Body ---
10 (Tier 4) 6 + Half Body ---
11 5 + Half Body ---
12 4 + Half Body ---

Health and Stamina

Health Per Level: 10 + Half of your Body stat at level 1, reducing by 1 per level, increasing by 1 per Tier. This is shown in the Leveling Table above

Stamina: You begin with 2 stamina

Equipment

You begin with the following equipment:

  • Choose between either a simple weapon and a shield, or a martial weapon
  • Choose between either leather armor or scale mail
  • Bedroll, 3 torches, 50 feet of rope, mess kit, and your choice of tool kit

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, medium, and shields

Weapons: Simple and martial

Tools: None

Will Checks

You may choose to make a Will check to gain Heightening, with the RT beginning at 14, and increasing by 2 for each additional Heightening you would like to generate.

Fatigue

For every 2 points of Fatigue, your maximum Heightening is reduced by 1.

Main Features

Level 1

Heightening:

As a Higher Bound, you are inexplicably capable of tapping into the realm of gods, higher planes, by sheer force of will alone. You have conviction and drive to see your goals achieved. When you are in combat, you accrue points of Heightening, starting each day with an amount equal to your Tier. You gain these points in a variety of ways, which may be found below, but your body can only stand for you to spend so much in any given round, this amount is equal to your Body. The maximum amount of Heightening points you may have at any given time is equal to your Soul + your Tier.

  • You gain an amount of Heightening equal to your Tier at the start of your turn
  • You gain 1 Heightening the first time you deal damage to a target in a round
  • You gain 1 Heightening when you successfully make a weapon crit
  • You gain 1 Heightening each time you succeed on a Soul check

The initial ways you may use your Heightening are as follows:

  • Amplified Strike: By expending 1 Heightening, you may increase your weapon damage by 1 additional damage die. This may be used an amount of times equal to your Tier per round
  • Quickening: Your movement speed increases by 10, and your first Dodge this round is increased by 1
  • Rebuttle: When making a Defensive Action, you may increase it by 2

When you take a Short Rest, your Heightening count is set to your Tier.


Empowered Aura:

Once each round, when you take damage, you may reduce it by an amount equal to your Soul.


Bonded Equipment:

You have quickly found that you are capable of expanding your power to other things, including your gear. At level 1, you may have your starting weapons and armor automatically bonded, but otherwise must spend three Long Rests to solidify a new bond. With a Free Action, you may summon or dismiss any items bonded this way to be immediately equipped or sent away in a flash of light.

You cannot bond with any objects weighing over 100 lbs, and may only bond with a number of items equal to your Bond skill.


Level 2

Know Your Weapon:

When you deal damage with a weapon attack, you may activate the crit effect regardless of the result. You may use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Tier per Short Rest.


One Step Further:

At second level, you have found ways to push yourself further, cracking the limits that should bind you. With a Half Action and a Heightening, you may increase your Tier by 1, for the purposes of features that have a limit or a bonus related to Tier, until the end of your turn.

Additionally, once per turn, you may use a Simple Action to increase your next weapon damage by your Soul.


Level 3

Ascendant Strike:

The line of connection you hold to the well of power you draw upon has strengthened, and with a sudden influx of power, you are able to draw upon it more wholly. With 3 Heightening and a Power Action, you may make a weapon attack that acts as an Amplified Strike, and then places you into a state where the limit around Amplified Strike is per attack rather than per round. Your Heightening generation is increased by 1 per source.

These effects last until the end of your next turn, and this feature may only be used twice per Short Rest.


Optional Features

Skill Strengthening - (Level 1 or higher)

You may expend a Heightening to double your Skill bonus for a single roll.


Brightened Aura - (Level 1 or higher)

When using Empowered Aura, you may Increase the damage reduction by an amount equal to your Tier.


Deepened Resilience - (Level 1 or higher)

When making your first Resilience check in a day, you may spend 1 stamina and a Heightening to guarantee it.


Further Understanding - (Level 2 or higher)

As long as you are using a Bonded Weapon, you gain an additional use to Know Your Weapon.


Reassuring Weight - (Level 2 or higher)

While you have Bonded Armor on, you gain 1 stamina.


Higher Infusion - (Level 2 or higher)

You may spend a Heightening on a Bonded Weapon to have it begin to glow, and the edge extend. Until the end of the turn, your weapon attacks may reach 5 ft. further.


Ascendant Shell - (Level 3 or higher)

Upon using Ascendant Strike, you gain 3d4 temporary (round) health.


Blinding Clash - (Level 3 or higher)

When using Ascendant Strike, you release a bright flash of light, reducing the result of the first Defensive Action of all targets within 10 ft. of you by 2 before your next turn.


Sharpened Reflexes - (Level 3 or higher)

As your Ascendant Strike deals damage, you gain 10 movement speed for the remainder of combat and gain 1 stamina. This point of stamina can only be gained once per Short Rest.


Subclasses

Higherkin

Tier 1 Features

By Wills Decree:

Once per Short Rest, when making an attack, you may choose to reduce your target’s Defensive Action by your Will.


Crashing Light:

When you use Empowered Aura against a melee attack, you may forego the damage reduction to instead deal damage to the attacker equal to 1d8 Radiant damage.


Blinding Clash:

Once per combat, when you would use the Parry Defensive Action, you may spend a Heightening to cause a flash of light as the weapons make contact, imposing disadvantage on your opponents roll.


Press Further:

You may spend 2 stamina to increase every Amplified Strike for the turn to use an additional damage die.


Remnant

Tier 1 Features

To Defend, to Protect:

At the end of your turn, you may spend a Heightening. Doing so allows you to take an amount of damage, up to your Soul, that would be dealt to an ally within 15 ft. of you until the start of your next turn.


Shared Vitality:

When you use Empowered Aura for damage reduction, you may share that reduction with another ally within 15 ft. of you, allowing them to negate the same amount of damage the next time they are attacked this combat.


