The Culturalist: 5E Base Class (WIP)

[GanonBoar]

The Culturalist

Fluff coming soon

HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: 1d8
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier

PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Shortswords, Scimitars
Tools: One type of Artisan's tools

Saving Throws: Constitution, Mental Attribute associated with your Cultural Archetype
Skills: Choose two from Religion, Arcana, History, Persuasion, Performance, Insight, Medicine

EQUIPMENT
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
•(a) a Light Crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
•(a) a Shorstword, (b) a Scimitar or (c) any simple weapon
•(a)Leather Armor or (b) a Chain Shirt
•Traveler's Clothes

Alternatively, you may start with 5d4x10gp.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Traditions Known
1st	+2	Cultural Archetype, Fitting in	-
2nd	+2	Traditions	2
3rd	+2	Battle Style	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	2
5th	+3	-	3
6th	+3	Cultural Archetype Feature	3
7th	+3	Ambassador	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4
9th	+4	-	5
10th	+4	Cultural Archetype Feature	5
11th	+4	Honed Mind	5
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	6
13th	+5	A Way with Words	6
14th	+5	Cultural Archetype Feature	6
15th	+5	-	7
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	7
17th	+6	Awesome Presence	7
18th	+6	-	8
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	8
20th	+6	Cultural Archetype Capstone	8

FEATURES

Cultural Archetype
At level 1, you choose which Traditions you wish to promote. Those who protect the old ways become Upholders, those who try to create new ones become Founders, and those who simply want to share in them all become Seekers. Your choice grants you features at 1st level, and again at 6th, 10th, 14th and 20th levels. All choices are detailed at the end of the class description.

Fitting In
Your innate understanding of the world's traditions and cultures means you can fit in in any location. Locals will welcome you as one of their own, and will not be hostile to you unless they have a good reason - i.e. you attack someone or cause a ruckus.

Traditions
Starting at level 2, you do not only promote your Traditions, you embrace them and use them to your advantage. You gain two Traditions from the list at the bottom of the class description. You gain additional Traditions as shown in the Culturalist Class Table. You must meet all of a Tradition's prerequisites before you take it, and whenever you gain a level in this class you may replace one of your Traditions with another. You can take each Tradition only once.

Battle Style
At level 3, you unlock some Traditional secrets that teach you your role in combat. Choose one of the following Battle Styles:

FRONT-LINE FIGHTER
•You gain proficiency with Martial Weapons.
•Your hitpoint maximum increases by 3, and increases by 1 again every time you take a level in this class.

HEALER
•You gain proficiency in Healer's kits.
•You gain proficiency with the Medicine skill if you do not have it already.
•As an action, you can expend one use of a Healer's kit to restore hitpoints to a creature you touch equal to your associated mental attribute modifier (minimum 1). You can do this a number of times equal to your mental attribute modifier (minimum 1), and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

MARKSMAN
•You gain proficiency with Martial Weapons.
•You ignore half-cover and three-quarters cover when making attacks with ranged weapons.

(More to come?)

Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you may take a feat if your DM allows it.

Ambassador
At 7th level your appreciation and understanding of all local customs means you can secure safe lodgings for you and your friends in most locations. When you are in a village or town that you have not caused any problems in, you can get rooms at an inn or tavern for you and your party for half the regular price, and locals will gladly tell you any rumors or interesting things they have heard.

Honed Mind
Starting at 11th level, your mental prowess increases. You have advantage on all saving throws using your associated mental attribute.

A Way with Words
At 13th level, you understand how to use your words more effectively when talking. You can speak and understand all languages, though you cannot read or write them (unless you gained those languages from another source), and you gain proficiency with the Persuasion skill if you do not already have it.

Furthermore, you can use an action to attempt to charm a non hostile creature. The creature must understand at least one language, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw of DC equal to 8 + your associated Mental Attribute modifier + your Proficiency bonus. It is charmed by you for your Mental Attribute modifier minutes (minimum 1) on a failed save. On a successful save, the creature realizes that you tried to charm it and refuses to talk to you or interact with you for the rest of the day (though it will fight you if you attack it). You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to use it when you finish a short or long rest.

Awesome Presence
Beginning at 17th level, your very presence on the battlefield is enough to make foes quiver in their boots. As an action, you can select a number of creatures you can see equal to half your Culturalist level (rounded up). The selected creatures must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw of DC equal to 8 + your mental attribute modifier + your Proficiency bonus or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

UPHOLDERS
Wisdom of the Old Ways
Your associated mental attribute is Wisdom. To interpret the old traditions, you must be wise enough to understand them.

