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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next 5e Character Creation Rework



gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:06 PM
Contents: My Rework is visible in the spoiler tags.
Basic Concepts: macro-level changes that affect all classes.
- Backgrounds, Backstories, and Personalities: half-stolen from the Angry DM and synthesized a little.
- Fighting Styles: style, mastery, expertise.
Races
- Main Races: Elf, Dwarf, Human, Halfling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc
Classes
- Berserker; subtypes - Barbarian, Totem, Zealot
- Druid; subtypes - Circle of Land, Circle of the Moon
- Paladin; subtypes - Ethos, Pathos, Logos
- Warlock; minor adjustments, in progress
Feats
- Proficient - a feat that gives you more of your own class-stuff.
- Fighting Style - a feat to give up to mastery level fighting styles.
Miscellaneous
- Magic Items and Artisan Tools: A simplified player driven / DM discretion method for developing magic items.
- Spells and Magic: Adjustments only, not a full spell list.
- Why This Design: theorycraft

1. Weapon proficiencies are more specific and must be chosen.
2. Prerequisites span classes. If you need Defensive Fight Style as a prerequisite, it can be from any class.
3. Proficiencies are a large heading - I'm looking for a better word - that are ability gate-keepers. Most classes will need to choose between several different proficiencies, and then will be able to choose more as they level. Additionally, they may skip something. For example, the Berserker may opt to skip Medium Armor Proficiency for something else.
4. Fighting Styles: you may only have one fighting style active at a time. You can change between fighting styles as a bonus action. There are also three levels of fighting style progression: a fighting style, mastery, and expert. Fighters uniquely gain a benefit to allow two styles at once.
5. There is a larger multi-classing tax through proficiencies granted. Also, I tried to balance abilities to discourage 1-2 level dips that get to the core of the class. Multiclassing into something will inherently do the core of the class less well. On the other hand, I tried to create more interesting options to create synergies that did not previously exist. Finally, I took existing 'gray areas' of multiclassing and created specific methods of combination through the use of proficiencies. This means that you can definitely use a smite while attacking with unarmed strikes, but it requires a specific proficiency to allow it.

Backgrounds: Open ended, non-pregenerated backgrounds that are backstory generated.

Personality: Features that can be Tapped to provide advantage or disadvantage once per session.


Background: Each Background should provide three mechanical benefits comprised of one skill proficiency, one tool or musical instrument proficiency, and an organizational resource. Each should logically be related through the character's backstory. If the priest is able to use slight of hand to pick locks and is proficient in using Mason's Tools, there is likely an interesting backstory that will influence the character's personality. DMs should allow players great liberty in choosing skills but require sufficient backstory to justify the selections, prohibiting the selection only if the skill or other benefit flies in the face of the backstory. For example, a paladin valuing honesty above all things should not select deception, and a Berserker from the wastelands should not elect to be a concert pianist. Both would be acceptable with sufficient added backstory, however. When completed, the background, personality, and backstory should be summed up with a 'Theme'.
- Theme: A one word or quick phase to describe the background, taken as a whole.
- Skill Proficiency: any skill proficiency logically related to the background. The more unrelated the skill, the more work needs to be done to fill in the backstory.
- Tool, Instrument, or Vehicle Proficiency: any tool, instrument, or vehicle logically related to the background. Vehicle proficiencies are as follows: aquatic sailing vessels, land vehicles, animal riding, and (setting dependent) air vehicles.
- Organizational Resource: any single collective of people or things that value the character based on the backstory. This can be anything from a guild, a priesthood, the nobility of a certain region, sailors, mercenary companies, and so on. This benefit allows the generation of contacts, immediate recognition of status, and common understood terminology - all of which can result even in distant locations. The benefit does not necessarily make it easier to persuade, intimidate, or deceive. Rather, the benefit provides a known or easily discernible contact if one is needed.

Personality: The character's personality helps direct decision-making, or is a result of decision-making. Once per gaming session, a player can Tap one of the following three characteristics to provide advantage or disadvantage on one roll, provided the character is acting according to the specific characteristic.
- Outlook: the surface level personality that most others see during basic interactions.
- Bond: a specific meaningful relationship with one or more characters in the party that explain why your character and the other(s) travel together. This provides the reason why the characters are mutually trusting each other with their lives.
- Flaw: a specific meaningful personality detriment such as a phobia, compulsion, or addiction that hinders the character. this is not a physical restriction. The character is aware of the flaw, but not necessarily at the moment that the flaw comes into play. Flaws are not the primary feature of the character, but something that the character actively views as a flaw but none-the-less still influences the character; in other words, it is something to overcome, not something to justify in-game selfish actions. When Tapped, the character can gain the advantage or inflict disadvantage either through giving into the flaw or overcoming it, as determined by the player.

Backstory: The backstory should be a bullet-point list of about three to five narrative points or vignettes that provide justification for class and background, and also provide the motivation for adventuring. Any quirks that do not logically relate to to the class should be explained, while obviously logical related things do not need to be explained. A druid having knowledge: Nature as a background skill does not need to be explained, for example. One bullet point should relate directly to the stated Bond. A paragraph or two of narrative may accompany or further explain the backstory.

Example: Launney (Human Rogue)
Theme: Criminal Turned Hero
Skill: Slight of Hand
Proficiency: Jeweler's Tools
Organizational Resource: Local Constabulary

Personality:
Outlook: Reserved but Cheery
Bond: Daytona (the elf cleric) took me in when I angered and was beaten by a local gang. She is the one that helped me turn my back on crime.
Flaw: Tempted to take a larger portion, does not like to share.

Backstory:

Grew up on the streets, stealing from others and selling fake jewelry.
Daytona (the elf cleric) took me in when I angered and was beaten by a local gang. She is the one that helped me turn my back on crime.
After helping the constabulary remove the gang, became accepted among them and occasionally given some specialty work.
Launney is paranoid about 'having enough' whether it is food or money, and has trouble sharing with others.


Fighting Styles: You can gain fighting styles through some class proficiencies and features. You may only have one fighting style active at any given time and you can switch between styles as a bonus action. You are assumed to always have a fighting style active. Expertise can only be reached through the Fighter class.

Fighting Styles: There are now several levels to each fighting style, and only one style may be active at any given time. It is assumed that one style is always active, and does not need to be 'turned on' during combat. If more than one style is know, a character may switch between styles as a bonus action. Mastery and Expertise add additional benefits to a style, they are not separate styles. Fighting styles can generally be found within classes, and obtaining the fighting style may require adherence to additional prerequisites.

Archery Style: [Normal Text]
Archery Mastery: Prerequisite Archery Style - Once per turn, if you miss with a ranged weapon attack, you may make an additional attack roll to target a different enemy within 5' of your original target. On a successful hit, you original attack hits the secondary target instead.
Archery Expert: Prerequisite Archery Mastery - You ignore damage reduction up to half your level when damaging an enemy with a ranged weapon.

Defensive Style: [normal fighting style text].
Defensive Mastery: Prerequisite Defensive Style - When you use the Dodge action, you also gain resistance to all damage until the beginning of your next turn.
Defensive Expertise: Prerequisite Defensive Mastery - Your opportunity attacks have advantage against your target.

Protection Style: [Normal Text]
Protection Mastery: Prerequisite Protection Fighting Style - When you impose disadvantage using the Protection Fighting style, you also grant resistance to one of your choice: piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage.
Protection Expert: Prerequisite Protection Mastery - When you impose disadvantage using the Protection Fighting Style, your ally does not need to be within 5', but instead be within 15' and line of sight.

Two Handed Weapon Style: [normal fighting style text].
Two Handed Weapon Mastery: Prerequisite Two Handed Weapon Style - While wielding a melee weapon with two hands, you may add your Con modifier when you attempt to trip a target, resist a trip attempt, or resist a grapple check.
Two Handed Weapon Expertise: Prerequisite Two Handed Weapon Mastery - When you have advantage on an attack and both rolled attacks would hit, the attack is considered a critical hit.