You Must Pass Through Me:

The first time that a target that you dealt damage to with your Amplified Strike would deal damage to a creature other than you in the same round, their damage is reduced by a number equal to twice your Tier.


Well Equipped:

You gain proficiency with heavy armor.


Malidrion:

Tier 1 Features

Cursed Amplification:

When you deal damage using the Amplified Strikes feature, you reduce their movement speed by 10 on their next turn. Additionally, on each instance of damage they take until your next turn that is not dealt by you, up to your Tier, you may add half your Soul stat to the damage.


Mire Aura:

When you use your Empowered Aura feature, you may reduce the movement speed of your attacker by 10 until the end of their next turn.


Leveraged Attacks:

Targets that actively have their movement speed reduced have their first Defensive Action made against you reduced by half your Soul.


Malidric Glyph:

You pour Heightening, up to your Body, into a faintly glowing glyph on the ground. This glyph encompasses a 5 ft. space, and the effect reaches out a further 5 ft. in all directions. All creatures within the area have their movement reduced by 5 per Heightening you spent, and at the end of your next turn, the glyph ignites with a greyed light, dealing an amount of d10 damage equal to the Heightening you spent.


Flame Reaver:

Tier 1 Features

Blazing Armaments:

When using your Bonded Weapon, your first attack each turn sees white fire dance across the weapon, adding damage equal to your Presence.


Wake Flame Gear:

While you have Bonded Armor on, golden fires burn across you the first time you take damage in a round. These flames have a gentle warmth that heal you by an amount equal to half your Presence.


Flaring Emotion:

Your emotions, both your control and the intensity in which you feel them, burn brighter than they once did. By expending a Heightening, you may double your Presence for a single roll.


Summoned by Fire:

You may spend a Heightening and throw any Bonded Weapon as an attack action, though it does not need to have a specific creature as a target, just a location. If the weapon does not have a throw distance, then it is 15 ft. for the sake of this feature. As it lands, there is a burst of reddened fire, and you may appear through it, quickly grabbing the fallen weapon, and making an attack action against a target within range.


Spark Blade

Spark Blades are very unique in the category of spell casters. They barely get access to leveled spells, but their interaction with magic itself is far more intimate than any other class. Their subclasses explore the different ways this relationship deepens, from sounds to colors to raw possibility, so much of the world will slowly become further and further experienced through the lens of magic.

When making a Spark Blade, one thing of importance to know for your character is how they interacted with magic for the first time. How they came to understand their abilities, whether this was something recent, or something they've known about for some time with the need to learn the more combative capacity of their abilities being more recent.

Leveling Table

Level Health Features Cantrips
1 (Tier 1) 8 + Half Body Sparks, Spellcasting 2
2 7 + Half Body Know Your Weapon, Blade Weaving 2
3 6 + Half Body Burst 2
4 (Tier 2) 7 + Half Body --- 2
5 6 + Half Body --- 3
6 5 + Half Body --- 3
7 (Tier 3) 6 + Half Body --- 3
8 5 + Half Body --- 3
9 4 + Half Body --- 4
10 (Tier 4) 5 + Half Body --- 4
11 4 + Half Body --- 4
12 3 + Half Body --- 4

Health and Stamina

Health Per Level: 8 + Half of your Body stat at level 1, reducing by 1 per level, increasing by 1 per Tier. This is shown in the Leveling Table above

Stamina: You begin with 2 stamina

Equipment

You begin with the following equipment:

  • Choose between either two simple weapons, or a simple weapon and a shield
  • Choose between either leather armor or scale mail
  • Bedroll, 3 torches, 50 feet of rope, mess kit, and your choice of tool kit

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, medium, and shields

Weapons: Simple and 2 martial weapons of your choice

Tools: None

Will Checks

You may choose to make a Will check to gain Sparks, with the RT beginning at 14, and increasing by 1 for each additional Spark you would like to generate.

Fatigue

For every 2 points of Fatigue, the maximum amount of Sparks you may use in a turn reduces by 1.

Main Features

Level 1

Sparks:

Sparks of magic are how you both end up casting spells, and how you activate many of your other abilities. You are only so in tune with the ways of magic itself, but the way you use these little motes could put many scholars of the aetherial ways to shame. After each Rest, your Spark count is set to half your Presence.

During combat, you gain Sparks in the following ways:

  • At the start of your turn.
  • Each time you cast a unique cantrip or spell in a turn.
  • The first time you deal weapon damage in a turn.

Each of the above provides you with a single Spark. As you level and choose features, you will gain additional ways to gain this resource, and possibly ways to enhance the amount you gain from them as well.

In any given turn however, you may only use so many Sparks. This is initially equal to your Presence stat.


Spark Effects:

You may select 1 of the following effects to have available to you, alongside Biting Blows, which is given to you automatically.

  • Biting Blows: Upon dealing damage with a weapon attack, you may expend Sparks to deal additional damage equal to a number of d4 equal to the Sparks spent.
  • Distanced Strikes: You may expend any number of Sparks to increase your weapons range by 10 ft. for each Spark.
  • Fortified Speed: Until the end of your turn, you gain 5 extra movement per Spark you choose to spend on this feature.
  • Shock: When you deal damage to a target with a weapon attack, by spending a single Spark, you may deal damage to another target within range equal to 1d4. If this attack also used Biting Blows, the secondary target also takes the additional Biting Blows damage.
  • Quickened Attacks: Once per turn, by spending 2 Sparks, you may reduce the Action Point cost of your next weapon attack by 1.
  • Leech: When dealing damage to a creature, you may Spend a Spark to gain 1d4 health. If this attack also used Biting Blows, you heal an additional amount equal to half of the Biting Blows damage.

Spellcasting:

At 1st level, you have uncovered your talents as a Spark Blade and are now beginning to experiment with your newfound abilities.


