Arcane School, Chronomancy (lots of updates)

[AetherShift]

I'm still working on the fluff, but I thought I would go ahead and post what I have. Please let me know if these abilities are interesting and balanced. Some of these are a shot in the dark, but they seem like they could be pretty fun. Also, if you have better name suggestions I would like to hear them.

Chronomancy Savant (Level 2)
Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the time you must spend to copy a spell into your spellbook is halved. Additionally, the time you must spend preparing a ritual is also halved.

Hand of Time (Level 2)
At 2nd Level, whenever you succeed at an attack roll against a creature, you may forgo dealing damage and instead increase that creature's exhaustion by one level. This ability cannot be used to increase a creature’s level of exhaustion beyond level 3.

Exhaustion Levels (for reference)
Level 1- Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2- Speed halved
Level 3- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws

Time Burst (Level 6)
Starting at 6th level, your temporal powers seem to stretch time around you, granting you a bonus action during each of your turns in combat. This bonus action can be used only to take the dash, disengage or dodge action.

Temporal Displacement (Level 10)
Starting at 10th level you can use an action to force a single object or creature within 30 feet into the near future. If the target is a creature it must be medium size or smaller. If the target is an object is must be unattended and weigh no more than 300 lbs. To use this ability, you must expend a spell slot, which sets the save DC to resist this effect. If the target is unwilling, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + the level of the expended spell slot. On a failed save the target disappears for 1d4 rounds then reappears in the space it left or, if that space is occupied, in the nearest unoccupied space.

Fate Shift (Level 14)
At 14th level, you can alter the fate of one living creature that you can see. After the results of a creature’s attack roll, ability check or saving throw have been determined, you may use a reaction to force that creature to reroll that attack roll, ability check or saving throw with your choice of advantage or disadvantage. The creature must use the new result. You must then finish a short or long rest before using this ability again.

[JNAProductions]

Temporal Shift is at level 14 and 17.

Burst of Time grants an extra bonus action, right? Because it says nothing about adding to your current amount of actions.

Outside minor typoes, looks fun.

[AetherShift]

Temporal Shift is at level 14 and 17.

Fixed.



Burst of Time grants an extra bonus action, right? Because it says nothing about adding to your current amount of actions.

Is the bolded part not enough? I based the wording off of the rogue's cunning action ability. If that's not right, how should it be worded?



Burst of Time (Level 6)
Starting at 6th level, your temporal powers generate brief moments of extra time that you can use or share with an ally. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. Alternatively you may skip this action to grant a single creature you can see a bonus action they can use during their next turn. This bonus action can be used only to take the dash, disengage or dodge action.


Outside minor typoes, looks fun.
Thanks! I'm having fun working on it.

I'm not quite satisfied with the second ability. It allows a Chronomancer to spam some pretty neat stuff, but it kind of shoehorns the player into using specific spells. Although I guess, as a wizard, you aren't super limited on the number of spells you know.

Either way, suggestions for a neat second level power would be appreciated.

Also, I'm going to go ahead and change the names of some of these abilities. Just Cause.

[JNAProductions]

*Facepalm*

That's me being dumb. The wording is actually fine, I just somehow read it as every turn outisde your own.

With the bold for emphasis, it's quite clear. And a fun looking ability-get three Chronomancers and one Sorclock, grant him three extra bonus actions, and bam! For a couple of magic points, 20 EBs a turn.

[Leuku]

Efficient Chronomancy (Level 2)
Starting at 2nd level you treat the following spells as one level lower than normal for the purposes of learning, preparing, and expending spell slots.

Spell + New Level
Blur 1
Misty Step 1
Blink 2
Haste 2
Slow 2
Dimension Door 3
Contingency 5
Foresight 8
Time Stop 8

Isn't this completely broken? Getting access to those spells 2 levels earlier than intended? And consequently getting to use the much more plentiful lower level spell slots for them? Being able to cast Foresight and Time Stop twice per day at 17th level?

Being able to cast Haste 5 times a day, not including Arcane Recovery, at 5th level when a wizard normally can only cast it 2 times per day at the same level?


Time Burst (Level 6)
Starting at 6th level, your temporal powers generate brief moments of extra time that you can use or share with an ally. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. Alternatively you may skip this action to grant a single creature you can see a bonus action they can use during their next turn. This bonus action can be used only to take the dash, disengage or dodge action.

You gain an improved version of the Rogue's Cunning Action? Not even the Rogue can Dodge with Cunning Action. I recommend getting rid of the Alternative option.


Temporal Displacement (Level 10)
Starting at 10th level you can force a creature or object within 30 feet to leap forward in time. As an action, you may expend a spell slot to send one target forward in time a number of rounds equal to the level of the expended spell slot. If the target is a creature it must be medium size or smaller. If the target in an object it must be unattended and weigh no more than 300 lbs. In effect, the target disappears for a number of rounds (set by the spell slot you expend) and reappears in exactly the same orientation and condition as before. From the target’s point of view, no time has passed. The target reappears in the space it left or, if that space is occupied, in the nearest unoccupied space.

Hostile creatures should be able make a save against this. Also, perhaps limit it to no greater than a 5th level spell slot. Think of it this way: Imagine a 4 person party is faced with 2 enemies, who combined represent a deadly encounter for them. Sending one enemy 5 rounds in to the future changes this deadly encounter in to an Easy encounter. For 5 rounds, the 4 PCs can solo wail on the one remaining enemy. We all know what usually happens to a solo against a group. 5 Rounds should easily be enough time to down this one guy, with even perhaps some time rounds over. After he dies, the party waits for the second to reappear and repeats the process.


