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    Titan in the Playground
     
    Grod_The_Giant's Avatar

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    Oct 2006
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    Default Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    (What babe, you might ask? The one with the power, of course. The power of voodoo.)

    Archivist
    The class is intended to replace Wizards and Warlocks--and, to a lesser extent, Clerics and Druids--in a low-magic campaign, so there will be a lot of thematic overlap. That said, it's supposed to be balanced to the same level as other classes, and should have enough of a distinct identity to fit into a normal game alongside Wizards and their ilk. The goal is slower, creepier, and more utility-oriented magic, with less combat power and more general utility.



    Class Features
    As an Archivist, you gain the following class features

    Hit Points
    Hit Dice
    : 1d6 per Archivist level
    Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
    Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Archivist level after 1st

    Proficiencies
    Armor
    : None
    Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
    Tools: Calligrapher’s supplies
    Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
    Skills: Choose three from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, and Religion

    Equipment
    You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
    • (a) a light crossbow or (b) any simple weapon
    • (a) a scholar’s pack (b) an explorer’s pack
    • One set of artisan's tools
    • Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers


    Level Proficiency Bonus Features Sympathies Known
    1st +2 Ritual Caster, Sympathetic Link, Minor Sympathies 2
    2nd +2 Dark Knowledge 2
    3rd +2 Lost Secret 3
    4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3
    5th +3 Greater Sympathies 4
    6th +3 Secret Feature 4
    7th +3 - 4
    8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 5
    9th +4 - 5
    10th +4 Rapid Ritual 5
    11th +4 Dire Sympathies 6
    12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 6
    13th +5 - 6
    14th +5 Secret Feature 7
    15th +5 - 7
    16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 7
    17th +6 Dark Sympathies 8
    18th +6 Secret Feature 8
    19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 8
    20th +6 Master of Ceremonies 9


    Ritual Caster: At 1st level, you acquire a ritual book holding six 1st-level spells of your choice. Choose two 1st-level spells from the Archivist class list. You can cast those spells as rituals, even if they do not normally have the ritual tag.

    If the spell has effects that depend on what level slot is being used to cast it, treat it as having been cast from a slot of one-half your Archivist level, rounded down.

    Archivist spells of 3rd, 4th, and 5th level take one hour to cast as a ritual, rather than the usual ten minutes. Spells of 6th, 7th, and 8th level take eight hours to cast, and 9th level spells take twenty-four hours. Spells that normally possess the ritual tag, such as Divination, are exceptions to this rule.

    At each subsequent Archivist level, you may add two spells whose level is equal to or less than half your Archivist level (rounded up). You may also add other ritual spells you find in your adventures, provided they are of the appropriate level as described above. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it. Whatever their original list, you use Intelligence to cast your rituals spells.

    Sympathetic Magic: The first law of magic is that like affects like. Through your studies, you have learned one of the following techniques for creating a link between yourself and your target, even in the heat of battle. The DC of a saving throw against your Sympathetic Magic abilities is 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

    Choose one of the following methods for creating a link. Once you have chosen, you cannot change how you perform sympathetic magic except when gaining a new Archivist level.

    • Alchemical Marriage: Certain chemical reagents resonate strongly with magic; all you need to do is splash some on your target. As an action, make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 30ft, using your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. If you hit, the target is linked. Allies may use a reaction to ensure that you hit.
    • Call of Blood: Blood calls to blood. If you are touching blood which a visible target has shed within the last minute--such as might be found on the ground where it was damaged, or on the blade of a sword that struck it-- you can use an action to force the target to make a Constitution save. If they fail, they are linked. Allies may choose to fail the save. You cannot form a blood link with undead, constructs, and other creatures that do not have blood.
    • Totemic Link: With an effort of will, you can create an equivalency between one creature and an inanimate totem, usually a doll or drawing. As an action, you may force one creature within 60ft to make a Wisdom saving throw or be linked. Allies may choose to fail the save.
    • True Naming: Names have power--speak a creature's true name, and a connection is formed. As an action, pick one creature you can see and make an Intelligence check, with a difficulty equal to your 10 + target’s Challenge Rating (maximum 25). On a success, you deduce enough of their true name, causing the target to become linked. At their discretion, the Dungeon Master may impose disadvantage on this check for particularly rare creatures, or grant advantage for exceptionally familiar targets.

    Once the connection is forged, you must concentrate on it, as on a spell. If your concentration is broken, the effects of any Sympathy channeled through the link instantly ends.