Preparing and Casting Spells

The Spark Blade table shows how many cantrips you may know at any given level. Starting at level 1 you may choose two Signature Cantrips and may alter this decision each time you level. As a Spark Blade your casting is less tied to actual spells, and more using the essence of magic to alter your own physical abilities and interactions, but you are still able to use Sparks to cast lower level spells.

You prepare your own list of Spark Blade spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Spark Blade spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Spark Blade spells equal to twice your Tier. The spells you choose must be of a level that you can cast.

You can change your list of prepared spells upon a Long Rest.


Spellcasting Ability

Presence is your spellcasting ability for your Spark Blade spells, since your power is interlinked with your connection and relation to magic itself. You use your Presence modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

Spell save RT = 10 + your Tier + your Presence modifier


You gain access only to cantrips at 1st level, and spells of level 1 unlock starting at level 2. At level 7 you acquire the ability to cast level 2 spells.


Level 2

Blade Weaving:

When you make a weapon attack, you may choose one of your Signature Cantrips, and add its additional effects to the attack. In addition, you may spend a Spark to choose an effect that you did not choose for your Signature Cantrip.

Damage increases do not activate.


Know Your Weapon:

When you deal damage with a weapon attack, you may activate the crit effect regardless of the result. You may use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Tier per Short Rest.


Level 3

Burst:

Beginning at level 3, you have learned to fortify yourself for a brief moment in order to expend far more Sparks than usual, and manage effects that are otherwise beyond you. Some of which will become possible as you raise your own capacity as a Spark Blade. When you Burst, you double the amount of Sparks you can use in a turn.

You start each day with a single use of Burst, and can consume 10 Sparks to regain that use if it has been expended.


Burst Effects:

You may choose 1 of the following Burst Effects to have access to except for Blitzing Blows, which is given to you automatically. Most of which only have a high Spark cost, but some can only be used while Bursting.

  • Blitzing Blows: While Bursting, each time you activate Biting Blows, it triggers twice.
  • Bolting Slash: You make a singular slash, sending out a thin, devastating, arc of energy. This attack costs 4 Sparks, and is made against all target creatures in a 35 ft. line from you. This distance may be increased by Distanced Strikes, and automatically activates Biting Blows as though you spent 1 Spark to do so.
  • Lances of Light: You may expend any number of Sparks, and a Power Action, to send them off toward any number of targets. At your command, they morph into piercing lances and stab into your targets, each dealing 1d8 damage. This ability is only usable while Bursting.
  • Lightning as Motion, as Blades: By spending 6 Sparks, and a Power Action, your form blurs as you dash forward in a straight line, up to your movement + 10. You may make a single weapon attack to each target within a 5 ft. radius from the line you dash in. Defensive Actions made against these attacks are at disadvantage. The radius of this ability may be increased by Distance Strikes, and Biting Blows may affect every target.
  • Vaunted Capacity: You may spend 2 Sparks to increase all of your stats by 1 until the end of your next turn. This ability is only usable while Bursting.
  • Raking Blades: At the cost of 4 Sparks, and a Power Action, you unleash 3 powerful slashes that rake through the field. Each one is 15 ft. long, 10 ft. wide, and begins anywhere of your choice within 30 ft. of you. Each creature within these lines must make a Body check against your Spell RT, or take twice your weapon damage. Even on a success however, Biting Blows still deals damage. Distance Strikes increases the length of the lines, and the radius at which they may start.
  • Sparkbound Velocity: As a Half Action, and with 2 Sparks, your movement increases by 15 ft., your Parry and Dodge rolls increase by twice your Tier, and you are considered to be under the effects of Disengage until the start of your next turn.

Optional Features

Further Use - (Level 1 or higher)

You may choose two more options from the Spark Effects section.

This feature may be chosen any number of times.


Sparks of Knowledge - (Level 1 or higher)

These sparks of the arcane have allowed you to understand more than you once did. You may mark a level up option on your sheet.

This feature may be taken a single time per Tier.


Weightless - (Level 1 or higher)

You may spend a Spark to be under the effects of Disengage for the remainder of your turn.


Strength into Connection - (Level 2 or higher)

When you make a weapon crit, you gain a Spark.


Spell Remnants - (Level 2 or higher)

When you or anyone within 30 ft. of you casts a leveled spell, you gain a Spark.


Bite Deeper - (Level 2 or higher)

When you activate Biting Blows, it deals a d6 instead of a d4.


Flashing Motion - (Level 2 or higher)

When your target makes a Defensive Action, you may still roll damage and on a weapon crit, you deal half damage without modifiers if the attack would have missed, and full damage without modifiers if you would have dealt half damage.


Burstability - (Level 3 or higher)

You may choose 2 additional Burst Effects.

This feature may be taken a single time per Tier.


Increased Capability - (Level 3 or higher)

At the start of the day, you may spend a Spark, and gain a temporary (day) point in any skill. During a Short Rest, you may activate this skill again to change which skill this point is in. This point may break the standard limits.


Improved Form - (Level 3 or higher)

Once per day, as a Free Action, you may gain a temporary (round) point in a stat. This point may break the standard limits.


Subclasses

Torrent: Sound into Song

Tier 1 Features

Booming Blade:

Your weapons, when making contact in the right way, seem to strike harder, releasing a far more audible crack. Each time you make a weapon crit, you deal additional damage equal to your Biting Blows.


Ringing Edge:

The flow of your opponents weapons is something you are starting to hear. As though they ring out, allowing you to, sometimes, know where the strike is going to land. Once per Short Rest, you may reduce the raw roll of a weapon damage roll against you by your Tier.


Arc Strike:

Your weapon, as it flows through the air, hums. You can follow that humming through to create a wider strike than usual. Whenever you make a melee attack, you may expend one Spark to make the attack a simple arc.


Echo Blade:

Once per turn, when you critically hit with a weapon attack, a shimmering fragment of your weapon forms, releasing a low thrumming tone. This floats near you, and can be expended when making a Defensive Action, or when dealing damage to increase either roll by 1. You may only have a number of Echo Blades equal to your Presence stat. Each one may last until the end of combat.