Two-Weapon Fighting Style: [normal fighting style text].
Two-Weapon Fighting Mastery: Prerequisite Two-Weapon Fighting Style - When you make an attack of opportunity, you may also make an attack with your off-hand weapon as a part of the attack of opportunity.
Two-Weapon Fighting Expertise: Prerequisite Two-Weapon Fighting Mastery - When you use a bonus action to make a attack with an off-hand weapon, you can make two attacks with the off-hand weapon.

Versatile Weapon Style: While wielding a weapon with the versatile property, your attacks are considered two-handed so long as your off-hand is empty. You may ignore 10' of difficult terrain while moving.
Versatile Weapon Mastery: Prerequisite: Versatile Weapon Style - When an adjacent enemy successfully saves against a spell that you cast, you may make an attack of opportunity against that enemy as a reaction.
Versatile Weapon Expert : Prerequisite: Versatile Weapon Expert - When you hit with an attack, the enemy gains the frightened condition. As long as the enemy is frightened, the enemy has disadvantage on saves against your spells.

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:08 PM
Races:

Dwarf:
Stat: + 2 Str
Hardy: you have advantage on saves against poison, including saves against spells that cause the poisoned condition.
Proficiencies: Choose two of the three:
- Weapons - you are proficient in one of the following: Battle-Ax, War Hammer, Hand Ax, or Light Hammer.
- Armor - you are proficient in Light and Medium Armor.
- Stone Lore: You are proficient in masons tools and knowledge: history. You have advantage on knowledge checks regarding stonework whether or not you are proficient.
Subtypes:
Hill: +1 Wisdom, +1 Hp per level
Mountain: +1 Constitution, proficiency in crafting tools of your choice.

Elf:
Stat: +2 Dex
Elder Race: You only need to sleep once every several weeks, although you must meditate for at lest 8 hours to gain the benefit of a long rest. You have advantage on saves against sleep and charm effects.
Proficiencies: Choose two of the three:
- Weapons - you are proficient with the longbow
- Lore - you have proficiency in one of the following: Knowledge History, Knowledge Arcana, or Knowledge Nature.
- Spellcraft - you know and may cast one cantrip at will, chosen from a class based on your subtype: Eledrin may choose from the Wizard cantrip list, Wood Elf may choose from the Druid cantrip list, and Drow may choose from the Warlock cantrip list.
Subtypes
Eledrin: +1 Int, and you may speak 1 additional language of your choice
Wood Elf: +1 Wis, and you may hide (as described in the PHB)
Drow: +1 Con, and weapon proficiency with scimitars

Halfing:no change except...
:Lucky: You may reroll a d20 used for an attack, a skill check, or a save, but you must take the second result. You must take a short rest before using this feature again.

Human
Stats: +1 to two different stats of your choice
Proficiency: gain either a skill proficiency of your choice, an artisan tool proficiency of your choice, or a simple weapon proficiency of your choice.
Feat: gain proficiency in one feat.

Half-Elf
Stats: +2 to a stat of your choice, +1 to a different stat of your choice.
Proficiencies: Gain two of the following three.
- Elf-Raised: at least part of your life, you were raised among elves. Gain proficiency in the long-bow and elfish.
- Human-Raised: at least part of your life, you were raised among humans. Gain proficiency in one skill of your choice and one musical instrument of your choice.
- Natural Diplomat: gain proficiency in persuasion. When you use the aid other action to assist someone else using a persuasion, deception, performance, or intimidation, the assisted character can treat an unskilled check as skilled, and a skilled check as expert.

Half-Orc
Stats: +2 Con, +1 to another stat of your choice.
Proficiencies:
- Savage Attacks: When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you may add 1d8 additional damage, and you are proficient in orcish.
- Relentless Endurance: When you succeed on a death saving throw, you may immediately spend a hit die and recover half the amount. You can use this feature again once you complete a long rest.
- Grudging Acceptance: You gain proficiency with two of the following three: Intimidate (skill), Greatclub (simple melee weapon), or artisans tools of your choice.

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:09 PM
Classes - Part 1

Berserker - Primal Paths: Barbarian, Totem, Zealot
- This is the barbarian class. It is functionally equivilent. Berserker is a better descriptor of the class than barbarian, as the class is not necessarily (though it can be) someone from uncivilized wilderness tribes.
- Biting Rage is a boon-like feature
- I may shift some proficiencies into subclass features, or otherwise reduce the number (about the same number as invocations)
- Some normal barbarian features have been tucked into the proficiencies instead


Class Features:


1. Rage
2. Reckless Attack
3. Rage Feature, Primal Path
4. ASI
5. Extra Attack, Fast Movement
6. Primal Path Feature
7. Proficiency
8. ASI
9. Proficiency
10. Primal Path Feature
11. Brutal Critical
12. ASI
13. Prificiency
14. Primal Path Feature, Brutal Critical
15. Primal Hero
16. ASI
17 Brutal Critical, Proficiency
18. Indomintable Might
19. ASI
20. Primal Champion

Skills: 1 from Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Proficiencies: Riding Animals, Light Armor, 1 Simple Weapon, and 4 proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiencies list. Choose an additional proficiency at levels 3, 7, 9, 13, and 17. Additionally, when you gain a new proficiency in this class, you can choose one of the proficiencies you know (in this class or another class) and replace it with another proficiency that you could learn in this class. You cannot replace a proficiency if it is required for a different proficiency or ability that you also have.
Multi-Class Proficiencies: Your first level of Berserker gives you two proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiency List.

Additional Proficiencies List (Level 3, 7, 9, 13, and 17): As you grow in your understanding, you gain additional proficiencies.

Armor Proficiency: If you do not have an armor proficiency, you gain proficiency with light armor. If you are proficient with light armor, you gain proficiency with medium armor. If you are proficient with medium armor, you gain heavy armor proficiency. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Martial Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency in two weapons from either the simple or martial lists. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Shield Proficiency Prerequisite: Leather Armor Proficiency. You become proficient with using and wearing shields.
Exploration Tools Proficiency: You gain proficiency in one of the following: Leatherworking Tools, Woodworking Tools, or Cartography Tools.
Unarmored Defense While not wearing armor, your AC equals 10 + Dex + Con. You may additionally use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Wilderness Senses While you are not raging, you gain advantage on perception and insight checks that rely on your sense of smell and hearing.
Survival Skills You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Perception, Medicine, Survival, and Knowledge: Nature.
Powerful Presence If you fail an intimidation roll, you may expend one of your rages to immediately make a second attempt using Str or Con as the base for the role instead of Cha. When based on Str, you use your raw physical power; when based on Con, you use your raw tenacity.
Sustaining Rage When you enter a rage, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Str modifier plus twice your Barbarian level. If you have any temporary hit points remaining at the end of your rage, they go away when the rage ends.
Nature Empathy Prerequisites: Proficiency in Knowledge: Nature. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling. Animals that you encounter remember you – for good or bad.
Totem Relocation Prerequisite: Totem Subtype. When you move, you can re-position your totem as a bonus action. You may do so even if your hands are otherwise occupied.
Powerful Presence Prerequisite: Path of the Totem Warrior, Level 13. Your Spirit Walker totem ability reaches even farther, granting the ability for double the distance initially provided.
Calming Breath Prerequisite: Path of the Barbarian. During a short rest, you may expend two d12 hit die to reduce your exhaustion level by 1. You cannot use this feature again until you take a long rest.
--Additional-- Prerequisite: Path of the Barbarian. Text
Zealous Fury: Prerequisite: Path of the Zealot. When you hit an enemy with a critical hit, you may immediately enter a rage as a bonus action without expending one of your rages.
Zealous Attrition: Prerequisite: Path of the Zealot, Level 13. You may choose a second additional benefit provided by Biting Rage.
Additional Rage Prerequisite: Level 3. You have two more rages.
Relentless Rage Prerequisite: Level 3, Intelligence Less than 10. If you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you may expend a rage as a reaction to instead be reduced to 1 hit point. Additionally, if a status condition would cause you to end your rage, you may expend a rage to cancel the condition.
Two-Weapon Fighting Style Prerequisite: Level 3. [normal fighting style text].
Two Handed Fighting Style Prerequisite: Level 3. [normal fighting style text].
Feral Instinct Prerequisite: Level 7, Advantage on initiative. Also, during a surprise round in which you would be surprised, you may immediately enter a rage. If you do so, act normally.
Honed Instinct Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or Higher, Level 7. Charisma Bonus
Enhanced Senses Prerequisite: Wilderness Senses, Wisdom 13 or Higher, and Level 7. While you are not raging, you gain blindsight 10’. You rely on your sense of hearing, smell, and subtle changes in air as things move close by.
Vicious Critical Prerequisite: Level 7.
Two-Weapon Fighting Mastery: Prerequisite Two-Weapon Fighting Style, Level 5 - When you make an attack of opportunity, you may also make an attack with your off-hand weapon as a part of the attack of opportunity.
Two Handed Weapon Master: Prerequisites: Two Handed Weapon Style, Level 5. While wielding a melee weapon with two hands, you may add your Con modifier when you attempt to trip a target, resist a trip attempt, or resist a grapple check.