    An unwilling subject may attempt a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of their turns, with a DC of 8 + your Proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. If they succeed, the link is broken and the Sympathy's effect ended--though you may attempt to re-establish it on your next turn.

    Minor Sympathies: Archivists make heavy use of what they call Sympathies, a unique category of magical blessings and curses that can only be used after a sympathetic link has been created. Upon establishing a link, and as an action on subsequent turns, you can use one Sympathy that you know.

    You begin play with knowledge of three Minor Sympathies. You learn one additional Sympathy at 5th level, and again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Whenever you gain an Archivist level, you may replace one Sympathy you know with another of the same level.

    Dark Knowledge: Beginning at 2nd level, your extensive studies grant you a bonus to all Intelligence checks equal to one-half your proficiency bonus, rounded down. This stacks with your normal proficiencies, but not with abilities that let you add twice your proficiency bonus to checks.

    Lost Secret: By the time you reach 3rd level, your research has led you to learn a terrible secret about the nature of magic. At 3rd level, you choose what you have learned: the Language of the Wild, the Name of the Beast, the Thirteen Runes, or the Secret of Steel. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.

    Greater Sympathies: Beginning at 5th level, you can learn Greater Sympathies. Once you have used two Greater sympathies, you may not use any more until you have completed a short rest. You may only have one Greater Sympathy active at a time.

    Rapid Ritual: Beginning at 10th level, you may perform a ritual as a single action that provokes opportunity attacks, provided that the spell has a casting time of one action or less. Once you have done so, you cannot use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.

    Dire Sympathies: Beginning at 11th level, you can learn Dire Sympathies. Once you have used two Dire sympathies, you may not use any more until you have completed a long rest. You may only have one Greater or Dire Sympathy active at a time.

    Dark Sympathies: Beginning at 17th level, you can learn Dark Sympathies. Once you have used one Dark sympathy, you may not use any more until you have completed a short rest. You may only have one Greater, Dire, or Dark Sympathy active at a time.

    Master of Ceremonies: Beginning at 20th level, you may perform a ten-minute ritual to cast the Wish spell without any of the usual fatigue or other drawbacks. Once you have done so, you cannot use this ability again for one week.

    Spoiler: Sidebar: Sympathies and Concentration
    Show
    If you're familiar with playing spellcasters in 5th edition, you might be concerned about having to concentrate to maintain links. Higher-tier Sympathies mostly emulate spells, many of which demand concentration in their own right. Is that even possible? If so, is that all you can do?

    Thankfully, matters aren't so dire. Because Sympathies only create the effects of spells, no extra concentration is required. And because your concentration is dedicated to the link, rather than the spell, there's nothing to stop you from using subsequent actions to use Minor Sympathies on the same target.

    For example, on their first turn, an Archivist might use their action to create a link with an enemy ogre and activate a Greater Sympathy, Curse of Creeping Failure. The ogre is cursed, and at the end of its next turn it fails to succeed on its Will save to break the link. When initiative swings back around to the Archivist, there is no need to re-establish the link. The ogre remains cursed, and the Archivist is free to use Curse of Binding to further cripple the beast.


    Lost Secrets

    There are three great secrets that an Archivist might uncover: the Language of the Wild, the Name of the Beast, or the Thirteen Runes.

    Spoiler: Language of the Wild
    Show
    Language of the Wild
    The world has a voice for those who listen, and ears for those who know how to speak. The words have been lost for millennia... until now. You are one of the few to ever discover the words you need to make the elements heed your call

    Words of the Wild: At 3rd level, you may learn the spells listed below as rituals, using the usual rules and restrictions of your Ritual Caster ability. Add two 1st or 2nd level spells from the list below to your spellbook immediately. Scribing further spells from this list into your book only takes one hour and 25gp per spell level.

    In addition, you learn the Sylvan and Primordial languages.

    Primal Sympathy: You learn one Minor Sympathy unique to this subclass, which does not count against the total number of sympathies that you know.

    Universal Speech: All things are of nature. If she can hear you, why can’t they? Beginning at 14th level, you can communicate with all life on the material plane, as though under the effects of the Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, and Tongues spells.

    Gift of Nature: Beginning at 18th level, you may exhort the natural world to even greater efforts on your behalf. As an action, you may cast one Druid spell of 8th level or lower, providing only the verbal component. Once you have done so, you may not use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.