Crasher: Color into Meaning

Tier 1 Features

Bolster:

The capacity to endure is something you have seen, and you most certainly have experienced. You are capable of summoning forth this feeling again. Once per day, during combat, you may expend 2 Sparks to gain 1d4 temporary (combat) health each round. Upon the temporary health being fully removed, or when combat ends, this feature is canceled, and you gain 1 Spark.


With Feeling:

When dealing damage with a weapon attack, by spending a Spark, you may learn one of the following pieces of information about your target

  • Max health
  • Current health
  • Max Stamina
  • Current Stamina
  • Difficulty
  • Any singular Stat

Flash of Vision:

You feel as though you can sense an individual's intent now and again, almost as though you can see the colors of their goal. Once per day, by expending a single Spark in a social situation, you may make an Insight check at advantage or see an individual's current emotional state..


False Feeling:

You’ve become particularly adept at masking your true intent. You may double your Deception bonus, or lower a Presence check made against you by your Deception, once per day.


Shatter Arm: Possibility into Reality

Tier 1 Features

Mounting Precision:

With each attack you see what could have been better. After every weapon attack you make that is not a crit, your crit range is increased by 1. Upon making a critical hit, this crit range resets to normal.


Finding the Moment:

There are points in time you feel you understand what could be, and you are beginning to see how you can grasp at that. You may spend a Spark to flip your Fate Coin at will. If you succeed, you regain your Spark and can do so again immediately. Upon failing during a chain of this, all of the positive effects are cancelled.


Cross Application:

You see how so many other skills could be utilized in different situations. Twice per Long Rest, by explaining your method, you may use a skill to enhance a normally unrelated roll, including damage.


By Virtue of Determination:

Even in the worst outcomes, you know you can press forward, you know you can change something within it. Once per Extended Rest, when you fail a Soul check, you may choose to pass instead.


Spirit Ward

Spirit Wards are deeply connected to the realm of spirits, and reach personal connections with the Greater Spirits that reside, and have a level of rule, within. Their subclasses are named after those Greater Spirits, and many of their features model elements of these massive presences within the world they connect to. As half casters, they gain quick access to spells and are able to use them in strength. Though their main use of resource, as well as their overall power, is less tied to spells, and more to their unique and variable features. Spirit Wards are wonderful allies, with aura like abilities and an array of ways to support and take hits.

Some things to keep in mind when crafting your Spirit Ward are where you learned to commune with the spirit realm, if you were taught, who taught you and what is your relation, and most importantly, what your current connection to the Greater Spirits, or any other entity within the realm, is as of now and how the plot overall may assist them. This is a point you may wish to discuss with your GM.

Leveling Table

Level Health Features Cantrips
1 (Tier 1) 8 + Half Body Attunement, Spellcasting, Natures Beckon, Spiritualize 2
2 7 + Half Body Depletion, Additional Subclass Feature 2
3 6 + Half Body Embodiment 2
4 (Tier 2) 7 + Half Body --- 3
5 6 + Half Body --- 3
6 5 + Half Body --- 3
7 (Tier 3) 6 + Half Body --- 4
8 5 + Half Body --- 4
9 4 + Half Body --- 4
10 (Tier 4) 5 + Half Body --- 5
11 4 + Half Body --- 5
12 3 + Half Body --- 5

Health and Stamina

Health Per Level: 8 + Half of your Body stat at level 1, reducing by 1 per level, increasing by 1 per Tier. This is shown in the Leveling Table above

Stamina: You begin with 1 stamina

Equipment

You begin with the following equipment:

  • Choose between either two simple weapons, or a simple weapon and a shield
  • Leather armor
  • Bedroll, 3 torches, 50 feet of rope, mess kit, and your choice of tool kit

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, medium, and shields

Weapons: Simple

Tools: Botanist Kit

Will Checks

You may choose to make a Will check to gain Attunement, with the RT beginning at 15, and increasing by 2 for each additional Attunement you would like to generate.

Fatigue

For each point of Fatigue, the maximum amount of Attunement you may hold at a time is reduced by 1.

Main Features

Level 1

Attunement:

As a Spirit Ward, the connection you maintain with nature and the otherworldly realm of spirits allows you to connect to these spirits and cast spells. You have a resource called Attunement, that you will gain over the course of combat as you draw closer to nature and the spirits around you.

Expending Attunement is what allows you to cast spells, and many features will also require Attunement to use. Various other features will help you gain Attunement, and you will gain a number at the start of each round equal to your Tier.

In regards to casting spells, your first non damaging spell each round costs no Attunement, but damage focused and subsequent casts costs an amount of Attunement equal to the spells level + 1.

The maximum Attunement you can have at any time is equal to your Mind stat + your level. Upon a Rest, your Attunement count is set to your Tier.


Spellcasting:

At 1st level, you have learned to listen to and touch the realm of spirits, through which you have begun to unveil your own capacity to cast spells.


Preparing and Casting Spells

The Spirit Ward table shows how many cantrips you may know at any given level. Starting at level 1 you may choose a Signature Cantrip and may alter this decision each time you level. As a Spirit Ward your casting is tied to your Attunement to this other realm and the Spirits within, this resource is described in the feature above.

You prepare your own list of Spirit Ward spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Spirit Ward spell list. When you do so, choose a number of these spells equal to your Soul modifier + your Spirit Ward level (minimum of one spell). The spells you choose must be of a level that you can cast.

You can change your list of prepared spells upon a Long Rest.


Spellcasting Ability

Soul is your spellcasting ability for your Spirit Ward spells, as your power is linked to your spiritual connection. You use your Soul modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

Spell save RT = 10 + your Tier + your Soul modifier


You gain access to 1st level spells at level 1 and additional levels of spells every 3 levels after that, capping at 4th level at level 10.


Natures Beckon:

The wiles of the wilderness and the spiritual essence you connect to, answer to your call and offer you useful abilities. By expending a single point of Attunement you may activate one of the following effects as a Half Action. Additionally, the first time you activate this effect each round, it costs no Attunement.