Rage: In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as bonus action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you are not wearing heavy armor:
-You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength Saving Throws.
-You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
-Some rage features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw is calculated as follows: 8+ your proficiency bonus + your Con modifier.
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging. Your rage lasts for 1 minute. (Normal Rage Text). You begin with 2 rages at level 1. That number increases to 3 at level 3, 4 at level 6, 5 at level 9, 6 at level 14, and 7 at level 17.

Biting Rage (level 3): While Raging, your melee attacks deal additional damage as detailed below. Choose one of the following:
Chaotic Strikes: your strength based melee attacks gain +2 damage, which increases to +3 at level 10, and increases to +4 at level 16.
Measured Strikes: your strength based melee attacks gain +Wis Modifier damage. You have advantage on Grapple checks against opponents carrying weapons.
Maniacal Strikes: your melee attacks gain +Int Modifier damage. When you hit a humanoid with a melee attack, it must succeed on an Intelligence Save or be frightened until the beginning of your next turn.
Majestic Strikes: your melee attacks gain +Cha Modifier damage. When you hit a beast with a melee attack, it must succeed on a Wisdom Save or be frightened until the beginning of your next turn

Reckless Attack: (Normal Text level 2).

Danger Sense: (Normal Text level 2).

Primal Paths: (Level 3)
- Path features at level 3, 6, 10, 14.
- Path of the Barbarian, Totem, or Zealot

ASI: (Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, 19) Normal Text

Extra Attack: (Level 5) Normal Text

Fast Movement: (Level 5) Normal Text

Brutal Critical: (Level 11) You can roll an additional weapon die when you are rolling the damage on a critical hit for a melee attack. This increases to two additional die at level 14, and three at level 17.

Primal Hero: (Level 15) At level 15, your strength and another stat of your choice grow by 2. Your maximum for these stats increase by 2, so the maximum becomes 22 for each of these stats.

Indomitable Might: (Level 18) Normal Text

Primal Champion (Level 20): At level 20, your constitution and another stat of your choice grow by 2. Your maximum for these stats increase by 2. If the maximum was 22, it become 24.


Primal Paths: You will gain an ability at the levels 3, 6, 10, 13 as detailed below.

Path of the Barbarian
Under the Stars, Level 3: When you camp in the wilderness, you instinctively know the most defensive location. Additionally, it takes half the time to set up and take down camp.

Frenzy (Level 3): Normal Text.

Mindless Rage (Level 6): Normal Text

Intimidating Presence (Level 10): Normal Text, saving throw based on Rage Save (see above)

Retaliation, (Level 14): [Normal Text]

Path of the Totem Warrior: some tribes and people have a deeper connection to spirits that others do not know and cannot sense. Wizards may look down on such things as savage ancestor worship and clerics may consider such things sacrilegious. Some Druids and Rangers know these same spirits. Some warlocks seek pacts with them as well. Barbarians that take the Path of the Totem tie their destiny with that of their totem spirit.

Totem Spirit (Level 3): Choose a path from below, Totem of Beasts, Totem of Elements, or Totem of the Seas. When you choose this path, create an ornamental totem than can be placed upright on the ground. When you enter a rage, choose a spot within 5’ (including where you are already standing) and place the totem in that spot. It is difficult terrain for everyone except you. The totem is filled with the power of the spirit. If in water, it will float in place.
- Totem of Beasts: The aspect of the Bear grants you enhanced durability. Choose a damage type when you place this totem upon entering a rage. You have resistance to that damage type. In addition, you may place your totem out in the open air when camping outside and beasts will not approach within 30’ of the camp.
- Totem of Elements: The aspect of otherworldly elements change the type of damage that you deal while you rage. Choose one of the following types of damage: Thunder, Lightning, Fire, Cold, or Poison. The damage attributable to your stat modifier and additional rage damage (if applicable) become that type of damage while you rage. (For example, a barbarian might have a longsword and deal 1d8 slashing damage and 5 fire damage). In addition, you may place your totem out in the open air when camping outside and protect your allies from extreme elements.
- Totem of the Sea: The aspect of the waves brings the ebb and flow of the seas with you wherever you fight. While within 30’ of the totem of the Sea, your attacks can cause you enemies to lose their footing and fall. Whenever you hit an attack, the hit enemy needs to make a Dexterity Save or is forced to move 5’ away. You may immediately move into the space occupied by the hit enemy (if possible) without provoking attacks of opportunity. In addition, you may place your totem out in the open air when sailing on a ship. Your totem will always point true north.

Song of the Wild (Level 6): You are attuned to the sounds of nature and can sense subtle hints in the change of noises. While you might not be able to detect the exact type, or amounts of beasts, you can sense when a creature arrives or departs. You can determine when plants are edible (although you do not necessarily know whether they are poisonous). You have advantage on saves against the effects of poisons or diseases that were ingested.

Spirit Walker, (Level 10): When you place your totem during a rage, you gain an additional affect based on the choice you made at level 3. The Spirits give you a greater sense of freedom.
- Walk of Beasts: The spirits of the wild empower you and your allies. Within 30’, your allies ignore difficult terrain created by natural features (such as vines, bushes, waterfalls). Difficult terrain caused by magical features or by man-made features remain difficult terrain.
- Walk of Elements: The wind lifts you; within 50’ of your totem, you gain fly 30’. When you place your totem, you may expend another rage to grant this ability to any number of allies within 50' of your totem. If anyone effected does not end their movement on land, they will fall to the ground at the end of their movement.
- Walk of the Sea: The call of the waves and the spirit of the sea aid you while in water and hinder your enemies while on land. While you are in water, you and allies within 30’ of the totem gain a swim speed of 30’, and may breathe normally while underwater for the duration of your rage. While on land, enemies within 30’ of the totem treat all terrain as difficult terrain.

Totemic Attunement, Level 14: When you place your totem during a rage, you gain an additional affect based on the choice you made at level 3. The Spirits enable you to bear greater burdens and connect you more squarely with the natural forces of the world.
- Attunement of the Bear:
- Attunement of the Elements: While you are raging, enemies within 30' of your totem take 2d4 damage of the same type of damage that you choose for your Totem of Elements feature. The damage is inflicted at the end of your turn.
- Attunement of the Seas: [Wlf Totemic Attunement Feature]

[B]Path of the Zealot
Learned Savage (Level 3): Choose one of the following:
- Nature Fanatic: Choose one level 1 spell from either the Druid or the Cleric spell list. You can cast that spell once as a level 1 spell without using material components (unless that spell is a ritual, or the components would be expended). Wisdom is your spell casting stat, and if a spell save is required, the save number is 8+Wis+Proficiency. You regain the ability to cast the spell after a short rest.
At level 6, additionally gain a level 2 spell, with the same restrictions.
- Ideological Fanatic: Choose one level 1 spell from the wizard spell list. You can cast that spell once as a level 1 spell without using material components (unless that spell is a ritual, or the components would be expended). Intelligence is your spell casting stat, and if a spell save is required, the save number is 8+Int+Proficiency. You regain the ability to cast the spell after a short rest.
At level 6, additionally gain a level 2 spell, with the same restrictions.
- Verbose Fanatic: Choose one level 1 spell from the Bard spell list. You can cast that spell once as a level 1 spell without using material components (unless that spell is a ritual, or the components would be expended). Charisma is your spell casting stat, and if a spell save is required, the save number is 8+Cha+Proficiency. You regain the ability to cast the spell after a short rest.
At level 6, additionally gain a level 2 spell, with the same restrictions.