Follow the Past
You gain proficiency in History. If you already have proficiency with this skill, you may choose any skill from the list at the top of the class description.

Choose two types of enemies that you have studied about from the following list: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. You may also choose certain humanoid races (such as elves or goblins). The stories of old have taught you how to best combat these enemies, giving you advantage on all attack rolls you make against them.

Level 6 Feature
Coming soon

Level 10 Feature
Coming soon

Level 14 Feature
Coming soon

Superior Wisdom
At 20th level, your wisdom is so great that it replaces the need for anything else. Whenever you are required to make an ability check or saving throw using Intelligence or Charisma, you may instead use Wisdom. This does not affect Passive Scores.

FOUNDERS
Intellect of the Creator
Your associated mental attribute is Intelligence. Making new traditions requires a great degree of mental capability.

Level 1 Feature
Coming soon

Level 6 Feature
Coming soon

Level 10 Feature
Coming soon

Level 14 Feature
Coming soon

Overpowering Intellect
At 20th level, you have honed your mental prowess so much that the need for anything else is little. Whenever you are required to make an ability check or saving throw using Wisdom or Charisma, you may instead use Intelligence. This does not affect passive scores

SEEKERS
Charisma of the Seeker
Your associated mental attribute is Charisma. To be able to mingle with everyone and learn about new cultures, you need to have a certain level of charm.

Mingling
You may ignore racial restrictions for any purpose, such as attuning to a magic item, fitting in in a village, or selecting a subclass such as Bladesinger or Battlerager. Also, you have advantage on Stealth Checks when attempting to hide in a populated area.

Level 6 Feature
Coming soon

Level 10 Feature
Coming soon

Level 14 Feature
Coming soon

Brilliant Charm
At 20th level, your charisma is so powerful that it overrides any other mental power. Whenever you are required to make an ability check or saving throw using Intelligence or Wisdom, you may instead use Charisma. This does not affect on passive scores.

[JNAProductions]

Right, this is obviously unfinished. That being said, this class can get two strong saves-Con and Wis-unless you have no Wisdom tradition.

So just a potential issue I'd like to head off. I'll give more input when there's more to give input on.

[GanonBoar]

That's a good point actually: I was planning on having a Wisdom archetype. I just went with Constitution as the other one since neither Strength or Dexterity seemed to fit, and having another mental skill would be weird. Obviously you can't judge whether it's balanced yet since I haven't written up all the class features, but when I do please tell me if you think I should change it.

[GanonBoar]

Update: Main class features are done, now I need to work on Traditions and archetypes.

Also, does anyone have any more ideas for Battle Styles?

[PoeticDwarf]

I'll give more feedback when I have time. Marksman needs a small buff or front line a debuff. And healer a limit. You have on level 3 already money for loads of kits so it is at will out of combat heal.

Just about combat styles no time to read everything

[GanonBoar]

Added a limit to Healer. Not sure how to buff Marksman-maybe just a +1 to ranged attack rolls?

[JNAProductions]

Front line fighter should work retroactively.

Honed Mind is too powerful-that's basically free Glibness for Charisma-based traditions at level 11. Make it just saving throws.

Overall, I don't see anything objectionable... But I also don't see any reason to play it. It just comes off as bland.

[UrsusArctos]

"Aweful" is not a word. The adjectival form of awe is "Awesome". Besides, "Aweful" and "Awful" sound way too similar and the effect could be mistaken for being so awful, people are afraid of you.

[GanonBoar]

Front line fighter should work retroactively.

Honed Mind is too powerful-that's basically free Glibness for Charisma-based traditions at level 11. Make it just saving throws.

Overall, I don't see anything objectionable... But I also don't see any reason to play it. It just comes off as bland.

I agree with your first two points, I'll change those. The blandness is partly because I haven't put up the traditions or finished the archetypes yet, with what I've got planned it should be a lot more interesting.

"Aweful" is not a word. The adjectival form of awe is "Awesome". Besides, "Aweful" and "Awful" sound way too similar and the effect could be mistaken for being so awful, people are afraid of you.

True, I guess. I guess I could change it to Awesome, but it doesn't sound that great. Any suggestions?