  • Barrier of Thorns: You create a 15 ft. aura of twisting thorns that deal 1d6 piercing damage to all targets within range upon summoning it, and whenever they make their first move or action while within range. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn.
  • Earthly Roil: The ground beneath you twists and becomes difficult to move within for all creatures within 10 ft. of you, reducing their movement speed by 5.
  • Spiritual Wave: You unleash an unseen wave that forces all target creatures within 20 ft. of you to make a Soul saving throw or be pushed directly away or pulled closer to you by 5 ft.
  • Pulse of Enrage: By sending out a silent pulse that spikes the emotions of those around you, you may Threaten all targets within 15 ft. of you. This may also be used against a singular target, within the same range, to reduce their roll by your Tier.

Spiritualize:

You ground yourself, taking a breath and connecting to the otherside that much further. Using a Half Action you may gain a single point of Attunement.


Level 2

Depletion:

Your understanding of the ways of the spiritual world that encompasses your own have afforded you with a way to exhaust others' capacity to react. With a Half Action, and by expending a single Attunement, you may force a target creature you can see within 40 ft. of you to make a Soul saving throw against your Spell Save RT. On a failure they lose one stamina, and if they are out of stamina, you gain 1 stamina.

This feature may only be used once per Rest.


Level 3

Embodiment:

Starting at 3rd level, you have learned to open yourself to the spirits and allow them to enhance you.

By expending 5 Attunement, and choosing one of the greater spirits, you may Embody them. This provides you with the following effects until the end of your next turn:

  • You gain movement speed equal to 5 * your Tier
  • You gain 1 temporary (round) stamina
  • All damage you take is reduced by 1

You gain additional effects depending on the greater spirit you choose to Embody.


The Winged Defiance

  • Once per Long Rest you may automatically succeed on a Dodge.
  • All Defensive Actions you make are taken at advantage.
  • You may use a Power Action to, for the turn, double your movement speed and you make a single weapon attack against every target you move within 5 ft. of.

The Horned One

  • Once per Long Rest, when making the Block Defensive Action, you may choose to roll the maximum.
  • Once per Rest, when you take damage, you may reduce it by half.
  • You may use a Power Action to unleash a pervading wave of power that affects all targets within 30 ft. of you, providing all friendly creatures with temporary (round) health equal to twice your Tier, and increases each damage roll by 1. Hostile creatures have their next saving throw reduced by half your Tier. These effects last until the end of your next turn.

The Claws of Desire

  • Once per Long Rest, you may automatically succeed on a Parry.
  • Your unarmed melee attack damage die increases by one size.
  • You may use a Power Action to launch yourself up to 30 ft. and take 4 unarmed melee attacks.

The Breath of Eternities

  • Gain a point of Attunement the first time you Embody this spirit per Rest.
  • Once per Rest, you may swap out one spell on your list for another not on your list as a Half Action.
  • You may use a Power Action to unleash a breath attack in a 20 ft. cone ahead of you that heals or damages all targets within it by an amount of d6 equal to your Tier and whenever a die crits, you may roll another.

Optional Features

Revitalizing Roots - (Level 1 or higher)

By expending a point of Attunement, you may connect deeper with the nature around you, accepting the power of rejuvenation it offers you. You heal 1d4 when activating this effect, and on each of your turns that you do not move more than half of your movement.

This feature can only heal you a number of d4 equal to twice your Tier per Long Rest.


Spirits Aid - (Level 1 or higher)

You beckon forth the wisdom and aid of the spirits residing nearby to you and your allies. With a Half Action, you create an aura of 10 ft. that empowers all allies within it by giving all damage and Defensive Action rolls +1 to the result. This aura lasts until the end of your next turn and may be used a number of times per day equal to twice your Tier.


Natures Resolve - (Level 1 or higher)

The strength of nature is a powerful force that empowers your resolve, and you can provide this to a great many. You may spend a single point of Attunement at the start of your turn to create an aura of 15 ft. that increases the defense of all targets within it by 1. This feature is activated as a Free Action and lasts until the start of your next turn.


Thorned Hide - (Level 2 or higher)

When you are dealt damage in melee, you may spend a single Attunement to deal damage back equal to your Tier. This effect lasts for all instances of melee damage you take until the end of your next turn.


Ethereal Beckon - (Level 2 or higher)

When casting a spell that deals no damage, you may activate Nature’s Beckon without using Action Points.


Crackling Roots - (Level 2 or higher)

If you have activated Nature’s Beckon at least once this round, you may activate it again to have twisting, rupturing, roots suddenly wrap around the feet and legs or any that were affected by any previous activation this round. Each target must make a Body saving throw against your spell save RT or take a number of d4 piercing damage equal to twice your Tier.


Adjustment - (Level 3 or higher)

Any rolls that would allow you to gain Attunement have their range to do so expanded by 1.


Emblazoned Power - (Level 3 or higher)

You have learned to envelop only yourself in the auras you give to others, allowing you to be further strengthened by them. Whenever you activate an aura ability, you may spend an additional point of Attunement to have it affect only you, and double its effect.


Spiritual Thrum - (Level 3 or higher)

You feel the rhythm of the auras and souls of those around you, tuning your own to one of them. When you activate an aura ability, and with the cost of an additional point of Attunement, you may target another creature within 30 ft. of you to also gain that same aura for as long as yours is active.


Subclasses

The Winged Defiance

Level 1 Features

Freedom of the Skies:

To defy the shackles of the world is the first teaching of the Winged Defiance, and you have learned it well. You gain 10 movement speed and once per Rest, when an attack of opportunity is made against you, you may Parry it without consuming your Defensive Action.