Blind Devotion (Level 3): While you still cannot cast a spell while raging, you may concentrate on spells while you rage.

Proponent of the Cause (Level 6): You gain proficiency in one of your choice: Negotiation, Intimidation, or Performance. When you exit a rage, you gain advantage on saving throws against charm effects for the next hour.

Bring the Message to the People (Level 10): You are able to cast the spell Comprehend Languages at will. You can cast the spell as a part of a performance.

The Power of Ideas: During your rage, you may cast the Command spell instead of attacking. You no longer need to make an attack or be attacked to maintain your rage.

Rally for the Cause (Level 13): You are able to cast the spell Crusader's Mantle as a level 3 spell. You use the same spell casting stat as your learned sage feature. You can cast the spell as a bonus action during your rage.

Druid - Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon
- Massively reworked Wild Shape to eliminate the need to refer to the monster manual
- Added Druidic Guises that apply to Wild Shape.
- Added spellcasting specific Wild Shapes forms.
- Hit die are now d6 due to high livability through wild shape.

Hit Die: 1d6
Hit Points at 1st level: 6+Con Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: d6 (or 4) plus your constitution modifier per druid level after 1st.

1 Druidic, Spellcasting, Druidic Guises
2 Wild Shape, Druid Circle
3 -
4 ASI
5 Druidic Guise, Proficiency
6 Druid Circle Feature
7 -
8 ASI
9 Druidic Guise
10 Druid Circle Feature, Proficiency
11 -
12 ASI
13 Druidic Guise
14 Druid Circle Feature
15 -
16 ASI
17 -
18 Timeless Body, Beast Spells
19 ASI
20 Archdruid

Skills: 1 from the Druid List
Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, (None Made of Metal), 1 simple weapon, and and 3 proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiencies list. Choose an additional proficiency at levels 5, and 10. Additionally, when you gain a new proficiency in this class, you can choose one of the proficiencies you know (in this class or another class) and replace it with another proficiency that you could learn in this class. You cannot replace a proficiency if it is required for a different proficiency or ability that you also have.
Multi-Class Proficiencies: Your first level of Druid gives you one proficiency off of the Additional Proficiency List.

Additional Proficiencies:

Simple Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency in two weapons from the simple weapons list. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Shield Proficiency Prerequisite: Leather Armor Proficiency. You become proficient with using and wearing shields.
Wilderness Senses: While you are not raging, you gain advantage on perception and insight checks that rely on your sense of smell and hearing.
Survival Skills: You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Perception, Medicine, Survival, and Nature.
Nature Empathy: Prerequisites: Proficiency in Knowledge: Nature. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling. Animals that you encounter remember you – for good or bad.
Wild Shape Mastery: You can shift to a form one additional size larger.
Durable: Your hit point maximum increase by 1 for every druid level you take.
Shillelagh: Once per day, you may infuse a wooden quarterstaff or wooden club with magical energy. [Text of Shillelagh, spell]. The effect lasts for 8 hours.
Subtle Form: Prerequisite level 5. When in wild shape form, you may apply sneak attack damage to your natural weapons. Your size in wild shape must be medium or smaller to apply this benefit.
Anger's Avatar: Prerequisite level 5. When in wild shape form, you may enter a rage normally and you gain all the benefits of raging. Using your action to use Wild Shape does not end the rage, even if you do not attack and are not attacked that turn. Your size in wild shape must be large or larger to apply this benefit.
Wild Shape Expertise: Prerequisite level 5, Wild Shape Mastery. You can shift to a form one additional size larger. A small humanoid can wild shape into a large creature. A medium humanoid can wild shape into a Huge creature.
Survival Mastery: Prerequisite level 5. While in wild shape form as a beast, you have expertise in survival.
Wisdom's Touch: Prerequisite level 5. You may calculate your AC using the following method while you are not wearing armor: 13 + Wis.


Druidic (level 1): [no change]

Spellcasting (level 1): [no change]

Wild Shape (level 2): As an action, you may magically assume the form of a beast that you have studied and served. As your commitment to the wilds grows, you will encounter more beasts -- but you will only be able to assume their form after you establish a connection with their species and habitat. Generally, this takes several hours of uninterrupted study and light interaction. You may assume the physical appearance of a beast that you have studied and serviced, gaining features associated with the creature's size. Your chosen wild shape size must be your own size, one size smaller, or one size larger. You gain the 'beast' descriptor for creature type in addition to your normal creature type (usually humanoid). You are unable to use features from other classes, spellcasting, or racial features while transformed. If you are reduced to 0 hp while in wild shape form, you return to your normal form at 5 hp, gain a 'death save failure', and are stunned until the end of your next turn.
When you transform, choose the animal form, the size (PHB pg. 191), and a druidic guise.
- Tiny: your HP becomes half of your total character level (minimum 1), STR = 4, DEX = 18, and Con =8. Your attack value is proficiency +4, and damage equals 1d4 piercing. You gain advantage on stealth checks, and automatically succeed against passive perception checks. Your AC = 19.
- Small: your HP becomes half of your total HP plus half your total character level. Str = 10, Dex =18, and Con =10. Your attack value is proficiency +4, and damage equals 1d6+Dex slashing. You gain movement +10'. Your AC = 17.
- Medium: you HP becomes your total HP + your total character level. Str = 14, Dex =14, and Con =12. Your attack value is proficiency +3, and damage equals 2d4+ Str slashing. You gain one additional attack without proficiency to hit whenever you use the attack action. Your AC = 15.
- Large: Your HP becomes your total HP + double your total character level. Str = 18, Dex =12, and Con =16. Your attack value is proficiency +4, and damage equals 2d6 +Str bludgeoning. You gain advantage against grapple checks or trip checks targeting you. A medium or smaller size creature may ride you, if you wish. Your AC = 13.
- Huge: You HP becomes double your total HP + double your total character level. Str = 20, Dex = 8, and Con =20. Your attack value is +4 (no proficiency), and damage equals 4d4 + Str bludgeoning. Six creatures may ride you, if you wish. Your AC = 11.

Druidic Guises (level 1, 5, 9, 13): When transforming into a wild shape, you may expend mental energy to alter your physiology or mental capacity to fully understand and act as an animal. Whenever you use Wild Shape, you may additionally invoke 1 druidic guise to use while in that form. You may only change guises by using Wild Shape to change into another form. At level 1, you learn 3 guises. You gain as additional guise at levels 5, 9, and 13. Whenever you gain a level in druid, you may change one of your guises.