    Spoiler: Words of the Wild and Primal Sympathies
    Show

    Words of the Wild: The following new rituals are available to Archivists who have learned the Language of the Wild

    [/B]1st Level
    Animal Friendship
    Beast Bond
    Speak with Animals

    2nd Level
    Animal Messenger
    Beast Sense
    Locate Animals or Plants
    Skywrite
    Summon Beast

    3rd Level
    Conjure Animals
    Plant Growth
    Speak With Plants
    Summon Fey

    4th Level
    Conjure Woodland Beings
    Giant Insect
    Polymorph
    Summon Elemental

    5th Level
    Awaken
    Commune with Nature

    6th Level
    Conjure Fey
    Druid Grove
    Transport Via Plants

    8th Level
    Animal Shapes

    Primal Sympathies: The following Sympathies are available to Archivists who have learned the Language of the Wild.
    Minor Sympathies
    • Curse of Light: Until the beginning of your next turn, the target is oulined by flickering faeire light. Attack rolls against them have advantage, and they cannot benefit from being invisible.
    • Curse of Locusts: The target is engulfed in biting insects and vermin, suffering damage equal to 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier and moving 5ft in a random direction. This damage is half poison and half piercing, and increases by 1d10 at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.


    Greater Sympathies
    • Blessings of Tamed Thunder: The target is affected as though by a Call Lightning spell for one minute.


    Dire Sympathies
    • Blessing of Nature's Great Champion: The target is affected as though by a Guardian of Nature spell for one minute.


    Dark Sympathies
    • Curse of Wrathful Winds Tearing Flesh: The target becomes the center of a Whirlwind spell for one minute. You cannot move the whirlwind, but neither can the target escape--however they move, the effect continues to emanate from their space. They cannot use their action to attempt make a Strength or Dexterity check to escape.




    Spoiler: Name of the Beast
    Show
    Name of the Beast
    Man is not alone in the world. For every creature on the material plane, a thousand thousand spirits haunt the far reaches of the Great Wheel—some of them smaller than ants, others larger than mountains. Through your studies, you have learned the true name of a powerful entity and forged a lasting connection. This might be a god you worship, an archdemon you’ve made a pact with, or simply a mighty outsider you’re exploiting for power.

    Spirit Pact: At 3rd level, you strike a pact with a being of higher power. For Good aligned Archivists, this takes the form of a Holy connection; for Evil aligned Archivists, this is an Unholy connection. Neutral Archivists choose one or the other when they first get this feature. You gain the Channel Divinity ability. Select one Cleric Domain and gain its associated Channel Divinity power. You also gain the following options:
    Divine Turning. This ability functions as the Cleric’s Turn Undead, save that those with Holy connections also affect fiends, while those with Unholy connections also affect Celestials.

    Mantle of Power. As an action, grant yourself a pool of d6s, with a number of dice in the pool equal to your Archivist level. When using a blessing or curse, you may expend any number of these dice, up to a maximum of their proficiency bonus.

    Archivists with Holy connections roll the expended dice, and the target of their blessing regains that many hit points. Alternately, when using a curse on an undead or fiendish target, they may roll the expended dice as deal an equivalent amount of radiant damage.

    Archivists with Unholy connections roll the expended dice, and the target of their curse suffers that amount of necrotic damage. Alternately, when using a blessing on an undead or fiendish target, they may roll the expended dice and heal target for an equal amount.
    When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You may use this ability once before you must finish a short rest to use it again.

    Beginning at 6th level, you may use this ability twice before you must finish a short rest.

    Divine Sympathy: You learn one Minor Sympathy unique to this subclass, which does not count against the total number of sympathies that you know.

    Aspect of Divinity: Beginning at 6th level, you may use an action to surround yourself with the power of your patron for one minute. Enemies who begin their turn within 15ft of you, or who move within 15ft of you for the first time that turn, suffer damage equal to one-half your Archivist level (rounded down) plus your Intelligence modifier. This damage is radiant if you have a Holy connection, and necrotic if you have an Unholy one.

    You may use this ability twice before you must then finish a short or long rest to use it again.

    Patron’s Ally: At 14th level, learn Planar Ally as a ritual. If you already knew Planar Ally, you may learn a different Secret Ritual in its place. Once per day, when you call a servant of your patron, it will fight in one battle or provide one day’s worth of mildly dangerous service without asking for a reward.

    Divine Intervention: Beginning at 18th level, you can call on your patron to directly intervene on your behalf when your need is great.