What Can Hold the Winds:

Those who would try to hold you down will only find fight and fire. Once per round when you make a Defensive Action, you may add your Tier, and on a success you may gain one Attunement.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level The Winged Defiance feature)

Enveloping Winds:

The winds surround you like a protective blanket in times of need, pushing back against restrive effects. If you would be under an effect that would slow you, you may spend a point of Attunement to make it only half as effective until the end of your next turn. Additionally, if you would make a check against an effect that would slow you, you may do so at advantage.


Wreathed in Resistance:

Once per Long Rest and at the cost of your reaction and a point of Attunement, you may choose to automatically pass a saving throw.


The Horned One

Level 1 Features

Reach of the Earth:

All aura effects of yours may reach 5 ft. further, or if you have consumed the aura through an effect like the Emblazoned Power optional class feature, then you gain an amount of temporary hit points equal to half of your level upon doing so.


The Horns of Vitality:

Through the Horned One, life permeates powerfully, and you have learned to tap into that well of life. Whenever you take damage for the first time in a round, you may recover 1d6 health, and all allies within 30 ft. of you also recover that health.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level The Horned One feature)

Earthen Connection:

Your connections with others run deeper through your workings with the spiritual world, and you can use this to protect them. When an ally would take damage, if they are within 30 ft. of you then you may take half of this damage once per Rest.


Invigorating Pulse:

You pull forth a mere flash of the Horned One’s presence to rally those around you. All allies within a 30 ft. radius gain a bonus equal to your Tier to either their next instance of damage, their next saving throw, or a skill check made in the next minute. This feature requires a Half Action and may only be used twice per Long Rest.


The Claws of Desire:

Level 1 Features

The Desire to Fight:

You can smell the intent of those around you, the adrenaline and desire to overcome you, but the senses provided to you grants you a powerful edge. All targets within melee range of you have their Defensive Action rolls reduced by 1. Additionally, when your unarmed melee attacks crit, you gain a point of Attunement.


Piercing Claws:

Your nails grow into claws on command, capable of rivaling the mundane weapons of man. By expending a point of Attunement, your melee weapon attacks become d6 damage die for the next minute. This increases to d8 when you reach level 5.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level The Claws of Desire feature)

The Desire to Accomplish:

Upon failing a saving throw, check, or contest, you may make a Will check against the same RT to overcome it and succeed anyway. This feature may only be used once per day.


Limbs of Blade and Claw:

Your limbs may become your weapons, closer to that of the Claws of Desire and allowing you to attack more swiftly. By expending a point of Attunement, your unarmed melee attacks may be Half Actions instead of Full Actions.


The Breath of Eternities:

Level 1 Features

Endless Reach:

The teachings of the Breath encompass much of the magical world, and how the rules most are bound by can certainly be broken. When casting a spell with the range of touch, it’s range may instead reach out to 15 ft.


Essence of Magic:

The Eternities whispers to you of ways that your magics may be ever more effective, and you listen well. When casting spells, you may add your Soul modifier to the result. You may also roll a d6, and on a 6 you gain a point of Attunement.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level The Breath of Eternities feature)

To See Beyond:

The Eternities spans many things, and the movements of your allies and foes alike, are sometimes among those. At the cost of your reaction and a point of Attunement, you may impose disadvantage or advantage on a saving throw of a target creature within 30 ft. of you.

This feature may be used a number of times per Long Rest equal to your Tier.


Coursing Wave:

The waves of Eternities expand your way of thinking, and the capacity of your spells. All cone spells you cast, with the additional cost of one more point of Attunement, are now half arcs of the same distance.


Wizard

Wizards are masters of the arcane, learning to truly understand the rules that govern such a powerful and everpresent resource. As full casters, they are one of the few classes that will see max level spells, and they have the potential to wield them in truly devastating ways. A fully equipped Wizard on the battlefield is a disaster for their opponents, as pinning them down, and dealing with the overwhelming effects they can use to lay waste to those before them, becomes incredibly difficult.

Its important to know where your Wizard came about their knowledge, whether it be from studying under a mentor, schooling, or self teaching, other students of the aetherical ways may very well judge you based on where you garnered your initial knowledge. As a starting Wizard however, you will have a solid understanding, far more than most people, of the ways that magic influences the world, and how to use it to your advantage. There should be a level of discussion with your GM on how you were taught, your characters goals in their studies, and how this can potentially weave into the overall narrative.

Leveling Table

Level Health Features Cantrips
1 (Tier 1) 6 + Half Body Mana, Spellcasting, Catalyze, Mana Barrier 2
2 5 + Half Body Aether Alignment, Empowered Signature, Scrolls and Stones 2
3 4 + Half Body Pure Alignment, Imprinting 3
4 (Tier 2) 5 + Half Body --- 3
5 4 + Half Body --- 4
6 3 + Half Body --- 4
7 (Tier 3) 4 + Half Body --- 5
8 3 + Half Body --- 5
9 2 + Half Body --- 6
10 (Tier 4) 3 + Half Body --- 6
11 2 + Half Body --- 6
12 1 + Half Body --- 6

Health and Stamina

Health Per Level: 6 + Half of your Body stat at level 1, reducing by 1 per level, increasing by 1 per Tier. This is shown in the Leveling Table above

Stamina: You begin with 1 Stamina

Equipment

You begin with the following equipment:

  • A dagger and a Magical Instrument
  • Padded Cloth
  • Bedroll, 3 torches, 50 feet of rope, mess kit, and your choice of tool kit

Proficiencies

Armor: Light

Weapons: Simple and magical instruments

Tools: Caligraphy and Aetheric Tuning Kits

Will Checks

You may choose to make a Will check to gain Mana, with the RT beginning at 14, and increasing by 1 for each additional Mana you would like to generate.

Fatigue

For each point of Fatigue, the maximum amount of Mana you may hold at any given time is reduced by 2. For every 3 points of Fatigue, you must choose one Aether Alignment that you may no longer hold.

For every 3 points of Fatigue, you must choose one Aether Alignment that you may no longer hold.