Venomous: Your attacks deal an additional 1d4 poison damage.
Rough Hide: If your AC is less than 16, it becomes 16.
Aquatic: you gain underwater breathing and aswim speed of 40'.
Enhanced Senses: you gain proficiency with perception based on hearing or smell.
Predator: Once per turn, if you miss with a natural weapon attack, you may make another natural weapon attack as a bonus action against the same target.
Swift: you gain +15' to your speed.
Noble: you grant advantage to another friendly character when that character makes persuasion checks.
Defensive: you gain +3 AC due to a shell or spikes covering your body. You must be small or larger sized.
Dyrad: Instead of gaining the 'beast creature type' as a descriptor, you gain the 'elemental creature type.' you assume the form of a woodland spirit. You may speak normally and cast spells, but you are unable to physically attack. Your size must be equal to your normal size.
Hybrid: Your form is half-humanoid, half creature (like a satyr or a centaur). You do not gain the benefits of your natural attack, but may attack with held weapons normally. You may speak normally and cast spells that do not have somatic or material requirements (even if you use a spell focus). Your size must be Large or smaller.
Flight (level 9): you are able to assume a form that can fly.
Echolocation (level 9): you are blind, but gain blindsight 40' while you can hear.
Elemental Form (level 9): Instead of gaining the 'beast creature type' as a descriptor, you gain the 'elemental creature type.' Choose an element and gain resistance to that type of energy: fire, ice, lightning, storm (thunder), water (slashing), or earth (bludgeoning). Whenever a creature attempts to hit you with an attack and misses, deal that type of damage equaling half of your druid level to the attacker.
Treant Form (level 9): Instead of gaining the 'beast creature type' as a descriptor, you gain the 'plant creature type.' Your movement becomes 10'. You may talk and cast spells normally. You have resistance to non-magical bludgeoning and piercing damage, and your AC cannot be less than 16. You must be Medium or Larger size.
Eight-Legged (Level 9): You gain the effects of the spell Spider Climb. Once during the transformation, you may cast the Spell Web as a bonus action.


Druid Circles (Level 2, 6, 10, 14):

Circle of the Land
- Extra Cantrip
- Natural Recovery (level 2): [same text]
- Circle Spells [same text]
- Land's Stride (level 6): [same text]
- Nature's Ward (level 10) [same text]
- Nature's Sanctuary (level 14) [same text]

Circle of the Moon
- Combat Wild Shape (level 2): [text for spellslot healing only]
- Primal Strikes (level 6): When you make the attack action, you may attack twice instead of once. Your attacks are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
- Layered Guises (level 10): You can expend a second level spell slot (or higher) to assume one additional guise when you use Wild Shape.
- Thousand Forms (level 14): [same text]

Archdruid (level 13, 18, 20)
- Nature's Embrace (level 13) When you are reduced to 0 hp in a wild shape form, you no longer gain one automatic death save failure and you are incapacitated rather than stunned.
- Ageless Body (level 18) [Same Text]
- Unlimited Shape (level 20): [Same Text]

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:10 PM
Classes ----

Paladin - Oaths: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
- Still need to add updated spell list
- Smite only available through spell list, but buffed through in-class features
- Calling is a Boon-like feature
- Still needs balancing, obviously.

Class Features:
Hit Die: 1d10
Hit Points at 1st level: 10+Con Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) plus your constitution modifier per Paladin level after 1st.


1. Calling, Aura
2. Spellcasting, Lay on Hands
3. Oath, Divine Sense
4. ASI
5 Extra Attack, Proficiency
6. Aura, Lay on Hands
7. Oath
8. ASI
9. Proficiency
10. Aura
11. Oath
12. ASI
13. Proficiency
14. Lay on Hands
15. Oath
16. ASI
17 -
18. Oath
19. ASI
20. Capstone

Saving Throws: Charisma, Wisdom
Skills: two from Paladin Skill List
Proficiencies: Riding Animals, Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields, 1 Martial Weapon, and 2 proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiencies list.
Choose an additional proficiency at levels 5, 9, and 13. Additionally, when you gain a new proficiency in this class, you can choose one of the proficiencies you know (in this class or another class) and replace it with another proficiency that you could learn in this class. You cannot replace a proficiency if it is required for a different proficiency or ability that you also have.
Multi-Class Proficiencies: Your first level of Paladin gives you proficiency in light armor, a Simple Weapon of your choice and two proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiency List.

Class Abilities: For all class abilities that provoke a save from an enemy, the DC of all saves = 8 + proficiency + Cha bonus.

Additional Proficiencies (1, 5, 9, 13):

Armor Proficiency: If you do not have an armor proficiency, you gain proficiency with light armor. If you are proficient with light armor, you gain proficiency with medium armor. If you are proficient with medium armor, you gain heavy armor proficiency. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Martial Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency in two weapons from either the simple or martial lists. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Shield Proficiency Prerequisite: Leather Armor Proficiency. You become proficient with using and wearing shields.
Artisan Tools Proficiency: You gain proficiency in one artisans tools of your choice.
Divine Wrath: Spells with 'smite' in the name no longer require concentration.
Dispute Adjudication: You gain proficiency with Insight or Negotiation. If you fail a negotiation or an insight check, you may immediately expend a spell slot to make a second attempt using Wis as the base for the role instead of Cha.
Versatile Weapon Style: Prerequisite Level 5 - While wielding a weapon with the versatile property, your attacks are considered two-handed so long as your off-hand is empty. You may ignore 10' of difficult terrain while moving.
Two Handed Weapon Fighting: Prerequisite Level 5 - (Normal fighting Style text - don't freak out, you can gain it from an oath earlier).
Defense Style: Prerequisite Level 5 - (Normal fighting Style text - don't freak out, you can gain it from an oath earlier).
Protection Fighting Style Prerequisite Level 5 - (Normal fighting Style text - don't freak out, you can gain it from an oath earlier).
Versatile Weapon Mastery: Prerequisite: Versatile Weapon Style, Level 5 - When an adjacent enemy successfully saves against a spell that you cast, you may make an attack of opportunity against that enemy as a reaction.
Two Handed Weapon Fighting Mastery: Prerequisite Two Handed Weapon Fighting, Level 5 - While wielding a melee weapon with two hands, you may add your Con modifier when you attempt to trip a target, resist a trip attempt, or resist a grapple check.
Protection Mastery: Prerequisite Protection Fighting Style, Level 5 - When you impose disadvantage using the Protection Fighting style, you also grant resistance to one of your choice: piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage.
Divine Hands: Prerequisite Level 5 - Your unarmed strikes qualify as melee weapon attacks for the purpose of your smite spells and other Paladin effects.
Holy Touch: Prerequisite Level 5 - while you have one hand free, you may use Lay on Hands as a bonus action.


Calling: When you first gain a level in this class, you discover your calling. A calling is the underlying motivation for becoming a Paladin. Callings fit into one of three broad categories:

The Call of Virtue and Discipline: the Paladin is devoted to principles of morality, selflessness, and the defense of others., and is called to manifest those virtues to others. Part of the calling is not just to live by these virtues but to live as an example for others to follow. The virtuous of this calling attempt to pursue a high personal morality introspectively, and believe that others will see this virtue and mimic it. The fallen of this calling view their morality as mandatory for others, and can become tyrants and extremists, believing that those who fail in this area are deserving of death. While many that pursue this path tend towards good over evil, some are evil and misguided, or evil and consumed by their pride and self-development.
Selfless Aura (Level 1) - When an ally would be reduced is reduced to 0 hit points while in your aura, you may use a reaction to immediately expend a hit dice and grant that ally hit points equal to half the result.

The Call of Law and Civility: the Paladin is devoted to practical applications of law and civility in an orderly society, and understands that his/her role is to help maintain both law and civility. Part of the calling is to administer justice, pursue and destroy illegal practices, and promotes polite codes of conduct. Followers of the calling are nearly always patriots, although some will support any rightful government. The virtuous of this calling attempt to work within systems to see people prosper - the point of the law and civility is to benefit the people, after all. The fallen of this calling view law and civility as means to an end, even a selfish end. Personal slights can become irreparable offenses, tyrants can justify the right to pillage their own people, and great crimes can be overlooked when sanctioned by the authorities. Followers of the path are always lawful.
Ward of Certainty (Level 1): after a short rest, you may expend one spell slot to create a magical ward. Whenever you would take damage, half the damage is instead taken by the ward. The ward has HP total to double your Paladin level plus your Str Modifier. Whenever you deal damage using a Smite Spell, the ward regains half your Paladin level in HP.