    Imploring your patron's aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your Archivist level, your deity intervenes. The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If your deity intervenes, you can't use this feature again for 7 days. Otherwise, you can use it again after you finish a long rest.

    Spoiler: Divine Sympathies
    Show

    Minor Sympathies
    Blessing of Life: Until the beginning of your next turn, the target's current and maximum hit points are increased by a value equal to your Intelligence modifier.

    Curse of Wrath: The target suffers radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier. This damage increases by 1d8 at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.

    Greater Sympathies
    Blessing of Divine Protection: The target is affected as though by a Spirit Guardians spell for one minute.

    Dire Sympathies
    Curse of Casting Out the Foe: The target is affected as though by a Banishment spell. While banished, they cannot attempt to break the link at the end of their turn.

    Dark Sympathies
    Curse of the Beast's Name Spoken Aloud: The target is affected as though by a Divine Word spell. When determining the spell's effect, the target only counts as having half its current hit points.



    Spoiler: The Thirteen Runes
    Show
    The Thirteen Runes
    The greatest weakness of ritual magic has always been its speed-- the forms and invocations simply take too long to be practical in a fight. Through long trials and many errors, you have learned how to suspend a ritual just before completion, storing the magic in the form of one of the thirteen Runes of Power.

    Rune Scroll: Beginning at 3rd level, as part of a short rest you can perform two rituals of 1st level or lower that you know and bind them into runes, effectively storing them for later. The spells are not cast, and as such targets do not need to be chosen.

    As an action which provokes opportunity attacks, you may cast one of these stored rituals as though it was a spell with a casting time of one action, requiring only the rune as a material component. After casting the stored spell, the rune it was stored in vanishes.

    Beginning at 6th level, you may create runes of 2nd level rituals using this ability. At 14th level, you may create runes of 3rd level rituals, and at 18th level you may create runes of 4th level rituals.

    Battle Rituals: At 3rd level, select five Wizard spells of 1st level to learn as rituals, as per the usual rules of your Ritual Casting ability. At 6th level, select four Wizard spells of 2nd level or lower to learn as rituals. At 14h level, select three Wizard spells of 3rd level or lower, and at 18th level select two Wizard spells of 4th level or lower.

    When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the wizard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the wizard spell list, which also must be of the same level.

    Runic Sympathy: You learn one Minor Sympathy unique to this subclass, which does not count against the total number of sympathies that you know.

    Rune's Blessing: Beginning at 6th level, the runes you scribe are strong enough to have power in and of themselves. Until you cast the stored spell, the rune itself serves as a magic item. The rune's effect depends on the school of the spell stored within, as shown below. If you have prepared two runes from the same school, the effects do not stack.
    • Abjuration: At the beginning of your turn, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier.
    • Conjuration: As a bonus action, you can call the marked item into your hand, as long as it is within one hundred feet.
    • Divination: As an action, you may project your senses into the rune. For one round, you see and hear as though you were standing at the rune's current position.
    • Evocation: As an action, you can cause the rune to release a burst of energy. One adjacent creature must make a Dexterity save or take 2d8 + your Intelligence modifier acid, cold, fire, or lightning damage.
    • Illusion: When you scribe the rune on an object, you can surround it with an illusion. This can either take the form of a 5ft cube projected from the rune, or change the appearance of the item.
    • Necromancy: When a creature within 30ft dies, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Archivist level plus your Intelligence modifier.
    • Transmutation: You may change the object's weight, reducing it to as much as one-tenth of normal or increasing it to up to ten times as much as normal. Alternately, you can change its hardness, providing either +5 bonus or a -5 penalty to its armor class and damage threshold.


    Use Magic Device: Beginning at 14th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.

    Spellbreaker: Beginning at 18th level, your mastery of the arcane arts is such that you can interfere with the magic of others with a word. When a spell is being cast within 60ft, you may use your reaction to precisely counter it, causing the spell to fail with no effect. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

    Spoiler: Runic Sympathies
    Show

    Minor Sympathies
    • Blessing of Shielding: A rune appear's on the target's brow. Until the beginning of your next turn, all attacks against them have disadvantage.
    • Curse of Branding: A rune appears on the target's brow. Until the beginning of your next turn, all attacks against them have advantage.


    Greater Sympathies
    • Curse of Mesmerizing Runes: A rune appears on the target's brow. They are affected as though by a Hypnotic Pattern spell for one minute. In addition, all adjacent creatures must make Wisdom saves or be affected by the same spell.