Main Features

Level 1

Mana:

Being a student of the arcane ways, you have learned to be adept with the flowing Mana of the world. This is how you cast, and generally understand, magic as a whole. You gain your class resource, Mana, each turn while in combat, at a rate equal to 1 + your Tier. Whenever you cast a spell, in combat, once per turn for Cantrips, you also gain Mana equal to your Tier. Mana is able to be used in a number of ways beyond casting spells, each of which will be explained in their respective features. When it does come to casting spells, you must use an amount of Mana equal to twice the level of the spell you are casting.

Upon taking a Rest of any sort, your Mana is set to 1 + half your level.

You have a maximum Mana limit, only ever able to hold an amount up to your Mind + your level, at any given time.


Spellcasting:

At 1st level, your learnings as a Wizard, and of the arcane, have allowed you the capacity to cast spells, with the promise of so much more with continued dedication.


Preparing and Casting Spells

The Wizard table shows how many cantrips you may know at any given level. Starting at level 1 you may choose a Signature Cantrip and may alter this decision each time you level. As a Wizard, your casting is tied to the ever flowing Aether, and your understanding of it.

You prepare your own list of spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the overall compendium. When you do so, choose a number of spells equal to your Mind modifier + your Tier + your Wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells you choose must be of a level that you can cast.

You can change your list of prepared spells upon a Long Rest.


Spellcasting Ability

Mind is your spellcasting ability for your spells, since your power is linked to your very understanding and knowledge of these arts. You use your Mind modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.

Spell save RT = 10 + your Tier + your Mind modifier


You gain access to 1st level spells at level 1 and each additional level every 2 levels after that, capping at 6th level at level 11.


Catalyze:

While you gain Mana fairly quickly, you can always exert some effort to draw even more to you. Once per turn, using a Half Action, you may gain an amount of Mana equal to your Tier.


Mana Barrier:

Once per turn, you may use a Simple Action to gain temporary (round) health, equal to your current Mana, up to half your Mind.


Level 2

Aether Alignment:

Upon reaching level 2, you have begun to put into practice the theory behind how the evershifting Aether around you takes on aspects of the purposes it is used for. There are four primary Alignments that are studied and understood. These are Life, Destruction, Motion, and Enfeeblement. All spells touch at least one of these in some manner based on their effects.

Once per turn, when you cast a spell, you may gain a single point of Alignment based on the effects of the spell. These are spelled out below, and if a spell has effects that involve multiple of the Alignments, then you select one.

  • Life: Recovering health, providing temporary health, utilizing nature

  • Destruction: Dealing direct damage, destroying terrain

  • Motion: Increasing or decreasing movement speed, causing forced movement

  • Enfeeblement: Debuffing targets, causing conditions or effecting them in a negative manner that is not damage


Each Alignment also encompasses the opposite, or prevention, of its primary purpose. These are as follows; Life into Decay, Destruction into Protection, Motion into Stasis, and Enfeeblement into Fortification. These flip sides do not immediately find use, but through future features, you will see them come further and further into play as you become more adept at utilizing and understanding them.

For now though, your use of these Alignments is fairly simple. Whenever you cast a spell, you may also expend a point of Aligned Aether as a point of Mana, or for the following effects based on the Alignment itself:

  • Life: Increase the healing of the spell by 1 additional die, or heal a target within 15 ft. of you by 1d4

  • Destruction: Increase the damage of the spell by 1 additional die, or deal 1d4 damage (kinetic) to a target within 15 ft. of you

  • Motion: Increase your own movement speed by 5 until your next turn, or increase the next Defensive Action you make by 2 until your next turn

  • Enfeeblement: Increase the amount of turns your spell's debuff effect lasts by 1, or decrease the movement of a target creature within 15 ft. of you by 5 until the end of their next turn.


You may use multiple points of Alignment on a single spell, and the effects do stack, but you may only have an amount of any particular Alignment on you equal to your Tier. After combat, the Aligned Aether you were holding onto quickly fades.


Empowered Signature:

Starting at 2nd level, and every time you would normally select options for your Signature Cantrip, you may select 1 additional option.


Scrolls and Shards:

You have learned to inscribe, embed, and store both Spells and Aligned Aether. This takes concentrated effort to both craft, as well as maintain, them. Each Long Rest you take, you may create either a Spell Scroll of spell level that is up to your current Tier, or an Alignment Shard that houses a single point of Aligned Aether, the Alignment of which is of your choosing.

You may hold a number of Spell Scrolls equal to your Mind, and an amount of Alignment Shards equal to your Tier.

Spell Scrolls may be used in the same manner as your normal Spells, but they can be of a spell you do not actively have prepared. However, once it has been used, the Scroll is expended and lost.

Alignment Shards may be used as a Free Action to instantly gain a point of that Alignment, and are then considered spent.


Level 3

Pure Aether:

Stripping Aether of its Alignment is no easy task in concept, but your practice has made it simple in practice. As a Free Action, you may spend 2 Mana and convert one Aligned Aether of yours into Pure Aether. This may be used as any Alignment, and is necessary for the Imprinting process.


Imprinting:

The ways in which you practice your magics has unearthed a very useful ability, that to splice pieces of spells onto one another. With the use of Aligned Aether, Pure Aether, and some ingenuity, you can take effects from one spell, and cast them alongside another.

The table below explains what types of effects you can enhance, or splice onto another spell, given the Alignment you expend. Each time you Imprint, it costs 1 Pure Aether, and the required Aligned Aether, but there is no limit to how many times you can Imprint on any given turn. Spell effects that require Concentration only last until the end of the target's next turn.

  • Life: You may Imprint entire healing effects, or increase the size of the die on a healing spell a single time (capping at d12)

  • Destruction: You may alter the damage type of the spell, increase the size of the damage die on a spell a single time (capping at d12), or copy over the damage pattern (line, cone, radius). You cannot alter the damage pattern of a touch spell.