The Call of Ideology and Principle: the Paladin is devoted to an ideology, philosophy, or religion above all other things, and will strive and die to perpetuate it. Unlike other callings, paladins drawn to this calling do not fit into a single type, save that they are willing to risk their life for the ideology, or kill for it. The virtuous of this calling follow and seek to convert others into ideals, philosophies, or religions that are inherently good, such as equality of peoples or gods of mercy. The fallen of this calling follow and seek to convert others into ideologies, philosophies, or religions that are inherently evil, such as the inherent right of the strong to rule the weak or gods of chaos and destruction. Followers of ideologies, philosophies, or gods that are not inherently good or bad in and of themselves can be split in the implementation. Some paladins whose calling comes from the gods better fit into the calling of virtue and discipline or law and civility, however.
Proselytism (Level 1): You know the spell Healing Word and it is a Paladin class spell for you. In addition, you may cast it once per day without expending a spell slot. Alternatively, you may expend your once a day casting of Healing word as a bonus action to gain advantage on charisma checks against the target for the next 24 hours instead of receiving the benefits of the spell.

Paladin Auras (Level 1, 6, 10): You may have one aura active at any time. You can change between auras as a bonus action. Your auras extend from you for a 15' radius.
- Aura of Heroism: (Level 1) You are a rallying point for your teammates, the eye of the storm. When an ally enters or starts their turn in your aura, they increase their speed by 10' until the end of their turn. An ally cannot gain this benefit multiple times during a turn.
- Aura of Protection: (Level 6) You can add your cha bonus to saves against magic effects.
- Aura of Courage: (Level 10) You grant advantage to yourself and your allies against frightening effects and charm effects from any source.

Spellcasting (Level 2): (1/2 caster progression, and reduced spell list). Additionally, whenever you cast a spell with 'Smite' in the name, you add 1d8 damage to the initial damage against the primary target.

Lay on Hands: (level 2, 6, 14) As an action, you may selflessly touch another character to restore hit points to an ally other than yourself. Expend one hit die. Your target heals the result of the rolled hit die + your Cha modifier. At level 6, you can use expend a hit die to remove one poison or disease affecting the target. At level 14, you can expend a hit die to remove a spell effecting the target. If you do not have any remaining hit die, you cannot use this feature.

Divine Sense (Level 3): No Change, just pushed later.

Oath (3, 7, 11, 15, 18): As your sense of calling continues to manifest, you develop the code that guides you. At levels 3, 7, 11, 15, and 18 you gain an additional oath tenant that givers you a specific associated benefit. So long as you abide by that tenant, you gain the benefit. Should you violate that tenant of your oath, you may lose the associated benefit until you spend an extended period of time in meditation on your tenants. That time period should correlate to the degree to which your oath was violated, anywhere from hours to day. In extreme cases, your DM may require a quest or deed to restore the benefit conferred upon your tenant.

Oaths: (3, 7, 11, 15, 18): Paladin oaths come from three different pillars. A paladin can take oaths only from two different pillars.

Ethos: -- (ethics) Healing Focus
Piety: I will honor the gods, live by their strictures, and consider my actions in line.
+ Whenever you use the Lay on Hands feature, you regain HP equal to your Cha Modifier.
Honesty: When I speak, I will do so truthfully. I will not lie by omission or let others lie on my behalf.
+ You become proficient in insight. If you are already proficient, you gain expertise.
Mercy: I will refrain from causing pain to others unnecessarily. I will trust in repentance, and that people can change. My focus shall ever be on protecting people, even from themselves.
+ You gain the Protection Fighting Style.
Sacrifice: (Level 7) Protect others even at the cost of your own life.
+ When an adjacent alley takes damage, you may use a reaction to take the damage instead by interposing yourself between your ally and the danger.
Compassion: (Level 7)
+ When you expend a die for your lay on hands feature to heal someone, you may roll 2d8 instead of 1d10 to heal your target. Your lay on hands feature is a bonus action instead of an action.

Pathos: -- (emotion) Damage Focus
Honor: I will conduct myself with others, in and out of battle, with noble bearing. I will not strike those that cannot defend themselves.
+ Your Wisdom Permanently goes up by 1. During surprise rounds, enemies have disadvantage on attacks against you and you have advantage on saves.
Duty: I will stand firm in my beliefs, rendering aid and service as required.
+ You gain either Great Weapon Fighting Style or Versatile Fighting Style.
Beauty: I will
Enmity:
- You may use a bonus action to target an enemy. You gain
Judgment: (Requires Level 7)
Avenger: (Requires Level 7) My enemies have gone beyond mercy and nothing short of death will suffice.
+ You learn the spell Hunter's Mark. Additionally, as a bonus action you may [Vengeance Pact Bonus Action Feature]
Vengeance: (Level 15)
+ Gain Abjure Enemy + Soul of

Logos: -- (logic) Battlefield Control Focus
Light: My actions will bring light to those in the darkness, understanding to those that are ignorant, and to the surface that which is hidden.
+ You may cast the light cantrip at will. When you hit with a smite, your target emits a faint light until the beginning of your next turn. At level 7, you may cast zone of truth as a ritual (with component costs).
Nature:
+ Your auras extend outwards in a 25' radius rather than a 15' radius.
Tradition: I will honor our elders, our ways, and the paths to wisdom. I will memorize the classic tales, so that they may inform our future actions.
+ Gain +1 Int. You become proficient in knowledge: history and Performance. Absent other considerations, the elderly tend to look favorably to you.
Discipline: (Level 7):
+ You know and may cast Find Steed as a ritual. As a bonus action, you may expend a hit die to cause one ally in your aura to move up to 15'. The ally must end adjacent to you, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity for this move.
Restitution: (Level 7): [Same text]
+ Whenever you hit an enemy with an opportunity attack [Relentless Avenger Feature]

Extra Attack (Level 5): No Change

Capstone (Level 20)

Warlock - Fiend Pact, Fey Pact, Great Old One Pact (no change to Pacts)
- Added Proficiencies, nerfed Eldritch Blast, un-nerfed Eldritch Blast through proficiencies. Mostly this was protection against multiclass overshadow. Too many warlocks feel worthless at 11-20 next to a Warlock 2/Bard 9-18. The design is to make the Warlock feel beneficial pursuing throughout.
- Made a Warlock without Eldritch Blast possible and interesting (I hope).
- Provided a Gish-able focus, at the expense of other features should a Warlock go this route.
- Spread out Eldritch Blast focused invocations to limit multiclass benefits.


Changes to this class are far more limited, so I am not going to bother listing everything the class gets. Changes are marked below.

Skills: one skill from the Warlock Skill list.
Proficiencies: 1 Simple Weapon, and 3 proficiencies off of the Additional Proficiencies list. Choose an additional proficiency at level 5 and 7. Additionally, at level 9, you can choose one of the proficiencies you know (in this class or another class) and replace it with another proficiency that you could learn in this class. You cannot replace a proficiency if it is required for a different proficiency or ability that you also have.
Multi-Class Proficiencies: Your first level of Warlock gives you one proficiency off of the Additional Proficiency List.

Additional Proficiencies (levels 1, 5, 7):
Proficiency Retraining (level 9):

Armor Proficiency: If you do not have an armor proficiency, you gain proficiency with light armor. If you are proficient with light armor, you gain proficiency with medium armor. If you are proficient with medium armor, you gain heavy armor proficiency. You can gain this proficiency multiple times.
Eldritch Blast: You learn the cantrip Eldritch Blast.
Vagabond: gain 1 skill from the Warlock skill list, and gain proficiency with 1 type of vehicle.
Gaze Into the Abyss: gain proficiency in one of the following: Knowledge: Arcana, Knowledge: History, or Knowledge: Nature.
Self Reliant: Prerequisite Level 5: choose two of the following three: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence, or proficiency in Investigation.
Resourceful: Prerequisite Self Reliant, Level 7: Once per day, when you roll initiative and do not have any spell slots remaining, regain one spell slot.
Frustration: Prerequisite Level 5 - When you fail a spell concentration save, you may use your reaction to make an attack of opportunity. You do not need to target the creature that caused you damage.
Practical Defense: Prerequisite Frustration, Level 5 - While concentrating on a spell, you gain a defensive bonus as if you were wielding a shield, +2AC. You do not gain this benefit while wielding a shield.
Eldritch Focus: Prerequisite Eldritch Blast, Level 5 - You may adjust the damage type on your Eldritch Blast Canrtip when you cast the spell. Each individual attack can be a different damage type: Fire, Cold, Lightning, or Force.
Eldritch Mayhem: Prerequisites Eldritch Focus, Level 7 - your Eldritch Blast Cantrip deals 1d10 damage on each hit, rather than just on the first successful hit.