    Dire Sympathies
    • Curse of Words Defeating Will: A rune appears on the target's brow. They are affected as though by a Dominate Person spell for one minute. Non-humanoids cannot be affected by this curse.


    Dark Sympathies
    • Blessing of the Sigil That Shatters Minds: A rune appears on the target's brow. They are affected as though by an Eyebite spell for one minute, and may use their reaction to immedietely target an enemy within range. The target control its effects, and use their own action to target foes with the curse's various effects.




    Spoiler: The Secret of Steel
    Show
    The Secret of Steel
    “The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline.”
    --Conan the Barbarian (1982)


    Sound of Mind and Body: Learning the secrets of steel is a physically demanding process. Beginning at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and all simple and martial melee weapons that do not possess the Heavy property. In addition, your hit point maximum increases by 3, and by an additional 1 each level thereafter.

    Violent Thaumaturgy: Beginning at 3rd level, you learn a new method of form a sympathetic link with a target:
    • Channel of Steel: As an action, make a melee attack against a foe within your reach. If you successfully damage them, you create a link, as the Sympathetic Magic ability. Unlike other methods of establishing a link, you may not use one of your Sympathies as part of this action.


    Metallic Sympathy: You learn one Minor Sympathy unique to this subclass, which does not count against the total number of sympathies that you know.

    Steel Upon Steel: Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. When doing so, you may choose to use a Minor Sympathy in place of one attack.

    When using your Channel of Steel ability, you may make two melee attacks and establish a link if either deals damage. If a link is created by the first attack, you may replace the second with a Minor Sympathy.

    Steel Like Clay: Beginning at 13th level, you learn the Mold Earth cantrip, and can cast Stone Shape and Meld Into Stone as rituals. All three spells affect only metal, rather than stone or earth.

    Living Steel: By 18th level, you have worn away many of the distinctions between metal and flesh. As a bonus action, you can transform yourself into a statue of living steel for ten minutes.

    While in this state, you have resistance to all damage, and immunity to poison damage, the poisoned condition, and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine. You also cannot be knocked prone or forced to move against your will, and have advantage on Strength and Constitution checks and saving throws.

    Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again until you have completed a long rest.

    Spoiler: Metallic Sympathies
    Show

    Minor Sympathies
    • Curse of Stillness: Make a melee weapon attack against the linked foe. If you hit, the target's speed is reduced to zero until the beginning of your next turn. Beginning at 5th level, your attack deals an additional 1d8 cold damage. This damage increases by 1d8 at 11th and 17th level.
    • Curse of Vampirism: Make a weapon attack against the linked foe. On a hit, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt, to a maximum of your Archivist level. Beginning at 5th level, your attack deals an additional 1d8 necrotic damage. This damage increases by 1d8 at 11th and 17th level.


    Greater Sympathies
    • Curse of Burning Iron: For one minute, the target is affected as though by a Heat Metal spell. This Sympathy can be explicitly be used as part of a Channel of Steel action.


    Dire Sympathies
    • Blessing of Steel Begats Steel: For one minute, the target is affect as though by a Swift Quiver spell, targeting them rather than a separate quiver. This enables them to use the bonus action granted by the spell to make two weapon attacks with any weapon they are wielding.


    Dark Sympathies
    • Blessing of Eternal Triumph of Arms: For one minute, the target is affected as though by a Tenser's Transformation spell.




    Sympathies and Rituals
    The following Sympathies and Rituals are available for all Archivists to learn.

    Spoiler: Archivist Sympathies
    Show


    Minor Sympathies
    • Blessing of Endurance: Until the beginning of your next turn, the target gains resistance to all damage.
    • Blessing of Potency: Until the beginning of your next turn, whenever the target makes any kind of roll, they may also roll 1d4 and add it to the result.
    • Curse of Binding: The target is restrained until the beginning of your next turn or until they suffer damage, whichever comes first.
    • Curse of Draining: The target suffers disadvantage on all ability checks until the beginning of your next turn.
    • Curse of Pain: The target suffers psychic damage equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier. This damage increases by 1d8 at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.


    Greater Sympathies
    • Blessing of Time Unending: The target is affected as though by the Haste spell for one minute.
    • Blessing of Uncertain Presence: The target is affected as though by the Blink spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Creeping Failure: The target is affected as though by the Bestow Curse spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Leering Faces: The target is affected as though by the Enemies Abound spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Screaming Souls: The target is affected as though by the Fear spell for one minute. In addition, all adjacent creatures must make Wisdom saves or be affected by the same spell.