  • Motion: Forced movement effects, and effects that provide additional movement

  • Enfeeblement: Any effect that is applying a targeted debuff


Optional Features

Focus of Study - (Level 1 or higher)

Upon taking a Long Rest, you may select one of the main Stats as your Focus of Study, and select one of the Skills attributed to that Stat to gain a bonus equal to your Tier. This lasts until your next Long Rest. You may change the Skill that gains this bonus to another Skill in the same category when taking a Short Rest.


Boon of Knowledge - (Level 1 or higher)

Your studies, be it through disciplined reading and more conventional means, or by taking to the field and learning far more practically, has provided you with quite the noticeable reward. You may mark a level up option on your sheet.

This feature may be taken a single time per Tier.


Quickened Process - (Level 2 or higher)

You may Catalyze as a Simple Action.


Efficiency - (Level 2 or higher)

When taking a Long Rest, you may make a Spell Scroll and an Alignment Shard.


Empowered Barrier - (Level 3 or higher)

Your Mana Barrier provides +1 temporary health.


Enhanced Scrollwork - (Level 3 or higher)

When making a Spell Scroll, you may place an Imprint upon it. To cast it, you still need the required amount of Aligned Aether.


Subclasses

Edge Weaver

Level 1 Features

Summoned Weapon:

You manifest a weapon of your choice through your Mana, and attack in a wide arc in front of you. As a Full Action, and with a single Mana, you may slash in a Simple Arc as a melee weapon attack in front of you, dealing 1d10 + your Mind in Kinetic damage.


Woven Strike:

Once each round, when making a Defensive Action, you may cast a cantrip, or make a melee weapon attack.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level Edge Weaver feature)

Embedded (Requires the Summoned Weapon feature):

When using Summoned Weapon, you may Imprint onto the attack.


Blink Dance (Requires at least one 1st level Distorter feature):

When you make a melee attack, you may teleport up to 10 ft. away. This feature may only be used twice per Short Rest.


Distorter

Level 1 Features

Optical Distortion:

Once per round, when you may gain advantage on the Dodge Defensive Action, as the attack made against you targets an illusion of you that’s a few inches off. This costs 1 Mana, and may be made an amount of times per Short Rest equal to your Deception skill.


Analysis:

You watch your foe, utilizing the Aether to garner deeper information about them. With a Reaction or a Simple Action, you may spend 1 Mana and gain one of the following pieces of information on a target.

  • Max health
  • Current health
  • Max Stamina
  • Current Stamina
  • Difficulty
  • Any singular Stat

This feature may only be used a number of times per day equal to your Mind.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level Distorter feature)

Mirage (requires the Optical Distortion feature):

By expending a use of Optical Distortion, you may send an illusion of yourself out to a space within 30 ft. of you. This illusion copies your motions, but cannot actually move, and if targeted by an attack, immediately dissipates. You can, however, cast your Signature Cantrip through it.


Disruption Burst (requires at least one Destabilizer feature):

When you successfully make a Defensive Action, you may expend an amount of Mana up to your Mind stat, and quickly move back 5 ft., leaving behind a hazy version of yourself that suddenly explodes, dealing 1d6 for each Mana spent.


Destabilizer:

Level 1 Features

Mana Blast:

The volatility of Mana is something you have learned to utilize quite well. You may make an unarmed melee attack action, spending Mana, up to your Mind + your Tier, and ignite the power of it on contact, dealing an amount of d6 damage equal to the Mana spent.


Arcane Parry:

When you take the Parry Defensive Action, you may do so using a touch or melee attack spell.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level Destabilizer feature)

Destruction Amplifier:

The raw power of Aetherized Destruction is something you have come to understand and utilize with great results. When using Mana Blast, you may also expend a single Destruction Aligned Aether to increase the damage die to a d8. When using Arcane Parry, expending a Destruction Aligned Aether, you may do so at advantage.

This feature may be used once per Short Rest.


Interruption (requires at least one Aegis Shifter feature):

You may use a Reaction, 2 Mana, and 1 stamina, upon an enemy casting a spell in order to attempt to disrupt their cast. You make a contest roll, both adding your Mind, and if you succeed, the cast is made at disadvantage.

This feature may be used once per Short Rest.


Aegis Shifter:

Level 1 Features

Ever Ready:

You gain 1 additional Reaction per round.


Shield Intensification:

Twice per Short Rest, when you activate your Mana Barrier, you may gain temporary health up to twice the normal maximum.


Level 3 Features (requires at least one 1st level Aegist Shifter feature)

Quickened Reactions (requires the Ever Ready feature):

You may use a Reaction to use a Half Action at any time.


Activatable Defense (requires at least one Enchanter feature):

Once per Long Rest, you may imbue a trinket with defensive magics, allowing it to be activated by anyone holding it as a Reaction or Free Action. Doing so creates an aura around the user, which reaches out to 10 ft. around them, and lasts until the end of their next turn. While inside this aura, allied creatures have their Saving Throws and Defensive Actions increased by half your Mind.


Enchanter:

Level 1 Features

Aether Infusion:

You have become adept at infusing objects with Aether to produce small, but helpful, effects. Over the course of a Short or Long Rest, you may create one of the following:

  • An object that, when touched by someone, produces a warning. This can be aloud, to the one who touched it, or just to you as long as you are within 150 ft. of it
  • Writing that can only be read with a passphrase
  • An object that, when floating in water, points towards a particular location you have been before

Spell Inlay:

By spending an additional Mana, and one extra Action Point, you may cast a spell on an object with conditions for it to be activated.


Level 3 Features

Arcane Workings (Requires the Aether Infusion feature):

When using Aether Infusion, you may end the Rest with 2 less Mana than usual to place one of the following effects upon an object or weapon until your next Rest:

  • The wielder adds +1 to all combat rolls that include the weapon
  • The wielder adds +1 to all Defensive Actions
  • The wielder gains 1 temporary (Rest) Stamina

Mana Fold Strike (requires at least one Edge Weaver feature):

When making a weapon attack, you may add an additional damage die for 2 Mana.