Spellcasting: [same text but 1 less cantrip known due to eldritch blast being a proficiency rather than a cantrip].

Invocations: (changes noted)
Agonizing Blast: Each creature that you hit with your eldritch blast takes damage equal to Cha regardless of how many times hit.
Relentless Focus: Prerequisite: Pact of the Focus feature. if you fail a concentration save while maintaining Witch Bolt, your target immediately takes 2d6 thunder damage, plus 1d6 per spell level past 1st.
Repelling Blast: Prerequisite Level 5: [same text]
Vicious Focus: Prerequisite: Pact of the Focus feature, Level 5. When you damage a single creature from a spell cast using a spell slot, increase the damage by your charisma modifier. Additionally, you may cast Witch Bolt at level 1 without expending a spell slot.


Boons:
- Pact of the Chain: [Note, Find Familiar is now much more flexible. See Spells].
You gain the use of a familiar as through the Find Familiar spell. When you gain this feature, you can choose two of the following additional benefits that you permanently gain with your familiar:

Fangs: you can cause your familiar to attack a target using a bonus action. Its attack value is your proficiency bonus +3. On a hit, deal 1d4 +3 piercing damage. This damage is not magical.
Channel: You may cast a spell with a range of 30' or less through your familiar, originating from the location of your familiar.
Invisible: As an action, your familiar can become invisible. It remains invisible until it takes a different action, it attacks, or you cast a spell through the familiar.
Hearty: Your familiar has additional hit points equal to your Warlock level.
Rugged: Your familiar applies your proficiency bonus to its AC.
Speech: Your familiar is proficient in two languages, one of which you must be proficient in. It can speak, read, and understand both languages.
- Pact of the Focus: [This is just an idea that a friend had, so I synthesized it into a Pact Boon]: You gain a rod suitable for an Arcane Focus. When you gain this feature, you also learn the spell Witch-Bolt, if you do not know the spell already. When you cast Witch Bolt, you do not gain disadvantage for casting the spell while an enemy is withing 5' of you. A hit enemy loses 20' of movement, but retains 5' of movement even if the creature's movement would be reduced to 0.

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:11 PM
--- Feats -----

Fighting Styles
- Gain +1 Str or +1 Dex.
- Gain a fighting style or a fighting mastery. If you gain a fighting mastery, you must qualify for it.
- By observing your enemies, you can determine their fighting style. During combat, use a reaction to watch a target for the remainder of the round. Just by watching your target, you learn what fighting style, if any, the target is using. You may only take this feat once (which is the default).

Heavy Weapon Master: [same text, but...] instead of dealing 10 extra damage, double your weapon dice for the attack.

Pole Arm Master
- [same text, but also applies to spears. Also...] When you take a bonus action to attack with the blunt end of the weapon, the enemy must be within 5' and the attack is without proficiency.

Proficient: Choose one of the following:
- You gain two proficiencies from your class list(s). Neither proficiency can by a prerequisite for the other. You may only take this feat once (which is the default), OR
- You gain one weapon proficiency with a weapon, and gain +1 Str or +1 Dex.

Sharpshooter: [same text, but...] instead of dealing 10 extra damage, double your weapon dice for the attack.

Weapon Master:
- You add half your proficiency bonus to all weapon attacks with which you are not proficient.
- You gain Weapon Specialization on weapons that you do not already have . Choose one of the following:
---Gain +1 attack or damage in two weapons in which you are proficient, OR
---Gain +1 attack and damage in one weapon that you are proficient in.

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 03:12 PM
--- Miscellaneous ------

Magic Items: This system allows for more versatility and gives artisan tools a much more prominent role (rather than an after-thought).
- The rules are largely player-friendly - depending on tool proficiencies, the player can extract or apply a magic effect to certain types of things.
- The rules are DM dependent - if the DM presents Nature Essence that is designed to give druids a bump to spellcasting and the players want to add it to a pair of boots, it might make more sense to give advantage to stealth checks or allow a once a day casting of 'pass without a trace' that only targets the wearer. A DM really cannot plan for every contingency and should be able to adjust to the player's suggestions.


Magic Items:

While adventuring, you will encounter materials that can confer magic properties on weapons, armors, or other items. Similarly, characters will encounter magic items of various kinds and might be able to extract magical materials out of those items.

Characters can add these effects or remove them using appropriate tools:
- Alchemy Brewing Tools can create magical potions, refine materials, or distill magical materials out of liquids. While these potions are one-use, they are the easiest to make and best proportion of materials to end product.

- Cobbler's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects into boots and shoes.
- Jeweler's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects into rings, bracelets, and other jewelry.
- Leatherworker's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects into leather materials, including armor and bags.
- Mason's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects out of stonework, often in the form of magical traps or protections.
- Smith's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects out of metal-worked materials, such as weapons and metal armor. It is also the bulkiest of the tool sets, and the hardest to transport.
- Weaver's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects out of cloth materials, such as cloaks and robes. In order to gain magical effects, the cloth must touch both skin and air. Cloth over the top of armor or underneath armor cannot grant effects, although cloaks work fine when combined with armor.
- Woodcarver's Tools can infuse or extract magical effects into wooden items, such as wooden shields, clubs, staves, and wands.

Other tools can additionally be used when and if it makes sense: Glassblowers can infuse magic into glass jewelry and Carpenter's Tools might be used in place of Mason's Tools, where appropriate.

When award magic materials, the DM should create a specific offensive and defensive property for the material to allow for versatility. Nothing is written in stone, and the DM should allow flexibility so that the magical affect can be applied to anything.

Magical essences and materials break down within a couple of hours of not being infused into materials. Only one magic effect can be used on an item. Certain epic items and wondrous items cannot be easily made or infused, and when the magics are extracted a portion of the potency is lost.

For example:

Necrotic infused slivers.
Several options:
- Offensive: the weapon adds +2 necrotic damage on a hit.
- Offensive: when you cast a spell that deals necrotic damage while using this arcane focus, the weapon adds an extra 1d4 necrotic damage.
- Defensive: the item provides resistance to necrotic damage
- Defensive: the item provides 2 damage reduction to attacks made by undead against you.
- Alchemy: You can extract 3 Hibiscus Essences from the residue. Each Hibiscus Essence can be used to create a minor healing potion.

Here are some common materials: (change the names as much as you want)

- Hibiscus Residue: gold coin of the realm have a small amount of residue to preserve the coin against wear and to distinguish the coins from counterfeits. An alchemist can extract one Hibiscus Essence for every 75 coins. Extracting the residue changes the gold into lead, rendering it useless. It is a bit cheaper to buy a minor healing potion than brew it from the residue found in coins.
- Hibiscus Petals: ten can be used to create one Hibiscus Essence.
- Hibiscus Essence: one can be used to create a healing potion. Additional hibiscus essences can be added for potency, but requires additional refining. One essence creates a minor healing potion (2d4+2 healing). Three essences create a healing potion (3d4+3). Six essences create a greater healing potion (4d4+4).

-Lightning Essence: changes the damage type of a weapon to lightning damage. OR adds resistance to lightning. OR adds 1d4 lightning damage on a spell focus when used to create lightning spells.

-Powerful Minerals: Adds a simple +1 attack and damage to a weapon, or +1 AC to armor.

Spells
- Specific Adjustments to spell text, mostly to change how multiclassing works, and to keep class specialization special.
- Find Familiar/Find Steed provides a more concrete benefit and does not refer to elsewhere in the book, as stats for the familiar / steed are provided.


Concentration: you explicitly cannot concentrate during a short rest or a long rest to keep an effect active. Spells requiring concentration for short rest or long rest benefits no longer require concentration. Concentration effects that can last up to 24 hours require avoiding rests in order to be maintained.

