aimlessPolymath
2020-04-02, 07:55 PM
First 5e homebrew. Looking for feedback- I was trying to make a somewhat more active version of the Mastermind that rewards scheming and planning ahead, primarily inspired by this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?221950-quot-Believe-me-you-don-t-want-him-inside-your-head-quot-3-5-Base-Class-PEACH).
It leans somewhat hard on Suggestion to function, which is something I'm not fully sure how to solve.
Rogue Archetype: Spider
3: Criminal Contacts
You can spend an hour in a settlement in introductions, handshakes, and minor bribes to learn of the major criminal groups present (if any), ways to contact them, their territories, and their specialties.
After you have done so, you can hire a trustworthy hireling at the normal price (2 gp/day) on an hour’s notice. The hireling will have a +5 bonus to up to three rogue skills of your choice, plus thieves’ tools, but will not risk its life for you or engage in combat. You can initially only hire one such hireling at a time; you may hire one more at 9th level, and three more (to a total of five) at 13th level.
3: Cryptic Commands:
You can direct others to your whims. To do so, you take a bonus action to give a verbal command describing a task to one other creature other than yourself within 60 ft of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Command die, a d6.
Once within the next week or until you retract the order (a free action), the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes that is related to towards completing the task. The creature can wait until after it rolls The D20 before deciding to use the die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Command die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Command die at a time.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). Once an order is used or retracted, you will regain that use during your next long rest.
The die size changes as you gain levels. It becomes a d8 at 9th level and a d10 at 17th level.
9. Subversive Manipulator:
Once per long rest, you can embed secret instructions into a creature during the course of an apparently inoccuous minute-long conversation. This has the effect of a Suggestion spell, except that if they fail their save, you can delay the effect of the spell up to a week, describing a circumstance under which the spell activates and affects them. On a failed save, they are not aware that the instruction has been implanted until they take effect. For this purpose, your spell DC is Charisma-based.
The triggering circumstance can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on conditions that the target can perceive. For example, you could instruct them to act when they hear a particular phrase, or when they see a particular person.
13: Behind the Scenes
When you roll initiative, you gain the benefit of a Sanctuary spell. For this purpose, your spell DC is Charisma-based. As long as this effect lasts, you can Hide without requiring cover by making a Deception check instead of a Stealth check.
17: Master Manipulator
You can now use Subversive Manipulator up to three times per long rest, on the same or different target. At your option, you may cause the target to forget that they spoke to you, and/or forget what they did while under the effect of Suggestion.
It leans somewhat hard on Suggestion to function, which is something I'm not fully sure how to solve.
Rogue Archetype: Spider
3: Criminal Contacts
You can spend an hour in a settlement in introductions, handshakes, and minor bribes to learn of the major criminal groups present (if any), ways to contact them, their territories, and their specialties.
After you have done so, you can hire a trustworthy hireling at the normal price (2 gp/day) on an hour’s notice. The hireling will have a +5 bonus to up to three rogue skills of your choice, plus thieves’ tools, but will not risk its life for you or engage in combat. You can initially only hire one such hireling at a time; you may hire one more at 9th level, and three more (to a total of five) at 13th level.
3: Cryptic Commands:
You can direct others to your whims. To do so, you take a bonus action to give a verbal command describing a task to one other creature other than yourself within 60 ft of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Command die, a d6.
Once within the next week or until you retract the order (a free action), the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes that is related to towards completing the task. The creature can wait until after it rolls The D20 before deciding to use the die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Command die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Command die at a time.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). Once an order is used or retracted, you will regain that use during your next long rest.
The die size changes as you gain levels. It becomes a d8 at 9th level and a d10 at 17th level.
9. Subversive Manipulator:
Once per long rest, you can embed secret instructions into a creature during the course of an apparently inoccuous minute-long conversation. This has the effect of a Suggestion spell, except that if they fail their save, you can delay the effect of the spell up to a week, describing a circumstance under which the spell activates and affects them. On a failed save, they are not aware that the instruction has been implanted until they take effect. For this purpose, your spell DC is Charisma-based.
The triggering circumstance can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on conditions that the target can perceive. For example, you could instruct them to act when they hear a particular phrase, or when they see a particular person.
13: Behind the Scenes
When you roll initiative, you gain the benefit of a Sanctuary spell. For this purpose, your spell DC is Charisma-based. As long as this effect lasts, you can Hide without requiring cover by making a Deception check instead of a Stealth check.
17: Master Manipulator
You can now use Subversive Manipulator up to three times per long rest, on the same or different target. At your option, you may cause the target to forget that they spoke to you, and/or forget what they did while under the effect of Suggestion.