    Dire Sympathies
    • Blessing of Night's Secret Fire: The target is affected as though by a Shadow of Moil spell for one minute.
    • Blessing of Righteous Skill Unending: The targeted is affected as though by a Skill Empowerment spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Creeping Bodily Decay: The target must make a Constitution save or be affected as though by an Enervation spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Flesh Betrays Soul: The target must make a Wisdom save or be affected as though by a Polymorph spell for one minute. This curse may only be used to transform the target into a form of CR 1/4 or less.
    • Curse of Time Stands Still: The target must make a Wisdom save or be affected as though by a Hold Monster spell for one minute.


    Dark Sympathies
    • Blessing of Four Elements in One: The target is affected as though by an Investiture of Flame, Investiture of Ice, Investiture of Stone, and Investiture of Wind spell for one minute.
    • Curse of Hatred Unravelling the Mortal Coil: The target is affected as though by a Disintegrate spell.
    • Curse of Stone Devouring Living Flesh: The target is affected as though by a Flesh to Stone spell for one minute.



    Spoiler: Archivist Rituals
    Show

    1st Level
    Alarm
    Ceremony
    Comprehend Languages
    Detect Evil and Good
    Detect Magic
    Detect Poison and Disease
    Disguise Self
    False Life
    Find Familiar
    Identify
    Illusory Script
    Mage Armor
    Purify Food and Drink
    Tenser's Floating Disk
    Unseen Servant

    2nd Level
    Alter Self
    Arcane Lock
    Augury
    Barkskin
    Continual Flame
    Cordon of Arrows
    Darkvision
    Gentle Repose
    Invisibility
    Knock
    Lesser Restoration
    Locate Object
    Magic Mouth
    Magic Weapon
    Nystul's Magic Aura
    Protection from Poison
    Silence
    Spider Climb
    Warding Bond
    Zone of Truth

    3rd Level
    Clairvoyance
    Dispel Magic
    Feign Death
    Flame Arrows
    Leomund's Tiny Hut
    Life Transference
    Magic Circle
    Meld Into Stone
    Nondetection
    Phantom Steed
    Remove Curse
    Sending
    Speak with Dead
    Summon Lesser Demons
    Summon Shadowspawn
    Summon Undead
    Tongues
    Water Breathing
    Water Walk

    4th Level
    Arcane Eye
    Control Water
    Divination
    Hallucinatory Terrain
    Leomund's Secret Chest
    Locate Creature
    Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound
    Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum
    Stone Shape
    Summon Aberration
    Summon Greater Demon

    5th Level
    Antilife Shell
    Contact Other Plane
    Control Winds
    Dream
    Geas
    Legend Lore
    Modify Memory
    Planar Binding
    Rary's Telepathic Bond
    Scrying
    Seeming
    Telekinesis
    Teleportation Circle
    Transmute Rock
    Wall of Stone

    6th Level
    Arcane Gate
    Create Homunculus
    Drawmij's Instant Summons
    Find the Path
    Forbiddance
    Guards and Wards
    Magic Jar
    Move Earth
    Planar Ally
    Soul Cage
    Summon Fiend
    True Seeing
    Wind Walk
    Word of Recall

    7th Level
    Crown of Stars
    Dream of the Blue Veil
    Etherealness
    Forcecage
    Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion
    Plane Shift
    Project Image
    Regenerate
    Sequester
    Simulacrum
    Symbol
    Teleport

    8th Level
    Antimagic Field
    Antipathy/Sympathy
    Clone
    Control Weather
    Demiplane
    Feeblemind
    Mighty Fortress
    Telpathy

    9th Level
    Astral Projection
    Gate
    Imprisonment
    True Polymorph

    Spoiler: Sidebar: Ritual Necromancy
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    Animate Dead and Create Undead both fit very neatly into the Archivist's wheelhouse--what kind of half-crazed scholar of the arcane doesn't mess around with zombies at some point? Sure, Summon Undead exists, but it's really not the same. Unfortunately, the mechanics of these traditional necromancy spells are troublesome--repeated castings quickly lead to infeasibly large hordes of minions.

    At the GM's discretion, Archivists may learn these spells as rituals. However, they must expend two uses of Greater Sympathies to cast Animate Dead, and one use of a Dark Sympathy to cast Create Undead.