Destructive Wave: The title of the spell is now 'Destructive Smite'.

Eldritch Blast: This spell is no longer on the Warlock spell list (or any spell list). At level five, a second successful hit deals 1d8. At level 11, a third successful hit deals 1d6. At level 17, a fourth successful hit deals 1d4. See Warlock class for specialty changes to damage and acquiring method.

Find Familiar: [Normal text with adjustments described here. You no longer refer to an entry in the Monster Manuel, the creatures section of the Players Handbook, or other resources such as Volo's Guide.]
Your familiar has the following Stats: Str 6, Dex 16, Con 6, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 8, AC 13. Its HP equals your total character level, and its' size is tiny. In combat, the familiar shares your turn initiative and can move independently. You may use a bonus action to have it use the aid other action, so long as the task is something that familiar can realistically assist with, such as providing a distraction in combat or assisting with a perception check. The familiar cannot make skill checks of its own. When you cast this spell, you can choose the appearance of the familiar and one of the following:
Flight - the familiar has a flight speed of 30' and a landspeed of 10'.
Darkvision - the familiar has darkvision 60' and a land speed of 30'.
Waterbreathing - the familiar can breath underwater and has a swim speed of 30' and a landspeed of 30'.
Focus - the familiar satisfies the criteria of an arcane focus while in your possession and has a landspeed of 15'.

Find Steed: [Normal text with adjustments described here. You no longer refer to an entry in the Monster Manuel, the creatures section of the Players Handbook, or other resources such as Volo's Guide.] Your steed shares your turn initiative and has the following stats: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6, AC 13. Its HP equals 10 + your character level, and its' size is large. It has a landspeed of 40'. It take the form of some type of quadrupedal creature, your choice. It cannot attack. As a bonus action, you can cause it to take the dodge action or the disengage action, and the benefit is shared by the rider.

Phantom Steed: The duration is now 24 hours, but requires concentration.

Shillelagh: is no longer a spell, but a Druid class feature, and is still obtainable through cleric nature domain.


Why this design: Some Self-justification for why I am doing this to begin with.

I like the layout of the warlock (not actually what it does, though I like that too). On a very basic level, you get to make multiple important decisions that can re-combine in fun and interesting ways. Pact + Boon + Spells + invocations can make for some very fine-tuned characters. Warlock mucked it up with Agonizing Blast, though, and an over emphasis one Eldritch Blast. As a result, 9/10 times you see the same 2-3 invocations - but I digress. Making multiple interesting points of decision make for a more interesting character creation process and (likely) a more interesting play experience.

Barbarian has a much lower choice-threshold. You have subtype, and equipment. All of those choices happen early. Once you begin progressing, you get what you get - whatever the class provides on a case by case basis. Choice points are few and far between. Also, replay-ability goes way, way down.

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 06:10 PM
Upcoming Edits:
- Other PHB Races: Gnome, Dragonborn, Tiefling
- Warlock (very minor changes)
- Bard (very minor changes)
- Righter (very minor changes)
- Ranger
- Rogue
- Some Spells
- Sorcerer - I plan on turning into a half caster with more at-will abilities and something like the warlocks's Mystic Arcanum, but I need to think about it more heavily. Its a huge shift.
- Feats - Metamagic feats formerly found in sorcerer.

PotatoGolem
2017-02-09, 09:22 PM
Just an editing note- you have the class as "breserker" in many places where you probably mean berserker

gfishfunk
2017-02-09, 11:21 PM
Just an editing note- you have the class as "breserker" in many places where you probably mean berserker

Thanks! I'll edit when I'm not in my phone. Also, thanks for reading. I've got some more things sched out already. I just need the siren time to type it out.

gfishfunk
2017-02-21, 04:54 PM
Updated:
- Added Paladin class.
- Added the rest of the main races (Human, Halfling, Half-elf, Half-Orc)
- Tweaked Berserker a bit.

gfishfunk
2017-02-21, 07:55 PM
Added Druid.

Its good to finally get these ideas out of my head and someplace I can tinker with them.

gfishfunk
2017-02-22, 12:51 PM
And added background details, Magic Items, Artisan Tools and a single feat.

gfishfunk
2017-02-22, 05:22 PM
Added bits of Warlock, not in depth just yet.

Added some spells. Added feats. Added Fighting Styles, Mastery, and Expertise.

Work is slow today.

PotatoGolem
2017-02-23, 10:11 AM
Have only read berserker so far- couple problems with Zealot and one with the base class.

1. You don't expend components unless the components would be expended? This makes no sense.I

2. You don't specify a recharge time on the spells (short rest seems fair, btw). As is, you can cast each spell once in your life.

3. Is it intentional that the three alternate ways of calculating rage damage don't have the str based attack limitation? If so, seems to make dex based berserker more optimal than str- you only need dex for attack and AC, as opposed to str for attack, dex for ac. If you keep this, I'd remove the limitations on raging in heavy armor

PotatoGolem
2017-02-23, 09:09 PM
Druid also needs editing for clarity. Wild shape says to choose the animal form, but then gives you set stats. I assume you just mean pick what it looks like cosmetically?

Also, huge shape sucks. No proficiency bonus to attack? And 4d4+5 is only 3 higher on average than 2d6+3, which in no way offsets the accuracy loss.

You say combat wild shape is unchanged. That can't be true. The meat of CWS is the CR increases, which don't work with your Wild shape system

gfishfunk
2017-02-24, 01:10 PM
I appreciate your feedback immensely! The classes are not yet balanced (or even remotely so). I'm mostly putting the ideas down now to get the general feel, and then I plan on playing with the math and specifics to get something more workable.

Specific responses below: some things are intentional, others are not.


Have only read berserker so far- couple problems with Zealot and one with the base class.

1. You don't expend components unless the components would be expended? This makes no sense.I

2. You don't specify a recharge time on the spells (short rest seems fair, btw). As is, you can cast each spell once in your life.

3. Is it intentional that the three alternate ways of calculating rage damage don't have the str based attack limitation? If so, seems to make dex based berserker more optimal than str- you only need dex for attack and AC, as opposed to str for attack, dex for ac. If you keep this, I'd remove the limitations on raging in heavy armor

1. Thanks - I meant that spells do not require materials to be cast unless the materials would be expended (destroyed) by the spell. I will clarify. EDIT: clarified.

2. I was going to go long rest, but I will reconsider a short rest instead. EDIT: added short rest. I still might make it a long rest. Not sure yet.

3. Yes, it was intentional. I will have to work on the math at some point. The intention was to make alternative methods of creating a rage-based character acceptable but not as optimal unless you had something explicit going on. Edit: two of the four require strength based attacks. The other two add bonus damage based on other stats: charisma or intelligence. I think that will require most builds to be strength builds, but occasional builds to be Dex or Str + Int, or Dex or Str + Cha.


Druid also needs editing for clarity. Wild shape says to choose the animal form, but then gives you set stats. I assume you just mean pick what it looks like cosmetically?

Also, huge shape sucks. No proficiency bonus to attack? And 4d4+5 is only 3 higher on average than 2d6+3, which in no way offsets the accuracy loss.

You say combat wild shape is unchanged. That can't be true. The meat of CWS is the CR increases, which don't work with your Wild shape system

Wild shape: yes, you just pick a cosmetic design. The set stats and attack / damage bonus need work still for balance.

Huge Size: yes - I really did not plan the use being in-combat, but as an out of combat support. A party can climb the guy and get up or down a level or two easily, or get carried by the huge creature as a party. The damage and accuracy loss was intentional: it is not designed to be an optimal fighting size, but be capable of doing something in combat without expending another wild shape charge.

Combat Wild Shape: I will have to take a look at it. I believe I intended that you can still expend a spell slot to heal, and that feature has not changed.

gfishfunk
2017-02-24, 03:43 PM
Changed Warlock to further delay the Eldritch Blast damage bump through proficiencies, forcing the Warlock to spend a proficiency on a ribbon (with corner case uses) on a proficiency requirement.