Fate Shift (Level 14)
At 14th level, you may alter the fate of one living creature that you can see. That creature rerolls an attack roll, ability check or saving throw with your choice of advantage or disadvantage. The creature must use the new result. You must then finish a short or long rest before using this ability again.

Looks good. Should require a reaction, using the roll as the trigger.

[AetherShift]

Thanks for the detailed critique! There's a lot of good ideas in there, and I'll get to them all eventually but for now, I'm going to focus on Temporal Displacement. I agree it needs a save and I agree that there should be a tighter cap for the amount of rounds this works for. Here is my attempt at addressing these issues.

Temporal Displacement
Starting at 10th level you can use an action to force a single unattended object or creature within 30 feet into the near future. If the target is a creature it must be medium size or smaller. If the target is an object is must be unattended and weigh no more than 300 lbs. To use this ability, you must expend a spell slot to set the save DC. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your INT modifier + the level of the expended spell slot. On a failed save the target disappears for 1d4 rounds then reappears in the space it left or, if that space is occupied, in the nearest unoccupied space.

Please let me know what you think of this alteration. I'll be addressing your other comments latter.

Thanks again!

[AetherShift]

I've made the following changes to the original post:

Time Burst
I've removed the ability to share Time Burst with an ally.

Temporal Displacement
I've introduced a saving throw to resist the effect. It's DC is set by the spell slot expended to use Temporal Displacement.
I've switched the duration of the effect from being tied to the level of the expended spell slot to a flat 1d4 rounds.
I've introduced language which clarifies that willing targets don't need to make a saving throw.

Fate Shift
I made using this ability a reaction.
I've also clarified that you can use this ability after knowing the results of a creature's attack roll, skill check or saving throw.

I'm still trying to work out a more suitable second level ability.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

[AetherShift]

I'm introducing a new 2nd level ability to replace the Efficient Chronomancy ability. Introducing: "Hand of Time"

Hand of Time (Level 2)
At 2nd Level, whenever you succeed at an attack roll against a creature, you may forgo dealing damage and instead increase that creature's exhaustion by one level. This ability cannot be used to increase a creature’s level of exhaustion beyond level 3.

Exhaustion Levels (for reference)
Level 1- Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2- Speed halved
Level 3- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws

Thoughts?

[Leuku]

I'm introducing a new 2nd level ability to replace the Efficient Chronomancy ability. Introducing: "Hand of Time"

Hand of Time (Level 2)
At 2nd Level, whenever you succeed at an attack roll against a creature, you may forgo dealing damage and instead increase that creature's exhaustion by one level. This ability cannot be used to increase a creature’s level of exhaustion beyond level 3.

Exhaustion Levels (for reference)
Level 1- Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2- Speed halved
Level 3- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws

Thoughts?

Nice. I like bringing more of the Exhaustion mechanic in to play. But I might suggest that it is too strong. One level of Exhaustion can only be healed by taking a long rest or with a decently high level (5th?) spell. Hand of Time works with any attack, so say Firebolt, which you can spam.

So in 3 rounds of combat, you can afflict on to an enemy what would take 3 days to heal from, at-will. How about: Whenever you succeed at an attack roll against a creature, you can use a bonus action to spend a spell slot in an attempt to weaken that creature through temporal drag. The target makes a Con-save against your save DC, and depending on the level of the spell slot spent will have different effects.

Spell Slot Level 1 - Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2- Speed halved
Level 3- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
Level 4 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 5 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Speed halved
Level 6 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws

You cannot spend a spell slot higher than level 6 in this way. This ability cannot be used to increase a creature’s level of exhaustion beyond level 3. Different Level spell slots spent on the same target does not cause the levels of exhaustion to stack.

[AetherShift]

Nice. I like bringing more of the Exhaustion mechanic in to play. But I might suggest that it is too strong. One level of Exhaustion can only be healed by taking a long rest or with a decently high level (5th?) spell. Hand of Time works with any attack, so say Firebolt, which you can spam.

So in 3 rounds of combat, you can afflict on to an enemy what would take 3 days to heal from, at-will. How about: Whenever you succeed at an attack roll against a creature, you can use a bonus action to spend a spell slot in an attempt to weaken that creature through temporal drag. The target makes a Con-save against your save DC, and depending on the level of the spell slot spent will have different effects.

Spell Slot Level 1 - Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 2- Speed halved
Level 3- Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
Level 4 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Disadvantage on ability checks
Level 5 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Speed halved
Level 6 - Disadvantage on con save against this, Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws

You cannot spend a spell slot higher than level 6 in this way. This ability cannot be used to increase a creature’s level of exhaustion beyond level 3. Different Level spell slots spent on the same target does not cause the levels of exhaustion to stack.

Thats a really interesting way of wording it, however, I'm already using spell slots to power Temporal Displacement, so I was looking for an ability that is more reliable and doesn't make the player have to choose too much between using some time magic, and casting spells.

If it's the long term effects your concerned about, how about a simple addendum:

"Exhaustion caused by this ability is temporary and wears off at a rate of 1 level every 5 minutes"

[Flashy]

"Exhaustion caused by this ability is temporary and wears off at a rate of 1 level every 5 minutes"

That seems like a superb fix, and retains the sub-class's flavor.