    Spoiler: Sidebar: Archivists and Summoning Spells
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    The inclusion of spells like Summon Lesser Demons on the Archivist's ritual list might raise some eyes. Conjuring minions is one of the most powerful things you can do with magic, and Archivists are allowed to whip up combat-capable minions whenever they have time? Even spells like Magic Weapon might seem a little iffy. What gives?

    The answer is "concentration." In order to use any of their important combat abilities, an Archivist must maintain a link to the target. While their own Sympathies require only that the link be maintained, meaning they can't concentrate on a spell at the same time. They can't even use Sympathies on their summoned minion, as no link exists to channel the magic through.

    Last edited by Grod_The_Giant; 2021-05-12 at 09:01 PM.
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    Default Re: Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    Oh, I do like this. Very Kingkiller Chronicles-y. Thoughts...


    Sympathetic Magic: The blood link feels like it's harder to use than the others for no real benefit, unless you're confident that your target has an especially bad constitution save. You can link with an attack at 30 feet, or a wisdom save at 60 feet, or a rather hard intelligence check at line of sight... or you can have an ally injure the target and get dangerously close to link with a con save. I guess carrying around a vial of a creature's blood could give you a way to link them at any range, but that seems pretty niche. Maybe a blood link is harder to break, or something?

    The table and the text disagree on how many sympathies you start with and learn, unless I'm misunderstanding something.

    As far as the damaging minor sympathies go, I get the impression that they're a little stronger than cantrips? It's essentially your choice of a save or spell attack to do 1d6+Int, 1d8+Int, or 1d10+Int damage, depending on subclass. That seems like it might be a little high, honestly.

    For other sympathies, I'm not entirely clear on Blessing of Life, is that supposed to essentially heal them for (int mod) HP now and damage them for the same amount when it ends? It's also a little odd that Curse of Branding is just a worse Curse of Light, although I guess it's fine since you can't have both anyway.

    As for the ritual spellcasting, I like the idea a lot, I just have no idea how to assess the overall power. I'm not sure I would call this a low magic class, though!
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    Default Re: Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    Quote Originally Posted by Eurus View Post
    Oh, I do like this. Very Kingkiller Chronicles-y. Thoughts...I'm not sure I would call this a low magic class, though!
    I mean... no, not really, but it's low-er magic than the fireball-slinging sorcerer.

    Sympathetic Magic: The blood link feels like it's harder to use than the others for no real benefit, unless you're confident that your target has an especially bad constitution save. You can link with an attack at 30 feet, or a wisdom save at 60 feet, or a rather hard intelligence check at line of sight... or you can have an ally injure the target and get dangerously close to link with a con save. I guess carrying around a vial of a creature's blood could give you a way to link them at any range, but that seems pretty niche. Maybe a blood link is harder to break, or something?[/quote]
    Hmm. You've got a point

    The table and the text disagree on how many sympathies you start with and learn, unless I'm misunderstanding something.
    Oops. Table should be right.

    As far as the damaging minor sympathies go, I get the impression that they're a little stronger than cantrips? It's essentially your choice of a save or spell attack to do 1d6+Int, 1d8+Int, or 1d10+Int damage, depending on subclass. That seems like it might be a little high, honestly.
    All of the minor sympathies are supposed to be a bit stronger than cantrips because they're not fallback options--they're your default options. Hell, at low levels they're your only options. You're kind of like a Warlock--you spend round 1 dropping a strong buff or debuff, then spend the rest of the fight using your eldritch blast minor sympathies.

    Also worth noting it's not your choice--you pick one method at level 1 and that's it, unless you go Secret of Steel.

    For other sympathies, I'm not entirely clear on Blessing of Life, is that supposed to essentially heal them for (int mod) HP now and damage them for the same amount when it ends?
    Yeah, that's... hmm. The idea in my head was that you could briefly wake up a dying ally, but that's kind of niche. (Level) temporary hit points would be cleaner.

    It's also a little odd that Curse of Branding is just a worse Curse of Light, although I guess it's fine since you can't have both anyway.
    I'll be honest, I've never seen the "outlining invisible creatures" part of Faerie Fire come up in actual gameplay. Name of the Beast is also generally a bit more offensively focused than Language of the Wild-- the pseudo-Druid may be able to keep you visible, but the not-Cleric can burn your ass with necrotic damage at the same time.

