I've got time to put some reviews in, though I still haven't come up with an idea for my own entry. As always, if I don't mention a feature, I thought it was in a good place.

Spoiler: Oath of Royalty
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  • Oath spells look mostly good. Tiny Servant and Animate Objects are odd, but I can kinda get it.
  • Channel Divinity: Both seem to be about right. Inspiring Presence does get a little too strong if you have a big group or even just a couple allies. I would also specify whether the extra radiant damage applies to a single target or all targets for multiple-target cantrips (acid splash and eldritch blast in the PHB both can multi-target).
  • Aura of Leadership: This is pretty neat and not something I've seen before. It's like a limited Jack of All Trades. I like it.
  • King's Touch: Getting all of Lay on Hands back on a short rest is a huge benefit. I actually think it might be too strong. I like using Lay on Hands to give temporary hit points, but I would dial back the amount gained on short rest to maybe 2/5th or 3/5th of the normal amount. Maybe it's just me though (my current game has a Warlock and a Monk in the party, we like short rests).
  • Divine Right: This is a lot of bonuses for an always-active feature, but it's also a capstone. Since all of the options require actions to use or are mutually exclusive with at least one other option, it's probably not too overpowered but definitely still strong.


I like the theme; it's specific enough to fit player fantasy, but simple enough to fit many settings. I think some of the features offer too much overall power, but all of those features are highly defensive. I'd use this if I wanted to play a forgotten royal scion, or even just a healing-primary paladin (it's less boring than Oath of Redemption).


Spoiler: Vestige's Disciple
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This appears to be down for reconstruction. Let me know when you've got the new version up and I'll get you a review.


Spoiler: Middle Management Domain
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Once again, you've taken something and turned it delightfully on its head.

Channel Divinity: Increasing your bandwidth. I would recommend getting an extra action in the style of haste instead of the style of action surge, but otherwise this is fine.

Honestly, all of the features look like they're in line, and I like that you've updated to buzzword-style feature names. My only concern is that a full action surge for any ally will have unpredictable balance across all allies. Paladins, Rangers, and Warlocks will value it more than Rogues or Monks. (Doubling opportunities for Smite or application of Hex/Hunter's Mark).


Spoiler: Pied Piper
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  • Charming Song: It's essential to the identity, and I think you've captured it well. I would suggest allowing a new save at advantage or even just outright shrugging off the effect for one minute when injured, though. Right now it could end up trapping a troll or other low charisma enemy permanently while your party attacks them and they have very little chance of escape.
  • Musical Expertise: At this point, Charming Song basically locks down whatever creature (other than creatures with Legendary Resistance) you use it on.
  • Other than Charming Song improving at 14th level, do you have another 14th level feature planned? If not, I would separate out the Charming Song improvement into its own feature to make the subclass look more complete.


A faithful rendition of a classic tale, but possibly a little too easy to permanently control creatures while your friends cut them to ribbons.


Spoiler: Grey Wizard
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I can't complain about a deliberate representation of such an iconic wizard.

  • Rallying Spell: I would specify a "spell of 1st level or higher". It's effectively that already (since a cantrip has no spell slot and therefor affects 0 allies), but it would be more in line with normal wording for such features.
  • Battle Secrets: There's a lot to unpack here. I'm okay with increased character options myself, but I do know that a more straightforward approach tends to do better at voting. It would also be nice if these were organized either in groups by prerequisite or theme or alphabetically.


  • Focus Weapon should require Martial Student.
  • Extra Attack probably should as well.
  • Spell and Sword in Accord should have a limited number of uses; otherwise it's pretty reliably going to lead to quickened spells, especially when considering Arcane Archer or Insightful Strike.
  • Heart Ward requires Inspiring Spell, but you've renamed the feature Arcane Inspiration.
  • Staff Master: Since no battle secret gives shield proficiency and you can perform somatic components with the same hand you hold a focus in, the ability to hold your staff in one hand doesn't add much. It's still a lower investment option than Focus Weapon, though.
  • Spellsniper shares its name with a PHB feat.


  • Arcane Inspiration. My concern here is that the Grey Wizard now is better at doing the bard's job than the bard. Even assuming it's a spell of 1st level or higher (which the feature doesn't specify at the moment), the Wizard has 10 spells at this point, plus up to 3 more through Arcane Recovery. If all of those are single-target buff spells and the Bard has 18 charisma, the Wizard will output 1 more die than the bard. On top of that, wizards get access to multiple-target spells, though few that are buff spells. I would put some more restrictions on this, starting with the "spell of 1st level or higher" restriction, but also defining what constitutes casting a spell on someone (does a fireball dodged due to evasion, or a poison cloud used on an ally immune to poison? What about Sleep on allies with too many hit points to be affected?). I would also recommend limiting this to one target per spell, otherwise the Bard may as well go home.
  • Arcane Inspiration: I didn't mention it above, because it's a separate concern. When considering the Rallying Spell feature, Arcane Inspiration is thematically redundant. Both stack with each other, so it's mechanically very strong (Advantage plus 1d6 inspiration plus whatever buff? That's a nice big stack of bonuses), but it doesn't expand the choices the wizard has.
  • Chromatic Metamorphosis: I love the trigger condition (I used a similar one on my Destined class, though it was an active ability). The daylight function should probably have a limited duration; when it comes up, it's going to be extremely strong. It's niche enough that I can let it be though.



Overall, I really like the theme, but I think Arcane Inspiration could use some tightening up. Battle Secrets could possibly be pared down (both number known and the total list) as well, as many options are unappealing (Staff Master and Triage are weaker than Focus Weapon and Ancient Tactics, for example).


Spoiler: Swift End Monk
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An interestingly literal take on the contest.

Marked for a Swift End: The wording on this is hard to follow. The first part (regarding Dodge) is fine, but the second part (regarding the bonus to hit) is problematic. On top of that, the monk need not reach the target on their first turn to trigger the effect, but allies do need to reach the target on their first turn to gain the benefit. I would simplify this feature. It also might be worth separating the Wisdom to Initiative into its own feature.
Marked for a Swift End: Dodge for a full minute against the target can be crazy good against big boss monsters like dragons. It also encourages leaving the target of the Mark alive until all other enemies are defeated (as it is less effective in its attacks), which is counter to the described theme of the ability. I would make the baseline effect increased damage and leave the shared effect for if the monk triggers the bonus as-is.
Follow, with Haste: Why does this have a duration? It seems like it should just be a passive with no duration. Right now, those allies get the bonus for a minute after they stop acting after you on initiative.
Danger at the Fore: The cost on this is probably a little too high on top of the long rest restriction. 2 or 3 would be sufficient.
The End Brought About: I was so confused at first when I read this feature. I understood it once I got to the end, but leading in with the Unarmed Attack roll, I thought it was a feature that let you kick your ally in the face when they fell just for the fun of it. The healing should be reduced (I recommend 10 + 5*Die) or the Ki increased (maybe 5ish). Even with the drawbacks, 10 times a d10 is potentially a lot of hit points.

I think you've given yourself a good theme, but not all of your features necessarily fit it. As mentioned, Mark of the Swift End encourages just the opposite, to draw out its defensive benefits. The ki costs also need a touchup. If you decide to update this, let me know and I'll get another review up for the updates.


I'll be back this afternoon with a second post for the rest of the classes. Great work so far!