    As for the ritual spellcasting, I like the idea a lot, I just have no idea how to assess the overall power.
    Very fair.
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    STaRS: A non-narrativeist, generic rules-light system.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use

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    Default Re: Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    I'm not really in a position to comment on balance/mechanics at all (I've barely played 5th and it was a while ago) but as someone who finds the standard D&D wizard really flavourless, I like this. Simple enough it feels like it could work in a game but the link mechanic is just enough it feels like there is something going on besides "declare ability usage, get effect". I'm not sure if it is actually darker than setting someone on fire but slower and creepier, it seems to have that.

    I also found some possible typos:

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Sympathetic Magic: [...] Choose one of the following methods for creating a link. Once you have chosen, you cannot how you perform sympathetic magic except when gaining a new Archivist level.
    Is that "you cannot change how you perform"?

    Minor Sympathies
    • Curse of Pain: The target suffers psychic damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. This damage increases by 1d8 at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.
    Are those supposed to be different die sizes? (Maybe but I don't see a lot of 1d6+2d8+INT rolls, maybe that's just me.)

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    Default Re: Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    My first thought is that every Archivist except ones of the Secret of Steel are going to be extremely fragile. A d6 hit die and no armor proficiency puts them in the same category as the sorcerer and wizard for squishiness, but they lack the defensive options of either. No shield, mirror image, expeditious retreat, or misty step.

    There's also precious little variety of actions they can take in a fight. I know that's not the focus, but having almost no ability to make use of bonus actions and the best tactic being establishing a sympathetic link via the same method every turn doesn't leave an Archivist with much to do in combat.

    On the other hand, you've done a good job of giving Archivists utility when not facing foes. They've got a shockingly large list of rituals known and the ability to make other spells into rituals. I knew I liked this when I started combing through them to see what strange spell combinations I could put together.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Dark Knowledge: Beginning at 2nd level, your extensive studies grant you a bonus to all Intelligence checks equal to one-half your proficiency bonus, rounded down.
    Does this stack with Intelligence based skills?

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Rapid Ritual: Beginning at 10th level, you may perform a ritual as a single action that provokes opportunity attacks. Once you have done so, you cannot use this ability again until you have completed a long rest.
    You might want to consider having a clause in here about not being able to use this with spells that normally take more than one action to cast. Using a single Action to cast Leomund's Tiny Hut or Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum is powerful and seems unintended.

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    Default Re: Archivist v2-- the one who reminds you of the babe

    Quote Originally Posted by Cluedrew View Post
    I'm not really in a position to comment on balance/mechanics at all (I've barely played 5th and it was a while ago) but as someone who finds the standard D&D wizard really flavourless, I like this. Simple enough it feels like it could work in a game but the link mechanic is just enough it feels like there is something going on besides "declare ability usage, get effect". I'm not sure if it is actually darker than setting someone on fire but slower and creepier, it seems to have that.
    Thanks! That was the idea.

    I also found some possible typos:
    Whoops. Nice catches.

    Quote Originally Posted by Twelvetrees View Post
    My first thought is that every Archivist except ones of the Secret of Steel are going to be extremely fragile. A d6 hit die and no armor proficiency puts them in the same category as the sorcerer and wizard for squishiness, but they lack the defensive options of either. No shield, mirror image, expeditious retreat, or misty step.
    They can pick up Mage Armor as a ritual, but... fair. Hmm...

    There's also precious little variety of actions they can take in a fight. I know that's not the focus, but having almost no ability to make use of bonus actions and the best tactic being establishing a sympathetic link via the same method every turn doesn't leave an Archivist with much to do in combat.
    In the first draft of the class, establishing the link was a bonus action, with using a Sympathy as an entirely separate action. I wound up cutting that because it made the action economy feel too cluttered, but... maybe combine with your first point and let them use a bonus action to draw (Int mod) temp HP from the linked target?

    That does still leave a pretty repetitive combat routine... grant multiple link methods, and give each link something you can do to the target as a bonus action? Call of Blood could drain health, Totemic Link could let you do some sort of forced movement...

    Does this stack with Intelligence based skills?
    Yes.

    You might want to consider having a clause in here about not being able to use this with spells that normally take more than one action to cast. Using a single Action to cast Leomund's Tiny Hut or Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum is powerful and seems unintended.
    Good call.
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    STaRS: A non-narrativeist, generic rules-light system.
    Grod's Guide to Greatness, 2e: A big book of player options for 5e.
    Grod's Grimoire of the Grotesque: An even bigger book of variant and expanded rules for 5e.
    Giants and Graveyards: My collected 3.5 class fixes and more.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant View Post
    Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use

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